sk.thetalisman-第7部分

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　blouse　and　red　ruffled　skirt　looked　at　him；　then　looked　away。　Two　exhausted…looking　old　people　sat　across　a　table　from　each　other　at　the　other　end　of　the　room。　There　were　no　other　breakfasters。　As　Jack　looked　on；　the　old　man　leaned　over　the　table　and　unselfconsciously　cut　his　wife's　fried　egg　into　four…inch　square　sections。
　　'Table　for　one？'　The　woman　in　charge　of　The　Saddle　of　Lamb　during　the　day　had　materialized　beside　him；　and　was　already　plucking　a　menu　off　a　stack　beside　the　reservation　book。
　　'Changed　my　mind；　sorry。'　Jack　escaped。
　　The　Alhambra's　coffee　shop；　The　Beachber　Lounge；　lay　all　the　way　across　the　lobby　and　down　a　long　bleak　corridor　lined　with　empty　display　cases。　His　hunger　died　at　the　thought　of　sitting　by　himself　at　the　counter　and　watching　the　bored　cook　slap　down　strips　of　bacon　on　the　crusty　grill。　He　would　wait　until　his　mother　got　up：　or；　better　yet；　he　would　go　out　and　see　if　he　could　get　a　doughnut　and　a　little　carton　of　milk　at　one　of　the　shops　up　the　street　on　the　way　into　town。
　　He　pushed　open　the　tall　heavy　front　door　of　the　hotel　and　went　out　into　the　sunlight。　For　a　moment　the　sudden　brightness　stung　his　eyes…the　world　was　a　flat　glaring　dazzle。　Jack　squinted；　wishing　he　had　remembered　to　bring　his　sunglasses　downstairs。　He　went　across　the　apron　of　red　brick　and　down　the　four　curving　steps　to　the　main　pathway　through　the　gardens　at　the　front　of　the　hotel。
　　What　happened　if　she　died？
　　What　happened　to　him…where　would　he　go；　who　would　take　care　of　him；　if　the　worst　thing　in　the　world　actually　took　place　and　she　died；　for　good　and　all　died；　up　in　that　hotel　room？
　　He　shook　his　head；　trying　to　send　the　terrible　thought　away　before　a　lurking　panic　could　rush　up　out　of　the　Alhambra's　well…ordered　gardens　and　blast　him　apart。　He　would　not　cry；　he　would　not　let　that　happen　to　him…and　he　would　not　let　himself　think　about　the　Tarrytoons　and　the　weight　she　had　lost；　the　feeling　that　he　sometimes　had　that　she　was　too　helpless　and　without　direction。　He　was　walking　very　quickly　now；　and　he　shoved　his　hands　into　his　pockets　as　he　jumped　down　off　the　curving　path　through　the　gardens　onto　the　hotel's　drive。　She　on　the　run；　son；　and　you　on　the　run　with　her。　On　the　run；　but　from　whom？　And　to　where？　Here…just　to　here；　this　deserted　resort？
　　He　reached　the　wide　street　that　travelled　up　the　shoreline　toward　the　town；　and　now　all　of　the　empty　landscape　before　him　was　a　whirlpool　that　could　suck　him　down　into　itself　and　spit　him　out　into　a　black　place　where　peace　and　safety　had　never　existed。　A　gull　sailed　out　over　the　empty　road；　wheeled　around　in　a　wide　curve；　and　dipped　back　toward　the　beach。　Jack　watched　it　go；　shrinking　in　the　air　to　a　smudge　of　white　above　the　erratic　line　of　the　roller…coaster　track。
　　Lester　Speedy　Parker；　a　black　man　with　crinkly　gray　hair　and　heavy　lines　cutting　down　through　his　cheeks；　was　down　there　somewhere　inside　Funworld　and　it　was　Speedy　he　had　to　see。　That　was　as　clear　to　Jack　as　his　sudden　insight　about　his　friend　Richard's　father。
　　A　gull　screeched；　a　wave　bounced　hard　gold　light　toward　him；　and　Jack　saw　Uncle　Morgan　and　his　new　friend　Speedy　as　figures　almost　allegorically　opposed；　as　if　they　were　statues　of　NIGHT　and　DAY；　stuck　up　on　plinths；　MOON　and　SUN…the　dark　and　the　light。　What　Jack　had　understood　as　soon　as　he　had　known　that　his　father　would　have　liked　Speedy　Parker　was　that　the　ex…bluesman　had　no　harm　in　him。　Uncle　Morgan；　now　。　。　。　he　was　another　kind　of　being　altogether。　Uncle　Morgan　lived　for　business；　for　deal…making　and　hustling；　and　he　was　so　ambitious　that　he　challenged　every　even　faintly　dubious　call　in　a　tennis　match；　so　ambitious　in　fact　that　he　cheated　in　the　penny…ante　card　games　his　son　had　now　and　then　coaxed　him　into　joining。　At　least；　Jack　thought　that　Uncle　Morgan　had　been　cheating　in　a　couple　of　their　games　。　。　。　not　a　man　who　thought　that　defeat　demanded　graciousness。
　　NIGHT　and　DAY；　MOON　and　SUN；　DARK　and　LIGHT；　and　the　black　man　was　the　light　in　these　polarities。　And　when　Jack's　mind　had　pushed　him　this　far；　all　that　panic　he　had　fought　off　in　the　hotel's　tidy　gardens　swarmed　toward　him　again。　He　lifted　his　feet　and　ran。
　　　
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　　When　the　boy　saw　Speedy　kneeling　down　outside　the　gray　and　peeling　arcade　building…wrapping　electrician's　tape　around　a　thick　cord；　his　steel…wool　head　bent　almost　to　the　pier　and　his　skinny　buttocks　poking　out　the　worn　green　seat　of　his　work…pants；　the　dusty　soles　of　his　boots　toed　down　like　a　pair　of　upended　surfboards…he　realized　that　he　had　no　idea　of　what　he　had　been　planning　to　say　to　the　custodian；　or　even　if　he　intended　to　say　anything　at　all。　Speedy　gave　the　roll　of　black　tape　another　twist　around　the　cord；　nodded；　took　a　battered　Palmer　knife　from　the　flap　pocket　of　his　workshirt　and　sliced　the　tape　off　the　roll　with　a　flat　surgical　neatness。　Jack　would　have　escaped　from　here；　too；　if　he　could…he　was　intruding　on　the　man's　work；　and　anyhow；　it　was　crazy　to　think　that　Speedy　could　really　help　him　in　any　way。　What　kind　of　help　could　he　give；　an　old　janitor　in　an　empty　amusement　park？
　　Then　Speedy　turned　his　head　and　registered　the　boy's　presence　with　an　expression　of　total　and　warming　wele…not　so　much　a　smile　as　a　deepening　of　all　those　heavy　lines　in　his　face…and　Jack　knew　that　he　was　at　least　no　intrusion。
　　'Travellin　Jack；'　Speedy　said。　'I　was　beginnin　to　get　afraid　you　decided　to　stay　away　from　me。　Just　when　we　got　to　be　friends；　too。　Good　to　see　you　again；　son。'
　　'Yeah；'　Jack　said。　'Good　to　see　you；　too。'　
　　Speedy　popped　the　metal　knife　back　into　his　shirt　pocket　and　lifted　his　long　bony　body　upright　so　easily；　so　athletically；　that　he　seemed　weightless。　'This　whole　place　in　down　around　my　ears；'　he　said。　'I　just　fix　it　a　little　bit　at　a　time；　enough　so　everything　works　more　or　less　the　way　it　should。'　He　stopped　in　mid…sentence；　having　had　a　good　look　at　Jack's　face。　'Old　world's　not　so　fine　right　now；　seems　like。　Travellin　Jack　got　buckled　up　to　a　load　of　worries。　That　the　way　it　is？'
　　'Yeah；　sort　of；'　Jack　began…he　still　had　no　idea　of　how　to　begin　expressing　the　things　that　troubled　him。　They　could　not　be　put　into　ordinary　sentences；　for　ordinary　sentences　made　everything　seem　rational。　One　。　。　。　two　。　。　。　three：　Jack's　world　no　longer　marched　in　those　straight　lines。　All　he　could　not　say　weighed　in　his　chest。
　　He　looked　miserably　at　the　tall　thin　man　before　him。　Speedy's　hands　were　thrust　deep　into　his　pockets；　his　thick　gray　eyebrows　pushed　toward　the　deep　vertical　furrow　between　them。　Speedy's　eyes；　so　light　they　were　almost　no　color　at　all；　swung　up　from　the　blistered　paint　of　the　pier　and　met　Jack's　own…and　suddenly　Jack　felt　better　again。　He　did　not　understand　why；　but　Speedy　seemed　to　be　able　to　municate　emotion　directly　to　him：　as　if　they　had　not　met　just　a　week　before；　but　years　ago；　and　had　shared　far　more　than　a　few　words　in　a　deserted　arcade。
　　'Well；　that's　enough　work　for　now；'　Speedy　said；　glancing　up　in　the　direction　of　the　Alhambra。　'Do　any　more　and　I　just　spoil　em。　Don't　suppose　you　ever　saw　my　office；　did　you？'　
　　Jack　shook　his　head。
　　'Time　for　a　little　refreshment；　boy。　The　time　is　right。'　
　　He　set　off　down　the　pier　in　his　long…legged　gait；　and　Jack　trotted　after　him。　As　they　jumped　down　the　steps　of　the　pier　and　began　going　across　the　scrubby　grass　and　packed　brown　earth　toward　the　buildings　on　the　far　side　of　the　park；　Speedy　astonished　Jack　by　starting　to　sing。
　　
　　Travellin　Jack；　ole　Travellin　Jack；　
　　Got　a　far　long　way　to　go；　
　　Longer　way　to　e　back。
　　
　　It　was　not　exactly　singing；　Jack　thought；　but　sort　of　halfway　between　singing　and　talking。　If　it　were　not　for　the　words；　he　would　have　enjoyed　listening　to　Speedy's　rough；　confident　voice。
　　
　　Long　long　way　for　that　boy　to　go；　
　　Longer　way　to　e　back。
　　
　　Speedy　cast　an　almost　twinkling　look　at　him　over　his　shoulder。
　　'Why　do　you　call　me　that？'　Jack　asked　him。　'Why　am　I　Travelling　Jack？　Because　I'm　from　California？'　
　　They　had　reached　the　pale　blue　ticket　booth　at　the　entrance　to　the　roller…coaster　enclosure；　and　Speedy　thrust　his　hands　back　in　the　pockets　of　his　baggy　green　workpants；　spun　on　his　heel；