sk.thetalisman-第15部分

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ff　with　you。'　She　shook　her　head；　and　he　thought　he　saw　an　extra　brightness　in　her　eyes。　'If　you're　going　to　leave；　get　out　of　here；　Jacky。　Call　me　tomorrow。'
　　'If　I　can。'　He　stood　up。
　　'If　you　can。　Of　course。　Forgive　me。'　She　looked　down　at　nothing；　and　he　saw　that　her　eyes　were　unfocused。　Red　dots　burned　in　the　middle　of　her　cheeks。
　　Jack　leaned　over　and　kissed　her；　but　she　just　waved　him　away。　The　waitress　stared　at　the　two　of　them　as　if　they　were　performing　a　play。　Despite　what　his　mother　had　just　said；　Jack　thought　that　he　had　brought　the　level　of　her　disbelief　down　to　something　like　fifty　percent；　which　meant　that　she　no　longer　knew　what　to　believe。
　　She　focused　on　him　for　a　moment；　and　he　saw　that　hectic　brightness　blazing　in　her　eyes　again。　Anger；　tears？　'Take　care；'　she　said；　and　signalled　the　waitress。
　　'I　love　you；'　Jack　said。
　　'Never　get　off　on　a　line　like　that。'　Now　she　was　almost　smiling。　'Get　travelling；　Jack。　Get　going　before　I　realize　how　crazy　this　is。'
　　'I'm　gone；'　he　said；　and　turned　away　and　marched　out　of　the　restaurant。　His　head　felt　tight；　as　if　the　bones　in　his　skull　had　just　grown　too　large　for　their　covering　of　flesh。　The　empty　yellow　sunlight　attacked　his　eyes。　Jack　heard　the　door　of　the　Arcadia　Tea　and　Jam　Shoppe　banging　shut　an　instant　after　the　little　bell　had　sounded。　He　blinked；　ran　across　Boardwalk　Avenue　without　looking　for　cars。　When　he　reached　the　pavement　on　the　other　side；　he　realized　that　he　would　have　to　go　back　to　their　suite　for　some　clothes。　His　mother　had　still　not　emerged　from　the　tea　shop　by　the　time　Jack　was　pulling　open　the　hotel's　great　front　door。
　　The　desk　clerk　stepped　backward　and　sullenly　stared。　Jack　felt　some　sort　of　emotion　steaming　off　the　man；　but　for　a　second　could　not　remember　why　the　clerk　should　react　so　strongly　to　the　sight　of　him。　The　conversation　with　his　mother…actually　much　shorter　than　he　had　imagined　it　would　be…seemed　to　have　lasted　for　days。　On　the　other　side　of　the　vast　gulf　of　time　he'd　spent　in　the　Tea　and　Jam　Shoppe；　he　had　called　the　clerk　a　creep。　Should　he　apologize？　He　no　longer　actually　remembered　what　had　caused　him　to　flare　up　at　the　clerk　。　。　。
　　His　mother　had　agreed　to　his　going…she　had　given　him　permission　to　take　his　journey；　and　as　he　walked　through　the　crossfire　of　the　deskman's　glare　he　finally　understood　why。　He　had　not　mentioned　the　Talisman；　not　explicitly；　but　even　if　he　had…if　he　had　spoken　of　the　most　lunatic　aspect　of　his　mission…she　would　have　accepted　that　too。　And　if　he'd　said　that　he　was　going　to　bring　back　a　foot…long　butterfly　and　roast　it　in　the　oven；　she'd　have　agreed　to　eat　roast　butterfly。　It　would　have　been　an　ironic；　but　a　real；　agreement。　In　part　this　showed　the　depth　of　her　fear；　that　she　would　grasp　at　such　straws。
　　But　she　would　grasp　because　at　some　level　she　knew　that　these　were　bricks；　not　straws。　His　mother　had　given　him　permission　to　go　because　somewhere　inside　her　she；　too；　knew　about　the　Territories。
　　Did　she　ever　wake　up　in　the　night　with　that　name；　Laura　DeLoessian；　sounding　in　her　mind？
　　Up　in　407　and　408；　he　tossed　clothes　into　his　knapsack　almost　randomly：　if　his　fingers　found　it　in　a　drawer　and　it　was　not　too　large；　in　it　went。　Shirts；　socks；　a　sweater；　Jockey　shorts。　Jack　tightly　rolled　up　a　pair　of　tan　jeans　and　forced　them　in；　too；　then　he　realized　that　the　pack　had　bee　unfortably　heavy；　and　pulled　out　most　of　the　shirts　and　socks。　The　sweater；　too；　came　out。　At　the　last　minute　he　remembered　his　toothbrush。　Then　he　slid　the　straps　over　his　shoulders　and　felt　the　pull　of　the　weight　on　his　back…not　too　heavy。　He　could　walk　all　day；　carrying　only　these　few　pounds。
　　Jack　simply　stood　quiet　in　the　suite's　living　room　a　moment；　feeling…unexpectedly　powerfully…the　absence　of　any　person　or　thing　to　whom　he　could　say　goodbye。　His　mother　would　not　return　to　the　suite　until　she　could　be　sure　he　was　gone：　if　she　saw　him　now；　she'd　order　him　to　stay。　He　could　not　say　goodbye　to　these　three　rooms　as　he　could　to　a　house　he　had　loved：　hotel　rooms　accepted　departures　emotionlessly。　In　the　end　he　went　to　the　telephone　pad　printed　with　a　drawing　of　the　hotel　on　eggshell…thin　paper；　and　with　the　Alhambra's　blunt　narrow　pencil　wrote　the　three　lines　that　were　most　of　what　he　had　to　say：
　　
　　Thanks
　　I　love　you
　　and　will　be　back
　　　
　　　4
　　
　　Jack　moved　down　Boardwalk　Avenue　in　the　thin　northern　sun；　wondering　where　he　should　。　。　。　flip。　That　was　the　word　for　it。　And　should　he　see　Speedy　once　more　before　he　'flipped'　into　the　Territories？　He　almost　had　to　talk　to　Speedy　once　more；　because　he　knew　so　little　about　where　he　was　going；　whom　he　might　meet；　what　he　was　looking　for　she　look　just　like　a　crystal　ball。　Was　that　all　the　instruction　Speedy　intended　to　give　him　about　the　Talisman？　That；　and　the　warning　not　to　drop　it？　Jack　felt　almost　sick　with　lack　of　preparation…as　if　he　had　to　take　a　final　exam　in　a　course　he'd　never　attended。
　　He　also　felt　that　he　could　flip　right　where　he　stood；　he　was　that　impatient　to　begin；　to　get　started；　to　move。　He　had　to　be　in　the　Territories　again；　he　suddenly　understood；　in　the　welter　of　his　emotions　and　longings；　that　thread　brightly　shone。　He　wanted　to　breathe　that　air；　he　hungered　for　it。　The　Territories；　the　long　plains　and　ranges　of　low　mountains；　called　him；　the　fields　of　tall　grass　and　the　streams　that　flashed　through　them。　Jack's　entire　body　yearned　for　that　landscape。　And　he　might　have　taken　the　bottle　out　of　his　pocket　and　forced　a　mouthful　of　the　awful　juice　down　his　throat　on　the　spot　if　he　had　not　just　then　seen　the　bottle's　former　owner　tucked　up　against　a　tree；　butt　on　heels　and　hands　laced　across　his　knees。　A　brown　grocery　bag　lay　beside　him；　and　atop　the　bag　was　an　enormous　sandwich　of　what　looked　like　liver　sausage　and　onion。
　　'You're　movin　now；'　Speedy　said；　smiling　up　at　him。　'You're　on　your　way；　I　see。　Say　your　goodbyes？　Your　momma　know　you　won't　be　home　for　a　while？'　
　　Jack　nodded；　and　Speedy　held　up　the　sandwich。　'You　hungry？　This　one；　it's　too　much　for　me。'
　　'I　had　something　to　eat；'　the　boy　said。　'I'm　glad　I　can　say　goodbye　to　you。'
　　'Ole　Jack　on　fire；　he　rarin　to　go；'　Speedy　said；　cocking　his　long　head　sideways。　'Boy　gonna　move。'
　　'Speedy？'
　　'But　don't　take　off　without　a　few　little　things　I　brought　for　you。　I　got　em　here　in　this　bag；　you　wanna　see？'
　　'Speedy？'　The　man　squinted　up　at　Jack　from　the　base　of　the　tree。
　　'Did　you　know　that　my　father　used　to　call　me　Travelling　Jack？'
　　'Oh；　I　probably　heard　that　somewhere；'　Speedy　said；　grinning　at　him。　'e　over　here　and　see　what　I　brought　you。　Plus；　I　have　to　tell　you　where　to　go　first；　don't　I？'　
　　Relieved；　Jack　walked　across　the　sidewalk　to　Speedy's　tree。　The　old　man　set　his　sandwich　in　his　lap　and　fished　the　bag　closer　to　him。　'Merry　Christmas；'　Speedy　said；　and　brought　forth　a　tall；　battered　old　paperback　book。　It　was；　Jack　saw；　an　old　Rand　McNally　road　atlas。
　　'Thanks；'　Jack　said；　taking　the　book　from　Speedy's　outstretched　hand。
　　'Ain't　no　maps　over　there；　so　you　stick　as　much　as　you　can　to　the　roads　in　ole　Rand　McNally。　That　way　you'll　get　where　you're　goin。'
　　'Okay；'　Jack　said；　and　slipped　out　of　the　knapsack　so　that　he　could　slide　the　big　book　down　inside　it。
　　'The　next　thing　don't　have　to　go　in　that　fancy　rig　you　carryin　on　your　back；'　Speedy　said。　He　put　the　sandwich　on　the　flat　paper　bag　and　stood　up　all　in　one　long　smooth　motion。　'No；　you　can　carry　this　right　in　your　pocket。'　He　dipped　his　fingers　into　the　left　pocket　of　his　workshirt。　What　emerged；　clamped　between　his　second　and　third　fingers　like　one　of　Lily's　Tarrytoons；　was　a　white　triangular　object　it　took　the　boy　a　moment　to　recognize　as　a　guitar…pick。　'You　take　this　and　keep　it。　You'll　want　to　show　it　to　a　man。　He'll　help　you。'　
　　Jack　turned　the　pick　over　in　his　fingers。　He　had　never　seen　one　like　it…of　ivory；　with　scrimshaw　filigrees　and　patterns　winding　around　it　in　slanted　lines　like　some　kind　of　unearthly　writing。　Beautiful　in　the　abstract；　it　was　almost　too　heavy　to　be　a　useful　fingerpick。
　　'Who's　the　man？'　Jack　asked。　He　slipped　the　pick　into　one　of　his　pants　pockets。
　　'Big　scar　on　his　face…you'll　see　him　pretty　soon　after　you　land　in　the　Territories。　He's　a　guard。　Fact　is；　he's　a　Captain　of　the　Outer　Guards；　and　he'll　take　you　to　a　place　where　you　can　see　a　lady　you　has　to　see。　Well；　a　lady　you　ought　to　see。　So　you　know　the　other　reason　you're　puttin　your　neck　on　the　line。　My　friend　over　there；　he'll　understand　what　you're　doin　and　he'll　figure　out　a　way　to　get　you　to　the　lady。'
　　'This　lady　。　。　。　'　Jack　began。
　　'Yep；'　Speedy　said。　'You　got　it。'
　　'She's　the　Queen。'
　　'You　take　a　good　look　at　her；　Jack。　You　see　what　you　see　when　you　sees　her。　You　see　what　she　is；　understand？　Then　you　hit　out　for　the　west。'　Speedy　stood　examining　him　gravely；　almost　as　if　he　were　just　now　doubting　that　he'd　ever　see　Jack　Sawyer　again；　and　then　the　lines　in　his　face　twitched　and　he　said；　'Steer　clear　of　ole　Bloat。　Watch　for　his　trail…his　own　and　his　Twinner's。　Ole　Bloat　can　find　out　where　you　went　if　you're　not　careful；　and　if　he　finds　out　he's　gonna　be　after　you　like　a　fox　after　a　goose。'　Speedy　shoved　his　hands　in　his　pockets　and　regarded　Jack　again；　looking　very　much　as　though　he　wished　he　could　think　of　more　to　say。　'Get　the　Talisman；　son；'　he　concluded。　'Get　it　and　bring　it　back　safe。　It　gonna　be　your　burden　but　you　got　to　be　bigger　than　your　burden。'　
　　Jack　was　concentrating　so　hard　on　what　Speedy　was　telling　him　that　he　squinted　into　the　man's　seamed　face。　Scarred　man；　Captain　of　the　Outer　Guards。　The　Queen。　Morgan　Sloat；　after　him　like　a　predator。　In　an　evil　place　over　on　the　other　side　of　the　country。　A　burden。　'Okay；'　he　said；　wishing　suddenly　that　he　were　back　in　the　Tea　and　Jam　Shoppe　with　his　mother。
　　Speedy　smiled　jaggedly；　warmly。　'Yeah…bob。　Ole　Travellin　Jack　is　okey…doke。'　The　smile　deepened。　'Bout　time　for　you　to　sip　at　that　special　juice；　wouldn't　you　say？'
　　'I　guess　it　is；'　Jack　said。　He　tugged　the　dark　bottle　out　of　his　hip　pocket　and　unscrewed　the　cap。　He　looked　back　up　at　Speedy；　whose　pale　eyes　stabbed　into　his　own。
　　'Speedy'll　help　you　when　he　can。'
　　Jack　nodded；　blinked；　and　r