Темная башня: Стрелок

           Allie’sglassonthewall,faintlycloudedanddistorted,reflectedtheroom.

           "Shewasmine!"Hewept."Shewasminefirst!Mine!"

           Allielookedathimandgotoutofbed.Sheputonawrapper,andthegunslingerfeltamomentofempathyforamanwhomustbeseeinghimselfcomingoutonthefarendofwhatheoncehad.Hewasjustalittleman,andgelded.

           "Itwasforyou,"Shebsobbed."Itwasonlyforyou,Allie.Itwasyoufirstanditwasallforyou.I-ah,ohGod,dearGod-"Thewordsdissolvedintoaparoxysmofunintelligibilities,finallytotears.Herockedbackandforth,holdinghisbrokenwriststohisbelly.

           "Shhh.Shhh.Letmesee."Shekneltbesidehim."Broken.Sheb,youass.Didn’tyouknowyouwereneverstrong?"Shehelpedhimtohisfeet.Hetriedtoholdhishandstohisface,buttheywouldnotobey,andheweptnakedly.,"ComeonovertothetableandletmeseewhatIcando."

           Sheledhimtothetableandsethiswristswithslatsofkindlingfromthefirebox.Heweptweaklyandwithoutvolition,andleftwithoutlookingback.

           Shecamebacktothebed."Wherewerewe?"

           "No,"hesaid.

           Shesaidpatiently,"Youknewaboutthat.There’snothingtobedone.Whatelseisthere?"Shetouchedhisshoulder."ExceptI’mgladthatyouaresostrong."

           "Notnow,"hesaidthickly.

           "Icanmakeyoustrong-"

           "No,"hesaid."Youcan’tdothat."