sk.thewastelands-第77部分

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　　〃My　girl's　a　corker；　she's　a　New　Yorker；
　　I　buy　her　everything　to　keep　her　in　style；
　　She　got　a　pair　of　hips
　　Just　like　two　battleships；
　　Oh　boy；　that's　how　my　money　goes。
　　
　　My　girl's　a　dilly；　she　es　from　Philly；
　　I　buy　her　everything　to　keep　her　in　style；
　　She's　got　a　pair　of　eyes
　　Just　like　two　pizza　pies；
　　Oh　boy；　that's　how…〃
　　
　　Gasher　reached　out；　seized　Jake's　ears　as　if　they　were　jug…handles；　and　yanked　him　to　a　stop。　〃There's　a　hole　right　ahead　of　yer；〃　he　said。　〃With　a　voice　like　yours；　squint；　it'd　be　doin　the　world　a　mercy　to　letcher　fall　in；　so　it　would；　but　Tick…Tock　wouldn't　approve　at　all；　so　I　reckon　ye're　safe　for　a　little　longer。〃　Gasher's　hands　left　Jake's　ears；　which　burned　like　fire；　and　fastened　on　the　back　of　his　shirt。　〃Now　lean　forward　until　you　feel　the　ladder　on　the　t'other　side。　And　mind　you　don't　slip　and　drag　us　both　down！〃
　　Jake　leaned　cautiously　forward；　hands　outstretched；　terrified　of　fall…ing　into　a　pit　he　couldn't　see。　As　he　groped　for　the　ladder；　he　became　aware　of　warm　air…clean　and　almost　fragrant…whooshing　past　his　face；　and　a　faint　blush　of　rose…colored　light　from　beneath　him。　His　fingers　touched　a　steel　rung　and　closed　over　it。　The　bite…wounds　on　his　left　hand　broke　open　again；　and　he　felt　warm　blood　running　across　his　palm。
　　〃Got　it？〃　Gasher　asked。
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃Then　climb　down！　What　are　you　waitin　for；　gods　damn　it！〃　Gasher　let　go　of　his　shirt；　and　Jake　could　imagine　him　drawing　his　foot　back；　meaning　to　hurry　him　along　with　a　kick　in　the　ass。　Jake　stepped　across　the　faintly　glimmering　gap　and　began　to　descend　the　ladder；　using　his　hurt　hand　as　little　as　possible。　This　time　the　rungs　were　clear　of　moss　and　oil；　and　hardly　rusted　at　all。　The　shaft　was　very　long　and　as　Jake　went　down；　hurrying　to　keep　Gasher　from　stepping　on　his　hands　with　his　thick…soled　boots；　he　found　himself　remembering　a　movie　he'd　once　seen　on　TV…Journey　to　the　Center　of　the　Earth。
　　The　throb　of　machinery　grew　louder　and　the　rosy　glow　grew　stronger。　The　machines　still　didn't　sound　right；　but　his　ears　told　him　these　were　in　better　shape　than　the　ones　above。　And　when　he　finally　reached　the　bottom；　he　found　the　floor　was　dry。　The　new　horizontal　shaft　was　square；　about　six　feet　high；　and　sleeved　with　riveted　stainless　steel。　It　stretched　away　for　as　far　as　Jake　could　see　in　both　directions；　straight　as　a　string。　He　knew　instinctively；　without　even　thinking　about　it；　that　this　tunnel　（which　had　to　be　at　least　seventy　feet　under　Lud）　also　followed　the　path　of　the　Beam。　And　somewhere　up　ahead…Jake　was　sure　of　this；　although　he　couldn't　have　said　why…the　train　they　had　e　looking　for　lay　directly　above　it。
　　Narrow　ventilation　grilles　ran　along　the　sides　of　the　walls　just　below　the　shaft's　ceiling；　it　was　from　these　that　the　clean；　dry　air　was　flowing。　Moss　dangled　from　some　of　them　in　blue…gray　beards；　but　most　were　still　clear。　Below　every　other　grille　was　a　yellow　arrow　with　a　symbol　that　looked　a　bit　like　a　lower…case　t。　The　arrows　pointed　in　the　direction　Jake　and　Gasher　were　heading。
　　The　rose…colored　light　was　ing　from　glass　tubes　which　ran　along　the　ceiling　of　the　shaft　in　parallel　rows。　Some…about　one　in　every　three…were　dark；　and　others　sputtered　fitfully；　but　at　least　half　of　them　were　still　working。　Neon　tubing；　Jake　thought；　amazed。　How　about　that？
　　Gasher　dropped　down　beside　him。　He　saw　Jake's　expression　of　sur…prise　and　grinned。　〃Nice；　ennet？　Cool　in　the　summer；　warm　in　the　win…ter；　and　so　much　food　that　five　hunnert　men　couldn't　eat　it　in　five　hunnert　years。　And　do　yer　know　the　best　part；　squint？　The　very　best　part　of　the　whole　coozy　fakement？〃
　　Jake　shook　his　head。
　　〃Farkin　Pubies　don't　have　the　leastest　idear　the　place　even　exists。　They　think　there's　monsters　down　here。　Catch　a　Pubie　goin　within　twenty　feet　of　a　sewer…cap；　less'n　he　has　to！〃
　　He　threw　his　head　back　and　laughed　heartily。　Jake　didn't　join　in；　even　though　a　cold　voice　in　the　back　of　his　mind　told　him　it　might　be　politic　to　do　so。　He　didn't　join　in　because　he　knew　exactly　how　the　Pubes　felt。　There　were　monsters　under　the　city…trolls　and　boggerts　and　ores。　Hadn't　he　been　captured　by　just　such　a　one？
　　Gasher　shoved　him　to　the　left。　〃Gam…almost　there　now。　Hup！〃
　　They　jogged　on；　their　footfalls　chasing　them　in　a　pack　of　echoes。　After　ten　or　fifteen　minutes　of　this；　Jake　saw　a　watertight　hatchway　about　two　hundred　yards　ahead。　As　they　drew　closer；　he　could　see　a　big　valve…wheel　sticking　out　of　it。　A　municator　box　was　mounted　on　the　wall　to　the　right。
　　〃I'm　blown　out；〃　Gasher　gasped　as　they　reached　the　door　at　the　end　of　the　tunnel。　〃Doin's　like　this　are　too　much　for　an　inwalid　like　yer　old　pal；　so　they　are！〃　He　thumbed　the　button　on　the　inter　and　bawled：　〃I　got　im；　Tick…Tock…got　him　as　dandy　as　you　please！　Didn't　even　muss　'is　hair！　Didn't　I　tell　yer　I　would？　Trust　the　Gasherman；　I　said；　for　he'll　leadjer　straight　and　true！　Now　open　up　and　let　us　in！〃
　　He　let　go　of　the　button　and　looked　impatiently　at　the　door。　The　valve…wheel　didn't　turn。　Instead　a　flat；　drawling　voice　came　out　of　the　inter　speaker：　〃What's　the　password？〃
　　Gasher　frowned　horribly；　scratched　his　chin　with　his　long；　dirty　nails；　then　lifted　his　eyepatch　and　swabbed　out　another　clot　of　yellow…green　goo。　〃Tick…Tock　and　his　passwords！〃　he　said　to　Jake。　He　sounded　worried　as　well　as　irritated。　〃He's　a　trig　cove；　but　that's　takin　it　a　deal　too　far　if　you　ask　me；　so　it　is。〃
　　He　pushed　the　button　and　yelled；　〃e　on；　Tick…Tock！　If　you　don't　reckergnize　the　sound　of　my　voice；　you　need　a　heary…aid！〃
　　〃Oh；　I　recognize　it；〃　the　drawling　voice　returned。　To　Jake　it　sounded　like　Jerry　Reed；　who　played　Burt　Reynolds's　sidekick　in　Smokey　and　the　Bandit。　〃But　I　don't　know　who's　with　you；　do　I？　Or　have　you　forgotten　that　the　camera　out　there　went　tits…up　last　year？　You　give　the　password；　Gasher；　or　you　can　rot　out　there！〃
　　Gasher　stuck　a　finger　up　his　nose；　extracted　a　chunk　of　snot　the　color　of　mint　jelly；　and　squashed　it　into　the　grille　of　the　speaker。　Jake　watched　this　childish　display　of　ill　temper　in　silent　fascination；　feeling　unwele；　hysterical　laughter　bubbling　around　inside　him。　Had　they　e　all　this　way；　through　the　boobytrapped　mazes　and　lightless　tunnels；　to　be　balked　here　at　this　watertight　door　simply　because　Gasher　couldn't　remember　the　Tick…Tock　Man's　password？
　　Gasher　looked　at　him　balefully；　then　slid　his　hand　across　his　skull；　peeling　off　his　sweat…soaked　yellow　scarf。　The　skull　beneath　was　bald；　except　for　a　few　straggling　tufts　of　black　hair　like　porcupine　quills；　and　deeply　dented　above　the　left　temple。　Gasher　peered　into　the　scarf　and　plucked　forth　a　scrap　of　paper。　〃Gods　bless　Hoots；〃　he　muttered。　〃Hoots　takes　care　of　me　a　right　proper；　he　does。〃
　　He　peered　at　the　scrap；　turning　it　this　way　and　that；　and　then　held　it　out　to　Jake。　He　kept　his　voice　pitched　low；　as　if　the　Tick…Tock　Man　could　hear　him　even　though　the　TALK　button　on　the　inter　wasn't　depressed。
　　〃You're　a　proper　little　gennelman；　ain't　you？　And　the　very　first　thing　they　teach　a　gennelman　to　do　after　he's　been　lamed　not　to　eat　the　paste　and　piss　in　the　ers　is　read。　So　read　me　the　word　on　this　paper；　cully；　for　it's　gone　right　out　of　my　head…so　it　has。〃
　　Jake　took　the　paper；　looked　at　it；　then　looked　up　at　Gasher　again。　〃What　if　I　won't？〃　he　asked　coolly。
　　Gasher　was　momentarily　taken　aback　at　this　response　。　。　。　and　then　he　began　to　grin　with　dangerous　good　humor。　〃Why；　I'll　grab　yer　by　the　throat　and　use　yer　head　for　a　doorknocker；〃　he　said。　〃I　doubt　if　it'll　conwince　old　Ticky　to　let　me　in…for　he's　still　nervous　of　your　hardcase　friend；　so　he　is…but　it'll　do　my　heart　a　world　of　good　to　see　your　brains　drippin　off　that　wheel。〃
　　Jake　considered　this；　the　dark　laughter　still　bubbling　away　inside　him。　The　Tick…Tock　Man　was　a　trig　enough　cove；　all　right…he　had　known　that　it　would　be　difficult　to　persuade　Gasher；　who　was　dying　anyway；　to　speak　the　password　even　if　Roland　had　taken　him　prisoner。　What　Tick…Tock　hadn't　taken　into　account　was　Gasher's　defective　memory。
　　Don't　laugh。　If　you　do；　he　really　will　beat　your　brains　out。
　　In　spite　of　his　brave　words；　Gasher　was　watching　Jake　with　real　anxiety；　and　Jake　realized　a　potentially　powerful　fact：　Gasher　might　not　be　afraid　of　dying　。　。　。　but　he　was　afraid　of　being　humiliated。
　　〃All　right；　Gasher；〃　he　said　calmly。　〃The　word　on　this　piece　of　paper　is　bountiful。〃
　　〃Gimme　that。〃　Gasher　snatched　the　paper　back；　returned　it　to　his　scarf；　and　quickly　wrapped　the　yellow　cloth　around　his　head　again。　He　thumbed　the　inter　button。　〃Tick…Tock？　Yer　still　there？〃
　　〃Where　else　would　I　be？　The　West　End　of　the　World？〃　The　drawl…ing　voice　now　sounded　mildly　amused。
　　Gasher　stuck　his　whitish　tongue　out　at　the　speaker；　but　his　voice　was　ingratiating；　almost　servile。　〃The　password's　bountyful；　and　a　fine　word　it　is；　too！　Now　let　me　in；　gods　cuss　it！〃
　　〃Of　course；〃　the　Tick…Tock　Man　said。　A　machine　started　up　some…where　nearby；　making　Jake　jump。　The　valve…wheel　in　the　center　of　the　door　spun。　When　it　stopped；　Gasher　seized　it；　yanked　it　outward；　grabbed　Jake's　arm；　and　propelled　him　over　the　raised　lip　of　the　door　and　into　the　strangest　room　he　had　ever　seen　in　his　life。
　　
　　　26
　　ROLAND　DESCENDED　INTO　DUSKY　pink　light。　Oy's　bright　eyes　peered　out　from　the　open　V　of　his　shirt；　his　neck　stretched　to　the　limit　of　its　considerable　length　as　he　sniffed　at　the　warm　air　that　blew　through　the　ventilator　grilles。　Roland　had　had　to　depend　pletely　on　the　bumbler's　nose　in　the　dark　passages　above；　and　he　had　been　terribly　afraid　the　animal　would　lose　Jake's　scent　in　the　running　water　。　。　。　but　when　he　had　heard　the　sound　of　singing…first　Gasher；　then　Jake…echoing　back　through　the　pipes；　he　had　relaxed　a　little。　Oy　had　not　led　them　wrong。
　　Oy　had　heard　it；　too。　Up　until　then　he　had　been　moving　slowly　and　cautiously；　even　backtracking　every　now　and　again　to　be　sure　of　himself；　but　when　he　heard　Jake's　voice　he　began　to　run；　straining　the　rawhide　leash。　Roland　was　afraid　he　might　call　after　Jake　in　his　harsh　voice…Ake！　Ake！…but　he　hadn't　done　so。　And；　just　as　they　reached　the　shaft　which　led　to　the　lower　levels　of　this　Dycian　Maze；　R