sk.thewastelands-第63节

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　up　at　the　stars。　Now　she　sat　up　and　began　to　arrange　the　wood　in　the　way　Roland　had　shown　her　months　ago。
　　〃Right　is　what　all　this　is　about；〃　Roland　said。　〃But　if　you　look　too　long　at　the　small　rights；　Jake…the　ones　that　lie　close　at　hand…it's　easy　to　lose　sight　of　the　big　ones　that　stand　farther　off。　Things　are　out　of　joint…going　wrong　and　getting　worse。　We　see　it　all　around　us；　but　the　answers　are　still　ahead。　While　we　were　helping　the　twenty　or　thirty　people　left　in　River　Crossing；　twenty　or　thirty　thousand　more　might　be　suffering　or　dying　somewhere　else。　And　if　there　is　any　place　in　the　universe　where　these　things　can　be　set　right；　it's　at　the　Dark　Tower。〃
　　〃Why？　How？〃　Jake　asked。　〃What　is　this　Tower；　anyway？〃
　　Roland　squatted　beside　the　fire　Susannah　had　built；　produced　his　flint　and　steel；　and　began　to　flash　sparks　into　the　kindling。　Soon　small　flames　were　growing　amid　the　twigs　and　dried　handfuls　of　grass。　〃I　can't　answer　those　questions；〃　he　said。　〃I　wish　I　could。〃
　　That；　Eddie　thought；　was　an　exceedingly　clever　reply。　Roland　had　said　I　can't　answer　。　。　。　but　that　wasn't　the　same　thing　as　I　don't　know。　Far　from　it。
　　
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　　SUPPER　CONSISTED　OF　WATER　and　greens。　They　were　all　still　recovering　from　the　heavy　meal　they'd　eaten　in　River　Crossing；　even　Oy　refused　the　scraps　Jake　offered　him　after　the　first　one　or　two。
　　〃How　e　you　wouldn't　talk　back　there？〃　Jake　scolded　the　bum…bier。　〃You　made　me　look　like　an　idiot！〃
　　〃Id…yit！〃　Oy　said；　and　put　his　muzzle　on　Jake's　ankle。
　　〃He's　talking　better　all　the　time；〃　Roland　remarked。　〃He's　even　starting　to　sound　like　you；　Jake。〃
　　〃Ake；〃　Oy　agreed；　not　lifting　his　muzzle。　Jake　was　fascinated　by　the　gold　rings　in　Oy's　eyes；　in　the　flickering　light　of　the　fire；　they　seemed　to　revolve　slowly。
　　〃But　he　wouldn't　talk　to　the　old　people。〃
　　〃Bumblers　are　choosy　about　that　sort　of　thing；〃　Roland　said。　〃They're　odd　creatures。　If　I　had　to　guess；　I'd　say　this　one　was　driven　away　by　its　own　pack。〃
　　〃Why　do　you　think　so？〃
　　Roland　pointed　at　Oy's　flank。　Jake　had　cleaned　off　the　blood　（Oy　hadn't　enjoyed　this；　but　had　stood　for　it）　and　the　bite　was　healing；　although　the　bumbler　still　limped　a　little。　〃I'd　bet　an　eagle　that's　the　bite　of　another　bumbler。〃
　　〃But　why　would　his　own　pack…〃
　　〃Maybe　they　got　tired　of　his　chatter；〃　Eddie　said。　He　had　lain　down　beside　Susannah　and　put　an　arm　about　her　shoulders。
　　〃Maybe　they　did；〃　Roland　said；　〃especially　if　he　was　the　only　one　of　them　who　was　still　trying　to　talk。　The　others　might　have　decided　he　was　too　bright…or　too　uppity…for　their　taste。　Animals　don't　know　as　much　about　jealousy　as　people；　but　they're　not　ignorant　of　it；　either。〃
　　The　object　of　this　discussion　closed　his　eyes　and　appeared　to　go　to　sleep　。　。　。　but　Jake　noticed　his　ears　began　twitching　when　the　talk　resumed。
　　〃How　bright　are　they？〃　Jake　asked。
　　Roland　shrugged。　〃The　old　groom　I　told　you　about…the　one　who　said　a　good　bumbler　is　good　luck…swore　he　had　one　in　his　youth　that　could　add。　He　said　it　told　sums　either　by　scratching　on　the　stable　floor　or　pushing　stones　together　with　its　muzzle。〃　He　grinned。　It　lit　his　whole　face；　chasing　away　the　gloomy　shadows　which　had　lain　there　ever　since　they　left　River　Crossing。　〃Of　course；　grooms　and　fishermen　are　born　to　lie。〃
　　A　panionable　silence　fell　among　them；　and　Jake　could　feel　drowsiness　stealing　over　him。　He　thought　he　would　sleep　soon；　and　that　was　fine　by　him。　Then　the　drums　began；　ing　out　of　the　southeast　in　rhythmic　pulses；　and　he　sat　back　up。　They　listened　without　speaking。
　　〃That's　a　rock　and　roll　backbeat；〃　Eddie　said　suddenly。　〃I　know　it　is。　Take　away　the　guitars　and　that's　what　you've　got　left。　In　fact；　it　sounds　quite　a　lot　like　Z。Z。　Top。〃
　　〃Z。Z。　who？〃　Susannah　asked。
　　Eddie　grinned。　〃They　didn't　exist　in　your　when；〃　he　said。　〃I　mean；　they　probably　did；　but　in　'63　they　would　have　been　just　a　bunch　of　kids　going　to　school　down　in　Texas。〃　He　listened。　〃I'll　be　goddamned　if　that　doesn't　sound　just　like　the　backbeat　to　something　like　'Sharp…Dressed　Man'　or　'Velcro　Fly。'　〃
　　〃　Velcro　Fly'？〃　Jake　said。　〃That's　a　stupid　name　for　a　song。〃
　　〃Pretty　funny；　though；〃　Eddie　said。　〃You　missed　it　by　ten　years　or　so；　sport。〃
　　〃We'd　better　roll　over；〃　Roland　said。　〃Morning　es　early。〃
　　〃I　can't　sleep　with　that　shit　going　on；〃　Eddie　said。　He　hesitated；　then　said　something　which　had　been　on　his　mind　ever　since　the　morning　when　they　had　pulled　Jake；　whitefaced　and　shrieking；　through　the　door…way　and　into　this　world。　〃Don't　you　think　it's　about　time　we　exchanged　stories；　Roland？　We　might　find　out　we　know　more　than　we　think。〃
　　〃Yes；　it's　almost　time　for　that。　But　not　in　the　dark。〃　Roland　rolled　onto　his　side；　pulled　up　a　blanket；　and　appeared　to　go　to　sleep。
　　〃Jesus；〃　Eddie　said。　〃Just　like　that。〃　He　blew　a　disgusted　little　whistle　between　his　teeth。
　　〃He's　right；〃　Susannah　said。　〃e　on；　Eddie…go　to　sleep。〃
　　He　grinned　and　kissed　the　tip　of　her　nose。　〃Yes；　Mummy。〃
　　Five　minutes　later　he　and　Susannah　were　dead　to　the　world；　drums　or　no　drums。　Jake　found　that　his　own　sleepiness　had　stolen　away；　how…ever。　He　lay　looking　up　at　die　strange　stars　and　listening　to　that　steady；　rhythmic　throbbing　ing　out　of　the　darkness。　Maybe　it　was　the　Pubes；　boogying　madly　to　a　song　called　〃Velcro　Fly〃　while　they　worked　them…selves　into　a　sacrificial　killing　frenzy。
　　He　thought　of　Blaine　the　Mono；　a　train　so　fast　that　it　travelled　across　the　huge；　haunted　world　trailing　a　sonic　boom　behind　it；　and　that　led　him　naturally　enough　to　thoughts　of　Charlie　the　Choo…Choo；　who　had　been　retired　to　a　forgotten　siding　when　the　new　Burlington　Zephyr　arrived；　rendering　him　obsolete。　He　thought　of　the　expression　on　Char…lie's　face；　the　one　that　was　supposed　to　be　cheery　and　pleasant　but　somehow　wasn't。　He　thought　about　The　Mid…World　Railway　pany；　and　the　empty　lands　between　St。　Louis　and　Topeka。　He　thought　about　how　Charlie　had　been　all　ready　to　go　when　Mr。　Martin　needed　him；　and　how　Charlie　could　blow　his　own　whistle　and　feed　his　own　firebox。　He　wondered　again　if　Engineer　Bob　had　sabotaged　the　Burlington　Zephyr　in　order　to　give　his　beloved　Charlie　a　second　chance。
　　At　last…and　as　suddenly　as　it　had　begun…the　rhythmic　drumming　stopped；　and　Jake　drifted　off　to　sleep。
　　
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　　HE　DREAMED；　BUT　NOT　of　the　plaster…man。
　　He　dreamed　instead　that　he　was　standing　on　a　stretch　of　blacktop　highway　somewhere　in　the　Big　Empty　of　western　Missouri。　Oy　was　with　him。　Railroad　warning　signals…white　X…shapes　with　red　lights　in　their　centers…flanked　the　road。　The　lights　were　flashing　and　bells　were　ringing。
　　Now　a　humming　noise　began　to　rise　out　of　the　southeast　getting　steadily　louder。　It　sounded　like　lightning　in　a　bottle。
　　Here　it　es；　he　told　Oy。
　　Urns！　Oy　agreed。
　　And　suddenly　a　vast　pink　shape　two　wheels　long　was　slicing　across　the　plain　toward　them。　It　was　low　and　bullet…shaped；　and　when　Jake　saw　it；　a　terrible　fear　filled　his　heart。　The　two　big　windows　flashing　in　the　sun　at　the　front　of　the　train　looked　like　eyes。
　　Don't　ask　it　silly　questions；　Jake　told　Oy。　It　won't　play　silly　games。　It's　just　an　awful　choo…choo　train；　and　its　name　is　Blaine　the　Pain。
　　Suddenly　Oy　leaped　onto　the　tracks　and　crouched　there　with　his　ears　flattened　back。　His　golden　eyes　were　blazing。　His　teeth　were　bared　in　a　desperate　snarl。
　　No！　Jake　screamed。　No；　Oy！
　　But　Oy　paid　no　attention。　The　pink　bullet　was　bearing　down　on　the1　tiny；　defiant　shape　of　the　billy…bumbler　now；　and　that　humming　seemed　to　be　crawling　all　over　Jake's　skin；　making　his　nose　bleed　and　shattering　the　fillings　in　his　teeth。
　　He　leaped　for　Oy；　Blaine　the　Mono　（or　was　it　Charlie　the　Choo…Choo？）　bore　down　on　them；　and　he　woke　up　suddenly；　shivering；　bathed　in　sweat。　The　night　seemed　to　be　pressing　down　upon　him　like　a　physical　weight。　He　rolled　over　and　felt　frantically　for　Oy。　For　a　terrible　moment　he　thought　the　bumbler　was　gone；　and　then　his　fingers　found　the　silky　fur。　Oy　uttered　a　squeak　and　looked　at　him　with　sleepy　curiosity。
　　〃That's　all　right；〃　Jake　whispered　in　a　dry　voice。　〃There's　no　train。　It　was　just　a　dream。　Go　back　to　sleep；　boy。〃
　　〃Oy；〃　the　humbler　agreed；　and　closed　his　eyes　again。
　　Jake　rolled　over　on　his　back　and　lay　looking　up　at　the　stars。　Blaine　is　more　than　a　pain；　he　thought。　It's　dangerous。　Very　dangerous。
　　Yes；　perhaps。
　　No　perhaps　about　it！　his　mind　insisted　frantically。
　　All　right；　Blaine　was　a　pain…given。　But　his　Final　Essay　had　had　something　else　to　say　on　the　subject　of　Blaine；　hadn't　it？
　　Blaine　is　the　truth。　Blaine　is　the　truth。　Blaine　is　the　truth。
　　〃Oh　Jeez；　what　a　mess；〃　Jake　whispered。　He　closed　his　eyes　and　was　asleep　again　in　seconds。　This　time　his　sleep　was　dreamless。
　　
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　　AROUND　NOON　THE　NEXT　day　they　reached　the　top　of　another　drumlin　and　saw　the　bridge　for　the　first　time。　It　crossed　the　Send　at　a　point　where　the　river　narrowed；　bent　due　south；　and　passed　in　front　of　the　city。
　　〃Holy　Jesus；〃　Eddie　said　softly。　〃Does　that　look　familiar　to　you；　Suze？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃Jake？〃
　　〃Yes…it　looks　like　the　George　Washington　Bridge。〃
　　〃It　sure　does；〃　Eddie　agreed。
　　〃But　what's　the　GWB　doing　in　Missouri