sk.petsematary-第24部分

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　　Louis　waved　a　hand；　embarrassed。
　　〃That　goes　for　me；　too；〃　Jud　said。　His　eyes　found　Louis's　and　held　them。　They　were　steady。　He　was　in　control　again。　His　brief　moment　of　confusion　and　fear　had　passed。　〃I　owe　you　one；　Louis。〃
　　〃Get　off　it；〃　Louis　said　and　tipped　a　finger　toward　Mrs。　Buddinger　as　she　left。　She　smiled　and　waved　back。　Louis　found　an　apple　and　began　to　eat　it。　The　Spy　was　so　sweet　that　Louis's　taste　buds　cramped　momentarily　。　。　。　but　that　was　not　a　totally　unpleasurable　sensation。　Won　one　tonight；　Lou；　he　thought　and　worked　on　the　apple　with　relish。　He　was　ravenous。
　　〃I　do　though；〃　Jud　said。　〃When　you　need　a　favor；　Louis；　you　see　me　first。〃
　　〃All　right；〃　Louis　said；　〃I'll　do　that。〃
　　The　ambulance　from　Bangor　MedCu　arrived　twenty　minutes　later。　As　Louis　stood　outside　watching　the　orderlies　load　Norma　into　the　back；　he　saw　Rachel　looking　out　the　living　room　window。　He　waved　to　her。　She　lifted　a　hand　in　return。
　　He　and　Jud　stood　together　and　watched　the　ambulance　pull　away；　lights　flashing；　siren　silent。
　　〃Guess　I'll　go　on　up　to　the　hospital　now；〃　Jud　said。
　　〃They　won't　let　you　see　her　tonight；　Jud。　They'll　want　to　run　an　EKG　on　her　and　then　put　her　in　intensive　care。　No　visitors　for　the　first　twelve　hours。〃
　　〃Is　she　going　to　be　okay；　Louis？　Really　okay？〃
　　Louis　shrugged。　〃No　one　can　guarantee　that。　It　was　a　heart　attack。　For　whatever　it's　worth；　I　think　she's　going　to　be　fine。　Maybe　better　than　ever；　once　she　gets　on　some　medication。〃
　　〃Ayuh；〃　Jud　said；　lighting　a　Chesterfield。
　　Louis　smiled　and　glanced　at　his　watch。　He　was　amazed　to　see　it　was　only　ten　minutes　to　eight。　It　seemed　that　a　great　deal　more　time　had　gone　by。
　　〃Jud；　I　want　to　go　get　Ellie　so　she　can　finish　her　trick…or…treating。〃
　　〃Yeah；　course　you　do。〃　This　came　out　as　Cossy'do。　〃Tell　her　to　get　all　the　treats　she　can；　Louis。〃
　　〃I　will；〃　Louis　promised。
　　Ellie　was　still　in　her　witch　costume　when　Louis　got　home。　Rachel　had　tried　to　persuade　her　into　her　nightie；　but　Ellie　had　resisted；　holding　out　for　the　possibility　that　the　game；　suspended　because　of　heart　attack；　might　yet　be　played　out。　When　Louis　told　her　to　put　her　coat　back　on；　Ellie　whooped　and　clapped。
　　〃It's　going　to　be　awfully　late　for　her；　Louis。〃
　　〃We'll　take　the　car；〃　he　said。　〃e　on；　Rachel。　She's　been　looking　forward　to　this　for　a　month。〃
　　〃Well。　。　。〃　She　smiled。　Ellie　saw　it　and　shouted　again。　She　ran　for　the　coat　closet。　〃Is　Norma　all　right？〃
　　〃I　think　so。〃　He　felt　good。　Tired　but　good。　〃It　was　a　small　one。　She's　going　to　have　to　be　careful；　but　when　you're　seventy…five　you　have　to　recognize　that　your　pole…vaulting　days　are　done　anyway。〃
　　〃It's　lucky　you　were　there。　Almost　God's　providence。〃
　　〃I'll　settle　for　luck。〃　He　grinned　as　Ellie　came　back。　〃You　ready；　Witch　Hazel？〃
　　〃I'm　ready；〃　she　said。　〃e　on…e　on…e　on！〃
　　On　the　way　home　with　half　a　bag　of　candy　an　hour　later　（Ellie　protested　when　Louis　finally　called　a　halt；　but　not　too　much；　she　was　tired）；　his　daughter　startled　him　by　saying：　〃Did　I　make　Missus　Crandall　have　the　heart　attack；　Daddy？　When　I　wouldn't　take　the　apple　with　the　bruise　on　it？〃
　　Louis　looked　at　her；　startled；　wondering　where　children　got　such　funny；　half…superstitious　ideas。　Step　on　a　crack；　break　your　mother's　back。　Loves　me；　loves　me　not。　Daddy's　stomach；　Daddy's　head；　smile　at　midnight；　Daddy's　dead。　That　made　him　think　of　the　Pet　Sematary　again　and　those　crude　circles。　He　wanted　to　smile　at　himself　and　was　not　quite　able。
　　〃No；　honey；〃　he　said。　〃When　you　were　in　with　those　two　ghosts…〃
　　〃Those　weren't　ghosts；　just　the　Buddinger　twins。〃
　　〃Well；　when　you　were　in　with　them；　Mr。　Crandall　was　telling　me　that　his　wife　had　been　having　little　chest　pains。　In　fact；　you　might　have　been　responsible　for　saving　her　life　or　at　least　for　keeping　it　from　being　much　worse。〃
　　Now　it　was　Ellie's　turn　to　look　startled。
　　Louis　nodded。　〃She　needed　a　doctor；　honey。　I'm　a　doctor。　But　I　was　only　there　because　it　was　your　night　to　go　trick…or…treating。〃
　　Ellie　considered　this　for　a　long　time　and　then　nodded。　〃But　she'll　probably　die　anyway；〃　she　said　matter…of…factly。　〃People　who　have　heart　attacks　usually　die。　Even　if　they　live；　pretty　soon　they　have　another　one　and　another　one　and　another　one　until
　　。。。boom！〃
　　〃And　where　did　you　learn　these　words　of　wisdom；　may　I　ask？〃　Ellie　only　shrugged…a　very　Louislike　shrug；　he　was　amused　to　see。
　　She　allowed　him　to　carry　in　her　bag　of　candy…an　almost　ultimate　sign　of　trust…and　Louis　pondered　her　attitude。　The　thought　of　Church's　death　had　brought　on　near…hysteria。　But　the　thought　of　grandmotherly　Norma　Crandall　dying　。　。　。　that　Ellie　seemed　to　take　calmly；　a　matter　of　course；　a　given。　What　had　she　said？　Another　one　and　another　one；　until。　。　。　boom！
　　The　kitchen　was　empty；　but　Louis　could　hear　Rachel　moving　around　upstairs。　He　set　Ellie's　candy　down　on　the　counter　and　said；　〃It　doesn't　necessarily　work　that　way；　Ellie。　Norma's　heart　attack　was　a　very　small　one；　and　I　was　able　to　administer　the　treatment　right　away。　I　doubt　if　her　heart　was　damaged　much　at　all。　She…〃
　　〃Oh；　I　know；〃　Ellie　agreed；　almost　cheerfully。　〃But　she's　old；　and　she'll　die　pretty　soon　anyway。　Mr。　Crandall　too。　Can　I　have　an　apple　before　I　go　to　bed；　Daddy？〃
　　〃No；〃　he　said；　looking　at　her　thoughtfully。　〃Go　up　and　brush　your　teeth；　babe。〃
　　Does　anyone　really　think　they　understand　kids？　he　wondered。
　　When　the　house　was　settled　and　they　were　in　their　side…by…side　twin　beds；　Rachel　asked　softly；　〃Was　it　very　bad　for　Ellie；　Lou？　Was　she　upset？〃
　　No；　he　thought。　She　knows　old　people　croak　at　regular　intervals；　just　like　she　knows　to　let　the　grasshopper　go　when　it　spits　like　she　knows　that　if　you　stumble　on　the　number　thirteen　when　you're　skipping　rope；　your　best　friend　will　die　。　。　。　like　she　knows　that　you　put　the　graves　in　diminishing　circles　up　in　the　Pet　Sematary。
　　〃Nope；〃　he　said。　〃She　handled　herself　very　well。　Let's　go　to　sleep；　Rachel；　okay？〃
　　That　night；　as　they　slept　in　their　house　and　as　Jud　lay　wakeful　in　his；　there　was　another　hard　frost。　The　wind　rose　in　the　early　morning；　ripping　most　of　the　remaining　leaves；　which　were　now　an　uninteresting　brown；　from　the　trees。
　　The　wind　awoke　Louis；　and　he　started　up　on　his　elbows；　mostly　asleep　and　confused。　There　were　steps　on　the　stairs　slow；　dragging　steps。　Pascow　had　e　back。　Only　now；　he　thought；　two　months　had　passed。　When　the　door　opened　he　would　see　a　rotting　horror；　the　jogging　shorts　caked　with　mould；　the　flesh　fallen　away　in　great　holes；　the　brain　decayed　to　paste。　Only　the　eyes　would　be　alive。　。　。　hellishly　bright　and　alive。　Pascow　would　not　speak　this　time；　his　vocal　cords　would　be　too　decayed　to　produce　sounds。　But　his　eyes。　。　。　they　would　beckon　him　to　e。
　　〃No；〃　he　breathed；　and　the　steps　died　out。
　　He　got　up；　went　to　the　door；　and　pulled　it　open；　his　lips　drawn　back　in　a　grimace　of　fear　and　resolution；　his　flesh　cringing。　Pascow　would　be　there；　and　with　his　raised　arms　he　would　look　like　a　long…dead　conductor　about　to　call　for　the　first　thundering　phrase　of　Walpurgisnacht。
　　No　such　thing；　as　Jud　might　have　said。　The　landing　was　empty　silent。　There　was　no　sound　but　the　wind。　Louis　went　back　to　bed　and　slept。
　　　21
　　The　next　day　Louis　called　the　intensive　care　unit　at　the　EMMC。　Norma's　condition　was　still　listed　as　critical；　that　was　standard　operating　procedure　for　the　first　twenty…four　hours　following　a　heart　attack。　Louis　got　a　cheerier　assessment　from　Weybridge；　her　doctor；　however。　〃I　wouldn't　even　call　it　a　minor　myocardial　infarction；〃　he　said。　〃No　scarring。　She　owes　you　a　hell　of　a　lot；　Dr。　Creed。〃
　　On　impulse；　Louis　stopped　by　the　hospital　later　that　week　with　a　bouquet　of　flowers；　and　found　that　Norma　had　been　moved　to　a　semiprivate　room　downstairs…a　very　good　sign。　Jud　was　with　her。
　　Norma　exclaimed　over　the　flowers　and　buzzed　a　nurse　for　a　vase。　Then　she　directed　Jud　until　they　were　in　water；　arranged　to　her　specifications；　and　placed　on　the　dresser　in　the　corner。
　　Mother　s　feeling　ever　s　much　better；　Jud　said　dryly　after　he　had　fiddled　with　the　flowers　for　the　third　time。
　　〃Don't　be　smart；　Judson；〃　Norma　said。