sk.thetalisman-第105部分

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d　plump　juicy　unfamiliar　vegetables；　a　spicy　pink　juice　that　Jack　for　some　reason　thought　of　as　papaya　though　he　knew　it　was　not。　Richard　chewed　in　a　happy　trance；　the　juice　running　down　his　chin　until　Jack　wiped　it　off　for　him。　'California；'　he　said　once。　'I　should　have　known。'　Assuming　that　he　was　alluding　to　that　state's　reputation　for　craziness；　Jack　did　not　question　him。　He　was　more　concerned　about　what　the　two　of　them　were　doing　to　Anders's　presumably　limited　stock　of　food；　but　the　old　man　kept　nipping　behind　the　counter；　where　he　or　his　father　before　him　had　installed　a　small　wood…burning　stove；　and　returning　with　yet　more　food。　Corn　muffins；　calf's…foot　jelly；　things　that　looked　like　chicken　legs　but　tasted　of　。　。　。　what？　Frankincense　and　myrrh？　Flowers？　The　taste　fairly　exploded　over　his　tongue；　and　he　thought　that　he；　too；　might　begin　to　drool。
　　The　three　of　them　sat　around　a　little　table　in　the　warm　and　mellow　room。　At　the　end　of　the　meal　Anders　almost　shyly　brought　forth　a　heavy　beaker　half…filled　with　red　wine。　Feeling　as　if　he　were　following　someone　else's　script；　Jack　drank　a　small　glassful。
　　　
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　　Two　hours　later；　beginning　to　feel　drowsy；　Jack　wondered　if　that　enormous　meal　had　been　an　equally　enormous　error。　First　of　all；　there　had　been　the　departure　from　Ellis…Breaks　and　The　Depot；　which　had　not　gone　easily；　secondly；　there　was　Richard；　who　threatened　to　go　seriously　crazy；　and　thirdly；　and　above　all　else；　there　were　the　Blasted　Lands。　Which　were　far　crazier　than　Richard　would　ever　be；　and　which　absolutely　demanded　concentrated　attention。
　　After　the　meal　the　three　of　them　had　returned　to　the　shed；　and　the　trouble　had　started。　Jack　knew　that　he　was　fearful　of　whatever　might　be　ahead…and；　he　now　knew；　that　fear　was　perfectly　justified…and　perhaps　his　trepidation　had　made　him　behave　less　well　than　he　should　have。　The　first　difficulty　had　e　when　he　tried　to　pay　old　Anders　with　the　coin　Captain　Farren　had　given　him。　Anders　responded　as　if　his　beloved　Ja…son　had　just　stabbed　him　in　the　back。　Sacrilege！　Outrage！　By　offering　the　coin；　Jack　had　done　more　than　merely　insult　the　old　liveryman；　he　had　metaphorically　smeared　mud　on　his　religion。　Supernaturally　restored　divine　beings　apparently　were　not　supposed　to　offer　coins　to　their　followers。　Anders　had　been　upset　enough　to　smash　his　hand　into　the　'devil…box；'　as　he　called　the　metal　container　for　the　rank　of　batteries；　and　Jack　knew　that　Anders　had　been　mightily　tempted　to　strike　another　target　besides　the　train。　Jack　had　managed　only　a　semi…truce：　Anders　did　not　want　his　apologies　any　more　than　he　wanted　his　money。　The　old　man　had　finally　calmed　down　once　he　realized　the　extent　of　the　boy's　dismay；　but　he　did　not　really　return　to　his　normal　behavior　until　Jack　speculated　out　loud　that　the　Captain　Farren　coin　might　have　other　functions；　other　roles　for　him。　'Ye're　not　Jason　entire；'　the　old　man　gloomed；　'yet　the　Queen's　coin　may　aid　ye　toward　yer　destiny。'　He　shook　his　head　heavily。　His　farewell　wave　had　been　distinctly　half…hearted。
　　But　a　good　portion　of　that　had　been　due　to　Richard。　What　had　begun　as　a　sort　of　childish　panic　had　quickly　blossomed　into　full…blown　terror。　Richard　had　refused　to　get　in　the　cab。　Up　until　that　moment　he　had　mooned　around　the　shed；　not　looking　at　the　train；　seemingly　in　an　uncaring　daze。　Then　he　had　realized　that　Jack　was　serious　about　getting　him　on　that　thing；　and　he　had　freaked…and；　strangely；　it　had　been　the　idea　of　ending　up　in　California　which　had　disturbed　him　most。　'NO！　NO！　CAN'T！'　Richard　had　yelled　when　Jack　urged　him　toward　the　train。　'I　WANT　TO　GO　BACK　TO　MY　ROOM！'
　　'They　might　be　following　us；　Richard；'　Jack　said　wearily。　'We　have　to　get　going。'　He　reached　out　and　took　Richard's　arm。　'This　is　all　a　dream；　remember？'
　　'Oh　my　Lord；　oh　my　Lord；'　Anders　had　said；　moving　aimlessly　around　in　the　big　shed；　and　Jack　understood　that　for　once　the　liveryman　was　not　addressing　him。
　　'I　HAVE　TO　GO　BACK　TO　MY　ROOM！'　Richard　squalled。　His　eyes　were　clamped　shut　so　tightly　that　a　single　painful　crease　ran　from　temple　to　temple。
　　Echoes　of　Wolf　again。　Jack　had　tried　to　pull　Richard　toward　the　train；　but　Richard　had　stuck　fast；　like　a　mule。　'I　CAN'T　GO　THERE！'　he　yelled。
　　'Well；　you　can't　stay　here；　either；'　Jack　said。　He　made　another　futile　effort　at　yanking　Richard　toward　the　train；　and　this　time　actually　budged　him　a　foot　or　two。　'Richard；'　he　said；　'this　is　ridiculous。　Do　you　want　to　be　here　alone？　Do　you　want　to　be　left　alone　in　the　Territories？'　Richard　shook　his　head。　'Then　e　with　me。　It's　time。　In　two　days　we'll　be　in　California。'
　　'Bad　business；'　Anders　muttered　to　himself；　watching　the　boys。　Richard　simply　continued　to　shake　his　head；　offering　a　single　prehensive　negative。　'I　can't　go　there；'　he　repeated。　'I　can't　get　on　that　train　and　I　can't　go　there。'
　　'California？'　
　　Richard　bit　his　mouth　into　a　lipless　seam　and　closed　his　eyes　again。　'Oh　hell；'　Jack　said。　'Can　you　help　me；　Anders？'　The　huge　old　man　gave　him　a　dismayed；　almost　disgusted　look；　then　marched　across　the　room　and　scooped　up　Richard　in　his　arms…as　if　Richard　were　the　size　of　a　puppy。　The　boy　let　out　a　distinctly　puppyish　squeal。　Anders　dropped　him　onto　the　padded　bench　in　the　cab。　'Jack！'　Richard　called；　afraid　that　he　somehow　was　going　to　wind　up　in　the　Blasted　Lands　all　by　himself。　'I'm　here；'　Jack　said；　and　was　in　fact　already　climbing　into　the　other　side　of　the　cab。　'Thank　you；　Anders；'　he　said　to　the　old　liveryman；　who　nodded　gloomily　and　retreated　back　into　a　corner　of　the　shed。　'Take　care。'　Richard　had　begun　to　weep；　and　Anders　looked　at　him　without　pity。
　　Jack　pushed　the　ignition　button；　and　two　enormous　blue　sparks　shot　out　from　the　'devil…box'　just　as　the　engine　whirred　into　life。　'Here　goes；'　Jack　said；　and　eased　the　lever　forward。　The　train　began　to　glide　out　of　the　shed。　Richard　whimpered　and　drew　up　his　knees。　Saying　something　like　'Nonsense'　or　'Impossible'…Jack　chiefly　heard　the　hiss　of　the　sibilants…he　buried　his　face　between　his　knees。　He　looked　as　though　he　were　trying　to　bee　a　circle。　Jack　waved　to　Anders；　who　waved　back；　and　then　they　were　out　of　the　lighted　shed　and　were　covered　only　by　the　vast　dark　sky。　Anders's　silhouette　appeared　in　the　opening　through　which　they　had　gone；　as　if　he　had　decided　to　run　after　them。　The　train　was　not　capable　of　going　more　than　thirty　miles　an　hour；　Jack　thought；　and　at　present　was　doing　no　better　than　eight　or　nine。　This　seemed　excruciatingly　slow。　West；　Jack　said　to　himself；　west；　west；　west。　Anders　stepped　back　inside　the　shed；　and　his　beard　lay　against　his　massive　chest　like　a　covering　of　frost。　The　train　lurched　forward…another　sizzling　blue　spark　snapped　upward…and　Jack　turned　around　on　the　padded　seat　to　see　what　was　ing。
　　'NO！'　Richard　screamed；　almost　making　Jack　fall　out　of　the　cab。　'I　CAN'T！　CAN'T　GO　THERE！'　He　had　drawn　his　head　up　from　his　knees；　but　he　wasn't　seeing　anything…his　eyes　were　still　clamped　shut；　and　his　whole　face　looked　like　a　knuckle。
　　'Be　quiet；'　Jack　said。　Ahead　the　tracks　arrowed　through　the　endless　fields　of　waving　grain；　dim　mountains；　old　teeth；　floated　in　the　western　clouds。　Jack　glanced　one　last　time　over　his　shoulder　and　saw　the　little　oasis　of　warmth　and　light　which　was　The　Depot　and　the　octagonal　shed；　slipping　slowly　backward　behind　him。　Anders　was　a　tall　shadow　in　a　lighted　doorway。　Jack　gave　a　final　wave；　and　the　tall　shadow　waved；　too。　Jack　turned　around　again　and　looked　over　the　immensity　of　grain；　all　that　lyric　distance。　If　this　was　what　the　Blasted　Lands　were　like；　the　next　two　days　were　going　to　be　positively　restful。
　　Of　course　they　were　not；　not　like　that　at　all。　Even　in　the　moonlit　dark　he　could　tell　that　the　grain　was　thinning　out；　being　scrubby…about　half　an　hour　out　of　The　Depot　the　change　had　begun。　Even　the　color　seemed　wrong　now；　almost　artificial；　no　longer　the　beautiful　organic　yellow　he　had　seen　before；　but　the　yellow　of　something　left　too　near　a　powerful　heat　source…the　yellow　of　something　with　most　of　the　life　bleached　out　of　it。　Richard　now　had　a　similar　quality。　For　a　time　he　had　hyperventilated；　then　he　had　wept　as　silently　and　shamelessly　as　a　jilted　girl；　then　he　had　fallen　into　a　twitchy　sleep。　'Can't　go　back；'　he　had　muttered　in　his　sleep；　or　such　were　the　words　Jack　thought　he　had　heard。　In　sleep　he　seemed　to　dwindle。
　　The　whole　character　of　the　landscape　had　begun　to　alter。　From　the　broad　sweep　of　the　plains　in　Ellis…Breaks；　the　land　had　mutated　to　secretive　little　hollows　and　dark　little　valleys　crowded　with　black　trees。　Huge　boulders　lay　everywhere；　skulls；　eggs；　giant　teeth。　The　ground　itself　had　changed；　bee　much　sandier。　Twice　the　walls　of　the　valleys　grew　up　right　alongside　the　tracks；　and　all　Jack　could　see　on　either　side　were　scrubby　reddish　cliffs　covered　with　low　creeping　plants。　Now　and　then　he　thought　he　saw　an　animal　scurrying　for　cover；　but　the　light　was　too　weak；　and　the　animal　too　quick；　for　him　to　identify　it。　But　Jack　had　the　eerie　feeling　that　if　the　animal　had　frozen　absolutely　still　in　the　middle　of　Rodeo　Drive　at　high　noon；　he　would　still　have　been　unable　to　identify　it…a　suggestion　that　the　head　was　twice　the　size　it　should　be；　that　this　animal　was　better　off　hiding　from　human　sight。
　　By　the　time　ninety　minutes　had　elapsed；　Richard　was　moaning　in　his　sleep　and　the　landscape　had　passed　into　utter　strangeness。　The　second　time　they　had　emerged　from　one　of　the　claustrophobic　valleys；　Jack　had　been　surprised　by　a　sense　of　sudden　openness…at　first　it　was　like　being　back　in　the　Territories　again；　the　Daydreams…land。　Then　he　had　noticed；　even　in　the　dark；　how　the　trees　were　stunted　and　bent；　then　he　had　noticed　the　smell。　Probably　this　had　been　slowly　growing　in　his　consciousness；　but　it　was　only　after　he　had　seen　how　the　few　trees　scattered　on　the　black　plain　had　coiled　themselves　up　like　tortured　beasts　that　he　finally　noticed　the　faint　but　unmistakable　odor　of　corruption　in　the　air。　Corruption；　hellfire。　Here　the　Territories　stank；　or　nearly。
　　The　odor　of　long…dead　flowers　overlaid　the　land；　and　beneath　it；　as　with　Osmond；　was　a　coarser；　more　potent　odor。　If　Morgan；　in　either　of　his　roles；　had　caused　this；　then　he　had　in　some　sense　brought　death　to　the　Ter