sk.thewastelands-第62节

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　　〃Couldn't　have　been；〃　she　said；　〃for　the　last　time　was　the　year　old　Bill　Muffin　took　blood…sick。　Poor　Bill！〃
　　〃That's　almost　ten　year　agone；〃　Aunt　Talitha　said；　and　her　voice　was　queerly　gentle。
　　〃Why　did　you　never　say　you　heard　such　a　thing？〃　Si　asked。　He　looked　at　the　gunslinger。　〃You　can't　believe　everything　she　says；　lord…always　longing　to　be　in　the　middle　of　the　stage　is　my　Mercy。〃
　　〃Why；　you　old　slumgullion！〃　she　cried；　and　slapped　his　arm。　〃I　didn't　say　because　I　didn't　want　to　o'ertop　the　story　you're　so　proud　of；　but　now　that　it　matters　what　I　heard；　I'm　bound　to　tell！〃
　　〃I　believe　you；　sai；〃　Roland　said；　〃but　are　you　sure　you　haven't　heard　the　sounds　of　the　mono　since　then？〃
　　〃Nay；　not　since　then。　I　imagine　it's　finally　reached　the　end　of　its　path。〃
　　〃I　wonder；〃　Roland　said。　〃Indeed；　I　wonder　very　much。〃　He　looked　down　at　the　table；　brooding；　suddenly　far　away　from　all　of　them；
　　Choo…choo；　Jake　thought；　and　shivered。
　　
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　　HALF　AN　HOUR　LATER　they　were　in　the　town　square　again；　Susannah　in　her　wheelchair；　Jake　adjusting　the　straps　of　his　pack　while　Oy　sat　at　his　heel；　watching　him　attentively。　Only　the　town　elders　had　attended　the　dinner…party　in　the　little　Eden　behind　the　Church　of　the　Blood　Everlast…ing；　it　seemed；　because　when　they　returned　to　the　square；　another　dozen　people　were　waiting。　They　glanced　at　Susannah　and　looked　a　bit　longer　at　Jake　（his　youth　apparently　more　interesting　to　them　than　her　dark　skin）；　but　it　was　clearly　Roland　they　had　e　to　see；　their　wondering　eyes　were　full　of　ancient　awe。
　　He's　a　living　remnant　of　a　past　they　only　know　from　stories；　Susan…nah　thought。　They　look　at　him　the　way　religious　people　would　look　at　one　of　the　saints…Peter　or　Paul　or　Matthew…if　he　decided　to　drop　by　the　Saturday　night　bean　supper　and　tell　them　stories　of　how　it　was；　traipsing　around　the　Sea　of　Galilee　with　Jesus　the　Carpenter。
　　The　ritual　which　had　ended　the　meal　was　now　repeated；　only　this　time　everyone　left　in　River　Crossing　participated。　They　shuffled　forward　in　a　line；　shaking　hands　with　Eddie　and　Susannah；　kissing　Jake　on　the　cheek　or　forehead；　then　kneeling　in　front　of　Roland　for　his　touch　and　his　blessing。　Mercy　threw　her　arms　about　him　and　pressed　her　blind　face　against　his　stomach。　Roland　hugged　her　back　and　thanked　her　for　her　news。
　　〃Will　ye　not　stay　the　night　with　us；　gunslinger？　Sunset　es　on　apace；　and　it's　been　long　since　you　and　yours　spent　the　night　beneath　a　roof；　I'll　warrant。〃
　　〃It　has　been；　but　it's　best　we　go　on。　Thankee…sai。〃
　　〃Will　ye　e　again　if　ye　may；　gunslinger？〃
　　〃Yes；〃　Roland　said；　but　Eddie　did　not　need　to　look　into　his　strange　friend's　face　to　know　the　chances　were　small。　〃If　we　can。〃
　　〃Ay。〃　She　Imaged　him　a　final　time；　then　passed　on　with　her　hand　resting　on　Si's　sunburned　shoulder。　〃Fare　ye　well。〃
　　Aunt　Talitha　came　last。　When　she　began　to　kneel；　Roland　caught　her　by　the　shoulders。　〃No；　sai。　You　shall　not　do。〃　And　before　Eddie's　amazed　eyes；　Roland　knelt　before　her　in　the　dust　of　the　town　square。　〃Will　you　bless　me；　Old　Mother？　Will　you　bless　all　of　us　as　we　go　our　course？〃
　　〃Ay；〃　she　said。　There　was　no　surprise　in　her　voice；　no　tears　in　her　eyes；　but　her　voice　throbbed　with　deep　feeling；　all　the　same。　〃I　see　your　heart　is　true；　gunslinger；　and　that　you　hold　to　the　old　ways　of　your　kind；　ay；　you　hold　to　them　very　well。　I　bless　you　and　yours　and　will　pray　that　no　harm　will　e　to　you。　Now　take　this；　if　you　will。〃　She　reached　into　the　bodice　of　her　faded　dress　and　removed　a　silver　cross　at　the　end　of　a　fine…link　silver　chain。　She　took　it　off
　　Now　it　was　Roland's　turn　to　be　surprised。　〃Are　you　sure？　I　did　not　e　to　take　what　belongs　to　you　and　yours；　Old　Mother。〃
　　〃I'm　sure　as　sure　can　be。　I've　worn　this　day　and　night　for　over　a　hundred　years；　gunslinger。　Now　you　shall　wear　it；　and　lay　it　at　the　foot　of　the　Dark　Tower；　and　speak　the　name　of　Talitha　Unwin　at　the　far　end　of　the　earth。〃　She　slipped　the　chain　over　his　head。　The　cross　dropped　into　the　open　neck　of　his　deerskin　shirt　as　if　it　belonged　there。　〃Go　now。　We　have　broken　bread；　we　have　held　palaver；　we　have　your　blessing；　and　you　have　ours。　Go　your　course　in　safety。　Stand　and　be　true。〃　Her　voice　trembled　and　broke　on　the　last　word。
　　Roland　rose　to　his　feet；　then　bowed　and　tapped　his　throat　three　times。　〃Thankee…sai。〃
　　She　bowed　back；　but　did　not　speak。　Now　there　were　tears　coursing　down　her　cheeks。
　　〃Ready？〃　Roland　asked。
　　Eddie　nodded。　He　did　not　trust　himself　to　speak。
　　〃All　right；〃　Roland　said。　〃Let's　go。〃
　　They　walked　down　what　remained　of　the　town's　high　street；　Jake　pushing　Susannah's　wheelchair。　As　they　passed　the　last　building　（TRADE　&　CHANGE；　the　faded　sign　read）；　he　looked　back。　The　old　people　were　still　gathered　about　the　stone　marker；　a　forlorn　cluster　of　humanity　in　the　middle　of　this　wide；　empty　plain。　Jake　raised　his　hand。　Up　to　this　point　he　had　managed　to　hold　himself　in；　but　when　several　of　the　old　folks…Si；　Bill；　and　Till　among　them…raised　their　own　hands　in　return；　Jake　burst　into　tears　himself。
　　Eddie　put　an　arm　around　his　shoulders。　〃Just　keep　walking；　sport；〃　he　said　in　an　uneasy　voice。　〃That's　the　only　way　to　do　it。〃
　　〃They're　so　old！〃　Jake　sobbed。　〃How　can　we　just　leave　them　like　this？　It's　not　right！〃
　　〃It's　ka；〃　Eddie　said　without　thinking。
　　〃Is　it？　Well　ka　suh…suh…sucks！〃
　　〃Yeah；　hard；〃　Eddie　agreed　。　。　。　but　he　kept　walking。　So　did　Jake；　and　he　didn't　look　back　again。　He　was　afraid　they　would　still　be　there；　standing　at　the　center　of　their　forgotten　town；　watching　until　Roland　and　his　friends　were　out　of　view。　And　he　would　have　been　right。
　　
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　　THEY　HAD　MADE　LESS　than　seven　miles　before　the　sky　began　to　darken　and　sunset　colored　the　western　horizon　blaze　orange。　There　was　a　grove　of　Susannah's　eucalyptus　trees　nearby；　Jake　and　Eddie　foraged　there　for　wood。
　　〃I　just　don't　see　why　we　didn't　stay；〃　Jake　said。　〃The　blind　lady　invited　us；　and　we　didn't　get　very　far；　anyway。　I'm　still　so　full　I'm　practi…cally　waddling。〃
　　Eddie　smiled。　〃Me；　too。　And　I　can　tell　you　something　else：　your　good　friend　Edward　Cantor　Dean　is　looking　forward　to　a　long　and　lei…surely　squat　in　this　grove　of　trees　first　thing　tomorrow　morning。　You　wouldn't　believe　how　tired　I　am　of　eating　deermeat　and　crapping　rabbit…turds。　If　you'd　told　me　a　year　ago　that　a　good　dump　would　be　the　high　point　of　my　day；　I　would　have　laughed　in　your　face。〃
　　〃Is　your　middle　name　really　Cantor？〃
　　〃Yes；　but　I'd　appreciate　it　if　you　didn't　spread　it　around。〃
　　〃I　won't。　Why　didn't　we　stay；　Eddie？〃
　　Eddie　sighed。　〃Because　we　would　have　found　out　they　needed　firewood。〃
　　〃Huh？〃
　　〃And　after　we　got　the　firewood；　we　would've　found　they　also　needed　fresh　meat；　because　they　served　us　the　last　of　what　they　had。　And　we'd　be　real　creeps　not　to　replace　what　we　ate；　right？　Especially　when　we're　packing　guns　and　the　best　they　can　probably　do　is　a　bunch　of　bows　and　arrows　fifty　or　a　hundred　years　old。　So　we　would　have　gone　hunting　for　them。　By　then　it　would　be　night　again；　and　when　we　got　up　the　next　day；　Susannah　would　be　saying　we　ought　to　at　least　make　a　few　repairs　before　we　moved　on…oh；　not　to　the　front　of　the　town；　that'd　be　danger…ous；　but　maybe　in　the　hotel　or　wherever　it　is　they　live。　Only　a　few　days；　and　what's　a　few　days；　right？〃
　　Roland　materialized　out　of　the　gloom。　He　moved　as　quietly　as　ever；　but　he　looked　tired　and　preoccupied。　〃I　thought　maybe　you　two　fell　into　a　quickpit；〃　he　said。
　　〃Nope。　I've　just　been　telling　Jake　the　facts　as　I　see　them。〃
　　〃So　what　would　have　been　wrong　with　that？〃　Jake…　asked。　〃This　Dark　Tower　thingy　has　been　wherever　it　is　for　a　long　time；　right？　It's　not　going　anywhere；　is　it？〃
　　〃A　few　days；　then　a　few　more；　then　a　few　more。〃　Eddie　looked　at　the　branch　he　had　just　picked　up　and　threw　it　aside　disgustedly。　I'm　starting　to　sound　just　like　him；　he　thought。　And　yet　he　knew　that　he　was　only　speaking　the　truth。　〃Maybe　we'd　see　that　their　spring　is　getting　silted　up；　and　it　wouldn't　be　polite　to　go　until　we'd　dug　it　out　for　them。　But　why　stop　there　when　we　could　take　another　couple　of　weeks　and　build　a　jackleg　waterwheel；　right？　They're　old；　and　have　no　more　foot。〃　He　glanced　at　Roland；　and　his　voice　was　tinged　with　reproach。　〃I　tell　you　what…when　I　think　of　Bill　and　Till　there　stalking　a　herd　of　wild　buffalo；　I　get　the　shivers。〃
　　〃They've　been　doing　it　a　long　time；〃　Roland　said；　〃and　I　imagine　they　could　show　us　a　thing　or　two。　They'll　manage。　Meantime；　let's　get　that　wood…it's　going　to　be　a　chilly　night。〃
　　But　Jake　wasn't　done　with　it　yet。　He　was　looking　closely…almost　sternly…at　Eddie。　〃You're　saying　we　could　never　do　enough　for　them；　aren't　you？〃
　　Eddie　stuck　out　his　lower　lip　and　blew　hair　off　his　forehead。　〃Not　exactly。　I'm　saving　it　would　never　be　any　easier　to　leave　than　it　was　today。　Harder；　maybe；　but　no　easier。〃
　　〃It　still　doesn't　seem　right。〃
　　They　reached　the　place　that　would　bee；　once　the　fire　was　lit；　just　another　campsite　on　the　road　to　the　Dark　Tower。　Susannah　had　eased　herself　out　of　her　chair　and　was　lying　on　her　back　with　her　hands　behind　her　head；　looking　up　at　the　stars。　Now　she　sat　up　and　began　to　arrange　the　wood　in　the