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e of the bullets from his belt and began to twirl it between his fingers。 The boy watched； fascinated。
〃That's neat；〃 he said。
The gunslinger nodded。 〃Sure it is。〃 he paused。 〃When I was your age； I lived in a walled city； did I tell you that？〃
The boy shook his head sleepily。
〃Sure。 And there was an evil man 〃
〃The priest？〃
〃No；〃 the gunslinger said； 〃but the two of them had some relationship； I think now。 Maybe even half…brothers。 Marten was a wizard。。。 like Merlin。 Do they tell of Merlin where you e from； Jake？〃
〃Merlin and Arthur and the knights of the round table；〃 Jake said dreamily。
The gunslinger felt a nasty jolt go through him。 〃Yes；〃 he said。 〃I was very young； 。。。〃
But the boy was asleep sitting up； his hands folded neatly in his lap。
〃When I snap my fingers； you'll wake up。 You'll be rested and fresh。 Do you understand？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Lay over； then。〃
The gunslinger got makings from his poke and rolled a cigarette。 There was something missing。 He searched for it in his diligent； careful way and located it。 The missing thing was that maddening sense of hurry； the feeling that he might be left behind at any time； that the trail would die out and he would be left with only a broken piece of string。 All that was gone now； and the gunslinger was slowly being sure that the man in black wanted to be caught。
What would follow？
The question was too vague to catch his interest。 Cuthbert would have found interest in it； lively interest； but Cuthbert was gone； and the gunslinger could only go forward in the way he knew。
He watched the boy as he smoked； and his mind turned back on Cuthbert； who had always laughed to his death he had gone laughing and Cort； who never laughed； and on Marten； who sometimes smiled a thin； silent smile that had its own disquieting gleam。。。 like an eye that slips open in the dark and discloses blood。 And there had been the falcon； of course。 The falcon was named David； after the legend of the boy with the sling。 David； he was quite sure； knew nothing but the need for murder； rending； and terror。 Like the gunslinger himself。 David was no dilettante； he played the center of the court。
Perhaps； though； in some final accounting； David the falcon had been closer to Marten than to anyone else。。。 and perhaps his mother； Gabrielle； had known it。
The gunslinger's stomach seemed to rise painfully against his heart； but his face didn't change。 He watched the smoke of his cigarette rise into the hot desert air and disappear； and his mind went back。
II
The sky was white； perfectly white； and the smell of rain was in the air。 The smell of hedges and growing green was strong and sweet。 It was deep spring。
David sat on Cuthbert's arm； a small engine of destruction with bright golden eyes that glared outward at nothing。 The rawhide leash attached to his jesses was looped carelessly about Cuthbert's arm。
Cort stood aside from the two boys； a silent figure in patched leather trousers and a green cotton shirt that had been cinched high with his old； wide infantry belt。 The green of his shirt merged with the hedges and the rolling turf of the Back Courts； where the ladies had not yet begun to play at Points。
〃Get ready；〃 Roland whispered to Cuthbert。
〃We're ready；〃 Cuthbert said confidently。 〃Aren't we； Davey？〃
They spoke the low speech； the language of both scullions and squires； the day when they would be allowed to use their own tongue in the presence of others was still far。 〃It's a beautiful day for it。 Can you smell the rain？ It's 〃
Cort abruptly raised the trap in his hands and let the side fall open。 The dove was out and up； trying for the sky in a quick； fluttering blast of its wings。 Cuthbert pulled the leash； but he was slow； the hawk was already up and his takeoff was awkward。 With a brief twitch of its wings the hawk had recovered。 It struck upward； gaining altitude over the dove； moving bullet…swift。
Cort walked over to where the boys stood； casually； and swung his huge and twisted fist at Cuthbert's ear。 The boy fell over without a sound； although his lips writhed back from his gums。 A trickle of blood flowed slowly from his ear and onto the rich green grass。
〃You were slow；〃 he said。
Cuthbert was struggling to his feet。 〃I'm sorry； Cort。 It's just that I Cort swung again； and Cuthbert fell over again。 The blood flowed more swiftly now。
〃Speak the High Speech；〃 he said softly。 His voice was flat。 with a slight； drunken rasp。 〃Speak your act of contrition in the speech of civilization for which better men than you will ever be have died； maggot。〃
Cuthbert was getting up again。 Tears stood brightly in his eyes； but his lips were pressed tightly together in a bright line of hate which did not quiver。
〃I grieve；〃 Cuthbert said in a voice of breathless control。 〃I have forgotten the face of my father； whose guns I hope someday to bear。〃
〃That's right； brat；〃 Cort said。 〃You'll consider what you did wrong； and bookend your reflections with hunger。 No supper。 No breakfast。〃
〃Look！〃 Roland cried。 He pointed up。
The hawk had climbed above the soaring dove。 It glided for a moment； its stubby； muscular wings outstretched and without movement on the still； white spring air。 Then it folded its wings and dropped like a stone。 The two bodies came together； and for a moment Roland fancied he could see blood in the air。。。 but it might have been his imagination。 The hawk gave a brief scream of triumph。 The dove fluttered； twisting； to the ground； and Roland ran toward the kill； leaving Cort and the chastened Cuthbert behind him。
The hawk had landed beside its prey and was placently tearing into its plump white breast。 A few feathers seesawed slowly downward。
〃David！〃 The boy yelled； and tossed the hawk a piece of rabbit flesh from his poke。 The hawk caught it on the fly； ingested it with an upward shaking of its back and throat； and Roland attempted to re…leash the bird。
The hawk whirled； almost absentmindedly； and ripped skin from Roland's arm in a long； dangling gash。 Then it went back to its meal。
With a grunt； Roland looped the leash again； this time catching David's diving； slashing beak on the leather gauntlet he wore。 He gave the hawk another piece of meat； then hooded it。 Docilely； David climbed onto his wrist。
He stood up proudly； the hawk on his arm。
〃What's this？〃 Cort asked； pointing to the dripping slash on Roland's forearm。 The boy stationed himself to receive the blow； locking his throat against any possible cry； but no blow fell。
〃He struck me；〃 Roland said。
〃You pissed him off；〃 Cort said。 〃The hawk does not fear you； boy； and the hawk never will。 The hawk is God's gunslinger。〃
Roland merely looked at Cort。 He was not an imaginative boy； and if Cort had intended to imply a moral； it was lost on him； he was pragmatic enough to believe that it might have been one of the few foolish statements he had ever heard Cort make。
Cuthbert came up behind them and stuck his tongue out at Cort； safely on his blind side。 Roland did not smile； but nodded to him。
〃Go in now；〃 Cort said； taking the hawk。 He pointed at Cuthbert 〃But remember your reflection； maggot And your fast。 Tonight and tomorrow morning。〃
〃Yes；〃 Cuthbert said； stiltedly formal now。 〃Thank you for this instr