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〃PATRICIA WENT MAD；〃 Blaine said patiently； speaking as if he himself had not just admitted the same thing was happening to him。 〃IN HER CASE； THE PROBLEM INVOLVED EQUIPMENT MAL…FUNCTION AS WELL AS SPIRITUAL MALAISE。 SUCH MAL…FUNCTIONS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE IMPOSSIBLE WITH SLO…TRANS TECHNOLOGY； BUT OF COURSE THE WORLD HAS MOVED ON 。。。 HAS IT NOT； ROLAND OF GILEAD？〃
〃Yes；〃 Roland said。 〃There is some deep sickness at the Dark Tower； which is the heart of everything。 It's spreading。 The lands below us are only one more sign of that sickness。〃
〃I CANNOT VOUCH FOR THE TRUTH OR FALSITY OF THAT STATEMENT； MY MONITORING EQUIPMENT IN END…WORLD； WHERE THE DARK TOWER STANDS； HAS BEEN DOWN FOR OVER EIGHT HUNDRED YEARS。 AS A RESULT； I CANNOT READILY DIFFERENTIATE FACT FROM SUPERSTITION。 IN FACT； THERE SEEMS TO BE VERY LITTLE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO AT THE PRESENT TIME。 IT IS VERY SILLY THAT IT SHOULD BE SO…NOT TO MENTION RUDE…AND I AM SURE IT HAS CONTRIBUTED TO MY OWN SPIRITUAL MALAISE。〃
This statement reminded Eddie of something Roland had said not so long ago。 What might that have been？ He groped for it； but could find nothing 。 。 。 only a vague memory of the gunslinger speaking in an irritated way which was very unlike his usual manner。
〃PATRICIA BEGAN SOBBING CONSTANTLY； A STATE I FOUND BOTH RUDE AND UNPLEASANT。 I BELIEVE SHE WAS LONELY AS WELL AS MAD。 ALTHOUGH THE ELECTRICAL FIRE WHICH CAUSED THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM WAS QUICKLY EXTINGUISHED； LOGIC…FAULTS CONTINUED TO SPREAD AS CIRCUITS OVERLOADED AND SUB…BANKS FAILED。 I CONSIDERED ALLOWING THE MALFUNCTIONS TO BEE SYSTEM…WIDE AND DECIDED TO ISOLATE THE PROBLEM AREA INSTEAD。 I HAD HEARD RUMORS； YOU SEE； THAT A GUNSLINGER WAS ONCE MORE ABROAD IN THE EARTH。 I COULD SCARCELY CREDIT SUCH STORIES； AND YET I NOW SEE I WAS WISE TO WAIT。〃
Roland stirred in his chair。 〃What rumors did you hear； Blaine？ And who did you hear them from？〃
But Blaine chose not to answer this question。
〃I EVENTUALLY BECAME SO DISTURBED BY HER BLAT…TING THAT I ERASED THE CIRCUITS CONTROLLING HER NON…VOLUNTARIES。 I EMANCIPATED HER； YOU MIGHT SAY。 SHE RESPONDED BY THROWING HERSELF IN THE RIVER。 SEE YOU LATER； PATRICIA…GATOR。〃
Got lonely； couldn't stop crying； drowned herself； and all this crazy mechanical asshole can do is joke about it； Susannah thought。 She felt almost sick with rage。 If Blaine had been a real person instead of just a bunch of circuits buried somewhere under a city which was now far behind them； she would have tried to put some new marks on his face to remember Patricia by。 You want interesting； motherfucker？ I'd like to show you interesting； so I would。
〃ASK ME A RIDDLE；〃 Blaine invited。
〃Not quite yet；〃 Eddie said。 〃You still haven't answered my original question。〃 He gave Blaine a chance to respond； and when the puter voice didn't do so； he went on。 〃When it es to suicide； I'm； like； pro…choice。 But why do you want to take us with you？ I mean； what's the point？〃
〃Because he wants to；〃 Little Blaine said in his horrified whisper。
〃BECAUSE I WANT TO；〃 Blaine said。 〃THAT'S THE ONLY REASON I HAVE AND THE ONLY ONE I NEED TO HAVE。 NOW LET'S GET DOWN TO BUSINESS。 I WANT SOME RIDDLES AND I WANT THEM IMMEDIATELY。 IF YOU REFUSE； I WON'T WAIT UNTIL WE GET TO TOPEKA…I'LL DO US ALL RIGHT HERE AND NOW。〃
Eddie； Susannah； and Jake looked around at Roland； who still sat in his chair with his hands folded in his lap； looking at the route…map at the front of the coach。
〃Fuck you；〃 Roland said。 He did not raise his voice。 He might have told Blaine that a little Way…Gog would indeed be very nice。
There was a shocked； horrified gasp from the overhead speakers…Little Blaine。
〃WHAT DO YOU SAY？〃 In its clear disbelief； the voice of Big Blaine had once again bee very close to the voice of his unsuspected twin。
〃I said fuck you；〃 Roland said calmly； 〃but if that puzzles you； Blaine； I can make it clearer。 No。 The answer is no。〃
10
THERE WAS NO RESPONSE from either Blaine for a long； long time； and when Big Blaine did reply； it was not with words。 Instead； the walls； floor； and ceiling began to lose their color and solidity again。 In a space of ten seconds the Barony Coach had once more ceased to exist。 The mono was now flying through the mountain…range they had seen on the horizon： iron…gray peaks rushed toward them at suicidal speed； then fell away to disclose sterile valleys where gigantic beetles crawled about like landlocked turtles。 Roland saw something that looked like a huge snake suddenly uncoil from the mouth of a cave。 It seized one of the beetles and yanked it back into its lair。 Roland had never in his life seen such animals or countryside； and it made his skin want to crawl right off his flesh。 It was inimical； but that was not the problem。 It was alien…that was the problem。 Blaine might have transported them to some other world。
〃PERHAPS I SHOULD DERAIL US HERE；〃 Blaine said。 His voice was meditative； but beneath it the gunslinger heard a deep； pulsing rage。
〃Perhaps you should；〃 the gunslinger said indifferently。
He did not feel indifferent； and he knew it was possible the puter might read his real feelings in his voice…Blaine had told them he had such equipment； although he was sure the puter could lie； Roland had no reason to doubt it in this case。 If Blaine did read certain stress…patterns in the gunslinger's voice； the game was probably up。 He was an incredibly sophisticated machine 。 。 。 but still a machine； for all that。 He might not be able to understand that human beings are often able to go through with a course of action even when all their emotions rise up and proclaim against it。 If he analyzed patterns in the gunslinger's voice which indicated fear； he would probably assume that Roland was bluffing。 Such a mistake could get them all killed。
〃YOU ARE RUDE AND ARROGANT；〃 Blaine said。 〃THESE MAY SEEM LIKE INTERESTING TRAITS TO YOU； BUT THEY ARE NOT TO ME。〃
Eddie's face was frantic。 He mouthed the words What are you DOING？ Roland ignored him； he had his hands full with Blaine； and he knew perfectly well what he was doing。
〃Oh； I can be much ruder than I have been。〃
Roland of Gilead unfolded his hands and got slowly to his feet。 He stood on what appeared to be nothing； legs apart； his right hand on his hip and his left on the sandalwood grip of his revolver。 He stood as he had stood so many times before； in the dusty streets of a hundred forgot…ten towns； in a score of rock…lined canyon killing…zones； in unnumbered dark saloons with their smells of bitter beer and old fried meals。 It was just another showdown in another empty street。 That was all； and that was enough。 It was khef； ka； and ka…tet。 That the showdown always came was the central fact of his life and the axle upon which his own ka revolved。 That the battle would be fought with words instead of bullets this time made no difference； it would be a battle to the death； just the same。 The stench of killing in the air was as clear and definite as the stench of exploded carrion in a swamp。 Then the battle…rage descended； as it always did 。 。 。 and he was no longer really there to himself at all。
〃I can call you a nonsensical； empty…headed； foolish； arrogant machine。 I can call you a stupid； unwise creature whose sense is no more than the sound of a winter wind in a hollow tree。〃
〃STOP IT。〃
Roland went on in the same serene tone； ignoring Blaine pletely。 〃Unfortunately； I am somewhat restricted in my ability to be rude； since you are only a machine 。 。。 what Eddie calls a 'gadget。'〃
〃I AM A GREAT DEAL MORE THAN JUST…〃
〃I cannot call you a sucker of cocks； for instance； because you have no mouth and no cock。 I cannot say you are viler than the vilest beggar who ever crawled the gutters of the lowest street in creation； because even such a creature is better than you； you have no knees on which to crawl； and would not fall upon them even if you did； for you have no conception of such a human flaw as mercy。 I cannot even say you fucked your mother； because you had none。〃
Roland paused for breath。 His three panions were holding theirs。 All around them； suffocating； was Blaine the Mono's thunderstruck silence。
〃I can call you a faithless creature who let your only panion kill herself； a coward who has delighted in the torture of the foolish and the slaughter of the innocent； a lost and bleating mechanical goblin who…〃
〃I MAND YOU TO STOP IT OR I'LL KILL YOU ALL RIGHT HERE！〃
Roland's eyes blazed with such wild blue fire that Eddie shrank away from him。 Dimly； he heard Jake and Susannah gasp。
〃Kill if you will； but mand me nothing！〃 the gunslinger roared。 〃You have forgotten the faces of those who made you！ Now either kill us or be silent and listen to me； Roland of Gilead； son of Steven； gunslinger； and lord of the ancient lands！ I have not e across all the miles and all the years to listen to your childish prating！ Do you understand？ Now you will listen to ME！〃
There was a moment of shocked silence。 No one breathed。 Roland stared sternly forward； his head high； his hand on the butt of his gun。
Susannah Dean raised her hand to her mouth and felt the small smile there as a woman might feel some strange new article of clothing…a hat； perhaps…to make sure it is still on straight。 She was afraid that this was the end of her life； but the feeling which dominated her heart at that moment was not fear but pride。 She glanced to her left and saw Eddie regarding Roland with an amazed grin。 Jake's expression was even simpler： it was adoration； pure and simple。
〃Tell him！〃 Jake breathed。 〃Walk it to him！ Right！〃
〃You better pay attention；〃 Eddie agreed。 〃He really doesn't give much of a rat's ass； Blaine。 They didn't call him The Mad Dog of Gilead for nothing。〃
After a long； long moment； Blaine asked： 〃DID THEY CALL YOU SO； ROLAND SON OF STEVEN？〃
〃It may have been so；〃 Roland agreed； standing calmly on thin air above the sterile foothills。
〃WHAT GOOD ARE YOU TO ME IF YOU WON'T TELL ME RIDDLES？〃 Blaine asked。 Now he sounded like a grumbling； sulky child who has been allowed to stay up too long past his usual bedtime。
〃I didn't say we wouldn't；〃 Roland said；
〃NO？〃 Blaine sounded bewildered。 〃I DO NOT UNDERSTAND； YET VOICE…PRINT ANALYSIS INDICATES RATIONAL DIS…COURSE。 PLEASE EXPLAIN。〃
〃You said you wanted them right now；〃 the gunslinger replied。 〃That was what I was refusing。 Your eagerness has made you unseemly。〃
〃I DON'T UNDERSTAND。〃
〃It has made you rude。 Do you understand that？〃
There was a long； thoughtful silence。 Then： 〃IF WHAT I SAID STRUCK YOU AS RUDE； I APOLOGIZE。〃
〃It is accepted； Blaine。 But there is a larger problem。〃
〃EXPLAIN。〃
Blaine now sounded a bit unsure of himself； and Roland was not entirely surprised。 It had been a long time since the puter had experi…enced any human responses other than ignorance； neglect； and supersti…tious subservience。 If it had ever been exposed to simple human courage； it had been a long time ago。
〃Close the carriage again and I will。〃 Roland sat down as if further argument…and the prospect of immediate death…was now unthinkable。
Blaine did as he was asked。 The walls filled with color and the nightmare landscape below was once more blotted out。 The blip on the route…map was now blinking close to the dot which marked Candleton。
〃All right；〃 Roland said。 〃Rudeness is forgivable； Blaine； so I was taught in my youth； and the clay has dried in the shapes left by the artist's hand。 But I was also taught that stupidity is not。〃
〃HOW HAVE I BEEN STUPID； ROLAND OF GILEAD？〃 Blaine's voice was soft and ominous。 Susannah suddenly thought of a cat crouched outside a mouse…hole； tail swishing back and forth； green eyes shining。
〃We have something that you want；〃 Roland said； 〃but the only reward you offer if we give it to you is death。 That's very stupid。〃
There was a long； long pause as Blaine thought this over。 Then： 〃WHAT YOU SAY IS TRUE； ROLAND OF GILEAD； BUT THE QUALITY OF YOUR RIDDLES IS NOT PROVEN。 I WILL NOT REWARD YOU WITH YOUR LIVES FOR BAD RIDDLES。〃
Roland nodded。 〃I understand； Blaine。 Listen； now； and take under…standing from me。 I have told some of this