sk.thewastelands-第13部分

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ddie　knew　that　from　bitter　experience。　He　thought　of　telling　them　what　he　had　seen…or　thought　he　had　seenand　decided　to　play　his　own　cards　tight　and　close…up；　at　least　for　the　time　being。
　　Of　the　jawbone　itself　there　was　no　sign…not　even　a　splinter。
　　〃I　did　it　because　a　voice　spoke　in　my　mind　and　told　me　I　must；〃　Roland　said。　〃It　was　the　voice　of　my　father；　of　all　my　fathers。　When　one　hears　such　a　voice；　not　to　obey…and　at　once…is　unthinkable。　So　I　was　taught。　As　to　what　it　was；　I　can't　say　。　。　。　not　now；　at　least。　I　only　know　that　the　bone　has　spoken　its　final　word。　I　have　carried　it　all　this　way　to　hear　it。〃
　　Or　to　see　it；　Eddie　thought；　and　again：　Remember。　Remember　the　rose。　And　remember　the　shape　of　the　key。
　　〃It　almost　flash…fried　us！〃　She　sounded　both　tired　and　exasperated。
　　Roland　shook　his　head。　〃I　think　it　was　more　like　the　sort　of　firework　the　barons　used　to　sometimes　shoot　into　the　sky　at　their　year…end　parties。　Bright　and　startling；　but　not　dangerous。〃
　　Eddie　had　an　idea。　〃The　doubling　in　your　mind；　Roland…is　it　gone？　Did　it　leave　when　the　bone　exploded；　or　whatever　it　did？〃
　　He　was　almost　convinced　that　it　had；　in　the　movies　he'd　seen；　such　rough　shock…therapy　almost　always　worked。　But　Roland　shook　his　head。
　　Susannah　shifted　in　Eddie's　arms。　〃You　said　you　were　beginning　to　understand。〃
　　Roland　nodded。　〃I　think　so；　yes。　If　I'm　right；　I　fear　for　Jake。　Wher…ever　he　is；　whenever　he　is；　I　fear　for　him。〃
　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　Eddie　asked。
　　Roland　got　up；　went　to　his　roll　of　hides；　and　began　to　spread　them　out。　〃Enough　stories　and　excitement　for　one　night。　It's　time　to　sleep。　In　the　morning　we'll　follow　the　bear's　backtrail　and　see　if　we　can　find　the　portal　he　was　set　to　guard。　I'll　tell　you　what　I　know　and　what　I　believe　has　happened…what　I　believe　is　happening　still…along　the　way。〃
　　With　that　he　wrapped　himself　in　an　old　blanket　and　a　new　deerskin；　rolled　away　from　the　fire；　and　would　say　no　more。
　　Eddie　and　Susannah　lay　down　together。　When　they　were　sure　the　gunslinger　must　be　asleep；　they　made　love。　Roland　heard　them　going　about　it　as　he　lay　wakeful　and　heard　their　quiet　after…love　talk。　Most　of　it　was　about　him。　He　lay　quietly；　open　eyes　looking　into　the　darkness　long　after　their　talk　had　ceased　and　their　breathing　had　evened　out　into　a　single　easy　note。
　　It　was；　he　thought；　fine　to　be　young　and　in　love。　Even　in　the　grave…yard　which　this　world　had　bee；　it　was　fine。
　　Enjoy　it　while　you　can；　he　thought；　because　there　is　more　death　ahead。　We　have　e　to　a　stream　of　blood。　That　it　will　lead　us　to　a　river　of　the　same　stuff　I　have　no　doubt。　And；　further　along；　to　an　ocean。　In　this　world　the　graves　yawn　and　none　of　the　dead　rest　easy。
　　As　dawn　began　to　e　up　in　the　east；　he　closed　his　eyes。　Slept　briefly。　And　dreamed　of　Jake。
　　
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　　EDDIE　ALSO　DREAMED…DREAMED　he　was　back　in　New　York；　walking　along　Second　Avenue　with　a　book　in　his　hand。
　　In　this　dream　it　was　spring。　The　air　was　warm；　the　city　was　blooming；　and　homesickness　sobbed　within　him　like　a　muscle　with　a　fishhook　caught　deep　within　it。　Enjoy　this　dream；　and　make　it　go　on　as　long　as　you　can；　he　thought。　Savor　it　。　。　。　because　this　is　as　close　to　New　York　as　you're　going　to　get。　You　can't　go　home；　Eddie。　That　part's　done。
　　He　looked　down　at　the　book　and　was　utterly　unsurprised　to　find　it　was　You　Can't　Go　Home　Again；　by　Thomas　Wolfe。　Stamped　into　the　dark　red　cover　were　three　shapes；　key；　rose；　and　door。　He　stopped　for　a　moment；　flipped　the　book　open；　and　read　the　first　line。　The　man　in　black　fled　across　the　desert；　Wolfe　had　written；　and　the　gunslinger　followed。
　　Eddie　closed　it　and　walked　on。　It　was　about　nine　in　the　morning；　he　judged；　maybe　nine…thirty；　and　traffic　on　Second　Avenue　was　light。　Taxis　honked　and　wove　their　way　from　lane　to　lane　with　spring　sunshine　twinkling　off　their　windshields　and　bright　yellow　paintjobs。　A　bum　on　the　corner　of　Second　and　Fifty…second　asked　him　for　a　handout　and　Eddie　tossed　the　book　with　the　red　cover　into　his　lap。　He　observed　（also　without　surprise）　that　the　bum　was　Enrico　Balazar。　He　was　sitting　cross…legged　in　front　of　a　magic　shop。　HOUSE　OF　CARDS；　the　sign　in　the　window　read；　and　the　display　inside　showed　a　tower　which　had　been　built　of　Tarot　cards。　Standing　on　top　was　a　model　of　King　Kong。　There　was　a　tiny　radar…dish　growing　out　of　the　great　ape's　head。
　　Eddie　walked　on；　lazing　his　way　downtown；　the　street…signs　floating　past　him。　He　knew　where　he　was　going　as　soon　as　he　saw　it：　a　small　shop　on　the　corner　of　Second　and　Forty…sixth。
　　Yeah；　he　thought。　A　feeling　of　great　relief　swept　through　him。　This　is　the　place。　The　very　place。　The　window　was　full　of　hanging　meats　and　cheeses。　TOM　AND　GERRY'S　ARTISTIC　DELI；　the　sign　read。　PARTY　PLATTERS　OUR　SPECIALTY！
　　As　he　stood　looking　in；　someone　else　he　knew　came　around　the　corner。　It　was　Jack　Andolini；　wearing　a　three…piece　suit　the　color　of　vanilla　ice　cream　and　carrying　a　black　cane　in　his　left　hand。　Half　of　his　face　was　gone；　lopped　off　by　the　claws　of　the　lobstrosities。
　　Go　on　in；　Eddie；　Jack　said　as　he　passed。　After　all；　there　are　other　worlds　than　these　and　that　fuckin　train　rolls　through　all　of　them。
　　I　can't；　Eddie　replied。　The　door　is　locked。　He　didn't　know　how　he　knew　this；　but　he　did；　knew　it　beyond　a　shadow　of　a　doubt。
　　Dad…a…chum；　dud…a…chee；　not　to　worry；　you've　got　the　key；　Jack　said；　not　looking　back。　Eddie　looked　down　and　saw　he　did　have　a　key；　a　primitive…looking　thing　with　three　notches　like　inverted　Vs。
　　That　little　s…shape　at　the　end　of　the　last　notch　is　the　secret；　he　thought。　He　stepped　under　the　awning　of　Tom　and　Gerry's　Artistic　Deli　and　inserted　the　key　in　the　lock。　It　turned　easily。　He　opened　the　door　and　stepped　through　into　a　huge　open　field。　He　looked　back　over　his　shoulder　and　saw　the　traffic　on　Second　Avenue　hurrying　by；　and　then　the　door　slammed　shut　and　fell　over。　There　was　nothing　behind　it。　Nothing　at　all。　He　turned　back　to　survey　his　new　surroundings；　and　what　he　saw　filled　him　with　terror　at　first。　The　field　was　a　deep　scarlet；　as　if　some　titanic　battle　had　been　fought　here　and　the　ground　had　been　drenched　with　so　much　blood　that　it　could　not　all　be　absorbed。
　　Then　he　realized　that　it　was　not　blood　he　was　looking　at；　but　roses。
　　That　feeling　of　mingled　joy　and　triumph　surged　through　him　again；　swelling　his　heart　until　he　felt　it　might　burst　within　him。　He　raised　his　clenched　fists　high　over　his　head　in　a　gesture　of　victory　。　。　。　and　then　froze　that　way。
　　The　field　stretched　on　for　miles；　climbing　a　gentle　slope　of　land；　and　standing　at　the　horizon　was　the　Dark　Tower。　It　was　a　pillar　of　dumb　stone　rising　so　high　into　the　sky　that　he　could　barely　discern　its　tip。　Its　base；　surrounded　by　red；　shouting　roses；　was　formidable；　titanic　with　weight　and　size；　yet　the　Tower　became　oddly　graceful　as　it　rose　and　tapered。　The　stone　of　which　it　had　been　made　was　not　black；　as　he　had　imagined　it　would　be；　but　soot…colored。　Narrow；　slitted　windows　marched　about　it　in　a　rising　spiral；　below　the　windows　ran　an　almost　endless　flight　of　stone　stairs；　circling　up　and　up。　The　Tower　was　a　dark　gray　exclamation　point　planted　in　the　earth　and　rising　above　the　field　of　blood…red　roses。　The　sky　arched　above　it　was　blue；　but　filled　with　puffy　white　clouds　like　sailing　ships。　They　flowed　above　and　around　the　top　of　the　Dark　Tower　in　an　endless　stream。
　　How　gorgeous　it　is！　Eddie　marvelled。　How　gorgeous　and　strange！　But　his　feeling　of　joy　and　triumph　had　departed；　he　was　left　with　a　sense　of　deep　malaise　and　impending　doom。　He　looked　about　him　and　realized　with　sudden　horror　that　he　was　standing　in　the　shadow　of　the　Tower。　No；　not　just　standing　in　it；　buried　alive　in　it。
　　He　cried　out　but　his　cry　was　lost　in　the　golden　blast　of　some　tremen…dous　horn。　It　came　from　the　top　of　the　Tower；　and　seemed　to　fill　the　world。　As　that　note　of　warning　held　and　drew　out　over　the　field　where　he　stood；　blackness　welled　from　the　windows　which　girdled　the　Tower。　It　overspilled　them　and　spread　across　the　sky　in　flaggy　streams　which　came　together　and　formed　a　growing　blotch　of　darkness。　It　did　not　look　like　a　cloud；　it　looked　like　a　tumor　hanging　over　the　earth。　The　sky　was　blo