sk.thewastelands-第48部分

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　　Then　he　felt　Eddie's　hands　in　his　hair　and　he　was　yanked　not　for…ward　but　upward。
　　
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　　THEY　EMERGED　INTO　WET　air　and　slackening　hail　like　babies　being　born。　Eddie　was　the　midwife；　as　die　gunslinger　had　told　him　he　must　be。　He　was　sprawled　forward　on　his　chest　and　belly；　his　arms　out　of　sight　in　the　doorway；　his　hands　clutching　fistfuls　of　Roland's　hair。
　　〃Suze！　Help　me！〃
　　She　wriggled　forward；　reached　through；　and　groped　a　hand　under　Roland's　chin。　He　came　up　to　her　with　his　head　cocked　backward　and　his　lips　parted　in　a　snarl　of　pain　and　effort。
　　Eddie　felt　a　tearing　sensation　and　one　of　his　hands　came　free　holding　a　thick　lock　of　the　gunslinger's　gray…streaked　hair。　〃He's　slipping！〃
　　〃This　motherfucker　。　。　。　ain't　。　。　。　nowhere！〃　Susannah　gasped；　and　gave　a　terrific　wrench；　as　if　she　meant　to　snap　Roland's　neck。
　　Two　small　hands　shot　out　of　the　doorway　in　the　center　of　the　circle　and　clutched　one　of　the　edges。　Freed　of　Jake's　weight；　Roland　got　an　elbow　up；　and　a　moment　later　he　was　boosting　himself　out。　As　he　did　it；　Eddie　grabbed　Jake's　wrists　and　hauled　him　up。

　　Jake　rolled　onto　his　back　and　lay　there；　panting。
　　Eddie　turned　to　Susannah；　took　her　in　his　arms；　and　began　to　rain　kisses　on　her　forehead；　cheeks；　and　neck。　He　was　laughing　and　crying　at　the　same　time。　She　clung　to　him；　breathing　hard　。　。　。　but　there　was　a　small；　satisfied　smile　on　her　lips　and　one　hand　slipped　over　Eddie's　wet　hair　in　slow；　contented　strokes。
　　From　below　them　came　a　cauldron　of　black　sounds：　squeals；　grunts；　thuds；　crashes。
　　Roland　crawled　away　from　the　hole　with　his　head　down。　His　hair　stood　up　in　a　wild　wad。　Threads　of　blood　trickled　down　his　cheeks。　〃Shut　it！〃　he　gasped　at　Eddie。　〃Shut　it；　for　your　father's　sake！〃
　　Eddie　got　the　door　moving；　and　those　vast；　unseen　hinges　did　the　rest。　The　door　fell　with　a　gigantic；　toneless　bang；　cutting　off　all　sound　from　below。　As　Eddie　watched；　the　lines　that　had　marked　its　edges　faded　back　to　smudged　marks　in　the　dirt。　The　doorknob　lost　its　dimension　and　was　once　more　only　a　circle　he'd　drawn　with　a　stick。　Where　the　keyhole　had　been　there　was　only　a　crude　shape　with　a　chunk　of　wood　sticking　out　of　it；　like　the　hilt　of　a　sword　from　a　stone。
　　Susannah　went　to　Jake　and　pulled　him　gently　to　a　sitting　position。　〃You　all　right；　sugar？〃
　　He　looked　at　her　dazedly。　〃Yes；　I　think　so。　Where　is　he？　The　gunslinger？　There's　something　I　have　to　ask　him。〃
　　〃I'm　here；　Jake；〃　Roland　said。　He　got　to　his　feet；　drunk…walked　over　to　Jake；　and　hunkered　beside　him。　He　touched　the　boy's　smooth　cheek　almost　unbelievingly。
　　〃You　won't　let　me　drop　this　time？〃
　　〃No；〃　Roland　said。　〃Not　this　time；　not　ever　again。〃　But　in　the　deep…est　darkness　of　his　heart；　he　thought　of　the　Tower　and　wondered。
　　
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　　THE　HAIL　CHANGED　TO　a　hard；　driving　rain；　but　Eddie　could　see　gleams　of　blue　sky　behind　the　unravelling　clouds　in　the　north。　The　storm　was　going　to　end　soon；　but　in　the　meantime；　they　were　going　to　get　drenched。
　　He　found　he　didn't　mind。　He　could　not　remember　when　he　had　felt　so　calm；　so　at　peace　with　himself；　so　utterly　drained。　This　mad　adven…ture　wasn't　over　yet…he　suspected；　in　fact；　that　it　had　barely　begun…but　today　they　had　won　a　big　one。
　　〃Sure？〃　He　pushed　her　hair　away　from　her　face　and　looked　into　her　dark　eyes。　〃Are　you　okay？　Did　it　hurt　you？〃
　　〃Hurt　me　a　little；　but　I'm　okay。　I　think　that　bitch　Detta　Walker　is　still　the　undefeated　Roadhouse　Champeen；　demon　or　no　demon。〃
　　〃What's　that　mean？〃
　　She　grinned　impishly。　〃Not　much；　not　anymore　。　。　。　thank　God。　How　about　you；　Eddie？　All　right？〃
　　Eddie　listened　for　Henry's　voice　and　didn't　hear　it。　He　had　an　idea　that　Henry's　voice　might　be　gone　for　good。　〃Even　better　than　that；〃　he　said；　and；　laughing；　folded　her　into　his　arms　again。　Over　her　shoulder　he　could　see　what　was　left　of　the　door：　only　a　few　faint　lines　and　angles。　Soon　the　rain　would　wash　those　away；　too。
　　
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　　〃WHAT's　YOUR　NAME？〃　JAKE　asked　the　woman　whose　legs　stopped　just　above　the　knee。　He　was　suddenly　aware　that　he　had　lost　his　pants　in　his　struggle　to　escape　the　doorkeeper；　and　he　pulled　the　tail　of　his　shirt　down　over　his　underwear。　There　wasn't　very　much　left　of　her　dress；　either；　as　far　as　that　went。
　　〃Susannah　Dean；〃　she　said。　〃I　already　know　your　name。〃
　　〃Susannah；〃　Jake　said　thoughtfully。　〃I　don't　suppose　your　father　owns　a　railroad　pany；　does　he？〃
　　She　looked　astonished　for　a　moment；　then　threw　her　head　back　and　laughed。　〃Why；　no；　sugar！　He　was　a　dentist　who　went　and　invented　a　few　things　and　got　rich。　What　makes　you　ask　a　thing　like　that？〃
　　Jake　didn't　answer。　He　had　turned　his　attention　to　Eddie。　The　terror　had　already　left　his　face；　and　his　eyes　had　regained　that　cool；　assessing　look　which　Roland　remembered　so　well　from　the　way　station。
　　〃Hi；　Jake；〃　Eddie　said。　〃Good　to　see　you；　man。〃
　　〃Hi；〃　Jake　said。　〃I　met　you　earlier　today；　but　you　were　a　lot　younger　then。〃
　　〃I　was　a　lot　younger　ten　minutes　ago。　Are　you　okay？〃
　　〃Yes；〃　Jake　said。　〃Some　scratches；　that's　all。〃　He　looked　around。　〃You　haven't　found　the　train　yet。〃　This　was　not　a　question。
　　Eddie　and　Susannah　exchanged　puzzled　looks；　but　Roland　only　shook　his　head。　〃No　train。〃
　　〃Are　your　voices　gone？〃
　　Roland　nodded。　〃All　gone。　Yours？〃
　　〃Gone。　I'm　all　together　again。　We　both　are。〃
　　They　looked　at　the　same　instant；　with　the　same　impulse。　As　Roland　swept　Jake　into　his　arms；　the　boy's　unnatural　self…possession　broke　and　he　began　to　cry…it　was　the　exhausted；　relieved　weeping　of　a　child　who　has　been　lost　long；　suffered　much；　and　is　finally　safe　again。　As　Roland's　arms　closed　about　his　waist；　Jake's　own　arms　slipped　about　the　gunslinger's　neck　and　gripped　like　hoops　of　steel。
　　〃I'll　never　leave　you　again；〃　Roland　said；　and　now　his　own　tears　came。　〃I　swear　to　you　on　the　names　of　all　my　fathers：　I'll　never　leave　you　again。〃
　　Yet　his　heart；　that　silent；　watchful；　lifelong　prisoner　of　ka；　received　the　words　of　this　promise　not　just　with　wonder　but　with　doubt。
　　
　　
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　　FOUR　DAYS　AFTER　EDDIE　had　yanked　him　through　the　doorway　between　worlds；　minus　his　original　pair　of　pants　and　his　sneakers　but　still　in　possession　of　his　pack　and　his　life；　Jake　awoke　with　something　warm　and　wet　nuzzling　at　his　face。
　　If　he　had　e　around　to　such　a　sensation　on　any　of　the　three　previous　mornings；　he　undoubtedly　would　have　wakened　his　panions　with　his　screams；　for　he　had　been　feverish　and　his　sleep　had　been　haunted　by　nightmares　of　the　plaster…man。　In　these　dreams　his　pants　did　not　slide　free；　the　doorkeeper　kept　its　grip；　and　it　tucked　him　into　its　unspeakable　mouth；　where　its　teeth　came　down　like　the　bars　guarding　a　castle　keep。　Jake　awoke　from　these　dreams　shuddering　and　moaning　helplessly。
　　The　fever　had　been　caused　by　the　spider…bite　on　the　back　of　his　neck。　When　Roland　examined　it　on　the　second　day　and　found　it　worse　instead　of　better；　he　had　conferred　briefly　with　Eddie　and　had　then　given　Jake　a　pink　pill。　〃You'll　want　to　take　four　of　these　every　day　for　at　least　a　week；〃　he　said。
　　Jake　had　gazed　at　it　doubtfully。　〃What　is　it？〃
　　〃Cheflet；〃　Roland　said；　then　looked　disgustedly　at　Eddie。　〃You　tell　him。　I　still　can't　say　it。〃
　　〃Keflex。　You　can　trust　it；　Jake；　it　came　from　a　government…approved　pharmacy　in　good　old　New　York。　Roland　swallowed　a　bunch　of　it；　and　he's　as　healthy　as　a　horse。　Looks　a　little　like　one；　too；　as　you　can　see。〃
　　Jake　was　astonished。　〃How　did　you　get　medicine　in　New　York？〃
　　〃That's　a　long　story；〃　the　gunslinger　said。　〃You'll　hear　all　of　it　in　time；　but　for　now　just　take　the　pill。〃
　　Jake　did。　The　response　was　both　quick　and　satisfying。　The　angry　red　swelling　around　the　bite　began　to　fade　in　twenty…four　hours；　and　now　the　fever　was　gone　as　well。
　　The　warm　thing　nuzzled　again　and　Jake　sat　up　with　a　jerk；　his　eyes　flying　open。
　　The　creature　which　had　been　licking　his　cheek　took　two　hasty　steps　backward。　It　was　a　billy…bumbler；　but　Jake　didn't　know　that；　he　had　never　seen　one　before　now。　It　was　skinnier　than　the　ones　Roland's　party　had　seen　earlier；　and　its　black…　and　gray…striped　fur　was　matted　and　mangy。　There　was　a　clot　of　old　dried　blood　on　one　flank。　Its　gold…ringed　black　eyes　looked　at　Jake　anxiously；　its　hindquarters　switched　hopefully　back　and　forth。　Jake　relaxed。　He　supposed　there　were　exceptions　to　the　rule；　but　he　had　an　idea　that　something　wagging　its　tail…or　trying　to…was　probably　not　too　dangerous。
　　It　was　just　past　first　light；　probably　around　five…thirty　in　the　morning。　Jake　could　peg　it　no　closer　than　that　because　his　digital　Seiko　no　longer　worked　。。。　or　rather；　was　working　in　an　extremely　eccentric　way。　When　he　had　first　glanced　at　it　after　ing　through；　the　Seiko　claimed　it　was　98：71：65；　a　time　which　did　not；　so　far　as　Jake　knew；　exist。　A　longer　look　showed　him　that　the　watch　was　now　running　backward。　If　it　had　been　doing　this　at　a　steady　rate；　he　supposed　it　might　still　have　been　of　some　use；　but　it　wasn't。　It　would　unwind　its　numbers　at　what　seemed　like　the　right　speed　for　awhile　（Jake　verified　this　by　saying　the　word　〃Mississippi〃　between　each　number）；　and　then　the　readout　would　either　stop　entirely　for　ten　or　twenty　seconds…making　him　think　the　watch　had　finally　given　up　the　ghost…or　a　bunch　of　numbers　would　blur　by　all　at　once。
　　He　had　mentioned　this　odd　behavior　to　Roland　and　had　shown　him　the　watch；　thinking　it　would　amaze　him；　but　Roland　examined　it　closely　for　only　a　moment　or　two　before　nodding　in　a　dismissive　way　and　telling　Jake　it　was　an　interesting　clock；　but　as　a　rule　no　timepiece　did　very　good　work　these　days。　So　the　Seiko　was　useless；　but　Jake　still　found　himself　loath　to　throw　it　away　。　。　。　because；　he　supposed；　it　was　a　piece　of　his　old　life；　and　there　were　only　a　few　of　those　left。
　　Right　now　the　Seiko　claimed　it　was　sixty…two　minutes　past　forty　on　a　Wednesday；　Thursday；　and　Saturday　in　both　December　and　March。
　　The　morning　was　extremely　foggy；　beyond　a　radius　of　fifty　or　sixty　feet；　the　world　simply　disappeared。　If　this　day　was　like　the　previous　three；　the　sun　would　show　up　as　a　faint　white　circle　in　another　two　hour