sk.cujo-第22部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


Camber　flattened　the　paper　out　with　one　blunt…fingered　hand　and　stared　it　up　and　down。　His　eyes　centred　on　the　figure。　'Five　…'　He　began；　and　then　shut　his　mouth　with　a　snap。
Charity　watched　him；　saying　nothing。　He　didn't　smile。　He　didn't　e　around　the　table　and　kiss　her。　For　a　man　with　his　rum　of　mind；　she　thought　bitterly；　good　fortune　only　meant　that　something　was　lying　in　wait。
He　looked　up　at　last。　'You　won　five　thousand　dollars？'
'Less　taxes；　ayuh。'
'How　long　you　been　playing　the　lottery？'
'I　buy　a　fifty…center　every　week　。。。　and　you　don't　dare　dun　me　about　it；　either；　Joe　Camber；　with　all　the　beer　you　buy。'
'Watch　your　mouth；　Charity；'　he　said。　His　eyes　were　unblinking；　brilliant　blue。　'Just　watch　your　mouth；　or　it　might　swell　up　on　you　all　at　once。'　He　began　to　eat　his　steak　again；　and　behind　the　set　mask　of　her　face；　she　relaxed　a　little。　She　had　thrust　the　chair　in　the　tiger's　face　for　the　first　time；　and　it　hadn't　bitten　her。　At　least　not　yet。　'This　money。　When　do　we　get　it？'
'The　check　will　e　in　two　weeks　or　a　little　less。　I　bought　the　chainfall　out　of　the　money　that's　in　our　savings　account。　That　claim　form　is　just　as　good　as　gold。　That's　what　the　agent　said。'
'You　went　out　and　bought　that　thing？'
'I　asked　Brett　what　he　thought　you'd　want　most。　It's　a　present。'
'Thanks。'　He　went　on　eating。
'I　got　you　a　present；'　she　said。　'Now　you　give　me　one；　Joe。　Okay？'
He　went　on　eating　and　he　went　on　looking　at　her。　He　didn't　say　anything。　His　eyes　were　totally　expressionless。　He　was　eating　with　his　hat　on；　still　pushed　back　on　his　head。　She　spoke　to　him　slowly；　deliberately；　knowing　it　would　be　a　mistake　to　rush。　'I　want　to　go　away　for　a　week。　With　Brett。　To　see　Holly　and　Jim　down　in　Connecticut。'
'No；'　he　said；　and　went　on　eating。
'We　could　go　on　the　bus。　We'd　stay　with　them。　It　would　he　cheap。　There　would　be　plenty　of　money　left　over。　That　found　money。　It　wouldn't　cost　a　third　of　what　that　chainfall　cost。　I　called　the　bus　station　and　asked　them　about　the　round…trip　fare。'
'No。　I　need…　Brett　here　to　help　me。'
She　clutched　her　hands　together　in　a　hard；　twisting　fury　under　the　table；　but　made　her　face　remain　calm　and　smooth。　'You　get　along　without　him　in　the　school　year。'
'I　said　no；　Charity；'　he　said；　and　she　saw　with　galling；　bitter　certainty　that　he　was　enjoying　this。　He　saw　how　much　she　wanted　this。　How　she　had　planned　for　it。　He　was　enjoying　her　pain。
She　got　up　and　went　to　the　sink；　not　because　she　had　anything　to　do　there；　but　because　she　needed　time　to　get　herself　under　control。　The　evening　star　peeped　in　at　her；　high　and　remote。　She　ran　water。　The　porcelain　was　a　discolored　yellowish　color。　Like　Joe；　their　water　was　hard。
Maybe　disappointed；　feeling　that　she　had　given　up　too　easily；　Camber　elaborated。　'The　boy's　got　to　learn　some　responsibility。　Won't　hurt　him　to　help　me　this　summer　instead　of　running　off　to　Davy　Bergeron's　house　every　day　and　night。'
She　turned　off　the　water。　'I　sent　him　over　there。'
'You　did？　Why？'
'Because　I　thought　it　might　go　like　this；'　she　said；　turning　back　to　him。　'But　I　told　him　you'd　say　yes；　what　with　the　money　and　the　chainfall。'
'If　you　knew　better；　you　sinned　against　the　boy；'　Joe　said。　'Next　time　I　guess　you'll　think　before　you　throw　your　tongue　in　gear。'　He　smiled　at　her　through　a　mouthful＇　of　food　and　reached　for　the　bread。
'You　could　e　with　us；　if　you　wanted。'
'Sure。　I'll　just　tell　Richie　Simms　to　forget　getting　in　his　first　cutting　this　summer。　Besides；　why　do　I　want　to　go　down　and　see　them　two？　From　what　I've　seen　of　them　and　what　you　tell　of　them；　I　got　to　think　they're　a　couple　of　first…class　snots。　Only　reason　you　like　them　is　because　you'd　like　to　be　a　snot　like　them。'　His　voice　was　gradually　rising。　He　began　to　spray　food。　When　he　got　like　this　he　frightened　her　and　she　gave　in。　Most　times。　She　would　not　do　that　tonight。　'Mostly　you'd　like　the　boy　to　be　a　snot　like　them。　That's　what　I　think。　You'd　like　to　turn　him　against　me；　I　guess。　Am　I　wrong？'
'Why　don't　you　ever　call　him　by　his　name？'
'You　want　to　just　shut　the　craphouse　door　now；　Charity；'　he　said；　looking　at　her　hard。　A　flush　had　crept　up　his　cheeks　and　across　his　forehead。　'Mind　me；　now。'
'No；'　she　said。　'That's　not　the　end。'
He　dropped　his　fork；　astounded。　'What？　What　did　you　say？'
She　walked　towards　him；　allowing　herself　the　luxury　of　total　anger　for　the　first　time　in　her　marriage。　But　it　was　all　inside；　burning　and　sloshing　like　acid。　She　could　feel　it　eating。　She　daren't　shout。　To　shout　would　be　the　end　for　sure。　She　kept　her　voice　low。
'Yes；　you'd　think　that　about　my　sister　and　her　husband。　Sure　you　would。　Look　at　you；　sitting　there　and　eating　with　your　dirty　hands　and　your　hat　still　on。　You　don't　want　him　down　there　seeing　how　other　people　live。　Just　the　same　way　I　don't　want　him　seeing　how　you　and　your　friends　live　when　you're　off　to　yourselves。　That's　why　I　wouldn't　let　him　go　on　that　hunting　trip　with　you　last　November。'
She　paused　and　he　only　sat　there；　a　half…eaten　slice　of　Wonder　Bread　in　one　hand；　steak　juice　on　his　chin。　She　thought　that　the　only　thing　keeping　him　from　springing　at　her　was　his　total　amazement　that　she　should　be　saying　these　things　at　all。
'So　I'll　trade　with　you；'　she　said。　'I've　got　you　that　chainfall　and　I'm　willing　to　hand　over　the　rest　of　the　money　to　you　…　lots　wouldn't　…　but　if　you're　going　to　be　so　ungrateful；　I'll　go　you　one　more。　You　let　him　go　down　with　me　to　Connecticut；　and　I'll　let　him　go　up　to　Moosehead　with　you　e　deerhunting　season。'　She　felt　cold　and　prickly　all　over；　as　if　she　had　just　offered　to　strike　a　bargain　with　the　devil。
'I　ought　to　strap　you；'　he　said　wonderingly。　He　spoke　to　her　as　if　she　were　a　child　who　had　misunderstood　some　very　simple　case　of　cause　and　effect。　'I'll　take　him　hunting　with　me　if　I　want；　when　I　want。　Don't　you　know　that？　He's　my　son。　God's　sake。　If　I　want；　when　I　want。'　He　smiled　a　little；　pleased　with　the　sound　it　made。　'Now　…　you　got　that？'
She　locked　her　eyes　with　his。　'No；'　she　said。　'You　won't。'
He　got　up　in　a　hurry　then。　His　chair　fell　over。
'I'll　put　a　stop　to　it；'　she　said。　She　wanted　to　step　back　from　him；　but　that　would　end　it　too。　One　false　move；　one　sign　of　giving；　and　he　would　be　on　her。
He　was　unbuckling　his　belt。　'I'm　going　to　strap　you；　Charity；'　he　said　regretfully。
'I'll　put　a　stop　to　it　any　way　I　can。　I'll　go　up　to　the　school　and　report　him　truant。　Go　to　Sheriff　Bannerman　and　report　him　kidnapped。　But　most　of　all　。。。　I'll　see　to　it　that　Brett　doesn't　want　to　go。'
He　pulled　his　belt　from　the　loops　of　his　pants　and　held　it　with　the　buckle　end　penduluming　back　and　forth　by　the　floor。
'The　only　way　you'll　get　him　up　there　with　the　rest　of　those　drunks　and　animals　before　he's　fifteen　is　if　I　let　him　go；'　she　said。　'You　sling　your　belt　on　me　if　you　want；　Joe　Camber。　Nothing　is　going　to　change　that。'
'Is　that　so？'
'I'm　standing　here　and　telling　you　it　is。'
But　suddenly　he　didn't　seem　to　he　in　the　room　with　her　any　more。　His　eyes　had　gone　far　away；　musing。　She　had　seen　him　do　this　other　times。　Something　had　just　crossed　his　mind；　a　new　fact　to　be　laboriously　added　into　the　equation。　She　prayed　that　whatever　it　was　would　be　on　her　side　of　the　equals　sign。　She　had　never　gone　so　much　against　him　before；　and　she　was　scared。
Camber　suddenly　smiled。　'Regular　little　spitfire；　ain't　you？'
She　said　nothing。
He　began　to　slip　his　belt　back　into　the　loops　of　his　pants　again。　He　was　still　smiling；　his　eyes　still　far　away。　'You　suppose　you　can　screw　like　one　of　those　spitfires？　Like　one　of　those　little　Mexican　spitfires？'
She　still　said　nothing；　wary。
'If　I　say　you　and　him　can　go；　what　about　then？　You　suppose　we　could　shoot　for　the　moon？'
'What　do　you　mean？'
'It　means　okay；'　he　said。　'You　and　him。'
He　crossed　the　room　in　his　quick；　agile　way；　and　it　made　her　cold　to　think　of　how　quick　he　could　have　crossed　it　a　minute　before；　how　quick　he　could　have　had　his　belt　on　her。　And　who　would　there　have　been　to　stop　him？　What　a　man　did　with　…　or　to　…　his　wife；　that　was　their　own　affair。　She　could　have　done　nothing；　said　nothing。　Because　of　Brett。　Because　of　her　pride。
He　put　his　hand　on　her　shoulder。　He　dropped　it　to　one　of　her　breasts。　He　squeezed　it。　'e　on；'　he　said。　'I'm　horny。'
'Brett　…'
'He　won't　be　in　u