sk.carrie-第13部分

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she　does　someone　a　major　damage。'
'You　aren't…'
'Ewen；　four　years；'　Grayle　overrode　him。　'Graduation　slated　June　seventy…nine；　next　month。　Tested　I。Q。　of　a　hundred　and　forty。　Eighty…three　average。　Nonetheless；　I　see　she's　been　accepted　at　Oberlin。　I'd　guess　someone　…　probably　you；　Mr　Hargensen　…　has　been　yanking　some　pretty　long　strings。　Seventy…four　assigned　detentions。　Twenty　of　those　have　been　for　harassment　of　misfit　pupils；　I　might　add。　Fifth　wheels；　I　understand　that　Chris's　clique　calls　them　Mortimer　Snurds。　They　find　it　all　quite　hilarious。　She　skipped　out　on　fifty…one　of　those　assigned　detentions。　At　Chamberlain　Junior　High；　one　suspension　for　putting　a　firecracker　in　a　girl's　shoe　。。。　the　note　on　the　card　says　that　little　prank　almost　cost　a　little　girl　named　Irma　Swope　two　toes。　The　Swope　girl　has　a　harelip；　I　understand。　I'm　talking　about　your　daughter；　Mr　Hargensen。　Does　that　tell　you　anything？'
'Yes；'　Hargensen　said；　rising。　A　thin　flush　had　suffused　his　features；　'It　tells　me　I'll　see　you　in　court。　And　when　I'm　done　with　you；　you'll　be　lucky　to　get　a　job　selling　encyclopedias　door　to　door。'
Grayle　also　rose；　angrily；　and　the　two　men　faced　each　other　across　the　desk
'Let　it　be　court；　then；'　Grayle　said。
He　noted　a　faint　flick　of　surprise　on　Hargensen's　face；　crossed　his　fingers；　and　went　in　for　what　he　hoped　would　be　a　knockout　…　or　at　least　a　TKO　that　would　save　Desjardin's　job　and　take　this　silk…ass　son　of　a　bitch　down　a　notch。
'You　apparently　haven't　realized　all　the　implications　of　in　loco　parentis　in　this　matter；　Mr　Hargensen。　The　same　umbrella　that　covers　your　daughter　also　covers　Carrie　White。　And　the　minute　you　file　for　damages　on　the　grounds　of　physical　and　verbal　abuse；　we　will　cross…file　against　your　daughter　on　those　same　grounds　for　Carrie　White。'
Hargensen's　mouth　dropped　open；　then　closed；　'You　can't　get　away　with　a　cheap　gimmick　like　that；　you…'
'Shyster　lawyer？　Is　that　the　phrase　you　were　looking　for？'　Grayle　smiled　grimly。　'I　believe　you　know　your　way　out；　Mr　Hargensen。　The　sanctions　against　your　daughter　stand。　If　you　care　to　take　the　matter　further；　that　is　your　right。'
Hargensen　crossed　the　room　stiffly；　paused　as　if　to　add　something；　then　left；　barely　restraining　himself　from　the　satisfaction　of　a　hard　doorslam。
Grayle　blew　out　breath。　It　wasn't　hard　to　see　where　Chris　Hargensen　came　by　her　self…willed　stubbornness。　
A。　P。　Morton　entered　a　minute　later。　'How　did　it　go？'
'Time'll　tell；　Morty；'　Grayle　said。　Grimacing；　he　looked　at　the　twisted　pile　of　paper　clips。　'He　was　good　for　seven　clips；　anyway。　That's　some　kind　of　record。'
'Is　he　going　to　make　it　a　civil　matter？'
'Don't　know。　It　rocked　him　when　I　said　we'd　counter　sue。'
'I　bet　it　did。'　Morton　glanced　at　the　phone　on　Grayle's　desk。　'It's　time　we　let　the　superintendent　in　on　this　bag　of　garbage；　isn't　it？'
'Yes；'　Grayle　said；　picking　up　the　phone。　'Thank　God　my　unemployment　insurance　is　paid　up。'
'Me　too；'　Morton　said　loyally。
From　The　Shadow　Exploded　（appendix　Ill）：
Carrie　White　passed　in　the　following　short　verse　as　a　poetry　assignment　in　the　seventh　grade。　Mr　Edwin　King；　who　had　Carrie　for　grade　seven　English；　says：　'I　don't　know　why　I　saved　it。　She　certainly　doesn't　stick　out　in　my　mind　as　a　superior　pupil；　and　this　isn't　a　superior　verse。　She　was　very　quiet　and　I　can't　remember　her　ever　raising　her　hand　even　once　in　class。　But　something　in　this　seemed　to　cry　out。'
Jesus　watches　from　the　wall。　But　his　face　is　cold　as　stone。　And　if　he　loves　me　…　As　she　tells　me　Why　do　I　feel　so　all　alone？
The　border　of　the　paper　on　which　this　little　verse　is　written　is　decorated　with　a　great　many　cruciform　figures　which　almost　seem　to　dance　。。。
Tommy　was　at　baseball　practice　Monday　afternoon；　and　Sue　went　down　to　the　Kelly　Fruit　pany　in　The　Centre　to　wait　for　him。
Kelly's　was　the　closest　thing　to　a　high　school　hangout　the　loosely　sprawled　munity　of　Chamberlain　could　boast　since　Sheriff　Doyle　had　closed　the　rec　centre　following　a　large　drug　bust。　It　was　run　by　a　morose　fat　man　named　Hubert　Kelly　who　dyed　his　hair　black　and　plained　constantly　that　his　electronic　pacemaker　was　on　the　verge　of　electrocuting　him。
The　place　was　a　bination　grocery；　soda　fountain　and　gas　station…there　Was　a　rusted　Jenny　pump　out　front　that　Hubie　had　never　bothered　to　change　when　the　pany　merged。　He　also　sold　beer；　cheap　wine；　dirty　books；　and　a　wide　selection　of　obscure　cigarettes　such　as　Mirads；　King　Sano；　and　Marvel　Straights。
The　soda　fountain　was　a　slab　of　real　marble；　and　there　were　four　or　five　booths　for　kids　unlucky　enough　or　friendless　enough　to　have　no　place　to　go　and　get　drunk　or　stoned。　An　ancient　pinball　machine　that　always　tilted　on　the　third　ball　stuttered　lights　on　and　off　in　the　back　beside　the　rack　of　dirty　books。
When　Sue　walked　in　she　saw　Chris　Hargensen　immediately。　She　was　sitting　in　one　of　the　back　booths。　Her　current　amour；　Billy　Nolan；　was　looking　through　the　latest　issue　of　Popular　Mechanix　at　the　magazine　rack。　Sue　didn't　know　what　a　rich；　Popular　girl　like　Chris　saw　in　Nolan；　who　was　like　some　strange　time　traveller　from　the　1950s　with　his　greased　hair；　zipper…bejewelled　leather　jacket；　and　manifold…bubbling　Chevrolet　road　machine。
'Sue！'　Chris　hailed；　'e　on　over！'
Sue　nodded　and　raised　a　hand；　although　dislike　rose　in　her　throat　like　a　paper　snake。　Looking　at　Chris　was　like　looking　through　a　slanted　doorway　to　a　place　where　Carrie　White　crouched　with　hands　over　her　head。　Predictably　she　found　her　own　hypocrisy　（inherent　in　the　wave　and　the　nod）　inprehensible　and　sickening。　Why　couldn't　she　just　cut　her　dead？
'A　dime　root　beer；'　she　told　Hubie。　Hubie　had　genuine　draft　root　beer；　and　he　served　it　in　huge；　frosted　1890s　mugs。　She　had　been　looking　forward　to　tipping　a　long　one　while　she　read　a　paper　novel　and　waited　for　Tommy　…　in　spite　of　the　havoc　the　root　beers　raised　with　her　plexion；　she　was　hooked。　But　she　wasn't　surprised　to　find　she'd　lost　her　taste　for　this　one。
'How's　your　heart；　Hubie？'　she　asked。
'You　kids；'　Hubie　said；　scraping　the　head　off　Sue's　beer　with　a　table　knife　and　filling　the　mug　the　rest　of　the　way。　'You　don't　understand　nothing。　I　plugged　in　my　electric　razor　this　morning　and　got　a　hundred　a　ten　volts　right　through　this　pacemaker。　You　kids　don't　know　what　that's　like；　am　I　right？'
'I　guess　not。'
'No；　Christ　Jesus　forbid　you　should　ever　have　to　find　out。　How　long　can　my　old　ticket　take　it？　You　kids'll　all　find　out　when　I　buy　the　farm　and　those　urban　renewal　poops　turn　this　place　into　a　parking　lot。　That's　a　dime。'
She　pushed　her　dime　across　the　marble。
'Fifty　million　volts　right　up　the　old　tubes；'　Hubie　said　darkly；　and　stared　down　at　the　small　bulge　in　his　breast　pocket。
Sue　went　over　and　slid　carefully　into　the　vacant　side　of　Chris's　booth。　She　was　looking　exceptionally　pretty；　her　black　hair　held　by　a　shamrock…green　band　and　a　tight　basque　blouse　that　accentuated　her　firm；　upthrust　breasts。
'How　are　you；　Chris？'
'Bitchin'　good；'　Chris　said　a　little　too　blithely。　'You　heard　the　latest？　I'm　out　of　the　prom。　I　bet　that　cocksucker　Grayle　loses　his　job；　though。'
Sue　had　heard　the　latest。　Along　with　everyone　at　Ewen。
'Daddy's　suing　them；'　Chris　went　on。　Over　her　shoulder；　'Billeee！　e　over　here　and　say　hi　to　Sue。'
He　dropped　his　magazine　and　sauntered　over；　thumbs　booked　into　his　side…hitched　garrison　belt；　fingers　dangling　limply　toward　the　stuffed　crotch　of　his　pegged　levis。　Sue　felt　a　wave　of　unreality　surge　over　her　and　fought　an　urge　to　put　her　hands　to　her　face　and　giggle　madly。
'Hi；　Suze；'　Billy　said。　He　slid　in　beside　Chris　and　immediately　began　to　massage　her　shoulder。　His　face　was　utterly　blank。　He　might　have　been　testing　a　cut　of　beef。
'I　think　we're　going　to　crash　the　prom　anyway；'　Chris　said。　'As　a　protest　or　something。'
'Is　that　right？'　Sue　was　frankly　startled。
'No；'　Chris　replied；　dismissing　it；　'I　don't　know。'　Her　face　suddenly　twisted　into　in　expression　of　fury；　as　abrupt　and　surprising　as　a　tornado　funnel。　'That　goddamned　Carrie　White！　I　wish　she'd　taken　her　goddam　holy　joe　routine　and　stuff　it　straight　up　her　ass！'
'You'll　get　over　it；'　Sue　said。
'If　only　the　rest　of　you　had　walked　out　with　me　。。。　Jesus　Sue；　why　didn't　you？　We　could　have　had　them　by　the　balls。　I　never　figure