sk.thegunslinger-第34章

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fed；　there　the　tiny；　delicate　bones　of　a　mole；　perhaps　killed　for　pleasure　by　a　wild　dog。
The　Golgotha　was　a　bowl　indented　into　the　descending　slope　of　the　mountain；　and　below；　in　easier　altitudes；　the　gunslinger　could　see　Joshua　trees　and　scrub　firs。　The　sky　overhead　was　a　softer　blue　than　he　had　seen　for　a　twelve…month；　and　there　was　an　indefinable　something　that　spoke　of　the　sea　in　the　not…too…great　distance。
Jam　in　the　West；　Cuthbert；　he　thought　wonderingly。
And　of　course　in　each　skull；　in　each　rondure　of　vacated　eye；　he　saw　the　boy's　face。
The　man　in　black　sat　on　an　ancient　ironwood　log。　His　boots　were　powdered　white　with　dust　and　the　uneasy　bone…meal　of　this　place。　He　had　put　his　hood　up　again；　but　the　gunslinger　could　see　the　square　shape　of　his　chin　clearly；　and　the　shading　of　his　jaw。
The　shadowed　lips　twitched　in　a　smile。　〃Gather　wood；　gunslinger。　This　side　of　the　mountains　is　gentle；　but　at　this　altitude；　the　cold　still　may　put　a　knife　in　one's　belly。　And　this　is　a　place　of　death；　eh？〃
〃I'll　kill　you；〃　the　gunslinger　said。
〃No　you　won't　You　can't。　But　you　can　gather　wood　to　remember　your　Isaac。〃
The　gunslinger　had　no　understanding　of　the　reference。　He　went　wordlessly　and　gathered　wood　like　a　mon　cook's　boy。　The　pickings　were　slim。　There　was　no　devil…grass　on　this　side　and　the　ironwood　would　not　burn。　It　had　bee　stone。　He　returned　finally　with　a　large　armload；　powdered　and　dusted　with　disintegrated　bone；　as　if　dipped　in　flour。　The　sun　had　sunk　beyond　the　highest　Joshua　trees　and　had　taken　on　a　reddish　glow　and　peered　at　them　with　baleful　indifference　through　the　black；　tortured　branches。
〃Excellent；〃　the　man　in　black　said。　〃How　exceptional　you　are！　How　methodical！　I　salute　you！〃　He　giggled；　and　the　gunslinger　dropped　the　wood　at　his　feet　with　a　crash　that　ballooned　up　bone　dust。
The　man　in　black　did　not　start　or　jump；　he　merely　began　laying　the　fire。　The　gunslinger　watched；　fascinated；　as　the　idiogram　（fresh；　this　time）　took　shape。　When　it　was　finished；　it　resembled　a　small　and　plex　double　chimney　about　two　feet　high。　The　man　in　black　lifted　his　hand　skyward；　shaking　back　the　voluminous　sleeve　from　a　tapered；　handsome　hand；　and　brought　it　down　rapidly；　index　and　pinky　fingers　forked　out　in　the　traditional　sign　of　the　evil　eye。　There　was　a　blue　flash　of　flame；　and　their　fire　was　lighted。
〃I　have　matches；〃　the　man　in　black　said　jovially；　〃but　I　thought　you　might　enjoy　the　magic。　For　a　pretty；　gunslinger。　Now　cook　our　dinner。〃
The　folds　of　his　robe　shivered；　and　the　plucked　and　gutted　carcass　of　a　plump　rabbit　fell　on　the　dirt。
The　gunslinger　spitted　the　rabbit　wordlessly　and　roasted　it。　A　savory　smell　drifted　up　as　the　sun　went　down。
Purple　shadows　drifted　hungrily　over　the　bowl　where　the　man　in　black　had　chosen　to　finally　face　him。　The　gunslinger　felt　hunger　begin　to　rumble　endlessly　in　his　belly　as　the　rabbit　browned；　but　when　the　meat　was　cooked　and　its　juices　sealed　in；　he　handed　the　entire　skewer　wordlessly　to　the　man　in　black；　rummaged　in　his　own　nearly　flat　knapsack；　and　withdrew　the　last　of　his　jerky。　It　was　salty；　painful　to　his　mouth；　and　tasted　like　tears。
〃That's　a　worthless　gesture；〃　the　man　in　black　said；　managing　to　sound　angry　and　amused　at　the　same　time。
〃Nevertheless；〃　the　gunslinger　said。　There　were　tiny　sores　in　his　mouth；　the　result　of　vitamin　deprivation；　and　the　salt　taste　made　him　grin　bitterly。
〃Are　you　afraid　of　enchanted　meat？〃
〃Yes。〃
The　man　in　black　slipped　his　hood　back。
The　gunslinger　looked　at　him　silently。　In　a　way；　the　face　of　the　man　in　black　was　an　uneasy　disappointment。　It　was　handsome　and　regular；　with　none　of　the　marks　and　twists　which　indicate　a　person　who　has　been　through　awesome　times　and　who　has　been　privy　to　great　and　unknown　secrets。　His　hair　was　black　and　of　a　ragged；　matted　length。　His　forehead　was　high；　his　eyes　dark　and　brilliant。　His　nose　was　nondescript。　The　lips　were　full　and　sensual。　His　plexion　was　pallid；　as　was　the　gunslinger's　own。
He　said　finally；　〃I　expected　an　older　man。〃
〃Not　necessary。　I　am　nearly　immortal。　I　could　have　taken　a　face　that　you　more　expected；　of　course；　but　I　elected　to　show　you　the　one　I　was　　ah　　born　with。　See；　gunslinger；　the　sunset。〃
The　sun　had　departed　already；　and　the　western　sky　was　filled　with　a　sullen　furnace　light。
〃You　won't　see　another　sunrise　for　what　may　seem　a　very　long　time；〃　the　man　in　black　said　softly。
The　gunslinger　remembered　the　pit　under　the　mountains　and　then　looked　at　the　sky；　where　the　constellations　sprawled　in　clockspring　profusion。
〃It　doesn't　matter；〃　he　said　softly；　〃now。〃
The　man　in　black　shuffled　the　cards　with　flying；　merging　rapidity。　The　deck　was　huge；　the　design　on　the　backs　of　the　cards　convoluted。　〃These　are　tarot　cards；〃　the　man　in　black　was　saying；　〃a　mixture　of　the　standard　deck　and　a　selection　of　my　own　development　Watch　closely　gunslinger。〃
〃Why？〃
〃I'm　going　to　tell　your　future；　Roland。　Seven　cards　must　be　turned；　one　at　a　time；　and　placed　in　conjunction　with　the　others。　I've　not　done　this　for　over　three　hundred　years。　And　I　suspect　I've　never　read　one　quite　like　yours。〃　The　mocking　note　was　creeping　in　again；　like　a　Kuvian　night…soldier　with　a　killing　knife　gripped　in　one　hand。　〃You　are　the　world's　last　adventurer。　The　last　crusader。　How　that　must　please　you；　Roland！　Yet　you　have　no　idea　how　close　you　stand　to　the　Tower　now；　how　close　in　time。　Worlds　turn　about　your　head。〃
〃Read　my　fortune　then；〃　he　said　harshly。
The　first　card　was　turned。
〃The　Hanged　Man；〃　the　man　in　black　said。　The　darkness　had　given　him　back　his　hood。　〃Yet　here；　in　conjunction　with　nothing　else；　it　signifies　strength　and　not　death。　You；　gunslinger；　are　the　Hanged　Man；　plodding　ever　onward　toward　your　goal　over　all　the　pits　of　Hades。　You　have　already　dropped　one　co…traveler　into　the　pit；　have　you　not？〃
He　turned　the　second　card。　〃The　Sailor。　Note　the　clear　brow；　the　hairless　cheeks；　the　wounded　eyes。　He　drowns；　gunslinger；　and　no　one　throws　out　the　line。　The　boy　Jake。〃
The　gunslinger　winced；　said　nothing。
The　third　card　was　turned。　A　baboon　stood　grinningly　astride　a　young　man's　shoulder。　The　young　man's　face　was　turned　up；　a　grimace　of　stylized　dread　and　horror　on　his　features。　Looking　more　closely；　the　gunslinger　saw　the　baboon　held　a　whip。
〃The　Prisoner；〃　the　man　in　black　said。　The　fire　cast　uneasy；　flickering　shadows　over　the　face　of　the　ridden　man；　making　it　seem　to　move　and　writhe　in　wordless　terror。　The　gunslinger　flicked　his　eyes　away。
〃A　trifle　upsetting；　isn't　he？〃　The　man　in　black　said；　and　seemed　on　the　verge　of　sniggering。
He　turned　the　fourth　card。　A　woman　with　a　shawl　over　her　head　sat　spinning　at　a　wheel。　To　the　gunslinger's　dazed　eyes；　she　appeared　to　be　smiling　craftily　and　sobbing　at　the　same　time。
〃The　Lady　of　Shadows；〃　the　man　in　black　remarked。　〃Does　she　look　two…faced　to　you；　gunslinger？　She　is。　A　veritable　Janus。〃
〃Why　are　you　showing　me　these？〃
〃Don't　ask！〃　The　man　in　black　said　sharply；　yet　he　smiled。　〃Don't　ask。　Merely　watch。　Consider　this　only　pointless　ritual　if　it　eases　you　and　cools　you　to　do　so。　Like　church。〃
He　tittered　and　turned　the　fifth　card。
A　grinning　reaper　clutched　a　scythe　with　bony　fingers。
〃Death；〃　the　man　in　black　said　simply。　〃Yet　not　for　you。〃
The　sixth　card。
The　gunslinger　looked　at　it　and　felt　a　strange；　crawling　anticipation　in　his　guts。　The　feeling　was　mixed　with　horror　and　joy；　and　the　whole　of　the　emotion　was　unnamable。　It　made　him　feel　like　throwing　up　and　dancing　at　the　same　time。
〃The　Tower；〃　the　man　in　black　said　softly。
The　gunslinger's　card　occupied　the　center　of　the　pattern；　each　of　the　following　four　stood　at　one　corner；　like　satellites　circling　a　star。
〃Where　does　that　one　go？〃　The　gunslinger　asked。
The　man　in　black　placed　the　Tower　over　the　Hanged　Man；　covering　it　pletely。
〃What　does　that　mean？〃　The　gunslinger　asked。　The　man　in　black　did　not　answer。
〃What　does　that　mean？〃　He　asked　raggedly。　The　man　in　black　did　not　answer。
〃God　damn　you！〃　No　answer。
〃Then　what's　the　seventh　card？〃
The　man　in　black　turned　the　seventh。　A　sun　rose　in　a　luminously　blue　sky。　Cupids　and　sprites　sported　around　it
〃The　seventh　is　Life；〃　the　man　in　black　said　softly。　〃But　not　for　you。　〃
〃Where　does　it　fit　the　pattern？〃
〃That　is　not　for　you　to　kn