sk.theshining-第87部分
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〃Rowf！ Rowf！〃 Derwent upended the bottle of champagne and it fell in a foamy Niagara onto the upturned mask。 Roger made frantic slurping sounds； and everyone applauded again。 Some of the women screamed with laughter。
〃Isn't Harry a card？〃 his partner asked him； pressing close again。 〃Everyone says so。 He's AC/DC； you know。 Poor Roger's only DC。 He spent a weekend with Harry in Cuba once 。 。 。 oh； months ago。 Now he follows Harry everywhere； wagging his little tail behind him。〃 She giggled。 The shy scent of lilies drifted up。
〃But of course Harry never goes back for seconds 。 。 。 not on his DC side； anyway 。 。 。 and Roger is just wild。 Harry told him if he came to the masked ball as a doggy； a cute little doggy； he might reconsider； and Roger is such a silly that he 。 。 。〃 The number ended。 There was more applause。 The band members were filing down for a break。
〃Excuse me； sweetness；〃 she said。 〃There's someone I just roust 。 。 。 Darla！
Darla； you dear girl； where have you been？〃 She wove her way into the eating； drinking throng and he gazed after her stupidly； wondering how they had happened to be dancing together in the first place。 He didn't remember。 Incidents seemed to have occurred with no connections。 First here； then there； then everywhere。 His head was spinning。 He smelled lilies and juniper berries。 Up by the refreshment table Derwent was now holding a tiny triangular sandwich over Roger's head and urging him； to the general merriment of the onlookers； to do a somersault。 The dogmask was turned upward。 The silver sides of the dog costume bellowsed in and out。 Roger suddenly leaped； tucking his head under； and tried to roll in mid…air。 His leap was too low and too exhausted； he landed awkwardly on his back； rapping his head smartly on the tiles。 A hollow groan drifted out of the dogmask。
Derwent led the applause。 〃Try again； doggy！ Try again！〃 The onlookers took up the chant…try again； try again… and Jack staggered off the other way； feeling vaguely ill。
He almost fell over the drinks cart that was being wheeled along by a low… browed man in a white mess jacket。 His foot rapped the lower chromed shelf of the cart； the bottles and siphons on top chattered together musically。
〃Sorry；〃 Jack said thickly。 He suddenly felt closed in and claustrophobic； he wanted to get out。 He wanted the Overlook back the way it had been 。 。 。 free of these unwanted guests。 His place was not honored； as the true opener of the way； he was only another of the ten thousand cheering extras； a doggy rolling over and sitting up on mand。
〃Quite all right；〃 the man in the white mess jacket said。 The polite； clipped English ing from that thug's face was surreal。 〃A drink？〃
〃Martini。〃 From behind him； another ber of laughter broke； Roger was howling to the tune of 〃Home on the Range。〃 Someone was picking out acpaniment on the Steinway baby grand。
〃Here you are。〃 The frosty cold glass was pressed into his hand。 Jack drank gratefully； feeling the gin hit and crumble away the first inroads of sobriety。
〃Is it all right； sir？〃
〃Fine。〃
〃Thank you； sir。〃 The cart began to roll again。
Jack suddenly reached out and touched the man's shoulder。
〃Yes； sir？〃
〃Pardon me； but 。 。 。 what's your name？〃 The other showed no surprise。 〃Grady； sir。 Delbert Grady。〃
〃But you 。 。 。 I mean that。 。 。〃 The bartender was looking at him politely。 Jack tried again； although his mouth was mushed by gin and unreality； each word felt as large as an ice cube。
〃Weren't you once the caretaker here？ When you 。 。 ； when。 。 。〃 But he couldn't finish。 He couldn't say it。
〃Why no； sir。 I don't believe so。〃
〃But your wife 。 。 。 your daughters。 。
〃My wife is helping in the kitchen； sir。 The girls are asleep； of course。 It's much too late for them。〃
〃You were the caretaker。 You…〃 Oh say it！ 〃You killed them。〃 Grady's face remained blankly polite。 〃I don't have any recollection of that at all； sir。〃 His glass was empty。 Grady plucked it from Jack's unresisting fingers and set about making another drink for him。 There was a small white plastic bucket on his cart that was filled with olives。 For soave reason they reminded Jack of tiny severed heads。 Grady speared one deftly； dropped it into the glass； and handed it to him。
〃But you…〃
〃You're the caretaker； sir；〃 Grady said mildly。 〃You've always been the caretaker。 I should know； sir。 I've always been here。 The same manager hired us both； at the same time。 Is it all right； sir？〃 Jack gulped at his drink。 His head was swirling。 〃Mr。 Ullman …〃
〃I know no one by that name； sir。〃
〃But he…〃
〃The manager；〃 Grady said。 〃The hotel； sir。 Surely you realize who hired you； sir。〃
〃No；〃 he said thickly。 〃No； I…〃
〃I believe you must take it up further with your son； Mr。 Torrance； sir。 He understands everything； although he hasn't enlightened you。 Rather naughty of him； if I may be so bold； sir。 In fact； he's crossed you at almost every turn； hasn't he？ And him not yet six。〃
〃Yes；〃 Jack said。 〃He has。〃 There was another wave of laughter from behind them。
〃He needs to be corrected； if you don't mind me saying so。 He needs a good talking…to； and perhaps a bit more。 My own girls； sir； didn't care for the Overlook at first。 One of them actually stole a pack of my matches and tried to burn it down。 I corrected them。 I corrected them most harshly。 And when my wife tried to stop me from doing my duty； I corrected her。〃 He offered Jack a bland； meaningless smile。 〃I find it a sad but true fact that women rarely understand a father's responsibility to his children。 Husbands and fathers do have certain responsibilities； don't they； sir？〃
〃Yes；〃 Jack said。
〃They didn't love the Overlook as I did；〃 Grady said； beginning to make him another drink。 Silver bubbles rose in the upended gin bottle。 〃Just as your son and wife don't love it 。 not at present； anyway。 But they will e to love it。
You must show them the error of their ways； Mr。 Torrance。 Do you agree？〃
〃Yes。 I do。〃 He did see。 He had been too easy with them。 Husbands and fathers did have certain responsibilities。 Father Knows Best。 They did not understand。 That in itself was no crime； but they were willfully not understanding。 He was not ordinarily a harsh man。 But he did believe in punishment。 And if his son and his wife had willfully set themselves against his wishes； against the things he knew were best for them； then didn't he have a certain duty…？
〃A thankless child is sharper than a serpent's tooth；〃 Grady said； handing him his drink。 〃I do believe that the manager could bring your son into line。 And your wife would shortly follow。 Do you agree； sir？〃 He was suddenly uncertain。 〃I 。 。 。 but 。 。 。 if they could just leave 。 。 。 I mean； after all； it's me the manager wants； isn't it？ It must be。 Because…〃 Because why？ He should know but suddenly he didn't。 Oh； his poor brain was swimming。
〃Bad dog！〃 Derwent was saying loudly； to a counterpoint of laughter。 〃Bad dog to piddle on the floor。〃
〃Of course you know；〃 Grady said； leaning confidentially over the cart； 〃your son is attempting to bring an outside party into it。 Your son has a very great talent； one that the manager could use to even further improve the Overlook； to further 。 。 。_。 enrich it； shall we say？ But your son is attempting to use that very talent against us。 He is willful； Mr。 Torrance； Sir。 Willful。〃
〃Outside party？〃 Jack asked stupidly。
Grady nodded。
〃Who？〃
〃A nigger；〃 Grady said。 〃A nigger cook。〃
〃Hallorann？〃
〃I believe that is his name； sir； yes。〃 Another burst of laughter from behind them was followed by Roger saying something in a whining； protesting voice。
〃Yes！ Yes！ Yes！〃 Derwent began to chant。 The others around him took it up； but before Jack could hear what they wanted Roger to do now； the band began to play again…the tune was 〃Tuxedo Junction；〃 with a lot of mellow sax in it but not much soul。
（Soul？ Soul hasn't even been invented yet。 Or has it？） （A nigger 。 。 。 a nigger cook。） He opened his mouth to speak； not knowing what might e out。 What did was：
〃I was told you hadn't finished high school。 But you d
