sk.thewastelands-第75部分

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　　〃Please；〃　he　said；　and　heard　the　word　trying　to　break　into　a　sob。　He　kept　seeing　Roland　lying　crushed　beneath　the　huge　fountain。　What　had　Gasher　said？　If　anyone　wanted　him；　they　would　have　to　pick　him　up　with　a　blotter。
　　〃Beg　if　you　want；　dear　heart。　Just　don't　expect　no　good　to　e　of　it；　for　mercy　stops　on　this　side　of　the　bridge；　so　it　does。　Now　go　down；　or　I'll　kick　your　bleedin　brains　right　outcher　bleedin　ears。〃
　　So　Jake　went　down；　and　by　the　time　he　reached　the　standing　water　at　the　bottom；　the　urge　to　cry　had　passed。　He　waited；　shoulders　slumped　and　head　down；　for　Gasher　to　descend　and　lead　him　to　his　fate。
　　
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　　ROLAND　HAD　E　CLOSE　to　tripping　the　crossed　wires　which　held　back　the　avalanche　of　junk；　but　the　dangling　fountain　was　absurd…a　trap　which　might　have　been　set　by　a　stupid　child。　Cort　had　taught　them　to　constantly　check　all　visual　quadrants　as　they　moved　in　enemy　territory；　and　that　included　above　as　well　as　behind　and　below。
　　〃Stop；〃　he　told　Oy；　raising　his　voice　to　be　heard　over　the　drums。
　　〃Op！〃　Oy　agreed；　then　looked　ahead　and　immediately　added；　〃Ake！〃
　　〃Yes。〃　The　gunslinger　took　another　look　up　at　the　suspended　marble　fountain；　then　examined　the　street；　looking　for　the　trigger。　There　were　two；　he　saw。　Perhaps　their　camouflage　as　cobblestones　had　once　been　effective；　but　that　time　was　long　past。　Roland　bent　down；　hands　on　his　knees；　and　spoke　into　Oy's　upturned　face。　〃Going　to　pick　you　up　for　a　minute　now。　Don't　fuss；　Oy。〃
　　〃Oy！〃
　　Roland　put　his　arms　around　the　bumbler。　At　first　Oy　stiffened　and　attempted　to　pull　away；　and　then　Roland　felt　the　small　animal　give　in。　He　wasn't　happy　about　being　this　close　to　someone　who　wasn't　Jake；　but　he　clearly　intended　to　put　up　with　it。　Roland　found　himself　wondering　again　just　how　intelligent　Oy　was。
　　He　carried　him　up　the　narrow　passage　and　beneath　The　Hanging　Fountain　of　Lud；　stepping　carefully　over　the　mock　cobbles。　Once　they　were　safely　past；　he　bent　to　let　Oy　go。　As　he　did；　the　drums　stopped。
　　〃Ake！〃　Oy　said　impatiently。　〃Ake…Ake！〃
　　〃Yes…but　there's　a　little　piece　of　business　to　attend　to　first。〃
　　He　led　Oy　fifteen　yards　farther　down　the　alley；　then　bent　and　picked　up　a　chunk　of　concrete。　He　tossed　it　thoughtfully　from　hand　to　hand；　and　as　he　did；　he　heard　the　sound　of　a　pistol…shot　from　the　east。　The　amplified　thump　of　the　drums　had　buried　the　sound　of　Eddie　and　Susan…nah's　battle　with　the　ragged　band　of　Pubes；　but　he　heard　this　gunshot　clearly　and　smiled…it　almost　surely　meant　that　the　Deans　had　reached　the　cradle；　and　that　was　the　first　good　news　of　this　day；　which　already　seemed　at　least　a　week　long。
　　Roland　turned　and　threw　the　piece　of　concrete。　His　aim　was　as　true　as　it　had　been　when　he　had　thrown　at　the　ancient　traffic　signal　in　River　Crossing；　the　missile　struck　one　of　the　discolored　triggers　dead　center；　and　one　of　the　rusty　cables　snapped　with　a　harsh　twang。　The　marble　fountain　dropped；　rolling　over　as　the　other　cable　snubbed　it　for　a　moment　longer…long　enough　so　that　a　man　with　fast　reflexes　could　have　cleared　the　drop…zone　anyway；　Roland　reckoned。　Then　it　too　let　go；　and　the　fountain　fell　like　a　pink；　misshapen　stone。
　　Roland　dropped　behind　a　pile　of　rusty　steel　beams　and　Oy　jumped　nimbly　into　his　lap　as　the　fountain　hit　the　street　with　a　vast；　shattery　thump。　Chunks　of　pink　marble；　some　as　big　as　carts；　flew　through　the　air。　Several　small　chips　stung　Roland's　face。　He　brushed　others　out　of　Oy's　fur。　He　looked　over　the　makeshift　barricade。　The　fountain　had　cracked　in　two　like　a　vast　plate。　We　won't　be　ing　back　this　way；　Roland　thought。　The　passageway；　narrow　to　begin　with；　was　now　…pletely　blocked。
　　He　wondered　if　Jake　had　heard　the　fall　of　the　fountain；　and　what　he　had　made　of　it　if　he　had。　He　didn't　waste　such　speculation　on　Gasher；　Gasher　would　think　he　had　been　crushed　to　paste；　which　was　exactly　what　Roland　wanted　him　to　think。　Would　Jake　think　the　same　thing？　The　boy　should　know　better　than　to　believe　a　gunslinger　could　be　killed　by　such　a　simple　device；　but　if　Gasher　had　terrorized　him　enough；　Jake　might　not　be　thinking　that　clearly。　Well；　it　was　too　late　to　worry　about　it　now；　and　if　he　had　it　to　do　over　again；　he　would　do　exactly　the　same　thing。　Dying　or　not；　Gasher　had　displayed　both　courage　and　animal　cun…ning。　If　he　was　off　his　guard　now；　the　trick　was　worth　it。
　　Roland　got　to　his　feet。　〃Oy…find　Jake。〃
　　〃Ake！〃　Oy　stretched　his　head　forward　on　his　long　neck；　sniffed　around　in　a　semicircle；　picked　up　Jake's　scent；　and　was　off　again　with　Roland　running　after。　Ten　minutes　later　he　came　to　a　stop　at　a　manhole　cover　in　the　street；　sniffed　all　the　way　around　it；　then　looked　up　at　Roland　and　barked　shrilly。
　　The　gunslinger　dropped　to　one　knee　and　observed　both　the　confu…sion　of　tracks　and　a　wide　path　of　scratches　on　the　cobbles。　He　thought　this　particular　manhole　cover　had　been　moved　quite　often。　His　eyes　narrowed　as　he　saw　the　wad　of　bloody　phlegm　in　a　crease　between　two　nearby　cobbles。
　　〃The　bastard　keeps　hitting　him；〃　he　murmured。
　　He　pulled　the　manhole　cover　back；　looked　down；　then　untied　the　rawhide　lacings　which　held　his　shirt　closed。　He　picked　the　bumbler　up　and　tucked　him　into　his　shirt。　Oy　bared　his　teeth；　and　for　a　moment　Roland　felt　his　claws　splayed　against　the　flesh　of　his　chest　and　belly　like　small　sharp　knives。　Then　they　withdrew　and　Oy　only　peered　out　of　Roland's　shirt　with　his　bright　eyes；　panting　like　a　steam　engine。　The　gunslinger　could　feel　the　rapid　beat　of　Oy's　heart　against　his　own。　He　pulled　the　rawhide　lace　from　the　eyelets　in　his　shirt　and　found　another；　longer；　lace　in　his　purse。
　　〃I'm　going　to　leash　you。　I　don't　like　it　and　you're　going　to　like　it　even　less；　but　it's　going　to　be　very　dark　down　there。〃
　　He　tied　the　two　lengths　of　rawhide　together　and　formed　one　end　into　a　wide　loop　which　he　slipped　over　Oy's　head。　He　expected　Oy　to　bare　his　teeth　again；　perhaps　even　to　nip　him；　but　Oy　didn't。　He　only　looked　up　at　Roland　with　his　gold…ringed　eyes　and　barked　〃Ake！〃　again　in　his　impatient　voice。
　　Roland　put　the　loose　end　of　his　makeshift　leash　in　his　mouth；　then　sat　down　on　the　edge　of　the　sewer　shaft　。。。　if　that　was　what　it　was。　He　felt　for　the　top　rung　of　the　ladder　and　found　it。　He　descended　slowly　and　carefully；　more　aware　than　ever　that　he　was　missing　half　a　hand　and　that　the　steel　rungs　were　slimy　with　oil　and　some　thicker　stuff　that　was　probably　moss。　Oy　was　a　heavy；　warm　weight　between　his　shirt　and　belly；　panting　steadily　and　harshly。　The　gold　rings　in　his　eyes　gleamed　like　medallions　in　the　dim　light。
　　At　last；　the　gunslinger's　groping　foot　splashed　into　the　water　at　the　bottom　of　the　shaft。　He　glanced　up　briefly　at　the　coin　of　white　light　far　above　him。　This　is　where　it　starts　getting　hard；　he　thought。　The　tunnel　was　warm　and　dank　and　smelled　like　an　ancient　charnel　house。　Some…where　nearby；　water　was　dripping　hollowly　and　monotonously。　Farther　off；　Roland　could　hear　the　rumble　of　machinery。　He　lifted　a　very　grateful　Oy　out　of　his　shirt　and　set　him　down　in　the　shallow　water　running　sluggishly　along　the　sewer　tunnel。
　　〃Now　it's　all　up　to　you；〃　he　murmured　in　the　bumbler's　ear。　〃To　Jake；　Oy。　To　Jake！〃
　　〃Ake！〃　the　bumbler　barked；　and　splashed　rapidly　off　into　the　darkness；　swinging　his　head　from　side　to　side　at　the　end　of　his　long　neck　like　a　pendulum。　Roland　followed　with　the　end　of　the　rawhide　leash　wrapped　around　his　diminished　right　hand。
　　
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　　THE　CRADLE…IT　WAS　easily　big　enough　to　have　acquired　proper…noun　status　in　their　minds…stood　in　the　center　of　a　square　five　times　larger　than　the　one　where　they　had　e　upon　the　blasted　statue；　and　when　she　got　a　really　good　look　at　it；　Susannah　realized　how　old　and　gray　and　fundamentally　grungy　the　rest　of　Lud　really　was。　The　Cradle　was　so　clean　it　almost　hurt　her　eyes。　No　vines　overgrew　its　sides；　no　graffiti　daubed　its　blinding　white　walls　and　steps　and　columns。　The　yellow　plains　dust　which　had　coated　everything　else　was　absent　here。　As　they　drew　closer；　Susannah　saw　why：　streams　of　water　coursed　endlessly　down　the　sides　of　the　Cradle；　issuing　from　nozzles　hidden　in　the　shadows　of　the　copper…sheathed　eaves。　Interval　sprays　created　by　other　hidden　nozzles　washed　the　steps；　turning　them　into　off…and…on　waterfalls。
　　〃Wow；〃　Eddie　said。　〃It　makes　Grand　Central　look　like　a　Greyhound　station　in　Buttfuck；　Nebraska。〃
　　〃What　a　poet　you　are；　dear；〃　Susannah　said　dryly。
　　The　steps　surrounded　the　entire　building　and　rose　to　a　great　open　lobby。　There　were　no　obscuring　mats　of　vegetation　here；　but　Eddie　and　Susannah　found　they　still　couldn't　get　a　good　look　inside；　the　shadows　thrown　by　the　overhanging　roof　were　too　deep。　The　Totems　of　the　Beam　marched　all　the　way　around　the　building；　two　by　two；　but　the　corners　were　reserved　for　creatures　Susannah　fervently　hoped　never　to　meet　outside　of　the　occasional　nightmare…hideous　stone　dragons　with　scaly　bodies；　clutching；　claw…tipped　hands；　and　nasty　peering　eyes。
　　Eddie　touched　her　shoulder　and　pointed　higher。　Susannah　looked　。　。　。　and　felt　her　breath　e　to　a　stop　in　her　throat。　Standing　astride　the　peak　of　the　roof；　far　above　The　Totems　of　the　Beam　and　the　dragonish　gargoyles；　as　if　given　dominion　over　them；　was　a　golden　warrior　at　least　sixty　feet　high。　A　battered　cowboy　hat　was　shoved　back　to　reveal　his　lined　and　careworn　brow；　a　bandanna　hung　askew　on　his　upper　chest；　as　if　it　had　just　been　pulled　down　after　serving　long；　hard　duty　as　a　dust…muffle。　In　one　upraised　fist　he　held　a　revolver；　in　the　other；　what　appeared　to　be　an　olive　branch。
　　Roland　of　Gilead　stood　atop　the　Cradle　of　Lud；　dressed　in　gold。
　　No；　she　thought；　at　last　remembering　to　breathe　again。　It's　not　him　。　。　。　but　in　another　way；　it　is。　That　man　was　a　gunslinger；　and　the　resemblance　between　him；　who's　probably　been　dead　a　thousand　years　or　more；　and　Roland　is　all　the　truth　of　ka…tet　you'll　ever　need　to　know。
　　Thunder　slammed　out　of　the　south。　Lightning　harried　racing　clouds　across　the　sky。　She　wished　she　had　more　time　to　study　both　the　golden　statue　which　stood　atop　the　Cradle　and　the　animals　which　surrounded　it；　each　of　these　latter　appeared　to　have　words　carved　upon　them；　and　she　had　an　idea　that　what　was　written　there　might　be　knowledge