sk.thegunslinger-第4章

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　the　back　of　the　room；　juicing　and　playing　Watch　Me　apathetically。　Another　half…dozen　were　grouped　loosely　about　the　piano。　Four　or　five　at　the　bar。　And　an　old　man　with　wild　gray　hair　collapsed　at　a　table　by　the　doors。　The　gunslinger　went　in。
Heads　swiveled　to　look　at　him　and　his　guns。　There　was　a　moment　of　near　silence；　except　for　the　oblivious　piano　player；　who　continued　to　tinkle。　Then　the　woman　mopped　at　the　bar；　and　things　shifted　back。
〃Watch　me；〃　one　of　the　players　in　the　corner　said　and　matched　three　hearts　with　four　spades；　emptying　his　hand。　The　one　with　the　hearts　swore；　handed　over　his　bet；　and　the　next　was　dealt。
The　gunslinger　approached　the　bar。　〃You　got　hamburger？〃　he　asked。
〃Sure。〃　She　looked　him　in　the　eye；　and　she　might　have　been　pretty　when　she　started　out；　but　now　her　face　was　lumpy　and　there　was　a　livid　scar　corkscrewed　across　her　forehead。　She　had　powdered　it　heavily；　but　it　called　attention　rather　than　camouflaging。　〃It's　dear；　though。〃
〃I　figured。　Gimme　three　burgers　and　a　beer。〃
Again　that　subtle　shift　in　tone。　Three　hamburgers。　Mouths　watered　and　tongues　liked　at　saliva　with　slow　lust　Three　hamburgers。
〃That　would　go　you　five　bucks。　With　the　beer。〃
The　gunslinger　put　a　gold　piece　on　the　bar。
Eyes　followed　it。
There　was　a　sullenly　smoldering　charcoal　brazier　behind　the　bar　and　to　the　left　of　the　mirror。　The　woman　disappeared　into　a　small　room　behind　it　and　returned　with　meat　on　a　paper。　She　scrimped　out　three　patties　and　put　them　on　the　fire。　The　smell　that　arose　was　maddening。　The　gunslinger　stood　with　stolid　indifference；　only　peripherally　aware　of　the　faltering　piano；　the　slowing　of　the　card　game；　the　sidelong　glances　of　the　barflies。
The　man　was　halfway　up　behind　him　when　the　gunslinger　saw　him　in　the　mirror。　The　man　was　almost　pletely　bald；　and　his　hand　was　wrapped　around　the　haft　of　a　gigantic　hunting　knife　that　was　looped　onto　his　belt　like　a　holster。
〃Go　sit　down；〃　the　gunslinger　said　quietly。
The　man　stopped。　His　upper　lip　lifted　unconsciously；　like　a　dog's；　and　there　was　a　moment　of　silence。　Then　he　went　back　to　his　table；　and　the　atmosphere　shifted　back　again。　His　beer　came　in　a　cracked　glass　schooner。　〃I　ain't　got　change　for　gold；〃　the　woman　said　truculently。
〃Don't　expect　any。〃
She　nodded　angrily；　as　if　this　show　of　wealth；　even　at　her　benefit；　incensed　her。　But　she　took　his　gold；　and　a　moment　later　the　hamburgers　came　on　a　cloudy　plate；　still　red　around　the　edges。
〃Do　you　have　salt？〃
She　gave　into　him　from　underneath　the　bar。　〃Bread？〃
〃No。〃　He　knew　she　was　lying；　but　he　didn't　push　it。　The　bald　man　was　staring　at　him　with　cyanosed　eyes；　his　hands　clenching　and　unclenching　on　the　splintered　and　gouged　surface　of　his　table。　His　nostrils　flared　with　pulsating　regularity。
The　gunslinger　began　to　eat　steadily；　almost　blandly；　chopping　the　meat　apart　and　forking　it　into　his　mouth；　trying　not　to　think　of　what　might　have　been　added　to　cut　the　beef。
He　was　almost　through；　ready　to　call　for　another　beer　and　roll　a　smoke　when　the　hand　fell　on　his　shoulder。
He　suddenly　became　aware　that　the　room　had　gone　silent　again；　and　he　tasted　thick　tension　in　the　air。　He　turned　around　and　stared　into　the　face　of　the　man　who　had　been　asleep　by　the　door　when　he　entered。　It　was　a　terrible　face。　The　odor　of　the　devil…grass　was　a　rank　miasma。　The　eyes　were　damned；　the　staring；　glaring　eyes　of　those　who　see　but　do　not　see；　eyes　ever　turned　inward　to　the　sterile　hell　of　dreams　beyond　control；　dreams　unleashed；　risen　out　of　the　stinking　swamps　of　the　unconscious。
The　woman　behind　the　bar　made　a　small　moaning　sound。
The　cracked　lips　writhed；　lifted；　revealing　the　green；　mossy　teeth；　and　the　gunslinger　thought：　　He's　not　even　smoking　it　anymore。　He's　chewing　it。　He's　really　chewing　it。
And　on　the　heels　of　that：　　He's　a　dead　man。　He　should　have　been　dead　a　year　ago。
And　on　the　heels　of　that：　　The　man　in　black。
They　stared　at　each　other；　the　gunslinger　and　the　man　who　had　gone　around　the　rim　of　madness。
He　spoke；　and　the　gunslinger；　dumfounded；　heard　himself　addressed　in　the　High　Speech：
〃The　gold　for　a　favor；　gunslinger。　Just　one？　For　a　pretty。〃
The　High　Speech。　For　a　moment　his　mind　refused　to　track　it。　It　had　been　years　　God！　　centuries；　millenniums；　there　was　no　more　High　Speech；　he　was　the　last；　the　last　gunslinger。　The　others　were　Numbed；　he　reached　into　his　breast　pocket　and　produced　a　gold　piece。　The　split；　scrubbed　hand　reached　for　it；　fondled　it；　held　it　up　to　reflect　the　greasy　glare　of　the　kerosene　lamps。　It　threw　off　its　proud　civilized　glow；　golden；　reddish；　bloody。
〃Ahhhhhh。。。　〃An　inarticulate　sound　of　pleasure。　The　old　man　did　a　weaving　turn　and　began　moving　back　to　his　table；　holding　the　coin　at　eye　level；　turning　it；　flashing　it。
The　room　was　emptying　rapidly；　the　batwings　shuffling　madly　back　and　forth。　The　piano　player　closed　the　lid　of　his　instrument　with　a　bang　and　exited　after　the　others　in　long；　ic…opera　strides。
〃Sheb！〃　The　woman　screamed　after　him；　her　voice　an　odd　mixture　of　fear　and　shrewishness；　〃Sheb；　you　e　back　here！　Goddammit！〃
The　old　man；　meanwhile；　had　gone　back　to　his　table。
He　spun　the　gold　piece　on　the　gouged　wood；　and　the　dead…alive　eyes　followed　it　with　empty　fascination。　He　spun　it　a　second　time；　a　third；　and　his　eyelids　drooped。　The　fourth　time；　and　his　head　settled　to　the　wood　before　the　coin　stopped。
〃There；〃　she　said　softly；　furiously。　〃You've　driven　out　my　trade。　Are　you　satisfied？〃
〃They'll　be　back；〃　the　gunslinger　said。
〃Not　tonight　they　won't。〃
〃Who　is　he？〃　He　gestured　at　the　weed…eater。
〃Go　　〃She　pleted　the　mand　by　describing　an　impossible　act　of　masturbation。
〃I　have　to　know；〃　the　gunslinger　said　patiently。　〃He〃
〃He　talked　to　you　funny；〃　she　said。　〃Nort　never　talked　like　that　in　his　life。〃
〃I'm　looking　for　a　man。　You　would　know　him。〃
She　stared　at　him；　the　anger　dying。　It　was　replaced　with　speculation；　then　with　a　high；　wet　gleam　that　he　had　seen　before。　The　rickety　building　ticked　thoughtfully　to　itself。　A　dog　barked　brayingly；　far　away。　The　gunslinger　waited。　She　saw　his　knowledge　and　the　gleam　was　replaced　by　hopelessness；　by　a　dumb　need　that　had　no　mouth。
〃You　know　my　price；〃　she　said。
He　looked　at　her　steadily。　The　scar　would　not　show　in　the　dark。　Her　body　was　lean　enough　so　the　desert　and　grit　and　grind　hadn't　been　able　to　sag　everything。　And　she'd　once　been　pretty；　maybe　even　beautiful。　Not　that　it　mattered。　It　would　not　have　mattered　if　the　grave…beetles　had　nested　in　the　arid　blackness　of　her　womb。　It　had　all　been　written。
Her　hands　came　up　to　her　face　and　there　was　still　some　juice　left　in　her　　enough　to　weep。
〃Don't　look！　You　don't　have　to　look　at　me　so　mean！〃
〃I'm　sorry；〃　the　gunslinger　said。　〃I　didn't　mean　to　be　mean。〃
〃None　of　you　mean　it！〃　She　cried　at　him。
〃Put　out　the　lights。〃
She　wept；　hands　at　her　face。　He　was　glad　she　had　her　hands　at　her　face。　Not　because　of　the　scar　but　because　it　gave　her　back　her　maidenhood；　if　not　head。　The　pin　that　held　the　strap　of　her　dress　glittered　in　the　greasy　light。
〃Put　out　the　lights　and　lock　up。　Will　he　steal　anything？〃
〃No；〃　she　whispered。
〃Then　put　out　the　lights。〃
She　would　not　remove　her　hands　until　she　was　behind　him　and　she　doused　the　lamps　one　by　one；　turning　down　the　wicks　and　then　breathing　the　flames　into　extinction。　Then　she　took　his　hand　in　the　dark　and　it　was　warm。　She　led　him　upstairs。　There　was　no　light　to　hide　their　act。
　
　
VI
　
　
He　made　cigarettes　in　the　dark；　then　lit　them　and　passed　one　to　her。　The　room　held　her　scent；　fresh　lilac；　pathetic。　The　smell　of　the　desert　had　overlaid　it；　crippled　it。　It　was　like　the　smell　of　the　sea。　He　realized　he　was　afraid　of　the　desert　ahead。
〃His　name　is　Nort；〃　she　said。　No　harshness　had　been　worn　out　of　her　voice。　〃Just　Nort。　He　died。〃
The　gunslinger　waited。
〃He　was　touched　by　God。〃
The　gunslinger　said；　〃I　have　never　seen　Him。〃
〃He　was　here　ever　since　I　can　remember　　Nort；　I　mean；　not　God。〃　She　laughed　jaggedly　into　the　dark。　〃He　had　a　honeywagon　for　a　while。　Started　to　drink。　Started　to　smell　the　grass。　Then　to　smoke　it。　The　kids　started　to　follow　him　around　and　sic　their　dogs　onto　him。　He　wore　old　green　pants　that　stank。　Do　you　understand？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃He　started　to　chew　it。　At　the　last　he　just　sat　in　there　a