sk.thetalisman-第147部分

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ack　watched　this　fluid　fabric　slide　across　Lily's　pitiful　chest；　down　her　wasted　legs。　From　the　open　seam　in　the　Talisman　a　wondrous　odor　spilled　out　with　the　gray…golden　cloud；　an　odor　sweet　and　unsweet；　of　flowers　and　earth；　wholly　good；　yeasty；　a　smell　of　birth；　Jack　thought；　though　he　had　never　attended　an　actual　birth。　Jack　drew　it　into　his　lungs　and　in　the　midst　of　his　wonder　was　gifted　with　the　thought　that　he　himself；　Jack…O　Sawyer；　was　being　born　at　this　minute…and　then　he　imagined；　with　a　barely　perceptible　shock　of　recognition；　that　the　opening　in　the　Talisman　was　like　a　vagina。　（He　had　of　course　never　seen　a　vagina　and　had　only　the　most　rudimentary　idea　of　its　structure。）　Jack　looked　directly　into　the　opening　in　the　distended　loosened　Talisman。
　　Now　he　became　conscious　for　the　first　time　of　the　incredible　racket；　in　some　way　all　mixed　up　with　faint　music；　of　the　birds　outside　the　dark　windows。
　　（Music？　What　。　。　。　？）
　　A　small　colored　ball　full　of　light　shot　past　his　vision；　flashing　in　the　open　seam　for　a　moment；　then　continued　beneath　the　Talisman's　cloudy　surface　as　it　dove　into　the　shifting　moving　gaseous　interior。　Jack　blinked。　It　had　resembled…Another　followed；　and　this　time　he　had　time　to　see　the　demarcation　of　blue　and　brown　and　green　on　the　tiny　globe；　the　coastal　shorelines　and　tiny　mountain　ranges。　On　that　tiny　world；　it　occurred　to　him；　stood　a　paralyzed　Jack　Sawyer　looking　down　at　an　even　tinier　colored　speck；　and　on　that　speck　stood　a　Jack…O　the　height　of　a　dust　mote　staring　at　a　little　world　the　size　of　an　atom。　Another　world　followed　the　first　two；　spinning　in；　out；　in；　out　of　the　widening　cloud　within　the　Talisman。
　　His　mother　moved　her　right　hand　and　moaned。
　　Jack　began　openly　to　weep。　She　would　live。　He　knew　it　now。　All　had　worked　as　Speedy　had　said；　and　the　Talisman　was　forcing　life　back　into　his　mother's　exhausted；　disease…ridden　body；　killing　the　evil　that　was　killing　her。　He　bent　forward；　for　a　moment　almost　giving　in　to　the　image　of　himself　kissing　the　Talisman　which　filled　his　mind。　The　odors　of　jasmine　and　hibiscus　and　freshly　overturned　earth　filled　his　nostrils。　A　tear　rolled　off　the　end　of　his　nose　and　sparkled　like　a　jewel　in　the　shafts　of　light　from　the　Talisman。　He　saw　a　belt　of　stars　drift　past　the　open　seam；　a　beaming　yellow　sun　swimming　in　vast　black　space。　Music　seemed　to　fill　the　Talisman；　the　room；　the　whole　world　outside。　A　woman's　face；　the　face　of　a　stranger；　moved　across　the　open　seam。　Children's　faces；　too；　then　the　faces　of　other　women　Tears　rolled　down　his　own　face；　for　he　had　seen　swimming　in　the　Talisman　his　mother's　own　face；　the　confident　wise…cracking　tender　features　of　the　Queen　of　half　a　hundred　quick　movies。　When　he　saw　his　own　face　drifting　among　all　the　worlds　and　lives　falling　toward　birth　within　the　Talisman；　he　thought　he　would　burst　with　feeling。　He　expanded。　He　breathed　in　light。　And　became　at　last　aware　of　the　astonishment　of　noises　taking　place　all　about　him　when　he　saw　his　mother's　eyes　stay　open　as　long；　at　least；　as　a　blessed　two　seconds　。　。　。
　　（for　alive　as　birds；　as　alive　as　the　worlds　contained　within　the　Talisman；　there　came　to　him　the　sounds　of　trombones　and　trumpets；　the　cries　of　saxophones；　the　joined　voices　of　frogs　and　turtles　and　gray　doves　singing；　The　people　who　know　my　magic　have　filled　the　land　with　smoke；　there　came　to　him　the　voices　of　Wolfs　making　Wolfmusic　at　the　moon。　Water　spanked　against　the　bow　of　a　ship　and　a　fish　spanked　the　surface　of　a　lake　with　the　side　of　its　body　and　a　rainbow　spanked　the　ground　and　a　travelling　boy　spanked　a　drop　of　spittle　to　tell　him　which　way　to　go　and　a　spanked　baby　squinched　its　face　and　opened　its　throat；　and　there　came　the　huge　voice　of　an　orchestra　singing　with　its　whole　massive　heart；　and　the　room　filled　with　the　smoky　trail　of　a　single　voice　rising　and　rising　and　rising　over　all　these　forays　of　sound。　Trucks　jammed　gears　and　factory　whistles　blew　and　somewhere　a　tire　exploded　and　somewhere　a　firecracker　loudly　spent　itself　and　a　lover　whispered　again　and　a　child　squalled　and　the　voice　rose　and　rose　and　for　a　short　time　Jack　was　unaware　that　he　could　not　see；　but　then　he　could　again）。
　　Lily's　eyes　opened　wide。　They　stared　up　into　Jack's　face　with　a　startled　where…am…I　expression。　It　was　the　expression　of　a　newborn　infant　who　has　just　been　spanked　into　the　world。　Then　she　jerked　in　a　startled　breath…
　　…and　a　river　of　worlds　and　tilted　galaxies　and　universes　were　pulled　up　and　out　of　the　Talisman　as　she　did。　They　were　pulled　up　in　a　stream　of　rainbow　colors。　They　streamed　into　her　mouth　and　nose　。　。　。　they　settled；　gleaming；　on　her　sallow　skin　like　droplets　of　dew；　and　melted　inward。　For　a　moment　his　mother　was　all　clothed　in　radiance…
　　…for　a　moment　his　mother　was　the　Talisman。
　　All　the　disease　fled　from　her　face。　It　did　not　happen　in　the　manner　of　a　time…lapse　sequence　in　a　movie。　It　happened　all　at　once。　It　happened　instantly。　She　was　sick　。　。　。　and　then　she　was　well。　Rosy　good　health　bloomed　in　her　cheeks。　Wispy；　sparse　hair　was　suddenly　full　and　smooth　and　rich；　the　color　of　dark　honey。
　　Jack　stared　at　her　as　she　looked　up　into　his　face。
　　'Oh　。　。　。　oh　。　。　。　my　GOD　。　。　。'　Lily　whispered。
　　That　rainbow　radiance　was　fading　now…but　the　health　remained。
　　'Mom？'　He　bent　forward。　Something　crumpled　like　cellophane　under　his　fingers。　It　was　the　brittle　husk　of　the　Talisman。　He　put　it　aside　on　the　nighttable。　He　pushed　several　of　her　medicine　bottles　out　of　the　way　to　do　it。　Some　crashed　on　the　floor；　and　it　didn't　matter。　She　would　not　be　needing　the　medicines　anymore。　He　put　the　husk　down　with　gentle　reverence；　suspecting…no；　knowing…that　even　that　would　be　gone　very　soon。
　　His　mother　smiled。　It　was　a　lovely；　fulfilled；　somewhat　surprised　smile…Hello；　world；　here　I　am　again！　What　do　you　know　about　that？
　　'Jack；　you　came　home；'　she　said　at　last；　and　rubbed　her　eyes　as　if　to　make　sure　it　was　no　mirage。
　　'Sure；'　he　said。　He　tried　to　smile。　It　was　a　pretty　good　smile　in　spite　of　the　tears　that　were　pouring　down　his　face。　'Sure；　you　bet。'
　　'I　feel　。　。　。　a　lot　better；　Jack…O。'
　　'Yeah？'　He　smiled；　rubbed　his　wet　eyes　with　the　heels　of　his　palms。　'That's　good；　Mom。'
　　Her　eyes　were　radiant。
　　'Hug　me；　Jacky。'
　　In　a　room　on　the　fourth　floor　of　a　deserted　resort　hotel　on　the　minuscule　New　Hampshire　seacoast；　a　thirteen…year…old　boy　named　Jack　Sawyer　leaned　forward；　closed　his　eyes；　and　hugged　his　mother　tightly；　smiling。　His　ordinary　life　of　school　and　friends　and　games　and　music；　a　life　where　there　were　schools　to　go　to　and　crisp　sheets　to　slide　between　at　night；　the　ordinary　life　of　a　thirteen…year…old　boy　（if　the　life　of　such　a　creature　can　ever；　in　its　color　and　riot；　be　considered　ordinary）　had　been　returned　to　him；　he　realized。　The　Talisman　had　done　that　for　him；　too。　When　he　remembered　to　turn　and　look　for　it；　the　Talisman　was　gone。
　　
　　　EPILOGUE
　　　
　　In　a　billowing　white　bedroom　filled　with　anxious　women；　Laura　DeLoessian；　Queen　of　the　Territories；　opened　her　eyes。
　　
　　　CONCLUSION
　　　
　　So　endeth　this　chronicle。　It　being　strictly　the　history　of　a　boy；　it　must　stop　here；　the　story　could　not　go　much　further　without　being　the　history　of　a　man。　When　one　writes　a　novel　about　grown　people；　he　knows　exactly　where　to　stop…that　is；　with　a　marriage；　but　when　he　writes　of　juveniles；　he　must　stop　where　he　best　can。
　　Most　of　the　characters　who　perform　in　this　book　still　live；　and　are　prosperous　and　happy。　Some　day　it　may　seem　worthwhile　to　take　up　the　story　again　and　see　what　。　。　。　they　turned　out　to　be；　therefore；　it　will　be　wisest　not　to　reveal　any　of　that　part　of　their　lives　at　present。
　　…Mark　Twain；　Tom　Sawyer
　　
　　
　　
　　







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