sk.thetalisman-第23部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


at　assailed　Jack；　killing　the　hunger　evoked　by　the　cheese。　He　moved　into　the　middle　of　the　track　after　the　cart　had　passed　him　and　watched　it　jounce　toward　the　crest　of　a　little　rise。　A　second　later　he　began　to　follow　after；　walking　north。
　　He　had　gone　only　halfway　up　the　rise　when　he　once　again　saw　the　peak　of　the　great　tent；　rigid　in　the　midst　of　a　rank　of　narrow　fluttering　flags。　That；　he　assumed；　was　his　destination。　Another　few　steps　past　the　blackberry　bushes　where　he'd　paused　the　last　time　（remembering　how　good　they'd　been；　Jack　popped　two　of　the　enormous　berries　in　his　mouth）　and　he　could　see　the　whole　of　the　tent。　It　was　actually　a　big　rambling　pavillion；　long　wings　on　each　side；　with　gates　and　a　courtyard。　Like　the　Alhambra；　this　eccentric　structure…a　summer　palace；　Jack's　instincts　told　him…stood　just　above　the　ocean。　Little　bands　of　people　moved　through　and　around　the　great　pavillion；　driven　by　forces　as　powerful　and　invisible　as　the　effect　on　iron　filings　of　a　magnet。　The　little　groups　met；　divided；　poured　on　again。
　　Some　of　the　men　wore　bright；　rich…looking　clothes；　though　many　seemed　to　be　dressed　much　as　Jack　was。　A　few　women　in　long　shining　white　gowns　or　robes　marched　through　the　courtyard；　as　purposeful　as　generals。　Outside　the　gates　stood　a　collection　of　smaller　tents　and　impromptu…looking　wooden　huts；　here；　too；　people　moved；　eating　or　buying　or　talking；　though　more　easily　and　randomly。　Somewhere　down　in　that　busy　crowd　he　would　have　to　find　the　man　with　a　scar。
　　But　first　he　looked　behind　him；　down　the　length　of　the　rutted　track；　to　see　what　had　happened　to　Funworld。
　　When　he　saw　two　small　dark　horses　pulling　plows；　perhaps　fifty　yards　off；　he　thought　that　the　amusement　park　had　bee　a　farm；　but　then　he　noticed　the　crowd　watching　the　plowing　from　the　top　of　the　field　and　understood　that　this　was　a　contest。　Next　his　eye　was　taken　by　the　spectacle　of　a　huge　red…haired　man；　stripped　to　the　waist；　whirling　about　like　a　top。　His　outstretched　hands　held　some　long　heavy　object。　The　man　abruptly　stopped　whirling　and　released　the　object；　which　flew　a　long　way　before　it　thudded　and　bounced　on　the　grass　and　revealed　itself　to　be　a　hammer。　Funworld　was　a　fair；　not　a　farm…Jack　now　saw　tables　heaped　with　food；　children　on　their　fathers'　shoulders。
　　In　the　midst　of　the　fair；　making　sure　that　every　strap　and　harness　was　sound；　every　oven　stoked　with　wood；　was　there　a　Speedy　Parker？　Jack　hoped　so。
　　And　was　his　mother　still　sitting　by　herself　in　the　Tea　and　Jam　Shoppe；　wondering　why　she　had　let　him　go？
　　Jack　turned　back　and　watched　the　long　cart　rattle　through　the　gates　of　the　summer　palace　and　swing　off　to　the　left；　separating　the　people　who　moved　there　as　a　car　making　a　turn　off　Fifth　Avenue　separates　pedestrians　on　a　cross…town　street。　A　moment　later　he　set　off　after　it。
　　　
　　　2
　　
　　He　had　feared　that　all　the　people　on　the　pavillion　grounds　would　turn　toward　him　staring；　instantly　sensing　his　difference　from　them。　Jack　carefully　kept　his　eyes　lowered　whenever　he　could　and　imitated　a　boy　on　a　plicated　errand…he　had　been　sent　out　to　assemble　a　list　of　things；　his　face　showed　how　he　was　concentrating　to　remember　them。　A　shovel；　two　picks；　a　ball　of　twine；　a　bottle　of　goose　grease　。　。　。　But　gradually　he　became　aware　that　none　of　the　adults　before　the　summer　palace　paid　him　any　attention　at　all。　They　rushed　or　dawdled；　inspected　the　merchandise…rugs；　iron　pots；　bracelets…displayed　in　the　little　tents；　drank　from　wooden　mugs；　plucked　at　another's　sleeve　to　make　a　ment　or　start　a　conversation；　argued　with　the　guards　at　the　gate；　each　wholly　taken　up　by　his　own　business。　Jack's　impersonation　was　so　unnecessary　as　to　be　ridiculous。　He　straightened　up　and　began　to　work　his　way；　moving　generally　in　an　irregular　half…circle；　toward　the　gate。
　　He　had　seen　almost　immediately　that　he　would　not　be　able　just　to　stroll　through　it…the　two　guards　on　either　side　stopped　and　questioned　nearly　everyone　who　tried　to　reach　the　interior　of　the　summer　palace。　Men　had　to　show　their　papers；　or　display　badges　or　seals　which　gave　them　access。　Jack　had　only　Speedy　Parker's　fingerpick；　and　he　didn't　think　that　would　get　him　past　the　guards'　inspection。　One　man　just　now　stepping　up　to　the　gate　flashed　a　round　silver　badge　and　was　waved　through；　the　man　following　him　was　stopped。　He　argued；　then　the　tone　of　his　manner　changed；　and　Jack　saw　that　he　was　pleading。　The　guard　shook　his　head　and　ordered　the　man　off。
　　'His　men　don't　have　any　trouble　getting　in；'　someone　to　Jack's　right　said；　instantly　solving　the　problem　of　Territories　language；　and　Jack　turned　his　head　to　see　if　the　man　had　spoken　to　him。
　　But　the　middle…aged　man　walking　beside　him　was　speaking　to　another　man；　also　dressed　in　the　plain；　simple　clothes　of　most　of　the　men　and　women　outside　the　palace　grounds。　'They'd　better　not；'　the　second　man　answered。　'He's　on　his　way…supposed　to　be　here　today　sometime；　I　guess。'
　　Jack　fell　in　behind　these　two　and　followed　them　toward　the　gate。
　　The　guards　stepped　forward　as　the　men　neared；　and　as　they　both　approached　the　same　guard；　the　other　gestured　to　the　man　nearest　him。　Jack　hung　back。　He　still　had　not　seen　anyone　with　a　scar；　nor　had　he　seen　any　officers。　The　only　soldiers　in　sight　were　the　guards；　both　young　and　countrified…with　their　broad　red　faces　above　the　elaborately　pleated　and　ruffled　uniforms；　they　looked　like　farmers　in　fancy　dress。　The　two　men　Jack　had　been　following　must　have　passed　the　guards'　tests；　for　after　a　few　moments'　conversation　the　uniformed　men　stepped　back　and　admitted　them。　One　of　the　guards　looked　sharply　at　Jack；　and　Jack　turned　his　head　and　stepped　back。
　　Unless　he　found　the　Captain　with　the　scar；　he　would　never　get　inside　the　palace　grounds。
　　A　group　of　men　approached　the　guard　who　had　stared　at　Jack；　and　immediately　began　to　wrangle。　They　had　an　appointment；　it　was　crucial　they　be　let　in；　much　money　depended　on　it；　regrettably　they　had　no　papers。　The　guard　shook　his　head；　scraping　his　chin　across　his　uniform's　white　ruff。　As　Jack　watched；　still　wondering　how　he　could　find　the　Captain；　the　leader　of　the　little　group　waved　his　hands　in　the　air；　pounded　his　fist　into　a　palm。　He　had　bee　as　red…faced　as　the　guard。　At　length　he　began　jabbing　the　guard　with　his　fore…finger。　The　guard's　panion　joined　him…both　guards　looked　bored　and　hostile。
　　A　tall　straight　man　in　a　uniform　subtly　different　from　the　guards'…it　might　have　been　the　way　the　uniform　was　worn；　but　it　looked　as　though　it　might　serve　in　battle　as　well　as　in　an　operetta…noiselessly　materialized　beside　them。　He　did　not　wear　a　ruff；　Jack　noticed　a　second　later；　and　his　hat　was　peaked　instead　of　three…cornered。　He　spoke　to　the　guards；　and　then　turned　to　the　leader　of　the　little　group。　There　was　no　more　shouting；　no　more　finger…jabbing。　The　man　spoke　quietly。　Jack　saw　the　danger　ebb　out　of　the　group。　They　shifted　on　their　feet；　their　shoulders　sank。　They　began　to　drift　away。　The　officer　watched　them　go；　then　turned　back　to　the　guards　for　a　final　word。
　　For　the　moment　while　the　officer　faced　in　Jack's　direction；　in　effect　shooing　the　group　of　men　away　with　his　presence；　Jack　saw　a　long　pale　lightning…bolt　of　a　scar　zigzagging　from　beneath　his　right　eye　to　just　above　his　jawline。
　　The　officer　nodded　to　the　guards　and　stepped　briskly　away。　Looking　neither　to　the　left　nor　to　the　right；　he　wove　through　the　crowd；　apparently　headed　for　whatever　lay　to　the　side　of　the　summer　palace。　Jack　took　off　after　him。
　　'Sir！'　he　yelled；　but　the　officer　marched　on　through　the　slow…moving　crowd。
　　Jack　ran　around　a　group　of　men　and　women　hauling　a　pig　toward　one　of　the　little　tents；　shot　through　a　gap　between　two　other　bands　of　people　approaching　the　gate；　and　finally　was　close　enough　to　the　officer　to　reach　out　and　touch　his　elbow。　'Captain？'　
　　The　officer　wheeled　around；　freezing　Jack　where　he　stood。　Up　close；　the　scar　seemed　thick　and　separate；　a　living　creature　riding　on　the　man's　face。　Even　unscarred；　Jack　thought；　this　man's　face　would　express　a　forceful　impatience。　'What　is　it；　boy？'　the　man　asked。
　　'Captain；　I'm　supposed　to　talk　to　you…I　have　to　see　the　Lady；　but　I　don't　think　I　can　get　into　the　palace。