sk.everythingseventual-第39部分

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　　'Such　ones　to　speak　of　damnation！　Stand　aside。'
　　They　did。　Roland　walked　past　them　and　they　shrank　away　from　him　。　。　。　but　they　shrank　from　her　more。
　　'Damned？'　he　asked　after　they　had　skirted　the　hacienda　and　reached　the　path　beyond　it。　The　Kissing　Moon　glimmered　above　a　tumbled　scree　of　rocks。　In　its　light　Roland　could　see　a　small　black　opening　low　on　the　scarp。　He　guessed　it　was　the　cave　the　Sisters　called　Thoughtful　House。　'What　did　they　mean；　damned？'
　　'Never　mind。　All　we　have　to　worry　about　now　is　Sister　Mary。　I　like　it　not　that　we　haven't　seen　her。'
　　She　tried　to　walk　faster；　but　he　grasped　her　arm　and　turned　her　about。　He　could　still　hear　the　singing　of　the　bugs；　but　faintly；　they　were　leaving　the　place　of　the　Sisters　behind。　Eluria；　too；　if　the　pass　in　his　head　was　still　working；　he　thought　the　town　was　in　the　other　direction。　The　husk　of　the　town；　he　amended。
　　'Tell　me　what　they　meant。'
　　'Perhaps　nothing。　Ask　me　not；　Roland…what　good　is　it？　'Tis　done；　the　bridge　burned。　I　can't　go　back。　Nor　would　if　I　could。'　She　looked　down；　biting　her　lip；　and　when　she　looked　up　again；　Roland　saw　fresh　tears　falling　on　her　cheeks。　'I　have　supped　with　them。　There　were　times　when　I　couldn't　help　it；　no　more　than　you　could　help　drinking　their　wretched　soup；　no　matter　if　you　knew　what　was　in　it。'
　　Roland　remembered　John　Norman　saying　A　man　has　to　eat　。　。　。　a　woman；　too。　He　nodded。
　　'I'd　go　no　farther　down　that　road。　If　there's　to　be　damnation；　let　it　be　of　my　choosing；　not　theirs。　My　mother　meant　well　by　bringing　me　back　to　them；　but　she　was　wrong。'　She　looked　at　him　shyly　and　fearfully　。　。　。　but　met　his　eyes。　'I'd　go　beside　ye　on　yer　road；　Roland　of　Gilead。　For　as　long　as　I　may；　or　as　long　as　ye'd　have　me。'
　　'You're　wele　to　your　share　of　my　way；'　he　said。　'And　I　am…'
　　Blessed　by　your　pany；　he　would　have　finished；　but　before　he　could；　a　voice　spoke　from　the　tangle　of　moonshadow　ahead　of　them；　where　the　path　at　last　climbed　out　of　the　rocky；　sterile　valley　in　which　the　Little　Sisters　had　practiced　their　glamours。
　　'It's　a　sad　duty　to　stop　such　a　pretty　elopement；　but　stop　it　I　must。'
　　Sister　Mary　came　from　the　shadows。　Her　fine　white　habit　with　its　bright　red　rose　had　reverted　to　what　it　really　was：　the　shroud　of　a　corpse。　Caught；　hooded　in　its　grimy　folds；　was　a　wrinkled；　sagging　face　from　which　two　black　eyes　stared。　They　looked　like　rotted　dates。　Below　them；　exposed　by　the　thing's　smile；　four　great　incisors　gleamed。
　　Upon　the　stretched　skin　of　Sister　Mary's　forehead；　bells　tinkled　。　。　。　but　not　the　Dark　Bells；　Roland　thought。　There　was　that。
　　'Stand　clear；'　Jenna　said。　'Or　I'll　bring　the　can　tam　on　ye。'
　　'No；'　Sister　Mary　said；　stepping　closer；　'ye　won't。　They'll　not　stray　so　far　from　the　others。　Shake　your　head　and　ring　those　damned　bells　until　the　clappers　fall　out；　and　still　they'll　never　e。'
　　Jenna　did　as　bid；　shaking　her　head　furiously　from　side　to　side。　The　Dark　Bells　rang　piercingly；　but　without　that　extra；　almost　psychic　tone…quality　that　had　gone　through　Roland's　head　like　a　spike。　And　the　doctor…bugs…what　Jenna　had　called　the　can　tam…did　not　e。
　　Smiling　ever　more　broadly　（Roland　had　an　idea　Mary　herself　hadn't　been　pletely　sure　they　wouldn't　e　until　the　experiment　was　made）；　the　corpse…woman　closed　in　on　them；　seeming　to　float　above　the　ground。　Her　eyes　flicked　toward　him。　'And　put　that　away；'　she　said。
　　Roland　looked　down　and　saw　that　one　of　his　guns　was　in　his　hand。　He　had　no　memory　of　drawing　it。
　　'Unless　'tis　been　blessed　or　dipped　in　some　sect's　holy　wet…blood；　water；　semen…it　can't　harm　such　as　me；　gunslinger。　For　I　am　more　shade　than　substance　。　。　。　yet　still　the　equal　to　such　as　yerself；　for　all　that。'
　　She　thought　he　would　try　shooting　her；　anyway；　he　saw　it　in　her　eyes。　Those　shooters　are　all　ye　have；　her　eyes　said。　Without　em；　you　might　as　well　be　back　in　the　tent　we　dreamed　around　ye；　caught　up　in　our　slings　and　awaiting　our　pleasure。
　　Instead　of　shooting；　he　dropped　the　revolver　back　into　its　holster　and　launched　himself　at　her　with　his　hands　out。　Sister　Mary　uttered　a　scream　that　was　mostly　surprise；　but　it　was　not　a　long　one；　Roland's　fingers　clamped　down　on　her　throat　and　choked　the　sound　off　before　it　was　fairly　started。
　　The　touch　of　her　flesh　was　obscene…it　seemed　not　just　alive　but　various　beneath　his　hands；　as　if　it　was　trying　to　crawl　away　from　him。　He　could　feel　it　running　like　liquid；　flowing；　and　the　sensation　was　horrible　beyond　description。　Yet　he　clamped　down　harder；　determined　to　choke　the　life　out　of　her。
　　Then　there　came　a　blue　flash　（not　in　the　air；　he　would　think　later；　that　flash　happened　inside　his　head；　a　single　stroke　of　lightning　as　she　touched　off　some　brief　but　powerful　brainstorm）；　and　his　hands　flew　away　from　her　neck。　For　one　moment　his　dazzled　eyes　saw　great　wet　gouges　in　her　gray　flesh…gouges　in　the　shapes　of　his　hands。　Then　he　was　flung　backward；　hitting　the　scree　on　his　back　and　sliding；　hitting　his　head　on　a　jutting　rock　hard　enough　to　provoke　a　second；　lesser；　flash　of　light。
　　'Nay；　my　pretty　man；'　she　said；　grimacing　at　him；　laughing　with　those　terrible　dull　eyes　of　hers。　'Ye　don't　choke　such　as　me；　and　I'll　take　ye　slow　for'ee　impertinence…cut　ye　shallow　in　a　hundred　places　to　refresh　my　thirst！　First；　though；　I'll　have　this　vowless　girl　。　。　。　and　I'll　have　those　damned　bells　off　her；　in　the　bargain。'
　　'e　and　see　if　you　can！'　Jenna　cried　in　a　trembling　voice；　and　shook　her　head　from　side　to　side。　The　Dark　Bells　rang　mockingly；　provokingly。
　　Mary's　grimace　of　a　smile　fell　away。　'Oh；　I　can；'　she　breathed。　Her　mouth　yawned。　In　the　moonlight；　her　fangs　gleamed　in　her　gums　like　bone　needles　poked　through　a　red　pillow。　'I　can　and　I…'
　　There　was　a　growl　from　above　them。　It　rose；　then　splintered　into　a　volley　of　snarling　barks。　Mary　turned　to　her　left；　and　in　the　moment　before　the　snarling　thing　left　the　rock　on　which　it　was　standing；　Roland　could　clearly　read　the　startled　bewilderment　on　Big　Sister's　face。
　　It　launched　itself　at　her；　only　a　dark　shape　against　the　stars；　legs　outstretched　so　it　looked　like　some　sort　of　weird　bat；　but　even　before　it　crashed　into　the　woman；　striking　her　in　the　chest　above　her　half…raised　arms　and　fastening　its　own　teeth　on　her　throat；　Roland　knew　exactly　what　it　was。
　　As　the　shape　bore　her　over　onto　her　back；　Sister　Mary　uttered　a　gibbering　shriek　that　went　through　Roland's　head　like　the　Dark　Bells　themselves。　He　scrambled　to　his　feet；　gasping。　The　shadowy　thing　tore　at　her；　forepaws　on　either　side　of　her　head；　rear　paws　planted　on　the　grave…shroud　above　her　chest；　where　the　rose　had　been。
　　Roland　grabbed　Jenna；　who　was　looking　down　at　the　fallen　Sister　with　a　kind　of　frozen　fascination。
　　'e　on！'　he　shouted。　'Before　it　decides　it　wants　a　bite　of　you；　too！'
　　The　dog　took　no　notice　of　them　as　Roland　pulled　Jenna　past。　It　had　torn　Sister　Mary's　head　mostly　off。
　　Her　flesh　seemed　to　be　changing；　somehow…deposing；　very　likely…but　whatever　was　happening；　Roland　did　not　want　to　see　it。　He　didn't　want　Jenna　to　see　it；　either。
　　They　half…walked；　half…ran　to　the　top　of　the　ridge；　and　when　they　got　there　paused　for　breath　in　the　moonlight；　heads　down；　hands　linked；　both　of　them　gasping　harshly。
　　The　growling　and　snarling　below　them　had　faded；　but　was　still　faintly　audible　when　Sister　Jenna　raised　her　head　and　asked　him；　'What　was　it？　You　know…I　saw　it　in　your　face。　And　how　could　it　attack　her？　We　all　have　power　over　animals；　but　she　has…had…the　most。'
　　'Not　over　that　one。'　Roland　found　himself　recalling　the　unfortunate　boy　in　the　next　bed。　Norman　hadn't　known　why　the　medallions　kept　the　Sisters　at　arm's　length…whether　it　was　the　gold　or　the　God。　Now　Roland　knew　the　answer。　'It　was　a　dog。　Just　a　town…dog。　I　saw　it　in　the　square；　before　the　green　folk　knocked　me　out　and　took　me　to　the　Sisters。　I　suppose　the　other　animals　that　could　run　away　did　run　away；　but　not　that　one。　It　had　nothing　to　fear　from　the　Little　Sisters　of　Eluria；　and　somehow　it　knew　it　didn't。　It　bears　the　sign　of　the　Jesus　Man　on　its　chest。　Black　fur　on　white。　Just　an　accident　of　its　birth；　I　imagine。　In　any　case；　it's　done　for　her　now。　I　knew　it　was　lurking　around。　I　heard　it　barking　two　or　three　times。'
　　'Why？'　Jenna　whispered。　'Why　would　it　e？　Why　would　it　stay？　And　why　would　it　take　on　her　as　it　did？'
　　Roland　of　Gilead　responded　as　he　ever　had　and　ever　would　when　such　useless；　mystifying　questions　were　raised：　'Ka。　e　on。　Let's　get　as　far　as　we　can　from　this　place　before　we　hide　up　for　the　day。'
　　As　far　as　they　could　turned　out　to　be　eight　miles　at　most　。　。　。　and　probably；　Roland　thought　as　the　two　of　them　sank　down　in　a　patch　of　sweet…smelling　sage　beneath　an　overhang　of　rock；　a　good　deal　less。　Five；　perhaps。　It　was　him　slowing　them　down；　or　rather；　it　was　the　residue　of　the　poison　in　the　soup。　When　it　was　clear　to　him　that　he　could　not　go　farther　without　help；　he　asked　her　for　one　of　the　reeds。　She　refused；　saying　that　the　stuff　in　it　might　bine　with　the　unaccustomed　exercise　to　burst　his　heart。
　　'Besides；'　she　said　as　they　lay　back　against　the　embankment　of　the　little　nook　they　had　found；　'they'll　not　follow。　Those　that　are　left…Michela；　Louise；　Tamra…will　be　packing　up　to　move　on。　They　know　to　leave　when　the　time　es；　that's　why　the　Sisters　have　survived　as　long　as　they　have。　As　we　have。　We're　strong　in　some　ways；　but　weak　in　many　more。　Sister　Mary　forgot　that。　It　was　her　arrogance　that　did　for　her　as　much　as　the　cross…dog；　I　think。'
　　She　had　cached　not　just　his　boots　and　clothes　beyond　the　top　of　the　ridge；　but　the　smaller　of　his　two　purses；　as　well。　When　she　began　to　apologize　for　not　bringing　his　bedroll　and　the　larger　purse　（she'd　tried；　she　said；　but　they　were　simply　too　heavy）；　Roland　hushed　her　with　a　finger　to　her　lips。　He　thought　it　a　miracle　to　have　as　much　as　he　did。　And　besides　（this　he　did　not　say；　but　perhaps　she　knew　it；　anyway）；　the　guns　were　the　only　things　that　really　mattered。　The　guns　of　his　father；　and　his　father　before　him；　all　the　way　back　to　the　days　of　Arthur　Eld；　when　dreams　and　dragons　had　still　walked　the　earth。
　　'Will　you　be　all　right？'　he　asked　her　as　they　settled　down。　The　moon　had　set；　but　dawn　was　still　a