sk.thewastelands-第63部分

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　　〃Let's　hear　it；〃　Eddie　said。　〃If　I　don't　get　it；　Suze　will。　We're　known　at　Fair…Days　all　across　the　land　as　Eddie　Dean　and　His　Riddling　Queen。〃
　　〃We're　witty　tonight；　ain't　we？〃　Susannah　said。　〃Let's　see　how　witty　you　are　after　settin　by　the　side　o'　the　road　until　midnight　or　so；　honeychild。〃
　　Jake　read：　〃　'There　is　a　thing　that　nothing　is；　and　yet　it　has　a　name。　It's　sometimes　tall　and　sometimes　short；　joins　our　talks；　joins　our　sport；　and　plays　at　every　game。'　〃
　　They　discussed　this　riddle　for　almost　fifteen　minutes；　but　none　of　them　could　even　hazard　an　answer。
　　〃Maybe　it'll　e　to　one　of　us　while　we're　asleep；〃　Jake　said。　〃That's　how　I　got　the　one　about　the　river。〃
　　〃Cheap　book；　with　the　answers　torn　out；〃　Eddie　said。　He　stood　up　and　wrapped　a　hide　blanket　around　his　shoulders　like　a　cloak。
　　〃Well；　it　was　cheap。　Mr。　Tower　gave　it　to　me　for　free。〃
　　〃What　am　I　looking　for；　Roland？〃　Eddie　asked。
　　Roland　shrugged　as　he　lay　down。　〃I　don't　know；　but　I　think　you'll　know　it　if　you　see　it　or　hear　it。〃
　　〃Wake　me　up　when　you　start　feeling　sleepy；〃　Susannah　said。
　　〃You　better　believe　it。〃
　　　
　　　4
　　A　GRASSY　DITCH　RAN　along　the　side　of　the　road　and　Eddie　sat　on　the　far　side　of　it　with　his　blanket　around　his　shoulders。　A　thin　scud　of　clouds　had　veiled　the　sky　tonight；　dimming　the　starshow。　A　strong　west　wind　was　blowing。　When　Eddie　turned　his　face　in　that　direction；　he　could　clearly　smell　the　buffalo　which　now　owned　these　plains…a　mixed　per…fume　of　hot　fur　and　fresh　dung。　The　clarity　which　had　returned　to　his　senses　in　these　last　few　months　was　amazing　；　。　。　and；　at　times　like　these；　a　little　spooky；　as　well。
　　Very　faintly；　he　could　hear　a　buffalo　calf　bawling。
　　He　turned　toward　the　city；　and　after　a　while　he　began　to　think　he　might　be　seeing　distant　sparks　of　light　there…the　electric　candles　of　the　twins'　story…but　he　was　well　aware　that　he　might　be　seeing　nothing　more　than　his　own　wishful　thinking。
　　You're　a　long　way　from　Forty…second　Street；　sweetheart…hope　is　a　great　thing；　no　matter　what　anyone　says；　but　don't　hope　so　hard　you　lose　sight　of　that　one　thought：　you're　a　long　way　from　Forty…second　Street。　That's　not　New　York　up　ahead；　no　matter　how　much　you　might　wish　it　was。　That's　Lud；　and　it'll　be　whatever　it　is。　And　if　you　keep　that　in　mind；　maybe　you'll　be　okay。
　　He　passed　his　time　on　watch　trying　to　think　of　an　answer　to　the　last　riddle　of　the　evening。　The　scolding　Roland　had　given　him　about　his　dead…baby　joke　had　left　him　feeling　disgruntled；　and　it　would　please　him　to　be　able　to　start　off　the　morning　by　giving　them　a　good　answer。　Of　course　they　wouldn't　be　able　to　check　any　answer　against　the　back　of　the　book；　but　he　had　an　idea　that　with　good　riddles　a　good　answer　was　usually　self…evident。
　　Sometimes　tall　and　sometimes　short。　He　thought　that　was　the　key　and　all　the　rest　was　probably　just　misdirection。　What　was　sometimes　tall　and　sometimes　short？　Pants？　No。　Pants　were　sometimes　short　and　some…times　long；　but　he　had　never　heard　of　tall　pants。　Tales？　Like　pants；　it　only　fit　snugly　one　way。　Drinks　were　sometimes　both　tall　and　short…
　　〃Order；〃　he　murmured；　and　thought　for　a　moment　that　he　must　have　stumbled　across　the　solution…both　adjectives　fit　the　noun　glove…tight。　A　tall　order　was　a　big　job；　a　short　order　was　something　you　got　on　the　quick　in　a　restaurant…a　hamburger　or　a　tuna　melt。　Except　that　tall　orders　and　tuna　melts　didn't　join　our　talk　or　play　at　every　game。
　　He　felt　a　rush　of　frustration　and　had　to　smile　at　himself；　getting　all　wound　up　about　a　harmless　word…game　in　a　kid's　book。　All　the　same；　he　found　it　a　little　easier　to　believe　that　people　might　really　kill　each　other　over　riddles　。。。　if　the　stakes　were　high　enough　and　cheating　was　involved。
　　Let　it　go…you're　doing　exactly　what　Roland　said；　thinking　right　past　it。
　　Still；　what　else　did　he　have　to　think　about？
　　Then　the　drumming　from　the　city　began　again；　and　he　did　have　something　else。　There　was　no　build…up；　at　one　moment　it　wasn't　there；　and　at　the　next　it　was　going　full　force；　as　if　a　switch　had　been　turned。　Eddie　walked　to　the　edge　of　the　road；　turned　toward　the　city；　and　lis…tened。　After　a　few　moments　he　looked　around　to　see　if　the　drums　had　awakened　the　others；　but　he　was　still　alone。　He　turned　toward　Lud　again　and　cupped　his　ears　forward　with　the　sides　of　his　hands。
　　Bump　。　。　。　ba…bump　。　。　。　ba…bump…bumpbump…bump。
　　Bump　。　。　。　ba…bump　。　。　。　ba…bump…bumpbump…bump。
　　Eddie　became　more　and　more　sure　that　he　had　been　right　about　what　it　was；　that　he　had；　at　least；　solved　this　riddle。
　　Bump　。　。　。　ba…bump　。　。　。　ba…bump…bumpbump…bump。
　　The　idea　that　he　was　standing　by　a　deserted　road　in　an　almost　empty　world；　standing　some　one　hundred　and　seventy　miles　from　a　city　which　had　been　built　by　some　fabulous　lost　civilization　and　listening　to　a　rock…and…roll　drum…line　。　。　。　that　was　crazy；　but　was　it　any　crazier　than　a　traffic…light　that　dinged　and　dropped　a　rusty　green　flag　with　the　word　GO　printed　on　it？　Any　crazier　than　discovering　the　wreck　of　a　German　plane　from　the　1930s？
　　Eddie　sang　the　words　to　the　Z。Z。　Top　song　in　a　whisper：
　　
　　〃You　need　just　enough　of　that　sticky　stuff
　　To　hold　the　seam　on　your　fine　blue…jeans
　　I　say　yeah；　yeah　。。。〃
　　
　　They　fit　the　beat　perfectly。　It　was　the　disco…pulse　percussion　of　〃Velcro　Fly。〃　Eddie　was　sure　of　it。
　　A　short　time　later　the　sound　ceased　as　suddenly　as　it　had　begun；　and　he　could　hear　only　the　wind；　and；　more　faintly；　the　Send　River；　which　had　a　bed　but　never　slept。
　　　
　　　5
　　THE　NEXT　FOUR　DAYS　were　uneventful。　They　walked；　they　watched　the　bridge　and　the　city　grow　larger　and　define　themselves　more　clearly；　they　camped；　they　ate；　they　riddled；　they　kept　watch　turn　and　turn　about　（Jake　had　pestered　Roland　into　letting　him　keep　a　short　watch　in　the　two　hours　just　before　dawn）；　they　slept。　The　only　remarkable　incident　had　to　do　with　the　bees。
　　Around　noon　on　the　third　day　after　the　discovery　of　the　downed　plane；　a　buzzing　sound　came　to　them；　growing　louder　and　louder　until　it　dominated　the　day。　At　last　Roland　stopped。　〃There；〃　he　said；　and　pointed　toward　a　grove　of　eucalyptus　trees。
　　〃It　sounds　like　bees；〃　Susannah　said。
　　Roland's　faded　blue　eyes　gleamed。　〃Could　be　we'll　have　a　little　dessert　tonight。〃
　　〃I　don't　know　how　to　tell　you　this；　Roland；〃　Eddie　said；　〃but　I　have　this　aversion　to　being　stung。〃
　　〃Don't　we　all；〃　Roland　agreed；　〃but　the　day　is　windless。　I　think　we　can　smoke　them　to　sleep　and　steal　their　b　right　out　from　under　them　without　setting　half　the　world　on　fire。　Let's　have　a　look。〃
　　He　carried　Susannah；　who　was　as　eager　for　the　adventure　as　the　gunslinger　himself；　toward　the　grove。　Eddie　and　Jake　lagged　behind；　and　Oy；　apparently　having　decided　that　discretion　was　the　better　part　of　valor；　remained　sitting　at　the　edge　of　the　Great　Road；　panting　like　a　dog　and　watching　them　carefully。
　　Roland　paused　at　the　edge　of　the　trees。　〃Stay　where　you　are；〃　he　told　Eddie　and　Jake；　speaking　softly。　〃We're　going　to　have　a　look。　I'll　give　you　a　e…on　if　all's　well。〃　He　carried　Susannah　into　the　dappled　shadows　of　the　grove　while　Eddie　and　Jake　remained　in　the　sunshine；　peering　after　them。
　　It　was　cooler　in　the　shade。　The　buzzing　of　the　bees　was　a　steady；　hypnotic　drone。　〃There　are　too　many；〃　Roland　murmured。　〃This　is　late　summer；　they　should　be　out　working。　I　don't…〃
　　He　caught　sight　of　the　hive；　bulging　tumorously　from　the　hollow　of　a　tree　in　the　center　of　the　clearing；　and　broke　off。
　　〃What's　the　matter　with　them？〃　Susannah　asked　in　a　soft；　horrified　voice。　〃Roland；　what's　the　matter　with　them？〃
　　A　bee；　as　plump　and　slow…moving　as　a　horsefly　in　October；　droned　past　her　head。　Susannah　flinched　away　from　it。
　　Roland　motioned　for　the　others　to　join　them。　They　did；　and　stood　looking　at　the　hive　without　speaking。　The　chambers　weren't　neat　hexa…gons　but　random　holes　of　all　shapes　and　sizes；　the　beehive　itself　looked　queerly　melted；　as　if　someone　had　turned　a　blowtorch　on　it。　The　bees　which　crawled　sluggishly　over　it　were　as　white　as　snow。
　　〃No　honey　tonight；〃　Roland　said。　〃What　we　took　from　yonder　b　might　taste　sweet；　but　it　would　poison　us　as　surely　as　night　follows　day。〃
　　One　of　the　grotesque　white　bees　lumbered　heavily　past　Jake's　head。　He　ducked　away　with　an　expression　of　loathing。
　　〃What　did　it？〃　Eddie　asked。　〃What　did　it　to　them；　Roland？〃
　　〃The　same　thing　that　has　emptied　this　whole　land；　the　thing　that's　still　causing　many　of　the　buffalo　to　be　born　as　sterile　freaks。　I've　heard　it　called　the　Old　War；　the　Great　Fire；　the　Cataclysm；　and　the　Great　Poisoning。　Whatever　it　was；　it　was　the　start　of　all　our　troubles　and　it　happened　long　ago；　a　thousand　years　before　the　great…great…grandfathers　of　the　River　Crossing　folk　were　born。　The　physical　effects…the　two…headed　buffalo　and　the　white　bees　and　such…have　grown　less　as　time　passes。　I　have　seen　this　for　myself。　The　other　changes　are　greater；　if　harder　to　see；　and　they　are　still　going　on。〃
　　They　watched　the　white　bees　crawl；　dazed　and　almost　pletely　helpless；　about　their　hive。　Some　were　apparently　trying　to　work；　most　simply　wandered　about；　butting　heads　and　crawling　over　one　another。　Eddie　found　himself　remembering　a　newsclip　he'd　seen　once。　It　had　shown　a　crowd　of　survivors　leaving　the　area　where　a　gas…main　had　exploded；　flattening　almost　a　whole　city　block　in　some　California　town。　These　bees　reminded　him　of　those　dazed；　shellshocked　survivors。
　　〃You　had　a　nuclear　war；　didn't　you？〃　he　asked…almost　accused。　〃These　Great　Old　Ones　you　like　to　talk　about　。　。　。　they　blew　their　great　old　asses　straight　to　hell。　Didn't　they？〃
　　〃I　don't　know　what　happened。　No　one　knows。　The　records　of　those　times　are　lost；　and　the　few　stories　are　confused　and　conflicting。〃
　　〃Let's　get　out　of　here；〃　Jake　said　in　a　trembling　voice。　〃Looking　at　those　things　makes　me　sick。〃
　　〃I'm　with　you；　sugar；〃　Susannah　said。
　　So　they　left　the　bees　to　their　aimless；　shattered　life　in　the　grove　of　ancient　trees；　and　there　was　no　honey　that　night。
　　　
　　　6
　　〃WHEN　ARE　YOU　GOING　to　tell　us　what　you　do　know？〃　Eddie　asked　the　next　morning。　The　day　was　bright　and　blue；　but　there　was　a　bite　in　the　air；　their　first　autumn