sk.thetalisman-第68部分

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　　Jack　opened　his　mouth　and　exhaled。
　　'Nope。　No　booze。'　The　Judge　straightened　up　again。　'But　that's　the　only　thing　you　were　telling　the　truth　about；　isn't　it？　You're　trying　to　string　me　along；　boy。'
　　'I'm　sorry　we　were　hitching；'　Jack　said；　aware　that　he　had　to　speak　with　great　caution　now。　Not　only　might　what　he　said　determine　whether　he　and　Wolf　were　to　be　let　free；　but　he　was　having　a　little　trouble　forming　the　words　themselves…everything　seemed　to　be　happening　with　great　slowness。　As　in　the　shed；　the　seconds　had　wandered　off　the　metronome。　'In　fact；　we　hardly　ever　hitch　because　Wolf…Jack；　that　is…hates　being　in　cars。　We'll　never　do　it　again。　We　haven't　done　anything　wrong；　sir；　and　that　really　is　the　truth。'
　　'You　don't　understand；　sonny；'　the　Judge　said；　and　his　far…off　eyes　gleamed　again。　He's　enjoying　this；　Jack　understood。　Judge　Fairchild　moved　slowly　back　behind　his　desk。　'Hitching　rides　isn't　the　issue。　You　two　boys　are　out　on　the　road　by　yourself；　ing　from　nowhere；　going　nowhere…real　targets　for　trouble。'　His　voice　was　like　dark　honey。　'Now　we　have　here　in　this　country　what　we　think　is　a　most　unusual　facility…state…approved　and　state…funded；　by　the　way…which　might　have　been　set　up　expressly　for　the　benefit　of　boys　like　yourselves。　It's　called　the　Sunlight　Gardener　Scripture　Home　for　Wayward　Boys。　Mr。　Gardener's　work　with　young　fellows　in　trouble　has　been　nothing　short　of　miraculous。　We've　sent　him　some　tough　cases；　and　in　no　time　at　all　he　has　those　boys　on　their　knees　begging　Jesus　for　forgiveness。　Now　I'd　say　that　was　pretty　special；　wouldn't　you？'　
　　Jack　swallowed。　His　mouth　felt　drier　than　it　had　been　in　the　shed。　'Ah；　sir；　it's　really　urgent　that　we　get　to　Springfield。　Everybody's　going　to　wonder…'
　　'I　very　much　doubt　that；'　said　the　Judge；　smiling　with　all　his　wrinkles。　'But　I'll　tell　you　what。　As　soon　as　you　two　wags　are　on　your　way　to　the　Sunlight　Home；　I'll　telephone　Spring…field　and　try　to　get　the　number　of　this　Helen　。　。　。　Wolf；　is　it？　Or　is　it　Helen　Vaughan？'
　　'Vaughan；'　Jack　said；　and　a　red…hot　blush　covered　his　face　like　a　fever。
　　'Yes；'　the　Judge　said。
　　Wolf　shook　his　head；　blinking；　and　then　put　a　hand　on　Jack's　shoulder。
　　'ing　around　are　you；　son？'　the　Judge　asked。　'Could　you　tell　me　your　age？'　Wolf　blinked　again；　and　looked　at　Jack。
　　'Sixteen；'　Jack　said。　'And　you？'
　　'Twelve。'
　　'Oh。　I　would　have　taken　you　for　several　years　older。　All　the　more　reason　for　seeing　you　get　help　now　before　you　get　in　real　deep　trouble；　wouldn't　you　say；　Franky？'
　　'Amen；'　the　policeman　said。
　　'You　boys　e　back　here　in　a　month；'　said　the　Judge。　'Then　we'll　see　if　your　memory　is　any　better。　Why　are　your　eyes　so　bloodshot？'
　　'They　feel　kind　of　funny；'　Jack　said；　and　the　policeman　barked。　He　had　laughed；　Jack　realized　a　second　later。
　　'Take　them　away；　Franky；'　the　Judge　said。　He　was　already　picking　up　the　telephone。　'You're　going　to　be　different　boys　thirty　days　from　now。　Depend　on　it。'
　　
　　While　they　walked　down　the　steps　of　the　redbrick　Municipal　Building；　Jack　asked　Franky　Williams　why　the　Judge　had　asked　for　their　ages。　The　cop　paused　on　the　bottom　step　and　half…turned　to　glare　up　at　Jack　out　of　his　blazing　face。　'Old　Sunlight　generally　takes　em　in　at　twelve　and　turns　em　loose　at　nineteen。'　He　grinned。　'You　tellin　me　you　never　heard　him　on　the　radio？　He's　about　the　most　famous　thing　we　got　around　here。　I'm　pretty　sure　they　heard　of　old　Sunlight　Gardener　even　way　over　in　Daleville。'　His　teeth　were　small　discolored　pegs；　irregularly　spaced。
　　　
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　　Twenty　minutes　later　they　were　in　farmland　again。
　　Wolf　had　climbed　into　the　back　seat　of　the　police　car　with　surprisingly　little　fuss。　Franky　Williams　had　pulled　his　sap　from　his　belt　and　said；　'You　want　this　again；　you　fuckin　freak？　Who　knows；　it　might　make　you　smart。'　Wolf　had　trembled；　Wolf's　nose　had　wrinkled　up；　but　he　had　followed　Jack　into　the　car。　He　had　immediately　clapped　his　hand　over　his　nose　and　begun　breathing　through　his　mouth。　'We'll　get　away　from　this　place；　Wolf；'　Jack　had　whispered　into　his　ear。　'A　couple　of　days；　that's　all；　and　we'll　see　how　to　do　it。'　'No　chatter'　came　from　the　front　seat。
　　Jack　was　strangely　relaxed。　He　was　certain　that　they　would　find　a　way　to　escape。　He　leaned　back　against　the　plastic　seat；　Wolf's　hand　wrapped　around　his；　and　watched　the　fields　go　by。
　　'There　she　is；'　Franky　Williams　called　from　the　front　seat。　'Your　future　home。'　
　　Jack　saw　a　meeting　of　tall　brick　walls　planted　surrealistically　amidst　the　fields。　Too　tall　to　see　over；　the　walls　around　the　Sunlight　Home　were　topped　with　three　strands　of　barbed　wire　and　shards　of　broken　glass　set　in　cement。　The　car　was　now　driving　past　exhausted　fields　bordered　with　fences　in　which　strands　of　barbed　and　smooth　wire　alternated。
　　'Got　sixty　acres　out　here；'　Williams　said。　'And　all　of　it　is　either　walled　or　fenced…you　better　believe　it。　Boys　did　it　themselves。'　
　　A　wide　iron　gate　interrupted　the　expanse　of　wall　where　the　drive　turned　into　the　Home's　property。　As　soon　as　the　police　car　turned　into　the　drive　the　gates　swung　open；　triggered　by　some　electronic　signal。　'TV　camera；'　the　policeman　explained。　'They're　a…waitin　for　you　two　fresh　fish。'　
　　Jack　leaned　forward　and　put　his　face　to　the　window。　Boys　in　denim　jackets　worked　in　the　long　fields　to　either　side；　hoeing　and　raking；　pushing　wheelbarrows。
　　'You　two　shitheads　just　earned　me　twenty　bucks；'　Williams　said。　'Plus　another　twenty　for　Judge　Fairchild。　Ain't　that　great？'
　　
　　　CHAPTER　21
　　　The　Sunlight　Home
　　　
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　　The　Home　looked　like　something　made　from　a　child's　blocks；　Jack　thought…it　had　grown　randomly　as　more　space　was　needed。　Then　he　saw　that　the　numerous　windows　were　barred；　and　the　sprawling　building　immediately　seemed　penal；　rather　than　childish。
　　Most　of　the　boys　in　the　fields　had　put　down　their　tools　to　watch　the　progress　of　the　police　car。
　　Franky　Williams　pulled　up　into　the　wide；　rounded　end　of　the　drive。　As　soon　as　he　had　cut　off　his　engine；　a　tall　figure　stepped　through　the　front　door　and　stood　regarding　them　from　the　top　of　the　steps；　his　hands　knitted　together　before　him。　Beneath　a　full　head　of　longish　wavy　white　hair；　the　man's　face　seemed　unrealistically　youthful…as　if　these　chipped；　vitally　masculine　features　had　been　created　or　at　least　assisted　by　plastic　surgery。　It　was　the　face　of　a　man　who　could　sell　anything；　anywhere；　to　anybody。　His　clothes　were　as　white　as　his　hair：　white　suit；　white　shoes；　white　shirt；　and　a　trailing　white　silk　scarf　around　his　neck。　As　Jack　and　Wolf　got　out　of　the　back　seat；　the　man　in　white　pulled　a　pair　of　dark　green　sunglasses　from　his　suitpocket；　put　them　on；　and　appeared　to　examine　the　two　boys　for　a　moment　before　smiling…long　creases　split　his　cheeks。　Then　he　removed　the　sunglasses　and　put　them　back　in　his　pocket。
　　'Well；'　he　said。　'Well；　well；　well。　Where　would　we　all　be　without　you；　Officer　Williams？'
　　'Afternoon；　Reverend　Gardener；'　the　policeman　said。
　　'Is　it　the　usual　sort　of　thing；　or　were　these　two　bold　fellows　actually　engaged　in　criminal　activity？'
　　'Vagrants；'　said　the　cop。　Hands　on　hips；　he　squinted　up　at　Gardener　as　if　all　that　whiteness　hurt　his　eyes。　'Refused　to　give　Fairchild　their　right　names。　This　one；　the　big　one；'　he　said；　pointing　a　thumb　at　Wolf；　'he　wouldn't　talk　at　all。　I　had　to　nail　him　in　the　head　just　to　get　him　in　the　car。'　
　　Gardener　shook　his　head　tragically。　'Why　don't　you　bring　them　up　here　so　they　can　introduce　themselves；　and　then　we'll　take　care　of　the　various　formalities。　Is　there　any　reason　why　the　two　of　them　should　look　so；　ah；　shall　we　say；　'befuddled'？'
　　'Just　that　I　cracked　that　big　one　behind　the　ears。'
　　'Ummmmm。'　Gardener　stepped　backward；　steepling　his　fingers　before　his　chest。
　　As　Williams　prodded　the　boys　up　the　steps　to　the　long　porch；　Gardener　cocked　his　head　and　regarded　his　new　arrivals。　Jack　and　Wolf　reached　the　top　of　the　steps　and　moved　tentatively　onto　the　surface　of　the　porch。　Franky　Williams　wiped　his　forehead　and　huffed　himself　up　beside　them。　Gardener　was　smiling　mistily；　but　his　eyes　switched　back　and　forth　between　the　boys。　The　second　after　something　hard；　cold；　and　familiar　jumped　out　of　his　eyes　at　Jack；　the　Reverend　again　twitched　the　sunglasses　out　of　his　pocket　and　put　them　on。　The　smile　remained　misty　and　delicate；　but　even　wrapped　as　he　was　in　a　sense　of　false　security；　Jack　felt　frozen　by　that　glance…because　he　had　seen　it　before。
　　Reverend　Gardener　pulled　the　sunglasses　below　the　bridge　of　his　nose　and　peered　playfully　over　the　tops　of　the　frames。　'Names？　Names？　Might　we　have　some　names　from　you　two　gentlemen？'
　　'I'm　Jack；'　the　boy　said；　and　then　stopped…he　did　not　want　to　say　one　more　word　until　he　had　to。　Reality　seemed　to　fold　and　buckle　about　Jack　for　a　moment：　he　felt　that　he　had　been　jerked　back　into　the　Territories；　but　that　now　the　Territories　were　evil　and　threatening；　and　that　foul　smoke；　jumping　flames；　the　screams　of　tortured　bodies　filled　the　air。
　　A　powerful　hand　closed　over　his　elbow　and　held　him　upright。　Instead　of　the　foulness　and　smoke；　Jack　smelled　some　heavy　sweet　cologne；　applied　too　liberally。　A　pair　of　melancholy　gray　eyes　were　looking　directly　into　his。
　　'And　have　you　been　a　bad　boy；　Jack？　Have　you　been　a　very　bad　boy？'
　　'No；　we　were　just　hitching；　and…'
　　'I　think　you're　a　trifle　stoned；'　said　the　Reverend　Gardener。　'We'll　have　to　see　that　you　get　some　special　attention；　won't　we？'　The　hand　released　his　elbow；　Gardener　stepped　neatly　away；　and　pushed　the　sunglasses　up　over　his　eyes　again。　'You　do　possess　a　last　name；　I　imagine。'
　　'Parker；'　Jack　said。
　　'Yesss。'　Gardener　whipped　the　glasses　off　his　head；　executed　a　dancing　little　half…turn；　and　was　scrutinizing　Wolf。　He　had　given　no　indication　whether　he　believed　Jack　or　not。
　　'My；'　he　said。　'You're　a　healthy　specimen；　aren't　you？　Positively　strapping。　We'll　certainly　be　able　to　find　a　use　for　a　big　strong　boy　like　you　around　here；　praise　the　Lord。　And　might　I　ask　you　to　emulate　Mr。　Jack　Parker　here；　and　give　me　your　name？'　
　　Jack　looked　uneasily　at　Wolf。　His　head　was　bowed；　and　he　was　breathing　heavily。　A　glistening　line　of　slobber　went　from　the