sk.thewastelands-第61部分

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ust　put　their　heads　down　and　let　us　go　our　way。　If　that　fails；　I'm　hoping　that　they'll　scatter　like　rats　if　we　gun　a　few。〃
　　〃And　if　they　decide　to　make　a　fight　of　it？〃
　　Roland　smiled　grimly。　〃Then；　Eddie；　we'll　all　remember　the　faces　of　our　fathers。〃
　　Eddie's　eyes　gleamed　in　the　darkness；　and　Roland　was　once　more　reminded　forcibly　of　Cuthbert…Cuthbert　who　had　once　said　he　would　believe　in　ghosts　when　he　could　catch　one　in　his　teeth；　Cuthbert　with　whom　he　had　once　scattered　breadcrumbs　beneath　the　hangman's　gibbet。
　　〃Have　I　answered　all　your　questions？〃
　　〃Nope…but　I　think　you　played　straight　with　me　this　time。〃
　　〃Then　goodnight；　Eddie。〃
　　〃Goodnight。〃
　　Eddie　turned　and　walked　away。　Roland　watched　him　go。　Now　that　he　was　listening；　he　could　hear　him　。　。　。　but　just　barely。　He　started　back　himself；　then　turned　toward　the　darkness　where　the　city　of　Lud　was。
　　He's　what　the　old　woman　called　a　Pube。　She　said　both　sides　would　want　him。
　　You　won't　let　me　drop　this　time？
　　No。　Not　this　time；　not　ever　again。
　　But　he　knew　something　none　of　the　others　did。　Perhaps；　after　the　talk　he'd　just　had　with　Eddie；　he　should　tell　them　。　。　。　yet　he　thought　he　would　keep　the　knowledge　to　himself　a　little　while　longer。
　　In　the　old　tongue　which　had　once　been　his　world's　lingua　franca；　most　words；　like　khef　and　ka；　had　many　meanings。　The　word　char；　how…ever…char　as　in　Charlie　the　Choo…Choo…had　only　one。
　　Char　meant　death。
　　
　　
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　　　　BRIDGE　AND　CITY
　　　
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　　THEY　CAME　UPON　THE　downed　airplane　three　days　later。
　　Jake　pointed　it　out　first　at　midmorning…a　flash　of　light　about　ten　miles　away；　as　if　a　mirror　lay　in　the　grass。　As　they　drew　closer；　they　saw　a　large　dark　object　at　the　side　of　the　Great　Road。
　　〃It　looks　like　a　dead　bird；〃　Roland　said。　〃A　big　one。〃
　　〃That's　no　bird；〃　Eddie　said。　〃That's　an　airplane。　I'm　pretty　sure　the　glare　is　sunlight　bouncing　off　the　canopy。〃
　　An　hour　later　they　stood　silently　at　the　edge　of　the　road；　looking　at　the　ancient　wreck。　Three　plump　crows　stood　on　the　tattered　skin　of　the　fuselage；　staring　insolently　at　the　newers。　Jake　pried　a　cobble　from　the　edge　of　the　road　and　shied　it　at　them。　The　crows　lumbered　into　the　air；　cawing　indignantly。
　　One　wing　had　broken　off　in　the　crash　and　lay　thirty　yards　away；　a　shadow　like　a　diving　board　in　the　tall　grass。　The　rest　of　the　plane　was　pretty　much　intact。　The　canopy　had　cracked　in　a　starburst　pattern　where　the　pilot's　head　had　struck　it。　There　was　a　large；　rust…colored　stain　there。
　　Oy　trotted　over　to　where　three　rusty　propeller　blades　rose　from　the　grass；　sniffed　at　them；　then　returned　hastily　to　Jake。
　　The　man　in　the　cockpit　was　u　dust…dry　mummy　wearing　a　padded　leather　vest　and　a　helmet　with　a　spike　on　top。　His　lips　were　gone；　his　teeth　exposed　in　a　final　desperate　grimace。　Fingers　which　had　once　been　as　large　as　sausages　but　were　now　only　skin…covered　bones　clutched　the　wheel。　His　skull　was　caved　in　where　it　had　hit　the　canopy；　and　Roland　guessed　that　the　greenish…gray　scales　which　coated　the　left　side　of　his　face　were　all　that　remained　of　his　brains。　The　dead　man's　head　was　tilted　back；　as　if　he　had　been　sure；　even　at　the　moment　of　his　death；　that　he　could　regain　the　sky　again。　The　plane's　remaining　wing　still　jutted　from　the　encroaching　grass。　On　it　was　a　fading　insignia　which　depicted　a　fist　holding　a　thunderbolt。
　　〃Looks　like　Aunt　Talitha　was　wrong　and　the　old　albino　man　had　the　right　of　it；　after　all；〃　Susannah　said　in　an　awed　voice。　〃That　must　be　David　Quick；　the　outlaw　prince。　Look　at　the　size　of　him；　Roland…they　must　have　had　to　grease　him　to　get　him　into　the　cockpit！〃
　　Roland　nodded。　The　heat　and　the　years　had　wasted　the　man　in　the　mechanical　bird　to　no　more　than　a　skeleton　wrapped　in　dry　hide；　but　he　could　still　see　how　broad　the　shoulders　had　been；　and　the　misshapen　head　was　massive。　〃So　fell　Lord　Perth；〃　he　said；　〃and　the　countryside　did　shake　with　that　thunder。〃
　　Jake　looked　at　him　questioningly。
　　〃It's　from　an　old　poem。　Lord　Perth　was　a　giant　who　went　forth　to　war　with　a　thousand　men；　but　he　was　still　in　his　own　country　when　a　little　boy　threw　a　stone　at　him　and　hit　him　in　the　knee。　He　stumbled；　the　weight　of　his　armor　bore　him　down；　and　he　broke　his　neck　in　the　fall。〃
　　Jake　said；　〃Like　our　story　of　David　and　Goliath。〃
　　〃There　was　no　fire；〃　Eddie　said。　〃I　bet　he　just　ran　out　of　gas　and　tried　a　dead…stick　landing　on　the　road。　He　might　have　been　an　outlaw　and　a　barbarian；　but　he　had　a　yard　of　guts。〃
　　Roland　nodded；　and　looked　at　Jake。　〃You　all　right　with　this？〃
　　〃Yes。　If　the　guy　was　still；　you　know；　runny；　I　might　not　be。〃　Jake　looked　from　the　dead　man　in　the　airplane　to　the　city。　Lud　was　much　closer　and　clearer　now；　and　although　they　could　see　many　broken　win…dows　in　the　towers；　he；　like　Eddie；　had　not　entirely　given　up　hope　of　finding　some　sort　of　help　there。　〃I　bet　things　sort　of　fell　apart　in　the　city　once　he　was　gone。〃
　　〃I　think　you'd　win　that　bet；〃　Roland　said。
　　〃You　know　something？〃　Jake　was　studying　the　plane　again。　〃The　people　who　built　that　city　might　have　made　their　own　airplanes；　but　I'm　pretty　sure　this　is　one　of　ours。　I　did　a　school　paper　on　air　bat　when　I　was　in　the　fifth　grade；　and　I　think　I　recognize　it。　Roland；　can　I　take　a　closer　look？〃
　　Roland　nodded。　〃I'll　go　with　you。〃
　　Together　they　walked　over　to　the　plane　with　the　high　grass　swishing　at　their　pants。　〃Look；〃　Jake　said。　〃See　the　machine…gun　under　the　wing？　That's　an　air…cooled　German　model；　and　this　is　a　Focke…Wulf　from　just　before　World　War　II。　I'm　sure　it　is。　So　what's　it　doing　here？〃
　　〃Lots　of　planes　disappear；〃　Eddie　said。　〃Take　the　Bermuda　Triangle；　for　instance。　That's　a　place　over　one　of　our　oceans；　Roland。　It's　supposed　to　be　jinxed。　Maybe　it's　a　great　big　doorway　between　our　worlds…one　that's　almost　always　open。〃　Eddie　hunched　his　shoulders　and　essayed　a　bad　Rod　Serling　imitation。　〃Fasten　your　seatbelts　and　prepare　for　turbu…lence：　you're　flying　into　。　。　。　the　Roland　Zone！〃
　　Jake　and　Roland；　who　were　now　standing　beneath　the　plane's　remaining　wing；　ignored　him。
　　〃Boost　me　up；　Roland。〃
　　Roland　shook　his　head。　〃That　wing　looks　solid；　but　it's　not…this　thing　has　been　here　a　long　time；　Jake。　You'd　fall。〃
　　〃Make　a　step；　then。〃
　　Eddie　said；　〃I'll　do　it；　Roland。〃
　　Roland　studied　his　diminished　right　hand　for　a　moment；　shrugged；　then　laced　his　hands　together。　〃This'll　do。　He's　light。〃
　　Jake　shook　off　his　moccasin　and　then　stepped　lightly　into　the　stirrup　Roland　had　made。　Oy　began　to　bark　shrilly；　though　whether　in　excitement　or　alarm；　Roland　couldn't　tell。
　　Jake's　chest　was　now　pressing　against　one　of　the　airplane's　rusty　flaps；　and　he　was　looking　right　at　the　fist…and…thunderbolt　design。　It　had　peeled　up　a　little　from　the　surface　of　the　wing　along　one　edge。　He　seized　this　flap　and　pulled。　It　came　off　the　wing　so　easily　that　he　would　have　fallen　backward　if　Eddie；　standing　directly　behind　him；　hadn't　steadied　him　with　a　hand　on　the　butt。
　　〃I　knew　it；〃　Jake　said。　There　was　another　symbol　beneath　the　fist…and…thunderbolt；　and　now　it　was　almost　totally　revealed。　It　was　a　swastika。　〃I　just　wanted　to　see　it。　You　can　put　me　down　now。〃
　　They　started　out　again；　but　they　could　see　the　tail　of　the　plane　every　time　they　looked　back　that　afternoon；　looming　out　of　the　high　grass　like　Lord　Perth's　burial　monument。
　　　
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　　IT　WAS　JAKE'S　TURN　to　make　the　fire　that　night。　When　the　wood　was　laid　to　the　gunslinger's　satisfaction；　he　handed　Jake　his　flint　and　steel。　〃Let's　see　how　you　do。〃
　　Eddie　and　Susannah　were　sitting　off　to　one　side；　their　arms　linked　panionably　about　each　other's　waist。　Toward　the　end　of　the　day；　Eddie　had　found　a　bright　yellow　flower　beside　the　road　and　had　picked　it　for　her。　Tonight　Susannah　was　wearing　it　in　her　hair；　and　every　time　she　looked　at　Eddie；　her　lips　curved　in　a　small　smile　and　her　eyes　filled　with　light。　Roland　had　noted　these　things；　and　they　pleased　him。　Their　love　was　deepening；　strengthening。　That　was　good。　It　would　have　to　be　deep　and　strong　indeed　if　it　was　to　survive　the　months　and　years　ahead。
　　Jake　struck　a　spark；　but　it　flashed　inches　away　from　the　kindling。
　　〃Move　your　flint　in　closer；〃　Roland　said；　〃and　hold　it　steady。　And　don't　hit　it　with　the　steel；　Jake；　scrape　it。〃
　　Jake　tried　again；　and　this　time　the　spark　flashed　directly　into　the　kindling。　There　was　a　little　tendril　of　smoke　but　no　fire。
　　〃I　don't　think　I'm　very　good　at　this。〃
　　〃You'll　get　it。　Meantime；　think　on　this。　What's　dressed　when　night　falls　and　undressed　when　day　breaks？〃
　　〃Huh？〃
　　Roland　moved　Jake's　hands　even　closer　to　the　little　pile　of　kindling。　〃I　guess　that　one's　not　in　your　book。〃
　　〃Oh；　it's　a　riddle！〃　Jake　struck　another　spark。　This　time　a　small　flame　glowed　in　the　kindling　before　dying　out。　〃You　know　some　of　those；　too？〃
　　Roland　nodded。　〃Not　just　some…a　lot。　As　a　boy；　I　must　have　known　a　thousand。　They　were　part　of　my　studies。〃
　　〃Really？　Why　would　anyone　study　riddles？〃
　　〃Vannay；　my　tutor；　said　a　boy　who　could　answer　a　riddle　was　a　boy　who　could　think　around　corners。　We　had　riddling　contests　every　Friday　noon；　and　the　boy　or　girl　who　won　could　leave　school　early。〃
　　〃Did　you　get　to　leave　early　often；　Roland？〃　Susannah　asked。
　　He　shook　his　head；　smiling　a　little　himself。　〃I　enjoyed　riddling；　but　I　was　never　very　good　at　it。　Vannay　said　it　was　because　I　thought　too　deeply。　My　father　said　it　was　because　I　had　too　little　imagination。　I　think　they　were　both　right　。　。　。　but　I　think　my　father　had　a　little　more　of　the　truth。　I　could　always　haul　a　gun　faster　than　any　of　my　mates；　and　shoot　straighter；　but　I've　never　been　much　good　at　thinking　around　corners。〃
　　Susannah；　who　had　watched　closely　as　Roland　dealt　with　the　old　people　of　River　Crossing；　thought　the　gunslinger　was　underrating　himself；　but　she　said　nothing。
　　〃Sometimes；　on　winter　nights；　there　would　be　riddling　petitions　in　the　great　hall。　When　it　was　just　the　younkers；　Alain　always　won。　When　the　grownups　played　as　well；　it　was　always　Cort。　He'd　forgotten　more　riddles　than　the　rest　of　us　ever　knew；　and　after　the　Fair…Day　Riddling；　Cort　always　carried　home　the　goose。　Riddles　have　great　power；　and　ev