sk.thewastelands-第9部分

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ing　like　that？〃
　　Roland　shook　his　head。　〃The　boy's　doorway　was　death。　He　was　on　his　way　to　school　when　a　man…a　man　I　believed　to　be　Walter…pushed　him　into　the　street；　where　he　was　run　over　by　a　car。　He　heard　this　man　say　something　like　'Get　out　of　the　way；　let　me　through；　I'm　a　priest。'　Jake　saw　this　man…just　for　an　instant…and　then　he　was　in　my　world。〃
　　The　gunslinger　paused；　looking　into　the　fire。
　　〃Now　I　want　to　leave　this　story　of　the　boy　who　was　never　there　and　go　back　to　what　really　happened　for　a　minute。　All　right？〃
　　Eddie　and　Susannah　exchanged　a　puzzled　glance　and　then　Eddie　made　an　〃after　you；　my　dear　Alphonse〃　gesture　with　his　hand。
　　〃As　I　have　said；　the　way　station　was　deserted。　There　was；　however；　a　pump　that　still　worked。　It　was　at　the　back　of　the　stable　where　the　coach…horses　were　kept。　I　followed　my　ears　to　it；　but　I　would　have　found　it　even　if　it　had　been　pletely　silent。　I　swelled　the　water；　you　see。　After　enough　time　in　the　desert；　when　you　are　on　the　edge　of　dying　from　thirst；　you　can　really　do　that。　I　drank　and　then　slept。　When　I　woke；　I　drank　again。　I　wanted　to　push　on　at　once…the　need　to　do　that　was　like　a　fever。　The　medicine　you　brought　me　from　your　world…the　astin…is　wonderful　stuff；　Eddie；　but　there　are　fevers　beyond　the　power　of　any　medicine　to　cure；　and　this　was　one　of　them。　I　knew　my　body　needed　rest；　but　it　still　took　every　ounce　of　my　willpower　to　stay　there　even　one　night。　In　the　morning　I　felt　rested；　and　so　I　refilled　my　waterskins　and　pushed　on。　I　took　nothing　from　that　place　but　water。　That's　the　most　important　part　of　what　really　happened。〃
　　Susannah　spoke　in　her　most　reasonable；　pleasant；　and　Odetta　Holmes…like　voice。　〃All　right；　that's　what　really　happened。　You　refilled　your　waterskins　and　went　on。　Now　tell　us　the　rest　of　what　didn't　happen；　Roland。〃
　　The　gunslinger　put　the　jawbone　in　his　lap　for　a　moment；　curled　his　hands　into　fists；　and　rubbed　his　eyes　with　them…a　curiously　childlike　gesture。　Then　he　grasped　the　jawbone　again；　as　if　for　courage；　and　went　on。
　　〃I　hypnotized　the　boy　who　wasn't　there；〃　he　said。　〃I　did　it　with　one　of　my　shells。　It's　a　trick　I've　known　for　years；　and　I　learned　it　from　a　very　unlikely　source…Marten；　my　father's　court　magician。　The　boy　was　a　good　subject。　While　he　was　tranced；　he　told　me　the　circumstances　of　his　death；　as　I've　told　them　to　you。　When　I'd　gotten　as　much　of　his　story　as　I　felt　I　could　without　upsetting　or　actually　hurting　him；　I　gave　him　a　mand　that　he　should　not　remember　anything　about　his　dying　when　he　woke　up　again。〃
　　〃Who'd　want　to？〃　Eddie　muttered。
　　Roland　nodded。　〃Who；　indeed？　The　boy　passed　from　his　trance　directly　into　a　natural　sleep。　I　also　slept。　When　we　woke；　I　told　the　boy　that　I　meant　to　catch　the　man　in　black。　He　knew　who　I　meant；　Walter　had　also　stopped　at　the　way　station。　Jake　was　afraid　and　hid　from　him。　I'm　sure　Walter　knew　he　was　there；　but　it　suited　his　purpose　to　pretend　he　didn't。　He　left　the　boy　behind　like　a　set　trap。
　　〃I　asked　him　if　there　was　anything　to　eat　there。　It　seemed　to　me　there　must　be。　He　looked　healthy　enough；　and　the　desert　climate　is　wonderful　when　it　es　to　preserving　things。　He　had　a　little　dried　meat；　and　he　said　there　was　a　cellar。　He　hadn't　explored　that；　because　he　was　afraid。〃　The　gunslinger　looked　at　them　grimly。　〃He　was　right　to　be　afraid。　I　found　food　。　。　。　and　I　also　found　a　Speaking　Demon。〃
　　Eddie　looked　down　at　the　jawbone　with　widening　eyes。　Orange　fire…light　danced　on　its　ancient　curves　and　hoodoo　teeth。　〃Speaking　Demon？　Do　you　mean　that　thing？〃
　　〃No；〃　he　said。　〃Yes。　Both。　Listen　and　you　shall　understand。〃
　　He　told　them　about　the　inhuman　groans　he'd　heard　ing　from　the　earth　beyond　the　cellar；　how　he　had　seen　sand　running　from　between　two　of　the　old　blocks　which　made　up　the　cellar　walls。　He　told　them　of　approaching　the　hole　that　was　appearing　there　as　Jake　screamed　for　him　to　e　up。
　　He　had　manded　the　demon　to　speak　。　。　。　and　so　the　demon　had；　in　the　voice　of　Allie；　the　woman　with　the　scar　on　her　forehead；　the　woman　who　had　kept　the　bar　in　Tull。　Go　slow　past　the　Drawers；　gun…slinger。　While　you　travel　with　the　boy；　the　man　in　black　travels　with　your　soul　in　his　pocket。
　　〃The　Drawers？〃　Susannah　asked；　startled。
　　〃Yes。〃　Roland　looked　at　her　closely。　〃That　means　something　to　you；　doesn't　it？〃
　　〃Yes　。　。　。　and　no。〃
　　She　spoke　with　great　hesitation。　Some　of　it；　Roland　divined；　was　simple　reluctance　to　speak　of　things　which　were　painful　to　her。　He　thought　most　of　it；　however；　was　a　desire　not　to　confuse　issues　which　were　already　confused　by　saying　more　than　she　actually　knew。　He　admired　that。　He　admired　her。
　　〃Say　what　you　can　be　sure　of；〃　he　said。　〃No　more　than　that。〃
　　〃All　right。　The　Drawers　was　a　place　Detta　Walker　knew　about。　A　place　Detta　thought　about。　It's　a　slang　term；　one　she　picked　up　from　listening　to　the　grownups　when　they　sat　out　on　the　porch　and　drank　beer　and　talked　about　the　old　days。　It　means　a　place　that's　spoiled；　or　useless；　or　both。　There　was　something　in　the　Drawers…in　the　idea　of　the　Draw…ers…that　called　to　Detta。　Don't　ask　me　what；　I　might　have　known　once；　but　I　don't　anymore。　And　don't　want　to。
　　〃Detta　stole　my　Aunt　Blue's　china　plate…the　one　my　folks　gave　her　for　a　wedding　present…and　took　it　to　the　Drawers…her　Drawers…to　break　it。　That　place　was　a　gravel…pit　filled　with　trash。　A　dumping…ground。　Later　on；　she　sometimes　picked　up　boys　at　roadhouses。〃
　　Susannah　dropped　her　head　for　a　moment；　her　lips　pressed　tightly　together。　Then　she　looked　up　again　and　went　on。
　　〃White　boys。　And　when　they　took　her　back　to　their　cars　in　the　parking　lot；　she　cock…teased　them　and　then　ran　off。　Those　parking　lots　。　。　。　they　were　the　Drawers；　too。　It　was　a　dangerous　game；　but　she　was　young　enough；　quick　enough；　and　mean　enough　to　play　it　to　the　hilt　and　enjoy　it。　Later；　in　New　York；　she'd　go　on　shoplifting　expeditions　。　。　。　you　know　about　that。　Both　of　you。　Always　to　the　fancy　stores…Macy's；　Gimbel's；　Bloomingdale's…and　steal　trinkets。　And　when　she　made　up　her　mind　to　go　on　one　of　those　sprees；　she'd　think：　I'm　goan　to　the　Drawers　today。　Goan　steal　me　some　shitfum　de　white　folks。　Goan　steal　me　sumpin　forspecial　and　den　break　dot　sumbitch。〃
　　She　paused；　lips　trembling；　looking　into　the　fire。　When　she　looked　around　again；　Roland　and　Eddie　saw　tears　standing　in　her　eyes。
　　〃I'm　crying；　but　don't　let　that　fool　you。　I　remember　doing　those　things；　and　I　remember　enjoying　them。　I　guess　I'm　crying　because　I　know　I'd　do　it　all　again；　if　the　circumstances　were　right。〃
　　Roland　seemed　to　have　regained　some　of　his　old　serenity；　his　weird　equilibrium。　〃We　have　a　proverb　in　my　country；　Susannah：　'The　wise　thief　always　prospers。'〃
　　〃I　don't　see　nothing　wise　about　stealing　a　bunch　of　paste　jewelry；〃　she　said　sharply。
　　〃Were　you　ever　caught？〃
　　〃No…〃
　　He　spread　his　hands　as　if　to　say；　there　you　have　it。
　　〃So　for　Detta　Walker；　the　Drawers　were　bad　places？〃　Eddie　asked。　〃Is　that　right？　Because　it　doesn't　exactly　feel　right。〃
　　〃Bad　and　good　at　the　same　time。　They　were　powerful　places；　places　where　she　。　。　。　she　reinvented　herself；　I　suppose　you　could　say　。　。　。　hut　they　were　lost　places；　too。　And　this　is　all　off　the　subject　of　Roland's　ghost…boy；　isn't　it？〃
　　〃Maybe　not；〃　Roland　said。　〃We　had　Drawers　as　well；　you　see；　in　my　world。　It　was　slang　for　us；　too；　and　the　meanings　are　very　similar。〃
　　〃What　did　it　mean　to　you　and　your　friends？〃　Eddie　asked。
　　〃That　varied　slightly　from　place　to　place　and　situation　to　situation。　It　might　mean　a　trash…midden。　It　might　mean　a　whorehouse　or　a　place　where　men　came　to　gamble　or　chew　devil…weed。　But　the　most　mon'　meaning　that　I　know　is　also　the　simplest。〃
　　He　looked　at　them　both。
　　〃The　Drawers　are　places　of　desolation；〃　he　said。　〃The　Drawers　are　the　waste　lands。〃
　　
　　　15
　　THIS　TIME　SUSANNAH　THREW　more　wood　on　the　fire。　In　the　south；　Old　Mother　blazed　on　brilliantly；　not　flickering。　She　knew　from　her　school　studies　what　that　meant：　it　was　a　planet；　not　a　star。　Venus？　She　wondered。　Or　is　the　solar　system　of　which　this　world　is　a　part　as　different　as　everything　else？
　　Again　that　feeling　of　unreality…the　feeling　that　all　this　must　surely　be　a　dream…washed　over　her。
　　〃Go　on；〃　she　said。　〃What　happened　after　the　voice　warned　you　about　the　Drawers　and　the　little　boy？〃
　　〃I　punched　my　hand　into　the　hole　the　sand　had　e　from；　as　I　was　taught　to　do　if　such　a　thing　ever　happened　to　me。　What　I　plucked　forth　was　a　jawbone　。　。　。　but　not　this　one。　The　jawbone　I　took　from　the　wall　of　the　way　station　was　much　larger；　from　one　of　the　Great　Old　Ones；　I　have　almost　no　doubt。〃
　　〃What　happened　to　it？〃　Susannah　asked　quietly。
　　〃One　night　I　gave　it　to　the　boy；〃　Roland　said。　The　fire　painted　his　cheeks　with　hot　orange　highlights　and　dancing　shadows。　〃As　a　protec…tion…a　kind　of　talisman。　Later　I　felt　it　had　served　its　purpose　and　threw　it　away。〃
　　〃So　whose　jawbone　you　got　there；　Roland？〃　Eddie　asked。
　　Roland　held　it　up；　looked　at　it　long　and　thoughtfully；　and　let　it　drop　back。　〃Later；　after　Jake　。　。　。　after　he　died　。。。　I　caught　up　with　the　men　I　had　been　chasing。〃
　　〃With　Walter；〃　Susannah　said。
　　〃Yes。　We　held　palaver；　he　and　I　。。。　long　palaver。　I　fell　asleep　at　some　point；　and　when　I　woke　up；　Walter　was　dead。　A　hundred　years　dead　at　least；　and　probably　more。　There　was　nothing　left　of　him　but　bones；　which　was　fitting　enough；　since　we　were　in　a　place　of　bones。〃
　　〃Yeah；　it　must　have　been　a　pretty　long　palaver；　all　right；〃　Eddie　said　dryly。
　　Susannah　frowned　slightly　at　this；　but　Roland　only　nodded。　〃Long　and　long；〃　he　said；　looking　into　the　fire。
　　〃You　came　to　in　the　morning　and　reached　the　Western　Sea　that　very　evening；〃　Eddie　said。　〃That　night　the　lobstrosities　came；　right？〃
　　Roland　nodded　again。　〃Yes。　But　before　I　left　the　place　where　Walter　and　I　had　spoken　。。。　or　dreamed　。。。　or　whatever　it　was　we　did　。。。　I　took　this　from　the　skull　of　his　skeleton。〃　He　lifted　the　bone　and　the　orange　light　again　skated　off　the　teeth。
　　Walter's　jawbone；　Eddie　thought；　and　felt　a　little　chill　work　through　him。　The　jawbone　of　the　man　in　black。　Remember　this；　Eddie　my　boy；　the　next　time　you　get　to　thinking　Roland's　maybe　just　another　one　of　th