sk.theshining-第67部分

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ot　of　closet　boogeymen　and　jumping　shadows；　plenty　scared。　But　there　was　no　lack　of　real　ones；　either。　When　they　got　down　to　Sidewinder　they　would　arrive　with　sixty　dollars　and　the　clothes　they　stood　up　in。　Not　even　a　car。　Even　if　Sidewinder　bad　a　pawnshop；　which　it　didn't；　they　had　nothing　to　hock　but　Wendy's　ninety…dollar　diamond　engagement　ring　and　the　Sony　AM/FM　radio。
　　A　pawnbroker　might　give　them　twenty　bucks。　A　kind　pawnbroker。　There　would　be　no　job；　not　even　part…time　or　seasonal；　except　maybe　shoveling　out　driveways　for　three　dollars　a　shot。　The　picture　of　John　Torrance；　thirty　years　old；　who　had　once　published　in　Esquire　and　who　had　harbored　dreams…not　at　all　unreasonable　dreams；　he　feltof　being　a　major　American　writer　during　the　next　decade；　with　a　shovel　from　the　Sidewinder　Western　Auto　on　his　shoulder；　ringing　doorbells　。　。
　　。　that　picture　suddenly　came　to　him　much　more　clearly　than　the　hedge　lions　and　he　clenched　his　fists　tighter　still；　feeling　the　fingernails　sink　into　his　palms　and　draw　blood　in　mystic　quarter…moon　shapes。　John　Tor_　rance；　standing　in　line　to　change　his　sixty　dollars　into　food　stamps；　standing　in　line　again　at　the　Sidewinder　Methodist　Church　to　get　donated　modities　and　dirty　looks　from　the　locals。　John　Torrance　explaining　to　Al　that　they'd　just　had　to　leave；　had　to　shut　down　the　boiler；　had　to　leave　the　Overlook　and　all　it　contained　open　to　vandals　or　thieves　on　snow　machines　because；　you　see；　Al；　attendez…vous；　Al；　there　are　ghosts　up　there　and　they　have　it　in　for　my　boy。　Good…by；　Al。　Thoughts　of　Chapter　Four；　Spring　es　for　John　Torrance。　What　then？　Whatever　then？　They　might　be　able　to　get　to　the　West　Coast　in　the　VW；　he　supposed。　A　new　fuel　pump　would　do　it。　Fifty　miles　west　of　here　and　it　was　all　downhill；　you　could　damn　near　put　the　bug　in　neutral　and　coast　to　Utah。　On　to　sunny　California；　land　of　oranges　and　opportunity。　A　man　with　his　sterling　record　of　alcoholism；　student…　beating；　and　ghost…chasing　would　undoubtedly　be　able　to　write　his　own　ticket。
　　Anything　you　like。　Custodial　engineer…swamping　out　Greyhound　buses。　The　automotive　business…washing　cars　in　a　rubber　suit。　The　culinary　arts；　perhaps；　washing　dishes　in　a　diner。　Or　possibly　a　more　responsible　position；　such　as　pumping　gas。　A　job　like　that　even　held　the　intellectual　stimulation　of　making　change　and　writing　out　credit　slips。　I　can　give　you　twenty…five　hours　a　week　at　the　minimum　wage。　That　was　heavy　tunes　in　a　year　when　Wonder　bread　went　for　sixty　cents　a　loaf。
　　Blood　had　begun　to　trickle　down　from　his　palms。　Like　stigmata；　oh　yes。　He　squeezed　tighter；　savaging　himself　with　pain。　His　wife　was　asleep　beside　him；　why　not？　There　were　no　problems。　He　had　agreed　to　take　her　and　Danny　away　from　the　big　bad　boogeyman　and　there　were　no　problems。　So　you　see；　Al；　I　thought　the　best　thing　to　do　would　be　to　（kill　her。）　The　thought　rose　up　from　nowhere；　naked　and　unadorned。　The　urge　to　tumble　her　out　of　bed；　naked；　bewildered；　just　beginning　to　wake　up；　to　pounce　on　her；　seize　her　neck　like　the　green　limb　of　a　young　aspen　and　to　throttle　her；　thumbs　on　windpipe；　fingers　pressing　against　the　top　of　her　spine；　jerking　her　head　up　and　ramming　it　back　down　against　the　floorboards；　again　and　again；　whamming；　whacking；　smashing；　crashing。　Jitter　and　jive；　baby。　Shake；　rattle；　and　roll。　He　would　make　her　take　her　medicine。　Every　drop。　Every　last　bitter　drop。
　　He　was　dimly　aware　of　a　muffled　noise　somewhere；　just　outside　his　hot　and　racing　inner　world。　He　looked　across　the　room　and　Danny　was　thrashing　again；　twisting　in　his　bed　and　rumpling　the　blankets。　The　boy　was　moaning　deep　in　his　throat；　a　small；　caged　sound。　What　nightmare？　A　purple　woman；　long　dead；　shambling　after　him　down　twisting　hotel　corridors？　Somehow　he　didn't　think　so。
　　Something　else　chased　Danny　in　his　dreams。　Something　worse。
　　The　bitter　lock　of　his　emotions　was　broken。　He　got　out　of　bed　and　went　across　to　the　boy；　feeling　sick　and　ashamed　of　himself。　It　was　Danny　he　had　to　think　of；　not　Wendy；　not　himself。　Only　Danny。　And　no　matter　what　shape　he　wrestled　the　facts　into；　he　knew　in　his　heart　that　Danny　must　be　taken　out。　He　straightened　the　boy's　blankets　and　added　the　quilt　from　the　foot　of　the　bed。　Danny　had　quieted　again　now。　Jack　touched　the　sleeping　forehead　（what　monsters　capering　just　behind　that　ridge　of　bone？）　and　found　it　warm；　but　not　overly　so。　And　he　was　sleeping　peacefully　again。
　　Queer。
　　He　got　back　into　bed　and　tried　to　sleep。　It　eluded　him。
　　It　was　so　unfair　that　things　should　turn　out　this　way…bad　luck　seemed　to　stalk　them。　They　hadn't　been　able　to　shake　it　by　ing　up　here　after　all。　By　the　time　they　arrived　in　Sidewinder　tomorrow　afternoon；　the　golden　opportunity　would　have　evaporated…gone　the　way　of　the　blue　suede　shoe；　as　an　old　roommate　of　his　had　been　wont　to　say。　Consider　the　difference　if　they　didn't　go　down；　if　they　could　somehow　stick　it　out。　The　play　would　get　finished。　One　way　or　the　other；　he　would　tack　an　ending　onto　it。　His　own　uncertainty　about　his　characters　might　add　an　appealing　touch　of　ambiguity　to　his　original　ending。　Perhaps　it　would　even　make　him　some　money；　it　wasn't　impossible。　Even　lacking　that；　Al　might　well　convince　the　Stovington　Board　to　rehire　him。　He　would　be　on　pro　of　course；　maybe　for　as　long　as　three　years；　but　if　he　could　stay　sober　and　keep　writing；　he　might　not　have　to　stay　at　Stovington　for　three　years。　Of　course　he　hadn't　cared　much　for　Stovington　before；　he　had　felt　stifled；　buried　alive；　but　that　had　been　an　immature　reaction。　Furthermore；　how　much　could　a　man　enjoy　teaching　when　he　went　through　his　first　three　classes　with　a　skull…busting　hangover　every　second　or　third　day？　It　wouldn't　be　that　way　again。　He　would　be　able　to　handle　his　responsibilities　much　better。　He　was　sure　of　it。
　　Somewhere　in　the　midst　of　that　thought；　things　began　to　break　up　and　he　drifted　down　into　sleep。　His　last　thought　followed　him　down　like　a　sounding　bell：　It　seemed　that　he　might　be　able　to　find　peace　here。　At　last。　If　they　would　only　let　him。
　　
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　　When　he　woke　up　he　was　standing　in　the　bathroom　of　217。
　　（been　walking　in　my　sleep　again…why？…no　radios　to　break　up　here）　The　bathroom　light　was　on；　the　room　behind　him　in　darkness。　The　shower　curtain　was　drawn　around　the　long　claw…footed　tub。　The　bathmat　beside　it　was　wrinkled　and　wet。
　　He　began　to　feel　afraid；　but　the　very　dreamlike　quality　of　his　fear　told　him　this　was　not　real。　Yet　that　could　not　contain　the　fear。　So　many　things　at　the　Overlook　seemed　like　dreams。
　　He　moved　across　the　floor　to　the　tub；　not　wanting　to　be　helpless　to　turn　his　feet　back。
　　He　flung　the　curtain　open。
　　Lying　in　the　tub；　naked；　lolling　almost　weightless　in　the　water；　was　George　Hatfield；　a　knife　stuck　in　his　chest。　The　water　around　him　was　stained　a　bright　pink。　George's　eyes　were　closed。　His　penis　floated　limply；　like　kelp。
　　〃George…〃　he　heard　himself　say。
　　At　the　word；　George's　eyes　snapped　open。　They　were　silver；　not　human　eyes　at　all。　George's　hands；　fish…white；　found　the　sides　of　the　tub　and　he　pulled　himself　up　to　a　sitting　position。　The　knife　stuck　straight　out　from　his　chest；　equidistantly　placed　between　nipples。　The　wound　was　lipless。
　　〃You　set　the　timer　ahead；〃　silver…eyed　George　told　him。
　　〃No；　George；　I　didn't。　I…〃
　　〃I　don't　stutter。〃　George　was　standing　now；　still　fixing　him　with　that　inhuman　silver　glare；　but　his　mouth　had　drawn　back　in　a　dead　and　grimacing　smile。　He　threw　one　leg　over　the　porcelained　side　of　the　tub。　One　white　and　wrinkled　foot　placed　itself　on　the　bathmat。
　　〃First　you　tried　to　run　me　over　on　my　bike　and　then　you　set　the　timer　ahead　and　then　you　tried　to　stab　me　to　death　but　I　still　don't　stutter。〃　George　was　ing　for　him；　his　hands　out；　the　fingers　slightly　curled。　He　smelled　moldy　and　wet；　like　leaves　that　had　been　rained　on。
　　〃It　was　for　your　own　good；〃　Jack　said；　backing　up。　〃I　set　it　ahead　for　your　own　good。　Furthermore；　I　happen　to　know　you　cheated　on　your　Final　position。〃
　　〃I　don't　cheat　。　。　。　and　I　don't　stutter。〃　George's　hands　touched　his　neck。
　　Jack　turned　and　ran；　ran　with　the　floating；　weightless　slowness　that　is　so　mon　to　dreams。
　　〃You　did！　You　did　chea