sk.everythingseventual-第46章

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the　hags　to　Roland's　slitted　view　once　more。
　　Norman's　medallion　lay　exposed…the　boy　had　perhaps　wakened　enough　to　take　it　out　of　his　bed…dress；　hoping　it　would　protect　him　better　so。　Ralph　picked　it　up　in　his　melted…tallow　hand。　The　Sisters　watched　eagerly　in　the　glow　of　their　candles　as　the　green　man　stretched　it　to　the　end　of　its　chain　。　。　。　and　then　put　it　down　again。　Their　faces　drooped　in　disappointment。
　　'Don't　care　for　such　as　that；'　Ralph　said　in　his　clotted　voice。　'Want　whik…sky！　Want　'backky！'
　　'You　shall　have　it；'　Sister　Mary　said。　'Enough　for　you　and　all　your　verminous　clan。　But　first；　you　must　have　that　horrid　thing　off　him！　Off　both　of　them！　Do　you　understand？　And　you　shan't　tease　us。'
　　'Or　what？'　Ralph　asked。　He　laughed。　It　was　a　choked　and　gargly　sound；　the　laughter　of　a　man　dying　from　some　evil　sickness　of　the　throat　and　lungs；　but　Roland　still　liked　it　better　than　the　giggles　of　the　Sisters。　'Or　what；　Sisser　Mary；　you'll　drink　my　bluid？　My　bluid'd　drop'ee　dead　where'ee　stand；　and　glowing　in　the　dark！'
　　Mary　raised　the　gunslinger's　revolver　and　pointed　it　at　Ralph。　'Take　that　wretched　thing；　or　you　die　where　you　stand。'
　　'And　die　after　I've　done　what　you　want；　likely。'
　　Sister　Mary　said　nothing　to　that。　The　others　peered　at　him　with　their　black　eyes。
　　Ralph　lowered　his　head；　appearing　to　think。　Roland　suspected　his　friend　Bowler　Hat　could　think；　too。　Sister　Mary　and　her　cohorts　might　not　believe　that；　but　Ralph　had　to　be　trig　to　have　survived　as　long　as　he　had。　But　of　course　when　he　came　here；　he　hadn't　considered　Roland's　guns。
　　'Smasher　was　wrong　to　give　them　shooters　to　you；'　he　said　at　last。　'Give　em　and　not　tell　me。　Did　u'se　give　him　whik…sky？　Give　him　'backky？'
　　'That's　none　o'　yours；'　Sister　Mary　replied。　'You　have　that　gold…piece　off　the　boy's　neck　right　now；　or　I'll　put　one　of　yonder　man's　bullets　in　what's　left　of　yer　brain。'
　　'All　right；'　Ralph　said。　'Just　as　you　wish；　sai。'
　　Once　more　he　reached　down　and　took　the　gold　medallion　in　his　melted　fist。　That　he　did　slow；　what　happened　after；　happened　fast。　He　snatched　it　away；　breaking　the　chain　and　flinging　the　gold　heedlessly　into　the　dark。　With　his　other　hand　he　reached　down；　sank　his　long　and　ragged　nails　into　John　Norman's　neck；　and　tore　it　open。
　　Blood　flew　from　the　hapless　boy's　throat　in　a　jetting；　heart…driven　gush　more　black　than　red　in　the　candlelight；　and　he　made　a　single　bubbly　cry。　The　women　screamed…but　not　in　horror。　They　screamed　as　women　do　in　a　frenzy　of　excitement。　The　green　man　was　forgotten；　Roland　was　forgotten；　all　was　forgotten　save　the　life's　blood　pouring　out　of　John　Norman's　throat。
　　They　dropped　their　candles。　Mary　dropped　Roland's　revolver　in　the　same　hapless；　careless　fashion。　The　last　the　gunslinger　saw　as　Ralph　darted　away　into　the　shadows　（whiskey　and　tobacco　another　time；　wily　Ralph　must　have　thought；　tonight　he　had　best　concentrate　on　saving　his　own　life）　was　the　Sisters　bending　forward　to　catch　as　much　of　the　flow　as　they　could　before　it　dried　up。
　　Roland　lay　in　the　dark；　muscles　shivering；　heart　pounding；　listening　to　the　harpies　as　they　fed　on　the　boy　lying　in　the　bed　next　to　his　own。　It　seemed　to　go　on　forever；　but　at　last　they　had　done　with　him。　The　Sisters　relit　their　candles　and　left；　murmuring。
　　When　the　drug　in　the　soup　once　more　got　the　better　of　the　drug　in　the　reeds；　Roland　was　grateful　。　。　。　yet　for　the　first　time　since　he'd　e　here；　his　sleep　was　haunted。
　　In　his　dream　he　stood　looking　down　at　the　bloated　body　in　the　town　trough；　thinking　of　a　line　in　the　book　marked　REGISTRY　OF　MISDEEDS　AND　REDRESS。　Green　folk　sent　hence；　it　had　read；　and　perhaps　the　green　folk　had　been　sent　hence；　but　then　a　worse　tribe　had　e。　The　Little　Sisters　of　Eluria；　they　called　themselves。　And　a　year　hence；　they　might　be　the　Little　Sisters　of　Tejuas；　or　of　Kambero；　or　some　other　far　western　village。　They　came　with　their　bells　and　their　bugs　。　。　。　from　where？　Who　knew？　Did　it　matter？
　　A　shadow　fell　beside　his　on　the　scummy　water　of　the　trough。　Roland　tried　to　turn　and　face　it。　He　couldn't；　he　was　frozen　in　place。　Then　a　green　hand　grasped　his　shoulder　and　whirled　him　about。　It　was　Ralph。　His　bowler　hat　was　cocked　back　on　his　head；　John　Nor…man's　medallion；　now　red　with　blood；　hung　around　his　neck。
　　'Booh！'　cried　Ralph；　his　lips　stretching　in　a　toothless　grin。　He　raised　a　big　revolver　with　worn　sandalwood　grips。　He　thumbed　the　hammer　back　…
　　…　and　Roland　jerked　awake；　shivering　all　over；　dressed　in　skin　both　wet　and　icy　cold。　He　looked　at　the　bed　on　his　left。　It　was　empty；　the　sheet　pulled　up　and　tucked　about　neatly；　the　pillow　resting　above　it　in　its　snowy　sleeve。　Of　John　Norman　there　was　no　sign。　It　might　have　been　empty　for　years；　that　bed。
　　Roland　was　alone　now。　Gods　help　him；　he　was　the　last　patient　of　the　Little　Sisters　of　Eluria；　those　sweet　and　patient　hospitalers。　The　last　human　being　still　alive　in　this　terrible　place；　the　last　with　warm　blood　flowing　in　his　veins。
　　Roland；　lying　suspended；　gripped　the　gold　medallion　in　his　fist　and　looked　across　the　aisle　at　the　long　row　of　empty　beds。　After　a　little　while；　he　brought　one　of　the　reeds　out　from　beneath　his　pillow　and　nibbled　at　it。
　　When　Mary　came　fifteen　minutes　later；　the　gunslinger　took　the　bowl　she　brought　with　a　show　of　weakness　he　didn't　really　feel。　Porridge　instead　of　soup　this　time　。　。　。　but　he　had　no　doubt　the　basic　ingredient　was　still　the　same。
　　'How　well　ye　look　this　morning；　sai；'　Big　Sister　said。　She　looked　well　herself…there　were　no　shimmers　to　give　away　the　ancient　wampir　hiding　inside　her。　She　had　supped　well；　and　her　meal　had　firmed　her　up。　Roland's　stomach　rolled　over　at　the　thought。　'Ye'll　be　on　yer　pins　in　no　time；　I'll　warrant。'
　　'That's　shit；'　Roland　said；　speaking　in　an　ill…natured　growl。　'Put　me　on　my　pins　and　you'd　be　picking　me　up　off　the　floor　directly　after。　I've　started　to　wonder　if　you're　not　putting　something　in　the　food。'
　　She　laughed　merrily　at　that。　'La；　you　lads！　Always　eager　to　blame　yer　weakness　on　a　scheming　woman！　How　scared　of　us　ye　are…aye；　way　down　in　yer　little　boys'　hearts；　how　scared　ye　are！'
　　'Where's　my　brother？　I　dreamed　there　was　a　motion　about　him　in　the　night；　and　now　I　see　his　bed's　empty。'
　　Her　smile　narrowed。　Her　eyes　glittered。　'He　came　over　fevery　and　pitched　a　fit。　We've　taken　him　to　Thoughtful　House；　which　has　been　home　to　contagion　more　than　once　in　its　time。'
　　To　the　grave　is　where　you've　taken　him；　Roland　thought。　Mayhap　that　is　a　Thoughtful　House；　but　little　would　you　know　it；　sai；　one　way　or　another。
　　'I　know　ye're　no　brother　to　that　boy；'　Mary　said；　watching　him　eat。　Already　Roland　could　feel　the　stuff　hidden　in　the　porridge　draining　his　strength　once　more。　'Sigul　or　no　sigul；　I　know　ye're　no　brother　to　him。　Why　do　you　lie？　'Tis　a　sin　against　God。'
　　'What　gives　you　such　an　idea；　sai？'　Roland　asked；　curious　to　see　if　she　would　mention　the　guns。
　　'Big　Sister　knows　what　she　knows。　Why　not　'fess　up；　Jimmy？　Confession's　good　for　the　soul；　they　say。'
　　'Send　me　Jenna　to　pass　the　time；　and　perhaps　I'd　tell　you　much；'　Roland　said。
　　The　narrow　bone　of　smile　on　Sister　Mary's　face　disappeared　like　chalk…writing　in　a　rainstorm。　'Why　would　ye　talk　to　such　as　her？'
　　'She's　passing　fair；'　Roland　said。　'Unlike　some。'
　　Her　lips　pulled　back　from　her　overlarge　teeth。　'Ye'll　see　her　no　more；　cully。　Ye've　stirred　her　up；　so　you　have；　and　I　won't　have　that。'
　　She　turned　to　go。　Still　trying　to　appear　weak　and　hoping　he　would　not　overdo　it　（acting　was　never　his　forte）；　Roland　held　out　the　empty　porridge　bowl。　'Do　you　not　want　to　take　this？'
　　'Put　it　on　your　head　and　wear　it　as　a　nightcap；　for　all　of　me。　Or　stick　it　in　your　ass。　You'll　talk　before　I'm　done　with　ye；　cully…talk　till　I　bid　you　shut　up　and　then　beg　to　talk　some　more！'
　　On　this　note　she　swept　regally　away；　hands　lifting　the　front　of　her　skirt　off　the　floor。　Roland　had　heard　that　such　as　she　couldn't　go　about　in　daylight；　and　that　part　of　the　old　tales　was　surely　a　lie。　Yet　another　part　was　almost　true；　it　seemed：　a　fuzzy；　amorphous　shape　kept　pace　with　her；　running　along　the　row　of　empty　beds　to　her　right；　but　she　cast　no　rea