sk.thegunslinger-第6章

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ltered　and　subsided；　leaving　a　cracked　high　note　bleeding　on　the　air。　Sheb　struck　a　discord　and　halted。　They　looked　at　the　stranger　uneasily。　Sand　rattled　against　the　sides　of　the　building。
The　silence　held；　spun　itself　out。　Her　breath　had　clogged　in　her　throat　and　she　looked　down　and　saw　both　hands　pressed　to　her　belly　beneath　the　bar。　They　all　looked　at　him　and　he　looked　at　them。　Then　the　laugh　burst　forth　again；　strong；　rich；　beyond　denial。　But　there　was　no　urge　to　laugh　along　with　him。
〃I'll　show　you　a　wonder！〃　he　cried　at　them。　But　they　only　watched　him；　like　obedient　children　taken　to　see　a　magician　in　whom　they　have　grown　too　old　to　believe。
The　man　in　black　sprang　forward；　and　Aunt　Mill　drew　away　from　him。　He　grinned　fiercely　and　slapped　her　broad　belly。　A　short；　unwitting　cackle　was　forced　out　of　her；　and　the　man　in　black　threw　back　his　head。
〃It's　better；　isn't　it？〃
Aunt　Mill　cackled　again；　suddenly　broke　into　sobs；　and　fled　blindly　through　the　doors。　The　others　watched　her　go　silently。　The　storm　was　beginning；　shadows　followed　each　other；　rising　and　falling　on　the　white　cyclorama　of　the　sky。　A　man　near　the　piano　with　a　forgotten　beer　in　one　hand　made　a　groaning；　grinning　sound。
The　man　in　black　stood　over　Nort；　grinning　down　at　him。　The　wind　howled　and　shrieked　and　thrummed。　Something　large　struck　the　side　of　the　building　and　bounced　away。　One　of　the　men　at　the　bar　tore　himself　free　and　exited　in　looping；　grotesque　strides。　Thunder　racketed　in　sudden　dry　vollies。
〃All　right；〃　the　man　in　black　grinned。　〃All　right；　let's　get　down　to　it。〃
He　began　to　spit　into　Nort's　face；　aiming　carefully。　The　spittle　gleamed　on　his　forehead；　pearled　down　the　shaven　beak　of　his　nose。
Under　the　bar；　her　hands　worked　faster。
Sheb　laughed；　loon…like；　and　hunched　over。　He　began　to　cough　up　phlegm；　huge　and　sticky　gobs　of　it；　and　let　fly。　The　man　in　black　roared　approval　and　pounded　him　on　the　back。　Sheb　grinned；　one　gold　tooth　twinkling。
Some　fled。　Others　gathered　in　a　loose　ring　around　Nort。　His　face　and　the　dewlapped　rooster…wrinkles　of　his　neck　and　upper　chest　gleamed　with　liquid　　liquid　so　precious　in　this　dry　country。　And　suddenly　it　stopped；　as　if　on　signal。　There　was　ragged；　heavy　breathing。
The　man　in　black　suddenly　lunged　across　the　body；　jackknifing　over　it　in　a　smooth　arc。　It　was　pretty；　like　a　flash　of　water。　He　caught　himself　on　his　hands；　sprang　to　his　feet　in　a　twist；　grinning；　and　went　over　again。　One　of　the　watchers　forgot　himself；　began　to　applaud；　and　suddenly　backed　away；　eyes　cloudy　with　terror。　He　slobbered　a　hand　across　his　mouth　and　made　for　the　door。
Nort　twitched　the　third　time　the　man　in　black　went　across。
A　sound　went　through　the　watchers　　a　grunt　　and　then　they　were　silent。　The　man　in　black　threw　his　head　back　and　howled。　His　chest　moved　in　a　quick；　shallow　rhythm　as　he　sucked　air。　He　began　to　go　back　and　forth　at　a　faster　clip；　pouring　over　Nort's　body　like　water　poured　from　one　glass　to　another　glass。　The　only　sound　in　the　room　was　the　tearing　rasp　of　his　respiration　and　the　rising　pulse　of　the　storm。
Nort　drew　a　deep；　dry　breath。　His　hands　rattled　and　pounded　aimlessly　on　the　table。　Sheb　screeched　and　exited。　One　of　the　women　followed　him。
The　man　in　black　went　across　once　more；　twice；　thrice。　The　whole　body　was　vibrating　now；　trembling　and　rapping　and　twitching。　The　smell　of　rot　and　excrement　and　decay　billowed　up　in　choking　waves。　His　eyes　opened。
Alice　felt　her　feet　propelling　her　backward。　She　struck　the　mirror；　making　it　shiver；　and　blind　panic　took　over。　She　bolted　like　a　steer。
〃I've　given　into　you；〃　the　man　in　black　called　after　her；　panting。　〃Now　you　can　sleep　easy。　Even　that　isn't　irreversible。　Although　it's。。。　so。。。　goddamned。。。funny！〃　And　he　began　to　laugh　again；　The　sound　faded　as　she　raced　up　the　stairs；　not　stopping　until　the　door　to　the　three　rooms　above　the　bar　was　bolted。
She　began　to　giggle　then；　rocking　back　and　forth　on　her　haunches　by　the　door。　The　sound　rose　to　a　keening　wail　that　mixed　with　the　wind。
Downstairs；　Nort　wandered　absently　out　into　the　storm　to　pull　some　weed。　The　man　in　black；　now　the　only　patron　of　the　bar；　watched　him　go；　still　grinning。
When　she　forced　herself　to　go　back　down　that　evening；　carrying　a　lamp　in　one　hand　and　a　heavy　stick　of　stove…wood　in　the　other；　the　man　in　black　was　gone；　rig　and　all。　But　Nort　was　there；　sitting　at　the　table　by　the　door　as　if　he　had　never　been　away。　The　smell　of　the　weed　was　on　him；　but　not　as　heavily　as　she　might　have　expected。
He　looked　up　at　her　and　smiled　tentatively。　〃Hello；　Allie。〃
〃Hello；　Nort。〃　She　put　the　stove　wood　down　and　began　lighting　the　lamps；　not　turning　her　back　to　him。
〃I　been　touched　by　God；〃　he　said　presently。　〃I　ain't　going　to　die　no　more。　He　said　so。　It　was　a　promise。〃
〃How　nice　for　you；　Nort。〃　The　spill　she　was　holding　dropped　through　her　trembling　fingers　and　she　picked　it　up。
〃I'd　like　to　stop　chewing　the　grass；〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　enjoy　it　no　more。　It　don't　seem　right　for　a　man　touched　by　God　to　be　chewing　the　weed。〃
〃Then　why　don't　you　stop？〃
Her　exasperation　startled　her　into　looking　at　him　as　a　man　again；　rather　than　an　infernal　miracle。　What　she　saw　was　a　rather　sad…looking　specimen　only　half…stoned；　looking　hangdog　and　ashamed。　She　could　not　be　frightened　by　him　anymore。
〃I　shake；〃　he　said。　〃And　I　want　it。　I　can't　stop。　Allie；　you　was　always　so　good　to　me　　〃he　began　to　weep。　〃I　can't　even　stop　peeing　myself。〃
She　walked　to　the　table　and　hesitated　there；　uncertain。
〃He　could　have　made　me　not　want　it；〃　he　said　through　the　tears。　〃He　could　have　done　that　if　he　could　have　made　me　be　alive。　I　ain't　plaining　。。。　I　don't　want　to　plain。。。　〃He　stared　around　hauntedly　and　whispered；　〃He　might　strike　me　dead　if　I　did。〃
〃Maybe　it's　a　joke。　He　seemed　to　have　quite　a　sense　of　humor。〃
Nort　took　his　poke　from　where　it　dangled　inside　his　shirt　and　brought　out　a　handful　of　grass。　Unthinkingly　she　knocked　it　away　and　then　drew　her　hand　back；　horrified。
〃I　can't　help　it；　Allie；　I　can't　　〃and　he　made　a　crippled　dive　for　the　poke。　She　could　have　stopped　him；　but　she　made　no　effort。　She　went　back　to　lighting　the　lamps；　tired　although　the　evening　had　barely　begun。　But　nobody　came　in　that　night　except　old　man　Kennerly；　who　had　missed　everything。　He　did　not　seem　particularly　surprised　to　see　Nort。　He　ordered　beer；　asked　where　Sheb　was；　and　pawed　her。　The　next　day　things　were　almost　normal；　although　none　of　the　children　followed　Nort。　The　day　after　that；　the　catcalls　resumed。　Life　had　gotten　back　on　its　own　sweet　keel。　The　uprooted　corn　was　gathered　together　by　the　children；　and　a　week　after　Nort's　resurrection；　they　burned　it　in　the　middle　of　the　street。　The　fire　was　momentarily　bright　and　most　of　the　barflies　stepped　or　staggered　out　to　watch。　They　looked　primitive。　Their　faces　seemed　to　float　between　the　flames　and　the　ice…chip　brilliance　of　the　sky。　Allie　watched　them　and　felt　a　pang　of　fleeting　despair　for　the　sad　times　of　the　world。　Things　had　stretched　apart　There　was　no　glue　at　the　center　of　things　anymore。　She　had　never　seen　the　ocean；　never　would。
〃If　I　had　grits；〃　she　murmured；　〃If　I　had　guts；　guts；　guts。。。〃
Nort　raised　his　head　at　the　sound　of　her　voice　and　smiled　emptily　at　her　from　hell。　She　had　no　guts。　Only　a　bar　and　a　scar。
The　fire　burned　down　rapidly　and　her　customers　came　back　in。　She　began　to　dose　herself　with　the　Star　Whiskey；　and　by　midnight　she　was　blackly　drunk。
　
　
VIII
　
　
She　ceased　her　narrative；　and　when　he　made　no　immediate　ment；　she　thought　at　first　that　the　story　had　put　him　to　sleep。　She　had　begun　to　drowse　herself　when　he　asked：　〃That's　all？〃
〃Yes。　That's　all。　It's　very　late。〃
〃Um。〃　He　was　rolling　another　cigarette。
〃Don't　go　getting　your　tobacco　dandruff　in　my　bed；〃　she　told　him；　more　sharply　than　she　had　intended。
〃No。〃
Silence　again。　The　tip　of　his　cigarette　winked　off　and　on。
〃You'll　be　leaving　in　the　morning；〃　she　said　dully。
〃I　should。　I　think　he's　left　a　trap　for　me　here。〃
〃Don't　go；〃　she　said。
〃We'll　see。〃
He　turned　on　his　side　away　from　her；　but　she　was　forted。　He　would　stay。　She　drowsed。
On　the　edge　of　sleep　she　thought　again　about　the　way　Nort　had　addressed　him；　in　that　strange　talk。　She　had　not　seen　him　express　emotion　before　or　since。　Eve