sk.theshining-第17部分
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Beyond the pool a graveled path wound off through baby pines and spruces and aspens。 Here was a small sign he didn't know： ROQUE。 There was an arrow below it。
〃What's R…O…Q…U…E； Daddy？〃
〃A game；〃 Daddy said。 〃It's a little bit like croquet； only you play it on a gravel court that has sides like a big billiard table instead of grass。 It's a very old game； Danny。 Sometimes they have tournaments here。〃
〃Do you play it with a croquet mallet？〃
〃Like that；〃 Jack agreed。 〃Only the handle's a little shorter and the head has two sides。 One side is hard rubber and the other side is wood。〃 （e out； you little shit！）
〃It's pronounced roke；〃 Daddy was saying。 〃I'll teach you how to play； if you want。〃
〃Maybe；〃 Danny said in an odd colorless little voice that made his parents exchange a puzzled look over his head。 〃I might not like it； though。〃
〃Well if you don't like it； doc； you don't have to play。 All right？〃
〃Sure。〃
〃Do you like the animals？〃 Wendy asked。 〃That's called a topiary。〃 Beyond the path leading to roque there were hedges clipped into the shapes of various animals。 Danny； whose eyes were sharp； made out a rabbit； a dog； a horse； a cow； and a trio of bigger ones that looked like frolicking lions。
〃Those animals were what made Uncle Al think of me for the job；〃 Jack told him。 〃He knew that when I was in college I used to work for a landscaping pany。 That's a business that fixes people's lawns and bushes and hedges。 I used to trim a lady's topiary。〃 Wendy put a hand over her mouth and snickered。 Looking at her； Jack said；
〃Yes； I used to trim her topiary at least once a week〃
〃Get away； fly；〃 Wendy said； and snickered again。
〃Did she have nice hedges； Dad？〃 Danny asked； and at this they both stifled great bursts of laughter。 Wendy laughed so hard that tears streamed down her cheeks and she had to get a Kleenex out of her handbag。
〃They weren't animals； Danny；〃 Jack said when he had control of himself。 〃They were playing cards。 Spades and hearts and clubs and diamonds。 But the hedges grow； you see…〃 （They creep； Watson had said 。 。 。 no； not the hedges； the boiler。 You have to watch it all the time or you and your f ambly will end up on the f uckin moon。） They looked at him； puzzled。 The smile had faded off his face。
〃Dad？〃 Danny asked。
He blinked at them； as if ing back from far away。 〃They grow； Danny； and lose their shape。 So I'll have to give them a haircut once or twice a week until it gets so cold they stop growing for the year。〃
〃And a playground； too；〃 Wendy said。 〃My lucky boy。〃 The playground was beyond the topiary。 Two slides； a big swing set with half a dozen swings set at varying heights； a jungle gym； a tunnel made of cement rings； a sandbox； and a playhouse that was an exact replica of the Overlook itself。
〃Do you like it； Danny？〃 Wendy asked。
〃I sure do；〃 he said； hoping he sounded more enthused than he felt。 〃It's neat。〃 Beyond the playground there was an inconspicuous chain link security fence； beyond that the wide； macadamized drive that led up to the hotel； and beyond that the valley itself； dropping away into the bright blue haze of afternoon。
Danny didn't know the word isolation； but if someone had explained it to him he would have seized on it。 Far below； lying in the sun like a long black snake that had decided to snooze for a while； was the road that led back through Sidewinder Pass and eventually to Boulder。 The road that would be closed all winter long。 He felt a little suffocated at the thought； and almost jumped when Daddy dropped his hand on his shoulder。
〃I'll get you that drink as soon as I can； doc。 They're a little busy right now。〃
〃Sure； Dad。〃 Mrs。 Brant came out of the inner office looking vindicated。 A few moments later two bellboys； struggling with eight suitcases between them； followed her as best they could as she strode triumphantly out the door。 Danny watched through the window as a man in a gray uniform and a hat like a captain in the Army brought her long silver car around to the door and got out。 He tipped his cap to her and ran around to open the trunk。
And in one of those flashes that sometimes came； he got a plete thought from her； one that floated above the confused； low…pitched babble of emotions and colors that he usually got in crowded places。
（i' d like to get into his pants） Danny's brow wrinkled as he watched the bellboys put her cases into the trunk。
She was looking rather sharply at the man in the gray uniform； who was supervising the loading。 Why would she want to get that man's pants？ Was she cold； even with that long fur coat on？ And if she was that cold； why hadn't she just put on some pants of her own？ His mommy wore pants just about all winter。
The man in the gray uniform closed the trunk and walked back to help her into the car。 Danny watched closely to see if she would say anything about his pants； but she only smiled and gave him a dollar bill…a tip。 A moment later she was guiding the big silver car down the driveway。
He thought about asking his mother why Mrs。 Brant might want the car…man's pants； and decided against it。 Sometimes questions could get you in a whole lot of trouble。 It had happened to him before。
So instead he squeezed in between them on the small sofa they were sharing and watched all the people check out at the desk。 He was glad his mommy and daddy were happy and loving each other； but he couldn't help being a little worried。
He couldn't help it。
》
HALLORANN
The cook didn't conform to Wendy's image of the typical resort hotel kitchen personage at all。 To begin with； such a personage was called a chef； nothing so mundane as a cook…cooking was what she did in her apartment kitchen when she threw all the leftovers into a greased Pyrex casserole dish and added noodles。
Further； the culinary wizard of such a place as the Overlook； which advertised in the resort section of the New York Sunday Times； should be small； rotund； and pasty…faced （rather like the Pillsbury Dough…Boy）； he should have a thin pencil… line mustache like a forties musical edy star； dark eyes； a French accent； and a detestable personality。
Hallorann had the dark eyes and that was all。 He was a tall black man with a modest afro that was beginning to powder white。 He had a soft southern accent and he laughed a lot； disclosing teeth too white and too even to be anything but 1950…vintage Sears and Roebuck dentures。 Her own father had had a pair； which he called Roebuckers； and from time to time he would push them out at her ically at the supper table 。 。 。 always； Wendy remembered now； when her mother was out in the kitchen getting something else or on the telephone。
Danny had stared up at this black giant in blue serge； and then had smiled when Hallorann picked him up easily； set him in the crook of his elbow； and said： 〃You ain't gonna stay up here all winter。〃
〃Yes I am；〃 Danny said with a shy grin。
〃No； you're gonna e down to St。 Pete's with me and learn to cook and go out on the beach every damn evenin watchin for crabs。 Right？〃 Danny giggled delightedly and shook his head no。 Hallorann set him down。
〃If you're gonna change your mind；〃 Hallorann said； bending over him gravely；
〃you better do it quick。 Thirty minutes from now and I'm in my car。 Two and a half hours after that； I'm sitting at Gate 32； Concourse B； Stapleton International Airport； in the mile…high city of Denver； Colorado。 Three hours after that； I'm rentin a car at the Miama Airport and on my way to sunny St。
Pete's； waiting to get iota my swimtrunks and just laaafin up my sleeve at anybody stuck and caught in the snow。 Can you dig it； my boy？〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 Danny said； smiling。
Hallorann turned to Jack and Wendy。 〃Looks like a fine boy there。〃
〃We think he'll do；〃 Jack said； and offered his hand。 Hallorann took it。 〃I'm Jack Torrance。 My wife Winnifred。 Danny you've met。〃
〃And a pleasure it was。 Ma'am； are you a Winnie or a Freddie？〃
〃I'm a Wendy；〃 she said； smiling。
〃Okay。 That's better than the other two； I think。 Right this way。 Mr。 Unman wants you to have the tour； the tour you
