sk.thewastelands-第3部分

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　had　ever　met。
　　〃All　right；〃　she　said；　〃I'll　tell　you　why　I'm　looking　at　you　that　way；　Roland。　Because　what　you　did　was　a　mean　trick。　You　said　you　wouldn't　slap　me；　couldn't　slap　me；　even　if　I　cut　up　rough　。　。　。　but　either　you　lied　or　you're　very　stupid；　and　I　know　you　ain't　stupid。　People　don't　always　slap　with　their　hands；　as　every　man　and　woman　of　my　race　could　testify。　We　have　a　little　rhyme　where　I　e　from：　'Sticks　and　stones　will　break　my　bones…'　〃
　　〃　'…yet　taunts　shall　never　wound　me；'　〃　Roland　finished。
　　〃Well；　that's　not　exactly　the　way　we　say　it；　but　I　guess　it's　close　enough。　It's　bullshit　no　matter　how　you　say　it。　They　don't　call　what　you　did　a　tongue…lashing　for　nothing。　Your　words　hurt　me；　Roland…are　you　gonna　stand　there　and　say　you　didn't　know　they　would？〃
　　She　sat　in　her　chair；　looking　up　at　him　with　bright；　stern　curiosity；　and　Roland　thought…not　for　the　first　time…that　the　honk　mahfahs　of　Susannah's　land　must　have　been　either　very　brave　or　very　stupid　to　cross　her；　wheelchair　or　no　wheelchair。　And；　having　walked　among　them；　he　didn't　think　bravery　was　the　answer。
　　〃I　did　not　think　or　care　about　your　hurt；〃　he　said　patiently。　〃I　saw　you　show　your　teeth　and　knew　you　meant　to　bite；　so　I　put　a　stick　in　your　jaws。　And　it　worked　。　。　。　didn't　it？〃
　　Her　expression　was　now　one　of　hurt　astonishment。　〃You　bastardl〃
　　Instead　of　replying；　he　took　the　gun　from　her　holster；　fumbled　the　cylinder　open　with　the　remaining　two　fingers　on　his　right　hand；　and　began　to　reload　the　chambers　with　his　left　hand。
　　〃Of　all　the　high…handed；　arrogant…〃
　　〃You　needed　to　bite；〃　he　said　in　that　same　patient　tone。　〃Had　you　not；　you　would　have　shot　all　wrong…with　your　hand　and　your　gun　instead　of　your　eye　and　mind　and　heart。　Was　that　a　trick？　Was　it　arrogant？　I　think　not。　I　think。　Susannah；　that　you　were　the　one　with　arrogance　in　her　heart。　I　think　you　were　the　one　with　a　mind　to　get　up　to　tricks。　That　doesn't　distress　me。　Quite　the　opposite。　A　gunslinger　without　teeth　is　no　gunslinger。〃
　　〃Damn　it；　I'm　not　a　gunslinger！〃
　　He　ignored　that；　he　could　afford　to。　If　she　was　no　gunslinger；　then　he　was　a　billy…bumbler。　〃If　we　were　playing　a　game；　I　might　have　behaved　differently。　But　this　is　no　game。　It　。。。〃
　　His　good　hand　went　to　his　forehead　for　a　moment　and　paused　there；　fingers　tented　just　above　the　left　temple。　The　tips　of　the　fingers；　she　saw；　were　trembling　minutely。
　　〃Roland；　what's　ailing　you？〃　she　asked　quietly。
　　The　hand　lowered　slowly。　He　rolled　the　cylinder　back　into　place　and　replaced　die　revolver　in　the　holster　she　wore。　〃Nothing。〃
　　〃Yes　there　is。　I've　seen　it。　Eddie　has；　too。　It　started　almost　as　soon　as　we　left　the　beach。　It's　something　wrong；　and　it's　getting　worse。〃
　　〃There　is　nothing　wrong；〃　he　repeated。
　　She　put　her　hands　out　and　took　his。　Her　anger　was　gone；　at　least　for　the　time　being。　She　looked　earnestly　up　into　his　eyes。　〃Eddie　and　I　。　。　。　this　isn't　our　world；　Roland。　Without　you；　we'd　die　here。　We'd　have　your　guns；　and　we　can　shoot　them；　you've　taught　us　to　do　that　well　enough；　but　we'd　die　just　the　same。　We　。。。　we　depend　on　you。　So　tell　me　what's　wrong。　Let　me　try　to　help。　Let　us　try　to　help。〃
　　He　had　never　been　a　man　who　understood　himself　deeply　or　cared　to；　the　concept　of　self…consciousness　（let　alone　self…analysis）　was　alien　to　him。　His　way　was　to　act…to　quickly　consult　his　own　interior；　utterly　mysterious　workings；　and　then　act。　Of　them　all；　he　had　been　the　most　perfectly　made；　a　man　whose　deeply　romantic　core　was　encased　in　a　brutally　simple　box　which　consisted　of　instinct　and　pragmatism。　He　took　one　of　those　quick　looks　inside　now　and　decided　to　tell　her　everything。　There　was　something　wrong　with　him；　oh　yes。　Yes　indeed。　Something　wrong　with　his　mind；　something　as　simple　as　his　nature　and　as　strange　as　the　weird；　wandering　life　into　which　that　nature　had　impelled　him。
　　He　opened　his　mouth　to　say　I'll　tell　you　what's　wrong；　Susannah；　and　I'll　do　it　in　just　three　words。　I'm　going　insane。　But　before　he　could　begin；　another　tree　fell　in　the　forest…it　went　with　a　huge；　grinding　crash。　This　treefall　was　closer；　and　this　time　they　were　not　deeply　engaged　in　a　test　of　wills　masquerading　as　a　lesson。　Both　heard　it；　both　heard　the　agitated　cawing　of　the　crows　which　followed　it；　and　both　registered　the　fact　that　the　tree　had　fallen　close　to　their　camp。
　　Susannah　had　looked　in　the　direction　of　the　sound　but　now　her　eyes；　wide　and　dismayed；　returned　to　the　gunslinger's　face。　〃Eddie！〃　she　said。
　　A　cry　rose　from　the　deep　green　fastness　of　the　woods　in　back　of　them…a　vast　cry　of　rage。　Another　tree　went；　and　then　another。　They　fell　in　what　sounded　like　a　hail　of　mortar…fin…；　Dry　wood；　the　gunslinger　thought。　Dead　trees。
　　〃Eddie！〃　This　time　she　screamed　it。　〃Whatever　it　is；　it's　near　Eddie！〃　Her　hands　flew　to　the　wheels　of　her　chair　and　began　the　laborious　job　of　turning　it　around。
　　〃No　time　for　that。〃　Roland　seized　her　under　her　arms　and　pulled　her　free。　He　had　carried　her　before　when　the　going　was　too　rough　for　her　wheelchair…both　men　had…but　she　was　still　amazed　by　his　uncanny；　ruthless　speed。　At　one　moment　she　was　in　her　wheelchair；　an　item　which　had　been　purchased　in　New　York　City's　finest　medical　supply　house　in　the　fall　of　1962。　At　the　next　she　was　balanced　precariously　on　Roland's　shoulders　like　a　cheerleader；　her　muscular　thighs　gripping　the　sides　of　his　neck；　his　palms　over　his　head　and　pressing　into　the　small　of　her　back。　He　began　to　run　with　her；　his　sprung　boots　slapping　the　needle…strewn　earth　between　the　ruts　left　by　her　wheelchair。
　　〃Odetta！〃　he　cried；　reverting　in　this　moment　of　stress　to　the　name　by　which　he　had　first　known　her。　〃Don't　lose　the　gun！　For　your　father's　sake！〃
　　He　was　sprinting　between　the　trees　now。　Shadow…lace　and　bright　chains　of　sun…dapple　ran　across　them　in　moving　mosaics　as　Roland　length…ened　his　stride。　They　were　going　downhill　now。　Susannah　raised　her　left　hand　to　ward　off　a　branch　that　wanted　to　slap　her　from　the　gunslinger's　shoulders。　At　the　same　moment　she　dropped　her　right　hand　to　the　butt　of　his　ancient　revolver；　cradling　it。
　　A　mile；　she　thought。　How　long　to　run　a　mile？　How　long　with　him　going　flat…out　like　this？　Not　long；　if　he　can　keep　his　feet　on　these　slippery　needles　。　。　。　but　maybe　too　long。　Let　him　be　all　right；　Lord…let　my　Eddie　be　all　right。
　　As　if　in　answer；　she　heard　the　unseen　beast　loose　its　cry　again。　That　vast　voice　was　like　thunder。　Like　doom。
　　
　　　2
　　HE　WAS　THE　LARGEST　creature　in　the　forest　which　had　once　been　known　as　the　Great　West　Woods；　and　he　was　the　oldest。　Many　of　the　huge　old　elms　which　Roland　had　noticed　in　the　valley　below　had　been　little　more　than　twigs　sprouting　from　the　ground　when　the　bear　came　out　of　the　dim　unknown　reaches　of　Out…World　like　a　brutal；　wandering　king。
　　Once；　the　Old　People　had　lived　in　the　West　Woods　（it　was　their　leavings　which　Roland　had　found　from　time　to　time　during　the　last　weeks）；　and　they　had　gone　in　fear　of　the　colossal；　undying　bear。　They　had　tried　to　kill　him　when　they　first　discovered　they　were　not　alone　in　the　new　territory　to　which　they　had　e；　but　although　their　arrows　enraged　him；　they　did　no　serious　damage。　And　he　was　not　confused　about　the　source　of　his　torment；　as　were　the　other　beasts　of　the　forest…even　the　predatory　bushcats　which　denned　and　littered　in　the　sandhills　to　the　west。　No；　he　knew　where　the　arrows　came　from；　this　bear。　Knew。　And　for　every　arrow　which　found　its　mark　in　the　flesh　below　his　shaggy　pelt；　he　took　three；　four；　perhaps　as　many　as　half　a　dozen　of　the　Old　People。　Children　if　he　could　get　them；　women　if　he　could　not。　Their　warriors　he　disdained；　and　this　was　the　final　humiliation。
　　Eventually；　as　his　real　nature　became　clear　to　them；　their　efforts　to　kill　him　ceased。　He　was；　of　course；　a　demon　incarnate…or　the　shadow　of　a　god。　They　called　him　Mir；　which　to　these　people　meant　〃the　world　beneath　the　world。〃　He　stood　seventy　feet　high；　and　after　eighteen　or　more　centuries　of　undisputed　rule　in　the　West　Woods；　he　was　dying。　Perhaps　the　instrument　of　his　death　had　at　first　been　a　microscopic　organism　in　something　he　had　eaten　or　drunk；　perhaps　it　was　old　age；　more　likely　a　bination　of　both。　The