sk.thetalisman-第10部分

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　　'Speedy…'
　　'All　of　em　is　named；'　Speedy　said；　walking　slowly　around　the　canted　dish　of　the　carousel；　his　footfalls　echoing　in　the　high　building。　Overhead；　in　the　shadowy　crisscross　of　the　beams；　a　few　barnswallows　cooed　softly。　Jack　followed　him。　'Silver　Lady　。　。　。　Midnight　。　。　。　this　here　roan　is　Scout　。　。　。　this　mare's　Ella　Speed。'　
　　The　black　man　threw　back　his　head　and　sang；　startling　the　barnswallows　into　flight：
　　'　'Ella　Speed　was　havin　her　lovin　fun　。　。　。　let　me　tell　you　what　old　Bill　Martin　done　'　Hoo！　Look　at　em　fly！'　He　laughed　。　。　。　but　when　he　turned　to　Jack；　he　was　serious　again。　'You　like　to　take　a　shot　at　savin　your　mother's　life；　Jack？　Hers；　and　the　life　of　that　other　woman　I　tole　you　about？'
　　'I　。　。　。　'　。　。　。　don't　know　how；　he　meant　to　say；　but　a　voice　inside…a　voice　which　came　from　that　same　previously　locked　room　from　which　the　memory　of　the　two　men　and　the　attempted　kidnapping　had　e　that　morning…rose　up　powerfully：　You　do　know！　You　might　need　Speedy　to　get　you　started；　but　you　do　know；　Jack。　You　do。
　　He　knew　that　voice　so　very　well。　It　was　his　father's　voice。　
　　'I　will　if　you　tell　me　how；'　he　said；　his　voice　rising　and　falling　unevenly。
　　Speedy　crossed　to　the　room's　far　wall…a　great　circular　shape　made　of　narrow　slatted　boards；　painted　with　a　primitive　but　wildly　energetic　mural　of　dashing　horses。　To　Jack；　the　wall　looked　like　the　pull…down　lid　of　his　father's　rolltop　desk　（and　that　desk　had　been　in　Morgan　Sloat's　office　the　last　time　Jack　and　his　mother　had　been　there；　he　suddenly　remembered…the　thought　brought　a　thin；　milky　anger　with　it）。
　　Speedy　pulled　out　a　gigantic　ring　of　keys；　picked　thoughtfully　through　them；　found　the　one　he　wanted；　and　turned　it　in　a　padlock。　He　pulled　the　lock　out　of　the　hasp；　clicked　it　shut；　and　dropped　it　into　one　of　his　breast　pockets。　Then　he　shoved　the　entire　wall　back　on　its　track。　Gorgeously　bright　sunlight　poured　in；　making　Jack　narrow　his　eyes。　Water　ripples　danced　benignly　across　the　ceiling。　They　were　looking　at　the　magnificent　sea…view　the　riders　of　the　Arcadia　Funworld　Carousel　got　each　time　Silver　Lady　and　Midnight　and　Scout　carried　them　past　the　east　side　of　the　round　carousel　building。　A　light　sea…breeze　pushed　Jack's　hair　back　from　his　forehead。
　　'Best　to　have　sunlight　if　we're　gonna　talk　about　this；'　Speedy　said。　'e　on　over　here；　Travellin　Jack；　and　I'll　tell　you　what　I　can　。　。　。　which　ain't　all　I　know。　God　forbid　you　should　ever　have　to　get　all　of　that。'
　　　
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　　Speedy　talked　in　his　soft　voice…it　was　as　mellow　and　soothing　to　Jack　as　leather　that　has　been　well　broken　in。　Jack　listened；　sometimes　frowning；　sometimes　gaping。
　　'You　know　those　things　you　call　the　Daydreams？'　
　　Jack　nodded。
　　'Those　things　ain't　dreams；　Travellin　Jack。　Not　daydreams；　not　nightdreams；　either。　That　place　is　a　real　place。　Real　enough；　anyway。　It's　a　lot　different　from　here；　but　it's　real。'
　　'Speedy；　my　mom　says…'
　　'Never　mind　that　right　now。　She　don't　know　about　the　Territories　。　。　。　but；　in　a　way；　she　do　know　about　them。　Because　your　daddy；　he　knew。　And　this　other　man…'
　　'Morgan　Sloat？'
　　'Yeah；　I　reckon。　He　knows　too。'　Then；　cryptically；　Speedy　added；　'I　know　who　he　is　over　there；　too。　Don't　I！　Whooo！'
　　'The　picture　in　your　office　。　。　。　not　Africa？'
　　'Not　Africa。'
　　'Not　a　trick？'
　　'Not　a　trick。'
　　'And　my　father　went　to　this　place？'　he　asked；　but　his　heart　already　knew　the　answer…it　was　an　answer　that　clarified　too　many　things　not　to　be　true。　But；　true　or　not；　Jack　wasn't　sure　how　much　of　it　he　wanted　to　believe。　Magic　lands？　Sick　queens？　It　made　him　uneasy。　It　made　him　uneasy　about　his　mind。　Hadn't　his　mother　told　him　over　and　over　again　when　he　was　small　that　he　shouldn't　confuse　his　Daydreaming　with　what　was　really　real？　She　had　been　very　stern　about　that；　and　she　had　frightened　Jack　a　little。　Perhaps；　he　thought　now；　she　had　been　frightened　herself。　Could　she　have　lived　with　Jack's　father　for　so　long　and　not　known　something？　Jack　didn't　think　so。　Maybe；　he　thought；　she　didn't　know　very　much　。　。　。　just　enough　to　scare　her。
　　Going　nuts。　That's　what　she　was　talking　about。　People　who　couldn't　tell　the　difference　between　real　things　and　make…believe　were　going　nuts。
　　But　his　father　had　known　a　different　truth；　hadn't　he？　Yes。　He　and　Morgan　Sloat。
　　They　have　magic　like　we　have　physics；　right？
　　'Your　father　went　often；　yes。　And　this　other　man；　Groat…'
　　'Sloat。'
　　'Yeah…bob！　Him。　He　went；　too。　Only　your　dad；　Jacky；　he　went　to　see　and　learn。　The　other　fella；　he　just　went　to　plunder　him　out　a　fortune。'
　　'Did　Morgan　Sloat　kill　my　Uncle　Tommy？'　Jack　asked。
　　'Don't　know　nuthin　bout　that。　You　just　listen　to　me；　Travellin　Jack。　Because　time　is　short。　If　you　really　think　this　fellow　Sloat　is　gonna　turn　up　here…'
　　'He　sounded　awful　mad；'　Jack　said。　Just　thinking　about　Uncle　Morgan　showing　up　in　Arcadia　Beach　made　him　feel　nervous。
　　'…then　time　is　shorter　than　ever。　Because　maybe　he　wouldn't　mind　so　bad　if　your　mother　died。　And　his　Twinner　is　sure　hopin　that　Queen　Laura　dies。'
　　'Twinner？'
　　'There's　people　in　this　world　have　got　Twinners　in　the　Territories；'　Speedy　said。　'Not　many；　because　there's　a　lot　less　people　over　there…maybe　only　one　for　every　hundred　thousand　over　here。　But　Twinners　can　go　back　and　forth　the　easiest。'
　　'This　Queen　。　。　。　she's　my　mother's　。　。　。　her　Twinner？'
　　'Yeah；　seems　like　she　is。'
　　'But　my　mother　never…？'
　　'No。　She　never　has。　No　reason。'
　　'My　father　had　a　。　。　。　a　Twinner？'
　　'Yes　indeed　he　did。　A　fine　man。'　
　　Jack　wet　his　lips…what　a　crazy　conversation　this　was！　Twinners　and　Territories！　'When　my　father　died　over　here；　did　his　Twinner　die　over　there？'
　　'Yeah。　Not　zackly　the　same　time；　but　almost。'
　　'Speedy？'
　　'What？'
　　'Have　I　got　a　Twinner？　In　the　Territories？'　
　　And　Speedy　looked　at　him　so　seriously　that　Jack　felt　a　deep　chill　go　up　his　back。　'Not　you；　son。　There's　only　one　of　you。　You　special。　And　this　fella　Smoot…'
　　'Sloat；'　Jack　said；　smiling　a　little。
　　'…yeah；　whatever；　he　knows　it。　That　be　one　of　the　reasons　he　be　ing　up　here　soon。　And　one　of　the　reasons　you　got　to　get　movin。'
　　'Why？'　Jack　burst　out。　'What　good　can　I　do　if　it's　cancer？　If　it's　cancer　and　she's　here　instead　of　in　some　clinic；　it's　because　there's　no　way；　if　she's　here；　see；　it　means…'　The　tears　threatened　again　and　he　swallowed　them　back　frantically。　'It　means　it　must　be　all　through　her。'　
　　All　through　her。　Yes。　That　was　another　truth　his　heart　knew：　the　truth　of　her　accelerating　weight…loss；　the　truth　of　the　brown　shadows　under　her　eyes。　All　through　her；　but　please　God；　hey；　God；　please；　man；　she's　my　mother…
　　'I　mean；'　he　finished　in　a　thick　voice；　'what　good　is　that　Daydream　place　going　to　do？'
　　'I　think　we　had　enough　jaw…chin　for　now；'　Speedy　said。　'Just　believe　this　here；　Travellin　Jack：　I'd　never　tell　you　you　ought　to　go　if　you　couldn't　do　her　some　good。'
　　'But…'
　　'Get　quiet；　Travellin　Jack。　Can't　talk　no　more　till　I　show　you　some　of　what　I　mean。　Wouldn't　do　no　good。　e　on。'　
　　Speedy　put　an　arm　around　Jack's　shoulders　and　led　him　around　the　carousel　dish。　They　went　out　the　door　together　and　walked　down　one　of　the　amusement　park's　deserted　byways。　On　their　left　was　the　Demon　Dodgem　Cars　building；　now　boarded　and　shuttered。　On　their　right　was　a　series　of　booths：　Pitch　Til　U　Win；　Famous　Pier　Pizza　&　Dough…Boys；　the　Rim…fire　Shooting　Gallery；　also　boarded　up　（faded　wild　animals　pranced　across　the　boards…lions　and　tigers　and　bears；　o　my）。
　　They　reached　the　wide　main　street；　which　was　called　Boardwalk　Avenue　in　vague　imitation　of　Atlantic　City…Arcadia　Funworld　had　a　pier；　but　no　real　boardwalk。　The　arcade　building　was　now　a　hundred　yards　down　to　their　left　and　the　arch　marking　the　entrance　to　Arcadia　Funworld　about　two　hundred　yards　down　to　their　right。　Jack　could　hear　the　steady；　grinding　thunder　of　the　breaking　waves；　the　lonely　cries　of　the　gulls。
　　He　looked　at　Speedy；　meaning　to　ask　him　what　now；　what　next；　could　he　mean　any　of　it　or　was　it　a　cruel　joke　。　。　。　but　he　said　none　of　those　things。　Speedy　was　holding　out　the　green　glass　bottle。
　　'That…'　Jack　began。
　　'Takes　you　there；'　Speedy　said。　'Lot　of　people　who　visit　over　there　don't　need　nothin　like　this；　but　you　ain't　been　there　in　a　while；　have　you；　Jacky？'
　　'No。'　When　had　he　last　closed　his　eyes　in　this　world　and　opened　them　in　the　magic　world　of　the　Daydreams；　that　world　with　its　rich；　vital　smells　and　its　deep；　transparent　sky？　Last　year？　No。　Further　back　than　that　。　。　。　California　。　。　。　after　his　father　had　died。　He　would　have　been　about　。　。　。
　　Jack's　eyes　widened。　Nine　years　old？　That　long？　Three　years？
　　It　was　frightening　to　think　how　quietly；　how　unobtrusively；　those　dreams；　sometimes　sweet；　sometimes　darkly　unsettling；　had　slipped　away…as　if　a　large　part　of　his　imagination　had　died　painlessly　and　unannounced。
　　He　took　the　bottle　from　Speedy　quickly；　almost　dropping　it。　He　felt　a　little　panicky。　Some　of　the　Daydreams　had　been　disturbing；　yes；　and　his　mother's　carefully　worded　admonitions　not　to　mix　up　reality　and　make…believe　（in　other　words　don't　go　crazy；　Jacky；　ole　kid　ole　sock；　okay？）　had　been　a　little　scary；　yes；　but　he　discovered　now　that　he　didn't　want　to　lose　that　world　after　all。
　　He　looked　in　Speedy's　eyes　and　thought：　He　knows　it；　too。　Everything　I　just　thought；　he　knows。　Who　are　you；　Speedy？
　　'When　you　ain't　been　there　for　a　while；　you　kinda　forget　how　to　get　there　on　your　own　hook；'　Speedy　said。　He　nodded　at　the　bottle。　'That's　why　I　got　me　some　magic　juice。　This　stuff　is　special。'　Speedy　spoke　this　last　in　tones　that　were　almost　reverential。
　　'Is　it　from　there？　The　Territories？'
　　'Nope。　They　got　some　magic　right　here；　Travellin　Jack。　Not　much；　but　a　little。　This　here　magic　juice　e　from　California。'　
　　Jack　looked　at　him　doubtfully。
　　'Go　on。　Have　you　a　little　sip　and　see　if　you　don't　go　travellin。'　Speedy　grinned。　'Drink　enough　of　that；　you　can　go　just　about　anyplace　you　want。　You're　lookin　at　one　who　knows。'
　　'Jeez；　Speedy；　but…'　He　began　to　feel　afraid。　His　mouth　had　gone　dry；　the　sun　seemed　much　too　bright；　and　he　could　feel　his　pulsebeat　speeding　up