sk.theshining-第24部分
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re you could knock the steel slat up and out of the way with one hard push and the hose was yours。 Danny could see that much； he was good at seeing how things worked。 By the time he was two and a half he had been unlocking the protective gate his father had installed at the top of the stairs in the Stovington house。 He had seen how the lock worked。 His daddy said it was a NACK。 Some people had the NACK and some people didn't。
This fire extinguisher was a little older than others he had seen…the one in the nursery school； for instance…but that was not so unusual。 Nonetheless it filled him with faint unease； curled up there against the light blue wallpaper like a sleeping snake。 And he was glad when it was out of sight around the corner。
〃Of course all the windows have to be shuttered；〃 Mr。 Ullman said as they stepped back into the elevator。 Once again the car sank queasily beneath their feet。 〃But I'm particularly concerned about the one in the Presidential Suite。
The original bill on that window was four hundred and twenty dollars； and that was over thirty years ago。 It would cost eight times that to replace today。〃
〃I'll shutter it；〃 Jack said。
They went down to the second floor where there were more rooms and even more twists and turns in the corridor。 The light from the windows had begun to fade appreciably now as the sun went behind the mountains。 Mr。 Ullman showed them one or two rooms and that was all。 He walked past 217； the one Dick Hallorann had warned him about； without slowing。 Danny looked at the bland number…plate on the door with uneasy fascination。
Then down to the first floor。 Mr。 Ullman didn't show them into any rooms here until they had almost reached the thickly carpeted staircase that led down into the lobby again。 〃Here are your quarters；〃 he said。 〃I think you'll find them adequate。〃 They went in。 Danny was braced for whatever might be there。 There was nothing。
Wendy Torrance felt a strong surge of relief。 The Presidential Suite； with its cold elegance； had made her feel awkward and clumsy…it was all very well to visit some restored historical building with a bedroom plaque that announced Abraham Lincoln or Franklin D。 Roosevelt had slept there； but another thing entirely to imagine you and your husband lying beneath acreages of linen and perhaps making love where the greatest men in the world had once lain （the most powerful； anyway； she amended）。 But this apartment was simpler； homier； almost inviting。 She thought she could abide this place for a season with no great difficulty。
〃It's very pleasant；〃 she said to Ullman； and heard the gratitude in her voice。
Ullman nodded。 〃Simple but adequate。 During the season； this suite quarters the cook and his wife； or the cook and his apprentice。〃
〃Mr。 Hallorann lived here？〃 Danny broke in。
Mr。 Ullman inclined his head to Danny condescendingly。 〃Quite so。 He and Mr。
Nevers。〃 He turned back to Jack and Wendy。 〃This is the sitting room。〃 There were several chairs that looked fortable but not expensive； a coffee table that had once been expensive but now had a long chip gone from the side； two bookcases （stuffed full of Reader's Digest Condensed Books and Detective Book Club trilogies from the forties； Wendy saw with some amusement）； and an anonymous hotel TV that looked much less elegant than the buffed wood consoles in the rooms。
〃No kitchen； of course；〃 Ullman said； 〃but there is a dumb…waiter。 This apartment is directly over the kitchen。〃 He slid aside a square of paneling and disclosed a wide； squarer tray。 He gave it a push and it disappeared； trailing rope behind it。
〃It's a secret passage！〃 Danny said excitedly to his mother； momentarily forgetting all fears in favor of that intoxicating shaft behind the wall。 〃Just like in Abbott and Costello Meet the Monsters！〃 Mr。 Ullman frowned but Wendy smiled indulgently。 Danny ran over to the dumb… waiter and peered down the shaft。；
〃This way； please。〃 He opened the door on the far side of the living room。 It gave on the bedroom； which was spacious and airy。 There were twin beds。 Wendy looked at her husband； smiled； shrugged。
〃No problem；〃 Jack said。 〃We'll push them together。〃 Mr。 Ullman looked over his shoulder； honestly puzzled。 〃Beg pardon？〃
〃The beds；〃 Jack said pleasantly。 〃We can push them together。〃
〃Oh； quite；〃 Ullman said； momentarily confused。 Then his face cleared and a red flush began to creep up from the collar of his shirt。 〃Whatever you like。〃 He led them back into the sitting room； where a second door opened on a second bedroom； this one equipped with bunk beds。 A radiator clanked in one corner； and the rug on the floor was a hideous embroidery of western sage and cactus…Danny bad already fallen in love with it； Wendy saw。 The walls of this smaller room were paneled in real pine。
〃Think you can stand it in here； doc？〃 Jack asked。
〃Sure I can。 I'm going to sleep in the top bunk。 Okay？〃
〃If that's what you want。〃
〃I like the rug； too。 Mr。 Ullman； why don't you have all the rugs like that？〃 Mr。 Ullman looked for a moment as if he had sunk his teeth into a lemon。 Then he smiled and patted Danny's head。 〃Those are your quarters；〃 he said； 〃except for the bath； which opens off the main bedroom。 It's not a huge apartment； but of course you'll have the rest of the hotel to spread out in。 The lobby fireplace is in good working order； or so Watson tells me； and you must feel free to eat in the dining room if the spirit moves you to do so。〃 He spoke in the tone of a man conferring a great favor。
〃All right；〃 Jack said。
〃Shall we go down？〃 Mr。 Ullman asked。
〃Fine；〃 Wendy said。
They went downstairs in the elevator； and now the lobby was wholly deserted except for Watson； who was leaning against the main doors in a rawhide jacket； a toothpick between his lips。
〃I would have thought you'd be miles from here by now；〃 Mr。 Ullman said； his voice slightly chill。
〃Just stuck around to remind Mr。 Torrance here about the boiler；〃 Watson said； straightening up。 〃Keep your good weather eye on her； fella； and she'll be fine。
Knock the press down a couple of times a day。 She creeps。〃 She creeps； Danny thought； and the words echoed down a long and silent corridor in his mind； a corridor lined with mirrors where people seldom looked。
〃I will；〃 his daddy said。
〃You'll be fine；〃 Watson said； and offered Jack his hand。 Jack shook it。
Watson turned to Wendy and inclined his head。 〃Ma'am；〃 he said。
〃I'm pleased；〃 Wendy said； and thought it would sound absurd。 It didn't。 She had e out here from New England； where she had spent her life； and it seemed to her that in a few short sentences this man Watson； with his fluffy fringe of hair； had epitomized what the West was supposed to be all about。 And never mind the lecherous wink earlier。
〃Young master Torrance；〃 Watson said gravely； and put out his hand。 Danny； who had known all about handshaking for almost a year now； put his own hand out gingerly and felt it swallowed up。 〃You take good care of em； Dan。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃 Watson let go of Danny's hand and straightened up fully。 He looked at Ullman。
〃Until next year； I guess；〃 he said； and held his hand out。
Ullman touched it bloodlessly。 His pinky ring caught the lobby's electric lights in a baleful sort of wink。
〃May twelfth； Watson；〃 he said。 〃Not a day earlier or later。〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 Watson said； and Jack could almost read the codicil in Watson's mind： 。 。 。 you fucking little faggot。
〃Have a good winter； Mr。 Ullman。〃
〃Oh； I doubt it；〃 Ullman said remotely。
Watson opened one of the two big main doors； the wind whined louder and began to flutter the collar of his jacket。 〃You folks take care now；〃 he said。
It was Danny who answered。 〃Yes； sir； we will。〃 Watson； whose not…so…distant ancestor had owned this place； slipped humbly through the door。 It closed behind him； muffling the wind。 Together they watched him clop down the porch's broad front steps in his battered black cowboy boots。
Brittle yellow aspen leaves tumbled around his heels as he crossed the lot to his International Harvester pickup and climbed in。 Blue smoke jetted from
