sk.thewastelands-第67节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


il　and　the　train　runs　through　hell　itself　on　the　way　to　the　Tower。　I　vote　we　go。〃
　　Roland　nodded　and　turned　to　Susannah。
　　〃Well；　I　didn't　have　any　dreams　about　the　Dark　Tower；〃　she　said；　〃so　I　can　deal　with　the　question　on　that　level…the　level　of　desire；　I　suppose　you'd　say。　But　I've　e　to　believe　in　ka；　and　I'm　not　so　numb　that　I　can't　feel　it　when　someone　starts　rapping　on　my　head　with　his　knuckles　and　saying；　'That　way；　idiot。'　What　about　you；　Roland？　What　do　you　think？〃
　　〃I　think　there's　been　enough　talk　for　one　day；　and　it's　time　to　let　it　go　until　tomorrow。〃
　　〃What　about　Riddle…De…Dum！…〃　Jake　asked；　〃do　you　want　to　look　at　that？〃
　　〃There'll　be　time　enough　for　that　another　day；〃　Roland　said。　〃Let's　get　some　sleep。〃
　　
　　　25
　　BUT　THE　GUNSLINGER　LAY　long　awake；　and　when　the　rhythmic　drum…ming　began　again；　he　got　up　and　walked　back　to　the　road。　He　stood　looking　toward　the　bridge　and　the　city。　He　was　every　inch　the　diplomat　Susannah　had　suspected；　and　he　had　known　the　train　was　the　next　step　on　the　road　they　must　travel　almost　from　the　moment　he　had　heard　of　it　。。。　but　he'd　felt　it　would　be　unwise　to　say　so。　Eddie　in　particular　hated　to　feel　pushed；　when　he　sensed　that　was　being　done；　he　simply　lowered　his　head；　planted　his　feet；　made　his　silly　jokes；　and　balked　like　a　mule。　This　time　he　wanted　what　Roland　wanted；　but　he　was　still　apt　to　say　day　if　Roland　said　night；　and　night　if　Roland　said　day。　It　was　safer　to　walk　softly；　and　surer　to　ask　instead　of　telling。
　　He　turned　to　go　back　。　。　。　and　his　hand　dropped　to　his　gun　as　he　saw　a　dark　shape　standing　on　the　edge　of　the　road；　looking　at　him。　He　didn't　draw；　but　it　was　a　near　thing。
　　〃I　wondered　if　you'd　be　able　to　sleep　after　that　little　performance；〃　Eddie　said。　〃Guess　the　answer's　no。〃
　　〃I　didn't　hear　you　at　all；　Eddie。　You're　learning　。　。。　only　this　time　you　almost　got　a　bullet　in　the　gut　for　your　pains。〃
　　〃You　didn't　hear　me　because　you　have　a　lot　on　your　mind。〃　Eddie　joined　him；　and　even　by　starlight；　Roland　saw　he　hadn't　fooled　Eddie　a　bit。　His　respect　for　Eddie　continued　to　grow。　It　was　Cuthbert　Eddie　reminded　him　of；　but　in　many　ways　he　had　already　surpassed　Cuthbert。
　　If　I　underestimate　him；　Roland　thought；　I'm　apt　to　e　away　with　a　bloody　paw。　And　if　I　let　him　down；　or　do　something　that　looks　to　him　like　a　double…cross；　he'll　probably　try　to　kill　me。
　　〃What's　on　your　mind；　Eddie？〃
　　〃You。　Us。　I　want　you　to　know　something。　I　guess　until　tonight　I　just　assumed　that　you　knew　already。　Now　I'm　not　so　sure。〃
　　〃Tell　me；　then。〃　He　thought　again：　How　like　Cuthbert　he　is！
　　〃We're　with　you　because　we　have　to　be…that's　your　goddamned　ka。　But　we're　also　with　you　because　we　want　to　be。　I　know　that's　true　of　me　and　Susannah；　and　I'm　pretty　sure　it's　true　of　Jake；　too。　You've　got　a　good　brain；　me　old　khef…mate；　but　I　think　you　must　keep　it　in　a　bomb…shelter；　because　it's　bitchin　hard　to　get　through　sometimes。　I　want　to　see　it；　Roland。　Can　you　dig　what　I'm　telling　you？　I　want　to　see　the　Tower。〃　He　looked　closely　into　Roland's　face；　apparently　did　not　see　what　he'd　hoped　to　find　there；　and　raised　his　hands　in　exasperation。　〃What　I　mean　is　I　want　you　to　let　go　of　my　ears。〃
　　〃Let　go　of　your　ears？〃
　　〃Yeah。　Because　you　don't　have　to　drag　me　anymore。　I'm　ing　of　my　own　accord。　We're　ing　of　our　own　accord。　If　you　died　in　your　sleep　tonight；　we'd　bury　you　and　then　go　on。　We　probably　wouldn't　last　long；　but　we'd　die　in　the　path　of　the　Beam。　Now　do　you　understand？〃
　　〃Yes。　Now　I　do。〃
　　〃You　say　you　understand　me；　and　I　think　you　do　。。。　but　do　you　believe　me；　as　well？〃
　　Of　course；　he　thought。　Where　else　do　you　have　to　go；　Eddie；　in　this　world　that's　so　strange　to　you？　And　what　else　could　you　do？　You'd　make　a　piss…poor　farmer。
　　But　that　was　mean　and　unfair；　and　he　knew　it。　Denigrating　free　will　by　confusing　it　with　ka　was　worse　than　blasphemy；　it　was　tiresome　and　stupid。　〃Yes；〃　he　said。　〃I　believe　you。　Upon　my　soul；　I　do。〃
　　〃Then　stop　behaving　like　we're　a　bunch　of　sheep　and　you're　the　shepherd　walking　along　behind　us；　waving　a　crook　to　make　sure　we　don't　trot　our　stupid　selves　off　the　road　and　into　a　quicksand　bog。　Open　your　mind　to　us。　If　we're　going　to　die　in　the　city　or　on　that　train；　I　want　to　die　knowing　I　was　more　than　a　marker　on　your　game…board。〃
　　Roland　felt　anger　heat　his　cheeks；　but　he　had　never　been　much　good　at　self…deception。　He　wasn't　angry　because　Eddie　was　wrong　but　because　Eddie　had　seen　through　him。　Roland　had　watched　him　e　steadily　forward；　leaving　his　prison　further　and　further　behind…and　Susannah；　too；　for　she　had　also　been　imprisoned…and　yet　his　heart　had　never　quite　accepted　the　evidence　of　his　senses。　His　heart　apparently　wanted　to　go　on　seeing　them　as　different；　lesser　creatures。
　　Roland　drew　in　deep　air。　〃Gunslinger；　I　cry　your　pardon。〃
　　Eddie　nodded。　〃We're　running　into　a　whole　hurricane　of　trouble　here　。。。　I　feel　it；　and　I'm　scared　to　death。　But　it's　not　your　trouble；　it's　our　trouble。　Okay？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃How　bad　do　you　think　it　can　get　in　the　city？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。　I　only　know　that　we　have　to　try　and　protect　Jake；　because　the　old　auntie　said　both　sides　would　want　him。　Some　of　it　depends　on　how　long　it　takes　us　to　find　this　train。　A　lot　more　depends　on　what　happens　when　we　find　it。　If　we　had　two　more　in　our　party；　I'd　put　Jake　in　a　moving　box　with　guns　on　every　side　of　him。　Since　we　don't；　we'll　move　in　column…me　first；　Jake　pushing　Susannah　behind；　and　you　on　drogue。〃
　　〃How　much　trouble；　Roland？　Make　a　guess。〃
　　〃I　can't。〃
　　〃I　think　you　can。　You　don't　know　the　city；　but　you　know　how　the　people　in　your　world　have　been　behaving　since　things　started　to　fall　apart。　How　much　trouble？〃
　　Roland　turned　toward　the　steady　sound　of　the　drumbeats　and　thought　it　over。　〃Maybe　not　too　much。　I'd　guess　the　fighting　men　who　are　still　there　are　old　and　demoralized。　It　may　he　that　yon　have　the　straight　of　it；　and　some　will　even　offer　to　help　us　on　our　way；　as　the　River　Crossing　ka…tet　did。　Mayhap　we　won't　see　them　at　all…they'll　see　MS；　see　we're　packing　iron；　and　just　put　their　heads　down　and　let　us　go　our　way。　If　that　fails；　I'm　hoping　that　they'll　scatter　like　rats　if　we　gun　a　few。〃
　　〃And　if　they　decide　to　make　a　fight　of　it？〃
　　Roland　smiled　grimly。　〃Then；　Eddie；　we'll　all　remember　the　faces　of　our　fathers。〃
　　Eddie's　eyes　gleamed　in　the　darkness；　and　Roland　was　once　more　reminded　forcibly　of　Cuthbert…Cuthbert　who　had　once　said　he　would　believe　in　ghosts　when　he　could　catch　one　in　his　teeth；　Cuthbert　with　whom　he　had　once　scattered　breadcrumbs　beneath　the　hangman's　gibbet。
　　〃Have　I　answered　all　your　questions？〃
　　〃Nope…but　I　think　you　played　straight　with　me　this　time。〃
　　〃Then　goodnight；　Eddie。〃
　　〃Goodnight。〃
　　Eddie　turned　and　walked　away。　Roland　watched　him　go。　Now　that　he　was　listening；　he　could　hear　him　。　。　。　but　just　barely。　He　started　back　himself；　then　turned　toward　the　darkness　where　the　city　of　Lud　was。
　　He's　what　the　old　woman　called　a　Pube。　She　said　both　sides　would　want　him。
　　You　won't　let　me　drop　this　time？
　　No。　Not　this　time；　not　ever　again。
　　But　he　knew　something　none　of　the　others　did。　Perhaps；　after　the　talk　he'd　just　had　with　Eddie；　he　should　tell　them　。　。　。　yet　he　thought　he　would　keep　the　knowledge　to　himself　a　little　while　longer。
　　In　the　old　tongue　which　had　once　been　his　world's　lingua　franca；　most　words；　like　khef　and　ka；　had　many　meanings。　The　word　char；　how…ever…char　as　in　Charlie　the　Choo…Choo…had　only　one。
　　Char　meant　death。
　　
　　
　　　V
　　　　BRIDGE　AND　CITY
　　　
　　　1
　　THEY　CAME　UPON　THE　downed　airplane　three　days　later。
　　Jake　pointed　it　out　first　at　midmorning…a　flash　of　light　about　ten　miles　away；　as　if　a　mirror　lay　in　the　grass。　As　they　drew　closer；　they　saw　a　large　dark　object　at　the　side　of　the　Great　Road。
　　〃It　looks　like　a　dead　bird；〃　Roland　said。　〃A　big　one。〃
　　〃That's　no　bird；〃　Eddie　said。　〃That's　an　airplane。　I'm　pretty　sure　the　glare　is　sunlight　bouncing　off　the　canopy。〃
　　An　hour　later　they　stood　silently　at　the　edge　of　the　road；　looking　at　the　ancient　wreck。　Three　plump　crows　stood　on　the　tattered　skin　of　the　fuselage；　staring　insolently　at　the　newers。　Jake　pried　a　cobble　from　the　edge　of　the　road　and　shied　it　at　them。　The　crows　lumbered　into　the　air；　cawing　indignantly。
　　One　wing　had　broken　off　in　the　crash　and　lay　thirty　yards　away；　a　shadow　like　a　diving　board　in　the　tall　grass。　The　rest　of　the　plane　was　pretty　much　intact。　The　canopy　had　cracked　in　a　starburst　pattern　where　the　pilot's　head　had　struck　it。　There　was　a　large；　rust…colored　stain　there。
　　Oy　trotted　over　to　where　three　rusty　propeller　blades　rose　from　the　grass；　sniffed　at　them；　then　returned　hastily　to　Jake。
　　The　man　in　the　cockpit　was　u　dust…dry　mummy　wearing　a　padded　leather　vest　and　a　helmet　with　a　spike　on　top。　His　lips　were　gone；　his　teeth　exposed　in　a　final　desperate　grimace。　Fingers　which　had　once　been　as　large　as　sausages　but　were　now　only　skin…covered　bones　clutched　the　wheel。　His　skull　was　caved　in　where　it　had　hit　the　canopy；　and　Roland　guessed　that　the　greenish…gray　scales　which　coated　the　left　side　of　his　face　were　all　that　remained　of　his　brains。　The　dead　man's　head