sk.thetalisman-第68部分
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led the 'big rut…moon' for another year or two。 That he looked forward to the 'big rut…moon' was quite obvious from the innocently lewd grin that overspread his face。
'But you said you lived with your family。'
'Oh； family！ Them！ Wolf！' Wolf laughed。 'Sure。 Them！ We all live together。 Have to keep the cattle； you know。 Her cattle。'
'The Queen's？'
'Yes。 May she never； never die。' And Wolf made an absurdly touching salute； bending briefly forward with his right hand touching his forehead。
Further questioning straightened the matter out somewhat in Jack's mind 。 。 。 at least； he thought it did。 Wolf was a bachelor （although that word barely fit； somehow）。 The family of which he spoke was a hugely extended one…literally； the Wolf family。 They were a nomadic but fiercely loyal race that moved back and forth in the great empty areas east of the Outposts but west of 'The Settlements；' by which Wolf seemed to mean the towns and villages of the east。
Wolfs （never Wolves…when Jack once used the proper plural； Wolf had laughed until tears spurted from the corners of his eyes） were solid； dependable workers； for the most part。 Their strength was legendary； their courage unquestioned。 Some of them had gone east into The Settlements； where they served the Queen as guards； soldiers； even as personal bodyguards。 Their lives； Wolf explained to Jack； had only two great touchstones： the Lady and the family。 Most of the Wolfs； he said； served the Lady as he did…watching the herds。
The cow…sheep were the Territories' primary source of meat； cloth； tallow； and lamp…oil （Wolf did not tell Jack this； but Jack inferred it from what he said）。 All the cattle belonged to the Queen； and the Wolf family had been watching over them since time out of mind。 It was their job。 In this Jack found an oddly persuasive correlative to the relationship that had existed between the buffalo and the Indians of the American Plains 。 。 。 at least until the white man had e into those territories and upset the balance。
'Behold； and the lion shall lie down with the lamb； and the Wolf with the creep；' Jack murmured； and smiled。 He was lying on his back with his hands laced behind his head。 The most marvellous feeling of peace and ease had stolen over him。
'What； Jack？'
'Nothing；' he said。 'Wolf； do you really change into an animal when the moon gets full？'
' 'Course I do！' Wolf said。 He looked astounded； as if Jack had asked him something like Wolf； do you really pull up your pants after you finish taking a crap？ 'Strangers don't； do they？ Phil told me that。'
'The； ah； herd；' Jack said。 'When you change； do they…'
'Oh； we don't go near the herd when we change；' Wolf said seriously。 'Good Jason； no！ We'd eat them； don't you know that？ And a Wolf who eats of his herd must be put to death。 The Book of Good Farming says so。 Wolf！ Wolf！ We have places to go when the moon is full。 So does the herd。 They're stupid； but they know they have to go away at the time of the big moon。 Wolf！ They better know； God pound them！'
'But you do eat meat； don't you？' Jack asked。
'Full of questions； just like your father；' Wolf said。 'Wolf！ I don't mind。 Yeah； we eat meat。 Of course we do。 We're Wolfs； aren't we？'
'But if you don't eat from the herds； what do you eat？'
'We eat well；' Wolf said； and would say no more on that subject。
Like everything else in the Territories； Wolf was a mystery…a mystery that was both gorgeous and frightening。 The fact that he had known both Jack's father and Morgan Sloat…had； at least； met their Twinners on more than one occasion…contributed to Wolf's particular aura of mystery； but did not define it pletely。 Everything Wolf told him led Jack to a dozen more questions； most of which Wolf couldn't…or wouldn't…answer。
The matter of Philip Sawtelle's and Orris's visits was a case in point。 They had first appeared when Wolf was in the 'little moon' and living with his mother and two 'litter…sisters。' They were apparently just passing through； as Jack himself was now doing； only they had been heading east instead of west （'Tell you the truth； you're just about the only human I've ever seen this far west who was still going west；' Wolf said）。
They had been jolly enough pany； both of them。 It was only later that there had been trouble 。 。 。 trouble with Orris。 That had been after the partner of Jack's father had 'made himself a place in this world；' Wolf told Jack again and again…only now he seemed to mean Sloat； in the physical guise of Orris。 Wolf said that Morgan had stolen one of his litter…sisters （'My mother bit her hands and toes for a month after she knew for certain that he took her；' Wolf told Jack matter…of…factly） and had taken other Wolfs from time to time。 Wolf dropped his voice and； with an expression of fear and superstitious awe on his face； told Jack that the 'limping man' had taken some of these Wolfs into the other world； the Place of the Strangers； and had taught them to eat of the herd。
'That's very bad for guys like you； isn't it？' Jack asked。
'They're damned；' Wolf replied simply。
Jack had thought at first that Wolf was speaking of kidnapping…the verb Wolf had used in connection with his litter…sister； after all； was the Territories version of take。 He began to see now that kidnapping wasn't what was going on at all…unless Wolf； with unconscious poetry； had been trying to say that Morgan had kidnapped the minds of some of the Wolf family。 Jack now thought that Wolf was really talking about werewolves who had thrown over their ancient allegiance to the Crown and the herd and had given it to Morgan instead 。 。 。 Morgan Sloat and Morgan of Orris。
Which led naturally enough to thoughts of Elroy。
A Wolf who eats of his herd must be put to death。
To thoughts of the men in the green car who had stopped to ask him directions； and offered him a Tootsie Roll； and who had then tried to pull him into their car。 The eyes。 The eyes had changed。
They're damned。
He made himself a place in this world。
Until now he had felt both safe and delighted： delighted to be back in the Territories where there was a nip in the air but nothing like the dull； cold gray bite of western Ohio； safe with big； friendly Wolf beside him； way out in the country； miles from anything or anyone。
Made himself a place in this world。
He asked Wolf about his father…Philip Sawtelle in this world…but Wolf only shook his head。 He had been a God…pounding good guy； and a Twinner…thus obviously a Stranger…but that was all Wolf seemed to know。 Twinners； he said； was something that had something to do with litters of people； and about such business he could not presume to say。 Nor could he describe Philip Sawtelle…he didn't remember。 He only remembered the smell。 All he knew； he told Jack； was that； while both of the Strangers had seemed nice； only Phil Sawyer had really been nice。 Once he had brought presents for Wolf and his litter…sisters and litter…brothers。 One of the presents； unchanged from the world of the Strangers； had been a set of bib overalls for Wolf。
'I wore em all the time；' Wolf said。 'My mother wanted to throw em away after I'd wore em for five years or so。 Said they were worn out！ Said I was too big for them！ Wolf！ Said they were only patches holding more patches together。 I wouldn't give em up； though。 Finally； she bought some cloth from a drummer headed out toward the Outposts。 I don't know how much she paid； and Wolf！ I'll tell you the truth； Jack； I'm afraid to ask。 She dyed it blue and made me six pairs。 The ones your father brought me； I sleep on them now。 Wolf！ Wolf！ It's my God…pounding pillow； I guess。' Wolf smiled so openly…and yet so wistfully…that Jack was moved to take his hand。 It was something he never could have done in his old life； no matter what the circumstances； but that now seemed like his loss。 He was glad to take Wolf's warm； strong hand。
'I'm glad you liked my dad； Wolf；' he said。
'I did！ I did！ Wolf！ Wolf！'
And then all hell broke loose。
2
Wolf stopped talking and looked around； startled。
'Wolf ？ What's wr…'
'Shhhh！'
Then Jack heard it。 Wolf's more sensitive ea
