sk.petsematary-第23部分

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　　〃Is　Norma　worried？〃
　　Jud　hesitated　and　then　said；　〃I　think　she's　scared。　I　think　that's　why　she　doesn't　want　to　go　to　the　doctor。　One　of　her　oldest　friends；　Betty　Coslaw；　died　in　the　EMMC　just　last　month。　Cancer。　She　and　Norma　were　of　an　age。　She's　scared。〃
　　〃I'd　be　happy　to　examine　her；〃　Louis　said。　〃No　problem　at　all。〃
　　〃Thanks；　Louis；〃　Jud　said　gratefully。　〃If　we　catch　her　one　night；　gang　up　on　her；　I　think…〃
　　Jud　broke　off；　head　cocking　quizzically　to　one　side。　His　eyes　met　Louis's。
　　Louis　couldn't　remember　later　exactly　how　one　emotion　slipped　into　the　next。　Trying　to　analyze　it　only　made　him　feel　dizzy。　All　he　could　remember　for　sure　was　that　curiosity　changed　swiftly　into　a　feeling　that　somewhere　something　had　gone　badly　wrong。　His　eyes　met　Jud's；　both　unguarded。　It　was　a　moment　before　he　could　find　a　way　to　act。
　　〃Hoooo…hoooo；〃　the　Halloween　ghosts　in　the　kitchen　chanted。　〃Hooo…hooo。〃　And　then　suddenly　the　h…sound　was　gone　arid　the　cry　rose　louder；　genuinely　frightening：　〃oooo…000000…〃
　　And　then　one　of　the　ghosts　began　to　scream。
　　〃Daddy！〃　Ellie's　voice　was　wild　and　tight　with　alarm。　〃Daddy！　Missus　Crandall　fell　down！〃
　　〃Ah；　Jesus；〃　Jud　almost　moaned。
　　Ellie　came　running　out　onto　the　porch；　her　black　dress　flapping。　She　clutched　her　broom　in　one　hand。　Her　green　face；　now　pulled　long　in　dismay；　looked　like　the　face　of　a　pygmy　wino　in　the　last　stages　of　alcohol　poisoning。　The　two　little　ghosts　followed　her；　crying。
　　Jud　lunged　through　the　door；　amazingly　spry　for　a　man　of　over　eighty。　No；　more　than　spry。　Again；　almost　lithe。　He　was　calling　his　wife's　name。
　　Louis　bent　and　put　his　hands　on　Ellie's　shoulders。　〃Stay　right　here　on　the　porch；　Ellie。　Understand？〃
　　〃Daddy；　I'm　scared；〃　she　whispered。
　　The　two　ghosts　barrelled　past　them　and　ran　down　the　walk；　candy　bags　rattling；　screaming　their　mother's　name。
　　Louis　ran　down　the　front　hall　and　into　the　kitchen；　ignoring　Ellie；　who　was　calling　for　him　to　e　back。
　　Norma　lay　on　the　hilly　linoleum　by　the　table　in　a　litter　of　apples　and　small　Snickers　bars。　Apparently　she　had　caught　the　bowl　with　her　hand　going　down　and　had　overturned　it。　It　lay　nearby　like　a　small　Pyrex　flying　saucer。　Jud　was　chafing　one　of　her　wrists；　and　he　looked　up　at　Louis　with　a　strained　face。
　　〃Help　me；　Louis；〃　he　said。　〃Help　Norma。　She's　dying；　I　think。〃
　　〃Move　to　one　side；〃　Louis　said。　He　kneeled　and　came　down　on　a　Spy；　crushing　it。　He　felt　juice　bleed　through　the　knee　of　his　old　cords；　and　the　cidery　smell　of　apple　suddenly　filled　the　kitchen。
　　Here　it　is；　Pascow　all　over　again；　Louis　thought　and　then　shoved　the　thought　out　of　his　mind　so　fast　that　it　might　have　been　on　wheels。
　　He　felt　for　her　pulse　and　got　something　that　was　weak；　thready；　and　rapid…not　really　a　beat　but　only　simple　spasms。　Extreme　arrhythmia；　well　on　the　way　to　full　cardiac　arrest。　You　and　Elvis　Presley；　Norma；　he　thought。
　　He　opened　her　dress；　exposing　a　creamy　yellow　silk　slip。　Moving　with　his　own　rhythm　now；　he　turned　her　head　to　one　side　and　began　administering　CPR。
　　〃Jud；　listen　to　me；〃　he　said。　Heel　of　the　left　hand　one　third　of　the　way　up　the　breastbone…four　centimeters　above　the　xyphoid　process。　Right　hand　gripping　the　left　wrist；　bracing；　lending　pressure。　Keep　it　firm；　but　let's　take　it　easy　on　the　old　ribs…no　need　to　panic　yet。　And　for　Christ's　sake；　don't　collapse　the　old　lungs。
　　〃I'm　here；〃　Jud　said。
　　〃Take　Ellie；〃　he　said。　〃Go　across　the　street。　Carefully…don't　get　hit　by　a　car。　Tell　Rachel　what's　happened。　Tell　her　I　want　my　bag。　Not　the　one　in　the　study；　but　the　one　on　the　high　shelf　in　the　upstairs　bathroom。　She'll　know　the　one。　Tell　her　to　call　Bangor　MedCu　and　to　send　an　ambulance。〃
　　〃Bucksport's　closer；〃　Jud　said。
　　〃Bangor's　faster。　Go。　Don't　you　call；　let　Rachel　do　that。　I　need　that　bag。〃　And　once　she　knows　the　situation　here；　Louis　thought；　I　don't　think　she'll　bring　it　over。
　　Jud　went。　Louis　heard　the　screen　door　bang。　He　was　alone　with　Norma　Crandall　and　the　smell　of　apples。　From　the　living　room　came　the　steady　tick　of　the　seven…day　clock。
　　Norma　suddenly　uttered　a　long；　snoring　breath。　Her　eyelids　fluttered。　And　Louis　was　suddenly　doused　with　a　cold；　horrid　certainty。
　　She's　going　to　open　her　eyes。　。　。　oh　Christ　she's　going　to　open　her　eyes　and　start　talking　about　the　Pet　Sematary。
　　But　she　only　looked　at　Louis　with　a　muddled　sort　of　recognition；　and　then　her　eyes　closed　again。　Louis　was　ashamed　of　himself　and　this　stupid　fear　that　was　so　unlike　him。　At　the　same　time　he　felt　hope　and　relief。　There　had　been　some　pain　in　her　eyes　but　not　agony。　His　first　guess　was　that　this　had　not　been　a　grave　seizure。
　　Louis　was　breathing　hard　now　and　sweating。　No　one　but　TV　paramedics　could　make　CPR　look　easy。　A　good　steady　closedchest　massage　popped　a　lot　of　calories；　and　the　webbing　between　his　arms　and　shoulders　would　ache　tomorrow。
　　〃Can　I　do　anything？〃
　　He　looked　around。　A　woman　dressed　in　slacks　and　a　brown　sweater　stood　hesitantly　in　the　doorway；　one　hand　clutched　into　a　fist　between　her　breasts。　The　mother　of　the　ghosts；　Louis　thought。
　　〃No；〃　he　said；　and　then：　〃Yes。　Wet　a　cloth；　please。　Wring　it　out。　Put　it　on　her　forehead。〃
　　She　moved　to　do　it。　Louis　looked　down；　Norma's　eyes　were　open　again。
　　〃Louis；　I　fell　down；〃　she　whispered。　〃Think　I　fainted。〃
　　〃You've　had　some　sort　of　coronary　event；〃　Louis　said。　〃Doesn't　look　too　serious。　Now　relax　and　don't　talk；　Norma。〃
　　He　rested　for　a　moment　and　then　took　her　pulse　again。　The　beat　was　too　fast。　She　was　Morse…coding：　her　heart　would　beat　regularly；　then　run　briefly　in　a　series　of　beats　that　was　almost　but　not　quite　fibrillation；　and　then　begin　to　beat　regularly　again。　Beat…beat…beat；　WHACK…WHACK…WHACK；　beat…beat…beat…beat…beat。　It　was　not　good；　but　it　was　marginally　better　than　cardiac　arrhythmia。
　　The　woman　came　over　with　the　cloth　and　put　it　on　Norma's　forehead。　She　stepped　away　uncertainly。　Jud　came　back　in　with　Louis's　bag。
　　〃Louis？〃
　　〃She's　going　to　be　fine；〃　Louis　said；　looking　at　Jud　but　actually　speaking　to　Norma。　〃MedCu　ing？〃
　　〃Your　wife　is　calling　them；〃　Jud　said。　〃I　didn't　stay　around。〃
　　〃No　。　。　。　hospital；〃　Norma　whispered。
　　〃Yes；　hospital；〃　Louis　said。　〃Five　days'　observation；　medication；　then　home　with　your　feet　up；　Norma　my　girl。　And　if　you　say　anything　else；　I'll　make　you　eat　all　these　apples。　Cores　and　all。〃
　　She　smiled　wanly；　then　closed　her　eyes　again。
　　Louis　opened　his　bag；　rummaged；　found　the　Isodil；　and　shook　one　of　the　pills；　so　tiny　it　easily　would　have　fit　on　the　moon　of　one　fingernail；　into　the　palm　of　his　hand。　He　recapped　the　bottle　and　pinched　the　pill　between　his　fingers。
　　〃Norma；　can　you　hear　me？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃Want　you　to　open　your　mouth。　You　did　your　trick；　now　you　get　your　treat。　I'm　going　to　put　a　pill　under　your　tongue。　Just　a　small　one。　I　want　you　to　hold　it　there　until　it　dissolves。　It's　going　to　taste　a　little　bitter　but　never　mind　that。　All　right？〃
　　She　opened　her　mouth。　Stale　denture　breath　wafted　out；　and　Louis　felt　a　moment　of　aching　sorrow　for　her；　lying　here　on　her　kitchen　floor　in　a　litter　of　apples　and　Halloween　candy。　It　occurred　to　him　that　once　she　had　been　seventeen；　her　breasts　eyed　with　great　interest　by　the　young　men　of　the　neighborhood；　all　her　teeth　her　own；　and　the　heart　under　her　shirtwaist　a　tough　little　pony…engine。
　　She　settled　her　tongue　over　the　pill　and　grimaced　a　little。　The　pill　tasted　a　little　bitter；　all　right。　It　always　did。　But　she　was　no　Victor　Pascow；　beyond　help　and　beyond　reach。　He　thought　Norma　was　going　to　live　to　fight　another　day。　Her　hand　groped　in　the　air；　and　Jud　took　it　gently。
　　Louis　got　up　then；　found　the　overturned　bowl；　and　began　to　pick　up　the　treats。　The　woman；　who　introduced　herself　as　Mrs。　Buddinger　from　down　the　road；　helped　him　and　then　said　she　thought　she　had　better　go　back　to　the　car。　Her　two　boys　were　frightened。
　　〃Thank　you　for　your　help；　Mrs。　Buddinger；〃　Louis　said。
　　〃I　didn't　do　anything；〃　she　said　flatly。　〃But　I'll　go　down　on　my　knees　tonight　and　thank　God　you　were　here；　Dr。　Creed。〃
　　Louis　waved　a　hand；　embarrassed。
　　〃That　goes　for　me；　too；〃　Jud　said。　His　eyes　fou