sk.theshining-第83部分

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　　By　no　means。
　　Christ；　but　he　needed　a　drink。
　　The　press　had　dropped　down　to　eighty　psi。　Cautiously；　wincing　a　little　at　the　pain　in　his　hands；　he　closed　the　dump　valve　again。　But　from　now　on　the　boiler　would　have　to　be　watched　more　closely　than　ever。　It　might　have　been　seriously　weakened。　He　wouldn't　trust　it　at　more　than　one　hundred　psi　for　the　rest　of　the　winter。　And　if　they　were　a　little　chilly；　they　would　just　have　to　grin　and　bear　it。
　　He　had　broken　two　of　the　blisters。　His　hands　throbbed　like　rotten　teeth。
　　A　drink。　A　drink　would　fix　him　up；　and　there　wasn't　a　thing　in　the　goddamn　house　besides　cooking　sherry。　At　this　point　a　drink　would　be　medicinal。　That　was　just　it；　by　God。　An　anesthetic。　He　had　done　his　duty　and　now　he　could　use　a　little　anesthetic…something　stronger　than　Excedrin。　But　there　was　nothing。
　　He　remembered　bottles　glittering　in　the　shadows。
　　He　had　saved　the　hotel。　The　hotel　would　want　to　reward　him。　He　felt　sure　of　it。　He　took　his　handkerchief　out　of　his　back　pocket　and　went　to　the　stairs。　He　rubbed　at　his　mouth。　Just　a　little　drink。　Just　one。　To　ease　the　pain。
　　He　had　served　the　Overlook；　and　now　the　Overlook　would　serve　him。　He　was　sure　of　it。　His　feet　on　the　stair　risers　were　quick　and　eager；　the　hurrying　steps　of　a　man　who　has　e　home　from　a　long　and　bitter　war。　It　was　5：20　A。M。；　MST。
　　　
　　　》
　　DAYLIGHT
　　
　　Danny　awoke　with　a　muffled　gasp　from　a　terrible　dream。　There　had　been　an　explosion。　A　fire。　The　Overlook　was　burning　up。　He　and　his　mommy　were　watching　it　from　the　front　lawn。
　　Mommy　had　said：　〃Look；　Danny；　look　at　the　hedges。〃　He　looked　at　them　and　they　were　all　dead。　Their　leaves　had　turned　a　suffocant　brown。　The　tightly　packed　branches　showed　through　like　the　skeletons　of　half…　dismembered　corpses。　And　then　his　daddy　had　burst　out　of　the　Overlooks　big　double　doors；　and　he　was　burning　like　a　torch。　His　clothes　were　in　flames；　his　skin　had　acquired　a　dark　and　sinister　tan　that　was　growing　darker　by　the　moment；　his　hair　was　a　burning　bush。
　　That　was　when　he　woke　up；　his　throat　tight　with　fear；　his　hands　clutching　at　the　sheet　and　blankets。　Had　he　screamed？　He　looked　over　at　his　mother。　Wendy　lay　on　her　side；　the　blankets　up　to　her　chin；　a　sheaf　of　straw…colored　hair　lying　against　her　cheek。　She　looked　like　a　child　herself。　No；　he　hadn't　screamed。
　　Lying　in　bed；　looking　upward；　the　nightmare　began　to　drain　away。　He　had　a　curious　feeling　that　some　great　tragedy　（fire？　explosion？）　had　been　averted　by　inches。　He　let　his　mind　drift　out；　searching　for　his　daddy；　and　found　him　standing　somewhere　below。　In　the　lobby。　Danny　pushed　a　little　harder；　trying　to　get　inside　his　father。　It　was　not　good。　Because　Daddy　was　thinking　about　the　Bad　Thing。　He　was　thinking　how　（good　just　one　or　two　would　be　i　don't　care　sun's　over　the　yardarm　somewhere　in　the　world　remember　how　we　used　to　say　that　al？　gin　and　tonic　bourbon　with　just　a　dash　of　bitters　scotch　and　soda　rum　and　coke　tweedledum　and　tweedledee　a　drink　for　me　and　a　drink　for　thee　the　martians　have　landed　somewhere　in　the　world　princeton　or　houston　or　stokely　on　carmichael　some　fucking　place　after　all　tis　the　season　and　none　of　us　are）　（GET　OUT　OF　HIS　MIND；　YOU　LITTLE　SHIT！）　He　recoiled　in　terror　from　that　mental　voice；　his　eyes　widening；　his　hands　tightening　into　claws　on　the　counterpane。　It　hadn't　been　the　voice　of　his　father　but　a　clever　mimic。　A　voice　he　knew。　Hoarse；　brutal；　yet　underpointed　with　a　vacuous　sort　of　humor。
　　Was　it　so　near；　then？
　　He　threw　the　covers　back　and　swung　his　feet　out　onto　the　floor。　He　kicked　his　slippers　out　from　under　the　bed　and　put　them　on。　He　went　to　the　door　and　pulled　it　open　and　hurried　up　to　the　main　corridor；　his　slippered　feet　whispering　on　the　nap　of　the　carpet　runner。　He　turned　the　corner。
　　There　was　a　man　on　all　fours　halfway　down　the　corridor；　between　him　and　the　stairs。
　　Danny　froze。
　　The　man　looked　up　at　him。　His　eyes　were　tiny　and　red。　He　was　dressed　in　some　sort　of　silvery；　spangled　costume。　A　dog　costume；　Danny　realized。　Protruding　from　the　rump　of　this　strange　creation　was　a　long　and　floppy　tail　with　a　puff　on　the　end。　A　zipper　ran　up　the　back　of　the　costume　to　the　neck。　To　the　left　of　him　was　a　dog's　or　wolf's　head；　blank　eyesockets　above　the　muzzle；　the　mouth　open　in　a　meaningless　snarl　that　showed　the　rug's　black　and　blue　pattern　between　fangs　that　appeared　to　be　papier…mache。
　　The　man's　mouth　and　chin　and　cheeks　were　smeared　with　blood。
　　He　began　to　growl　at　Danny。　He　was　grinning；　but　the　growl　was　real。　It　was　deep　in　his　throat；　a　chilling　primitive　sound。　Then　he　began　to　bark。　His　teeth　were　also　stained　red。　He　began　to　crawl　toward　Danny；　dragging　his　boneless　tail　behind　him。　The　costume　dog's　head　lay　unheeded　on　the　carpet；　glaring　vacantly　over　Danny's　shoulder。
　　〃Let　me　by；〃　Danny　said。
　　〃I'm　going　to　eat　you；　little　boy；〃　the　dogman　answered；　and　suddenly　a　fusillade　of　barks　came　from　his　grinning　mouth。　They　were　human　imitations；　but　the　savagery　in　them　was　real。　The　man's　hair　was　dark；　greased　with　sweat　from　his　confining　costume。　There　was　a　mixture　of　scotch　and　champagne　on　his　breath。
　　Danny　flinched　back　but　didn't　run。　〃Let　me　by。〃
　　〃Not　by　the　hair　of　my　chinny…chin…chin；〃　the　dogman　replied。　His　small　red　eyes　were　fixed　attentively　on　Danny's　face。　He　continued　to　grin。　〃I'm　going　to　eat　you　up；　little　boy。　And　I　think　I'll　start　with　your　plump　little　cock。〃　He　began　to　prance　skittishly　forward；　making　little　leaps　and　snarling。
　　Danny's　nerve　broke。　He　fled　back　into　the　short　hallway　that　led　to　their　quarters；　looking　back　over　his　shoulder。　There　was　a　series　of　mixed　howls　and　barks　and　growls；　broken　by　slurred　mutterings　and　giggles。
　　Danny　stood　in　the　hallway；　trembling。
　　〃Get　it　up！〃　the　drunken　dogman　cried　out　from　around　the　corner。　His　voice　was　both　violent　and　despairing。　〃Get　it　up；　Harry　you　bitch…bastard！　I　don't　care　how　many　casinos　and　airlines　and　movie　panies　you　own！　I　know　what　you　like　in　the　privacy　of　your　own　h…home！　Get　it　up！　I'll　huff。　。　。　and　I'll　puff　。　。　。　until　Harry　Derwent's　all　bloowwwwn　down！〃　He　ended　with　a　long；　chilling　howl　that　seemed　to　turn　into　a　scream　of　rage　and　pain　just　before　it　dwindled　off。
　　Danny　turned　apprehensively　to　the　closed　bedroom　door　at　the　end　of　the　hallway　and　walked　quietly　down　to　it。　He　opened　it　and　poked　his　head　through。
　　His　mommy　was　sleeping　in　exactly　the　same　position。　No　one　was　hearing　this　but　him。
　　He　closed　the　door　softly　and　went　back　up　to　the　intersection　of　their　corridor　and　the　main　hall；　hoping　the　dogman　would　be　gone；　the　way　the　blood　on　the　walls　of　the　Presidential　Suite　had　been　gone。　He　peeked　around　the　corner　carefully。
　　The　man　in　the　dog　costume　was　still　there。　He　had　put　his　head　back　on　and　was　now　prancing　on　all　fours　by　the　stairwell；　chasing　his　tail。　He　occasionally　leaped　off　the　rug　and　came　down　making　dog　grunts　in　his　throat。
　　〃Woof！　Woof！　Bowwowwow！　Grrrrrr！〃　These　sounds　came　hollowly　out　of　the　mask's　stylized　snarling　mouth；　and　among　them　were　sounds　that　might　have　been　sobs　or　laughter。
　　Danny　went　back　to　the　bedroom　and　sat　down　on　his　cot；　covering　his　eyes　with　his　hands。　The　hotel　was　running　things　now。　Maybe　at　first　the　things　that　had　happened　had　only　been　accidents。　Maybe　at　first　the　things　he　had　seen　really　were　like　scary　pictures　that　couldn't　hurt　him。　But　now　the　hotel　was　controlling　those　things　and　they　could　hurt。　The　Overlook　hadn't　wanted　him　to　go　to　his　father。　That　might　spoil　all　the　fun。　So　it　had　put　the　dogman　in　his　way；　just　as　it　had　put　the　hedge　animals　between　them　and　the　road。
　　But　his　daddy　could　e　here。　And　sooner　or　later　his　daddy　would。
　　He　began　to　cry；　the　tears　rolling　silently　down　his　cheeks。　It　was　too　late。
　　They　were　going　to　die；　all　three　of　them；　and　when　the　Overlook　opened　next　late　spring；　they　would　be　right　here　to　greet　the　guests　along　with　the　rest　of　the　spooks。　The　woman　in　the　tub。　The　dogman。　The　horrible　dark　thing　that　had　been　in　the　cement　tunnel。　They　would　be…　（Stop！　Stop　that　now！）　He　knuckled　the　tears　furiously　from　his　eyes。　He　wo