sk.thewastelands-第65部分

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　　Roland　leaned　over　to　Jake；　who　was　sitting　tailor…fashion　near　an　oval　bed　of　bright　green　flowers　with　Oy　at　his　side。　He　murmured：　〃Drink　only　enough　to　be　polite；　Jake；　or　we'll　be　carrying　you　out　of　town…this　is　graf…strong　apple…beer。〃
　　Jake　nodded。
　　Talitha　held　up　her　glass；　and　when　Roland　followed　suit；　Eddie；　Susannah；　and　Jake　did　the　same。
　　〃What　about　the　others？〃　Eddie　whispered　to　Roland。
　　〃They'll　be　served　after　the　voluntary。　Now　be　quiet。〃
　　〃Will　ye　set　us　on　with　a　word；　gunslinger？〃　Aunt　Talitha　asked。
　　The　gunslinger　got　to　his　feet；　his　glass　upraised　in　his　hand。　He　lowered　his　head；　as　if　in　thought。　The　few　remaining　residents　of　River　Crossing　watched　him　respectfully　and；　Jake　thought；　a　little　fearfully。　At　last　he　raised　his　head　again。　〃Will　you　drink　to　the　earth；　and　to　the　days　which　have　passed　upon　it？〃　he　asked。　His　voice　was　hoarse；'　trembling　with　emotion。　〃Will　you　drink　to　the　fullness　which　was；　and　to　friends　who　have　passed　on？　Will　you　drink　to　good　pany；　well　met？　Will　these　things　set　us　on；　Old　Mother？〃
　　She　was　weeping；　Jake　saw；　but　her　face　broke　into　a　smile　of　radiant　happiness　all　the　same　。　。　。　and　for　a　moment　she　was　almost　young。　Jake　looked　at　her　with　wonder　and　sudden；　dawning　happiness。　For　the　first　time　since　Eddie　had　hauled　him　through　the　door；　he　felt　the　shadow　of　the　doorkeeper　truly　leave　his　heart。
　　〃Ay；　gunslinger！〃　she　said。　〃Fair　spoken！　They'll　set　us　on　by　the　league；　so　they　shall！〃　She　tilted　her　glass　up　and　drank　it　at　a　draught。　When　the　glass　was　empty；　Roland　emptied　his　own。　Eddie　and　Susannah　also　drank；　although　less　deeply。
　　Jake　tasted　his　own　drink；　and　was　surprised　to　find　he　liked　it…the　brew　was　not　bitter；　as　he　had　expected；　but　both　sweet　and　tart；　like　cider。　He　could　feel　the　effects　almost　at　once；　however；　and　he　put　the　glass　carefully　aside。　Oy　sniffed　at　it；　then　drew　back；　and　dropped　his　muzzle　on　Jake's　ankle。
　　Around　them；　the　little　pany　of　old　people…the　last　residents　of　River　Crossing…were　applauding。　Most；　like　Aunt　Talitha；　were　weeping　openly。　And　now　other　glasses…not　so　fine　but　wholly　serviceable…were　passed　around。　The　party　began；　and　a　fine　party　it　was　on　that　long　summer's　afternoon　beneath　the　wide　prairie　sky。
　　　
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　　EDDIE　THOUGHT　THE　MEAL；　he　ate　that　day　was　the　best　he　had　had　since　the　mythic　birthday　feasts　of　his　childhood；　when　his　mother　had　made　it　her　business　to　serve　everything　he　liked…meatloaf　and　roasted　potatoes　and　corn　on　the　cob　and　devil's　food　cake　with　vanilla　ice　cream　on　the　side。
　　The　sheer　variety　of　the　edibles　put　before　them…especially　after　the　months　they　had　spent　eating　nothing　but　lobster　meat；　deer　meat；　and　the　few　bitter　greens　which　Roland　pronounced　safe…undoubtedly　had　something　to　do　with　the　pleasure　he　took　in　the　food；　but　Eddie　didn't　think　that　was　the　sole　answer；　he　noticed　that　the　kid　was　packing　it　away　by　the　plateful　（and　feeding　a　chunk　of　something　to　the　bumbler　crouched　at　his　feet　every　couple　of　minutes）；　and　Jake　hadn't　been　here　a　week　yet。
　　There　were　bowls　of　stew　（chunks　of　buffalo　meat　floating　in　a　rich　brown　gravy　loaded　with　vegetables）；　platters　of　fresh　biscuits；　crocks　of　sweet　white　butter；　and　bowls　of　leaves　that　looked　like　spinach　but　weren't　。　。　。　exactly。　Eddie　had　never　been　crazy　about　greens；　but　at　the　first　taste　of　these；　some　deprived　part　of　him　awoke　and　cried　for　them。　He　ate　well　of　everything；　but　his　need　for　the　green　stuff　approached　greed；　and　he　saw　Susannah　was　also　helping　herself　to　them　again　and　again。　Among　the　four　of　them；　the　travellers　emptied　three　bowls　of　the　leaves。
　　The　dinner　dishes　were　swept　away　by　the　old　women　and　the　albino　twins。　They　returned　with　chunks　of　cake　piled　high　on　two　thick　white　plates　and　a　bowl　of　whipped　cream。　The　cake　gave　off　a　sweetly　fragrant　smell　that　made　Eddie　feel　as　if　he　had　died　and　gone　to　heaven。
　　〃Only　buffaler　cream；〃　Aunt　Talitha　said　dismissively。　〃No　more　cows…last　one　croaked　thirty　year　ago。　Buffaler　cream　ain't　no　prize…winner；　but　better'n　nothin；　by　Daisy！〃
　　The　cake　turned　out　to　be　loaded　with　blueberries。　Eddie　thought　it　beat　by　a　country　mile　any　cake　he'd　ever　had。　He　finished　three　pieces；　leaned　back；　and　belched　ringingly　before　he　could　clap　a　hand　over　his　mouth。　He　looked　around　guiltily。
　　Mercy；　the　blind　woman；　cackled。　〃I　heard　that！　Someone　be　thankin'　the　cook；　Auntie！〃
　　〃Ay；〃　Aunt　Talitha　said；　laughing　herself。　〃So　he　do。〃
　　The　two　women　who　had　served　the　food　were　returning　yet　again。　One　carried　a　steaming　jug；　the　other　had　a　number　of　thick　ceramic　cups　balanced　precariously　on　her　tray。
　　Aunt　Talitha　was　sitting　at　the　head　of　the　table　with　Roland　by　her　right　hand。　Now　he　leaned　over　and　murmured　something　in　her　ear。　She　listened；　her　smile　fading　a　little；　then　nodded。
　　〃Si；　Bill；　and　Till；〃　she　said。　〃You　three　stay。　We　are　going　to　have　us　a　little　palaver　with　this　gunslinger　and　his　friends；　on　account　of　they　mean　to　move　along　this　very　afternoon。　The　rest　of　you　take　your　coffee　in　the　kitchen　and　so　cut　down　the　babble。　Mind　you　make　your　manners　before　you　go！〃
　　Bill　and　Till；　the　albino　twins；　remained　sitting　at　the　foot　of　the　table。　The　others　formed　a　line　and　moved　slowly　past　the　travellers。　Each　of　them　shook　hands　with　Eddie　and　Susannah；　then　kissed　Jake　on　the　cheek。　The　boy　accepted　this　with　good　grace；　but　Eddie　could　see　he　was　both　surprised　and　embarrassed。
　　When　they　reached　Roland；　they　knelt　before　him　and　touched　the　sandalwood　butt　of　the　revolver　which　jutted　from　the　holster　he　wore　on　his　left　hip。　He　put　his　hands　on　their　shoulders　and　kissed　their　old　brows。　Mercy　was　the　last；　she　flung　her　arms　around　Roland's　waist　and　baptized　his　cheek　with　a　wet；　ringing　kiss。
　　〃Gods　bless　and　keep　ye；　gunslinger！　If　only　I　could　see　ye！〃
　　〃Mind　your　manners；　Mercy！〃　Aunt　Talitha　said　sharply；　but　Roland　ignored　her　and　bent　over　the　blind　woman。
　　He　took　her　hands　gently　but　firmly　in　his　own；　and　raised　them　to　his　face。　〃See　me　with　these；　beauty；〃　he　said；　and　closed　his　eyes　as　her　fingers；　wrinkled　and　misshapen　with　arthritis；　patted　gently　over　his　brow；　his　cheeks；　his　lips　and　chin。
　　〃Ay；　gunslinger！〃　she　breathed；　lifting　the　sightless　sockets　of　her　eyes　to　his　faded　blue　ones。　〃I　see　you　very　well！　'Tis　a　good　face；　but　full　of　sadness　and　care。　I　fear　for　you　and　yours。〃
　　〃Yet　we　are　well　met；　are　we　not？〃　he　asked；　and　planted　a　gentle　kiss　on　the　smooth；　worn　skin　of　her　forehead。
　　〃Ay…so　we　are。　So　we　are。　Thank'ee　for　your　kiss；　gunslinger。　From　my　heart　I　thank'ee。〃
　　〃Go　on；　Mercy；〃　Aunt　Talitha　said　in　a　gentler　voice。　〃Get　your　coffee。〃
　　Mercy　rose　to　her　feet。　The　old　man　with　the　crutch　and　peg　leg　guided　her　hand　to　the　waistband　of　his　pants。　She　seized　it　and；　with　a　final　salute　to　Roland　and　his　band；　allowed　him　to　lead　her　away。
　　Eddie　wiped　at　his　eyes；　which　were　wet。　〃Who　blinded　her？〃　he　asked　hoarsely。
　　〃Harriers；〃　Aunt　Talitha　said。　〃Did　it　with　a　branding…iron；　they　did。　Said　it　was　because　she　was　looking　at　em　pert。　Twenty…five　years　agone；　that　was。　Drink　your　coffee；　now；　all　of　you！　It's　nasty　when　it's　hot；　but　it　ain't　nothin　but　roadmud　once　it's　cold。〃
　　Eddie　lifted　the　cup　to　his　mouth　and　sipped　experimentally。　He　wouldn't　have　gone　so　fur　us　to　call　it　roadmud；　hut　it　wasn't　exactly　Blue　Mountain　Blend；　either。
　　Susannah　tasted　hers　and　looked　amazed。　〃Why；　this　is　chicory！〃　Talitha　glanced　at　her。　〃I　know　it　not。　Dockey　is　all　I　know；　and　dockey…coffee's　all　we've　had　since　I　had　the　woman's　curse…and　that　curse　was　lifted　from　me　long；　long　ago。〃
　　〃How　old　are　you；　ma'am？〃　Jake　asked　suddenly。
　　Aunt　Talitha　looked　at　him；　surprised；　then　cackled。　〃In　truth；　lad；　I　disremember。　I　recall　sitting　in　this　same　place　and　having　a　party　to　celebrate　my　eighty；　but　there　were　over　fifty　people　settin　out　on　this　lawn　that　day；　and　Mercy　still　had　her　eyes。〃　Her　own　eyes　dropped　to　the　humbler　lying　at　Jake's　feet。　Oy　didn't　remove　his　muzzle　from　Jake's　ankle；　but　he　raised　his　gold…ringed　eyes　to　gaze