sk.thewastelands-第61节

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d　stories　and　the　lure　of　the　knowl…edge　which　may　still　remain　there。
　　〃These　two　sides　still　keep　up　their　old　enmity；　gunslinger；　and　both　would　desire　this　young　man　you　call　Eddie。　If　the　dark…skinned　woman　is　fertile；　they　would　not　kill　her　even　though　her　legs　are　short…ended；　they　would　keep　her　to　bear　children；　for　children　are　fewer　now；　and　although　the　old　sicknesses　are　passing；　some　are　still　born　strange。〃
　　At　this；　Susannah　stirred；　seemed　about　to　say　something；　then　only　drank　the　last　of　her　coffee　and　settled　back　into　her　former　listening　position。
　　〃But　if　they　would　desire　the　young　man　and　woman；　gunslinger；　I　think　they　would　lust　for　the　boy。〃
　　Jake　bent　and　began　to　stroke　Oy's　fur　again。　Roland　saw　his　face　and　knew　what　he　was　thinking：　it　was　the　passage　under　the　mountains　all　over　again；　just　another　version　of　the　Slow　Mutants。
　　〃You　they'd　just　as　soon　kill；〃　Aunt　Talitha　said；　〃for　you　are　a　gunslinger；　a　man　out　of　his　own　time　and　place；　neither　fish　nor　fowl；　and　no　use　to　either　side。　But　a　boy　can　be　taken；　used；　schooled　to　remember　some　things　and　to　forget　all　the　others。　They've　all　forgotten　whatever　it　was　they　had　to　fight　about　in　the　first　place；　the　world　has　moved　on　since　then。　Now　they　just　fight　to　the　sound　of　them　awful　drumbeats；　some　few　still　young；　most　of　them　old　enough　for　the　rocking　chair；　like　us　here；　all　of　them　stupid　grots　who　only　live　to　kill　and　kill　to　live。〃　She　paused。　〃Now　that　you've　heard　us　old　cullies　to　the　end；　are　ye　sure　it　would　not　be　best　to　go　around；　and　leave　them　to　their　business？〃
　　Before　Roland　could　reply；　Jake　spoke　up　in　a　clear；　firm　voice。　〃Tell　what　you　know　about　Blaine　the　Mono；〃　he　said。　〃Tell　about　Blaine　and　Engineer　Bob。〃
　　
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　　〃ENGINEER　WHO？〃　EDDIE　ASKED；　but　Jake　only　went　on　looking　at　the　old　people。
　　〃Track　lies　over　yonder；〃　Si　answered　at　last。　He　pointed　toward　the　river。　〃One　track　only；　set　up　high　on　a　colyum　of　man…made　stone；　such　as　the　Old　Ones　used　to　make　their　streets　and　walls。〃
　　〃A　monorail！〃　Susannah　exclaimed。　〃Blaine　the　Monorail！〃
　　〃Blaine　is　a　pain；〃　Jake　muttered。
　　Roland　glanced　at　him　but　said　nothing。
　　〃Does　this　train　run　now？〃　Eddie　asked　Si。
　　Si　shook　his　head　slowly。　His　face　was　troubled　and　uneasy。　〃No；　young　sir…but　in　my　lifetime　and　Auntie's；　it　did。　When　we　were　green　and　the　war　of　the　city　still　went　forrad　briskly。　We'd　hear　it　before　we　saw　it…a　low　humming　noise；　a　sound　like　ye　sometimes　hear　when　a　bad　summer　storm's　on　the　way…one　that's　full　of　lightning。〃
　　〃Ay；〃　Aunt　Talitha　said。　Her　face　was　lost　and　dreaming。
　　〃Then　it'd　e…Blaine　the　Mono；　twinkling　in　the　sun；　with　a　nose　like　one　of　the　bullets　in　your　revolver；　gunslinger。　Maybe　two　wheels　long。　I　know　that　sounds　like　it　couldn't　be；　and　maybe　it　wasn't　（we　were　green；　ye　must　remember；　and　that　makes　a　difference）；　but　I　still　think　it　was；　for　when　it　came；　it　seemed　to　run　along　the　whole　horizon。　Fast；　low；　and　gone　before　you　could　even　see　it　proper！
　　〃Sometimes；　on　days　when　the　weather　were　foul　and　the　air　low；　it'd　shriek　like　a　harpy　as　it　came　out　of　the　west。　Sometimes　it'd　e　in　the　night　with　a　long　white　light　spread　out　before　it；　and　that　shriek　would　wake　all　of　us。　It　were　like　the　trumpet　they　say　will　raise　the　dead　from　their　graves　at　the　end　of　the　world；　so　it　was。〃
　　〃Tell　em　about　the　bang；　Si！〃　Bill　or　Till　said　in　a　voice　which　trembled　with　awe。　〃Tell　em　about　the　godless　bang　what　always　came　after！〃
　　〃Ay；　I　was　just　getting　to　that；〃　Si　answered　with　a　touch　of　annoy…ance。　〃After　it　passed　by；　there　would　be　quiet　for　a　few　seconds　。　。　。　sometimes　as　long　as　a　minute；　maybe　。　。　。　and　then　there'd　e　an　explosion　that　rattled　die　boards　and　knocked　cups　off　the　shelves　and　sometimes　even　broke　the　glass　in　the　window…panes。　But　never　did　anyone　see　ary　flash　nor　fire。　It　was　like　an　explosion　in　the　world　of　spirits。〃
　　Eddie　tapped　Susannah　on　the　shoulder；　and　when　she　turned　to　him　he　mouthed　two　words：　Sonic　boom。　It　was　nuts…no　train　he　had　ever　heard　of　travelled　faster　than　the　speed　of　sound…but　it　was　also　the　only　thing　that　made　sense。
　　She　nodded　and　turned　back　to　Si。
　　〃It's　the　only　one　of　the　machines　the　Great　Old　Ones　made　that　I've　ever　seen　running　with　my　own　eyes；〃　he　said　in　a　soft　voice；　〃and　if　it　weren't　the　devil's　work；　there　be　no　devil。　The　last　time　I　saw　it　was　the　spring　I　married　Mercy；　and　that　must　have　been　sixty　year　agone。〃
　　〃Seventy；〃　Aunt　Talitha　said　with　authority。
　　〃And　this　train　went　into　the　city；〃　Rolund　said。　〃From　back　the　way　we　came　。　。　。　from　the　west　。　。　。　from　the　forest。〃
　　〃Ay；〃　a　new　voice　said　unexpectedly；　〃but　there　was　another　。　。　。　one　that　went　out　from　the　city　。。　。　and　mayhap　that　one　still　runs。〃
　　
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　　THEY　TURNED。　MERCY　STOOD　by　a　bed　of　flowers　between　the　back　of　the　church　and　the　table　where　they　sat。　She　was　walking　slowly　toward　the　sound　of　their　voices；　with　her　hands　spread　out　before　her。
　　Si　got　clumsily　to　his　feet；　hurried　to　her　as　best　he　could；　and　took　her　hand。　She　slipped　an　arm　about　his　waist　and　they　stood　there　looking　like　the　world's　oldest　wedding　couple。
　　〃Auntie　told　you　to　take　your　coffee　inside！〃　he　said。
　　〃Finished　my　coffee　long　ago；〃　Mercy　said。　〃It's　a　bitter　brew　and　I　hate　it。　Besides…I　wanted　to　hear　the　palaver。〃　She　raised　a　trembling　finger　and　pointed　it　in　Roland's　direction。　〃I　wanted　to　hear　his　voice。　It's　fair　and　light；　so　it　is。〃
　　〃I　cry　your　pardon；　Auntie；〃　Si　said；　looking　at　the　ancient　woman　a　little　fearfully。　〃She　was　never　one　to　mind；　and　the　years　have　made　her　no　better。〃
　　Aunt　Talitha　glanced　at　Roland。　He　nodded；　almost　imperceptibly。　〃Let　her　e　forward　and　join　us；〃　she　said。
　　Si　led　her　over　to　the　table；　scolding　all　the　while。　Mercy　only　looked　over　his　shoulder　with　her　sightless　eyes；　her　mouth　set　in　an　intractable　line。
　　When　Si　had　gotten　her　seated；　Aunt　Talitha　leaned　forward　on　her　forearms　and　said；　〃Now　do　you　have　something　to　say；　old　sister…sai；　or　were　you　just　beating　your　gums？〃
　　〃I　hear　what　I　hear。　My　ears　are　as　sharp　as　they　ever　were；　Tali…tha…sharper！〃
　　Roland's　hand　dropped　to　his　belt　for　a　moment。　When　he　brought　it　back　to　the　table；　he　was　holding　a　cartridge　in　his　fingers。　He　tossed　it　to　Susannah；　who　caught　it。　〃Do　you；　sai？〃　he　asked。
　　〃Well　enough；〃　she　said；　turning　in　his　direction；　〃to　know　that　you　just　threw　something。　To　your　woman；　I　think…the　one　with　the　brown　skin。　Something　small。　What　was　it；　gunslinger？　A　biscuit？〃
　　〃Close　enough；〃　he　said；　smiling。　〃You　hear　as　well　as　you　say。　Now　tell　us　what　you　meant。〃
　　〃There　is　another　mono；〃　she　said；　〃unless　'tis　the　same　one；　running　a　different　course。　Either　way；　a　different　course　was　run　by　some　mono　。　。　。　until　seven　or　eight　year　ago；　anyways。　I　used　to　hear　it　leaving　the　city　and　going　out　into　the　waste　lands　beyond。〃
　　〃Dungheap！〃　one　of　the　albino　twins　ejaculated。　〃Nothing　goes　to　the　waste　lands！　Nothing　can　live　there！〃
　　She　turned　her　face　to　him。　〃Is　a　train　alive；　Till　Tudbury？〃　she　asked。　〃Does　a　machine　fall　sick　with　sores　and　puking？〃
　　Well；　Eddie　thought　of　saying；　there　was　this　bear　。　。　。
　　He　thought　it　over　a　little　more　and　decided　it　might　be　better　to　keep　his　silence。
　　〃We　would　have　heard　it；〃　the　other　twin　was　insisting　hotly。　〃A　noise　like　the　one　Si　always　tells　of…〃
　　〃This　one　didn't　make　no　bang；〃　she　admitted；　〃but　I　heard　that　other　sound；　that　humming　noise　like　the　one　you　hear　sometimes　after　lightning　has　struck　somewhere　close。　When　the　wind　was　strong；　blowing　out　from　the　city；　I　heard　it。〃　She　thrust　out　her　chin　and　added：　〃I　did　hear　the　bang　once；　too。　From　far；　far　out。　The　night　Big　Charlie　Wind　came　and　almost　blew　the　steeple　off　the　church。　Must　have　been　two　hundred　wheels　from　here。　Maybe　two　hundred　and　fifty。〃
　　〃Bulldink！〃　the　twin　cried。　〃You　been　chewing　the　weed！〃
　　〃I'll　chew　on　you；　Bill　Tudbury；　if　you　don't　shut　up　your　honkin。　You've　no　business　sayin　bulldink　to　a　lady；　either。　Why…〃
　　〃Stop　it；　Mercy！〃　Si　hissed；　but　Eddie　was　barely　listening　to　this　exchange　of　rural　pleasantries。　What　the　blind　woman　had　said　made　sense　to　him。　Of　course　there　would　be　no　sonic　boom；　not　from　a　train　which　started　its　run　in　Lud；　he　couldn't　remember　exactly　what　the　speed　of　sound　was；　but　he　thought　it　was　somewhere　in　the　neighbor…hood　of　six　hundred　and　fifty　miles　an　hour。　A　train　starting　from　a　dead　stop　would　take　some　time　getting　up　to　that　speed；　and　by　the　time　it　reached　it；　it　would　be　out　of　earshot　。　。　。　unless　the　listening　conditions　happened　to　be　just　right；　as　Mercy　claimed　they　had　been　on　the　night　when　the　Big　Charlie　Wind…whatever　that　was…had　e。
　　And　there　were　possibilities　here。　Blaine　the　Mono　was　no　Land　Rover；　but　maybe　。　。　。　maybe　。。。
　　〃You　haven't　heard　the　sound　of　this　other　train　for　seven　or　eight　years；　sai？〃　Roland　asked。　〃Are　you　sure　it　wasn't　much　longer？〃
　　〃Couldn't　have　been；〃　she　said；　〃for　the　last　time　was　the　year　old　Bill　Muffin　took　blood…sick。　Poor　Bill！〃
　　〃That's　almos