sk.thetalisman-第130部分

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　　Jason　brought　the　guitar…pick　down　into　the　white；　scrawny　face　of　the　old　vampire…thing　in　the　suit　of　armor；　at　the　same　instant　he　sideslipped　without　blinking　into　Jack　and　saw　the　pick　whistle　down　into　a　freezing　black　emptiness。　There　was　another　moment　as　Jason　when　he　saw　the　vampire…thing's　red　eyes　bulge　outward　in　disbelief　as　the　tip　of　the　pick　plunged　into　the　center　of　its　deeply　wrinkled　forehead。　A　moment　later　the　eyes　themselves；　already　filming　over；　exploded；　and　a　black；　steaming　inchor　ran　over　his　hand　and　wrist。　It　was　full　of　tiny　biting　worms。
　　　
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　　Jack　was　flung　against　the　wall。　He　hit　his　head。　In　spite　of　that　and　of　the　deep；　throbbing　pain　in　his　shoulders　and　upper　arms；　he　held　on　to　the　pick。
　　The　suit　of　armor　was　rattling　like　a　scarecrow　made　out　of　tin　cans。　Jack　had　time　to　see　it　was　swelling　somehow；　and　he　threw　a　hand　up　to　shield　his　eyes。
　　The　suit　of　armor　self…destructed。　It　did　not　spray　shrapnel　everywhere；　but　simply　fell　apart…Jack　thought　if　he　had　seen　it　in　a　movie　instead　of　as　he　saw　it　now；　huddled　in　a　lower　hallway　of　this　stinking　hotel　with　blood　trickling　into　his　armpits；　he　would　have　laughed。　The　polished…steel　helmet；　so　like　the　face　of　a　bird；　fell　onto　the　floor　with　a　muf…fled　thump。　The　curved　gorget；　meant　to　keep　the　knight's　enemy　from　running　a　blade　or　a　spear…point　through　the　knight's　throat；　fell　directly　inside　it　with　a　jingle　of　tightly　meshed　rings　of　mail。　The　cuirasses　fell　like　curved　steel　bookends。　The　greaves　split　apart。　Metal　rained　down　on　the　mouldy　carpet　for　two　seconds；　and　then　there　was　only　a　pile　of　something　that　looked　like　scrap…heap　leftovers。
　　Jack　pushed　himself　up　the　wall；　staring　with　wide　eyes　as　if　he　expected　the　suit　of　armor　to　suddenly　fly　back　together。　In　fact；　he　really　did　expect　something　like　that。　But　when　nothing　happened　he　turned　left；　toward　the　lobby　。　。　。　and　saw　three　more　suits　of　armor　moving　slowly　toward　him。　One　held　a　cheesy；　mould…caked　banner；　and　on　it　was　a　symbol　Jack　recognized：　he　had　seen　it　fluttering　from　guidons　held　by　Morgan　of　Orris's　soldiers　as　they　escorted　Morgan's　black　diligence　down　the　Outpost　Road　and　toward　Queen　Laura's　pavillion。　Morgan's　sign…but　these　were　not　Morgan's　creatures；　he　understood　dimly；　they　carried　his　banner　as　a　kind　of　morbid　joke　on　this　frightened　interloper　who　presumed　to　steal　away　their　only　reason　for　being。
　　'No　more；'　Jack　whispered　hoarsely。　The　pick　trembled　between　his　fingers。　Something　had　happened　to　it；　it　had　been　damaged　somehow　when　he　used　it　to　destroy　the　suit　of　armor　which　had　e　from　the　Heron　Bar。　The　ivory；　formerly　the　color　of　fresh　cream；　had　yellowed　noticeably。　Fine　cracks　now　crisscrossed　it。
　　The　suits　of　armor　clanked　steadily　toward　him。　One　slowly　drew　a　long　sword　which　ended　in　a　cruel…looking　double　point。
　　'No　more；'　Jack　moaned。　'Oh　God　please；　no　more；　I'm　tired；　I　can't；　please；　no　more；　no　more…'
　　Travellin　Jack；　ole　Travellin　Jack…
　　'Speedy；　I　can't！'　he　screamed。　Tears　cut　through　the　dirt　on　his　face。　The　suits　of　armor　approached　with　all　the　inevitability　of　steel　auto　parts　on　an　assembly　line。　He　heard　an　Arctic　wind　whistling　inside　their　cold　black　spaces。
　　…you　be　here　in　California　to　bring　her　back。
　　'Please；　Speedy；　no　more！'
　　Reaching　for　him…black…metal　robot…faces；　rusty　greaves；　mail　splotched　and　smeared　with　moss　and　mould。
　　Got　to　do　your　best；　Travellin　Jack；　Speedy　whispered；　exhausted；　and　then　he　was　gone　and　Jack　was　left　to　stand　or　fall　on　his　own。
　　
　　　CHAPTER　42
　　　Jack　and　the　Talisman
　　　
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　　You　made　a　mistake…a　ghostly　voice　in　Jack　Sawyer's　head　spoke　up　as　he　stood　outside　the　Heron　Bar　and　watched　these　other　suits　of　armor　bear　down　on　him。　In　his　mind　an　eye　opened　wide　and　he　saw　an　angry　man…a　man　who　was　really　not　much　more　than　an　overgrown　boy…striding　up　a　Western　street　toward　the　camera；　buckling　on　first　one　gun…belt　and　then　another；　so　that　they　crisscrossed　his　belly。　You　made　a　mistake…you　shoulda　killed　both　of　the　Ellis　brothers！
　　　
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　　Of　all　his　mother's　movies；　the　one　Jack　had　always　liked　the　best　was　Last　Train　to　Hangtown；　made　in　1960　and　released　in　1961。　It　had　been　a　Warner　Brothers　picture；　and　the　major　parts…as　in　many　of　the　lower…budget　pictures　Warners　made　during　that　period…were　filled　by　actors　from　the　half…dozen　Warner　Brothers　TV　series　which　were　in　constant　production。　Jack　Kelly　from　the　Maverick　show　had　been　in　Last　Train　（the　Suave　Gambler）；　and　Andrew　Duggan　from　Bour…bon　Street　Beat　（the　Evil　Cattle…Baron）。　Clint　Walker；　who　played　a　character　called　Cheyenne　Bodie　on　TV；　starred　as　Rafe　Ellis　（the　Retired　Sheriff　Who　Must　Strap　on　His　Guns　One　Last　Time）。　Inger　Stevens　had　been　originally　slated　to　play　the　part　of　the　Dance　Hall　Girl　with　Willing　Arms　and　a　Heart　of　Gold；　but　Miss　Stevens　had　e　down　with　a　bad　case　of　bronchitis　and　Lily　Cavanaugh　had　stepped　into　the　part。　It　was　of　a　sort　she　could　have　done　petently　in　a　a。　Once；　when　his　parents　thought　he　was　asleep　and　were　talking　in　the　living　room　downstairs；　Jack　overheard　his　mother　say　something　striking　as　he　padded　barefoot　to　the　bathroom　to　get　a　glass　of　water　。　。　。　it　was　striking　enough；　at　any　rate；　so　that　Jack　never　forgot　it。　'All　the　women　I　played　knew　how　to　fuck；　but　not　one　of　them　knew　how　to　fart；'　she　told　Phil。
　　Will　Hutchins；　who　starred　in　another　Warner　Brothers　program　（this　one　was　called　Sugarfoot）；　had　also　been　in　the　film。　Last　Train　to　Hangtown　was　Jack's　favorite　chiefly　because　of　the　character　Hutchins　played。　It　was　this　character…Andy　Ellis；　by　name…who　came　to　his　tired；　tottering；　overtaxed　mind　now　as　he　watched　the　suits　of　armor　marching　down　the　dark　hallway　toward　him。
　　Andy　Ellis　had　been　the　Cowardly　Kid　Brother　Who　Gets　Mad　in　the　Last　Reel。　After　skulking　and　cowering　through　the　entire　movie；　he　had　gone　out　to　face　Duggan's　evil　minions　after　the　Chief　Minion　（played　by　sinister；　stubbly；　wall…eyed　Jack　Elam；　who　played　Chief　Minions　in　all　sorts　of　Warner　epics；　both　theatrical　and　televisional）　had　shot　his　brother　Rafe　in　the　back。
　　Hutchins　had　gone　striding　down　the　dusty　wide…screen　street；　strapping　on　his　brother's　gunbelts　with　clumsy　fingers；　shouting；　'e　on！　e　on；　I'm　ready　for　ya！　You　made　a　mistake！　You　shoulda　killed　both　of　the　Ellis　brothers！'　
　　Will　Hutchins　had　not　been　one　of　the　greatest　actors　of　all　time；　but　in　that　moment　he　had　achieved…at　least　in　Jack's　eyes…a　moment　of　clear　truth　and　real　brilliance。　There　was　a　sense　that　the　kid　was　going　to　his　death；　and　knew　it；　but　meant　to　go　on；　anyway。　And　although　he　was　frightened；　he　was　not　striding　up　that　street　toward　the　showdown　with　the　slightest　reluctance；　he　went　eagerly；　sure　of　what　he　meant　to　do；　even　though　he　had　to　fumble　again　and　again　with　the　buckles　of　the　gunbelts。
　　The　suits　of　armor　came　on；　closing　the　distance；　rocking　from　side　to　side　like　toy　robots。　They　should　have　keys　sticking　out　of　their　backs；　Jack　thought。
　　He　turned　to　face　them；　the　yellowed　pick　held　between　the　thumb　and　forefinger　of　his　right　hand；　as　if　to　strum　a　tune。
　　They　seemed　to　hesitate；　as　if　sensing　his　fearlessness。　The　hotel　itself　seemed　to　suddenly　hesitate；　or　to　open　its　eyes　to　a　danger　that　was　deeper　than　it　had　at　first　thought；　floors　groaned　their　boards；　somewhere　a　series　of　doors　clapped　shut　one　after　the　other；　and　on　the　roofs；　the　brass　ornaments　ceased　turning　for　a　moment。
　　Then　the　suits　of　armor　clanked　forward　again。　They　now　made　a　single　moving　wall　of　plate…　and　chain…mail；　of　greaves　and　helmets　and　sparkling　gorgets。　One　held　a　spiked　iron　ball　on　a　wooden　haft；　one　a　martel　de　fer；　the　one　in　the　center　held　the　double…pointed　sword。
　　Jack　suddenly　began　to　walk　toward　them。　His　eyes　lit　up；　he　held　the　guitar…pick　out　before　him。　His　face　filled　with　that　radiant　Jason…glow。　He
　　sideslipped　
　　momentarily　into　the
　　Territories　and　became　Jason；　here　the　shark's　tooth　which　had　been　a　pick　seemed　to　be　aflame。　As　he　approached　the　three　knights；　one　pulled　off　its　helmet；　revealing　another　of　those　old；　pale　faces…this　one　was　thick　with　jowls；　and　the　neck　hung　with　waxy　wattles　that　looked　like　melting　candlewax。　It　heaved　its　helmet　at　him。　Jason　dodged　it　easily
　　and
　　slipped　back
　　into　his　Jack…self　as　a　helmet　crashed　off　a　panelled　wall　behind　him。　Standing　in　front　of　him　was　a　headless　suit　of　armor。
　　You　think　that　scares　me？　he　thought　contemptuously。　I've　seen　that　trick　before。　It　doesn't　scare　me；　you　don't　scare　me；　and　I'm　going　to　get　it；　that's　all。
　　This　time　he　did　not　just　feel　the　hotel　listening；　this　time　it　seemed　to　recoil　all　around　him；　as　the　tissue　of　a　digestive　organ　might　recoil　from　a　poisoned　bit　of　flesh。　Upstairs；　in　the　five　rooms　where　the　five　Guardian　Knights　had　died；　five　windows　blew　out　like　gunshots。　Jack　bore　down　on　the　suits　of　armor。
　　The　Talisman　sang　out　from　somewhere　above　in　its　clear　and　sweetly　triumphant　voice：
　　JASON！　TO　ME！
　　'e　on！'　Jack　shouted　at　the　suits　of　armor；　and　began　to　laugh。　He　couldn't　help　himself。　Never　had　laughter　seemed　so　strong　to　him；　so　potent；　so　good　as　this…it　was　like　water　from　a　spring；　or　from　some　deep　river。　'e　on；　I'm　ready　for　ya！　I　don't　know　what　fucked…up　Round　Table　you　guys　came　from；　but　you　shoulda　stayed　there！　You　made　a　mistake！'
　　Laughing　harder　than　ever　but　as　grimly　determined　inside　as　Wotan　on　the　Valkyries'　rock；　Jack　leaped　at　the　headless；　swaying　figure　in　the　center。
　　'You　shoulda　killed　both　of　the　Ellis　brothers！'　he　shouted；　and　as　Speedy's　guitar…pick　passed　into　the　zone　of　freezing　air　where　the　knight's　head　should　have　been；　the　suit　of　armor　fell　apart。
　　　
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　　In　her　bedroom　at　the　Alhambra；　Lily　Cavanaugh　Sawyer　suddenly　looked　up　from　the　book　she　had　been　reading。　She　thought　she　had　heard　someone…no；　not　just　someone；　Jack！…call　out　from　far　down　the　deserted　corridor；　perhaps　even　from　the　lobby。　She　listened；　eyes　wide；　lips　pursed；　heart　hoping　。　。　。　but　there　was　nothing。　Jack…O　was　st