sk.theshining-第2部分

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　　〃Roque？〃
　　〃A　British　forebear　of　our　croquet；　Mr。　Torrance。　Croquet　is　bastardized　roque。　According　to　legend；　Derwent　learned　the　game　from　his　social　secretary　and　fell　pletely　in　love　with　it。　Ours　may　be　the　finest　roque　court　in　America。〃
　　〃I　wouldn't　doubt　it；〃　Jack　said　gravely。　A　roque　court；　a　topiary　full　of　hedge　animals　out　front；　what　next？　A　life…sized　Uncle　Wiggly　game　behind　the　equipment　shed？　He　was　getting　very　tired　of　Mr。　Stuart　Ullman；　but　he　could　see　that　Ullman　wasn't　done。　Ullman　was　going　to　have　his　say；　every　last　word　of　it。
　　〃When　he　had　lost　three　million；　Derwent　sold　it　to　a　group　of　California　investors。　Their　experience　with　the　Overlook　was　equally　bad。　Just　not　hotel　people。
　　〃In　1970；　Mr。　Shockley　and　a　group　of　his　associates　bought　the　hotel　and　turned　its　management　over　to　me。　We　have　also　run　in　the　red　for　several　years；　but　I'm　happy　to　say　that　the　trust　of　the　present　owners　in　me　has　never　wavered。　Last　year　we　broke　even。　And　this　year　the　Overlook's　accounts　were　written　in　black　ink　for　the　first　time　in　almost　seven　decades。〃　Jack　supposed　that　this　fussy　little　man's　pride　was　justified；　and　then　his　original　dislike　washed　over　him　again　in　a　wave。
　　He　said：　〃I　see　no　connection　between　the　Overlook's　admittedly　colorful　history　and　your　feeling　that　I'm　wrong　for　the　post；　Mr。　Ullman。〃
　　〃One　reason　that　the　Overlook　has　lost　so　much　money　lies　in　the　depreciation　that　occurs　each　winter。　It　shortens　the　profit　margin　a　great　deal　more　than　you　might　believe；　Mr。　Torrance。　The　winters　are　fantastically　cruel。　In　order　to　cope　with　the　problem；　I've　installed　a　full…time　winter　caretaker　to　run　the　boiler　and　to　heat　different　parts　of　the　hotel　on　a　daily　rotating　basis。　To　repair　breakage　as　it　occurs　and　to　do　repairs；　so　the　elements　can't　get　a　foothold。　To　be　constantly　alert　to　any　and　every　contingency。　During　our　first　winter　I　hired　a　family　instead　of　a　single　man。　There　was　a　tragedy。　A　horrible　tragedy。〃　Ullman　looked　at　Jack　coolly　and　appraisingly。
　　〃I　made　a　mistake。　I　admit　it　freely。　The　man　was　a　drunk。〃　Jack　felt　a　slow；　hot　grin…the　total　antithesis　of　the　toothy　PR　grin…　stretch　across　his　mouth。　〃Is　that　it？　I'm　surprised　Al　didn't　tell　you。　I've　retired。〃
　　〃Yes；　Mr。　Shockley　told　me　you　no　longer　drink。　He　also　told　me　about　your　last　job　。　。　。　your　last　position　of　trust；　shall　we　say？　You　were　teaching　English　in　a　Vermont　prep　school。　You　lost　your　temper；　I　don't　believe　I　need　to　be　any　more　specific　than　that。　But　I　do　happen　to　believe　that　Grady's　case　has　a　bearing；　and　that　is　why　I　have　brought　the　matter　of　your　。　。　。　uh；　previous　history　into　the　conversation。　During　the　winter　of　1970…71；　after　we　had　refurbished　the　Overlook　but　before　our　first　season；　I　hired　this。　。　。　this　unfortunate　named　Delbert　Grady。　He　moved　into　the　quarters　you　and　your　wife　and　son　will　be　sharing。　He　had　a　wife　and　two　daughters。　I　had　reservations；　the　main　ones　being　the　harshness　of　the　winter　season　and　the　fact　that　the　Gradys　would　be　cut　off　from　the　outside　world　for　five　to　six　months。〃
　　〃But　that's　not　really　true；　is　it？　There　are　telephones　here；　and　probably　a　citizen's　band　radio　as　well。　And　the　Rocky　Mountain　National　Park　is　within　helicopter　range　and　surely　a　piece　of　ground　that　big　must　have　a　chopper　or　two。〃
　　〃I　wouldn't　know　about　that；〃　Ullman　said。　〃The　hotel　does　have　a　two…way　radio　that　Mr。　Watson　will　show　you；　along　with　a　list　of　the　correct　frequencies　to　broadcast　on　if　you　need　help。　The　telephone　lines　between　here　and　Sidewinder　are　still　aboveground；　and　they　go　down　almost　every　winter　at　some　point　or　other　and　are　apt　to　stay　down　for　three　weeks　to　a　month　and　a　half。　There　is　a　snowmobile　in　the　equipment　shed　also。〃
　　〃Then　the　place　really　isn't　cut　off。〃　Mr。　Ullman　looked　pained。　〃Suppose　your　son　or　your　wife　tripped　on　the　stairs　and　fractured　his　or　her　skull；　Mr。　Torrance。　Would　you　think　the　place　was　cut　off　then？〃　Jack　saw　the　point。　A　snowmobile　running　at　top　speed　could　get　you　down　to　Sidewinder　in　an　hour　and　a　half　。　。　。　maybe。　A　helicopter　from　the　Parks　Rescue　Service　could　get　up　here　in　three　hours　。　。　。　under　optimum　conditions。　In　a　blizzard　it　would　never　even　be　able　to　lift　off　and　you　couldn't　hope　to　run　a　snowmobile　at　top　speed；　even　if　you　dared　take　a　seriously　injured　person　out　into　temperatures　that　might　be　twenty…five　below…or　forty…five　below；　if　you　added　in　the　wind　chill　factor。
　　〃In　the　case　of　Grady；〃　Ullman　said；　〃I　reasoned　much　as　Mr。　Shockley　seems　to　have　done　in　your　case。　Solitude　can　be　damaging　in　itself。　Better　for　the　man　to　have　his　family　with　him。　If　there　was　trouble；　I　thought；　the　odds　were　very　high　that　it　would　be　something　less　urgent　than　a　fractured　skull　or　an　accident　with　one　of　the　power　tools　or　some　sort　of　convulsion。　A　serious　case　of　the　flu；　pneumonia；　a　broken　arm；　even　appendicitis。　Any　of　those　things　would　have　left　enough　time。
　　〃I　suspect　that　what　happened　came　as　a　result　of　too　much　cheap　whiskey；　of　which　Grady　had　laid　in　a　generous　supply；　unbeknownst　to　me；　and　a　curious　condition　which　the　old…timers　call　cabin　fever。　Do　you　know　the　term？〃　Ullman　offered　a　patronizing　little　smile；　ready　to　explain　as　soon　as　Jack　admitted　his　ignorance；　and　Jack　was　happy　to　respond　quickly　and　crisply。
　　〃It's　a　slang　term　for　the　claustrophobic　reaction　that　can　occur　when　people　are　shut　in　together　over　long　periods　of　time。　The　feeling　of　claustrophobia　is　externalized　as　dislike　for　the　people　you　happen　to　be　shut　in　with。　In　extreme　cases　it　can　result　in　hallucinations　and　violence…murder　has　been　done　over　such　minor　things　as　a　burned　meal　or　an　argument　about　whose　turn　it　is　to　do　the　dishes。〃　Ullman　looked　rather　nonplussed；　which　did　Jack　a　world　of　good。　He　decided　to　press　a　little　further；　but　silently　promised　Wendy　he　would　stay　cool。
　　〃I　suspect　you　did　make　a　mistake　at　that。　Did　he　hurt　them？〃
　　〃He　killed　them；　Mr。　Torrance；　and　then　mitted　suicide。　He　murdered　the　little　girls　with　a　hatchet；　his　wife　with　a　shotgun；　and　himself　the　same　way。
　　His　leg　was　broken。　Undoubtedly　so　drunk　he　fell　downstairs。〃　Ullman　spread　his　hands　and　looked　at　Jack　self…righteously。
　　〃Was　he　a　high　school　graduate？〃
　　〃As　a　matter　of　fact；　he　wasn't；〃　Ullman　said　a　little　stiffly。　〃I　thought　a；　shall　we　say；　less　imaginative　individual　would　be　less　susceptible　to　the　rigors；　the　loneliness…〃
　　〃That　was　your　mistake；〃　Jack　said。　〃A　stupid　man　is　more　prone　to　cabin　fever　just　as　he's　more　prone　to　shoot　someone　over　a　card　game　or　mit　a　spur…of…　the…moment　robbery。　He　gets　bored。　When　the　snow　es；　there's　nothing　to　do　but　watch　TV　or　play　solitaire　and　cheat　when　he　can't　get　all　the　aces　out。
　　Nothing　to　do　but　bitch　at　his　wife　and　nag　at　the　kids　and　drink。　It　gets　hard　to　sleep　because　there's　nothing　to　hear。　So　he　drinks　himself　to　sleep　and　wakes　up　with　a　hangover。　He　gets　edgy。　And　maybe　the　telephone　goes　out　and　the　TV　aerial　blows　down　and　there's　nothing　to　do　but　think　and　cheat　at　solitaire　and　get　edgier　and　edgier。　Finally。　。　。　boom；　boom；　boom。〃
　　〃Whereas　a　more　educated　man；　such　as　yourself？〃
　　〃My　wife　and　I　both　like　to　read。　I　have　a　play　to　work　on；　as　Al　Shockley　probably　told　you。　Danny　has　his　puzzles；　his　coloring　books；　and　his　crystal　radio。　I　plan　to　teach　him　to　read；　and　I　also　want　to　teach　him　to　snowshoe。
　　Wendy　would　like　to　learn　how；　too。　Oh　yes；　I　think　we　can　keep　busy　and　out　of　each　other's　hair　if　the　TV　goes　on　the　fritz。〃　He　paused。　〃And　Al　was　telling　the　truth　when　he　told　you　I　no　longer　drink。　I　did　once；　and　it　got　to　be　serious。　But　I　haven't　had　so　much　as　a　glass　of　beer　in　the　last　fourteen　months。　I　don't　intend　to　bring　any　alcohol　up　here；　and　I　don't　think　there　will　be　an　opportunity　to　get　arty　after　the　snow　flies。〃
　　〃In　that　you　would　be　quite　correct；〃　Ullman　said。　〃But　as　long　as　the　three　of　you　are　up　here；　the　potential　for　problems　is　multiplied。　I　have　told　Mr。
　　Shockley　this；　and　he　told　me　he　would　take　the　responsibility。　Now　I've　told　you；　and　apparently　you　are　also　w