sk.thegunslinger-第18部分

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Tell　me　what　you　can。
The　first　is　young；　dark…haired。　He　stands　on　the　brink　of　robbery　and　murder。　A　demon　has　infested　him。　The　name　of　the　demon　is　HEROIN
Which　demon　is　that？　I　know　it　not；　even　from　nursery　stories。
'We　see　in　part；　and　thus　is　the　mirror　of　prophecy　darkened。　'There　are　other　worlds；　gunslinger；　and　other　demons。　These　waters　are　deep。
The　second？
She　es　on　wheels。　Her　mind　is　iron　but　her　heart　and　eyes　are　soft。　I　see　no　more。
The　third？
In　chains。
The　man　in　black？　Where　is　he？
Near。　You　will　speak　with　him。
Of　what　will　we　speak？
The　Tower。
The　boy？　Jake？
Tell　me　of　the　boy！
The　boy　is　your　gateway　to　the　man　in　black。　The　man　in　black　is　your　gate　to　the　three。　The　three　are　your　way　to　the　Dark　Tower。
How？　How　can　that　be？　Why　must　it　be？　'We　see　in　part；　and　thus　is　the　mirror　God　damn　you。
No　god　damned　me。
〃Don't　patronize　me；　Thing。　I'm　stronger　than　you。
What　do　they　call　you；　then？　Star…slut？　Whore　of　the　Winds？
Some　live　on　love　that　es　to　the　ancient　places。。。　even
in　these　sad　and　evil　times。　Some；　gunslinger；　live　on　blood。　Even；　I　understand；　on　the　blood　of　young　boys。
May　he　not　be　spared？
Yes。
How？
Cease；　gunslinger。　Strike　your　camp　and　turn　west。　In　the　west　there　is　still　a　need　for　men　who　live　by　the　bullet。
I　am　sworn　by　my　father's　guns　and　by　the　treachery　of　Marten。
Marten　is　no　more。　The　man　in　black　has　eaten　his　soul。　This　you　know。
I　am　sworn。
Then　you　are　damned。
Have　your　way　with　me；　bitch。
Eagerness。
The　shadow　swung　over　him；　enfolded　him。　Suddenly　ecstasy　broken　only　by　a　galaxy　of　pain；　as　faint　and　bright　as　ancient　stars　gone　red　with　collapse。　Faces　came　to　him　unbidden　at　the　climax　of　their　coupling：　Sylvia　Pittston；　Alice；　the　woman　from　Tull；　Susan；　Aileen；　a　hundred　others。
And　finally；　after　an　eternity；　he　pushed　her　away　from　him；　once　again　in　his　right　mind；　bone…weary　and　disgusted。
No！　It　isn't　enough！　It　〃Let　me　be；〃　the　gunslinger　said。　He　sat　up　and　almost　fell　off　the　altar　before　regaining　his　feet。　She　touched　him　tentatively
（honeysuckle；　jasmine；　sweet　attar）
and　he　pushed　her　violently；　falling　to　his　knees。
He　staggered　up　and　made　his　drunken　way　to　the　perimeter　of　the　circle。　He　staggered　through；　feeling　a　huge　weight　fall　from　his　shoulders。　He　drew　a　shuddering；　weeping　breath。　As　he　started　away　he　could　feel　her　standing　at　the　bars　of　her　prison；　watching　him　go　from　her。　He　wondered　how　long　it　might　be　before　someone　else　crossed　the　desert　and　found　her；　hungry　and　alone。　For　a　moment　he　felt　dwarfed　by　the　possibilities　of　time。
〃You're　sick！〃
Jake　stood　up　fast　when　the　gunslinger　shambled　back　through　the　last　trees　and　came　into　camp。　Jake　had　been　huddled　by　the　ruins　of　the　tiny　fire；　the　jawbone　across　his　knees；　gnawing　disconsolately　on　the　bones　of　the　rabbit。　Now　he　ran　toward　the　gunslinger　with　a　look　of　distress　that　made　Roland　feel　the　full；　ugly　weight　of　a　ing　betrayal　　one　he　sensed　which　might　only　be　the　first　of　many。
〃No；〃　he　said。　〃Not　sick。　Just　tired。　I'm　whipped。〃　He　gestured　absently　at　the　jawbone。　〃You　can　throw　that　away。〃
Jake　threw　it　quickly　and　violently；　rubbing　his　hands　across　his　shirt　after　doing　it。
The　gunslinger　sat　down　　almost　fell　down　　feeling　the　aching　joints　and　the　pummeled；　thick　mind　that　was　the　unlovely　afterglow　of　mescaline。　His　crotch　also　pulsed　with　a　dull　ache。　He　rolled　a　cigarette　with　careful；　unthinking　slowness。　Jake　watched。　The　gunslinger　had　a　sudden　impulse　to　tell　him　what　he　had　learned；　then　thrust　the　idea　away　with　horror。　He　wondered　if　a　part　of　him　　mind　or　soul　　might　not　be　disintegrating。
〃We　sleep　here　tonight；〃　the　gunslinger　said。　〃Tomorrow　we　climb。　I'll　go　out　a　little　later　and　see　if　I　can't　shoot　something　for　supper。　I've　got　to　sleep　now。　Okay？〃
〃Sure。〃
The　gunslinger　nodded　and　lay　back。　When　he　woke　up　the　shadows　were　long　across　the　small　grass　clearing。　〃Build　up　the　fire；〃　he　told　Jake　and　tossed　him　his　flint　and　steel。　〃Can　you　use　that？〃
〃Yes；　I　think　so。〃
The　gunslinger　walked　toward　the　willow　grove　and　then　turned　left；　skirting　it。　At　a　place　where　the　ground　opened　out　and　upward　in　heavy　open　grass；　he　stepped　back　into　the　shadows　and　stood　silently。　Faintly；　clearly；　he　could　hear　the　clik…clink…clik…clink　of　Jake　striking　sparks。　He　stood　without　moving　for　ten　minutes；　fifteen；　twenty。　Three　rabbits　came；　and　the　gunslinger　pulled　leather。　He　took　down　the　two　plumpest；　skinned　them　and　gutted　them；　brought　them　back　to　the　camp。　Jake　had　the　fire　going　and　the　water　was　already　steaming　over　it。
The　gunslinger　nodded　to　him。　〃That's　a　good　piece　of　work。〃
Jake　flushed　with　pleasure　and　silently　handed　back　the　flint　and　steel。
While　the　stew　cooked；　the　gunslinger　used　the　last　of　the　light　to　go　back　into　the　willow　grove。　Near　the　first　pool　he　began　to　hack　at　the　tough　vines　that　grew　near　the　water's　marshy　verge。　Later；　as　the　fire　burned　down　to　coals　and　Jake　slept；　he　would　plait　them　into　ropes　that　might　be　of　some　limited　use　later。　But　he　did　not　think　somehow　that　the　climb　would　be　a　particularly　difficult　one。　He　felt　a　sense　of　fate　that　he　no　longer　even　considered　odd。
The　vines　bled　green　sap　over　his　hands　as　he　carried　them　back　to　where　Jake　waited。
They　were　up　with　the　sun　and　packed　in　half　an　hour。　The　gunslinger　hoped　to　shoot　another　rabbit　in　the　meadow　as　they　fed；　but　time　was　short　and　no　rabbit　showed　itself。　The　bundle　of　their　remaining　food　was　now　so　small　and　light　that　Jake　carried　it　easily。　He　had　toughened　up；　this　boy；　you　could　see　it。
The　gunslinger　carried　their　water；　freshly　drawn　from　one　of　the　springs。　He　looped　his　three　vine　ropes　around　his　belly。　They　gave　the　circle　of　stones　a　wide　berth　（the　gunslinger　was　afraid　the　boy　might　feel　a　recurrence　of　fear；　but　when　they　passed　above　it　on　a　stony　rise；　Jake　only　offered　it　a　passing　glance　and　then　looked　at　a　bird　that　hovered　upwind）。　Soon　enough；　the　trees　began　to　lose　their　height　and　lushness。　Trunks　were　twisted　and　roots　seemed　to　struggle　with　the　earth　in　a　tortured　hunt　for　moisture。
〃It's　all　so　old；〃　Jake　said　glumly　when　they　paused　for　a　rest。　〃Isn't　there　anything　young？〃
The　gunslinger　smiled　and　gave　Jake　an　elbow。　〃You　are；〃　he　said。
〃Will　it　be　a　hard　climb？〃
The　gunslinger　looked　at　him；　curious。　〃The　mountains　are　high。　Don't　you　think　it　will　be　a　hard　climb？〃
Jake　looked　back　at　him；　his　eyes　clouded；　puzzled。　〃No。〃
They　went　on。
The　sun　climbed　to　its　zenith；　seemed　to　hang　there　more　briefly　than　it　ever　had　during　the　desert　crossing；　and　then　passed　on；　giving　them　back　their　shadows。　Shelves　of　rock　protruded　from　the　rising　land　like　the　arms　of　giant　easychairs　buried　in　the　earth。　The　scrub　grass　turned　yellow　and　sere。　Finally　they　were　faced　with　a　deep；　chimneylike　crevasse　in　their　path　and　they　scaled　a　short；　peeling　rise　of　rock　to　get　around　and　above　it。　The　ancient　granite　had　faulted　on　lines　that　were　steplike；　and　as　they　had　both　intuited；　the　climb　was　an　easy　one。　They　paused　on　the　four…foot…wide　scarp　at　the　top　and　looked　back　over　the　falling　land　to　the　desert；　which　curled　around　the　upland　like　a　huge　yellow　paw。　Further　off　it　gleamed　at　them　in　a　white　shield　that　dazzled　the　eye；　receding　into　dim　waves　of　rising　heat。　The　gunslinger　felt　faintly　amazed　at　the　realization　that　this　desert　had　nearly　murdered　him。
From　where　they　stood；　in　a　new　coolness；　the　desert　certainly　appeared　momentous；　but　not　deadly。
They　turned　back　to　the　business　of　the　climb；　scrambling　over　jackstraw　falls　of　rock　and　crouch…walking　up　inclined　planes　of　stone　shot　with　glitters　of　quartz　and　mica。　The　rock　was　pleasantly　warm　to　the　touch；　but　the　air　was　definitely　cooler。　In　the　late　afternoon　the　gunslinger　heard　the　faint　sound　of　thunder。　The　rising　line　of　the　mountains　obscured　the　sight　of　the　rain　on　the　other　side；　however。
When　the　shadows　began　to　turn　purple；　they　camped　in　the　overhang　of　a　jutting　brow　of　rock。　The　gunslinger　anchored　their　blanket　above　and　below；　fashioning　a　kind　of　shanty　lean…to。　They　sat　at　the　mouth　of　it；　watching　the　sky　spread　a　cloak　over　the　world。　Jake　dangled　his　feet　over　the　drop。　The　gunslinger　rolled　his　evening　smoke　and　eyed　Jake　half　humorously。　〃Don't　roll　over　in　your　sleep；〃　he　said；　〃or　you　may　wake　up　in　hell。〃
〃I　won't；〃　Jake　replied　seriously。　〃My　mother　says　He　broke　it　off。
〃She　says　what？〃
〃That　I　sleep　like　a　dead　man；〃　Jake　finished。　He　looked　at　the　gunslinger；　who　saw　that　the　boy's　mouth　was　trembling　as　he　strove　to　keep　back　tears　　only　a　boy；　he　thought；　and　pain　smote　him；　like　the　ice　pick　that　too　much　cold　water　can　sometimes　plant　in　the　forehead。　Only　a　boy。　Why？　Silly　question。　When　a　boy；　wounded　in　body　or　spirit；　called　that　question　out　to　Cort；　that　ancient；　scarred　baffle…engine　whose　job　it　was　to　teach　the　sons　of　gunslingers　the　beginning　of　what　they　had　to　know；　Cort　would　answer：
Why　is　a　crooked　letter　and　can't　be　made　straight。。。　never　mind　why；　just　get　up；　pus…head！　Gel　up！　The　day's　young！
〃Why　am　I　here？〃　Jake　asked。　〃Why　did　I　forget　everything　from　before？〃
〃Because　the　man　in　black　has　drawn　you　here；〃　the　gunslinger　said。　〃And　because　of　the　Tower。　The　Tower　stands　at　a　kind　of。。。　power…nexus。　In　time。　〃
〃I　don't　understand　that！〃
〃Nor　do　I；〃　the　gunslinger　said。　〃But　something　has　been　happening。　Just　in　my　own　time。　'The　world　has　moved　on；'　we　say。。。　we've　always　said。　But　it's　moving　on　faster　now。　Something　has　happened　to　time。〃
They　sat　in　silence。　A　breeze；　faint　but　with　an　edge；　picked　at　their　legs。　Somewhere　it　made　a　hollow　whooooo　in　a　rock　fissure。
〃Where　do　you　e　from？〃　Jake　asked。
〃From　a　place　that　no　longer　exists。　Do　you　know　the　Bible？〃
〃Jesus　and　Moses。　Sure。〃
The　gunslinger　smiled。　〃That's　right。　My　land　had　a　Biblical　name　　New　Canaan；　it　was　called。　The　land　of　milk　and　honey。　In　the　Bible's　Canaan；　there　were　supposed　to　be　grapes　so　big　that　men　had　to　carry　them　on　sledges。　We　didn't　grow　them　that　big；　but　it　was　a　sweet　land。〃
〃I　know　about　Ulysses；〃　Jake　said　hesitantly。　〃Was　he　in　the　Bible？〃
〃Maybe；〃　the　gunslinger　said。　〃The　Book　is　lost　now　　all　except　the　parts　I　was　forced　to　mem