sk.thewastelands-第102部分

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k　looked　very　strange　there；　but　said　nothing。
　　〃Wonderful！〃　Tick…Tock　exclaimed。　〃Where　did　you　get　it；　cully？〃
　　〃It　was　a　birthday　present　from　my　father　and　mother；〃　Jake　said。　Gasher　leaned　forward　at　this；　perhaps　wanting　to　mention　the　idea　of　ransom　again。　If　so；　the　intent　look　on　the　Tick…Tock　Man's　face　changed　his　mind　and　he　sat　back　without　saying　anything。
　　〃Was　it？〃　Tick…Tock　marvelled；　raising　his　eyebrows。　He　had　discov…ered　the　small　button　which　lit　the　face　of　the　watch　and　kept　pushing　it；　watching　the　light　go　off　and　on。　Then　he　looked　back　at　Jake；　and　his　eyes　were　narrowed　to　bright　green　slits　again。　〃Tell　me　something；　cully…does　this　run　on　a　dipolar　or　unipolar　circuit？〃
　　〃Neither　one；〃　Jake　said；　not　knowing　that　his　failure　to　say　he　did　not　know　what　either　of　these　terms　meant　was　buying　him　a　great　deal　of　future　trouble。　〃It　runs　on　a　nickel…cadmium　battery。　At　least　I'm　pretty　sure　it　does。　I've　never　had　to　replace　it；　and　I　lost　the　instruction　folder　a　long　time　ago。〃
　　The　Tick…Tock　Man　looked　at　him　for　a　long　time　without　speaking；　and　Jake　realized　with　dismay　that　the　blonde　man　was　trying　to　decide　if　Jake　had　been　making　fun　of　him。　If　he　decided　Jake　had　been　making　fun；　Jake　had　an　idea　that　the　abuse　he　had　suffered　on　the　way　here　would　seem　like　tickling　pared　to　what　the　Tick…Tock　Man　might　do。　He　suddenly　wanted　to　divert　Tick…Tock's　train　of　thought…wanted　that　more　than　anything　in　the　world。　He　said　the　first　thing　he　thought　might　turn　the　trick。
　　〃He　was　your　grandfather；　wasn't　he？〃
　　The　Tick…Tock　Man　raised　his　brows　interrogatively。　His　hands　returned　to　Jake's　shoulders；　and　although　his　grip　was　not　tight；　Jake　could　feel　the　phenomenal　strength　there。　If　Tick…Tock　chose　to　tighten　his　grip　and　pull　sharply　forward；　he　would　snap　Jake's　collarbones　like　pencils。　If　he　shoved；　he　would　probably　break　his　back。
　　〃Who　was　my　grandfather；　cully？〃
　　Jake's　eyes　once　more　took　in　the　Tick…Tock　Man's　massive；　nobly　shaped　head　and　broad　shoulders。　He　remembered　what　Susannah　had　said：　Look　at　the　size　of　him；　Roland…they　must　have　had　to　grease　him　to　get　him　into　the　cockpit！
　　〃The　man　in　the　airplane。　David　Quick。〃
　　The　Tick…Tock　Man's　eyes　widened　in　surprise　and　amazement。　Then　he　threw　back　his　head　and　roared　out　a　gust　of　laughter　that　echoed　off　the　domed　ceiling　high　above。　The　others　smiled　nervously。　None；　however；　dared　to　laugh　right　out　loud　。　。　。　not　after　what　had　happened　to　the　woman　with　the　dark　hair。
　　〃Whoever　you　are　and　wherever　you　e　from；　boy；　you're　the　triggest　cove　old　Tick…Tock's　run　into　for　many　a　year。　Quick　was　my　great…grandfather；　not　my　grandfather；　but　you're　close　enough…wouldn't　you　say　so；　Gasher；　my　dear？〃
　　〃Ay；〃　Gasher　said。　〃He's　trig；　right　enough；　I　could've　toldjer　that。　But　wery　pert；　all　the　same。〃
　　〃Yes；〃　the　Tick…Tock　Man　said　thoughtfully。　His　hands　tightened　on　the　boy's　shoulders　and　drew　Jake　closer　to　that　smiling；　handsome；　lunatic　face。　〃I　can　see　he's　pert。　It's　in　his　eyes。　But　we'll　take　care　of　that；　won't　we；　Gasher？〃
　　It's　not　Gasher　he's　talking　to；　Jake　thought。　It's　me。　He　thinks　he's　hypnotizing　me　。　。　。　and　maybe　he　is。
　　〃Ay；〃　Gasher　breathed。
　　Jake　felt　he　was　drowning　in　those　wide　green　eyes。　Although　the　Tick…Tock　Man's　grip　was　still　not　really　tight；　he　couldn't　get　enough　breath　into　his　lungs。　He　summoned　all　of　his　own　force　in　an　effort　to　break　the　blonde　man's　hold　over　him；　and　again　spoke　the　first　words　which　came　to　mind：
　　〃So　fell　Lord　Perth；　and　the　countryside　did　shake　with　that　thunder。〃
　　It　acted　upon　Tick…Tock　like　a　hard　open…handed　blow　to　the　face。　He　recoiled；　green　eyes　narrowing；　his　grip　on　Jake's　shoulders　tightening　painfully。　〃What　do　you　say？　Where　did　you　hear　that？〃
　　〃A　little　bird　told　me；〃　Jake　replied　with　calculated　insolence；　and　the　next　instant　he　was　flying　across　the　room。
　　If　he　had　struck　the　curved　wall　headfirst；　he　would　have　been　knocked　cold　or　killed。　As　it　happened；　he　struck　on　one　hip；　rebounded；　and　landed　in　a　heap　on　the　iron　grillework。　He　shook　his　head　groggily；　looked　around；　and　found　himself　face　to　face　with　the　woman　who　was　not　taking　a　siesta。　He　uttered　a　shocked　cry　and　crawled　away　on　his　hands　and　knees。　Hoots　kicked　him　in　the　chest；　flipping　him　onto　his　back。　Jake　lay　there　gasping；　looking　up　at　the　knot　of　rainbow　colors　where　the　neon　tubes　came　together。　A　moment　later；　Tick…Tock's　face　filled　his　field　of　vision。　The　man's　lips　were　pressed　together　in　a　hard；　straight　line；　his　cheeks　flared　with　color；　and　there　was　fear　in　his　eyes。　The　coffin…shaped　glass　ornament　he　wore　around　his　neck　dangled　directly　in　front　of　Jake's　eyes；　swinging　gently　back　and　forth　on　its　silver　chain；　as　if　imitating　the　pendulum　of　the　tiny　grandfather　clock　inside。
　　〃Gasher's　right；〃　he　said。　He　gathered　a　handful　of　Jake's　shirt　into　one　fist　and　pulled　him　up。　〃You're　pert。　But　you　don't　want　to　be　pert　with　me；　cully。　You　don't　ever　want　to　be　pert　with　me。　Have　you　heard　of　people　with　short　fuses？　Well；　I　have　no　fuse　at　all；　and　there's　a　thousand　could　testify　to　it　if　I　hadn't　stilled　their　tongues　for　good。　If　you　ever　speak　to　me　of　Lord　Perth　again　。　。　。　ever；　ever；　ever　。　。　。　I'll　tear　off　the　top　of　your　skull　and　eat　your　brains。　I'll　have　none　of　that　bad…luck　story　in　the　Cradle　of　the　Grays。　Do　you　understand　me？〃
　　He　shook　Jake　back　and　forth　like　a　rag；　and　the　boy　burst　into　tears。
　　〃Do　you？〃
　　〃Y…Y…Yes！〃
　　〃Good。〃　He　set　Jake　upon　his　feet；　where　he　swayed　woozily　back　and　forth；　wiping　at　his　streaming　eyes　and　leaving　smudges　of　dirt　on　his　cheeks　so　dark　they　looked　like　mascara。　〃Now；　my　little　cull；　we're　going　to　have　a　question　and　answer　session　here。　I'll　ask　the　questions　and　you'll　give　the　answers。　Do　you　understand？〃
　　Jake　didn't　reply。　He　was　looking　at　a　panel　of　the　ventilator　grille　which　circled　the　chamber。
　　The　Tick…Tock　Man　grabbed　his　nose　between　two　of　his　fingers　and　squeezed　it　viciously。　〃Do　you　understand　me？〃
　　〃Yes！〃　Jake　cried。　His　eyes；　now　watering　with　pain　as　well　as　terror；　returned　to　Tick…Tock's　face。　He　wanted　to　look　back　at　the　ventilator　grille；　wanted　desperately　to　verify　that　what　he　had　seen　there　was　not　simply　a　trick　of　his　frightened；　overloaded　mind；　but　he　didn't　dare。　He　was　afraid　someone　else…Tick…Tock　himself；　most　likely…would　follow　his　gaze　and　see　what　he　had　seen。
　　〃Good。〃　Tick…Tock　pulled　Jake　back　over　to　the　chair　by　his　nose；　sat　down；　and　cocked　his　leg　over　the　arm　again。　〃Let's　have　a　nice　little　chin；　then。　We'll　begin　with　your　name；　shall　we？　Just　what　might　that　be；　cully？〃
　　〃Jake　Chambers。〃　With　his　nose　pinched　shut；　his　voice　sounded　nasal　and　foggy。
　　〃And　are　you　a　Not…See；　Jake　Chambers？〃
　　For　a　moment　Jake　wondered　if　this　was　a　peculiar　way　of　asking　him　if　he　was　blind　。　。　。　but　of　course　they　could　all　see　he　wasn't。　〃I　don't　understand　what…〃
　　Tick…Tock　shook　him　back　and　forth　by　the　nose。　〃Not…See！　Not…See！　You　just　want　to　stop　playing　with　me；　boy！〃
　　〃I　don't　understand…〃　Jake　began；　and　then　he　looked　at　the　old　machine…gun　hanging　from　the　chair　and　thought　once　more　of　the　crashed　Focke…Wulf。　The　pieces　fell　together　in　his　mind。　〃No…I'm　not　a　Nazi。　I'm　an　American。　All　that　ended　long　before　I　was　born！〃
　　The　Tick…Tock　Man　released　his　hold　on　Jake's　nose；　which　immedi…ately　began　to　gush　blood。　〃You　could　have　told　me　that　in　the　first　place　and　saved　yourself　all　sorts　of　pain；　Jake　Chambers　。　。　。　but　at　least　now　you　understand　how　we　do　things　around　here；　don't　you？〃
　　Jake　nodded。
　　〃Ay。　Well　enough！　We'll　start　with　the　simple　questions。〃
　　Jake's　eyes　drifted　back　to　the　ventilator　grille。　What　he　had　seen　before　was　still　there；　it　hadn't　been　just　his　imagination。　Two　gold…ringed　eyes　floated　in　the　dark　behind　the　chrome　louvers。
　　Oy。
　　Tick…Tock　slapped　his　face；　knocking　him　back　into　Gasher；　who　immediately　pushed　him　forward　again。　〃It's　school…time；　dear　heart；〃　Gasher　whispered。　〃Mind　yer　lessons；　now！　Mind　em　wery　sharp！〃
　　〃Look　at　me　when　I'm　talking　to　you；〃　Tick…