sk.thegunslinger-第21部分

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ll；　he　cautioned　the　boy　not　to　put　his　feet　in　the　water。
The　range　finder　in　his　head　took　them　on　steadily。
The　path　beside　the　river　（for　it　was　a　path；　smooth；　sunken　to　a　slight　concavity）　led　always　upward；　toward　the　river's　head。　At　regular　intervals　they　came　to　curved　stone　pylons　with　sunken　ringbolts；　perhaps　once　oxen　or　stage…horses　had　tethered　there。　At　each　was　a　steel　flagon　holding　an　electric　torch；　but　these　were　all　barren　of　life　and　light。
During　the　third　period　of　rest…before…sleep；　the　boy　wandered　away　a　little。　The　gunslinger　could　hear　small　conversation　of　rattled　pebbles　as　he　moved　cautiously。
〃Careful；〃　he　said。　〃You　can't　see　where　you　are。
〃I'm　crawling。　It's　。　。　。　say！〃
〃What　is　it？〃　The　gunslinger　half　crouched；　touching　the　haft　of　one　gun。
There　was　a　slight　pause。　The　gunslinger　strained　his　eyes　uselessly。
〃I　think　it's　a　railroad；〃　the　boy　said　dubiously。
The　gunslinger　got　up　and　walked　slowly　toward　the　sound　of　Jake's　voice；　leading　with　one　foot　lightly　to　test　for　pitfalls。
〃Here。〃　A　hand　reached　out　and　cat's…pawed　the　gunslinger's　face。　The　boy　was　very　good　in　the　dark；　better　than　the　gunslinger　himself。　His　eyes　seemed　to　dilate　until　there　was　no　color　left　in　them：　the　gunslinger　saw　this　as　he　struck　a　meager　light。　There　was　no　fuel　in　this　rock　womb；　and　what　they　had　brought　with　them　was　going　rapidly　to　ash。　At　times　the　urge　to　strike　a　light　was　well…nigh　insatiable。
The　boy　was　standing　beside　a　curved　rock　wall　that　was　lined　with　parallel　metal　staves　off　into　the　darkness。　Each　carried　black　bulbs　that　might　once　have　been　conductors　of　electricity。　And　beside　and　below；　set　only　inches　off　the　stone　floor；　were　tracks　of　bright　metal。　What　might　have　run　on　those　tracks　at　one　time？　The　gunslinger　could　only　imagine　black　electric　bullets；　flying　through　this　forever　night　with　affrighted　searchlight　eyes　going　before。　He　had　never　heard　of　such　things。　But　there　were　skeletons　in　the　world；　just　as　there　were　demons。　He　had　once　e　upon　a　hermit　who　had　gained　a　quasi…religious　power　over　a　miserable　flock　of　kine…keepers　by　possession　of　an　ancient　gasoline　pump。　The　hermit　crouched　beside　it；　one　arm　wrapped　possessively　around　it；　and　preached　wild；　guttering；　sullen　sermons。　He　occasionally　placed　the　still…bright　steel　nozzle；　which　was　attached　to　a　rotted　rubber　hose；　between　his　legs。　On　the　pump；　in　perfectly　legible　（although　rust…clotted）　letters；　
Hulks；　the　gunslinger　thought。　Only　meaningless　hulks　in　sands　that　once　were　seas。
And　now　a　railroad。
〃We'll　follow　it；〃　he　said。
The　boy　said　nothing。
The　gunslinger　extinguished　the　light　and　they　slept。　When　the　gunslinger　awoke　the　boy　was　up　before　him；　sitting　on　one　of　the　rails　and　watching　him　sightlessly　in　the　dark。
They　followed　the　rails　like　blindmen；　the　gunslinger　leading；　the　boy　following。　They　slipped　their　feet　along　one　rail　always；　also　like　blindmen。　The　steady　rush　of　the　river　off　to　the　right　was　their　panion。　They　did　not　speak；　and　this　went　on　for　three　periods　of　waking。　The　gunslinger　felt　no　urge　to　think　coherently；　or　to　plan。　His　sleep　was　dreamless。
During　the　fourth　period　of　waking　and　walking；　they　literally　stumbled　on　a　handcar。
The　gunslinger　ran　into　it　chest…high；　and　the　boy；　walking　on　the　other　side；　struck　his　forehead　and　went　down　with　a　cry。
The　gunslinger　made　a　light　immediately。　〃Are　you　all　right？〃　The　words　sounded　sharp；　almost　waspish；　and　he　winced　at　them。
〃Yes。〃　The　boy　was　holding　his　head　gingerly。　He　shook　it　once　to　make　sure　he　had　told　the　truth。　They　turned　to　look　at　what　they　had　run　into。
It　was　a　flat　square　of　metal　that　sat　mutely　on　the　tracks。　There　was　a　see…saw　handle　in　the　center　of　the　square。　The　gunslinger　had　no　immediate　sense　of　it；　but　the　boy　knew　immediately。
〃It's　a　handcar。〃
〃What？〃
〃Handcar；〃　the　boy　said　impatiently；　〃like　in　the　old　movies。　Look。〃
He　pulled　himself　up　and　went　to　the　handle。　He　managed　to　push　it　down；　but　it　was　necessary　to　hang　all　his　weight　on　the　handle。　He　grunted　briefly。　The　handcar　moved　a　foot；　with　silent　timelessness；　on　the　rails。
〃It　works　a　little　hard；〃　the　boy　said；　as　if　apologizing　for　it。
The　gunslinger　pulled　himself　up　and　pushed　the　handle　down。　The　handcar　moved　forward　obediently；　then　stopped。　he　could　feel　a　drive…shaft　turn　beneath　his　feet。　The　operation　pleased　him　　it　was　the　first　old　machine　other　than　the　pump　at　the　way　station　that　he　had　seen　in　years　which　still　worked　well；　but　it　disquieted　him；　too。　It　would　take　them　to　their　destination　that　much　quicker。　The　curse…kiss　again；　he　thought；　and　knew　the　man　in　black　had　meant　them　to　find　this；　too。
〃Neat；　huh？〃　The　boy　said；　and　his　voice　was　full　of　loathing。
〃What　are　movies？〃　The　gunslinger　asked　again。
Jake　still　did　not　answer　and　they　stood　in　a　black　silence；　like　in　a　tomb　where　life　had　fled。　The　gunslinger　could　hear　his　organs　at　work　inside　his　body　and　the　boy's　respiration。　That　was　all。
〃You　stand　on　one　side。　I　stand　on　the　other　side；〃　Jake　said。　〃You'll　have　to　push　by　yourself　until　it　gets　rolling　good。　Then　I　can　help。　First　you　push；　then　I　push。　We'll　go　right　along。　Get　it？〃
〃I　get　it；〃　the　gunslinger　said。　His　hands　were　in　helpless；　despairing　fists。
〃But　you'll　have　to　push　by　yourself　until　it　gets　rolling　good；〃　the　boy　repeated；　looking　at　him。
The　gunslinger　had　a　sudden　vivid　picture　of　the　Great　Hall　a　year　after　the　spring　Ball；　in　the　shattered；　hulked　shards　of　revolt；　civil　strife；　and　invasion。　It　was　followed　with　the　memory　of　Allie；　the　woman　from　Tull　with　the　scar；　pushed　and　pulled　by　the　bullets　that　were　killing　her　in　reflex。　It　was　followed　by　Jamie's　face；　blue　in　death；　by
Susan's；　twisted　and　weeping。　All　my　old　friends；　the　gunslinger　thought；　and　smiled　hideously。
〃I'll　push；〃　the　gunslinger　said。
He　began　to　push。
They　rolled　on　through　the　dark；　faster　now；　no　longer　having　to　feel　their　way。　Once　the　awkwardness　of　a　buried　age　had　been　run　off　the　handcar；　it　went　smoothly。　The　boy　tried　to　do　his　share；　and　the　gunslinger　allowed　him　small　shifts　　but　mostly　he　pumped　by　himself；　in　large　and　chest…stretching　rises　and　failings。　The　river　was　their　panion；　sometimes　closer　on　their　right；　sometimes　further　away。　Once　it　took　on　huge　and　thunderous　hollowness；　as　if　passing　through　a　prehistoric　cathedral　narthex。　Once　the　sound　of　it　disappeared　almost　altogether。
The　speed　and　the　made　wind　against　their　faces　seemed　to　take　the　place　of　sight　and　to　put　them　once　again　in　a　frame　of　time　and　reference。　The　gunslinger　estimated　they　were　making　anywhere　from　ten　to　fifteen　miles　an　hour；　always　on　a　shallow；　almost　imperceptible　uphill　grade　that　wore　him　out　deceptively。　When　they　stopped　he　slept　like　the　stone　itself。　Their　food　was　almost　gone　again。　Neither　of　them　worried　about　it。
For　the　gunslinger；　the　tenseness　of　a　ing　climax　was　as　unperceivable　but　as　real　and　as　accretive　as　the　fatigue　of　propelling　the　handcar。　They　were　close　to　the　end　of　the　beginning。　He　felt　like　a　performer　placed　on　center　stage　minutes　before　the　rise　of　the　curtain；　settled　in　position　with　his　first　line　held　in　his　mind；　he　heard　the　unseen　audience　rattling　programs　and　settling　in　seats。　He　lived　with　a　tight；　tidy　ball　of　unholy　anticipation　in　his　belly　and　weled　the　exercise　that　let　him　sleep。
The　boy　spoke　less　and　less；　but　at　their　stopping　place　one　sleep…period　before　they　were　attacked　by　the　Slow
Mutants；　he　asked　the　gunslinger　almost　shyly　about　his　ing　of　age。
The　gunslinger　had　been　leaning　against　the　handle；　a　cigarette　from　his　dwindling　supply　of　tobacco　clamped　in　his　mouth。　He　had　been　on　the　verge　of　his　usual　unthinking　sleep　when　the　boy　asked　his　question。
〃Why　would　you　want　to　know　that？〃　He　asked。
The　boy's　voice　was　curiously　stubborn；　as　if　hiding　embarrassment。　〃I　just　do。〃　And　after　a　pause；　he　added：
〃I　always　wondered　about　growing　up。　It's　mostly　lies。〃
〃It　wasn't　growing　up；〃　the　gunslinger　said。　〃I　never　grew　up　all　at　once。　I　did　it　one　place　and　another　along　the　way。　I　saw　a　man　hung　once。　That　was　part　of　it；　though　I　didn't　know　it　then。　I　left　a　girl　in　a　place　called　King's　Town　twelve　years　ago。　That　was　another　part。　I　never　knew　any　of　the　parts　when　they　happened。　Only　later　I　knew　that。〃
He　realized　with　some　unease　that　he　was　avoiding。
〃I　suppose　the　ing　of　age　was　part；　too；〃　he　said；　almost　grudgingly。　〃It　was　formal。　Almost　stylized；　like　a　dance。〃　He　laughed　unpleasantly。　〃Like　love。
〃Love　and　dying　have　been　my　life。〃
The　boy　said　nothing。
〃It　was　necessary　to　prove　one's　self　in　battle；〃　the　gunslinger　began。
Summer　and　hot。
August　had　e　to　the　land　like　a　vampire　lover；　killing　the　land　and　the　crops　of　the　tenant　farmers；　turning　the　fields　of　the　castle…city　white　and　sterile。　In　the　west；　some　miles　distant　and　near　the　borders　that　were　the　end　of　the　civilized　world；　fighting　had　already　begun。　All　reports　were　bad；　and　all　of　them　palled　before　the　heat　that　rested　over　this　place　of　the　center。　Cattle　lolled　empty…eyed　in　the　pens　of　the　stockyards。　Pigs　grunted　listlessly；　unmindful　of　knives　whetted　for　the　ing　fall。　People　whined　about　taxes　and　conscription；　as　they　always　have；　but　there　was　an　emptiness　beneath　the　apathetic　passion　play　of　politics。　The　center　had　frayed　like　a　rag　rug　that　had　been　washed　and　walked　on　and　shaken　and　hung　and　dried。　The　lines　and　nets　of　mesh　which　held　the　last　jewel　at　the　breast　of　the　world　were　unraveling。　Things　were　not　holding　together。　The　earth　drew　in　its　breath　in　the　summer　of　the　ing　eclipse。
The　boy　idled　along　the　upper　corridor　of　this　stone　place　which　was　home；　sensing　these　things；　not　understanding。　He　was　also　empty　and　dangerous。
It　had　been　three　years　since　the　hanging　of　the　cook　who　had　always　been　able　to　find　snacks　for　hungry　boys；　and　he　had　filled　out。　Now；　dressed　only　in　faded　denim　pants；　fourteen　years　old；　he　had　already　e　to　the　widened　chest…span　and　lengthening　legs　that　would　characterize　his　manhood。　He　was　still　unbedded；　but　two　of　the　younger　slatterns　of　a　West…Town　merchant　had　cast　eyes　on　him。　He　had　felt　a　response　and　felt　it　more　strongly　now。　Even　in