sk.theshining-第10部分

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pt　wanting　to　take　it　out　on　Wendy　and　Danny。　His　temper　was　like　a　vicious　animal　on　a　frayed　leash。　He　had　left　the　house　in　terror　that　he　might　strike　them。　Had　ended　up　outside　a　bar；　and　the　only　thing　that　had　kept　him　from　going　in　was　the　knowledge　that　if　he　did；　Wendy　would　leave　him　at　last；　and　take　Danny　with　her。　He　would　be　dead　from　the　day　they　left。
　　Instead　of　going　into　the　bar；　where　dark　shadows　sat　sampling　the　tasty　waters　of　oblivion；　he　had　gone　to　Al　Shockley's　house。　The　Board's　vote　had　been　six　to　one。　Al　had　been　the　one。
　　Now　he　dialed　the　operator　and　she　told　him　that　for　a　dollar　eighty…five　he　could　be　put　in　touch　with　Al　two　thousand　miles　away　for　three　minutes。　Time　is　relative；　baby；　he　thought；　and　stuck　in　eight　quarters。　Faintly　he　could　hear　the　electronic　boops　and　beeps　of　his　connection　sniffing　its　way　eastward。
　　Al's　father　had　been　Arthur　Longley　Shockley；　the　steel　baron。　He　had　left　his　only　son；　Albert；　a　fortune　and　a　huge　range　of　investments　and　directorships　and　chairs　on　various　boards。　One　of　these　had　been　on　the　Board　of　Directors　for　Stovington　Preparatory　Academy；　the　old　man's　favorite　charity。　Both　Arthur　and　Albert　Shockley　were　alumni　and　Al　lived　in　Barre；　close　enough　to　take　a　personal　interest　in　the　school's　affairs。　For　several　years　Al　had　been　Stovington's　tennis　coach。
　　Jack　and　Al　had　bee　friends　in　a　pletely　natural　and　uncoincidental　way：　at　the　many　school　and　faculty　functions　they　attended　together；　they　were　always　the　two　drunkest　people　there。　Shockley　was　separated　from　his　wife；　and　Jack's　own　marriage　was　skidding　slowly　downhill；　although　he　still　loved　Wendy　and　had　promised　sincerely　（and　frequently）　to　reform；　for　her　sake　and　for　baby　Danny's。
　　The　two　of　them　went　on　from　many　faculty　parties；　hitting　the　bars　until　they　closed；　then　stopping　at　some　mom　'n'　pot）　store　for　a　case　of　beer　they　would　drink　parked　at　the　end　of　some　back　road。　There　were　mornings　when　Jack　would　stumble　into　their　leased　house　with　dawn　seeping　into　the　sky　and　find　Wendy　and　the　baby　asleep　on　the　couch；　Danny　always　on　the　inside；　a　tiny　fist　curled　under　the　shelf　of　Wendy's　jaw。　He　would　look　at　them　and　the　self…loathing　would　back　up　his　throat　in　a　bitter　wave；　even　stronger　than　the　taste　of　beer　and　cigarettes　and　martinis…martians；　as　Al　called　them。　Those　were　the　times　that　his　mind　would　turn　thoughtfully　and　sanely　to　the　gun　or　the　rope　or　the　razor　blade。
　　If　the　bender　had　occurred　on　a　weeknight；　he　would　sleep　for　three　hours；　get　up；　dress；　chew　four　Excedrins；　and　go　off　to　teach　his　nine　o'clock　American　Poets　still　drunk。　Good　morning；　kids；　today　the　Red…Eyed　Wonder　is　going　to　tell　you　about　how　Longfellow　lost　his　wife　in　the　big　fire。
　　He　hadn't　believed　he　was　an　alcoholic；　Jack　thought　as　Al's　telephone　began　ringing　in　his　ear。　The　classes　he　had　missed　or　taught　unshaven；　still　reeking　of　last　night's　martians。　Not　me；　I　can　stop　anytime。　The　nights　he　and　Wendy　had　passed　in　separate　beds。　Listen；　I'm　fine。　Mashed　fenders。　Sure　I'm　okay　to　drive。　The　tears　she　always　shed　in　the　bathroom。　Cautious　looks　from　his　colleagues　at　any　party　where　alcohol　was　served；　even　wine。　The　slowly　dawning　realization　that　he　was　being　talked　about。　The　knowledge　that　he　was　producing　nothing　at　his　Underwood　but　balls　of　mostly　blank　paper　that　ended　up　in　the　wastebasket。　He　had　been　something　of　a　catch　for　Stovington；　a　slowly　blooming　American　writer　perhaps；　and　certainly　a　man　well　qualified　to　teach　that　great　mystery；　creative　writing。　He　had　published　two　dozen　short　stories。　He　was　working　on　a　play；　and　thought　there　might　be　a　novel　incubating　in　some　mental　back　room。　But　now　he　was　not　producing　and　his　teaching　had　bee　erratic。
　　It　had　finally　ended　one　night　less　than　a　month　after　Jack　had　broken　his　son's　arm。　That；　it　seemed　to　him；　had　ended　his　marriage。　All　that　remained　was　for　Wendy　to　gather　her　will　。　。　。　if　her　mother　hadn't　been　such　a　grade　A　bitch；　he　knew；　Wendy　would　have　taken　a　bus　back　to　New　Hampshire　as　soon　as　Danny　had　been　okay　to　travel。　It　was　over。
　　It　had　been　a　little　past　midnight。　Jack　and　Al　were　ing　into　Barre　on　U。S。
　　31；　Al　behind　the　wheel　of　his　Jag；　shifting　fancily　on　the　curves；　sometimes　crossing　the　double　yellow　line。　They　were　both　very　drunk；　the　martians　had　landed　that　night　in　force。　They　came　around　the　last　curve　before　the　bridge　at　seventy；　and　there　was　a　kid's　bike　in　the　road；　and　then　the　sharp；　hurt　squealing　as　rubber　shredded　from　the　Jag's　tires；　and　Jack　remembered　seeing　Al's　face　looming　over　the　steering　wheel　like　a　round　white　moon。　Then　the　jingling　crashing　sound　as　they　hit　the　bike　at　forty；　and　it　had　flown　up　like　a　bent　and　twisted　bird；　the　handlebars　striking　the　windshield；　and　then　it　was　in　the　air　again；　leaving　the　starred　safety　glass　in　front　of　Jack's　bulging　eyes。　A　moment　later　he　heard　the　final　dreadful　smash　as　it　landed　on　the　road　behind　them。　Something　thumped　underneath　them　as　the　tires　passed　over　it。　The　Jag　drifted　around　broadside；　Al　still　jockeying　the　wheel；　and　from　far　away　Jack　heard　himself　saying：　〃Jesus；　Al。　We　ran　him　down。　I　felt　it。〃　In　his　ear　the　phone　kept　ringing。　e　on；　Al。　Be　home。　Let　me　get　this　over　with。
　　Al　had　brought　the　car　to　a　smoking　halt　not　more　than　three　feet　from　a　bridge　stanchion。　Two　of　the　Jag's　tires　were　flat。　They　had　left　zigzagging　loops　of　burned　rubber　for　a　hundred　and　thirty　feet。　They　looked　at　each　other　for　a　moment　and　then　ran　back　in　the　cold　darkness。
　　The　bike　was　pletely　ruined。　One　wheel　was　gone；　and　looking　back　over　his　shoulder　Al　had　seen　it　lying　in　the　middle　of　the　road；　half　a　dozen　spokes　sticking　up　like　piano　wire。　Al　had　said　hesitantly：　〃I　think　that's　what　we　ran　over；　Tacky…boy。〃
　　〃Then　where's　the　kid？〃
　　〃Did　you　see　a　kid？〃　Jack　frowned。　It　had　all　happened　with　such　crazy　speed。　ing　around　the　corner。　The　bike　looming　in　the　Jag's　headlights。　Al　yelling　something。　Then　the　collision　and　the　long　skid。
　　They　moved　the　bike　to　one　shoulder　of　the　road。　Al　went　back　to　the　Jag　and　put　on　its　four…way　flashers。　For　the　next　two　hours　they　searched　the　sides　of　the　road；　using　a　powerful　four…cell　flashlight。　Nothing。　Although　it　was　late；　several　cars　passed　the　beached　Jaguar　and　the　two　men　with　the　bobbing　flashlight。　None　of　them　stopped。　Jack　thought　later　that　some　queer　providence；　bent　on　giving　them　both　a　last　chance；　had　kept　the　cops　away；　had　kept　any　of　the　passersby　from　calling　them。
　　At　quarter　past　two　they　returned　to　the　Jag；　sober　but　queasy。　〃If　there　was　nobody　riding　it；　what　was　it　doing　in　the　middle　of　the　road？〃　Al　demanded。　〃It　wasn't　parked　on　the　side；　it　was　right　in　the　fucking　middle！〃　Jack　could　only　shake　his　head。
　　〃Your　party　does　not　answer；〃　the　operator　said。　〃Would　you　like　me　to　keep　on　trying？〃
　　〃A　couple　more　rings；　operator。　Do　you　mind？〃
　　〃No；　sir；〃　the　voice　said　dutifully。
　　e　on；　Al！
　　Al　had　hiked　across　the　bridge　to　the　nearest　pay　phone；　called　a　bachelor　friend　and　told　him　it　would　be　worth　fifty　dollars　if　the　friend　would　get　the　Jag's　snow　tires　out　of　the　garage　and　bring　them　down　to　the　Highway　31　bridge　outside　of　Barre。　The　friend　showed　up　twenty　minutes　later；　wearing　a　pair　of　jeans　and　his　pajama　top。　He　surveyed　the　scene。
　　〃Kill　anybody？〃　he　asked。
　　Al　was　already　jacking　up　the　back　of　the　car　and　Jack　was　loosening　lug　nuts。
　　〃Providentially；　no　one；〃　Al　said。
　　〃I　think　I'll　just　head　on　back　anyway。　Pay　me　in　the　morning。〃
　　〃Fine；〃　Al　said　without　looking　up。
　　The　two　of　them　had　gotten　the　tires　on　without　incident；　and　together　they　drove　back　to　AI　Shockley's　house。　Al　put　the　Jag　in　the　garage　and　killed　the　motor。
　　In　the　dark　quiet　he　said：　〃I'm　off　drinking；　Jacky…boy。　It's　all　over。　I've　slain　my　last　martian。〃　And　now；　sweating　in　this　phonebootb；　it　occurred　to　lack　that　he　had　never　doubted　Al's　ability　to　carry　through。　He　had　driven　back　to　his　own　house　in　the　VW　with　the　radio　turned　up；　and　some　disco　group　chanted　over　and　over　again；　talismanic　in　the　house　before　d