sk.thewastelands-第96节

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nd　waking　at　the　taste　of　cool　water　trick…ling　down　his　throat。　The　boy　had　taken　off　his　shirt；　soaked　it　under　the　flow　from　the　pump；　and　given　him　to　drink。　Now　it　was　his　turn　to　do　for　Jake　what　Jake　had　already　done　for　him。
　　Roland　glanced　around　and　saw　a　sink。　He　went　over　to　it　and　turned　on　the　faucet。　Cold；　clear　water　rushed　out。　Over　them；　around　them；　under　them；　the　alarm　roared　on　and　on。
　　〃Can　you　stand？〃
　　Jake　nodded。　〃I　think　so。〃
　　Roland　set　the　boy　on　his　feet；　ready　to　catch　him　if　he　looked　too　wobbly；　but　Jake　hung　onto　the　sink；　then　ducked　his　head　beneath　the　flowing　water。　Roland　picked　Oy　up　and　looked　at　his　wounds。　They　were　already　clotting。　You　got　off　very　lucky；　my　furry　friend；　Roland　thought；　then　reached　past　Jake　to　cup　a　palmful　of　water　for　the　animal。　Oy　drank　it　eagerly。
　　Jake　drew　back　from　the　faucet　with　his　hair　plastered　to　the　sides　of　his　face。　His　skin　was　still　too　pale　and　the　signs　that　he　had　been　badly　beaten　were　clearly　visible；　but　he　looked　better　than　he　had　when　Roland　had　first　bent　over　him。　For　one　terrible　moment；　the　gunslinger　had　been　positive　Jake　was　dead。
　　He　found　himself　wishing　he　could　go　back　and　kill　Gasher　again；　and　that　led　him　to　another　thought。
　　〃What　about　the　one　Gasher　called　the　Tick…Tock　Man？　Did　you　see　him；　Jake？〃
　　〃Yes。　Oy　ambushed　him。　Tore　up　his　face。　Then　I　shot　him。〃
　　〃Dead？〃
　　Jake's　lips　began　to　tremble。　He　pressed　them　firmly　together。　〃Yes。　In　his　。　。　。〃　He　tapped　his　forehead　high　above　his　right　eyebrow。　〃I　was　l…l…　。。。　I　was　lucky。〃
　　Roland　looked　at　him　appraisingly；　then　slowly　shook　his　head。　〃You　know；　I　doubt　that。　But　never　mind　now。　e　on。〃
　　〃Where　are　we　going？〃　Jake's　voice　was　still　little　more　than　a　husky　murmur；　and　he　kept　looking　past　Roland's　shoulder　toward　the　room　where　he　had　almost　died。
　　Roland　pointed　across　the　kitchen。　Beyond　another　hatchway；　the　corridor　continued。　〃That'll　do　for　a　start。〃
　　〃GUNSLINGER；〃　a　voice　boomed　from　everywhere。
　　Roland　wheeled　around；　one　arm　cradling　Oy　and　the　other　around　Jake's　shoulders；　but　there　was　no　one　to　see。
　　〃Who　speaks　to　me？〃　he　shouted。
　　〃NAME　YOURSELF；　GUNSLINGER。〃
　　〃Roland　of　Gilead；　son　of　Steven。　Who　speaks　to　me？〃
　　〃GILEAD　IS　NO　MORE；〃　the　voice　mused；　ignoring　the　question。
　　Roland　looked　up　and　saw　patterns　of　concentric　rings　in　the　ceiling。　The　voice　was　ing　from　those。
　　〃NO　GUNSLINGER　HAS　WALKED　IN…WORLD　OR　MID…WORLD　FOR　ALMOST　THREE　HUNDRED　YEARS。〃
　　〃I　and　my　friends　are　the　last。〃
　　Jake　took　Oy　from　Roland。　The　bumbler　at　once　began　to　lick　the　boy's　swollen　face；　his　gold…ringed　eyes　were　full　of　adoration　and　happiness。
　　〃It's　Blaine；〃　Jake　whispered　to　Roland。　〃Isn't　it？〃
　　Roland　nodded。　Of　course　it　was…but　he　had　an　idea　that　there　was　a　great　deal　more　to　Blaine　than　just　a　monorail　train。
　　〃BOY！　ARE　YOU　JAKE　OF　NEW　YORK？〃
　　Jake　pressed　closer　to　Roland　and　looked　up　at　the　speakers。　〃Yes；〃　he　said。　〃That's　me。　Jake　of　New　York。　Uh　。　。　。　son　of　Elmer。〃
　　〃DO　YOU　STILL　HAVE　THE　BOOK　OF　RIDDLES？　THE　ONE　OF　WHICH　I　HAVE　BEEN　TOLD？〃
　　Jake　reached　over　his　shoulder；　and　an　expression　of　dismayed　recol…lection　filled　his　face　as　his　fingers　touched　nothing　but　his　own　back。　When　he　looked　at　Roland　again；　the　gunslinger　was　holding　his　pack　out　toward　him；　and　although　the　man's　narrow；　finely　carved　face　was　as　expressionless　as　ever；　Jake　sensed　the　ghost　of　a　smile　lurking　at　die　corners　of　his　mouth。
　　〃You'll　have　to　fix　die　straps；〃　Roland　said　as　Jake　took　the　pack。　〃I　made　them　longer。〃
　　〃But　Riddle…De…Dum！…？〃
　　Roland　nodded。　〃Both　books　are　still　in　there。〃
　　〃WHAT　YOU　GOT；　LITTLE　PILGRIM？〃　the　voice　inquired　in　a　leisurely　drawl。
　　〃Gripes！〃　Jake　said。
　　It　can　see　us　as　well　as　hear　us；　Roland　thought；　and　a　moment　later　he　spotted　a　small　glass　eye　in　one　corner；　far　above　a　man's　normal　line　of　sight。　He　felt　a　chill　slip　over　his　skin；　and　knew　from　both　the　troubled　look　on　Jake's　face　and　the　way　the　boy's　arms　had　tightened　around　Oy　that　he　wasn't　alone　in　his　unease。　That　voice　belonged　to　a　machine；　an　incredibly　smart　machine；　a　playful　machine；　but　there　was　something　very　wrong　with　it；　all　the　same。
　　〃The　book；〃　Jake　said。　〃I've　got　the　riddle　book。〃
　　〃GOOD。〃　There　was　an　almost　human　satisfaction　in　the　voice。　〃REALLY　EXCELLENT。〃
　　A　scruffy；　bearded　fellow　suddenly　appeared　in　the　doorway　on　the　far　side　of　the　kitchen。　A　bloodstained；　dirt…streaked　yellow　scarf　flapped　from　the　newer's　upper　arm。　〃Fires　in　the　walls！〃　he　screamed。　In　his　panic；　he　seemed　not　to　realize　that　Roland　and　Jake　were　not　part　of　his　miserable　subterranean　ka…tet。　〃Smoke　on　the　lower　levels！　People　killin　theirselves！　Somepin's　gone　wrong！　Hell；　everythin's　gone　wrong！　We　gotta…〃
　　The　door　of　the　oven　suddenly　dropped　open　like　an　unhinged　jaw。　A　thick　beam　of　blue…white　fire　shot　out　and　engulfed　the　scruffy　man's　head。　He　was　driven　backward　with　his　clothes　in　flames　and　his　skin　boiling　on　his　face。
　　Jake　stared　up　at　Roland；　stunned　and　horrified。　Roland　put　an　arm　about　the　boy's　shoulders。
　　〃HE　INTERRUPTED　ME；〃　the　voice　said。　〃THAT　WAS　RUDE；　WASN'T　IT？〃
　　〃Yes；〃　Roland　said　calmly。　〃Extremely　rude。〃
　　〃SUSANNAH　OF　NEW　YORK　SAYS　YOU　HAVE　A　GREAT　MANY　RIDDLES　BY　HEART；　ROLAND　OF　GILEAD。　IS　THIS　TRUE？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　There　was　an　explosion　in　one　of　the　rooms　opening　off　this　arm　of　the　corridor；　the　floor　shuddered　beneath　their　feet　and　voices　screamed　in　a　jagged　chorus。　The　pulsing　lights　and　the　endless；　blatting　siren　faded　momentarily；　then　came　back　strong。　A　little　skein　of　bitter；　acrid　smoke　drifted　from　the　ventilators。　Oy　got　a　whiff　and　sneezed。
　　〃TELL　ME　ONE　OF　YOUR　RIDDLES；　GUNSLINGER；〃　the　voice　invited。　It　was　serene　and　untroubled；　as　if　they　were　all　sitting　together　in　a　peaceful　village　square　somewhere　instead　of　beneath　a　city　that　seemed　on　the　verge　of　ripping　itself　apart。
　　Roland　thought　for　a　moment；　and　what　came　to　mind　was　Cuthbert's　favorite　riddle。　〃All　right；　Blaine；〃　he　said；　〃I　will。　What's　better　than　all　the　gods　and　worse　than　Old　Man　Splitfoot？　Dead　people　eat　it　always；　live　people　who　eat　it　die　slow。〃
　　There　was　a　long　pause。　Jake　put　his　face　in　Oy's　fur　to　try　to　get　away　from　the　stink　of　the　roasted　Gray。
　　〃Be　careful；　gunslinger。〃　The　voice　was　as　small　as　a　cool　puff　of　breeze　on　summer's　hottest　day。　The　voice　of　the　machine　had　e　from　all　the　speakers；　but　this　one　came　only　from　the　speaker　directly　overhead。　〃Be　careful；　Jake　of　New　York。　Remember　that　these　are　The　Drawers。　Go　slow　and　be　very　careful。〃
　　Jake　looked　at　the　gunslinger　with　widening　eyes。　Roland　gave　his　head　a　small；　faint　shake　and　raised　one　finger。　He　looked　as　if　he　was　scratching　the　side　of　his　nose；　but　that　finger　also　lay　across　his　lips；　and　Jake　had　an　idea　Roland　was　actually　telling　him　to　keep　his　mouth　shut。
　　〃A　CLEVER　RIDDLE；〃　Blaine　said　at　last。　There　seemed　to　be　real　admiration　in　its　voice。　〃THE　ANSWER　IS　NOTHING；　IS　IT　NOT？〃
　　〃That's　right；〃　Roland　said。　〃You're　pretty　clever　yourself；　Blaine。〃
　　When　the　voice　spoke　again；　Roland　heard　what　Eddie　had　heard　already：　a　deep　and　ungovernable　greed。　〃ASK　ME　ANOTHER。〃
　　Roland　drew　a　deep　breath。　〃Not　just　now。〃
　　〃I　HOPE　YOU　ARE　NOT　REFUSING　ME；　ROLAND；　SON　OF　STEVEN；　FOR　THAT　IS　ALSO　RUDE。　EXTREMELY　RUDE。〃
　　〃Take　us　to　our　friends　and　help　us　get　out　of　Lud；〃　Roland　said。　〃Then　there　may　be　time　for　riddling。〃
　　〃I　COULD　KILL　YOU　WHERE　YOU　STAND；〃　the　voice　said；　and　now　it　was　as　cold　as　winter's　darkest　day。
　　〃Yes；〃　Roland　said。　〃I'm　sure　you　could。　But　the　riddles　would　die　with　us。〃
　　〃I　COULD　TAKE　THE　BOY'S　BOOK。〃
　　〃Thieving　is　ruder　than　either　refusal　or　interruption；〃　Roland　remarked。　He　spoke　as　if　merely　passing　the　time　of　day；　but　the　remaining　fingers　of　his　right　hand　were　tight　on　Jake's　shoulder。
　　〃Besides；〃　Jake　said；　looking　up　at　the　speaker　in　the　ceiling；　〃the　answers　aren't　in　the　book。　Those　pages　were　torn　out。〃　In　a　flash　of　inspiration；　he　tapped　his　temple。　〃They're　up　here；　though。〃
　　〃YOU　FELLOWS　WANT　TO　REMEMBER　THAT　NOBODY　LOVES　A　SMARTASS；〃　Blaine　said。　There　was　another　explosion；　this　one　louder　and　closer。　One　of　the　ventilator　grilles　blew　off　and　shot　across　the　kitchen　like　a　projectile。　A　moment　later　two　men　and　a　woman　emerged　through　the　door　which　led　to　the　rest　of　the　Grays'　warren。　The　gunslinger　levelled　his　revolver　at　them；　then　lowered　it　as　they　stumbled　across　the　kitchen　and　into　the　silo　beyond　without　so　much　as　a　look　at　Roland　and　Jake。　To　Roland　they　looked　like　animals　fleeing　before　a　forest　fire。
　　A　stainless　steel　panel　in　the　ceiling　slid　open；　revealing　a　square　of　darkness。　Something　silvery　flashed　within　it；　and　a　few　moments　later　a　steel　sphere；　perhaps　a　foot　in　diameter；　dropped　from　the　hole　and　hung　in　the　air　of　the　kitchen。
　　〃FOLLOW；〃　Blaine　said　flatly。
　　〃Will　it　take　us　to　Eddie　and　Susannah？〃　Jake　asked　hopefully。
　　Blaine　replied　only　with　silence　。　。　。　but　when　the　sphere　began　floating　down　the　corridor；　Roland　and　Jake　followed　it。