sk.thewastelands-第87部分

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　on　his　face。
　　Jake　stared　up　at　Roland；　stunned　and　horrified。　Roland　put　an　arm　about　the　boy's　shoulders。
　　〃HE　INTERRUPTED　ME；〃　the　voice　said。　〃THAT　WAS　RUDE；　WASN'T　IT？〃
　　〃Yes；〃　Roland　said　calmly。　〃Extremely　rude。〃
　　〃SUSANNAH　OF　NEW　YORK　SAYS　YOU　HAVE　A　GREAT　MANY　RIDDLES　BY　HEART；　ROLAND　OF　GILEAD。　IS　THIS　TRUE？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　There　was　an　explosion　in　one　of　the　rooms　opening　off　this　arm　of　the　corridor；　the　floor　shuddered　beneath　their　feet　and　voices　screamed　in　a　jagged　chorus。　The　pulsing　lights　and　the　endless；　blatting　siren　faded　momentarily；　then　came　back　strong。　A　little　skein　of　bitter；　acrid　smoke　drifted　from　the　ventilators。　Oy　got　a　whiff　and　sneezed。
　　〃TELL　ME　ONE　OF　YOUR　RIDDLES；　GUNSLINGER；〃　the　voice　invited。　It　was　serene　and　untroubled；　as　if　they　were　all　sitting　together　in　a　peaceful　village　square　somewhere　instead　of　beneath　a　city　that　seemed　on　the　verge　of　ripping　itself　apart。
　　Roland　thought　for　a　moment；　and　what　came　to　mind　was　Cuthbert's　favorite　riddle。　〃All　right；　Blaine；〃　he　said；　〃I　will。　What's　better　than　all　the　gods　and　worse　than　Old　Man　Splitfoot？　Dead　people　eat　it　always；　live　people　who　eat　it　die　slow。〃
　　There　was　a　long　pause。　Jake　put　his　face　in　Oy's　fur　to　try　to　get　away　from　the　stink　of　the　roasted　Gray。
　　〃Be　careful；　gunslinger。〃　The　voice　was　as　small　as　a　cool　puff　of　breeze　on　summer's　hottest　day。　The　voice　of　the　machine　had　e　from　all　the　speakers；　but　this　one　came　only　from　the　speaker　directly　overhead。　〃Be　careful；　Jake　of　New　York。　Remember　that　these　are　The　Drawers。　Go　slow　and　be　very　careful。〃
　　Jake　looked　at　the　gunslinger　with　widening　eyes。　Roland　gave　his　head　a　small；　faint　shake　and　raised　one　finger。　He　looked　as　if　he　was　scratching　the　side　of　his　nose；　but　that　finger　also　lay　across　his　lips；　and　Jake　had　an　idea　Roland　was　actually　telling　him　to　keep　his　mouth　shut。
　　〃A　CLEVER　RIDDLE；〃　Blaine　said　at　last。　There　seemed　to　be　real　admiration　in　its　voice。　〃THE　ANSWER　IS　NOTHING；　IS　IT　NOT？〃
　　〃That's　right；〃　Roland　said。　〃You're　pretty　clever　yourself；　Blaine。〃
　　When　the　voice　spoke　again；　Roland　heard　what　Eddie　had　heard　already：　a　deep　and　ungovernable　greed。　〃ASK　ME　ANOTHER。〃
　　Roland　drew　a　deep　breath。　〃Not　just　now。〃
　　〃I　HOPE　YOU　ARE　NOT　REFUSING　ME；　ROLAND；　SON　OF　STEVEN；　FOR　THAT　IS　ALSO　RUDE。　EXTREMELY　RUDE。〃
　　〃Take　us　to　our　friends　and　help　us　get　out　of　Lud；〃　Roland　said。　〃Then　there　may　be　time　for　riddling。〃
　　〃I　COULD　KILL　YOU　WHERE　YOU　STAND；〃　the　voice　said；　and　now　it　was　as　cold　as　winter's　darkest　day。
　　〃Yes；〃　Roland　said。　〃I'm　sure　you　could。　But　the　riddles　would　die　with　us。〃
　　〃I　COULD　TAKE　THE　BOY'S　BOOK。〃
　　〃Thieving　is　ruder　than　either　refusal　or　interruption；〃　Roland　remarked。　He　spoke　as　if　merely　passing　the　time　of　day；　but　the　remaining　fingers　of　his　right　hand　were　tight　on　Jake's　shoulder。
　　〃Besides；〃　Jake　said；　looking　up　at　the　speaker　in　the　ceiling；　〃the　answers　aren't　in　the　book。　Those　pages　were　torn　out。〃　In　a　flash　of　inspiration；　he　tapped　his　temple。　〃They're　up　here；　though。〃
　　〃YOU　FELLOWS　WANT　TO　REMEMBER　THAT　NOBODY　LOVES　A　SMARTASS；〃　Blaine　said。　There　was　another　explosion；　this　one　louder　and　closer。　One　of　the　ventilator　grilles　blew　off　and　shot　across　the　kitchen　like　a　projectile。　A　moment　later　two　men　and　a　woman　emerged　through　the　door　which　led　to　the　rest　of　the　Grays'　warren。　The　gunslinger　levelled　his　revolver　at　them；　then　lowered　it　as　they　stumbled　across　the　kitchen　and　into　the　silo　beyond　without　so　much　as　a　look　at　Roland　and　Jake。　To　Roland　they　looked　like　animals　fleeing　before　a　forest　fire。
　　A　stainless　steel　panel　in　the　ceiling　slid　open；　revealing　a　square　of　darkness。　Something　silvery　flashed　within　it；　and　a　few　moments　later　a　steel　sphere；　perhaps　a　foot　in　diameter；　dropped　from　the　hole　and　hung　in　the　air　of　the　kitchen。
　　〃FOLLOW；〃　Blaine　said　flatly。
　　〃Will　it　take　us　to　Eddie　and　Susannah？〃　Jake　asked　hopefully。
　　Blaine　replied　only　with　silence　。　。　。　but　when　the　sphere　began　floating　down　the　corridor；　Roland　and　Jake　followed　it。
　　
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　　JAKE　HAD　NO　CLEAR　memory　of　the　time　which　followed；　and　that　was　probably　merciful。　He　had　left　his　world　over　a　year　before　nine　hundred　people　would　mit　suicide　together　in　a　small　South　American　country　called　Gyana；　but　he　knew　about　the　periodic　death…rushes　of　the　lem…mings；　and　what　was　happening　in　the　disintegrating　undercity　of　the　Grays　was　like　that。
　　There　were　explosions；　some　on　their　level　but　most　far　below　them；　acrid　smoke　occasionally　drifted　from　the　ventilator　grilles；　but　most　of　the　air…purifiers　were　still　working　and　they　whipped　the　worst　of　it　away　before　it　could　gather　in　choking　clouds。　They　saw　no　fires。　Yet　the　Grays　were　reacting　as　if　the　time　of　the　apocalypse　had　e。　Most　only　fled；　their　faces　blank　O's　of　panic；　but　many　had　mitted　suicide　in　the　halls　and　interconnected　rooms　through　which　the　steel　sphere　led　Roland　and　Jake。　Some　had　shot　themselves；　many　more　had　slashed　their　throats　or　wrists；　a　few　appeared　to　have　swallowed　poison。　On　all　the　faces　of　the　dead　was　the　same　expression　of　overmastering　terror。　Jake　could　only　vaguely　understand　what　had　driven　them　to　this。　Roland　had　a　better　idea　of　what　had　happened　to　them…to　their　minds…when　the　long…dead　city　first　came　to　life　around　them　and　then　seemed　to　mence　tearing　itself　apart。　And　it　was　Roland　who　understood　that　Blaine　was　doing　it　on　purpose。　That　Blaine　was　driving　them　to　it。
　　They　ducked　around　a　man　hanging　from　an　overhead　heating…duct　and　pounded　down　a　flight　of　steel　stairs　behind　the　floating　steel　ball。
　　〃Jake！〃　Roland　shouted。　〃You　never　let　me　in　at　all；　did　you？〃
　　Jake　shook　his　head。
　　〃I　didn't　think　so。　It　was　Blaine。〃
　　They　reached　the　bottom　of　the　stairs　and　hurried　along　a　narrow　corridor　toward　a　hatch　with　the　words　ABSOLUTELY　NO　ADMITTANCE　printed　on　it　in　the　spiked　letters　of　the　High　Speech。
　　〃Is　it　Blaine？〃　Jake　asked。
　　〃Yes…that's　as　good　a　name　as　any。〃
　　〃What　about　the　other　v…〃
　　〃Hush！〃　Roland　said　grimly。
　　The　steel　ball　paused　in　front　of　the　hatchway。　The　wheel　spun　and　the　hatch　popped　ajar。　Roland　pulled　it　open；　and　they　stepped　into　a　huge　underground　room　which　stretched　away　in　three　directions　as　far　as　they　could　see。　It　was　filled　with　seemingly　endless　aisles　of　control　panels　and　electronic　equipment。　Most　of　the　panels　were　still　dark　and　dead；　but　as　Jake　and　Roland　stood　inside　the　door；　looking　about　with　wide　eyes；　they　could　see　pilot…lights　ing　on　and　hear　machinery　cycling　up。
　　〃The　Tick…Tock　Man　said　there　were　thousands　of　puters；〃　Jake　said。　〃I　guess　he　was　right。　My　God；　look！〃
　　Roland　did　not　understand　the　word　Jake　had　used　and　so　said　nothing。　He　only　watched　as　row　after　row　of　panels　lit　up。　A　cloud　of　sparks　and　a　momentary　tongue　of　green　fire　jumped　from　one　of　the　consoles　as　some　ancient　piece　of　equipment　malfunctioned。
　　Most　of　the　machinery；　however；　appeared　to　be　up　and　running　just　fine。　Needles　which　hadn't　moved　in　centuries　suddenly　jumped　into　the　green。　Huge　aluminum　cylinders　spun；　spilling　data　stored　on　silicon　chips　into　memory　banks　which　were　once　more　wide　awake　and　ready　for　input。　Digital　displays；　indicating　everything　from　the　mean　aquifer　water…pressure　in　the　West　River　Barony　to　available　power　amperage　in　the　hibernating　Send　Basin　Nuclear　Plant；　lit　up　in　brilliant　dot…matrices　of　red　and　green。　Overhead；　banks　of　hanging　globes　began　to　flash　on；　radiating　outward　in　spokes　of　light。　And　from　below；　above；　and　around　them…from　everywhere…came　the　deep　bass　hum　of　generators　and　slo…trans　engines　awakening　from　their　long　sleep。
　　Juke　had　begun　to　flag　badly。　Roland　swept　him　into　his　arms　again　and　chased　the　steel　ball　past　machines　at　whose　function　and　intent　he　could　not　even　guess。　Oy　ran　at　his　heels。　The　ball　banked　left；　and　the　aisle　in　which　they　now　found　themselves　ran　between　banks　of　TV　monitors；　thousands　of　them；　stacked　in　rows　like　a　child's　building　blocks。
　　My　dad　would　love　it；　Jake　thought。
　　Some　sections　of　this　vast　video　arcade　were　still　dark；　but　many　of　the　screens　were　on。　They　showed　a；　city　in　chaos；　both　above　and　below。　Clumps　of　Pubes　surged　pointlessly　through　the　streets；　eyes　wide；　mouths　moving　soundlessly。　Many　were　leaping　from　the　tall　buildings。　Jake　observed　with　horror　that　hundreds　more　had　congregated　at　the　Send　Bridge　and　were　throwing　themselves　into　the　river。　Other　screens　showed　large；　cot…filled　rooms　like　dormitories。　Some　of　these　rooms　were　on　fire；　but　the　panic…stricken　Grays　seemed　to　be　setting　the　fires　themselves…torching　their　own　mattresses　and　furniture　for　God　alone　knew　what　reason。
　　One　screen　showed　a　barrel…chested　giant　tossing　men　and　women　into　what　looked　like　a　blood…spattered　stamping　press。　This　was　bad　enough；　but　there　was　something　worse：　the　victims　were　standing　in　an　unguarded　line；　docilely　waiting　their　turns。　The　executioner；　his　yellow　scarf　pulled　tight　over　his　skull　and　the　knotted　ends　swinging　below　his　ears　like　pigtails；　seized　an　old　woman　and　held　her　up；　waiting　patiently　for　the　stainless　steel　block　of　metal　to　clear　the　killing　floor　so　he　could　toss　her　in。　The　old　woman　did　not　struggle；　seemed；　in　fact；　to　be　smiling。
　　〃IN　THE　ROOMS　THE　PEOPLE　E　AND　GO；〃　Blaine　said；　〃BUT　I　DON'T　THINK　ANY　OF　THEM　ARE　TALKING　OF　MICHELANGELO。〃　He　suddenly　laughed…strange；　tittery　laughter　that　sounded　like　rats　scampering　over　broken　glass。　The　sound　sent　chills　chasing　up　Jake's　neck。　He　wanted　nothing　at　all　to　do　with　an　intelligence　that　laughed　like　that　。　。　。　but　what　choice　did　they　have？
　　He　turned　his　gaze　helplessly　back　to　the　monitors　。　。　。　and　Roland　at　once　turned　his　head　away。　He　did　this　gently　but　firmly。　〃There's　nothing　there　you　need　to　look　at；　Jake；〃　he　said。
　　〃But　why　are　they　doing　it？〃　Jake　asked。　He　had　eaten　nothing　all　day；　but　he　still　felt　like　vomiting。　〃Why？〃
　　〃Because　they're　frightened；　and　Blaine　is　feeding　their　fear。　But　mostly；　I　think；　because　they've　lived　too　long　in　the　graveyard　of　their　grandfathe