sk.thewastelands-第84节

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　　〃Now　it's　all　up　to　you；〃　he　murmured　in　the　bumbler's　ear。　〃To　Jake；　Oy。　To　Jake！〃
　　〃Ake！〃　the　bumbler　barked；　and　splashed　rapidly　off　into　the　darkness；　swinging　his　head　from　side　to　side　at　the　end　of　his　long　neck　like　a　pendulum。　Roland　followed　with　the　end　of　the　rawhide　leash　wrapped　around　his　diminished　right　hand。
　　
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　　THE　CRADLE…IT　WAS　easily　big　enough　to　have　acquired　proper…noun　status　in　their　minds…stood　in　the　center　of　a　square　five　times　larger　than　the　one　where　they　had　e　upon　the　blasted　statue；　and　when　she　got　a　really　good　look　at　it；　Susannah　realized　how　old　and　gray　and　fundamentally　grungy　the　rest　of　Lud　really　was。　The　Cradle　was　so　clean　it　almost　hurt　her　eyes。　No　vines　overgrew　its　sides；　no　graffiti　daubed　its　blinding　white　walls　and　steps　and　columns。　The　yellow　plains　dust　which　had　coated　everything　else　was　absent　here。　As　they　drew　closer；　Susannah　saw　why：　streams　of　water　coursed　endlessly　down　the　sides　of　the　Cradle；　issuing　from　nozzles　hidden　in　the　shadows　of　the　copper…sheathed　eaves。　Interval　sprays　created　by　other　hidden　nozzles　washed　the　steps；　turning　them　into　off…and…on　waterfalls。
　　〃Wow；〃　Eddie　said。　〃It　makes　Grand　Central　look　like　a　Greyhound　station　in　Buttfuck；　Nebraska。〃
　　〃What　a　poet　you　are；　dear；〃　Susannah　said　dryly。
　　The　steps　surrounded　the　entire　building　and　rose　to　a　great　open　lobby。　There　were　no　obscuring　mats　of　vegetation　here；　but　Eddie　and　Susannah　found　they　still　couldn't　get　a　good　look　inside；　the　shadows　thrown　by　the　overhanging　roof　were　too　deep。　The　Totems　of　the　Beam　marched　all　the　way　around　the　building；　two　by　two；　but　the　corners　were　reserved　for　creatures　Susannah　fervently　hoped　never　to　meet　outside　of　the　occasional　nightmare…hideous　stone　dragons　with　scaly　bodies；　clutching；　claw…tipped　hands；　and　nasty　peering　eyes。
　　Eddie　touched　her　shoulder　and　pointed　higher。　Susannah　looked　。　。　。　and　felt　her　breath　e　to　a　stop　in　her　throat。　Standing　astride　the　peak　of　the　roof；　far　above　The　Totems　of　the　Beam　and　the　dragonish　gargoyles；　as　if　given　dominion　over　them；　was　a　golden　warrior　at　least　sixty　feet　high。　A　battered　cowboy　hat　was　shoved　back　to　reveal　his　lined　and　careworn　brow；　a　bandanna　hung　askew　on　his　upper　chest；　as　if　it　had　just　been　pulled　down　after　serving　long；　hard　duty　as　a　dust…muffle。　In　one　upraised　fist　he　held　a　revolver；　in　the　other；　what　appeared　to　be　an　olive　branch。
　　Roland　of　Gilead　stood　atop　the　Cradle　of　Lud；　dressed　in　gold。
　　No；　she　thought；　at　last　remembering　to　breathe　again。　It's　not　him　。　。　。　but　in　another　way；　it　is。　That　man　was　a　gunslinger；　and　the　resemblance　between　him；　who's　probably　been　dead　a　thousand　years　or　more；　and　Roland　is　all　the　truth　of　ka…tet　you'll　ever　need　to　know。
　　Thunder　slammed　out　of　the　south。　Lightning　harried　racing　clouds　across　the　sky。　She　wished　she　had　more　time　to　study　both　the　golden　statue　which　stood　atop　the　Cradle　and　the　animals　which　surrounded　it；　each　of　these　latter　appeared　to　have　words　carved　upon　them；　and　she　had　an　idea　that　what　was　written　there　might　be　knowledge　worth　having。　Under　these　circumstances；　however；　there　was　no　time　to　spare。
　　A　wide　red　strip　had　been　painted　across　the　pavement　at　the　point　where　The　Street　of　the　Turtle　emptied　into　The　Plaza　of　the　Cradle。　Maud　and　the　fellow　Eddie　called　Jeeves　the　Butler　stopped　a　prudent　distance　from　the　red　mark。
　　〃This　far　and　no　farther；〃　Maud　told　them　flatly。　〃You　may　take　us　to　our　deaths；　but　each　man　and　woman　owes　one　to　the　gods　anyway；　and　I'll　die　on　this　side　of　the　dead…line　no　matter　what。　I'll　not　dare　Blaine　for　outlanders。〃
　　〃Nor　will　I；〃　Jeeves　said。　He　had　taken　off　his　dusty　bowler　and　was　holding　it　against　his　naked　chest。　On　his　face　was　an　expression　of　fearful　reverence。
　　〃Fine；〃　Susannah　said。　〃Now　scat　on　out　of　here；　both　of　you。〃
　　〃Ye'll　backshoot　us　the　second　we　turn　from　ye；〃　Jeeves　said　in　a　trembling　voice。　〃I'll　take　my　watch　and　warrant　on　it；　so　I　will。〃
　　Maud　shook　her　head。　The　blood　on　her　face　had　dried　to　a　gro…tesque　maroon　stippling。　〃There　never　were　a　backshooting　gunslinger…that　much　I　will　say。〃
　　〃We　only　have　their　word　for　it　that　that's　what　they　are。〃
　　Maud　pointed　to　the　big　revolver　with　the　worn　sandalwood　grip　which　Susannah　held　in　her　hand。　Jeeves　looked　。　。　。　and　after　a　moment　he　stretched　out　his　hand　to　the　woman。　When　Maud　took　it；　Susannah's　image　of　them　as　dangerous　killers　collapsed。　They　looked　more　like　Hansel　and　Gretel　than　Bonnie　and　Clyde；　tired；　frightened；　confused；　and　lost　so　long　in　the　woods　that　they　had　grown　old　there。　Her　hate　and　fear　of　them　departed。　What　replaced　it　was　pity　and　a　deep；　aching　sadness。
　　〃Fare　you　well；　both　of　you；〃　she　said　softly。　〃Walk　as　you　will；　and　with　no　fear　of　harm　from　me　or　my　man　here。〃
　　Maud　nodded。　〃I　believe　you　mean　us　no　harm；　and　I　forgive　you　for　shooting　Winston。　But　listen　to　me；　and　listen　well：　stay　out　of　the　Cradle。　Whatever　reasons　you　think　you　have　for　going　in；　they're　not　good　enough。　To　enter　Blaine's　Cradle　is　death。〃
　　〃We　don't　have　any　choice；〃　Eddie　said；　and　thunder　banged　over…head　again；　as　if　in　agreement。　〃Now　let　me　tell　you　something。　I　don't　know　what's　underneath　Lud　and　what　isn't；　but　I　do　know　those　drums　you're　so　whacked　out　about　are　part　of　a　recording…a　song…that　was　made　in　the　world　my　wife　and　I　came　from。〃　He　looked　at　their　un…prehending　faces　and　raised　his　arms　in　frustration。　〃Jesus　Pumpkin…Pie　Christ；　don't　you　get　it？　You're　killing　each　other　over　a　piece　of　music　that　was　never　even　released　as　a　single！〃
　　Susannah　put　her　hand　on　his　shoulder　and　murmured　his　name。　He　ignored　her　for　the　moment；　his　eyes　flicking　from　Jeeves　to　Maud　and　then　back　to　Jeeves　again。
　　〃You　want　to　see　monsters？　Take　a　good　look　at　each　other；　then。　And　when　you　get　back　to　whatever　funhouse　it　is　you　call　home；　take　a　good　look　at　your　friends　and　relatives。〃
　　〃You　don't　understand；〃　Maud　said。　Her　eyes　were　dark　and　somber。　〃But　you　will。　Ay…you　will。〃
　　〃Go　on；　now；〃　Susannah　said　quietly。　〃Talk　between　us　is　no　good；　the　words　only　drop　dead。　Just　go　your　way　and　try　to　remember　the　faces　of　your　fathers；　for　I　think　you　lost　sight　of　those　faces　long　ago。〃
　　The　two　of　them　walked　back　in　the　direction　from　which　they　had　e　without　another　word。　They　did　look　back　over　their　shoulders　from　time　to　time；　however；　and　they　were　still　holding　hands：　Hansel　and　Gretel　lost　in　the　deep　dark　forest。
　　〃Lemme　outta　here；〃　Eddie　said　heavily。　He　made　the　Ruger　safe；　stuck　it　back　in　the　waistband　of　his　pants；　and　then　rubbed　his　red　eyes　with　the　heels　of　his　hands。　〃Just　lemme　out；　that's　all　I　ask。〃
　　〃I　know　what　you　mean；　handsome。〃　She　was　clearly　scared；　but　her　head　had　that　defiant　tilt　he　had　e　to　recognize　and　love。　He　put　his　hands　on　her　shoulders；　bent　down；　and　kissed　her。　He　did　not　let　either　their　surroundings　or　the　oning　storm　keep　him　from　doing　a　thorough　job。　When　he　pulled　back　at　last；　she　was　studying　him　with　wide；　dancing　eyes。　〃Wow！　What　was　that　about？〃
　　〃About　how　I'm　in　love　with　you；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　guess　that's　about　all。　Is　it　enough？〃
　　Her　eyes　softened。　For　a　moment　she　thought　about　telling　him　the　secret　she　might　or　might　not　be　keeping；　but　of　course　the　time　and　place　were　wrong…she　could　no　more　tell　him　she　might　be　pregnant　now　than　she　could　pause　to　read　the　words　written　on　the　sculpted　Portal　Totems。
　　〃It's　enough；　Eddie；〃　she　said。
　　〃You're　the　best　thing　that　ever　happened　to　me。〃　His　hazel　eyes　were　totally　focused　on　her。　〃It's　hard　for　me　to　say　stuff　like　that…living　with　Henry　made　it　hard；　I　guess…but　it's　true。　I　think　I　started　loving　you　because　you　were　everything　Roland　took　me　away　from…in　New　York；　I　mean…hut　it's　a　lot　more　than　that　now；　because　I　don't　want　to　go　hack　anymore。　Do　you？〃
　　She　looked　at　the　Cradle。　She　was　terrified　of　what　they　might　find　in　there；　but　all　the　same　。　。　。　she　looked　back　at　him。　〃No；　I　don't　want　to　go　back。　I　want　to　spend　the　rest　of　my　life　going　forward。　As　long　as　you're　with　me；　that　is。　It's　funny；　you　know；　you　saying　you　started　loving　me　because　of　all　the　things　he　took　you　away　from。〃
　　〃Funny　how？〃
　　〃I　started　loving　you　because　you　set　me　free　of　Detta　Walker。〃　She　paused；　thought；　then　shook　her　head　slightly。　〃No…it　goes　further　than　that。　I　started　loving　you　because　you　set　me　free　of　both　those　bitches。　One　was　a　foul…mouthed；　cock…teasing　thief；　and　the　other　was　a　self…righteous；　pompous　prig。　es　down　to　six　of　one　and　half　a　dozen　of　the　other；　as　far　as　I'm　concerned。　I　like　Susannah　Dean　better　than　either　one　。　。　。　and　you　were　the　one　who　set　me　free。〃
　　This　time　it　was　she　who　did　the　reaching；　pressing　her　palm　to　his　stubbly　cheeks；　drawing　him　down；　kissing　him　gently。　When　he　put　a　light　hand　on　her　breast；　she　sighed　and　covered　it　with　her　own。
　　〃I　think　we　better　get　going；〃　she　said；　〃or　we're　apt　to　be　laying　right　here　in　the　street　。　。　。　and　getting　wet；　from　the　look。〃
　　Eddie　stared　around　at　the　silent　towers；　the　broken　windows；　the　vine…encruste