sk.thetalisman-第74部分

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　　'Why；　they　sent　down　a　bunch　of　smart　news　reporters　from　some　smart　radical　humanist　news　show！'　Sunlight　Gardener　cried　in　a　kind　of　disgusted　wonder。　'They　came　down　here　and　they　said；　'Okay；　who　are　we　supposed　to　do　the　hatchet…job　on？　We've　done　a　hundred　and　fifty　already；　we're　experts　at　smearing　the　righteous；　don't　worry　about　us；　just　give　us　a　few　joints　and　a　few　cocktails　and　point　us　in　the　right　direction。'　
　　'But　we　fooled　em；　didn't　we；　boys？'　
　　Rumbling；　almost　vicious　assent。
　　'They　didn't　find　no　one　chained　to　a　beam　in　the　barn；　did　they？　Didn't　find　no　boys　in　strait…jackets；　like　they　heard　down　in　town　from　some　of　these　hellbound　School　Board　jackals；　did　they？　Didn't　find　no　boys　getting　their　fingernails　pulled；　or　all　their　hair　shaved　off；　or　nothing　like　that！　Most　they　could　find　was　some　boys　who　said　they　got　spanked；　and　they　DID　get　spanked；　oh…yeah；　they　was　spanked　and　I'd　testify　on　that　matter　myself　before　the　Throne　of　Almighty　God；　with　a　lie…detector　strapped　to　each　arm；　because　the　book　says　if　you　SPARE　that　rod；　you　gonna　SPOIL　that　child；　and　if　you　believe　that；　boys；　you　gimme　hallelujah！'
　　'HALLELUJAH！'
　　'Even　the　Indiana　Board　of　Education；　much　as　they'd　like　to　get　rid　of　me　and　leave　a　clear　field　for　the　devil；　even　they　had　to　admit　that　when　it　es　to　spanking；　God's　law　and　the　State　of　Indiana's　law　runs　just　about　the　same：　that　if　you　SPARE　that　rod；　you　gonna　SPOIL　that　child！
　　'They　found　HAPPY　boys！　They　found　HEALTHY　boys！　They　found　boys　who　were　willing　to　WALK　the　Lord　and　TALK　the　Lord；　oh　can　you　say　hallelujah？'　
　　They　could。
　　'Can　you　say　oh…yeah？'　
　　They　could　do　that；　too。
　　Sunlight　Gardener　came　back　to　the　podium。
　　'The　Lord　protects　those　that　love　Him；　and　the　Lord　is　not　gonna　see　a　bunch　of　dope…smoking；　munist…loving　radical　humanists　take　away　this　resting　place　for　tired；　confused　boys。
　　'There　were　a　few　boys　who　told　tattletale　lies　to　those　so…called　news…people；'　Gardener　said。　'I　heard　the　lies　repeated　on　that　TV　news　show；　and　although　the　boys　slinging　that　mud　were　too　cowardly　to　show　their　own　faces　on　the　screen；　I　knew…oh…yeah！…I　knew　those　voices。　When　you've　fed　a　boy；　when　you've　held　his　head　tenderly　against　your　breast　when　he　cries　for　his　momma　in　the　night；　why；　I　guess　then　you　know　his　voice。
　　'Those　boys　are　gone　now。　God　may　forgive　them…I　hope　He　does；　oh…yeah…but　Sunlight　Gardener　is　just　a　man。'　
　　He　hung　his　head　to　show　what　a　shameful　admission　this　was。　But　when　he　raised　it　again；　his　eyes　were　still　hot；　sparkling　with　fury。
　　'Sunlight　Gardener　cannot　forgive　them。　So　Sunlight　Gardener　set　them　out　on　the　road　again。　They　have　been　sent　out　into　the　Territories；　but　there　they　shall　not　be　fed；　there　even　the　trees　may　eat　them　up；　like　beasts　which　walk　in　the　night。'　
　　Terrified　silence　in　the　room。　Behind　the　glass　panel；　even　Casey　looked　pallid　and　strange。
　　'The　Book　says　that　God　sent　Cain　out　to　the　East　of　Eden；　into　the　land　of　Nod。　Being　cast　out　onto　the　road　is　like　that；　my　boys。　You　have　a　safe　haven　here。'　
　　He　surveyed　them。
　　'But　if　you　weaken　。　。　。　if　you　lie　。　。　。　then　woe　unto　you！　Hell　awaits　the　backslider　just　as　it　awaits　the　boy　or　man　who　dives　into　it　on　purpose。
　　'Remember；　boys。
　　'Remember。
　　'Let　us　pray。'
　　
　　　CHAPTER　23
　　　Ferd　Janklow
　　　
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　　It　took　Jack　less　than　a　week　to　decide　that　a　detour　into　the　Territories　was　the　only　way　they　could　possibly　escape　the　Sunlight　Home。　He　was　willing　to　try　that；　but　he　found　he　would　do　almost　anything；　run　any　risk；　if　only　he　could　avoid　flipping　from　the　Sunlight　Home　itself。
　　There　was　no　concrete　reason　for　this；　only　the　voice　of　his　undermind　whispering　that　what　was　bad　here　would　be　worse　over　there。　This　was；　perhaps；　a　bad　place　in　all　worlds　。　。　。　like　a　bad　spot　in　an　apple　which　goes　all　the　way　to　the　core。　Anyway；　the　Sunlight　Home　was　bad　enough；　he　had　no　urge　to　see　what　its　Territories　counterpart　looked　like　unless　he　had　to。
　　But　there　might　be　a　way。
　　Wolf　and　Jack　and　the　other　boys　not　lucky　enough　to　be　on　the　Outside　Staff…and　that　was　most　of　them…spent　their　days　in　what　the　long…timers　called　Far　Field。　It　was　about　a　mile　and　half　down　the　road；　at　the　edge　of　Gardener's　property；　and　there　the　boys　spent　their　days　picking　rocks。　There　was　no　other　field…work　to　be　done　at　this　time　of　year。　The　last　of　the　crops　had　been　harvested　in　mid…October；　but　as　Sunlight　Gardener　had　pointed　out　each　morning　in　Chapel　Devotions；　rocks　were　always　in　season。
　　Sitting　in　the　back　of　one　of　the　Home's　two　dilapidated　farm…trucks　each　morning；　Jack　surveyed　Far　Field　while　Wolf　sat　beside　him；　head　down；　like　a　boy　with　a　hangover。　It　had　been　a　rainy　fall　in　the　midwest；　and　Far　Field　was　a　gluey；　sticky；　muddy　mess。　Day　before　yesterday　one　of　the　boys　had　cursed　it　under　his　breath　and　called　it　a　'real　boot…sucker。'　Suppose　we　just　take　off？　Jack　thought　for　the　fortieth　time。　Suppose　I　just　yell　'Go　for　it！'　at　Wolf　and　we　start　busting　our　buns？　Where？　North　end；　where　those　trees　are；　and　the　rock　wall。　That's　where　his　land　ends。
　　There　might　be　a　fence。
　　We'll　climb　over　it。　For　that　matter；　Wolf　can　throw　me　over　it；　if　he　has　to。
　　Might　be　barbed　wire。
　　Wiggle　under　it。　Or…
　　Or　Wolf　could　tear　it　apart　with　his　bare　hands。　Jack　didn't　like　to　think　of　it；　but　he　knew　Wolf　had　the　strength　。　。　。　and　if　he　asked；　Wolf　would　do　it。　It　would　rip　up　the　big　guy's　hands；　but　he　was　getting　ripped　up　in　worse　ways　right　now。
　　And　then　what？
　　Flip；　of　course。　That　was　what。　If　they　could　just　get　off　the　land　that　belonged　to　the　Sunlight　Home；　that　undervoice　whispered；　they　would　have　a　fighting　chance　all　the　way　clear。
　　And　Singer　and　Bast　（whom　Jack　had　e　to　think　of　as　the　Thuggsy　Twins）　would　not　be　able　to　use　one　of　the　trucks　to　run　them　down；　the　first　truck　to　turn　wheels　into　Far　Field　before　the　deep　frosts　of　December　would　mire　itself　rocker…panel　deep。
　　It'd　be　a　footrace；　pure　and　simple。　Got　to　try　it。　Better　than　trying　it　back　there；　at　the　Home。　And…
　　And　it　wasn't　just　Wolf's　growing　distress　that　was　driving　him；　he　was　now　nearly　frantic　about　Lily；　who　was　back　in　New　Hampshire　dying　by　inches　while　Jack　said　hallelujah　under　duress。
　　Go　for　it。　Magic　juice　or　no　magic　juice。　Got　to　try。
　　But　before　Jack　was　quite　ready；　Ferd　Janklow　tried。　
　　Great　minds　run　in　the　same　channel；　can　you　say　amen。
　　　
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　　When　it　happened；　it　happened　fast。　At　one　moment　Jack　was　listening　to　Ferd　Janklow's　usual　line　of　cynical；　amusing　bullshit。　At　the　next；　Ferd　was　pelting　north　across　the　murky　field　toward　the　stone　wall。　Until　Ferd　went　for　it；　the　day　had　seemed　as　drearily　ordinary　as　any　other　at　the　Sunlight　Home。　It　was　cold　and　overcast；　there　was　a　smell　of　rain；　possibly　even　snow　in　the　air。　Jack　looked　up　to　ease　his　aching　back；　and　also　to　see　if　Sonny　Singer　was　around。　Sonny　enjoyed　harassing　Jack。　Most　of　the　harassment　was　of　the　nuisance　variety。　Jack　had　his　feet　stepped　on；　he　was　pushed　on　the　stairs；　his　plate　had　been　knocked　out　of　his　hands　for　three　meals　running…until　he　had　learned　to　simultaneously　cradle　it　on　the　inner　side　of　his　body　and　hold　it　in　a　death…grip。
　　Jack　wasn't　pletely　sure　why　Sonny　hadn't　organized　a　mass　stomping。　Jack　thought　maybe　it　was　because　Sunlight　Gardener　was　interested　in　the　new　boy。　He　didn't　want　to　think　that；　it　scared　him　to　think　that；　but　it　made　sense。　Sonny　Singer　was　holding　off　because　Sunlight　Gardener　had　told　him　to；　and　that　was　another　reason　to　get　out　of　here　in　a　hurry。
　　He　looked　to　his　right。　Wolf　was　about　twenty　yards　away；　grubbing　rocks　with　his　hair　in　his　face。　Closer　by　was　a　gantry…thin　boy　with　buck　teeth…Donald　Keegan；　his　name　was。　Donny　grinned　at　him　worshipfully；　baring　those　amazing　buck　teeth。　Spit　dribbled　from　the　end　of　his　lolling　tongue。　Jack　looked　away　quickly。
　　Ferd　Janklow　was　on　his　left…the　boy　with　the　narrow　Delftware　hands　and　the　deep　widow's　peak。　In　the　week　since　Jack　and　Wolf　had　been　incarcerated　in　the　Sunlight　Home；　he　and　Ferd　had　bee　good　friends。
　　Ferd　was　grinning　cynically。
　　'Donny's　in　love　with　you；'　he　said。
　　'Blow　it　out；'　Jack　said　unfortably；　feeling　a　flush　rise　in　his　cheeks。
　　'I　bet　Donny'd　blow　it　out　if　you　let　him；'　Ferd　said。　'Wouldn't　you；　Donny？'　
　　Donny　Keegan　laughed　his　big；　rusty　yuck…yuck；　not　having　the　slightest　idea　of　what　they　were　talking　about。
　　'I　wish　you'd　quit　it；'　Jack　said。　He　felt　more　unfortable　than　ever。
　　Donny's　in　love　with　you。
　　The　bloody　hell　of　it　was；　he　thought　that　maybe　poor；　retarded　Donny　Keegan　really　was　in　love　with　him　。　。　。　and　Donny　was　maybe　not　the　only　one。　Oddly；　Jack　found　himself　thinking　of　the　nice　man　who　had　offered　to　take　him　home　and　who　had　then　settled　for　dropping　him　off　at　the　mall　exit　near　Zanesville。　He　saw　it　first；　Jack　thought。　Whatever's　new　about　me；　that　man　saw　it　first。
　　Ferd　said；　'You've　gotten　very　popular　around　here；　Jack。　Why；　I　think　even　old　Heck　Bast　would　blow　it　out　for　you；　if　you　asked　him。'
　　'Man；　that's　sick；'　Jack　said；　flushing。　'I　mean…'　
　　Abruptly；　Ferd　dropped　the　rock　he　had　been　working　at　and　stood　up。　He　looked　swiftly　around；　saw　none　of　the　white　turtlenecks　were　looking　at　him；　and　then　turned　back　to　Jack。　'And　now；　my　darling；'　he　said；　'it's　been　a　very　dull　party；　and　I　really　must　be　going。'　
　　Ferd　made　kissing　noises　at　Jack；　and　then　a　grin　of　amazing　radiance　lit　and　broadened　Ferd's　narrow；　pale　face。　A　moment　later　he　was　in　full　flight；　running　for　the　rock　wall　at　the　end　of　Far　Field；　running　in　big　gangling　storklike　strides。
　　He　did　indeed　catch　the　guards　napping…at　least　to　a　degree。　Pedersen　was　talking　about　girls　with　Warwick　and　a　horse…faced　boy　named　Peabody；　an　Outside　Staffer　who　had　been　rotated　back　to　the　Home　for　a　while。　Heck　Bast　had　been　granted　the　supreme　pleasure　of　acpanying　Sunlight　Gardener　to　Muncie　on　some　errand。　Ferd　got　a　good　head…start　before　a　startled　cry　went　up：
　　'Hey！　Hey；