sk.thetalisman-第31部分

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k　on　Kings…land；　Jack　thought。　I　think　everyone　in　this　town's　had　a　share。
　　'All　of　the　big　wagons　that　passed　us　came　from　here；'　Captain　Farren　said。　'Some　of　the　smaller　ones　may　be　getting　through；　but　Morgan's　diligence　isn't　small；　boy。'
　　'Morgan…'
　　'Never　mind　Morgan　now。'　
　　The　smell　of　the　ale　grew　steadily　sharper　as　they　passed　through　the　center　of　the　village　and　out　the　other　side。　Jack's　legs　ached　as　he　struggled　to　keep　up　with　the　Captain。　He　guessed　they　had　now　e　perhaps　three　miles。　How　far　is　that　in　my　world？　he　thought；　and　that　thought　made　him　think　of　Speedy's　magic　juice。　He　groped　frantically　in　his　jerkin；　convinced　it　was　no　longer　there…but　it　was；　held　securely　within　whatever　Territories　undergarment　had　replaced　his　Jockey　shorts。
　　Once　they　were　on　the　western　side　of　the　village；　the　wagon…traffic　decreased；　but　the　pedestrian　traffic　headed　east　increased　dramatically。　Most　of　the　pedestrians　were　weaving；　staggering；　laughing。　They　all　reeked　of　ale。　In　some　cases；　their　clothes　were　dripping；　as　if　they　had　lain　full…length　in　it　and　drunk　of　it　like　dogs。　Jack　supposed　they　had。　He　saw　a　laughing　man　leading　a　laughing　boy　of　perhaps　eight　by　the　hand。　The　man　bore　a　nightmarish　resemblance　to　the　hateful　desk　clerk　at　the　Alhambra；　and　Jack　understood　with　perfect　clarity　that　this　man　was　that　man's　Twinner。　Both　he　and　the　boy　he　led　by　the　hand　were　drunk；　and　as　Jack　turned　to　look　after　them；　the　little　boy　began　to　vomit。　His　father…or　so　Jack　supposed　him　to　be…jerked　him　hard　by　the　arm　as　the　boy　attempted　to　flounder　his　way　into　the　brushy　ditch；　where　he　could　be　sick　in　relative　privacy。　The　kid　reeled　back　to　his　father　like　a　cur…dog　on　a　short　leash；　spraying　puke　on　an　elderly　man　who　had　collapsed　by　the　side　of　the　road　and　was　snoring　there。
　　Captain　Farren's　face　grew　blacker　and　blacker。　'God　pound　them　all；'　he　said。
　　Even　those　furthest　into　their　cups　gave　the　scarred　Captain　a　wide　and　prudent　berth。　While　in　the　guard…post　outside　the　pavillion；　he　had　belted　a　short；　businesslike　leather　scabbard　around　his　waist。　Jack　assumed　（not　unreasonably）　that　it　contained　a　short；　businesslike　sword。　When　any　of　the　sots　came　too　close；　the　Captain　touched　the　sword　and　the　sot　detoured　quickly　away。
　　Ten　minutes　later…as　Jack　was　being　sure　he　could　no　longer　keep　up…they　arrived　at　the　site　of　the　accident。　The　driver　had　been　ing　out　of　the　turn　on　the　inside　when　the　wagon　had　tilted　and　gone　over。　As　a　result；　the　kegs　had　sprayed　all　the　way　across　the　road。　Many　of　them　were　smashed；　and　the　road　was　a　quagmire　for　twenty　feet。　One　horse　lay　dead　beneath　the　wagon；　only　its　hindquarters　visible。　Another　lay　in　the　ditch；　a　shattered　chunk　of　barrel…stave　protruding　from　its　ear。　Jack　didn't　think　that　could　have　happened　by　accident。　He　supposed　the　horse　had　been　badly　hurt　and　someone　had　put　it　out　of　its　misery　by　the　closest　means　at　hand。　The　other　horses　were　nowhere　to　be　seen。
　　Between　the　horse　under　the　wagon　and　the　one　in　the　ditch　lay　the　carter's　son；　spreadeagled　on　the　road。　Half　of　his　face　stared　up　at　the　bright　blue　Territories　sky　with　an　expression　of　stupid　amazement。　Where　the　other　half　had　been　was　now　only　red　pulp　and　splinters　of　white　bone　like　flecks　of　plaster。
　　Jack　saw　that　his　pockets　had　been　turned　out。
　　Wandering　around　the　scene　of　the　accident　were　perhaps　a　dozen　people。　They　walked　slowly；　often　bending　over　to　scoop　ale　two…handed　from　a　hoofprint　or　to　dip　a　handkerchief　or　a　torn…off　piece　of　singlet　into　another　puddle。　Most　of　them　were　staggering。　Voices　were　raised　in　laughter　and　in　quarrelsome　shouts。　After　a　good　deal　of　pestering；　Jack's　mother　had　allowed　him　to　go　with　Richard　to　see　a　midnight　double　feature　of　Night　of　the　Living　Dead　and　Dawn　of　the　Dead　at　one　of　Westwood's　dozen　or　so　movie　theaters。　The　shuffling；　drunken　people　here　reminded　him　of　the　zombies　in　those　two　films。
　　Captain　Farren　drew　his　sword。　It　was　as　short　and　businesslike　as　Jack　had　imagined；　the　very　antithesis　of　a　sword　in　a　romance。　It　was　little　more　than　a　long　butcher's　knife；　pitted　and　nicked　and　scarred；　the　handle　wrapped　in　old　leather　that　had　been　sweated　dark。　The　blade　itself　was　dark　。　。　。　except　for　the　cutting　edge。　That　looked　bright　and　keen　and　very　sharp。
　　'Make　away；　then！'　Farren　bawled。　'Make　away　from　the　Queen's　ale；　God…pounders！　Make　away　and　keep　your　guts　where　they　belong！'　
　　Growls　of　displeasure　met　this；　but　they　moved　away　from　Captain　Farren…all　except　one　hulk　of　a　man　with　tufts　of　hair　growing　at　wildly　random　points　from　his　otherwise　bald　skull。　Jack　guessed　his　weight　at　close　to　three　hundred　pounds；　his　height　at　just　shy　of　seven　feet。
　　'D'you　like　the　idea　of　taking　on　all　of　us；　sojer？'　this　hulk　asked；　and　waved　one　grimy　hand　at　the　knot　of　villagers　who　had　stepped　away　from　the　swamp　of　ale　and　the　litter　of　barrels　at　Farren's　order。
　　'Sure；'　Captain　Farren　said；　and　grinned　at　the　big　man。　'I　like　it　fine；　just　as　long　as　you're　first；　you　great　drunken　clot　of　shit。'　Farren's　grin　widened；　and　the　big　man　faltered　away　from　its　dangerous　power。　'e　for　me；　if　you　like。　Carving　you　will　be　the　first　good　thing　that's　happened　to　me　all　day。'　
　　Muttering；　the　drunken　giant　slouched　away。
　　'Now；　all　of　you！'　Farren　shouted。　'Make　away！　There's　a　dozen　of　my　men　just　setting　out　from　the　Queen's　pavillion！　They'll　not　be　happy　with　this　duty　and　I　don't　blame　them　and　I　can't　be　responsible　for　them！　I　think　you've　just　got　time　to　get　back　to　the　village　and　hide　in　your　cellars　before　they　arrive　there！　It　would　be　prudent　to　do　so！　Make　away！'　
　　They　were　already　streaming　back　toward　the　village　of　All…Hands'；　the　big　man　who　had　challenged　the　Captain　in　their　van。　Farren　grunted　and　then　turned　back　to　the　scene　of　the　accident。　He　removed　his　jacket　and　covered　the　face　of　the　carter's　son　with　it。
　　'I　wonder　which　of　them　robbed　the　lad's　pockets　as　he　lay　dead　or　dying　in　the　roadstead；'　Farren　said　meditatively。　'If　I　knew；　I'd　have　them　hung　on　a　cross　by　nightfall。'　
　　Jack　made　no　answer。
　　The　Captain　stood　looking　down　at　the　dead　boy　for　a　long　time；　one　hand　rubbing　at　the　smooth；　ridged　flesh　of　the　scar　on　his　face。　When　he　looked　up　at　Jack；　it　was　as　if　he　had　just　e　to。
　　'You've　got　to　leave　now；　boy。　Right　away。　Before　Osmond　decides　he'd　like　to　investigate　my　idiot　son　further。'
　　'How　bad　is　it　going　to　be　with　you？'　Jack　asked。
　　The　Captain　smiled　a　little。　'If　you're　gone；　I'll　have　no　trouble。　I　can　say　that　I　sent　you　back　to　your　mother；　or　that　I　was　overe　with　rage　and　hit　you　with　a　chunk　of　wood　and　killed　you。　Osmond　would　believe　either。　He's　distracted。　They　all　are。　They're　waiting　for　her　to　die。　It　will　be　soon。　Unless　。　。　。　'　
　　He　didn't　finish。
　　'Go；'　Farren　said。　'Don't　tarry。　And　when　you　hear　Morgan's　diligence　ing；　get　off　the　road　and　get　deep　into　the　woods。　Deep。　Or　he'll　smell　you　like　a　cat　smells　a　rat。　He　knows　instantly　if　something　is　out　of　order。　His　order。　He's　a　devil。'
　　'Will　I　hear　it　ing？　His　diligence？'　Jack　asked　timidly。　He　looked　at　the　road　beyond　the　litter　of　barrels。　It　rose　steadily　upward；　toward　the　edge　of　a　piney　forest。　It　would　be　dark　in　there；　he　thought　。　。　。　and　Morgan　would　be　ing　the　other　way。　Fear　and　loneliness　bined　in　the　sharpest；　most　disheartening　wave　of　unhappiness　he　had　ever　known。　Speedy；　I　can't　do　this！　Don't　you　know　that？　I'm　just　a　kid！
　　'Morgan's　diligence　is　drawn　by　six　pairs　of　horses　and　a　thirteenth　to　lead；'　Farren　said。　'At　the　full　gallop；　that　damned　hearse　sounds　like　thunder　rolling　along　the　earth。　You'll　hear　it；　all　right。　Plenty　of　time　to　burrow　down。　Just　make　sure　you　do。'　
　　Jack　whispered　something。
　　'What？'　Farren　asked　sharply。
　　'I　said　I　don't　want　to　go；'　Jack　said；　only　a　little　louder。　Tears　were　close　and　he　knew　that　once　they　began　to　fall　he　was　going　to　lose　it；　just　blow　his　cool　entirely　and　ask　Captain　Farren　to　get　him　out　of　it；　protect　him；　something…
　　'I　think　it's　too　late　for　your　wants　to　enter　into　the　question；'　C