sk.thewastelands-第93部分

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；　for　what　I　have　runs　in　the　blood　and　you'll　see　the　first　blossoms　on　yer　own　face　before　the　week's　out…if　yer　lives　that　long。　Now；　do　you　see？〃
　　Jake　nodded　frantically。　Gasher's　face　was　disappearing　into　deepen…ing　folds　of　gray；　and　his　voice　seemed　to　be　ing　from　a　great　distance。
　　〃All　right。〃　Gasher　shoved　him　backward。　Jake　fell　in　a　heap　beside　the　manhole　cover；　gagging　and　retching。　He　finally　managed　to　draw　in　a　deep；　whooping　breath　that　burned　like　liquid　fire。　He　spat　out　a　blood…flecked　wad　of　stuff　and　almost　threw　up　at　the　sight　of　it。
　　〃Now　yank　back　that　cover；　my　heart's　delight；　and　let's　have　no　more　natter　about　it。
　　Jake　crawled　over　to　it；　slid　his　hands　into　the　grip；　and　this　time　pulled　with　all　his　might。　For　one　terrible　moment　he　thought　he　was　still　not　going　to　be　able　to　budge　it。　Then　he　imagined　Gasher's　fingers　reaching　into　his　mouth　and　seizing　his　tongue；　and　found　a　little　extra。　There　was　a　dull；　spreading　agony　in　his　lower　back　as　something　gave　there；　but　the　circular　lid　slipped　slowly　aside；　grinding　on　the　cobbles　and　exposing　a　grinning　crescent　of　darkness。
　　〃Good；　cully；　good！〃　Gasher　cried　cheerfully。　〃What　a　little　mule　y'are！　Keep　pulling…don't　give　up　now！〃
　　When　the　crescent　had　bee　a　half…moon　and　the　pain　in　Jake's　lower　back　was　a　white…hot　fire；　Gasher　booted　him　in　the　ass；　knocking　him　asprawl。
　　〃Wery　good！〃　Gasher　said；　peering　in。　〃Now；　cully；　go　smartly　down　the　ladder　on　the　side。　Mind　you　don't　lose　your　grip　and　tumble　all　the　way　to　the　bottom；　for　those　rungs　are　fearsome　slick　and　greezy。　There's　twenty　or　so；　as　I　remember。　And　when　you　get　to　the　bottom；　stand　stock…still　and　wait　for　me。　You　might　feel　like　runnin　from　yer　old　pal；　but　do　you　think　that　would　be　a　good　idea？〃
　　〃No；〃　Jake　said。　〃I　suppose　not。〃
　　〃Wery　intelligent；　old　son！〃　Gasher's　lips　spread　in　his　hideous　smile；　once　more　revealing　his　few　surviving　teeth。　〃It's　dark　down　there；　and　there　are　a　thousand　tunnels　going　every　which…a…way。　Yer　old　pal　Gasher　knows　em　like　the　back　of　his　hand；　so　he　does；　but　you'd　be　lost　in　no　time。　Then　there's　the　rats…wery　big　and　wery　hungry　they　are。　So　you　just　wait。〃
　　〃I　will。〃
　　Gasher　regarded　him　narrowly。　〃You　speak　just　like　a　little　triggie；　you　do；　but　you're　no　Pube…I'll　set　my　watch　and　warrant　to　that。　Where　are　you　from；　squint？〃
　　Jake　said　nothing。
　　〃Bumbler　got　your　tongue；　do　he？　Well；　that's　all　right；　Tick…Tock'll　get　it　all　out　of　you；　so　he　will。　He's　got　a　way　about　him；　Ticky　does；　just　naturally　wants　to　make　people　conwerse。　Once　he　gets　em　goin；　they　sometimes　talks　so　fast　and　screams　so　loud　someone　has　to　hit　em　over　the　head　to　slow　em　down。　Bumblers　ain't　allowed　to　hold　no　one's　tongue　around　the　Tick…Tock　Man；　not　even　fine　young　triggers　like　you。　Now　get　the　fuck　down　that　ladder。　Hup！〃
　　He　lashed　out　with　his　foot。　This　time　Jake　managed　to　tuck　in　and　dodge　the　blow。　He　looked　into　the　half…open　manhole；　saw　the　ladder；　and　started　down。　He　was　still　chest…high　to　the　alley　when　a　tremendous　stonelike　crash　hammered　the　air。　It　came　from　a　mile　or　more　away；　but　Jake　knew　what　it　was　without　having　to　be　told。　A　cry　of　pure　misery　burst　from　his　lips。
　　A　grim　smile　tugged　at　the　corners　of　Gasher's　mouth。　〃Your　hard…case　friend　trailed　ye　a　little　better　than　ye　thought　he　would；　didn't　he？
　　Not　better　than　I　thought；　though；　cully；　for　I　got　a　look　at　his　eyes…wery　pert　and　cunning　they　were。　I　thought　he'd　e　arter　his　juicy　little　night…nudge　a　right　smart；　if　he　was　to　e　at　all；　and　so　he　did。　He　spied　the　tripwires；　but　the　fountain's　got　him；　so　that's　all　right。　Get　on；　sweetcheeks。〃
　　He　aimed　a　kick　at　Jake's　protruding　head。　Jake　ducked　it；　but　one　foot　slipped　on　the　ladder　bolted　to　the　side　of　the　sewer　shaft　and　he　only　saved　himself　from　falling　by　clutching　Gasher's　scab…raddled　ankle。　He　looked　up；　pleading；　and　saw　no　softening　on　that　dying；　infected　face。
　　〃Please；〃　he　said；　and　heard　the　word　trying　to　break　into　a　sob。　He　kept　seeing　Roland　lying　crushed　beneath　the　huge　fountain。　What　had　Gasher　said？　If　anyone　wanted　him；　they　would　have　to　pick　him　up　with　a　blotter。
　　〃Beg　if　you　want；　dear　heart。　Just　don't　expect　no　good　to　e　of　it；　for　mercy　stops　on　this　side　of　the　bridge；　so　it　does。　Now　go　down；　or　I'll　kick　your　bleedin　brains　right　outcher　bleedin　ears。〃
　　So　Jake　went　down；　and　by　the　time　he　reached　the　standing　water　at　the　bottom；　the　urge　to　cry　had　passed。　He　waited；　shoulders　slumped　and　head　down；　for　Gasher　to　descend　and　lead　him　to　his　fate。
　　
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　　ROLAND　HAD　E　CLOSE　to　tripping　the　crossed　wires　which　held　back　the　avalanche　of　junk；　but　the　dangling　fountain　was　absurd…a　trap　which　might　have　been　set　by　a　stupid　child。　Cort　had　taught　them　to　constantly　check　all　visual　quadrants　as　they　moved　in　enemy　territory；　and　that　included　above　as　well　as　behind　and　below。
　　〃Stop；〃　he　told　Oy；　raising　his　voice　to　be　heard　over　the　drums。
　　〃Op！〃　Oy　agreed；　then　looked　ahead　and　immediately　added；　〃Ake！〃
　　〃Yes。〃　The　gunslinger　took　another　look　up　at　the　suspended　marble　fountain；　then　examined　the　street；　looking　for　the　trigger。　There　were　two；　he　saw。　Perhaps　their　camouflage　as　cobblestones　had　once　been　effective；　but　that　time　was　long　past。　Roland　bent　down；　hands　on　his　knees；　and　spoke　into　Oy's　upturned　face。　〃Going　to　pick　you　up　for　a　minute　now。　Don't　fuss；　Oy。〃
　　〃Oy！〃
　　Roland　put　his　arms　around　the　bumbler。　At　first　Oy　stiffened　and　attempted　to　pull　away；　and　then　Roland　felt　the　small　animal　give　in。　He　wasn't　happy　about　being　this　close　to　someone　who　wasn't　Jake；　but　he　clearly　intended　to　put　up　with　it。　Roland　found　himself　wondering　again　just　how　intelligent　Oy　was。
　　He　carried　him　up　the　narrow　passage　and　beneath　The　Hanging　Fountain　of　Lud；　stepping　carefully　over　the　mock　cobbles。　Once　they　were　safely　past；　he　bent　to　let　Oy　go。　As　he　did；　the　drums　stopped。
　　〃Ake！〃　Oy　said　impatiently。　〃Ake…Ake！〃
　　〃Yes…but　there's　a　little　piece　of　business　to　attend　to　first。〃
　　He　led　Oy　fifteen　yards　farther　down　the　alley；　then　bent　and　picked　up　a　chunk　of　concrete。　He　tossed　it　thoughtfully　from　hand　to　hand；　and　as　he　did；　he　heard　the　sound　of　a　pistol…shot　from　the　east。　The　amplified　thump　of　the　drums　had　buried　the　sound　of　Eddie　and　Susan…nah's　battle　with　the　ragged　band　of　Pubes；　but　he　heard　this　gunshot　clearly　and　smiled…it　almost　surely　meant　that　the　Deans　had　reached　the　cradle；　and　that　was　the　first　good　news　of　this　day；　which　already　seemed　at　least　a　week　long。
　　Roland　turned　and　threw　the　piece　of　concrete。　His　aim　was　as　true　as　it　had　been　when　he　had　thrown　at　the　ancient　traffic　signal　in　River　Crossing；　the　missile　struck　one　of　the　discolored　triggers　dead　center；　and　one　of　the　rusty　cables　snapped　with　a　harsh　twang。　The　marble　fountain　dropped；　rolling　over　as　the　other　cable　snubbed　it　for　a　moment　longer…long　enough　so　that　a　man　with　fast　reflexes　could　have　cleared　the　drop…zone　anyway；　Roland　reckoned。　Then　it　too　let　go；　and　the　fountain　fell　like　a　pink；　misshapen　stone。
　　Roland　dropped　behind　a　pile　of　rusty　steel　beams　and　Oy　jumped　nimbly　into　his　lap　as　the　fountain　hit　the　street　with　a　vast；　shattery　thump。　Chunks　of　pink　marble；　some　as　big　as　carts；　flew　through　the　air。　Several　small　chips　stung　Roland's　face。　He　brushed　others　out　of　Oy's　fur。　He　looked　over　the　makeshift　barricade。　The　fountain　had　cracked　in　two　like　a　vast　plate。　We　won't　be　ing　back　this　way；　Roland　thought。　The　passageway；　narrow　to　begin　with；　was　now　…pletely　blocked。
　　He　wondered　if　Jake　had　heard　the　fall　of　the　fountain；　and　what　he　had　made　of　it　if　he　had。　He　didn't　waste　such　speculation　on　Gasher；　Gasher　would　think　he　had　been　crushed　to　paste；　which　was　exactly　what　Roland　wanted　him　to　think。　Would　Jake　think　the　same　thing？　The　boy　should　know　better　than　to　believe　a　gunslinger　could　be　killed　by　such　a　simple　device；　but　if　Gasher　had　terrorized　him　enough；　Jake　might　not　be　thinking　that　clearly。　Well；　it　was　too　late　to　worry　about　it　now；　and　if　he　had　it　to　do　over　again；　he　would　do　exac