sk.thewastelands-第74节

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　my　fault　for　forgetting　him。　The　wind　blew　him　off。〃
　　〃I'm　not　going　to　hurt　him；〃　Roland　said。　He　was　positive　the　billy…bumbler　wasn't　rabid；　but　he　still　did　not　intend　for　Oy　to　taste　any　more　of　Jake's　blood　than　he　already　had。　As　for　any　other　diseases　Oy　might　be　carrying　in　his　blood　。　。　。　well；　ka　would　decide；　as；　in　the　end；　it　always　did。　Roland　pulled　his　neckerchief　free　and　wiped　Oy's　lips　and　muzzle。　〃There；〃　he　said。　〃Good　fellow。　Good　boy。〃
　　〃Oy；〃　the　billy…bumbler　said　feebly；　and　Susannah；　who　was　watch…ing　over　Roland's　shoulder；　could　have　sworn　she　heard　gratitude　in　that　voice。
　　Another　gust　of　wind　struck　them。　The　weather　was　turning　dirty；　and　fast。　〃Eddie；　we　have　to　get　off　the　bridge。　Can　you　walk？〃
　　〃No；　massa；　I'sa　gwinter　shuffle。〃　The　pain　in　his　groin　and　the　pit　of　his　stomach　was　still　bad；　but　not　quite　so　bad　as　it　had　been　a　minute　ago。
　　〃All　right。　Let's　move。　Fast　as　we　can。〃
　　Roland　turned；　began　to　take　a　step；　and　stopped。　A　man　was　now　standing　on　the　far　side　of　the　gap；　watching　them　expressionlessly。
　　The　newer　had　approached　while　their　attention　was　focused　on　Jake　and　Oy。　A　crossbow　was　slung　across　his　back。　He　wore　a　bright　yellow　scarf　around　his　head；　the　ends　streamed　out　like　banners　in　the　freshening　wind。　Gold　hoops　with　crosses　in　their　centers　dangled　from　his　ears。　One　eye　was　covered　with　a　white　silk　patch。　His　face　was　blotched　with　purple　sores；　some　of　them　open　and　festering。　He　might　have　been　thirty；　forty；　or　sixty。　He　held　one　hand　high　over　his　head。　In　it　was　something　Roland　could　not　make　out；　except　that　its　shape　was　too　regular　to　be　a　stone。
　　Behind　this　apparition；　the　city　loomed　with　a　kind　of　weird　clarity　in　the　darkening　day。　As　Eddie　looked　past　the　huddles　of　brick　buildings　on　the　other　shore…warehouses　long　since　scooped　empty　by　looters；　he　had　no　doubt…and　into　those　shadowy　canyons　and　stone　mazes；　he　understood　for　the　first　time　how　terribly　mistaken；　how　terribly　foolish；　his　dreams　of　hope　and　help　had　been。　Now　he　saw　the　shattered　facades　and　broken　roofs；　now　he　saw　the　shaggy　birds'　nests　on　cornices　and　in　glassless；　gaping　windows；　now　hr　allowed　himself　to　actually　smell　the　city；　and　that　odor　was　not　of　fabulous　spices　and　savory　foods　of　the　sort　his　mother　had　sometimes　brought　home　from　Zabar's　but　rather　the　stink　of　a　mattress　that　has　caught　fire；　smoldered　awhile；　and　then　been　put　out　with　sewer…water。　He　suddenly　understood　Lud；　understood　it　pletely。　The　grinning　pirate　who　had　appeared　while　their　attention　was　elsewhere　was　probably　as　close　to　a　wise　old　elf　as　this　broken；　dying　place　could　provide。
　　Roland　pulled　his　revolver。
　　〃Put　it　away；　my　cully；〃　the　man　in　the　yellow　scarf　said　in　an　accent　so　thick　that　the　sense　of　his　words　was　almost　lost。　〃Put　it　away；　my　dear　heart。　Ye're　a　fierce　trim；　ay；　that's　clear；　but　this　time　you're　outmatched。〃
　　
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　　THE　NEWER'S　PANTS　WERE　patched　green　velvet；　and　as　he　stood　on　the　edge　of　the　hole　in　the　bridge；　he　looked　like　a　buccaneer　at　the　end　of　his　days　of　plunder：　sick；　ragged；　and　still　dangerous。
　　〃Suppose　I　choose　not　to？〃　Roland　asked。　〃Suppose　I　choose　to　simply　put　a　bullet　through　your　scrofulous　head？〃
　　〃Then　I'll　get　to　hell　just　enough　ahead　of　ye　to　hold　the　door；〃　the　man　in　the　yellow　scarf　said；　and　chuckled　chummily。　He　wiggled　the　hand　he　held　in　the　air。　〃It's　all　the　same　jolly　fakement　to　me；　one　way　or　t'other。〃
　　Roland　guessed　that　was　the　truth。　The　man　looked　as　if　he　might　have　a　year　to　live　at　most　。　。　。　and　the　last　few　months　of　that　year　would　probably　be　very　unpleasant。　The　oozing　sores　on　his　face　had　nothing　to　do　with　radiation；　unless　Roland　was　badly　deceived；　this　man　was　in　the　late　stages　of　what　the　doctors　called　mandrus　and　everyone　else　called　whore's　blossoms。　Facing　a　dangerous　man　was　always　a　bad　busi…ness；　but　at　least　one　could　calculate　the　odds　in　such　an　encounter。　When　you　were　facing　the　dead；　however；　everything　changed。
　　〃Do　yer　know　what　I've　got　here；　my　dear　ones？〃　the　pirate　asked。　〃Do　yer　ken　whatcher　old　friend　Gasher　just　happens　to　have　laid　his　hands　on？　It's　a　grenado；　something　pretty　the　Old　Folks　left　behind；　and　I've　already　tipped　its　cap…for　to　wear　one's　cap　before　the　introductin'　is　plete　would　be　wery　bad　manners；　so　it　would！〃
　　He　cackled　happily　for　a　moment；　and　then　his　face　grew　still　and　grave　once　more。　All　humor　left　it；　as　if　a　switch　had　been　turned　some…where　in　his　degenerating　brains。
　　〃My　finger　is　all　that's　holdin　the　pin　now；　dearie。　If　you　shoot　me；　there's　going　to　be　a　wery　big　bang。　You　and　the　cunt…monkey　on　yer　back　will　be　vaporized。　The　squint；　too；　I　reckon。　The　young　buck　stand…ing　behind　you　and　pointing　that　toy　pistol　in　my　face　might　live；　but　only　until　he　hits　the　water　。　。　。　and　hit　it　he　would；　because　this　bridge　has　been　hangin　by　a　thread　these　last　forty　year；　and　all　it'd　take　to　finish　it　is　one　little　push。　So　do　ye　want　to　put　away　your　iron；　or　shall　we　all　toddle　off　to　hell　on　the　same　handcart？〃
　　Roland　briefly　considered　trying　to　shoot　the　object　Gasher　called　a　grenado　out　of　his　hand；　saw　how　tightly　the　man　was　gripping　it；　and　bolstered　his　gun。
　　〃Ah；　good！〃　Gasher　cried；　cheerful　once　more。　〃I　knew　ye　was　a　trig　cove；　just　lookin　at　yer！　Oh　yes！　So　I　did！〃
　　〃What　do　you　want？〃　Roland　asked；　although　he　thought　he　already　knew　this；　too。
　　Gasher　raised　his　free　hand　and　pointed　a　dirty　finger　at　Jake。　〃The　squint。　Gimme　the　squint　and　the　rest　of　you　go　free。〃
　　〃Go　fuck　yourself；〃　Susannah　said　at　once。
　　〃Why　not？〃　the　pirate　cackled。　〃Gimme　a　chunk　of　mirror　and　I'll　rip　it　right　off　and　stick　it　right　in…why　not；　for　all　the　good　it's　a…doin　me　these　days？　Why；　I　can't　even　run　water　through　it　without　it　burns　me　all　the　way　to　the　top　of　my　gullywash！〃　His　eyes；　which　were　a　strange　calm　shade　of　gray；　never　left　Roland's　face。　〃What　do　you　say；　my　good　old　mate？〃
　　〃What　happens　to　the　rest　of　us　if　I　hand　over　the　boy？〃
　　〃Why；　you　go　on　yer　way　without　no　trouble　from　us！〃　the　man　in　the　yellow　headscarf　returned　promptly。　〃You　have　the　Tick…Tock　Man's　word　on　that。　It　es　from　his　lips　to　my　lips　to　your　ears；　so　it　does；　and　Tick…Tock's　a　trig　cove；　too；　what　don't　break　his　word　once　it's　been　given。　I　can't　say　ary　word　nor　watch　about　any　Pubies　you　might　run　into；　but　you'll　have　no　trouble　with　the　Tick…Tock　Man's　Grays。〃
　　〃What　the　fuck　are　you　saying；　Roland？〃　Eddie　roared。　〃You're　not　really　thinking　about　doing　it；　are　you？〃
　　Roland　didn't　look　down　at　Jake；　and　his　lips　didn't　move　as　he　murmured：　〃I'll　keep　my　promise。〃
　　〃Yes…I　know　you　will。〃　Then　Jake　raised　his　voice　and　said：　〃Put　the　gun　away；　Eddie。　I'll　decide。〃
　　〃Jake；　you're　out　of　your　mind！〃
　　The　pirate　cackled　cheerily。　〃Not　at　all；　cully！　You're　the　one　who's　lost　his　mind　if　you　disbelieve　me。　At　the　wery　least；　he'll　be　safe　from　the　drums　with　us；　won't　he？　And　just　think…if　I　didn't　mean　what　I　say；　I　would　have　told　you　to　toss　your　guns　overside　first　thing！　Easiest　thing　in　the　world！　But　did　I？　Nay！〃
　　Susannah　had　heard　the　exchange　between　Jake　and　Roland。　She　had　also　had　a　chance　to　realize　how　bleak　their　options　were　as　things　now　stood。　〃Put　it　away；　Eddie。〃
　　〃How　do　we　know　you　won't　toss　the　grenade　at　us　once　you　have　the　lad？〃　Eddie　called。
　　〃I'll　shoot　it　out　of　the　air　if　he　tries；〃　Roland　said。　〃I　can　do　it；　and　he　knows　I　can　do　it。〃
　　〃Mayhap　I　do。　You've　got　a　cosy　look　about　you；　indeed　ye　do。〃
　　〃If　he's　telling　the　truth；〃　Roland　went　on；　〃he'd　be　burned　even　if　I　missed　his　toy；　because　the　bridge　would　collapse　and　we'd　all　go　down　together。〃
　　〃Wery　clever；　my　dear　old　son！〃　Gasher　said。　〃You　are　a　cosy　one；　ain't　you？〃　He　cawed　laughter；　then　grew　serious　and　confiding。　〃The　talking's　done；　old　mate　of　mine。　Decide。　Will　you　give　me　the　boy；　or　do　we　all　march　to　the　end　of　the　path　together？〃

　　Before　Roland　could　say　a　word；　Jake　had　slipped　past　him　on　the　support　rod。　He　still　held　Oy　curled　in　his　right　arm。　He　held　his　bloody　left　hand　stiffly　out　in　front　of　him。
　　〃Jake；　no！〃　Eddie　shouted　desperately。
　　〃I'll　e　for　you；〃　Roland　said　in　the　same　low　voice。
　　〃I　know；〃　Jake　repeated。　The　wind　gusted　again。　The　bridge　swayed　and　groaned。　The　Send　was　now　speckled　with　whitecaps；　and　water　boiled　whitely　around　the　wreck　of　the　blue　mono　jutting　from　the　river　on　the　upstream　side。
　　〃Ay；　my　cully！〃　Gasher　crooned。　His　lips　spread　wide；　revealing　a　few　remaining　teeth　that　jutted　from　his　white　gums　like　decayed　tomb…stones。　〃Ay；　my　fine　young　squint！　Just　keep　ing。〃
　　〃Roland；　he　could　be　bluffing！〃　Eddie　yelled。　〃That　thing　could　be　a　dud！〃
　　The　gunslinger　made　no　reply。
　　As　Jake　neared　the　other　side　of　the　hole　in　the　walkway；　Oy　bared　his　own　teeth　and　began　to　snarl　at　Gasher。
　　〃Toss　that　talking　bag　of　guts　overside；〃　Gasher　said。
　　〃Fuck　you；〃　Jake　replied　in　the　same　calm　voice。
　　The　pirate　looked　surprised　for　a　moment；　then　nodded。　〃Tender　of　him；　are　you？　Wery　well。〃　He　took　two　steps　backward。　〃Put　him　down　the　second　you　reach