sk.thewastelands-第38部分

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de　concrete　plaza　at　the　top；　he　stuffed　it　back　into　his　pants　pockets；　turned；　and　fled。
　　He　stopped　just　once　on　the　far　side　of　the　plaza；　and　looked　back。　The　small　group　of　people　around　the　place　where　he　had　been　standing　was　ing　slowly　back　to　life。　They　looked　around　at　each　other　with　dazed　expressions；　then　walked　on。　The　cop　glanced　vacantly　to　his　left；　to　his　right；　and　then　straight　up　at　the　sky；　as　if　trying　to　remember　how　he　had　gotten　here　and　what　he　had　been　meaning　to　do。　Jake　had　seen　enough。　It　was　time　to　find　a　subway　station　and　get　his　ass　over　to　Brooklyn　before　anything　else　weird　could　happen。
　　
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　　AT　QUARTER　OF　TWO　that　afternoon　he　walked　slowly　up　the　steps　of　the　subway　station　and　stood　on　the　corner　of　Castle　and　Brooklyn　Ave…nues；　looking　at　the　sandstone　towers　of　Co…Op　City。　He　waited　for　that　feeling　of　sureness　and　direction…that　feeling　that　was　like　being　able　to　remember　forward　in　time…to　overtake　him。　It　didn't　e。　Nothing　came。　He　was　just　a　kid　standing　on　a　hot　Brooklyn　streetcorner　with　his　short　shadow　lying　at　his　feet　like　a　tired　pet。
　　Well；　I'm　here　。　。　；　now　what　do　I　do？
　　Jake　discovered　he　didn't　have　the　slightest　idea。
　　
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　　ROLAND'S　SMALL　BAND　OF　travellers　reached　the　crest　of　the　long；　gentle　hill　they　had　been　climbing　and　stood　looking　southeast。　For　a　long　time　none　of　them　spoke。　Susannah　opened　her　mouth　twice；　then　closed　it　again。　For　the　first　time　in　her　life　as　a　woman；　she　was　pletely　speechless。
　　Before　them；　an　almost　endless　plain　dozed　in　the　long　golden　light　of　a　summer's　afternoon。　The　grass　was　lush；　emerald　green；　and　very　high。　Groves　of　trees　with　long；　slender　trunks　and　wide；　spreading　tops　dotted　the　plain。　Susannah　had　once　seen　similar　trees；　she　thought；　in　a　travelogue　film　about　Australia。
　　The　road　they　had　been　following　swooped　down　the　far　side　of　the　hill　and　then　ran　straight　as　a　string　into　the　southeast；　a　bright　white　lane　cutting　through　the　grass。　To　the　west；　some　miles　off；　she　could　see　a　herd　of　large　animals　grazing　peacefully。　They　looked　like　buffalo。　To　the　east；　the　last　of　the　forest　made　a　curved　peninsula　into　the　grassland。　This　incursion　was　a　dark；　tangled　shape　that　looked　like　a　forearm　with　a　cocked　fist　at　the　end。
　　That　was　the　direction；　she　realized；　in　which　all　the　creeks　and　streams　they　had　encountered　had　been　flowing。　They　were　tributaries　of　the　vast　river　that　emerged　from　that　jutting　arm　of　forest　and　flowed；　placid　and　dreaming　under　the　summer　sun；　toward　the　eastern　edge　of　the　world。　It　was　wide；　that　river…perhaps　two　miles　from　bank　to　bank。
　　And　she　could　see　the　city。
　　It　lay　dead　ahead；　a　misty　collection　of　spires　and　towers　rising　above　the　far　edge　of　the　horizon。　Those　airy　ramparts　might　have　been　a　hundred　miles　away；　or　two　hundred；　or　four　hundred。　The　air　of　this　world　seemed　to　be　totally　clear；　and　that　made　judging　distances　a　fool's　game。　All　she　knew　for　sure　was　that　the　sight　of　those　dim　towers　filled　her　with　silent　wonder　。　。　。　and　a　drop；　aching　homesickness　for　New　York。　She　thought；　I　believe　I'd　do　most　anything　just　to　see　the　Manhat…tan　skyline　from　the　Triborough　Bridge　again。
　　Then　she　had　to　smile；　because　that　wasn't　the　truth。　The　truth　was　that　she　wouldn't　trade　Roland's　world　for　anything。　Its　silent　mystery　and　empty　spaces　were　intoxicating。　And　her　lover　was　here。　In　New　York…the　New　York　of　her　own　time；　at　least…they　would　have　been　objects　of　scorn　and　anger；　the　butt　of　every　idiot's　crude；　cruel　jokes：　a　black　woman　of　twenty…six　and　her　whitebread　lover　who　was　three　years　younger　and　who　had　a　tendency　to　talk　like　dis　and　dat　when　he　got　excited。　Her　whitebread　lover　who　had　been　carrying　a　heavy　monkey　on　his　back　only　eight　months　before。　Here；　there　was　no　one　to　jeer　or　laugh。　Here；　no　one　was　pointing　a　finger。　Here；　there　were　only　Roland；　Eddie；　and　herself；　the　world's　last　three　gunslingers。
　　She　took　Eddie's　hand　and　felt　it　close　over　hers；　warm　and　reassuring。
　　Roland　pointed。　〃That　must　be　the　Send　River；〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice。　〃I　never　thought　to　see　it　in　my　life　。　。　。　wasn't　even　sure　it　was　real；　like　the　Guardians。〃
　　〃It's　so　lovely；〃　Susannah　murmured。　She　was　unable　to　take　her　eyes　from　the　vast　landscape　before　her；　dreaming　richly　in　the　cradle　of　summer。　She　found　her　eyes　tracing　the　shadows　of　the　trees；　which　trailed　across　the　plain　for　what　seemed　miles　as　the　sun　sank　toward　the　horizon。　〃It's　the　way　our　Great　Plains　must　have　looked　before　they　were　settled…even　before　the　Indians　came。〃　She　raised　her　free　hand　and　pointed　toward　the　place　where　the　Great　Road　narrowed　to　a　point。　〃There's　your　city；〃　she　said。　〃Isn't　it？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃It　looks　okay；〃　Eddie　said。　〃Is　that　possible；　Roland？　Could　it　still　be　pretty　much　intact。　Did　the　old…timers　build　that　well？〃
　　〃Anything　is　possible　in　these　times；〃　Roland　said；　but　he　sounded　doubtful。　〃You　shouldn't　get　your　hopes　up；　though；　Eddie。〃
　　〃Huh？　No。〃　But　Eddie's　hopes　were　up。　That　dimly　sketched　skyline　had　awakened　homesickness　in　Susannah's　heart；　in　Eddie's　it　kindled　a　sudden　blaze　of　supposition。　If　the　city　was　still　there…and　it　clearly　was…it　might　still　be　populated；　and　maybe　not　just　by　the　subhuman　things　Roland　had　met　under　the　mountains；　either。　The　city…dwellers　might　be
　　（Americans；　Eddie's　subconscious　whispered）
　　intelligent　and　helpful；　they　might；　in　fact；　spell　the　difference　between　success　and　failure　for　the　quest　of　the　pilgrims　。。。　or　even　between　life　and　death。　In　Eddie's　mind　a　vision　（partly　cribbed　from　movies　like　The　Last　Starfighter　and　The　Dark　Crystal）　gleamed　brightly：　a　council　of　gnarled　but　dignified　City　Elders　who　would　serve　them　a　whopping　meal　drawn　from　the　unspoiled　stores　of　the　city　（or　perhaps　from　special　gardens　cradled　within　environmental　bubbles）　and　who　would；　as　he　and　Roland　and　Susannah　ate　themselves　silly；　explain　exactly　what　lay　ahead　and　what　it　all　meant。　Their　parting　gift　to　the　wayfarers　would　be　an　AAA…approved　Tour　Guide　map　with　the　best　route　to　the　Dark　Tower　marked　in　red。
　　Eddie　did　not　know　the　phrase　deus　ex　machina；　but　he　knew…had　now　grown　up　enough　to　know…that　such　wise　and　kindly　folk　lived　mostly　in　ic　books　and　B…movies。　The　idea　was　intoxicating；　all　the　same：　an　enclave　of　civilization　in　this　dangerous；　mostly　empty　world；　wise　old　elf…men　who　would　tell　them　just　what　the　fuck　it　was　they　were　supposed　to　be　doing。　And　the　fabulous　shapes　of　the　city　disclosed　in　that　hazy　skyline　made　the　idea　seem　at　least　possible。　Even　if　the　city　was　totally　deserted；　the　population　wiped　out　by　some　long…ago　plague　or　outbreak　of　chemical　warfare；　it　might　still　serve　them　as　a　kind　of　giant　toolbox…a　huge　Army…Navy　Surplus　Store　where　they　could　outfit　themselves　for　the　hard　passages　Eddie　was　sure　must　lie　ahead。　Besides；　he　was　a　city　boy；　born　and　bred；　and　the　sight　of　all　those　tall　towers　just　naturally　got　him　up。
　　〃All　right！〃　he　said；　almost　laughing　out　loud　in　his　excitement。　〃Hey…ho；　let's　go！　Bring　on　those　wise　fuckin　elves！〃
　　Susannah　looked　at　him；　puzzled　but　smiling。　〃What　you　ravin　about；　white　boy？〃
　　〃Nothing。　Never　mind。　I　just　want　to　get　moving。　What　do　you　say；　Roland？　Want　to…〃
　　But　something　on　Roland's　face　or　just　beneath　it…some　lost；　dreaming　thing…caused　him　to　fall　silent　and　put　one　arm　around　Susan…nah's　shoulders；　as　if　to　protect　her。
　　
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　　AFTER　ONE　BRIEF；　DISMISSIVE　glance　at　the　city　skyline；　Roland's　gaze　had　been　caught　by　something　a　good　deal　closer　to　their　current　posi…tion；　something　that　filled　him　with　disquiet　and　foreboding。　He　had　seen　such　things　before；　and　the　last　time　he'd　e　across　one；　Jake　had　been　with　him。　He　remembered　how　they　had　finally　e　out　of　the　desert；　the　trail　of　the　man　in　black　leading　them　through　the　foothills　and　toward　the　mountains。　Hard　going；　it　had　been；　but　at　least　there　had　been　water　again。　And　grass。
　　One　night　he　had　awakened　to　find　Jake　gone。　He　had　heard　stran…gled；　desperate　cries　ing　from　a　willow…grove　hard　by　a　narrow　trickle　of　stream。　By　the　time　he　had　fought　his　way　through　to　the　clearing　at　the　center　of　the　grove；　the　boy's　cries　had　ceased。　Roland　had　found　him　standing　in　a　place　exactly　like　the　one　which　lay　below　and　ahead。　A　place　of　stones；　a　place　of　sacrifice；　a　place　where　an　Oracle　lived　。　。　。　and　spoke　when　it　was　forced　to　。。。　and　killed　whenever　it　could。
　　〃Roland？〃　Eddie　asked。　〃What　is　it？　What's　wrong？〃
　　〃Do　you　see　that？〃　Roland　pointed。　〃It's　a　speaking　ring。　The　shapes　you　see　are　tall　standing　stones。〃　He　found　himself　staring　at　Eddie；　whom　he　had　first　met　in　the　frightening　but　wonderful　air…carriage　of　that　strange　other　world　where　the　gunslingers　wore　blue　uniforms　and　there　was　an　endless　supply　of　sugar；　paper；　and　wonderful　drugs　like　astin。　Some　strange　expression…some　foreknowledge…was　dawning　on　Eddie's　face。　The　bright　hope　which　had　lit　his　eyes　as　he　surveyed　the　city　whiffed　out；　leaving　him　with　a　look　both　gray　and　bleak。　It　was　the　expression　of　a　man　studying　the　gallows　on　which　he　will　soon　be　hanged。
　　First　Jake；　and　now　Eddie；　the　gunslinger　thought。　The　wheel　which　turns　our　lives　is　remorseless；　always　it　es　around　to　the　same　place　again。
　　〃Oh　shit；〃　Eddie　said。　His　voice　was　dry　and　scared。　〃I　think　that's　the　place　where　the　kid　is　going　to　try　and　e　through。〃
　　The　gunslinger　nodded。　〃Very　likely。　They're　thin　places；　and　they're　also　attractive　places。　I　followed　him　to　such　a　place　once　before。　The　Oracle　that　kept　there　came　very　close　to　killing　him。〃
　　〃How　do　you　know　this？〃　Susannah　asked　Eddie。　〃Was　it　a　dream？〃
　　He　only　shook　his　head。　〃I　don't　know。　But　the　minute　Roland　pointed　that　goddamn　place　out　。　。　。〃　He　broke　off　and　looked　at　the　gunslinger。　〃We　have　to　get　there；　just　as　fast　as　we　can。〃　Eddie　sounded　both　frantic　and　fearful。
　　〃Is　it　going　to　happen　today？〃　Roland　asked。　〃Tonight？〃
　　Eddie　shook　his　head　again；　and　licked　his　lips。　〃I　don't　know　that；　either。　Not　for　sure。　Tonight？　I　don't　think　so。　Time　。。。　it　isn't　the　same　over　here　as　it　is　where　the　kid　i