sk.thewastelands-第15部分

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　pulsion　was　probably　sick；　but　that　didn't　change　its　basic　attraction：　Let's　see　who　walks　away　。　。　let's　just　see。
　　Yeah；　that　was　pretty　sick；　all　right。
　　Pretend　it's　just　a　shooting　gallery；　and　you　want　to　win　your　honey　a　stuffed　dog；　he　thought。　Or　a　stuffed　bear。　He　drew　a　bead　on　the　walking　box　and　then　looked　around　impatiently　when　Roland　touched　his　shoulder。
　　〃Say　your　lesson；　Eddie。　And　be　true。〃
　　Eddie　hissed　impatiently　through　his　teeth；　angry　at　the　distraction；　but　Roland's　eyes　didn't　flinch　and　so　he　drew　a　deep　breath　and　tried　to　clear　everything　from　his　mind：　the　squeaks　and　squalls　of　equipment　that　had　been　running　too　long；　the　aches　and　pains　in　his　body；　the　knowledge　that　Susannah　was　here；　propped　up　on　the　heels　of　her　hands；　watching；　the　further　knowledge　that　she　was　closest　to　the　ground；　and　if　he　missed　one　of　the　gadgets　out　there；　she　would　be　the　handiest　target　if　it　decided　to　retaliate。
　　〃　'I　do　not　shoot　with　my　hand；　he　who　shoots　with　his　hand　has　forgotten　the　face　of　his　father。'　〃
　　That　was　a　joke；　he　thought；　he　wouldn't　know　his　old　man　if　he　passed　him　on　the　street。　But　he　could　feel　the　words　doing　their　work；　clearing　his　mind　and　settling　his　nerves。　He　didn't　know　if　he　was　the　stuff　of　which　gunslingers　were　made…the　idea　seemed　fabulously　unlikely　to　him；　even　though　he　knew　he　had　managed　to　hold　up　his　end　pretty　well　during　the　shootout　at　Balazar's　nightclub…but　he　did　know　that　part　of　him　liked　the　coldness　that　fell　over　him　when　he　spoke　the　words　of　the　old；　old　catechism　the　gunslinger　had　taught　them；　the　coldness　and　the　way　things　seemed　to　stand　forth　with　their　own　breathless　clarity。　There　was　another　part　of　him　which　understood　that　this　was　just　another　deadly　drug；　not　much　different　from　the　heroin　which　had　killed　Henry　and　almost　killed　him；　but　that　did　not　alter　the　thin；　tight　pleasure　of　the　moment。　It　drummed　in　him　like　taut　cables　vibrating　in　a　high　wind。
　　〃　'I　do　not　aim　with　my　hand；　he　who　aims　with　his　hand　has　forgot…ten　the　face　of　his　father。
　　〃　'I　aim　with　my　eye。
　　〃　'I　do　not　kill　with　my　gun；　he　who　kills　with　his　gun　has　forgotten　the　face　of　his　father。'　〃
　　Then；　without　knowing　he　meant　to　do　it；　he　stepped　out　of　the　trees　and　spoke　to　the　trundling　robots　on　the　far　side　of　the　clearing：
　　〃　'I　kill　with　my　heart。'〃
　　They　stopped　their　endless　circling。　One　of　them　let　out　a　high　buzz　that　might　have　been　alarm　or　a　warning。　The　radar…dishes；　each　no　bigger　than　half　a　Hershey　bar；　turned　toward　the　sound　of　his　voice。
　　Eddie　begun　to　fire。
　　The　sensors　exploded　like　day　pigeons；　one　after　the　other。　Pity　was　gone　from　Eddie's　heart；　there　was　only　that　coldness；　and　the　knowledge　that　he　would　not　stop；　could　not　stop；　until　the　job　was　done。
　　Thunder　filled　the　twilit　clearing　and　bounced　back　from　the　splint…ery　rock　wall　at　its　wide　end。　The　steel　snake　did　two　cartwheels　and　lay　twitching　in　the　dust。　The　biggest　mechanism…the　one　that　had　reminded　Eddie　of　his　childhood　Tonka　tractor…tried　to　flee。　Eddie　blew　its　radar…dish　to　kingdom　e　as　it　made　a　herky…jerky　run　at　the　side　of　the　rut。　It　fell　on　its　squarish　nose　with　thin　blue　flames　squirting　out　of　the　steel　sockets　which　held　its　glass　eyes。
　　The　only　sensor　he　missed　was　the　one　on　the　stainless　steel　rat；　that　shot　caromed　off　its　metal　back　with　a　high　mosquito　whine。　It　surged　out　of　the　rut；　made　a　half…circle　around　the　box…shaped　thing　which　had　been　following　the　snake；　and　charged　across　the　clearing　at　surprising　speed。　It　was　making　an　angry　clittering　sound；　and　as　it　closed　the　distance；　Eddie　could　see　it　had　a　mouth　lined　with　long；　sharp　points。　They　did　not　look　like　teeth；　they　looked　like　sewing…machine　needles；　blurring　up　and　down。　No；　he　guessed　these　things　were　really　not　much　like　puppies；　after　all。
　　〃Take　it；　Roland！〃　he　shouted　desperately；　but　when　he　snatched　a　quick　look　around　he　saw　that　Roland　was　still　standing　with　his　arms　crossed　on　his　chest；　his　expression　serene　and　distant。　He　might　have　been　thinking　of　chess　problems　or　old　love…letters。
　　The　dish　on　the　rat's　back　suddenly　locked　down。　It　changed　direc…tion　slightly　and　buzzed　straight　toward　Susannah　Dean。
　　One　bullet　left；　Eddie　thought。　If　I　miss；　it'll　take　her　face　off。
　　Instead　of　shooting；　he　stepped　forward　and　kicked　the　rat　as　hard　as　he　could。　He　had　replaced　his　shoes　with　a　pair　of　deerskin　moccasins；　and　he　felt　the　jolt　all　the　way　up　to　his　knee。　The　rat　gave　a　rusty；　ratcheting　squeal；　tumbled　over　and　over　in　the　dirt；　and　came　to　rest　on　its　back。　Eddie　could　see　what　looked　like　a　dozen　stubby　mechanical　legs　pistoning　up　and　down。　Each　was　tipped　with　a　sharp　steel　claw。　These　claws　twirled　around　and　around　on　gimbals　the　size　of　pencil…erasers。
　　A　steel　rod　poked　out　of　the　robot's　midsection　and　flipped　the　gadget　upright　again。　Eddie　brought　Roland's　revolver　down；　ignoring　a　momentary　impulse　to　steady　it　with　his　free　hand。　That　might　be　the　way　cops　in　his　own　world　were　taught　to　shoot；　but　it　wasn't　the　way　it　was　done　here。　When　you　forget　the　gun　is　there；　when　it　feels　like　you're　shooting　with　your　finger；　Roland　had　told　them；　then　you'll　be　some…where　near　home。
　　Eddie　pulled　the　trigger。　The　tiny　radar…dish；　which　had　begun　to　turn　again　in　an　effort　to　find　the　enemies；　disappeared　in　a　blue　Hash。　The　rat　made　a　choked　noise…Chop！…and　fell　dead　on　its　side。
　　Eddie　turned　with　his　heart　jackhammering　in　his　chest。　He　couldn't　remember　being　this　furious　since　he　realized　that　Roland　meant　to　keep　him　in　his　world　until　his　goddamned　Tower　was　won　or　lost。　。　。　probably　until　they　were　all　worm…chow；　in　other　words。
　　He　levelled　the　empty　gun　at　Roland's　heart　and　spoke　in　a　thick　voice　he　hardly　recognized　as　his　own。　〃If　there　was　a　round　left　in　this；　you　could　stop　worrying　about　your　fucking　Tower　right　now。〃
　　〃Stop　it；　Eddie！〃　Susannah　said　sharply。
　　He　looked　at　her。　〃It　was　going　for　you；　Susannah；　and　it　meant　to　turn　you　into　ground　chuck。〃
　　〃But　it　didn't　get　me。　You　got　it；　Eddie。　You　got　it。〃
　　〃No　thanks　to　him。〃　Eddie　made　as　if　to　re…holster　the　gun　and　then　realized；　to　his　further　disgust；　that　he　had　nothing　to　put　it　in。　Susannah　was　wearing　the　holster。　〃Him　and　his　lessons。　Him　and　his　goddam　lessons。〃　He　turned　to　Roland。　〃I　tell　you；　for　two　cents…〃
　　Roland's　mildly　interested　expression　suddenly　changed。　His　eyes　shifted　to　a　point　over　Eddie's　left　shoulder。　〃DOWN！〃　he　shouted。
　　Eddie　didn't　ask　questions。　His　rage　and　confusion　were　wiped　from　his　mind　immediately。　He　dropped；　and　as　he　did；　he　saw　the　gunslinger's　left　hand　blur　down　to　his　side。　My　God；　he　thought；　still　falling；　he　CAN'T　be　that　fast；　no　one　can　be　that　fast；　I'm　not　bad　but　Susannah　makes　me　look　slow　and　he　makes　Susannah　look　like　a　turtle　trying　to　walk　uphill　on　a　piece　of　glass…
　　Something　passed　just　over　his　head；　something　that　squealed　at　him　in　mechanical　rage　and　pulled　out　a　tuft　of　his　hair。　Then　the　gunslinger　was　shooting　from　the　hip；　three　fast　shots　like　thunder…cracks；　and　the　squealing　stopped。　A　creature　which　looked　to　Eddie　like　a　large　mechan…ical　bat　thudded　to　earth　between　the　place　where　Eddie　now　lay　and　the　one　where　Susannah　knelt　beside　Roland。　One　of　its　jointed；　rust…speckled　wings　thumped　the　ground　once；　weakly；　as　if　angry　at　the　missed　chance；　and　then　became　still。
　　Roland　crossed　to　Eddie；　walking　easy　in　his　old　sprung　boots。　He　extended　a　hand。　Eddie　took　it　and　let　Roland　help　him　to　his　feet。　The　wind　had　been　knocked　out　of　him　and　he　found　he　couldn't　talk。　Proba…bly　just　as　well　。　。　。　seems　like　every　time　I　open　my　mouth　I　stick　my　goddam　foot　into　it。
　　〃Eddie！　You　all　right？〃　Susannah　was　crossing　the　clearing　to　where　he　stood　with　his　head　bent　and　his　hands　planted　on　his　upper　thighs；　trying　to　breathe。
　　〃Yeah。〃　The　word　came　out　in　a　croak。　He　straightened　up　with　an　effort。　〃Just　got　a　little　haircut。〃
　　〃It　was　in　a　tree；〃　Roland　said　mildly。　〃1　didn't　see　it　myself；　at　first。　The　light　gets　tricky　this　time　of　day。　He　paused　and　then　went　on　in　that　same　mild　voice：　〃She　was　never　in　any　danger；　Eddie。〃
　　Eddie　nodded　his　head。　Roland；　he　now　realized；　could　almost　have　eaten　a　hamburger　and　drunk　a　milkshake　before　beginning　his　draw。　He　was　that　fast。
　　〃All　right。　Let's　just　say　I　disapprove　of　your　teaching　techniques；　okay？　I'm　not　going　to　apologize；　though；　so　if　you're　waiting　for　one；　you　can　stop　now。〃
　　Roland　bent；　picked　Susannah　up；　and　began　to　brush　her　off。　He　did　this　with　a　kind　of　impartial　affection；　like　a　mother　brushing　off　her　toddler　after　she　has　taken　one　of　her　necessary　tumbles　in　the　dust　of　the　back　yard。　〃Your　apology　is　not　expected　or　necessary；〃　he　said。　〃Susannah　and　I　had　a　conversation　similar　to　this　one　two　days　ago。　Didn't　we；　Susannah？〃
　　She　nodded。　〃Roland's　of　the　opinion　that　apprentice　gunslingers　who　won't　bite　the　hand　that　feeds　them　from　time　to　time　need　a　good　lack　in　the　slats。〃
　　Eddie　looked　around　at　the　wreckage　and　slowly　began　to　beat　the　bone…dust　out　of　his　pants　and　shirt。　〃What　if　I　told　you　I　don't　want　to　be　a　gunslinger；　Roland　old　buddy？〃
　　〃I'd　say　that　what　you　want　doesn't　much　matter。〃　Roland　was　look…ing　at　the　metal　kiosk　which　stood　against　the　rock　wall；　and　seemed　to　have　lost　interest　in　the　conversation。　Eddie　had　seen　this　before。　When　the　conversation　turned　to　questions　of　should…be；　could…be；　or　oughtta…be；　Roland　almost　always　lost　interest。
　　〃Ka？〃　Eddie　asked；　with　a　trace　of　his　old　bitterness。
　　〃That's　right。　Ka。〃　Roland　walked　over　to　the　kiosk　and　passed　a　hand　along　the　yellow　and　black　stripes　which　ran　down　its　front。　〃We　have　found　one　of　the　twelve　portals　which　ring　the　edge　of　the　world　。　。　。　one　of　the　six　paths　to　the　Dark　Tower。
　　〃And　that　is　also　ka。〃
　　
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　　EDDIE　WENT　BACK　FOR　Susannah's　wheelchair。　No　one　had　to　ask　him　to　do　this；　he　wanted　some　time　alone；　to　get　himself　back　under　control。　Now　that　the　shooting　was　over；　every　muscle　in　his　body　seemed　to　have　picked　up　its　own　little　thrumming　tremor。　He　did　n