sk.thegunslinger-第6部分

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rom　the　groaning　pump　beside　the　building。
The　hostler　met　him　halfway　between　the　door　to　his　establishment　and　the　street。　His　manner　vacillated　between　hostility　and　a　craven　sort　of　fawning　　like　a　stud　mongrel　that　has　been　kicked　too　often。
〃It's　bein'　cared　for；〃　he　said；　and　before　the　gunslinger　could　reply；　Kennerly　turned　on　his　daughter：　〃You　get　in；　Soobie！　You　get　right　the　hell　in！〃
Soobie　began　to　drag　her　bucket　sullenly　toward　the　shack　appended　to　the　barn。
〃You　meant　my　mule；〃　the　gunslinger　said。
〃Yes；　sir。　Ain't　seen　a　mule　in　quite　a　time。　Time　was　they　used　to　grow　up　wild　for　want　of　'em；　but　the　world　has　moved　on。　Ain't　seen　nothin'　but　a　few　oxen　and　the　coach　horses　and。　。　。　Soobie；　I'll　whale　you；　'fore　God！〃
〃I　don't　bite；〃　the　gunslinger　said　pleasantly。
Kennerly　cringed　a　little。'　It　ain't　you。　No；　sir；　it　ain't　you。〃　He　grinned　loosely。　〃She's　just　naturally　gawky。
She's　got　a　devil。　She's　wild。〃　His　eyes　darkened。　〃It's　ing　to　Last　Times；　mister。　You　know　how　it　says　in　the　Book。　Children　won't　obey　their　parents；　and　a　plague'll　be　visited　on　the　multitudes。〃
The　gunslinger　nodded；　then　pointed　south。　〃What's　out　there？〃
Kennerly　grinned　again；　showing　gums　and　a　few　sociable　yellow　teeth。　〃Dwellers。　Weed。　Desert。　What　else？〃　He　cackled；　and　his　eyes　measured　the　gunslinger　coldly。
〃How　big　is　the　desert？〃
〃Big。〃　Kennerly　endeavored　to　look　serious。　〃Maybe　three　hundred　miles。　Maybe　a　thousand。　I　can't　tell　you；　mister。　There's　nothing　out　there　but　devil…grass　and　maybe　demons。　That's　the　way　the　other　fella　went　The　one　who　fixed　up　Norty　when　he　was　sick。〃
〃Sick？　I　heard　he　was　dead。〃
Kennerly　kept　grinning。　〃Well；　well。　Maybe。　But　we're　growed…up　men；　ain't　we？〃
〃But　you　believe　in　demons。〃
Kennerly　looked　affronted。　〃That's　a　lot　different。〃
The　gunslinger　took　off　his　hat　and　wiped　his　forehead。　The　sun　was　hot；　beating　steadily。　Kennerly　seemed　not　to　notice。　In　the　thin　shadow　by　the　livery；　the　baby　girl　was　gravely　smearing　dirt　on　her　face。
〃You　don't　know　what's　after　the　desert？〃
Kennerly　shrugged。　〃Some　might。　The　coach　ran　through　part　of　it　fifty　years　ago。　My　pap　said　so。　He　used　to　say　'twas　mountains。　Others　say　an　ocean。。。　a　green　ocean　with　monsters。　And　some　say　that's　where　the　world　ends。　That　there　ain't　nothing　but　lights　that'll　drive　a　man　blind　and　the　face　of　God　with　his　mouth　open　to　eat　them　up。〃
〃Drivel；〃　the　gunslinger　said　shortly。
〃Sure　it　is。〃　Kennerly　cried　happily。　He　cringed　again；　hating；　fearing；　wanting　to　please。
〃You　see　my　mule　is　looked　after。〃　He　flicked　Kennerly　another　coin；　which　Kennerly　caught　on　the　fly。
〃Surely。　You　stayin'　a　little？〃
〃I　guess　I　might。〃
〃That　Allie's　pretty　nice　when　she　wants　to　be；　ain't　she？〃
〃Did　you　say　something？〃　The　gunslinger　asked　remotely。
Sudden　terror　dawned　in　Kennerly's　eyes；　like　twin　moons　ing　over　the　horizon。　〃No；　sir；　not　a　word。　And　I'm　sorry　if　I　did。〃　He　caught　sight　of　Soobie　leaning　out　a　window　and　whirled　on　her。　〃I'll　whale　you　now；　you　little　slut…face！　'Fore　God！　I'll　　〃
The　gunslinger　walked　away；　aware　that　Kennerly　had　turned　to　watch　him；　aware　of　the　fact　that　he　could　whirl　and　catch　the　hostler　with　some　true　and　untinctured　emotion　distilled　on　his　face。　He　let　it　slip。　It　was　hot。　The　only　sure　thing　about　the　desert　was　its　size。　And　it　wasn't　all　played　out　in　this　town。　Not　yet。
　
　
XI
　
　
They　were　in　bed　when　Sheb　kicked　the　door　open　and　came　in　with　the　knife。
It　had　been　four　days；　and　they　had　gone　by　in　a　blinking　haze。　He　ate。　He　slept。　He　made　sex　with　Allie。　He　found　that　she　played　the　fiddle　and　he　made　her　play　it　for　him。　She　sat　by　the　window　in　the　milky　light　of　daybreak；　only　a　profile；　and　played　something　haltingly　that　might　have　been　good　if　she　had　been　trained。　He　felt　a　growing　（but　strangely　absent…minded）　affection　for　her　and　thought　this　might　be　the　trap　the　man　in　black　had　left　behind。　He　read　dry　and　tattered　back　issues　of　magazines　with　faded　pictures。　He　thought　very　little　about　everything。
He　didn't　hear　the　little　piano　player　e　up　…　his　reflexes　had　sunk。　That　didn't　seem　to　matter　either；　although　it　would　have　frightened　him　badly　in　another　time　and　place。
Allie　was　naked；　the　sheet　below　her　breasts；　and　they　were　preparing　to　make　love。
〃Please；〃　she　was　saying。　〃Like　before；　I　want　that；　I　want　　〃
The　door　crashed　open　and　the　piano　player　made　his　ridiculous；　knock…kneed　run　for　the　sun。　Allie　did　not　scream；　although　Sheb　held　an　eight…inch　carving　knife　in　his　hand。　Sheb　was　making　a　noise；　an　inarticulate　blabbering。　He　sounded　like　a　man　being　drowned　in　a　bucket　of　mud。　Spittle　flew。　He　brought　the　knife　down　with　both　hands；　and　the　gunslinger　caught　his　wrists　and　turned　them。　The　knife　went　flying。　Sheb　made　a　high　screeching　noise；　like　a　rusty　screen　door。　His　hands　fluttered　in　marionette　movements；　both　wrists　broken。　The　wind　gritted　against　the　window。　Allie's　glass　on　the　wall；　faintly　clouded　and　distorted；　reflected　the　room。
〃She　was　mine！〃　He　wept。　〃She　was　mine　first！　Mine！〃
Allie　looked　at　him　and　got　out　of　bed。　She　put　on　a　wrapper；　and　the　gunslinger　felt　a　moment　of　empathy　for　a　man　who　must　be　seeing　himself　ing　out　on　the　far　end　of　what　he　once　had。　He　was　just　a　little　man；　and　gelded。
〃It　was　for　you；〃　Sheb　sobbed。　〃It　was　only　for　you；　Allie。　It　was　you　first　and　it　was　all　for　you。　I　　ah；oh　God；　dear　God　　〃The　words　dissolved　into　a　paroxysm　of　unintelligibilities；　finally　to　tears。　He　rocked　back　and　forth；　holding　his　broken　wrists　to　his　belly。
〃Shhh。　Shhh。　Let　me　see。〃　She　knelt　beside　him。　〃Broken。　Sheb；　you　ass。　Didn't　you　know　you　were　never　strong？〃　She　helped　him　to　his　feet。　He　tried　to　hold　his　hands　to　his　face；　but　they　would　not　obey；　and　he　wept　nakedly。；　〃e　on　over　to　the　table　and　let　me　see　what　I　can　do。〃
She　led　him　to　the　table　and　set　his　wrists　with　slats　of　kindling　from　the　fire　box。　He　wept　weakly　and　without　volition；　and　left　without　looking　back。
She　came　back　to　the　bed。　〃Where　were　we？〃
〃No；〃　he　said。
She　said　patiently；　〃You　knew　about　that。　There's　nothing　to　be　done。　What　else　is　there？〃　She　touched　his　shoulder。　〃Except　I'm　glad　that　you　are　so　strong。〃
〃Not　now；〃　he　said　thickly。
〃I　can　make　you　strong　〃
〃No；〃　he　said。　〃You　can't　do　that。〃
　
　
XII
　
　
The　next　night　the　bar　was　closed。　It　was　whatever　passed　for　the　Sabbath　in　Tull。　The　gunslinger　went　to　the　tiny；　leaning　church　by　the　graveyard　while　Allie　washed　tables　with　strong　disinfectant　and　rinsed　kerosene　lamp　chimnies　in　soapy　water。
An　odd　purple　dusk　had　fallen；　and　the　church；　lit　from　the　inside；　looked　almost　like　a　blast　furnace　from　the　road。
〃I　don't　go；〃　Allie　had　said　shortly。　〃The　woman　who　preaches　has　poison　religion。　Let　the　respectable　ones　go。
He　stood　in　the　vestibule；　hidden　in　a　shadow；　looking　in。　The　pews　were　gone　and　the　congregation　stood　（he　saw　Kennerly　and　his　brood；　Castner；　owner　of　the　town's　scrawny　dry…goods　emporium　and　his　slat…sided　wife；　a　few　barflies；　a　few　〃town〃　women　he　had　never　seen　before；　and；　surprisingly；　Sheb）。　They　were　singing　a　hymn　raggedly；　a　cappella。　He　looked　curiously　at　the　mountainous　woman　at　the　pulpit。　Allie　had　said：　〃She　lives　alone；　hardly　ever　sees　anybody。　Only　es　out　on　Sunday　to　serve　up　the　hellfire。　Her　name　is　Sylvia　Pittston。　She's　crazy；　but　she's　got　the　hoodoo　on　them。　They　like　it　that　way。　It　suits　them。〃
No　description　could　take　the　measure　of　the　woman。
Breasts　like　earthworks。　A　huge　pillar　of　a　neck　overtopped　by　a　pasty　white　moon　of　a　face；　in　which　blinked　eyes　so　large　and　so　dark　that　they　seemed　to　be　bottomless　tarns。　Her　hair　was　a　beautiful　rich　brown　and　it　was　piled　atop　her　head　in　a　haphazard；　lunatic　sprawl；　held　by　a　hairpin　big　enough　to　be　a　meat　skewer。　She　wore　a　dress　that　seemed　to　be　made　of　burlap。　The　arms　that　held　the　hymnal　were　slabs。　Her　skin　was　creamy；　unmarked；　lovely。　He　thought　that　she　must　top　three　hundred　pounds。　He　felt　a　sudden　red　lust　for　her　that　made　him　feel　shaky；　and　he　turned　his　head　and　looked　away。
〃Shall　we　gather　at　the　river；
The　beautiful；　the　beautiful；
The　riiiiver；
Shall　we　gather　at　the　river；
That　flows　by　the　Kingdom　of　God。〃
The　last　note　of　the　last　chorus　faded　off；　and　there　was　a　moment　of　shuffling　and　coughing。
She　waited。　When　they　were　settled；　she　spread　her　hands　over　them；　as　if　in　benediction。　It　was　an　evocative　gesture。
〃My　dear　little　brothers　and　sisters　in　Christ。〃
It　was　a　haunting　line。　For　a　moment　the　gunslinger　felt　mixed　feelings　of　nostalgia　and　fear；　stitched　in　with　an　eerie　feeling　of　deja　vu　　he　thought：　I　dreamed　this。　When？　He　shook　it　off。　The　audience　　perhaps　twenty…five　all　told　　had　bee　dead　silent。
〃The　subject　of　our　meditation　tonight　is　The　Interloper。〃　Her　voice　was　sweet；　melodious；　the　speaking　voice　of　a　well…trained　soprano。
〃A　little　rustle　ran　through　the　audience。
〃I　feel；〃　Sylvia　Pittston　said　reflectively；　〃I　feel　that　I　know　everyone　in　The　Book　personally。　In　the　last　five　years　I　have　worn　out　five　Bibles；　and　uncountable　numbers　before　that。　I　love　the　story；　and　I　love　the　players　in　that　story。　I　have　walked　arm　in　arm　in　the　lion's　den　with
Daniel。　I　stood　with　David　when　he　was　tempted　by　Bathsheba　as　she　bathed　at　the　pool。　I　have　been　in　the　fiery　furnace　with　Shadrach；　Meshach；　and　Abednego。　I　slew　two　thousand　with　Samson　and　was　blinded　with　St。　Paul　on　the　road　to　Damascus。　I　wept　with　Mary　at　Golgotha。〃
A　soft；　shurring　sigh　in　the　audience。
〃I　have　known　and　loved　them。　There　is　only　one　one　　〃she　held　up　a　finger　　〃only　one　player　in　the　greatest　of　all　dramas　that　I　do　not　know。　Only　one　who　stands　outside　with　his　face　in　the　shadow。　Only　one　that　makes　my　body　tremble　and　my　spirit　quail。　I　fear　him。　I　don't　know　his　mind　and　I　fear　him。　I　fear　The　Interloper。〃
Another　sigh。　One　of　the　women　had　put　a　hand　over　her　mouth　as　if　to　stop　a　sound　and　was　rocking；　rocking。
〃The　Interloper　who　came　to　Eve　as　a　snake　on　its　belly；　grinning　and　writhing。　The　Interloper　who　walked　among　the　Children　of　Israel　while　Moses　was　up　on　the　Mount；　who　whispered　to　them　to　make　a　golden　idol；　a　golden　calf；　and　to　worship　it　with　foulness　and　forni