sk.petsematary-第37部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　〃But　me；　that　night；　I　just　climbed　back　up　the　ivy　and　got　into　bed　and　fell　asleep　almost　as　soon　as　my　head　touched　the　pillow。
　　〃Next　morning　1　didn't　get　up　until　almost　nine　o'clock；　and　then　my　mother　was　calling　me。　My　dad　worked　on　the　railroad；　and　he　would　have　been　gone　since　six。〃　Jud　paused；　thinking。　〃My　mother　wasn't　just　calling　me；　Louis。　She　was　screaming　for　me。〃
　　Jud　went　to　the　fridge；　got　himself　a　Miller's；　and　opened　it　on　the　drawer　handle　below　the　breadhox　and　toaster。　His　face　looked　yellow　in　the　overhead　light；　the　color　of　nicotine。　He　drained　half　his　beer；　uttered　a　belch　like　a　gunshot；　and　then　glanced　down　the　hail　toward　the　room　where　Norma　slept。　He　looked　back　at　Louis。
　　〃This　is　hard　for　me　to　talk　about；〃　he　said。　〃I　have　turned　it　over　in　my　mind；　years　and　years；　but　I've　never　told　anyone　about　it。　Others　knew　what　had　happened；　but　they　never　talked　to　me　about　it。　The　way　it　is　about　sex；　I　guess。　I'm　telling　you；　Louis；　because　you've　got　a　different　kind　of　pet　now。　Not　necessarily　a　dangerous　one；　but　。　。　。　different。　Do　you　find　that's　true？〃
　　Louis　thought　of　Church　jumping　awkwardly　off　the　toilet　seat；　his　haunches　thudding　against　the　side　of　the　tub；　he　thought　of　those　muddy　eyes　that　were　almost　but　not　quite　stupid　staring　into　his　own。
　　At　last　he　nodded。
　　〃When　I　got　downstairs；　my　mother　was　backed　into　a　corner　in　the　pantry　between　our　icebox　and　one　of　the　counters。　There　was　a　bunch　of　white　stuff　on　the　floor…curtains　she'd　been　meaning　to　hang。　Standing　in　the　doorway　of　the　pantry　was　Spot；　my　dog。　There　was　dirt　all　over　him　and　mud　splashed　clear　up　his　legs。　The　fur　on　his　belly　was　filthy；　all　knotted　and　snarled。　He　was　just　standing　there…not　growling　or　nothing…　just　standing　there；　but　it　was　pretty　clear　that　he　had　backed　her　into　a　corner；　whether　he　meant　to　or　not。　She　was　in　terror；
　　Louis。　I　don't　know　how　you　felt　about　your　parents；　but　I　know　how　I　felt　about　mine…I　loved　them　both　dearly。　Knowing　I'd　done　something　to　put　my　own　mother　in　terror　took　away　any　joy　I　might　have　felt　when　I　saw　Spot　standing　there。　I　didn't　even　seem　to　feel　surprised　that　he　was　there。〃
　　〃I　know　the　feeling；〃　Louis　said。　〃When　I　saw　Church　this　morning；　I　just　。　。　。　it　seemed　like　something　that　was…〃　He　paused　a　moment。　Perfectly　natural？　Those　were　the　words　that　came　immediately　to　mind；　but　they　were　not　the　right　words。　〃Like　something　that　was　meant。〃
　　〃Yes；〃　Jud　said。　He　lit　a　fresh　cigarette。　His　hands　were　shaking　the　smallest　bit。　〃And　my　mother　seen　me　there；　still　in　my　underwear；　and　she　screamed　at　me；　'Feed　your　dog；　Jud！　Your　dog　needs　to　be　fed；　get　him　out　of　here　before　he　messes　the　curtains！'
　　〃So　I　found　him　some　scraps　and　called　him；　and　at　first　he　didn't　e；　at　first　it　was　like　he　didn't　know　his　own　name；　and　I　almost　thought；　well；　this　ain't　Spot　at　all；　it's　some　stray　that　looks　like　Spot；　that's　all…〃
　　〃Yes！〃　Louis　exclaimed。
　　Jud　nodded。　〃But　the　second　or　third　time　I　called　him；　he　came。　He　sort　of　jerked　toward　me；　and　when　I　led　him　out　onto　the　porch；　damned　if　he　didn't　run　right　into　the　side　of　the　door　and　just　about　fall　over。　He　ate　the　scraps　though；　just　wolfed　them　down。　By　then　I　was　over　my　first　fright　and　was　starting　to　get　an　idea　of　what　had　happened。　I　got　on　my　knees　and　hugged　him；　I　was　so　glad　to　see　him。　Then　he　licked　my　face；　and。　。　。〃
　　Jud　shuddered　and　finished　his　beer。
　　〃Louis；　his　tongue　was　cold。　Being　licked　by　Spot　was　like　getting　rubbed　up　the　side　of　your　face　with　a　dead　carp。〃
　　For　a　moment　neither　of　them　spoke。　Then　Louis　said；　〃Go　on。〃
　　〃He　ate；　and　when　he　was　done；　I　got　an　old　tub　we　kept　for　him　out　from　under　the　back　porch；　and　I　gave　him　a　bath。　Spot　always　hated　to　have　a　bath；　usually　it　took　both　me　and　my　dad　to　do　it；　and　we'd　end　up　with　our　shirts　off　and　our　pants　soaked；　my　dad　cussing　and　Spot　looking　sort　of　ashamed…the　way　dogs　do。　And　more　likely　than　not　he'd　roll　around　in　the　dirt　right　after　and　then　go　over　by　my　mother's　clothesline　to　shake　off　and　put　dirt　all　over　the　sheets　she　had　hung　and　she'd　scream　at　both　of　us　that　she　was　going　to　shoot　that　dog　for　a　stranger　before　she　got　much　older。
　　〃But　that　day　Spot　just　sat　in　the　tub　and　let　me　wash　him。　He　never　moved　at　all。　I　didn't　like　it。　It　was　like。　。　。　like　washing　meat。　I　got　an　old　piece　of　towel　after　I　gave　him　his　bath　and　dried　him　all　off。　I　could　see　the　places　where　the　barbed　wire　had　hooked　him…there　was　no　fur　in　any　of　those　places；　and　the　flesh　looked　dimpled　in。　It　is　the　way　an　old　wound　looks　after　it's　been　healed　five　years　and　more。〃
　　Louis　nodded。　In　his　line　of　work；　he　had　seen　such　things　from　time　to　time。　The　wound　never　seemed　to　fill　in　pletely；　and　that　made　him　think　of　graves　and　his　days　as　an　undertaker's　apprentice；　and　how　there　was　never　enough　dirt　to　fill　them　in　again。
　　〃Then　I　saw　his　head。　There　was　another　of　those　dimples　there；　but　the　fur　had　grown　back　white　in　a　little　circle。　It　was　near　his　ear。〃
　　〃Where　your　father　shot　him；〃　Louis　said。
　　Jud　nodded。
　　〃Shooting　a　man　or　an　animal　in　the　head　isn't　as　sure…fire　as　it　sounds；　Jud。　There　are　would…be　suicides　in　vegetable　wards　or　even　walking　around　right　as　rain　who　didn't　know　that　a　bullet　can　strike　the　skull　plate　and　travel　right　around　it　in　a　semicircle；　exiting　the　other　side　without　ever　penetrating　the　brain。　I　personally　saw　one　case　where　a　fellow　shot　himself　above　the　right　ear　and　died　because　the　bullet　went　around　his　head　and　tore　open　his　jugular　vein　on　the　other　side　of　his　head。　That　bullet　path　looked　like　a　county　roadmap。〃
　　Jud　smiled　and　nodded。　〃I　remember　reading　somethin　like　that　in　one　of　Norma's　newspapers；　the　Star　or　the　Enquirer…one　of　those。　But　if　my　pop　said　Spot　was　gone；　Louis；　he　was　gone。〃
　　〃All　right；〃　Louis　said。　〃If　you　say　that's　how　it　was；　that　is　how　it　was。〃
　　〃Was　your　daughter's　cat　gone？〃
　　〃I　sure　thought　it　was；〃　Louis　said。
　　〃You　got　to　do　better　than　that。　You're　a　doctor。〃
　　〃You　make　it　sound　like　'You　got　to　do　better　than　that；　Louis；　you're　God。'　I'm　not　God。　It　was　dark…〃
　　〃Sure；　it　was　dark；　and　his　head　swiveled　on　his　neck　like　it　was　full　of　ball　bearings；　and　when　you　moved　him；　he　pulled　out　of　the　frost；　Louis…sounded　like　a　piece　of　sticky　tape　in　off　a　letter。　Live　things　don't　do　that。　You　only　stop　meltin　the　frost　under　where　you're　layin　when　you're　dead。〃
　　In　the　other　room；　the　clock　struck　ten…thirty。
　　〃What　did　your　father　say　when　he　came　home　and　saw　the　dog？〃　Louis　asked。
　　〃I　was　out　in　the　driveway；　shooting　marbles　in　the　dirt；　more　or　less　waitin　for　him。　I　felt　like　I　always　felt　when　I'd　done　something　wrong　and　knew　I　was　probably　gonna　get　a　spankin。　He　e　in　through　the　gateposts　about　eight　o'clock；　wearin　his　bib　overalls　and　his　pillow…tick　cap　。　。　。　you　ever　seen　one　of　those？〃
　　Louis　nodded；　then　stifled　a　yawn　with　the　back　of　his　hand。
　　〃Yeah；　gettin　late；〃　Jud　said。　〃Got　to　finish　this　up。〃
　　〃It's　not　that　late；〃　Louis　said。　〃I'm　just　a　few　beers　ahead　of　my　usual　pace。　Go　on；　Jud。　Take　your　time。　I　want　to　hear　this。〃
　　〃My　dad　had　an　old　lard　tin　he　kept　his　dinner　in；〃　Jud　said；　〃and　he　e　in　through　the　gate　swingin　it；　empty；　by　the　handle；　you　know。　Whisflin　somethin。　It　was　gettin　dark；　but　he　seen　me　there　in　the　gloom　and　he　says；　'Hi　there；　Judkins！'　like　he　would　do；　and　then；　'Where's　your…'
　　〃He　got　that　far；　and　then　here　es　Spot　out　of　the　dark；　not　runnin　like　he　usually　did；　ready　to　jump　all　over　him　he　was　so　glad　to　see　him；　but　just　walkin；　waggin　his　tail；　and　my　dad　dropped　that　lard　bucket　and　stepped　back。　I　don't　know　b'what　he　would　have　turned　tail　and　run　except　his　back　hit　the　picket　fence　and　then　he　just　stood　there；　looking　at　the　dog。　And　when　Spot　did　jump　up；　Dad　just　caught　his　paws　and　held　them；　like　you　might　hold　a　lady's　hands　you　was　gettin　ready　to　dance　with。　He　looked　at　the　dog　for　a　long　time　and　then　he　looked　at　me；　and　he　said；　'He　needs　a　bath；　Jud。　He　stinks　of　the　ground　you　buried　him　in。'　And　then　he　went