sk.thewastelands-第59部分

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　　〃Roland；　they　were　just　cops。　You　ran　rings　around　them。〃
　　〃Not　the　last　one。　When　Jack　Mort　and　I　were　in　the　underground　railway　station；　that　one　almost　took　me　down。　Except　for　blind　luck…Mort's　flint…and…steel…he　would　have　done。　That　one　。。。　I　saw　his　eyes。　He　knew　the　face　of　his　father。　I　believe　he　knew　it　very　well。　And　then　。。。　do　you　remember　the　name　of　Balazar's　nightclub？〃
　　〃Sure；〃　Eddie　said　uneasily。　〃The　Leaning　Tower。　But　it　could　have　been　coincidence；　you　yourself　said　ka　doesn't　rule　everything。〃
　　Roland　nodded。　〃You　really　are　like　Cuthbert…I　remember　some…thing　he　said　when　we　were　boys。　We　were　planning　a　midnight　lark　in　the　cemetery；　but　Alain　wouldn't　go。　He　said　he　was　afraid　of　offending　the　shades　of　his　fathers　and　mothers。　Cuthbert　laughed　at　him。　He　said　he　wouldn't　believe　in　ghosts　until　he　caught　one　in　his　teeth。〃
　　〃Good　for　him！〃　Eddie　exclaimed。　〃Bravo！〃
　　Roland　smiled。　〃I　thought　you'd　like　that。　At　any　rate；　let's　leave　this　ghost　for　now。　Go　on　with　your　story。〃
　　Eddie　told　of　the　vision　which　had　e　to　him　when　Roland　threw　the　jawbone　into　the　fire…the　vision　of　the　key　and　the　rose。　He　told　of　his　dream；　and　how　he　had　walked　through　the　door　of　Tom　and　Gerry's　Artistic　Deli　and　into　the　field　of　roses　which　was　dominated　by　the　tall；　soot…colored　Tower。　He　told　of　the　blackness　which　had　issued　from　its　windows；　forming　a　shape　in　the　sky　overhead；　speaking　directly　to　Jake　now；　because　Jake　was　listening　with　hungry　concentration　and　growing　wonder。　He　tried　to　convey　some　sense　of　the　exaltation　and　terror　which　had　permeated　the　dream；　and　saw　from　their　eyes…Jake's　most　of　all…that　he　was　either　doing　a　better　job　of　that　than　he　could　have　hoped　for　。。。　or　that　they'd　had　dreams　of　their　own。
　　He　told　of　following　Shardik's　backtrail　to　the　Portal　of　the　Bear；　and　how；　when　he　put　his　head　against　it；　he'd　found　himself　remember…ing　the　day　he　had　talked　his　brother　into　taking　him　to　Dutch　Hill；　so　he　could　see　The　Mansion。　He　told　about　die　cup　and　the　needle；　and　how　the　pointing　needle　had　bee　unnecessary　once　they　realized　they　could　see　the　Beam　at　work　in　everything　it　touched；　even　the　birds　in　the　sky。
　　Susannah　took　up　the　tale　at　this　point。　As　she　spoke；　telling　of　how　Eddie　had　begun　to　carve　his　own　version　of　the　key；　Jake　lay　back；　laced　his　hands　together　behind　his　head；　and　watched　the　clouds　run　slowly　toward　the　city　on　their　straight　southeasterly　course。　The　orderly　shape　they　made　showed　the　presence　of　the　Beam　as　clearly　as　smoke　leaving　a　chimney　shows　die　direction　of　the　wind。
　　She　finished　with　the　story　of　how　they　had　finally　hauled　Jake　into　this　world；　closing　the　split　track　of　his　and　Roland's　memories　as　sud…denly　and　as　pletely　as　Eddie　had　closed　the　door　in　the　speaking　ring。　The　only　fact　she　left　out　was　really　not　a　fact　at　all…at　least；　not　yet。　She'd　had　no　morning　sickness；　after　all；　and　a　single　missed　period　meant　nothing　by　itself。　As　Roland　himself　might　have　said；　that　was　a　tale　best　left　for　another　day。
　　Yet　as　she　finished；　she　found　herself　wishing　she　could　forget　what　Aunt　Talitha　had　said　when　Jake　told　her　this　was　his　home　now：　Gods　pity　you；　then；　for　the　sun　is　going　down　on　this　world。　It's　going　down　forever。
　　〃And　now　it's　your　turn；　Jake；〃　Roland　said。
　　Jake　sat　up　and　looked　toward　Lud；　where　the　windows　of　the　west…em　towers　reflected　back　the　late　afternoon　light　in　golden　sheets。　〃It's　all　crazy；〃　he　murmured；　〃but　it　almost　makes　sense。　Like　a　dream　when　you　wake　up。〃
　　〃Maybe　we　can　help　you　make　sense　of　it；〃　Susannah　said。
　　〃Maybe　you　can。　At　least　you　can　help　me　think　about　the　train。　I'm　tired　of　trying　to　make　sense　of　Blaine　by　myself。〃　He　sighed。　〃You　know　what　Roland　went　through；　living　two　lives　at　the　same　time；　so　I　can　skip　that　part。　I'm　not　sure　I　could　ever　explain　how　it　felt；　anyway；　and　I　don't　want　to。　It　was　gross。　I　guess　I　better　start　with　my　Final　Essay；　because　that's　when　I　finally　stopped　thinking　that　the　whole　thing　might　just　go　away。〃　He　looked　around　at　them　somberly。　〃That　was　when　I　gave　up。〃

　　
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　　JAKE　TALKED　THE　SUN　down。
　　He　told　them　everything　he　could　remember；　beginning　with　My　Understanding　of　Truth　and　ending　with　the　monstrous　doorkeeper　which　had　literally　e　out　of　the　woodwork　to　attack　him。　The　other　three　listened　without　a　single　interruption。
　　When　he　was　finished；　Roland　turned　to　Eddie；　his　eyes　bright　with　a　mixture　of　emotions　Eddie　initially　took　for　wonder。　Then　he　realized　he　was　looking　at　powerful　excitement　。　。　。　and　deep　fear。　His　mouth　went　dry。　Because　if　Roland　was　afraid…
　　〃Do　you　still　doubt　that　our　worlds　overlap　each　other；　Eddie？〃
　　He　shook　his　head。　〃Of　course　not。　I　walked　down　the　same　street；　and　I　did　it　in　his　clothes！　But　。　。　。　Jake；　can　I　see　that　book？　Charlie　the　Choo…Choo？〃
　　Jake　reached　for　his　pack；　but　Roland　stayed　his　hand。　〃Not　yet；〃　he　said。　〃Go　back　to　the　vacant　lot；　Jake。　Tell　that　part　once　more。　Try　to　remember　everything。〃
　　〃Maybe　you　should　hypnotize　me；〃　Jake　said　hesitantly。　〃Like　you　did　before；　at　the　way　station。〃
　　Roland　shook　his　head。　〃There's　no　need。　What　happened　to　you　in　that　lot　was　the　most　important　thing　ever　to　happen　in　your　life；　Jake。　In　all　our　lives。　You　can　remember　everything。〃
　　So　Jake　went　through　it　again。　It　was　clear　to　all　of　them　that　his　experience　in　the　vacant　lot　where　Tom　and　Gerry's　once　had　stood　was　the　secret　heart　of　the　ka…tet　they　shared。　In　Eddie's　dream；　the　Artistic　Deli　had　still　been　standing；　in　Jake's　reality　it　had　been　torn　down；　but　in　both　cases　it　was　a　place　of　enormous；　talismanic　power。　Nor　did　Roland　doubt　that　the　vacant　lot　with　its　broken　bricks　and　shattered　glass　was　another　version　of　what　Susannah　knew　as　the　Drawers　and　the　place　he　had　seen　at　the　end　of　his　vision　in　the　place　of　bones。
　　As　he　told　this　part　of　his　story　for　the　second　time；　speaking　very　slowly　now；　Jake　found　that　what　the　gunslinger　had　said　was　true：　he　could　remember　everything。　His　recall　improved　until　he　almost　seemed　to　be　reliving　the　experience。　He　told　them　of　the　sign　which　said　that　a　building　called　Turtle　Bay　Condominiums　was　slated　to　stand　on　the　spot　where　Tom　and　Gerry's　had　once　stood。　He　even　remembered　the　little　poem　which　had　been　spray…painted　on　the　fence；　and　recited　it　for　them：
　　
　　〃See　the　TURTLE　of　enormous　girth！
　　On　his　shell　he　holds　the　earth。
　　If　you　want　to　run　and　play；
　　e　along　the　BEAM　today。〃
　　
　　Susannah　murmured；　〃His　thought　is　slow　but　always　kind；　He　holds　us　all　within　his　mind　。　。　。　isn't　that　how　it　went；　Roland？〃
　　〃What？〃　Jake　asked。　〃How　what　went？〃
　　〃A　poem　I　learned　as　a　child；〃　Roland　said。　〃It's　another　connection；　one　that　really　tells　us　something；　although　I'm　not　sure　it's　anything　we　need　to　know　。　。　。　still；　one　never　knows　when　a　little　understanding　may　e　in　handy。〃
　　〃Twelve　portals　connected　by　six　Beams；〃　Eddie　said。　〃We　started　at　the　Bear。　We're　only　going　as　far　as　the　middle…to　the　Tower…but　if　we　went　all　the　way　to　the　other　end；　we'd　e　to　the　Portal　of　the　Turtle；　wouldn't　we？〃
　　Roland　nodded。　〃I'm　sure　we　would。〃
　　〃Portal　of　the　Turtle；〃　Jake　said　thoughtfully；　rolling　the　words　in　his　mouth；　seeming　to　taste　them。　Then　he　finished　by　telling　them　again　about　the　gorgeous　voice　of　the　choir；　his　realization　that　there　were　faces　and　stories　and　histories　everywhere；　and　his　growing　belief　that　he　had　stumbled　on　something　very　like　the　core　of　all　existence。　Last　of　all；　he　told　them　again　about　finding　the　key　and　seeing　the　rose。　In　the　totality　of　his　recall；　Jake　began　to　weep；　although　he　seemed　unaware　of　it。
　　〃When　it　opened；〃　he　said；　〃I　saw　the　middle　was　the　brightest　yellow　you　ever　saw　in　your　life。　At　first　I　thought　it　was　pollen　and　it　only　looked　bright　because　everything　in　that　lot　looked　bright。　Even　looking　at　the　old　candy…wrappers　and　beer…bottles　was　like　looking　at　the　greatest　paintings　you　ever　saw。　Only　then　I　realized　it　was　a　sun。　I　know　it　sounds　crazy；　but　that's　what　it　was。　Only　it　was　more　than　one。　It　was…〃
　　〃It　was　all　suns；〃　Roland　murmured。　〃It　was　everything　real。〃　〃Yes！　And　it　was　right…but　it　was　wrong；　too。　I　can't　explain　how　it　was　wrong；　but　it　was。　It　was　like　two　heartbeats；　one　inside　of　the　other；　and　the　one　inside　had　a　disease。　Or　an　infection。　And　then　I　fainted。〃
　　
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　　〃You　SAW　THE　SAME　thing　at　the　end　of　your　dream；　Roland；　didn't　you？〃　Susannah　asked。　Her　voice　was　soft　with　awe。　〃The　blade　of　grass　you　saw　near　the　end　of　it　。。。　you　thought　that　blade　was　purple　because　it　was　splattered　with　paint。〃
　　〃You　don't　understand；〃　Jake　said。　〃It　really　was　purple。　When　I　was　seeing　it　the　way　it　really　was；　it　was　purple。　Like　no　grass　I　ever　saw　before。　The　paint　was　just　camouflage。　The　way　the　doorkeeper　camouflaged　itself　to　look　like　an　old　deserted　house。〃
　　The　sun　had　reached　the　horizon。　Roland　asked　Jake　if　he　would　now　show　them　Charlie　the　Choo…Choo　and　then　read　it　to　them。　Jake　handed　the　book　around。　Both　Eddie　and　Susannah　looked　at　the　cover　for　a　long　time。
　　〃I　had　this　book　when　I　was　a　little　lad；〃　Eddie　said　at　last。　He　spoke　in　the　flat　tones　of　utter　surety。　〃Then　we　moved　from　Queens　to　Brooklyn…I　wasn't　even　four　years　old…and　I　lost　it。　But　I　remember　the　picture　on　the　cover。　And　I　felt　the　same　way　you　do；　Jake。　I　didn't　like　it。　I　didn't　trust　it。〃
　　Susannah　raised　her　eyes　to　look　at　Eddie。　〃I　had　it；　too…how　could　I　ever　forget　the　little　girl　with　my　name　。　。　。　although　of　course　it　was　my　middle　name　back　in　those　days。　And　I　felt　the　same　way　about　the　train。　I　didn't　like　it　and　I　didn't　trust　it。〃　She　tapped　the　front　of　the　book　with　her　finger　before　passing　it　on　to　Roland。　〃I　thought　that　smile　was　a　great　big　fake。〃
　　Roland　gave　it　only　a　cursory　glance　before　returning　his　eyes　to　Susannah。　〃Did　you　lose　yours；　too？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃And　I'll　bet　I　know　when；〃　Eddie　said。
　　Susannah　nodded。　〃I'll　bet　you　do。　It　was　after　that　man　dropped　the　brick　on　my　head。　I　had　it　when　we　went　north　to　my　Aunt　Blue's　wedding。　I　had　it　on　the　t