sk.petsematary-第40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！


　　〃You're　a　spaz；　Daddy；〃　Ellie　said；　not　unkindly。
　　〃That's　right；〃　Louis　said　with　a　kind　of　hectic　cheer。　He　felt　a　little　like　saying　Pretty；　pretty　and　blowing　his　groceries　all　over　everything。　〃Daddy's　a　spaz。〃　He　could　remember　Church　killing　only　a　single　rat　before　his　queer　resurrection；　he　sometimes　cornered　mice　and　played　with　them　in　that　deadly　cat　way　that　ultimately　ended　in　destruction；　but　he　or　Ellie　or　Rachel　had　always　intervened　before　the　end。　And　once　cats　were　fixed；　he　knew；　few　of　them　would　do　more　than　give　a　mouse　an　interested　stare；　at　least　as　long　as　they　were　well…fed。
　　〃Are　you　going　to　stand　there　dreaming　or　help　me　with　this　kid？〃　Rachel　asked。　〃e　back　from　Planet　Mongo；　Dr。　Creed。　Earth　people　need　you。〃　She　sounded　tired　and　irritable。
　　〃I'm　sorry；　babe；〃　Louis　said。　He　came　around　to　get　Gage；　who　was　now　as　hot　as　the　coals　in　a　banked　stove。
　　So　only　the　three　of　them　ate　Louis's　famous　South　Side　Chili　that　night；　Gage　reclined　on　the　living　room　sofa；　feverish　and　apathetic；　drinking　a　bottle　filled　with　lukewarm　chicken　broth　and　watching　a　cartoon　show　on　TV。
　　After　dinner　Ellie　went　to　the　garage　door　and　called　Church。　Louis；　who　was　doing　the　dishes　while　Rachel　unpacked　upstairs；　hoped　the　cat　wouldn't　e；　but　he　did…he　came　in　walking　in　his　new　slow　lurch；　and　he　came　almost　at　once；　as　if　he…as　if　it…　had　been　lurking　out　there。　Lurking。　The　word　came　immediately　to　mind。
　　〃Church！〃　Ellie　cried。　〃Hi；　Church！〃　She　picked　the　cat　up　and　hugged　it。　Louis　watched　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye；　his　hands；　which　had　been　groping　on　the　bottom　of　the　sink　for　any　leftover　silverware；　were　still。　He　saw　Ellie's　happy　face　change　slowly　to　puzzlement。　The　cat　lay　quiet　in　her　arms；　its　ears　laid　back；　its　eyes　on　hers。
　　After　a　long　moment…it　seemed　very　long　to　Louis…she　put　Church　down。　The　cat　padded　away　toward　the　dining　room　without　looking　back。　Executioner　of　small　mice；　Louis　thought　randomly。　Christ；　what　did　we　do　that　night？
　　He　tried　honestly　to　remember；　but　it　already　seemed　far　away；　dim　and　distant；　like　the　messy　death　of　Victor　Pascow　on　the　floor　of　the　infirmary's　reception　room。　He　could　remember　carriages　of　wind　passing　in　the　sky　and　the　white　glimmer　of　snow　in　the　back　field　which　rose　to　the　woods。　That　was　all。
　　〃Daddy？〃　Ellie　said　in　a　low；　subdued　voice。
　　'What；　Ellie？〃
　　〃Church　smells　funny。〃
　　〃Does　he？〃　Louis　asked；　his　voice　carefully　neutral。
　　〃Yes！〃　Ellie　said；　distressed。　〃Yes；　he　does！　He　never　smelled　funny　before！　He　smells　like。　。　。　he　smells　like　ka…ka！〃
　　〃Well；　maybe　he　rolled　in　something　bad；　honey；〃　Louis　said。　〃Whatever　that　bad　smell　is；　he'll　lose　it。〃
　　〃I　certainly　hope　so；〃　Ellie　said　in　a　ical　dowager's　voice。　She　walked　off。
　　Louis　found　the　last　fork；　washed　it；　and　pulled　the　plug。　He　stood　at　the　sink；　looking　out　into　the　night　while　the　soapy　water　ran　down　the　drain　with　a　thick　chuckling　sound。
　　When　the　sound　from　the　drain　was　gone　he　could　hear　the　wind　outside；　thin　and　wild；　ing　from　the　north；　bringing　down　winter；　and　he　realized　he　was　afraid；　simply；　stupidly　afraid；　the　way　you　are　afraid　when　a　cloud　suddenly　sails　across　the　sun　and　somewhere　you　hear　a　ticking　sound　you　can't　account　for。
　　〃A　hundred　and　three？〃　Rachel　asked。　〃Jesus；　Lou！　Are　you　sure？〃
　　〃It's　a　virus；〃　Louis　said。　He　tried　not　to　let　Rachel's　voice；　which　seemed　almost　accusatory；　grate　on　him。　She　was　tired。　It　had　been　a　long　day　for　her；　she　had　crossed　half　the　country　with　her　kids　today。　Here　it　was　eleven　o'clock；　and　the　day　wasn't　over　yet。　Ellie　was　deeply　asleep　in　her　room。　Gage　was　on　their　bed　in　a　state　that　could　best　be　described　as　semiconscious。
　　Louis　had　started　him　on　Liquiprin　an　hour　ago。　〃The　aspirin　will　bring　his　fever　down　by　morning；　hon。〃
　　〃Aren't　you　going　to　give　him　ampicfflin　or　anything？〃
　　Patiently；　Louis　said；　〃If　he　had　the　flu　or　a　strep　infection；　I　would。　He　doesn't。　He's　got　a　virus；　and　that　stuff　doesn't　do　doodly…squat　for　viruses。　It　would　just　give　him　the　runs　and　dehydrate　him　more。〃
　　〃Are　you　sure　it's　a　virus？〃
　　〃Well；　if　you　want　a　second　opinion；〃　Louis　snapped；　〃be　my　guest。〃
　　〃You　don't　have　to　shout　at　me！〃　Rachel　shouted。
　　〃I　wasn't　shouting！〃　Louis　shouted　back。
　　〃You　were；〃　Rachel　began；　〃you　were　shuh…shuh…shouting…〃　And　then　her　mouth　began　to　quiver　and　she　put　a　hand　up　to　her　face。　Louis　saw　there　were　deep　gray…brown　pockets　under　her　eyes　and　felt　badly　ashamed　of　himself。
　　〃I'm　sorry；〃　he　said；　and　sat　down　beside　her。　〃Christ；　I　don't　know　what's　the　matter　with　me。　I　apologize；　Rachel。〃
　　〃Never　plain；　never　explain；〃　she　said；　smiling　wanly。　〃Isn't　that　what　you　told　me　once？　The　trip　was　a　bitch。　And　I've　been　afraid　you'd　hit　the　roof　when　you　looked　in　Gage's　dresser　drawers。　I　guess　maybe　I　ought　to　tell　you　now；　while　you're　feeling　sorry　for　me。〃
　　〃What's　to　hit　the　roof　about？〃
　　She　smiled　wanly。　〃My　mother　and　father　bought　him　ten　new　outfits。　He　was　wearing　one　of　them　today。〃
　　〃I　noticed　he　had　on　something　new；〃　he　said　shortly。
　　〃I　noticed　you　noticing；〃　she　replied　and　pulled　a　ic　scowl　that　made　him　laugh；　although　he　didn't　feel　much　like　laughing。　〃And　six　new　dresses　for　Ellie。〃
　　〃Six　dresses！〃　he　said；　strangling　the　urge　to　yell。　He　was　suddenly　furious…sickly　furious　and　hurt　in　a　way　he　couldn't　explain。　〃Rachel；　why？　Why　did　you　let　him　do　that？　We　don't　need。　。　。　we　can　buy。　。　。〃
　　He　ceased。　His　rage　had　made　him　inarticulate；　and　for　a　moment　he　saw　himself　carrying　Ellie's　dead　cat　through　the　woods；　shifting　the　plastic　bag　from　one　hand　to　the　other。　。　。　and　all　the　while　Irwin　Goldman；　that　dirty　old　fuck　from　Lake　Forest；　had　been　busy　trying　to　buy　his　daughter's　affection　by　unlimbering　the　world…famous　checkbook　and　the　world…famous　fountain　pen。
　　For　one　moment　he　felt　himself　on　the　verge　of　shouting　He　bought　her　six　dresses　and　I　brought　her　goddam　cat　back　from　the　dead；　so　who　loves　her　more？
　　He　clamped　down　on　the　words。　He　would　never　say　anything　like　that。　Never。
　　She　touched　his　neck　gently。　〃Louis；〃　she　said。　〃It　was　both　of　them　together。　Please　try　to　see。　Please。　They　love　the　children；　and　they　don't　see　them　much。　And　they're　getting　old。　Louis；　you'd　hardly　recognize　my　father。　Really。〃
　　〃I'd　recognize　him；〃　Louis　muttered。
　　〃Please；　honey。　Try　to　see。　Try　to　be　kind。　It　doesn't　hurt　you。〃　He　looked　at　her　for　a　long　time。　〃It　does　though；〃　he　said　finally。　〃Maybe　it　shouldn't；　but　it　does。〃
　　She　opened　her　mouth　to　reply；　and　then　Ellie　called　out　from　her　room：　〃Daddy！　Mommy！　Somebody！〃
　　Rachel　started　to　get　up；　and　Louis　pulled　her　back　down。　〃Stay　with　Gage。　I'll　go。〃　He　thought　he　knew　what　the　trouble　was。　But　he　had　put　the　cat　out；　damn　it；　after　Ellie　had　gone　to　bed；　he　had　caught　it　in　the　kitchen　sniffing　around　its　dish　and　had　put　it　out。　He　didn't　want　the　cat　sleeping　with　her。　Not　anymore。　Odd　thoughts　of　disease；　mingled　with　memories　of　Uncle　Carl's　funeral　parlor；　had　e　to　him　when　he　thought　of　Church　sleeping　on　Ellie's　bed。
　　She's　going　to　know　that　something's　wrong　and　Church　was　better　before。
　　He　had　put　the　cat　out；　but　when　be　went　in；　Ellie　was　sitting　up　in　bed；　more　asleep　than　awake；　and　Church　was　spread　out　on　the　counterpane；　a　batlike　shadow。　The　cat's　eyes　were　open　and　stupidly　gleaming　in　the　light　from　the　hail。
　　〃Daddy；　put　him　out；〃　Ellie　almost　groaned。　〃He　stinks　so　bad。〃
　　〃Shhh；　Ellie；　go　to　sleep；〃　Louis　said；　astounded　by　the　calmness　of　his　own　voice。　It　made　him　think　of　the　morning　after　his　sleepwalking　incident；　the　day　after　Pascow　had　died。　Getting　to　the　infirmary　and　ducking　into　the　bathroom　to　look　at　himself　in　the　mirror；　convinced　that　he　must　look　like　hell。　But　he　had　looked　pretty　much　all　right。　It　was　enough　to　make　you　wonder　how　many　people　were　going　around　with　dreadful　secrets　bottled　up　inside。
　　It's　not　a　secret；　goddammit！　It's　just　the　cat！
　　But　Ellie　was　right。　It　stank　to　high　heaven。
　　He　took　the　cat　out　of　her　room　and　carried　it　downstairs；　trying　to　breath