sk.thetalisman-第52章
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t they were； but he suspected they would taste wonderful。 His stomach rumbled busily。 Since going on the road； he had discovered what hunger was…not as a passing acquaintance； something you felt dimly after school and which could be assuaged with a few cookies and a glass of milk souped up with Nestlé's Quik； but as an intimate friend； one that sometimes moved away to a distance but who rarely left entirely。
He was sitting with his back to the front of the wagon； his sandal…clad feet dangling down； almost touching the hard…packed dirt of the Western Road。 There was a lot of traffic this morning； most of it bound for the market； Jack assumed。 Every now and then Henry bawled a greeting to someone he knew。
Jack was still wondering how those apple…colored pumpkins might taste…and just where his next meal was going to e from； anyway…when small hands twined in his hair and gave a brisk tug…brisk enough to make his eyes water。
He turned and saw the three…year…old standing there in his bare feet； a big grin on his face and a few strands of Jack's hair in each of his hands。
'Jason！' his mother cried…but it was； in its way； an indulgent cry （Did you see the way he pulled that hair？ My； isn't he strong！）…'Jason； that's not nice！'
Jason grinned； unabashed。 It was a big； dopey； sunshiney grin； as sweet in its way as the smell of the haystack in which Jack had spent the night。 He couldn't help returning it 。 。 。 and while there had been no politics of calculation in his returning grin； he saw he had made a friend of Henry's wife。
'Sit；' Jason said； swaying back and forth with the unconscious movement of a veteran sailor。 He was still grinning at Jack。
'Huh？'
'Yap。'
'I'm not getting you； Jason。'
'Sit…yap。'
'I'm not…'
And then Jason； who was husky for a three…year…old； plopped into Jack's lap； still grinning。
Sit…yap； oh yeah； I get it； Jack thought； feeling the dull ache from his testicles spreading up into the pit of his stomach。
'Jason bad！' his mother called back in that same indulgent； but…isn't…he…cute voice 。 。 。 and Jason； who knew who ruled the roost； grinned his dopey； sweetly charming grin。
Jack realized that Jason was wet。 Very； extremely； indubitably wet。
Wele back to the Territories； Jack…O。
And sitting there with the child in his arms and warm wetness slowly soaking through his clothes； Jack began to laugh； his face turned up to the blue； blue sky。
3
A few minutes later Henry's wife worked her way to where Jack was sitting with the child on his lap and took Jason back。
'Oooh； wet； bad baby；' she said in her indulgent voice。 Doesn't my Jason wet big！ Jack thought； and laughed again。 That made Jason laugh； and Mrs。 Henry laughed with them。
As she changed Jason； she asked Jack a number of questions…ones he had heard often enough in his own world。 But here he would have to be careful。 He was a stranger； and there might be hidden trapdoors。 He heard his father telling Morgan； 。 。 。 a real Stranger； if you see what I mean。
Jack sensed that the woman's husband was listening closely。 He answered her questions with a careful variation of the Story…not the one he told when he was applying for a job but the one he told when someone who had picked him up thumbing got curious。
He said he had e from the village of All…Hands'…Jason's mother had a vague recollection of hearing of the place； but that was all。 Had he really e so far？ she wanted to know。 Jack told her that he had。 And where was he going？ He told her （and the silently listening Henry） that he was bound for the village of California。 That one she had not heard of； even vaguely； in such stories as the occasional peddler told。 Jack was not exactly very surprised 。 。 。 but he was grateful that neither of them exclaimed 'California？ Whoever heard of a village named California？ Who are you trying to shuck and jive； boy？' In the Territories there had to be lots of places…whole areas as well as villages…of which people who lived in their own little areas had never heard。 No power poles。 No electricity。 No movies。 No cable TV to tell them how wonderful things were in Malibu or Sarasota。 No Territories version of Ma Bell； advertising that a three…minute call to the Outposts after five p。m。 cost only 5。83； plus tax； rates may be higher on God…Pounders' Eve and some other holidays。 They live in a mystery； he thought。 When you live in a mystery； you don't question a village simply because you never heard of it。 California doesn't sound any wilder than a place named All…Hands'。
Nor did they question。 He told them that his father had died the year before； and that his mother was quite ill （he thought of adding that the Queen's repossession men had e in the middle of the night and taken away their donkey； grinned； and decided that maybe he ought to leave that part out）。 His mother had given him what money she could （except the word that came out in the strange language wasn't really money…it was something like sticks） and had sent him off to the village of California； to stay with his Aunt Helen。
'These are hard times；' Mrs。 Henry said； holding Jason； now changed； more closely to her。
'All…Hands' is near the summer palace； isn't it； boy？' It was the first time Henry had spoken since inviting Jack aboard。
'Yes；' Jack said。 'That is； fairly near。 I mean…'
'You never said what your father died of。'
Now he had turned his head。 His gaze was narrow and assessing； the former kindness gone； it had been blown out of his eyes like candle…flames in a wind。 Yes； there were trap…doors here。
'Was he ill？' Mrs。 Henry asked。 'So much illness these days…pox； plague…hard times 。 。 。 '
For a wild moment Jack thought of saying； No； he wasn't ill； Mrs。 Henry。 He took a lot of volts； my dad。 You see he went off one Saturday to do some work； and he left Mrs。 Jerry and all the little Jerrys…including me…back at home。 This was when we all lived in a hole in the baseboard and nobody lived anywhere else； you see。 And do you know what？ He stuck his screwdriver into a bunch of wires and Mrs。 Feeny； she works over at Richard Sloat's house； she heard Uncle Morgan talking on the phone and he said the electricity came out； all of the electricity； and it cooked him； it cooked him so bad that his glasses melted all over his nose； only you don't know about glasses because you don't have them here。 No glasses 。 。 。 no electricity 。 。 。 no Midnight Blue 。 。 。 no airplanes。 Don't end up like Mrs。 Jerry； Mrs。 Henry。 Don't…
'Never mind was he ill；' the whiskered farmer said。 'Was he political？'
Jack looked at him。 His mouth was working but no sounds came out。 He didn't know what to say。 There were too many trapdoors。
Henry nodded； as if he had answered。 'Jump down； laddie。 Market's just over the next rise。 I reckon you can ankle it from here； can't you？'
'Yes；' Jack said。 'I reckon I can。'
Mrs。 Henry looked confused 。 。 。 but she was now holding Jason away from Jack； as if he might have some contagious disease。
The farmer； still looking back over his shoulder； smiled a bit ruefully。 'I'm sorry。 You seem a nice enough lad； but we're simple people here…whatever's going on back yonder by the sea is something for great lords to settle。 Either the Queen will die or she won't 。 。 。 and of course； someday she must。 God pounds all His nails sooner or later。 And what happens to little people when they meddle into the affairs of the great is that they get hurt。'
'My father…'
'I don't want to know about your father！' Henry said sharply。 His wife scrambled away from Jack； still holding Jason to her bosom。 'Good man or bad； I don't know and I don't want to know…all I know is that he's a dead man； I don't think you lied about that； and that his son has been sleeping rough and has all the smell of being on the dodge。 The son doesn't talk as if he es from any of these parts。 So climb down。 I've a son of my own； as you see。'
Jack got down； sorry for the fear in the young woman's face…fear he had put there。 The farmer was right…little people had no business meddling in the affairs of the great。 Not if they were smart。
CHAPTER 13
The Men
