sk.thewastelands-第68节

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les　which　coated　the　left　side　of　his　face　were　all　that　remained　of　his　brains。　The　dead　man's　head　was　tilted　back；　as　if　he　had　been　sure；　even　at　the　moment　of　his　death；　that　he　could　regain　the　sky　again。　The　plane's　remaining　wing　still　jutted　from　the　encroaching　grass。　On　it　was　a　fading　insignia　which　depicted　a　fist　holding　a　thunderbolt。
　　〃Looks　like　Aunt　Talitha　was　wrong　and　the　old　albino　man　had　the　right　of　it；　after　all；〃　Susannah　said　in　an　awed　voice。　〃That　must　be　David　Quick；　the　outlaw　prince。　Look　at　the　size　of　him；　Roland…they　must　have　had　to　grease　him　to　get　him　into　the　cockpit！〃
　　Roland　nodded。　The　heat　and　the　years　had　wasted　the　man　in　the　mechanical　bird　to　no　more　than　a　skeleton　wrapped　in　dry　hide；　but　he　could　still　see　how　broad　the　shoulders　had　been；　and　the　misshapen　head　was　massive。　〃So　fell　Lord　Perth；〃　he　said；　〃and　the　countryside　did　shake　with　that　thunder。〃
　　Jake　looked　at　him　questioningly。
　　〃It's　from　an　old　poem。　Lord　Perth　was　a　giant　who　went　forth　to　war　with　a　thousand　men；　but　he　was　still　in　his　own　country　when　a　little　boy　threw　a　stone　at　him　and　hit　him　in　the　knee。　He　stumbled；　the　weight　of　his　armor　bore　him　down；　and　he　broke　his　neck　in　the　fall。〃
　　Jake　said；　〃Like　our　story　of　David　and　Goliath。〃
　　〃There　was　no　fire；〃　Eddie　said。　〃I　bet　he　just　ran　out　of　gas　and　tried　a　dead…stick　landing　on　the　road。　He　might　have　been　an　outlaw　and　a　barbarian；　but　he　had　a　yard　of　guts。〃
　　Roland　nodded；　and　looked　at　Jake。　〃You　all　right　with　this？〃
　　〃Yes。　If　the　guy　was　still；　you　know；　runny；　I　might　not　be。〃　Jake　looked　from　the　dead　man　in　the　airplane　to　the　city。　Lud　was　much　closer　and　clearer　now；　and　although　they　could　see　many　broken　win…dows　in　the　towers；　he；　like　Eddie；　had　not　entirely　given　up　hope　of　finding　some　sort　of　help　there。　〃I　bet　things　sort　of　fell　apart　in　the　city　once　he　was　gone。〃
　　〃I　think　you'd　win　that　bet；〃　Roland　said。
　　〃You　know　something？〃　Jake　was　studying　the　plane　again。　〃The　people　who　built　that　city　might　have　made　their　own　airplanes；　but　I'm　pretty　sure　this　is　one　of　ours。　I　did　a　school　paper　on　air　bat　when　I　was　in　the　fifth　grade；　and　I　think　I　recognize　it。　Roland；　can　I　take　a　closer　look？〃
　　Roland　nodded。　〃I'll　go　with　you。〃
　　Together　they　walked　over　to　the　plane　with　the　high　grass　swishing　at　their　pants。　〃Look；〃　Jake　said。　〃See　the　machine…gun　under　the　wing？　That's　an　air…cooled　German　model；　and　this　is　a　Focke…Wulf　from　just　before　World　War　II。　I'm　sure　it　is。　So　what's　it　doing　here？〃
　　〃Lots　of　planes　disappear；〃　Eddie　said。　〃Take　the　Bermuda　Triangle；　for　instance。　That's　a　place　over　one　of　our　oceans；　Roland。　It's　supposed　to　be　jinxed。　Maybe　it's　a　great　big　doorway　between　our　worlds…one　that's　almost　always　open。〃　Eddie　hunched　his　shoulders　and　essayed　a　bad　Rod　Serling　imitation。　〃Fasten　your　seatbelts　and　prepare　for　turbu…lence：　you're　flying　into　。　。　。　the　Roland　Zone！〃
　　Jake　and　Roland；　who　were　now　standing　beneath　the　plane's　remaining　wing；　ignored　him。
　　〃Boost　me　up；　Roland。〃
　　Roland　shook　his　head。　〃That　wing　looks　solid；　but　it's　not…this　thing　has　been　here　a　long　time；　Jake。　You'd　fall。〃
　　〃Make　a　step；　then。〃
　　Eddie　said；　〃I'll　do　it；　Roland。〃
　　Roland　studied　his　diminished　right　hand　for　a　moment；　shrugged；　then　laced　his　hands　together。　〃This'll　do。　He's　light。〃
　　Jake　shook　off　his　moccasin　and　then　stepped　lightly　into　the　stirrup　Roland　had　made。　Oy　began　to　bark　shrilly；　though　whether　in　excitement　or　alarm；　Roland　couldn't　tell。
　　Jake's　chest　was　now　pressing　against　one　of　the　airplane's　rusty　flaps；　and　he　was　looking　right　at　the　fist…and…thunderbolt　design。　It　had　peeled　up　a　little　from　the　surface　of　the　wing　along　one　edge。　He　seized　this　flap　and　pulled。　It　came　off　the　wing　so　easily　that　he　would　have　fallen　backward　if　Eddie；　standing　directly　behind　him；　hadn't　steadied　him　with　a　hand　on　the　butt。
　　〃I　knew　it；〃　Jake　said。　There　was　another　symbol　beneath　the　fist…and…thunderbolt；　and　now　it　was　almost　totally　revealed。　It　was　a　swastika。　〃I　just　wanted　to　see　it。　You　can　put　me　down　now。〃
　　They　started　out　again；　but　they　could　see　the　tail　of　the　plane　every　time　they　looked　back　that　afternoon；　looming　out　of　the　high　grass　like　Lord　Perth's　burial　monument。
　　　
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　　IT　WAS　JAKE'S　TURN　to　make　the　fire　that　night。　When　the　wood　was　laid　to　the　gunslinger's　satisfaction；　he　handed　Jake　his　flint　and　steel。　〃Let's　see　how　you　do。〃
　　Eddie　and　Susannah　were　sitting　off　to　one　side；　their　arms　linked　panionably　about　each　other's　waist。　Toward　the　end　of　the　day；　Eddie　had　found　a　bright　yellow　flower　beside　the　road　and　had　picked　it　for　her。　Tonight　Susannah　was　wearing　it　in　her　hair；　and　every　time　she　looked　at　Eddie；　her　lips　curved　in　a　small　smile　and　her　eyes　filled　with　light。　Roland　had　noted　these　things；　and　they　pleased　him。　Their　love　was　deepening；　strengthening。　That　was　good。　It　would　have　to　be　deep　and　strong　indeed　if　it　was　to　survive　the　months　and　years　ahead。
　　Jake　struck　a　spark；　but　it　flashed　inches　away　from　the　kindling。
　　〃Move　your　flint　in　closer；〃　Roland　said；　〃and　hold　it　steady。　And　don't　hit　it　with　the　steel；　Jake；　scrape　it。〃
　　Jake　tried　again；　and　this　time　the　spark　flashed　directly　into　the　kindling。　There　was　a　little　tendril　of　smoke　but　no　fire。
　　〃I　don't　think　I'm　very　good　at　this。〃
　　〃You'll　get　it。　Meantime；　think　on　this。　What's　dressed　when　night　falls　and　undressed　when　day　breaks？〃
　　〃Huh？〃
　　Roland　moved　Jake's　hands　even　closer　to　the　little　pile　of　kindling。　〃I　guess　that　one's　not　in　your　book。〃
　　〃Oh；　it's　a　riddle！〃　Jake　struck　another　spark。　This　time　a　small　flame　glowed　in　the　kindling　before　dying　out。　〃You　know　some　of　those；　too？〃
　　Roland　nodded。　〃Not　just　some…a　lot。　As　a　boy；　I　must　have　known　a　thousand。　They　were　part　of　my　studies。〃
　　〃Really？　Why　would　anyone　study　riddles？〃
　　〃Vannay；　my　tutor；　said　a　boy　who　could　answer　a　riddle　was　a　boy　who　could　think　around　corners。　We　had　riddling　contests　every　Friday　noon；　and　the　boy　or　girl　who　won　could　leave　school　early。〃
　　〃Did　you　get　to　leave　early　often；　Roland？〃　Susannah　asked。
　　He　shook　his　head；　smiling　a　little　himself。　〃I　enjoyed　riddling；　but　I　was　never　very　good　at　it。　Vannay　said　it　was　because　I　thought　too　deeply。　My　father　said　it　was　because　I　had　too　little　imagination。　I　think　they　were　both　right　。　。　。　but　I　think　my　father　had　a　little　more　of　the　truth。　I　could　always　haul　a　gun　faster　than　any　of　my　mates；　and　shoot　straighter；　but　I've　never　been　much　good　at　thinking　around　corners。〃
　　Susannah；　who　had　watched　closely　as　Roland　dealt　with　the　old　people　of　River　Crossing；　thought　the　gunslinger　was　underrating　himself；　but　she　said　nothing。
　　〃Sometimes；　on　winter　nights；　there　would　be　riddling　petitions　in　the　great　hall。　When　it　was　just　the　younkers；　Alain　always　won。　When　the　grownups　played　as　well；　it　was　always　Cort。　He'd　forgotten　more　riddles　than　the　rest　of　us　ever　knew；　and　after　the　Fair…Day　Riddling；　Cort　always　carried　home　the　goose。　Riddles　have　great　power；　and　every…one　knows　one　or　two。〃
　　〃Even　me；〃　Eddie　said。　〃For　instance；　why　did　the　dead　baby　cross　the　road？〃
　　〃That's　dumb；　Eddie；〃　Susannah　said；　but　she　was　smiling。
　　〃Because　it　was　stapled　to　the　chicken！〃　Eddie　yelled；　and　grinned　when　Jake　burst　into　laughter；　knocking　his　little　pile　of　kindling　apart。　〃Hyuk；　hyuk；　hyuk；　I　got　a　million　of　em；　folks！〃
　　Roland；　however；　didn't　laugh。　He　looked；　in　fact；　a　trifle　offended。　〃Pardon　me　for　saying　so；　Eddie；　but　that　is　rather　silly。〃
　　〃Jesus；　Roland；　I'm　sorry；〃　Eddie　said。　He　was　still　smiling；　but　he　sounded　slightly　peeved。　〃I　keep　forgetting　you　got　your　sense　of　humor　shot　off　in　the　Children's　Crusade；　or　whatever　it　was。〃
　　〃It's　just　that　I　take　riddling　seriously。　I　was　taught　that　the　ability　to　solve　them　indicates　a　sane　and　rational　mind。〃
　　〃Well；　they're　never　going　to　replace　the　works　of　Shakespeare　or　the　Quadratic　Equation；〃　Eddie　said。　〃I　mean；　let's　not　get　carried　away。〃
　　Jake　was　looking　at　Roland　thoughtfully。　〃My　book　said　riddling　is　the　oldest　game　people　still　play。　In　our　world；　I　mean。　And　riddles　used　to　be　really　serious　business；　not　just　jokes。　People　used　to　get　killed　over　them。〃
　　Roland　was　looking　out　into　the　growing　darkness。　〃Yes。　I've　seen　it　happen。〃　He　was　remembering　a　Fair…Day　Riddling　which　had　ended　not　with　the　giving　of　the　prize　goose　but　with　a　cross…eyed　man　in　a　cap　of　bells　dying　in　the　dirt　with　a　dagger　in　his　chest。　Cort's　dagger。　The　man　had　been　a　wandering　singer　and　acrobat　who　had　attempted　to　cheat　Cort　by　stealing　the　judge's　pocket…book；　in　which　the　answers　were　kept　on　small　scraps　of　bark。
　　〃Well；　excyooose　me〃　Eddie　said。
　　Susannah　was　looking　at　Jake。　〃I　forgot　all　about　the　book　of　riddles　you　carried　over。　May　I　look　at　it　now？〃
　　〃Sure。　It's　in　my　pack。　The　answers　are　gone；　though。　Maybe　that's　why　Mr。　Tower　gave　it　to　me　for　fr…〃
　　His　shoulder　was　suddenly　seized；　and　with　painful　force。
　　〃What　was　his　name？〃　Roland　asked。
　　〃Mr。　Towe