sk.everythingseventual-第41部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


helpless。　Not　singing；　though。　Why？　Because　they　were　feeding？　Sleeping？　Both　at　once？
　　The　bearded　man's　groans　subsided。　The　bugs　marched　away　across　the　floor；　toward　one　of　the　mildly　rippling　silken　walls。　Roland　lost　sight　of　them　in　the　shadows。
　　Jenna　came　back　to　him；　her　eyes　anxious。　'Ye　did　well。　Yet　I　see　how　ye　feel；　it's　on　your　face。'
　　'The　doctors；'　he　said。
　　'Yes。　Their　power　is　very　great；　but　。　。　。'　She　dropped　her　voice。　'I　believe　that　drover　is　beyond　their　help。　His　legs　are　a　little　better；　and　the　wounds　on　his　face　are　all　but　healed；　but　he　has　injuries　where　the　doctors　cannot　reach。'　She　traced　a　hand　across　her　midsection；　suggesting　the　location　of　these　injuries；　if　not　their　nature。
　　'And　me？'　Roland　asked。
　　'Ye　were　ta'en　by　the　green　folk；'　she　said。　'Ye　must　have　angered　them　powerfully；　for　them　not　to　kill　ye　outright。　They　roped　ye　and　dragged　ye；　instead。　Tamra；　Michela；　and　Louise　were　out　gathering　herbs。　They　saw　the　green　folk　at　play　with　ye；　and　bade　them　stop；　but…'
　　'Do　the　muties　always　obey　you；　Sister　Jenna？'　She　smiled；　perhaps　pleased　he　remembered　her　name。　'Not　always；　but　mostly。　This　time　they　did；　or　ye'd　have　now　found　the　clearing　in　the　trees。'
　　'I　suppose　so。'
　　'The　skin　was　stripped　almost　clean　off　your　back…red　ye　were　from　nape　to　waist。　Ye'll　always　bear　the　scars；　but　the　doctors　have　gone　far　toward　healing　ye。　And　their　singing　is　passing　fair；　is　it　not？'
　　'Yes；'　Roland　said；　but　the　thought　of　those　black　things　all　over　his　back；　roosting　in　his　raw　flesh；　still　revolted　him。　'I　owe　you　thanks；　and　give　it　freely。　Anything　I　can　do　for　you…'
　　'Tell　me　your　name；　then。　Do　that。'
　　'I'm　Roland　of　Gilead。　A　gunslinger。　I　had　revolvers；　Sister　Jenna。　Have　you　seen　them？'
　　'I've　seen　no　shooters；'　she　said；　but　cast　her　eyes　aside。　The　roses　bloomed　in　her　cheeks　again。　She　might　be　a　good　nurse；　and　fair；　but　Roland　thought　her　a　poor　liar。　He　was　glad。　Good　liars　were　mon。　Honesty；　on　the　other　hand；　came　dear。
　　Let　the　untruth　pass　for　now；　he　told　himself。　She　speaks　it　out　of　fear；　I　think。
　　'Jenna！'　The　cry　came　from　the　deeper　shadows　at　the　far　end　of　the　infirmary…today　it　seemed　longer　than　ever　to　the　gunslinger…and　Sister　Jenna　jumped　guiltily。　'e　away！　Ye've　passed　words　enough　to　entertain　twenty　men！　Let　him　sleep！'
　　'Aye！'　she　called；　then　turned　back　to　Roland。　'Don't　let　on　that　I　showed　you　the　doctors。'
　　'Mum　is　the　word；　Jenna。'
　　She　paused；　biting　her　lip　again；　then　suddenly　swept　back　her　wimple。　It　fell　against　the　nape　of　her　neck　in　a　soft　chiming　of　bells。　Freed　from　its　confinement；　her　hair　swept　against　her　cheeks　like　shadows。
　　'Am　I　pretty？　Am　I？　Tell　me　the　truth；　Roland　of　Gilead…no　flattery。　For　flattery's　kind　only　a　candle's　length。'
　　'Pretty　as　a　summer　night。'
　　What　she　saw　in　his　face　seemed　to　please　her　more　than　his　words；　because　she　smiled　radiantly。　She　pulled　the　wimple　up　again；　tucking　her　hair　back　in　with　quick　little　finger…pokes。　'Am　I　decent？'
　　'Decent　as　fair；'　he　said；　then　cautiously　lifted　an　arm　and　pointed　at　her　brow。　'One　curl's　out　。　。　。　just　there。'
　　'Aye；　always　that　one　to　devil　me。'　With　a　ical　little　grimace；　she　tucked　it　back。　Roland　thought　how　much　he　would　like　to　kiss　her　rosy　cheeks　。　。　。　and　perhaps　her　rosy　mouth　for　good　measure。
　　'All's　well；'　he　said。
　　'Jenna！'　The　cry　was　more　impatient　than　ever。　'Meditations！'
　　'I'm　ing　just　now！'　she　called；　and　gathered　her　voluminous　skirts　to　go。　Yet　she　turned　back　once　more；　her　face　now　very　grave　and　very　serious。　'One　more　thing；'　she　said　in　a　voice　only　a　step　above　a　whisper。　She　snatched　a　quick　look　around。　'The　gold　medallion　ye　wear…ye　wear　it　because　it's　yours。　Do'ee　understand　。　。　。　James？'
　　'Yes。'　He　turned　his　head　a　bit　to　look　at　the　sleeping　boy。　'This　is　my　brother。'
　　'If　they　ask；　yes。　To　say　different　would　be　to　get　Jenna　in　serious　trouble。'
　　How　serious　he　did　not　ask；　and　she　was　gone　in　any　case；　seeming　to　flow　along　the　aisle　between　all　the　empty　beds；　her　skirt　caught　up　in　one　hand。　The　roses　had　fled　from　her　face；　leaving　her　cheeks　and　brow　ashy。　He　remembered　the　greedy　look　on　the　faces　of　the　others；　how　they　had　gathered　around　him　in　a　tightening　knot　。　。　。　and　the　way　their　faces　had　shimmered。
　　Six　women；　five　old　and　one　young。
　　Doctors　that　sang　and　then　crawled　away　across　the　floor　when　dismissed　by　jingling　bells。
　　And　an　improbable　hospital　ward　of　perhaps　a　hundred　beds；　a　ward　with　a　silk　roof　and　silk　walls　。　。　。
　　。　。　。　and　all　the　beds　empty　save　three。
　　Roland　didn't　understand　why　Jenna　had　taken　the　dead　boy's　medallion　from　his　pants　pocket　and　put　it　around　his　neck；　but　he　had　an　idea　that　if　they　found　out　she　had　done　so；　the　Little　Sisters　of　Eluria　might　kill　her。
　　Roland　closed　his　eyes；　and　the　soft　singing　of　the　doctor…insects　once　again　floated　him　off　into　sleep。
　　
　　IV。　A　Bowl　of　Soup。　The　Boy　in　the　Next　Bed。
　　The　Night…Nurses。
　　
　　Roland　dreamed　that　a　very　large　bug　（a　doctor…bug；　mayhap）　was　flying　around　his　head　and　banging　repeatedly　into　his　nose…collisions　which　were　annoying　rather　than　painful。　He　swiped　at　the　bug　repeatedly；　and　although　his　hands　were　eerily　fast　under　ordinary　circumstances；　he　kept　missing　it。　And　each　time　he　missed；　the　bug　giggled。
　　I'm　slow　because　I've　been　sick；　he　thought。
　　No；　ambushed。　Dragged　across　the　ground　by　slow　mutants；　saved　by　the　Little　Sisters　of　Eluria。
　　Roland　had　a　sudden；　vivid　image　of　a　man's　shadow　growing　from　the　shadow　of　an　overturned　freight　wagon；　heard　a　rough；　gleeful　voice　cry　'Booh！'
　　He　jerked　awake　hard　enough　to　set　his　body　rocking　in　its　plication　of　slings；　and　the　woman　who　had　been　standing　beside　his　head；　giggling　as　she　tapped　his　nose　lightly　with　a　wooden　spoon；　stepped　back　so　quickly　that　the　bowl　in　her　other　hand　slipped　from　her　fingers。
　　Roland's　hands　shot　out；　and　they　were　as　quick　as　ever…his　frustrated　failure　to　catch　the　bug　had　been　only　part　of　his　dream。　He　caught　the　bowl　before　more　than　a　few　drops　could　spill。　The　woman…Sister　Coquina…looked　at　him　with　round　eyes。
　　There　was　pain　all　up　and　down　his　back　from　the　sudden　movement；　but　it　was　nowhere　near　as　sharp　as　it　had　been　before；　and　there　was　no　sensation　of　movement　on　his　skin。　Perhaps　the　'doctors'　were　only　sleeping；　but　he　had　an　idea　they　were　gone。
　　He　held　out　his　hand　for　the　spoon　Coquina　had　been　teasing　him　with　（he　found　he　wasn't　surprised　at　all　that　one　of　these　would　tease　a　sick　and　sleeping　man　in　such　a　way；　it　would　have　surprised　him　only　if　it　had　been　Jenna）；　and　she　handed　it　to　him；　her　eyes　still　big。
　　'How　speedy　ye　are！'　she　said。　''Twas　like　a　magic　trick；　and　you　still　rising　from　sleep！'
　　'Remember　it；　sai；'　he　said；　and　tried　the　soup。　There　were　tiny　bits　of　chicken　floating　in　it。　He　probably　would　have　considered　it　bland　under　other　circumstances；　but　under　these；　it　seemed　ambrosial。　He　began　to　eat　greedily。
　　'What　do'ee　mean　by　that？'　she　asked。　The　light　was　very　dim　now；　the　wall　panels　across　the　way　a　pinkish　orange　that　suggested　sunset。　In　this　light；　Coquina　looked　quite　young　and　pretty　。　。　。　but　it　was　a　glamour；　Roland　was　sure；　a　sorcerous　kind　of　makeup。
　　'I　mean　nothing　in　particular。'　Roland　dismissed　the　spoon　as　too　slow；　preferring　to　tilt　the　bowl　itself　to　his　lips。　In　this　way　he　disposed　of　the　soup　in　four　large　gulps。　'You　have　been　kind　to　me…'
　　'Aye；　so　we　have！'　she　said；　rather　indignantly。
　　'…and　I　hope　your　kindness　has　no　hidden　motive。　If　it　does；　Sister；　remember　that　I'm　quick。　And；　as　for　myself；　I　have　not　always　been　kind。'
　　She　made　no　reply；　only　took　the　bowl　when　Roland　handed　it　back。　She　did　this　delicately；　perhaps　not　wanting　to　touch　his　fin…gers。　Her　eyes　dropped　to　where　the　medallion　lay；　once　more　hidden　beneath　the　breast　of　his　bed…dress。　He　said　no　more；　not　wanting　to　weaken　the　implied　threat　by　reminding　her　that　the　man　who　made　it　was　unarmed；　next　to　naked；　and　hung　in　the　air　because　his　back　couldn't　yet　bear　the