sk.thewastelands-第8节

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　　EDDIE　AND　SUSANNAH　EXCHANGED　a　single　frightened　glance　and　then　Eddie　leaped　to　Roland's　side。　〃What　is　it？　Roland；　what's　wrong？〃
　　〃There　was　a　boy；〃　the　gunslinger　said　in　a　distant；　muttering　voice。　And　then；　in　the　very　next　breath；　〃There　wasn't　a　boy。〃
　　〃Roland？〃　Susannah　asked。　She　came　to　him；　slipped　an　arm　around　his　shoulders；　felt　him　trembling。　〃Roland；　what　is　it？〃
　　〃The　boy；〃　Roland　said；　looking　at　her　with　floating；　dazed　eyes。　〃It's　the　boy。　Always　the　boy。〃
　　〃What　boy？〃　Eddie　yelled　frantically。　〃What　boy？〃
　　〃Go　then；〃　Roland　said；　〃there　are　other　worlds　than　these。〃　And　fainted。
　　
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　　THAT　NIGHT　THE　THREE　of　them　sat　around　a　huge　bonfire　Eddie　and　Susannah　had　built　in　the　clearing　Eddie　called　〃the　shooting　gallery。〃　It　would　have　been　a　bad　place　to　camp　in　the　wintertime；　open　to　the　valley　as　it　was；　but　for　now　it　was　fine。　Eddie　guessed　that　here　in　Roland's　world　it　was　still　late　summer。
　　The　black　vault　of　the　sky　arched　overhead；　speckled　by　what　seemed　to　be　whole　galaxies。　Almost　straight　ahead　to　the　south；　across　the　river　of　darkness　that　was　the　valley；　Eddie　could　see　Old　Mother　rising　above　the　distant；　unseen　horizon。　He　glanced　at　Roland；　who　sat　huddled　by　the　fire　with　three　skins　wrapped　around　his　shoulders　despite　the　warmth　of　the　night　and　the　heat　of　the　fire。　There　was　an　untouched　plate　of　food　by　his　side　and　a　bone　cradled　in　his　hands。　Eddie　glanced　back　at　the　sky　and　thought　of　a　story　the　gunslinger　had　told　him　and　Susannah　on　one　of　the　long　days　they　had　spent　moving　away　from　the　beach；　through　the　foothills；　and　finally　into　these　deep　woods　where　they　had　found　a　temporary　refuge。
　　Before　time　began；　Roland　said；　Old　Star　and　Old　Mother　had　been　young　and　passionate　newlyweds。　Then　one　day　there　had　been　a　terrible　argument。　Old　Mother　（who　in　those　long…ago　days　had　been　known　by　her　real　name；　which　was　Lydia）　had　caught　Old　Star　（whose　real　name　was　Apon）　hanging　about　a　beautiful　young　woman　named　Cassiopeia。　They'd　had　a　real　bang…up　fight；　those　two；　a　hair…pulling；　eye…gouging；　crockery…throwing　fight。　One　of　those　thrown　bits　of　crockery　had　bee　the　earth；　a　smaller　shard　the　moon；　a　coal　from　their　kitchen　stove　had　bee　the　sun。　In　the　end；　the　gods　had　stepped　in　so　Apon　and　Lydia　might　not；　in　their　anger；　destroy　the　universe　before　it　was　fairly　begun。　Cassiopeia；　the　saucy　jade　who　caused　the　trouble　in　the　first　place　（〃Yeah；　right…it's　always　the　woman；〃　Susannah　had　said　at　this　point）；　had　been　banished　to　a　rocking…chair　made　of　stars　forever　and　ever。　Yet　not　even　this　had　solved　the　problem。　Lydia　had　been　willing　to　try　again；　but　Apon　was　stiffnecked　and　full　of　pride　（〃Yeah；　always　blame　the　man；〃　Eddie　had　grunted　at　this　point）。　So　they　had　parted；　and　now　they　look　at　each　other　in　mingled　hatred　and　longing　from　across　the　star…strewn　wreckage　of　their　divorce。　Apon　and　Lydia　are　three　billion　years　gone；　the　gunslinger　told　them；　they　have　bee　Old　Star　and　Old　Mother；　the　north　and　south；　each　pining　for　the　other　but　both　now　too　proud　to　beg　for　reconciliation　。　。　。　and　Cassiopeia　sits　off　to　the　side　in　her　chair；　rocking　and　laughing　at　them　both。
　　Eddie　was　startled　by　a　soft　touch　on　his　arm。　It　was　Susannah。　〃e　on；〃　she　said。　〃We've　got　to　make　him　talk。〃
　　Eddie　carried　her　to　the　campfire　and　put　her　down　carefully　on　Roland's　right　side。　He　sat　on　Roland's　left。　Roland　looked　first　at　Susan…nah；　then　at　Eddie。
　　〃How　close　you　both　sit　to　me；〃　he　remarked。　〃Like　lovers　。。。　or　warders　in　a　gaol。〃
　　〃It's　time　for　you　to　do　some　talking。〃　Susannah's　voice　was　low；　clear；　and　musical。　〃If　we're　your　panions；　Roland…and　it　seems　like　we　are；　like　it　or　not…it's　time　you　started　treating　us　as　panions。　Tell　us　what's　wrong　。。。〃
　　〃。。。　and　what　we　can　do　about　it；〃　Eddie　finished。
　　Roland　sighed　deeply。　〃I　don't　know　how　to　begin；〃　he　said。　〃It's　been　so　long　since　I've　had　panions　。。。　or　a　tale　to　tell　。。。〃
　　〃Start　with　the　bear；〃　Eddie　said。
　　Susannah　leaned　forward　and　touched　the　jawbone　Roland　held　in　his　hands。　It　frightened　her；　but　she　touched　it　anyway。　〃And　finish　with　this。〃
　　〃Yes。〃　Roland　lifted　the　bone　to　eye…level　and　looked　at　it　for　a　moment　before　dropping　it　back　into　his　lap。　〃We'll　have　to　speak　of　this；　won't　we？　It's　the　center　of　the　thing。〃
　　But　the　bear　came　first。
　　
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　　〃THIS　IS　THE　STORY　I　was　told　when　I　was　a　child；〃　Roland　said。　〃When　everything　was　new；　the　Great　Old　Ones…they　weren't　gods；　but　people　who　had　almost　the　knowledge　of　gods…created　Twelve　Guardians　to　stand　watch　at　the　twelve　portals　which　lead　in　and　out　of　the　world。　Sometimes　I　heard　that　these　portals　were　natural　things；　like　the　constel…lations　we　see　in　the　sky　or　the　bottomless　crack　in　the　earth　we　called　Dragon's　Grave；　because　of　the　great　burst　of　steam　they　gave　off　every　thirty　or　forty　days。　But　other　people…one　I　remember　in　particular；　the　head　cook　in　my　father's　castle；　a　man　named　Hax…said　they　were　not　natural；　that　they　had　been　created　by　the　Great　Old　Ones　themselves；　in　the　days　before　they　hanged　themselves　with　pride　like　a　noose　and　disappeared　from　the　earth。　Hax　used　to　say　that　the　creation　of　the　Twelve　Guardians　was　the　last　act　of　the　Great　Old　Ones；　their　attempt　to　atone　for　the　great　wrongs　they　had　done　to　each　other；　and　to　the　earth　itself。〃
　　〃Portals；〃　Eddie　mused。　〃Doors；　you　mean。　We're　back　to　those　again。　Do　these　doors　that　lead　in　and　out　of　the　world　open　on　the　world　Suze　and　I　came　from？　Like　the　ones　we　found　along　the　beach？〃
　　〃I　don't　know；〃　Roland　said。　〃For　every　thing　I　do　know；　there　are　a　hundred　things　I　don't。　You…both　of　you…will　have　to　reconcile　your…selves　to　that　fact。　The　world　has　moved　on；　we　say。　When　it　did；　it　went　like　a　great　receding　wave；　leaving　only　wreckage　behind　。　。　。　wreckage　that　sometimes　looks　like　a　map。〃
　　〃Well；　make　a　guess！〃　Eddie　exclaimed；　and　the　raw　eagerness　in　his　voice　told　the　gunslinger　that　Eddie　had　not　given　up　the　idea　of　returning　to　his　own　world…and　Susannah's…even　now。　Not　entirely。
　　〃Leave　him　be；　Eddie；〃　Susannah　said。　〃The　man　don't　guess。〃
　　〃Not　true…sometimes　the　man　does；〃　Roland　said；　surprising　them　both。　〃When　guessing's　the　only　thing　left；　sometimes　he　does。　The　answer　is　no。　I　don't　think…I　don't　guess…that　these　portals　are　much　like　the　doors　on　the　beach。　I　don't　guess　they　go　to　a　where　or　when　that　we　would　recognize。　I　think　the　doors　on　the　beach…the　ones　that　led　into　the　world　you　both　came　from…were　like　the　pivot　at　the　center　of　a　child's　teeterboard。　Do　you　know　what　that　is？〃
　　〃Seesaw？〃　Susannah　asked；　and　tipped　her　hand　back　and　forth　to　demonstrate。
　　〃Yes！〃　Roland　agreed；　looking　pleased。　〃Just　so。　On　one　end　of　this　sawsee…〃
　　〃Seesaw；〃　Eddie　said；　smiling　a　little。
　　〃Yes。　On　one　end；　my　ka。　On　the　other；　that　of　the　man　in　black…Walter。　The　doors　were　the　center；　creations　of　the　tension　between　two　opposing　destinies。　These　other　portals　are　things　far　greater　than　Walter；　or　me；　or　the　little　fellowship　we　three　have　made。〃
　　〃Are　you　saying；〃　Susannah　asked　hesitantly；　〃that　the　portals　where　these　Guardians　stand　watch　are　outside　ka？　Beyond　ka？〃
　　〃I'm　saying　that　I　believe　so。〃　He　offered　his　own　brief　smile；　a　thin　sickle　in　the　firelight。　〃That　I　guess　so。〃
　　He　was　silent　a　moment；　then　he　picked　up　a　stick　of　his　own。　He　brushed　away　the　carpet　of　pine　needles　and　used　the　stick　to　draw　in　the　dirt　beneath　a　circle　with　〃X〃s　along　the　brick。
　　
　　
　　〃Here　is　the　world　as　I　was　told　it　existed　when　I　was　a　child。　The　Xs　are　the　portals　standing　in　a　ring　at　its　eternal　edge。　If　one　drew　six　lines；　connecting　these　portals　in　pairs…so…〃
　　Then　he　linked　opposite　Xs　with　the　lines　so　that　every　line　cross　the　center。
　　
　　
　　He　looked　up。　〃Do　you　see　where　the　lines　cross　in　the　center？〃
　　Eddie　felt　gooseflesh　crawl　up　his　back　and　down　his　arms。　His　mouth　was　suddenly　dry。　〃Is　that　it；　Roland？　Is　that…？〃
　　Roland　nodded。　His　long；　lined　face　was　grave。　〃At　this　nexus　lies　the　Great　Portal；　the　so…called　Thirteenth　Gate　which　rules　not　just　this　world　but　all　worlds。〃
　　He　tapped　the　center　of　the　circle。
　　〃Here　is　the　Dark　Tower　for　which　I've　searched　my　whole　life。''
　　
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　　THE　GUNSLINGER　RESUMED：　〃At　each　of　the　twelve　lesser　portals　the　Great　Old　Ones　set　a　Guardian。　In　my　childhood　I　could　have　named　them　all　in　the　rimes　my　nursemaid…and　Hax　the　cook…taught　to　me　。　。　。　but　my　childhood　was　long　ago。　There　was　the　Bear；　of　course；　and　the　Fish　。　。　。　the　Lion　。　。　。　the　Bat。　And　the　Turtle…he　was　an　important　one　。　。　。〃
　　The　gunslinger　looked　up　into　the　starry　sky；　his　brow　creased　in　deep　thought。　Then　an　amazingly　sunny　smile　broke　across　his　features　and　he　recited：
　　
　　〃See　the　TURTLE　of　enormous　girth！
　　On　his　shell　he　holds　the　earth。
　　His　thought　is　slow　but　always　kind；
　　He　holds　us　all　within　his　mind。
　　On　his　back　all　vows　are　made；
　　He　sees　the　truth　but　mayn't　aid。
　　He　loves　the　land　and　loves　the　sea；
　　And　even　loves　a　child　like　me。〃
　　
　　Roland　uttere