sk.petsematary-第57部分

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　　The　last　word　became　a　miserable　choke。　She　tried　to　drink　coffee；　but　that　was　no　good。　A　moment　later　she　was　sobbing　into　her　hands。
　　There　was　a　queer　moment　then。　There　were　crossing　lines　of　tension　then。　They　all　seemed　to　focus　on　Louis。　He　felt　this　with　the　same　preternatural　insight　he'd　had　all　this　day；　and　of　them　all；　this　was　the　clearest　and　surest。　Even　the　waitress　felt　those　converging　lines　of　awareness。　He　saw　her　pause　at　a　table　near　the　back　where　she　was　laying　placemats　and　silver。　For　a　moment　Louis　was　puzzled；　and　then　he　understood：　they　were　waiting　for　him　to　fort　his　wife。
　　He　couldn't　do　it。　He　wanted　to　do　it。　He　understood　it　was　his　responsibility　to　do　it。　All　the　same；　he　couldn't。　It　was　the　cat　that　got　in　his　way。　Suddenly　and　with　no　rime　or　reason。　The　cat。　The　fucking　cat。　Church　with　his　ripped　mice　and　the　birds　he　had　grounded　forever。　When　he　found　them；　Louis　had　cleaned　up　the　messes　promptly；　with　no　plaint　or　ment；　certainly　without　protest。　He　had；　after　all；　bought　them。　But　had　he　bought　this？
　　He　saw　his　fingers。　Louis　saw　his　fingers。　He　saw　his　fingers　lightly　skating　over　the　back　of　Gage's　jacket。　Then　Gage's　jacket　had　been　gone。　Then　Gage　had　been　gone。
　　He　looked　into　his　coffee　cup　and　let　his　wife　cry　beside　him；　unforted。
　　After　a　moment…in　terms　of　clock　time　probably　quite　short；　but　both　then　and　in　retrospect　it　seemed　long…Steve　put　an　arm　around　her　and　hugged　her　gently。　His　eyes　on　Louis's　were　reproachful　and　angry。　Louis　turned　from　them　toward　Jud；　but　Jud　was　looking　down；　as　if　in　shame。　There　was　no　help　there。
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　　〃I　knew　something　like　this　would　happen；〃　Irwin　Goldman　said。　That　was　how　the　trouble　started。　〃I　knew　it　when　she　married　you。　'You'll　have　all　the　grief　you　can　stand　and　more；'　I　said。　And　look　at　this。　Look　at　this。　。　。　this　mess。〃
　　Louis　looked　slowly　around　at　his　father…in…law；　who　had　appeared　before　him　like　some　malign　jack…in…the…box　in　a　skullcap；　and　then；　instinctively；　he　looked　around　at　where　Rachel　had　been；　by　the　book　on　the　stand…the　afternoon　shift　was　hers　by　default…but　Rachel　was　gone。
　　The　afternoon　viewing　had　been　less　crowded；　and　after　half　an　hour　or　so；　Louis　had　gone　down　to　the　front　row　of　seats　and　sat　there　on　the　aisle；　aware　of　very　little　（only　peripherally　aware　of　the　cloying　stink　of　the　flowers）　except　the　fact　that　he　was　very　tired　and　sleepy。　It　was　only　partly　the　beer；　he　supposed。　His　mind　was　finally　ready　to　shut　down。　Probably　a　good　thing。　Perhaps；　after　twelve　or　sixteen　hours　of　sleep；　he　would　be　able　to　fort　Rachel　a　little。
　　After　a　while　his　head　had　sunk　until　he　was　looking　at　his　hands；　loosely　linked　between　his　knees。　The　hum　of　voices　near　the　back　was　soothing。　He　had　been　relieved　to　see　that　Irwin　and　Dory　weren't　here　when　the　four　of　them　returned　from　lunch；　but　he　should　have　known　their　continued　absence　was　too　good　to　be　true。
　　〃Where's　Rachel？〃　Louis　asked　now。
　　〃With　her　mother。　Where　she　should　be。〃　Goldman　spoke　with　the　studied　triumph　of　a　man　who　has　closed　a　big　deal。　There　was　Scotch　on　his　breath。　A　lot　of　it。　He　stood　before　Louis　like　a　banty　little　district　attorney　before　a　man　in　the　bar　of　justice；　a　man　who　is　patently　guilty。　He　was　unsteady　on　his　feet。
　　〃What　did　you　say　to　her？〃　Louis　said；　feeling　the　beginnings　of　alarm　now。　He　knew　Goldman　had　said　something。　It　was　in　the　man's　face。
　　〃Nothing　but　the　truth。　I　told　her　this　is　what　it　gets　you；　marrying　against　your　parents'　wishes。　I　told　her…〃
　　〃Did　you　say　that？〃　Louis　asked　incredulously。　〃You　didn't　really　say　that；　did　you？〃
　　〃That　and　more；〃　Irwin　Goldman　said；　〃I　always　knew　it　would　e　to　this…this　or　something　like　it。　I　knew　what　kind　of　a　man　you　were　the　first　time　I　saw　you。〃　He　leaned　forward；　exhaling　Scotch　fumes。　〃I　saw　through　you；　you　prancing　little　fraud　of　a　doctor。　You　enticed　my　daughter　into　a　stupid；　feckless　marriage　and　then　you　turned　her　into　a　scullery　maid　and　then　you　let　her　son　be　run　down　in　the　highway　like　a　。　。　。　a　chipmunk。〃
　　Most　of　this　went　over　Louis's　head。　He　was　still　groping　with　the　idea　that　this　stupid　little　man　could　have…　〃You　said　that　to　her？〃　he　repeated。　〃You　said　it？〃　〃I　hope　you　rot　in　hell！〃　Goldman　said；　and　heads　turned　sharply　toward　the　sound　of　his　voice。　Tears　began　to　squeeze　out　of　Irwin　Goldman's　bloodshot　brown　eyes。　His　bald　head　glowed　under　the　muted　fluorescent　lights。　〃You　made　my　wonderful　daughter　into　a　scullery　maid　。　。　。　destroyed　her　future　took　her　away。　。　。　and　let　my　grandson　die　a　dirty　death　in　a　country　road。〃
　　His　voice　rose　to　a　hectoring　scream。
　　〃Where　were　you？　Sitting　on　your　ass　while　he　was　playing　in　the　road？　Thinking　about　your　stupid　medical　articles？　What　were　you　doing；　you　shit？　You　stinking　shit！　Killer　of　children！
　　There　they　were。　There　they　were　at　the　front　of　the　East　Room。　There　they　were；　and　Louis　saw　his　arm　go　out。　He　saw　the　sleeve　of　his　suit　coat　pull　back　from　the　cuff　of　his　white　shirt。　He　saw　the　mellow　gleam　of　one　cufflink。　Rachel　had　given　him　the　set　for　their　third　wedding　anniversary；　never　knowing　that　her　husband　would　someday　wear　these　cufflinks　to　the　funeral　ceremonies　of　their　then…unborn　son。　His　fist　was　just　something　tied　to　the　end　of　his　arm。　It　connected　with　Goldman's　mouth。　He　felt　the　old　man's　lips　squash　and　splay　back。　It　was　a　sickening　feeling；　really…squashing　a　slug　with　your　fist　might　feel　something　like　that。　There　was　no　satisfaction　in　it。　Beneath　the　flesh　of　his　father…in…law's　lips　he　could　feel　the　stern；　unyielding　regularity　of　his　dentures。
　　Goldman　went　stumbling　backward。　His　arm　came　down　against　Gage's　coffin；　knocking　it　aslant。　One　of　the　vases；　top…heavy　with　flowers；　fell　over　with　a　crash。　Someone　screamed。
　　It　was　Rachel；　struggling　with　her　mother；　who　was　trying　to　hold　her　back。　The　people　who　were　there…ten　or　fifteen　in　all…　seemed　frozen　between　fright　and　embarrassment。　Steve　had　taken　Jud　back　to　Ludlow；　and　Louis　was　dimly　grateful　for　that。　This　was　not　a　scene　he　would　have　wished　Jud　to　witness。　It　was　unseemly。
　　〃Don't　hurt　him！〃　Rachel　screamed。　〃Louis；　don't　hurt　my　father！〃
　　〃You　like　to　hit　old　men；　do　you？〃　Irwin　Goldman　of　the　overflowing　checkbook　cried　out　shrilly。　He　was　grinning　through　a　mouthful　of　blood。　〃You　like　to　hit　old　men？　I　am　not　surprised；　you　stinking　bastard。　That　does　not　surprise　me　at　all。〃
　　Louis　turned　toward　him；　and　Goldman　struck　him　in　the　neck。　It　was　a　clumsy；　side…handed；　chopping　blow；　but　Louis　was　unprepared　for　it。　A　paralyzing　pain　that　would　make　it　hard　for　him　to　swallow　for　the　next　two　hours　exploded　in　his　throat。　His　head　rocked　back；　and　he　fell　to　one　knee　in　the　aisle。
　　First　the　flowers；　now　me；　he　thought。　What　is　it　the　Ramones　say？　Hey…ho；　let's　go！　He　thought　he　wanted　to　laugh；　but　there　was　no　laugh　in　him。　What　came　out　of　his　hurt　throat　was　a　little　groan。
　　Rachel　screamed　again。
　　Irwin　Goldman；　his　mouth　dripping　blood；　marched　over　to　where　his　son…in…law　kneeled　and　kicked　Louis　smartly　in　the　kidneys。　The　pain　was　a　bright　flare　of　agony。　He　put　his　hands　down　on　the　rug　runner　to　keep　from　going　flop　on　his　belly。
　　〃You　don't　do　so　good　even　against　old　men；　sonny！〃　Goldman　cried　with　cracked　excitement。　He　kicked　out　at　Louis　again；　missing　the　kidney　this　time；　getting　Louis　on　the　high　part　of　the　left　buttock　with　one　black　old　man's　shoe。　Louis　grunted　in　pain；　and　this　time　he　did　go　down　on　the　carpet。　His　chin　hit　with　an　audible　crack。　He　bit　his　tongue。
　　〃There！〃　Goldman　cried。　〃There's　the　kick　in　the　ass　I　should　have　given　you　the　first　time　you　came　sucking　around；　you　bastard。　There！〃　He　kicked　Louis　in　the　ass　again；　this　time　connecting　with　the　other　buttock。　He　was　weeping　and　grinning。　Louis　saw　for　the　first　time　that　Goldman　was　unshaven…a　sign　of　mourning。　The　funeral　director　raced　toward　them。　Rachel　had　broken　Mrs。　Goldman's　hold　and　was　also　racing　toward　them；　screaming。
　　Louis　rolled　clumsily　over　on　his　side　and　sat　up。　His　father…in…law　kicked　out　at　him　again　and　Louis　caught　his　shoe　i