sk.thewastelands-第78部分

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't　done　so。　And；　just　as　they　reached　the　shaft　which　led　to　the　lower　levels　of　this　Dycian　Maze；　Roland　had　heard　the　sound　of　some　new　machine…a　pump　of　some　sort；　perhaps…followed　by　the　metallic；　echoing　crash　of　a　door　being　slammed　shut。
　　He　reached　the　foot　of　the　square　tunnel　and　glanced　briefly　at　the　double　line　of　lighted　tubes　which　led　off　in　either　direction。　They　were　lit　with　swamp…fire；　he　saw；　like　the　sign　outside　the　place　which　had　belonged　to　Balazar　in　the　city　of　New　York。　He　looked　more　closely　at　the　narrow　chrome　ventilation　strips　running　along　the　top　of　each　wall；　and　the　arrows　below　them；　then　slipped　the　rawhide　loop　off　Oy's　neck。　Oy　shook　his　head　impatiently；　clearly　glad　to　be　rid　of　it。
　　〃We're　close；〃　he　murmured　into　the　bumbler's　cocked　ear；　〃and　so　we　have　to　be　quiet。　Do　you　understand；　Oy？　Very　quiet。〃
　　〃I…yet；〃　Oy　replied　in　a　hoarse　whisper　that　would　have　been　funny　under　other　circumstances。
　　Roland　put　him　down　and　Oy　was　immediately　off　down　the　tunnel；　neck　out；　muzzle　to　the　steel　floor。　Roland　could　hear　him　muttering　Ake…Ake！　Ake…Ake！　under　his　breath。　Roland　unholstered　his　gun　and　followed　him。
　　
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　　EDDIE　AND　SUSANNAH　LOOKED　up　at　the　vastness　of　Blaine's　Cradle　as　the　skies　opened　and　the　rain　began　to　fall　in　torrents。
　　〃It's　a　hell　of　a　building；　but　they　forgot　the　handicap　ramps！〃　Eddie　yelled；　raising　his　voice　to　be　heard　over　the　rain　and　thunder。
　　〃Never　mind　that；〃　Susannah　said　impatiently；　slipping　out　of　the　wheelchair。　〃Let's　get　up　there　and　out　of　the　rain。〃
　　Eddie　looked　dubiously　up　the　incline　of　steps。　The　risers　were　shallow　。　。　。　but　there　were　a　lot　of　them。　〃You　sure；　Suze？〃
　　〃Race　you；　white　boy；〃　she　said；　and　began　to　wriggle　upward　with　uncanny　ease；　using　hands；　muscular　forearms；　and　the　stumps　of　her　legs。
　　And　she　almost　did　beat　him；　Eddie　had　the　ironmongery　to　contend　with；　and　it　slowed　him　down。　Both　of　them　were　panting　when　they　reached　the　top；　and　tendrils　of　steam　were　rising　from　their　wet　clothes。　Eddie　grabbed　her　under　the　arms；　swung　her　up；　and　then　just　held　her　with　his　hands　locked　together　in　the　small　of　her　back　instead　of　dropping　her　back　into　the　chair；　as　he　had　meant　to　do。　He　felt　randy　and　half…crazy　without　the　slightest　idea　why。
　　Oh；　give　me　a　break；　he　thought。　You've　gotten　this　far　alive；　that's　what's　got　your　glands　pumped　up　and　ready　to　party。
　　Susannah　licked　her　full　lower　lip　and　wound　her　strong　fingers　into　his　hair。　She　pulled。　It　hurt　。　。　。　and　at　the　same　time　it　felt　wonderful。　〃Told　you　I'd　beat　you；　white　boy；〃　she　said　in　a　low；　husky　voice。
　　〃Get　outta　here…I　had　you　。。。　by　half　a　step。〃　He　tried　to　sound　less　out　of　breath　than　he　was　and　found　it　was　impossible。
　　〃Maybe　。　。　。　but　it　blew　you　out；　didn't　it？〃　One　hand　left　his　hair；　slid　downward；　and　squeezed　gently。　A　smile　gleamed　in　her　eyes。　〃Somethin　ain't　blown　out；　though。〃
　　Thunder　rumbled　across　the　sky。　They　flinched；　then　laughed　together。
　　〃e　on；〃　he　said。　〃This　is　nuts。　The　time's　all　wrong。〃
　　She　didn't　contradict　him；　but　she　squeezed　him　again　before　returning　her　hand　to　his　shoulder。　Eddie　felt　a　pang　of　regret　as　he　swung　her　back　into　her　chair　and　ran　her　across　vast　flagstones　and　under　cover　of　the　roof。　He　thought　he　saw　the　same　regret　in　Susannah's　eyes。
　　When　they　were　out　of　the　downpour；　Eddie　paused　and　they　looked　back。　The　Plaza　of　the　Cradle；　The　Street　of　the　Turtle；　and　all　the　city　beyond　was　rapidly　disappearing　into　a　shifting　gray　curtain。　Eddie　wasn't　a　bit　sorry。　Lud　hadn't　earned　itself　a　place　in　his　mental　scrapbook　of　fond　memories。
　　〃Look；〃　Susannah　murmured。　She　was　pointing　at　a　nearby　down…spout。　It　ended　in　a　large；　scaly　fish…head　that　looked　like　a　close　relation　to　the　dragon…gargoyles　which　decorated　the　corners　of　the　Cradle。　Water　ran　from　its　mouth　in　a　silver　torrent。
　　〃This　isn't　just　a　passing　shower；　is　it？〃　Eddie　asked。
　　〃Nope。　It's　gonna　rain　until　it　gets　tired　of　it；　and　then　it's　gonna　rain　some　more；　just　for　spite。　Maybe　a　week；　maybe　a　month。　Not　that　it's　gonna　matter　to　us；　if　Blaine　decides　he　doesn't　like　our　looks　and　fries　us。　Fire　a　shot　to　let　Roland　know　we　got　here；　sugar；　and　then　we'll　have　us　a　look　around。　See　what　we　can　see。〃
　　Eddie　pointed　the　Ruger　into　the　gray　sky；　pulled　the　trigger；　and　fired　the　shot；　which　Roland　heard　a　mile　or　more　away；　as　he　followed　Jake　and　Gasher　through　the　booby…trapped　maze。　Eddie　stood　where　he　was　a　moment　longer；　trying　to　persuade　himself　that　things　might　still　turn　out　all　right；　that　his　heart　was　wrong　in　its　stubborn　insistence　that　they　had　seen　the　last　of　the　gunslinger　and　the　boy　Jake。　Then　he　made　the　automatic　safe　again；　returned　it　to　the　waistband　of　his　pants；　and　went　back　to　Susannah。　He　turned　her　chair　away　from　the　steps　and　rolled　her　along　an　aisle　of　columns　which　led　deeper　into　the　build…ing。　She　popped　the　cylinder　of　Roland's　gun　and　reloaded　it　as　they　went。
　　Under　the　roof　the　rain　had　a　secret；　ghostly　sound　and　even　the　harsh　thundercracks　were　muted。　The　columns　which　supported　the　structure　were　at　least　ten　feet　in　diameter；　and　their　tops　were　lost　in　the　gloom。　From　up　there　in　the　shadows；　Eddie　heard　the　cooing　con…versation　of　pigeons。
　　Now　a　sign　hanging　on　thick　chrome…silver　chains　swam　out　of　the　shadows：
　　
　　NORTH　CENTRAL　POSITRONICS　WELES　YOU
　　TO　THE　CRADLE　OF　LUD
　　
　　
　　〃Now　we　know　the　name　of　the　one　that　fell　in　the　river；〃　Eddie　said。　〃Patricia。　They　got　their　colors　wrong；　though。　It's　supposed　to　be　pink　for　girls　and　blue　for　boys；　not　the　other　way　around。〃
　　〃Maybe　they're　both　blue。〃
　　〃They're　not。　Blaine's　pink。〃
　　〃How　would　you　know　that？〃
　　Eddie　looked　confused。　〃I　don't　know　how　。　。　。　but　I　do。〃
　　They　followed　the　arrow　pointing　toward　Blaine's　berth；　entering　what　had　to　be　a　grand　concourse。　Eddie　didn't　have　Susannah's　ability　to　see　the　past　in　clear；　visionary　flashes；　but　his　imagination　nonetheless　filled　this　vast；　pillared　space　with　a　thousand　hurrying　people；　he　heard　clicking　heels　and　murmuring　voices；　saw　embraces　of　homeing　and　farewell。　And　over　everything；　the　speakers　chanting　news　of　a　dozen　different　destinations。
　　Patricia　is　now　boarding　for　Northwest　Baronies　。　。　。
　　Will　Passenger　Killington；　passenger　Killington；　please　report　to　the　information　booth　on　the　lower　level？
　　Blaine　is　now　arriving　at　Berth　#2；　and　will　be　debarking　shortly　。　。　。
　　Now　there　was　only　the　pigeons。
　　Eddie　shivered。
　　〃Look　at　the　faces；〃　Susannah　murmured。　〃I　don't　know　if　they　give　you　the　willies；　but　they　sure　do　me。〃　She　was　pointing　to　the　right。
　　High　up　on　the　wall；　a　series　of　sculpted　heads　seemed　to　push　out　of　tin…　marble；　peering　down　at　them　from　the　shadows…stern　men　with　the　harsh　faces　of　executioners　who　are　happy　in　their　work。　Some　of　the　faces　had　fallen　from　their　places　and　lay　in　granite　shards　and　splinters　seventy　or　eighty　feet　below　their　peers。　Those　remaining　were　spider…webbed　with　cracks　and　splattered　with　pigeon　dung。
　　〃They　must　have　been　the　Supreme　Court；　or　something；〃　Eddie　said；　uneasily　scanning　all　those　thin　lips　and　cracked；　empty　eyes。　〃Only　judges　can　look　so　smart　and　so　pletely　pissed　off　at　the　same　time…you're　talking　to　a　guy　who　knows。　There　isn't　one　of　them　who　looks　like　he'd　give　a　crippled　crab　a　crutch。〃
　　〃　'A　heap　of　broken　images；　where　the　sun　beats　and　the　dead　tree　gives　no　shelter；'　〃　Susannah　murmured；　and　at　these　words　Eddie　felt　gooseflesh　waltz　across　the　skin　of　his　arms　and　chest　and　legs。
　　〃What's　that；　Suze？〃
　　〃A　poem　by　a　man　who　must　have　seen　Lud　in　his　dreams；〃　she　said。　〃e　on；　Eddie。　Forget　them。〃
　　〃Easier　said　than　done。〃　But　he　began　to　push　her　again。
　　Ahead；　a　vast　grilled　barrier　like　a　castle　barbican　swam　out　of　the　gloom　。　。　。　and　beyond　it；　they　caught　their　first　glimpse　of　Blaine　the　Mono。　It　was　pink；　just　as　Eddie　had　said　it　would　be；　a　delicate　shade　which　matched　the　veins　running　through　the　marble　pillars。　Blaine　flowed　above　the　wide　loading　platform　in　a　smooth；　streamlined　bullet　shape　which　looked　more　like　flesh　than　metal。　Its　surface　was　broken　only　once…by　a　triangular　window　equipped　with　a　huge　wiper。　Eddie　knew　there　would　be　another　triangular　window　with　another　big　wiper　on　the　other　side　of　the　mono's　nose；　so　that　if　you　looked　at　Blaine　head…on；　it　would　seem　to　have　a　face；　just　like　Charlie　the　Choo…Choo。　The　wipers　would　look　like　slyly　drooping　eyelids。
　　White　light　from　the　southeastern　slot　in　the　Cradle　fell　across　Blaine　in　a　long；　distorted　rectangle。　To　Eddie；　the　body　of　the　train　looked　like　the　breaching　back　of　some　fabulous　pink　whale…one　that　was　utterly　silent。
　　〃Wow。〃　His　voice　had　fallen　to　a　whisper。　〃We　found　it。〃
　　〃Yes。　Blaine　the　Mono。〃
　　〃Is　it　dead；　do　you　think？　It　looks　dead。〃
　　〃It's　not。　Sleeping；　maybe；　but　a　long　way　from　dead。〃
　　〃You　sure？〃
　　〃Were　you　sure　it　would　be　pink？〃　It　wasn't　a　question　he　had　to　answer；　and　he　didn't。　The　face　she　turned　up　to　him　was　strained　and　badly　frightened。　〃It's　sleeping；　and　you　know　what？　I'm　scared　to　wake　it　up。〃
　　〃Well；　we'll　wait　for　the　others；　then。〃
　　She　shook　her　head。　〃I　think　we　better　try　to　lx…　ready　for　when　they　get　here　。　。　。　because　I've　got　an　idea　that　they're　going　to　e　on　the　run。　Push　me　over　to　that　box　mounted　on　the　bars。　It　looks　like　an　inter。　See　it？〃
　　He　did；　and　pushed　her　slowly　toward　it。　It　was　mounted　on　one　side　of　a　closed　gate　in　the　center　of　the　barrier　which　ran　the　length　of　the　Cradle。　The　vertical　bars　of　the　barrier　were　made　of　what　looked　like　stainless　steel；　those　of　the　gate　appeared　to　be　ornamental　iron；　and　their　lower　ends　disappeared　into　steel…ringed　holes　in　the　floor。　There　was　no　way　either　of　them　was　going　to　wriggle　through　those　bars；　either；　Eddie　saw。　The　gap　between　each　set　was　no　more　than　four　inches。　It　would　have　been　a　tight　squeeze　even　for　Oy。
　　Pigeons　ruffled　and　cooed　overhead。　The　left　wheel　of　Susannah's　chair　squawked　mon