sk.thegunslinger-第5章

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　that　stank。　Do　you　understand？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃He　started　to　chew　it。　At　the　last　he　just　sat　in　there　and　didn't　eat　anything。　He　might　have　been　a　king；　in　his　mind。　The　children　might　have　been　his　jesters；　and　the　dogs　his　princes。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃He　died　right　in　front　of　this　place；〃　she　said。　〃He　came　clumping　down　the　boardwalk　　his　boots　wouldn't　wear　out；　they　were　engineer　boots　　with　the　children　and　dogs　behind　him。　He　looked　like　wire　clothes　hangers　all　wrapped　and　twirled　together。　You　could　see　all　the　lights　of　hell　in　his　eyes；　but　he　was　grinning；　just　like　the　grins　the　children　carve　into　their　pumpkins　on　All…Saints　Eve。　You　could　smell　the　dirt　and　the　rot　and　the　weed。　It　was　running　down　from　the　corners　of　his　mouth　like　green　blood。　I　think　he　meant　to　e　in　and　listen　to　Sheb　play　the　piano。　And　right　in　front；　he　stopped　and　cocked　his　head。　I　could　see　him；　and　I　thought　he　heard　a　coach；　although　there　was　none　due。　Then　he　puked；　and　it　was　black　and　full　of　blood。　It　went　right　through　that　grin　like　sewer　water　through　a　grate。　The　stink　was　enough　to　make　you　want　to　run　mad。　He　raised　up　his　arms　and　just　threw　over。　That　was　all。　He　died　with　that　grin　on　his　face；　in　his　own　vomit。〃
She　was　trembling　beside　him。　Outside；　the　wind　kept　up　its　steady　whine；　and　somewhere　far　away　a　door　was　banging；　like　a　sound　heard　in　a　dream。　Mice　ran　in　the　walls。　The　gunslinger　thought　in　the　back　of　his　mind　that　it　was　probably　the　only　place　in　town　prosperous　enough　to　support　mice。　He　put　a　hand　on　her　belly　and　she　started　violently；　then　relaxed。
〃The　man　in　black；〃　he　said。
〃You　have　to　have　it；　don't　you！〃
〃Yes。〃
〃All　right。　I'll　tell　you。〃　She　grasped　his　hand　in　both　of　hers　and　told　him。
　
　
VII
　
　
He　came　in　the　late　afternoon　of　the　day　Nort　died；　and　the　wind　was　whooping　up；　pulling　away　the　loose　topsoil；　sending　sheets　of　grit　and　uprooted　stalks　of　corn　wind　milling　past。　Kennerly　had　padlocked　the　livery；　and　the　other　few　merchants　had　shuttered　their　windows　and　laid　boards　across　the　shutters。　The　sky　was　the　yellow　color　of　old　cheese　and　the　clouds　moved　flyingly　across　it；　as　if　they　had　seen　something　horrifying　in　the　desert　wastes　where　they　had　so　lately　been。
He　came　in　a　rickety　rig　with　a　rippling　tarp　tied　across　its　bed。　They　watched　him　e；　and　old　man　Kennerly；　lying　by　the　window　with　a　bottle　in　one　hand　and　the　loose；　hot　flesh　of　his　second…eldest　daughter's　left　breast　in　the　other；　resolved　not　to　be　there　if　he　should　knock。
But　the　man　in　black　went　by　without　hawing　the　bay　that　pulled　his　rig；　and　the　spinning　wheels　spumed　up　dust　that　the　wind　clutched　eagerly。　He　might　have　been　a　priest　or　a　monk；　he　wore　a　black　cassock　that　had　been　floured　with　dust；　and　a　loose　hood　covered　his　head　and　obscured　his　features。　It　rippled　and　flapped。　Beneath　the　garment's　hem；　heavy　buckled　boots　with　square　toes。
He　pulled　up　in　front　of　Sheb's　and　tethered　the　horse；　which　lowered　its　head　and　grunted　at　the　ground。　Around　the　back　of　the　rig　he　untied　one　flap；　found　a　weathered　saddlebag；　threw　it　over　his　shoulder；　and　went　in　through　the　batwings。
Alice　watched　him　curiously；　but　no　one　else　noticed　his　arrival。　The　rest　were　drunk　as　lords。　Sheb　was　playing　Methodist　hymns　ragtime；　and　the　grizzled　layabouts　who　had　e　in　early　to　avoid　the　storm　and　to　attend　Nort's　wake　had　sung　themselves　hoarse。　Sheb；　drunk　nearly　to　the　point　of　senselessness；　intoxicated　and　horny　with　his　own　continued　existence；　played　with　hectic；　shuttlecock　speed；　fingers　flying　like　looms。
Voices　screeched　and　hollered；　never　overing　the　wind　but　sometimes　seeming　to　challenge　it。　In　the　corner　Zachary　had　thrown　Amy　Feldon's　skirts　over　her　head　and　was　painting　zodiac　signs　on　her　knees。　A　few　other　women　circulated。　A　fervid　glow　seemed　to　be　on　all　of　them。　The　dull　stormglow　that　filtered　through　the　batwings　seemed　to　mock　them；　however。
Nort　had　been　laid　out　on　two　tables　in　the　center　of　the　room。　His　boots　made　a　mystical　V。　His　mouth　hung　open　in　a　slack　grin；　although　someone　had　closed　his　eyes　and　put　slugs　on　them。　His　hands　had　been　folded　on　his　chest　with　a　sprig　of　devil…grass　in　them。　He　smelled　like　poison。
The　man　in　black　pushed　back　his　hood　and　came　to　the　bar。　Alice　watched　him；　feeling　trepidation　mixed　with　the　familiar　want　that　hid　within　her。　There　was　no　religious　symbol　on　him；　although　that　meant　nothing　by　itself。
〃Whiskey；〃　he　said。　His　voice　was　soft　and　pleasant。　〃Good　whiskey。〃
She　reached　under　the　counter　and　brought　out　a　bottle　of　Star。　She　could　have　palmed　off　the　local　popskull　on　him　as　her　best；　but　did　not。　She　poured；　and　the　man　in　black　watched　her。　His　eyes　were　large；　luminous。　The　shadows　were　too　thick　to　determine　their　color　exactly。　Her　need　intensified。　The　hollering　and　whooping　went　on　behind；　unabated。　Sheb；　the　worthless　gelding；　was　playing　about　the　Christian　Soldiers　and　somebody　had　persuaded　Aunt　Mill　to　sing。　Her　voice；　warped　and　distorted；　cut　through　the　babble　like　a　dull　ax　through　a　calf's　brain。
〃Hey；　Allie！〃
She　went　to　serve；　resentful　of　the　stranger's　silence；　resentful　of　his　no…color　eyes　and　her　own　restless　groin。　She　was　afraid　of　her　needs。　They　were　capricious　and　beyond　her　control。　They　might　be　the　signal　of　the　change；　which　would　in　turn　signal　the　beginning　of　her　old　age　a　condition　which　in　Tull　was　usually　as　short　and　bitter　as　a　winter　sunset。
She　drew　beer　until　the　keg　was　empty；　then　broached　another。　She　knew　better　than　to　ask　Sheb；　he　would　e　willingly　enough；　like　the　dog　he　was；　and　would　either　chop　off　his　own　fingers　or　spume　beer　all　over　everything。　The　stranger's　eyes　were　on　her　as　she　went　about　it；　she　could　feel　them。
〃It's　busy；〃　he　said　when　she　returned。　He　had　not　touched　his　drink；　merely　rolled　it　between　his　palms　to　warm　it。
〃Wake；〃　she　said。
〃I　noticed　the　departed。〃
〃They're　bums；〃　she　said　with　sudden　hatred。　〃All　bums。〃
〃It　excites　them。　He's　dead。　They're　not。〃
〃He　was　their　butt　when　he　was　alive。　It's　not　right　that　he　should　be　their　butt　now。　It's。。。　〃She　trailed　off；　not　able　to　express　what　it　was；　or　how　it　was　obscene。
〃Weed…eater？〃
〃Yes！　What　else　did　he　have？〃
Her　tone　was　accusing；　but　he　did　not　drop　his　eyes；　and　she　felt　the　blood　rush　to　her　face。　〃I'm　sorry。　Are　you　a　priest？　This　must　revolt　you。〃
〃I'm　not　and　it　doesn't。〃　He　knocked　the　whiskey　back　neatly　and　did　not　grimace。　〃Once　more；　please。〃
〃I'll　have　to　see　the　color　of　your　coin　first。　I'm　sorry。〃
〃No　need　to　be。〃
He　put　a　rough　silver　coin　on　the　counter；　thick　on　one　edge；　thin　on　the　other；　and　she　said　as　she　would　say　later：
〃I　don't　have　change　for　this。〃
He　shook　his　head；　dismissing　it；　and　watched　absently　as　he　poured　again。
〃Are　you　only　passing　through？〃　she　asked。
He　did　not　reply　for　a　long　time；　and　she　was　about　to　repeat　when　he　shook　his　head　impatiently。　〃Don't　talk　trivialities。　You're　here　with　death。〃
She　recoiled；　hurt　and　amazed；　her　first　thought　being　that　he　had　lied　about　his　holiness　to　test　her。
〃You　cared　for　him；〃　he　said　flatly。　〃Isn't　that　true？〃
〃Who？　Nort？〃　She　laughed；　affecting　annoyance　to　cover　her　confusion。　〃I　think　you　better　　〃
〃You're　soft…hearted　and　a　little　afraid；〃　he　went　on；　〃and　he　was　on　the　weed；　looking　out　hell's　back　door。　And　there　he　is；　and　they've　even　slammed　the　door　now；　and　you　don't　think　they'll　open　it　until　it's　time　for　you　to　walk　through；　isn't　it　so？〃
〃What　are　you；　drunk？〃
〃Mistuh　Norton；　he　dead；〃　the　man　in　black　intoned　sardonically。　〃Dead　as　anybody。　Dead　as　you　or　anybody。〃
〃Get　out　of　my　place。〃　She　felt　a　trembling　loathing　spring　up　in　her；　but　the　warmth　still　radiated　from　her　belly。
〃It's　all　right；〃　he　said　softly。　〃It's　all　right。　Wait。　Just　wait。〃
The　eyes　were　blue。　She　felt　suddenly　easy　in　her　mind；　as　if　she　had　taken　a　drug。
〃See？〃　he　asked　her。　〃Do　you　see？〃
She　nodded　dumbly　and　he　laughed　aloud　　a　fine；　strong；　untainted　laugh　that　swung　heads　around。　He　whirled　and　faced　them；　suddenly　made　the　center　of　attention　by　some　unknown　alchemy。　Aunt　Mill　faltered　and　subsided；　leaving　a　cracked　high　note　bleeding　on　the　air。　Sheb　struck　a　discord　and　halt