sk.petsematary-第75部分

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　　〃No；〃　Ellie　whispered。　〃Mommy；　I'm　scared。　Aren't　you　scared？〃
　　〃Huh…uh；〃　Rachel　said；　with　a　brisk　little　shake　of　her　head　and　a　smile…but　she　was；　she　was　scared；　and　that　name；　Fax…cow；　haunted　her　with　its　familiarity。　She　felt　she　had　heard　it　in　some　dreadful　context　months　or　even　years　ago；　and　that　nervy　feeling　would　not　leave　her。
　　She　felt　something…something　pregnant；　swollen；　and　waiting　to　burst。　Something　terrible　that　needed　to　be　averted。　But　what？　What？
　　〃I'm　sure　everything　is　fine；〃　she　told　Ellie。　〃Want　to　go　back　to　Grandma　and　Grandda？〃
　　〃I　guess　so；〃　Ellie　said　listlessly。
　　A　Puerto　Rican　woman　led　her　very　young　son　into　the　ladies'；　scolding　him。　A　large　wet　stain　had　spread　on　the　crotch　of　the　little　boy's　Bermudas　and　Rachel　found　herself　reminded　of　Gage　with　a　kind　of　paralyzing　poignancy。　This　fresh　sorrow　was　like　novocaine；　smothering　her　jitters。
　　〃e　on；〃　she　said。　〃We'll　call　Daddy　from　Grandda's　house。〃
　　〃He　was　wearing　shorts；〃　Ellie　said　suddenly；　looking　back　at　the　little　boy。
　　〃Who　was；　honey？〃
　　〃Paxcow；〃　Ellie　said。　〃He　was　wearing　red　shorts　in　my　dream。
　　That　brought　the　name　momentarily　into　focus；　and　Rachel　felt　that　knee…weakening　fear　again。　。　。　then　it　danced　away。
　　They　could　not　get　close　to　the　luggage　carousel；　Rachel　could　just　see　the　top　of　her　father's　hat；　the　one　with　the　feather。　Dory　Goldman　was　holding　two　seats　against　the　wall　for　them　and　waving。　Rachel　brought　Ellie　over。
　　〃Are　you　feeling　any　better；　dear？〃　Dory　asked。
　　〃A　little　bit；〃　Ellie　said。　〃Mommy…〃
　　She　turned　to　Rachel　and　broke　off。　Rachel　was　sitting　bolt　upright；　her　hand　clapped　to　her　mouth；　her　face　white。　She　had　it。　It　had　suddenly　gone　through　with　a　terrible　thud。　Of　course　she　should　have　known　at　once；　but　she　had　tried　to　put　it　out　of　her　mind。　Of　course。
　　〃Mommy？〃
　　Rachel　turned　slowly　to　her　daughter；　and　Ellie　could　hear　the　tendons　in　her　neck　creak。　She　took　her　hand　away　from　her　mouth。
　　〃Did　the　man　in　your　dream　tell　you　his　first　name；　Eileen？〃
　　〃Mommy；　are　you　all…〃
　　〃Did　the　man　in　your　dream　tell　you　his　first　name？〃
　　Dory　was　looking　at　her　daughter　and　granddaughter　as　if　they　might　have　both　gone　crazy。
　　〃Yes；　but　I　can't　remember　。　。　。　Mommy；　you're　hurrrrting　me…〃
　　Rachel　looked　down　and　saw　that　her　free　hand　was　clamped　around　Ellie's　lower　forearm　like　a　manacle。
　　〃Was　it　Victor？〃
　　Ellie　drew　sharp　breath。　〃Yes；　Victor！　He　said　his　name　was　Victor！　Mommy；　did　you　dream　of　him　too？〃
　　〃Not　Paxcow；〃　Rachel　said。　〃Pascow。〃
　　〃That's　what　I　said。　Paxcow。〃
　　〃Rachel；　what's　wrong？〃　Dory　said。　She　took　Rachel's　free　hand　and　winced　at　its　chill。　〃And　what's　wrong　with　Eileen？〃
　　〃It's　not　Eileen；〃　Rachel　said。　〃It's　Louis；　I　think。　Something　is　wrong　with　Louis。　Or　something　is　going　to　be　wrong。　Sit　with　Ellie；　Mom。　I　want　to　call　home。〃
　　She　got　up　and　crossed　to　the　telephones；　digging　in　her　purse　for　a　quarter。　She　made　the　call　collect；　but　there　was　no　one　to　accept　the　charges。　The　phone　simply　rang。
　　〃Will　you　try　your　call　later？〃　the　operator　asked　her。
　　〃Yes；〃　Rachel　said　and　hung　up。
　　She　stood　there；　staring　at　the　phone。
　　He　said　that　he　was　sent　to　warn　but　that　he　couldn't　interfere。　He　said　that　he　was。　。　。　that　he　was　near　Daddy　because　they　were　together　when　his　soul　was　dis…dis…I　can't　remember！
　　〃Discorporated；〃　Rachel　whispered。　Her　fingers　dug　at　the　fabric　of　her　handbag。　〃Oh　my　God；　was　that　the　word？〃
　　She　tried　to　catch　at　her　thoughts；　to　arrange　them。　Was　something　going　on　here；　something　beyond　their　natural　upset　at　Gage's　death　and　this　queer　cross…country　trip　that　was　so　much　like　flight？　How　much　had　Ellie　known　about　the　young　man　who　had　died　on　Louis's　first　day　at　work？
　　Nothing；　her　mind　answered　inexorably。　You　kept　it　from　her；　the　way　you　tried　to　keep　anything　from　her　that　had　to　do　with　death…even　the　possible　death　of　her　cat；　remember　the　dumb；　stupid　argument　we　had　that　day　in　the　pantry？　You　kept　it　from　her。　Because　you　were　scared　then　and　you're　scared　now。　His　name　was　Pascow；　Victor　Pascow；　and　how　desperate　is　the　situation　now；　Rachel？　How　bad　is　this？　What　in　the　name　of　God　is　happening？
　　Her　hands　were　trembling　so　badly　that　it　took　her　two　tries　to　redeposit　her　quarter。　This　time　she　called　the　infirmary　at　the　university　and　got　Chariton；　who　accepted　the　call；　a　little　mystified。　No；　she　hadn't　seen　Louis　and　would　have　been　surprised　if　he　had　e　in　today。　That　said；　she　offered　her　sympathies　to　Rachel　again。　Rachel　accepted　them　and　then　asked　Chariton　to　have　Louis　call　her　at　her　folks'　house　if　he　did　e　in。　Yes；　he　had　the　number；　she　answered　Charlton's　question；　not　wanting　to　tell　the　nurse　（who　probably　knew　anyway；　she　had　a　feeling　that　Chariton　didn't　miss　much）　that　her　folks'　house　was　half　the　continent　away。
　　She　hung　up；　feeling　hot　and　trembly。
　　She　heard　Pascow's　name　somewhere　else；　that's　all。　My　God；　you　don't　raise　a　kid　in　a　glass　box　like　a。　。　。　a　hamster　or　something。　She　heard　an　item　about　it　on　the　radio。　Or　some　kid　mentioned　it　to　her　at　school；　and　her　mind　stored　it　away。　Even　that　word　she　couldn't　say…suppose　it　was　a　jawbreaker　like　〃discorporated〃　or　〃discorporeal；〃　so　what？　That　proves　nothing　except　that　the　subconscious　is　exactly　the　kind　of　sticky　flypaper　the　Sunday　supplements　say　it　is。
　　She　remembered　a　college　psych　instructor　who　had　asserted　that　under　the　right　conditions；　your　memory　could　play　back　the　names　of　every　person　to　whom　you　had　ever　been　introduced；　every　meal　you　had　ever　eaten；　the　weather　conditions　which　had　obtained　on　every　day　of　your　life。　He　made　a　persuasive　case　for　this　incredible　assertion；　telling　them　that　the　human　mind　was　a　puter　with　staggering　numbers　of　memory　chips…not　i6K；　or　32K；　or　64K；　but　perhaps　as　much　as　one　billion　K：　literally；　a　thousand　billion。　And　how　much　might　each　of　these　organic　〃chips〃　be　capable　of　storing？　No　one　knew。　But　there　were　so　many　of　them；　he　said；　that　there　was　no　need　for　any　of　them　to　be　erasable　so　they　could　be　re…used。　In　fact　the　conscious　mind　had　to　turn　down　the　lights　on　some　of　them　as　a　protection　against　informational　insanity。　〃You　might　not　be　able　to　remember　where　you　keep　your　socks；〃　the　psych　instructor　had　said；　〃if　the　entire　contents　of　the　Encyclopedia　Britannica　was　stored　in　the　adjacent　two　or　three　memory　cells。〃
　　This　had　produced　dutiful　laughter　from　the　class。
　　But　this　isn't　a　psych　class　under　good　fluorescent　lights　with　all　that　forting　jargon　written　on　the　board　and　some　smartass　assistant　prof　cheerfully　blueskying　his　way　through　the　last　fifteen　minutes　of　the　period。　Something　is　dreadfully　wrong　here　and　you　know　it…you　feel　it。　I　don't　know　what　it　has　to　do　with　Pascow；　or　Gage；　or　Church；　but　it　has　something　to　do　with　Louis。　What？　Is　it…　Suddenly　a　thought　as　cold　as　a　handful　of　jelly　struck　her。　She　picked　up　the　telephone　receiver　again　and　groped　in　the　coin…return　for　her　dime。　Was　Louis　contemplating　suicide？　Was　that　why　he　had　gotten　rid　of　them；　nearly　pushed　them　out　the　door？　Had　Ellie　somehow　had　a。　。　。　a。　。　。　oh；　fuck　psychology！　Had　she　had　a　psychic　flash　of　some　sort？
　　This　time　she　made　the　call　collect　to　Jud　Crandall。　It　rang　five　times　。　。　。　six　。　。　。　seven。　She　was　about　to　hang　up　when　his　voice；　breathless；　answered。　〃H'lo？〃
　　〃Jud！　Jud；　this　is…〃
　　〃Just　a　minute；　ma'axn；〃　the　operator　said。　〃Will　you　accept　a　collect　call　from　Mrs。　Louis　Creed？〃
　　〃Ayuh；〃　Jud　said。
　　〃Pardon；　sir；　is　that　yes　or　no？〃
　　〃I　guess　I　will；〃　Jud　said。
　　There　was　a　doubtful　pause　as　the　operator　translated　Yankee　into　American。　Then：　〃Thank　you。　Go　ahead；　ma'am。〃
　　〃Jud；　have　you　seen　Louis　today？〃
　　〃Today？　I　can't　say　I　have；　Rachel。　But　I　was　away　to　Brewer　this　mornin；　gettin　my　groceries。　Been　out　in　the　garden　this　afternoon；　behind　the　house。　Why？〃
　　〃Oh；　it's　probably　nothing；　but　Ellie　had　a　bad　dream　on　the　plane　and　I　just　thought　I'd　set　her　mind　at　ease　if　I　could。〃
　　〃Plane？〃　Jud's　voice　seemed　to　sharpen　a　trifle。　〃Where　are　you