stephen king - mist-第3部分

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　He　was　tired　of　throwing　branches；　and　the　thing　to　do　with　a　little　boy　when　he's　tired　is　to　let　him　go　do　something　else。　〃Sure。〃
　We　walked　back　to　the　house　together　and　then　Billy　cut　right；　going　around　the　house　and　giving　the　downed　wires　a　large　berth。　I　went　left；　into　the　garage；　to　get　my　McCullough。　As　I　had　suspected；　I　could　already　hear　the　unpleasant　song　of　the　chainsaw　up　and　down　the　lake。
　I　topped　up　the　tank；　took　off　my　shirt；　and　was　starting　back　up　the　driveway　when　Steff　came　out。　She　eyed　the　downed　trees　lying　across　the　driveway　nervously。
　〃How　bad　is　it？〃
　〃I　can　cut　it　up。　How　bad　is　it　in　there？〃
　〃Well；　I　got　the　glass　cleaned　up；　but　you're　going　to　have　to　do　something　about　that　tree；　David。　We　can't　have　a　tree　in　the　living　room。〃
　'No；〃　I　said。　〃I　guess　we　can't。〃
　We　looked　at　each　other　in　the　morning　sunlight　and　got　giggling。　I　set　the　McCullough　down　on　the　cement　areaway；　and　kissed　her；　holding　her　buttocks　firmly。
　〃Don't；〃　she　murmured。　〃Billy's…〃
　He　came　tearing　around　the　corner　of　the　house　just　then。　〃Dad！　Daddy！　Y'oughta　see　the　〃
　Steffy　saw　the　live　wires　and　screamed　for　him　to　watch　out。　Billy；　who　was　a　good　distance　away　from　them；　pulled　up　short　and　stared　at　his　mother　as　if　she　had　gone　mad。
　〃I'm　okay；　Mom；〃　he　said　in　the　careful　tone　of　voice　you　use　to　placate　the　very　old　and　senile。　He　walked　towards　us；　showing　us　how　all　right　he　was；　and　Steff　began　to　tremble　in　my　arms。
　〃It's　all　right；〃　I　said　in　her　ear。　〃He　knows　about　them。〃
　〃Yes；　but　people　get　killed；〃　she　said。　〃They　have　ads　all　the　time　on　television　about　live　wires；　people　get…Billy；　I　want　you　to　e　in　the　house　right　now！〃
　〃Aw；　e　on；　Mom！　I　wanna　show　Dad　the　boathouse！〃　He　was　almost　bug…eyed　with　excitement　and　disappointment。　He　had　gotten　a　taste　of　poststorm　apocalypse　and　wanted　to　share　it。
　〃You　go　in　right　now！　Those　wires　are　dangerous　and…〃
　〃Dad　said　they　want　the　ground；　not　me…〃
　〃Billy；　don't　you　argue　with　me！〃
　〃I'll　e　down　and　look；　champ。　Go　on　down　yourself。〃　I　could　feel　Steff　tensing　against　me。　〃Go　around　the　other　side；　kiddo。〃
　〃Yeah！　Okay！〃
　He　tore　past　us；　taking　the　stone　steps　that　led　around　the　west　end　of　the　house　two　by　two。　He　disappeared　with　his　shirttail　flying；　trailing　back　one　word　…　〃Wow！〃　…　as　he　spotted　some　other　piece　of　destruction。
　〃He　knows　about　the　wires；　Steffy。〃　I　took　her　gently　by　the　shoulders。　〃He's　scared　of　them。　That's　good。　it　makes　him　safe。〃
　One　tear　tracked　down　her　cheek。　〃David；　I'm　scared。〃
　〃e　on！　It's　over。〃
　〃Is　it？　Last　winter　。。。　and　the　late　spring　。。。　they　called　it　a　black　spring　in　town　。。。　they　said　there　hadn't　been　one　in　these　parts　since　1888…〃
　〃They〃　undoubtedly　meant　Mrs。　Carmody；　who　kept　the　Bridgton　Antiquary；　a　junk　shop　that　Steff　liked　to　rummage　around　in　sometimes。　Billy　loved　to　go　with　her。　In　one　of　the　shadowy；　dusty　back　rooms；　stuffed　owls　with　gold…ringed　eyes　spread　their　wings　forever　as　their　feet　endlessly　grasped　varnished　logs；　stuffed　raccoons　stood　in　a　trio　around　a　〃stream〃　that　was　a　long　fragment　of　dusty　mirror；　and　one　moth…eaten　wolf；　which　was　foaming　sawdust　instead　of　saliva　around　his　muzzle；　snarled　a　creepy　eternal　snarl。　Mrs。　Carmody　claimed　the　wolf　was　shot　by　her　father　as　it　came　to　drink　from　Stevens　Brook　one　September　afternoon　in　1901。
　The　expeditions　to　Mrs。　Carmody's　Antiquary　shop　worked　well　for　my　wife　and　son。　She　was　into　carnival　glass　and　he　was　into　death　in　the　name　of　taxidermy。　But　I　thought　that　the　old　woman　exercised　a　rather　unpleasant　hold　over　Steff's　mind；　which　was　in　all　other　ways　practical　and　hardheaded。　She　had　found　Steff's　vulnerable　spot；　a　mental　Achilles'　heel。　Nor　was　Steff　the　only　one　in　town　who　was　fascinated　by　Mrs。　。　Carmody's　gothic　pronouncements　and　folk　remedies　（which　were　always　prescribed　in　God's　name）。
　Stump…water　would　take　off　bruises　if　your　husband　was　the　sort　who　got　a　bit　too　free　with　his　fists　after　three　drinks。　You　could　tell　what　kind　of　a　winter　was　ing　by　counting　the　rings　on　the　caterpillars　in　June　or　by　measuring　the　thickness　of　August　honeyb。　And　now；　good　God　protect　and　preserve　us；　THE　BLACK　SPRING　OF　1888　（add　your　own　exclamation　points；　as　many　as　you　think　it　deserves）。　I　had　also　heard　the　story。　it's　one　they　like　to　pass　around　up　here…if　the　spring　is　cold　enough；　the　ice　on　the　lakes　will　eventually　turn　as　black　as　a　rotted　tooth。　It's　rare；　but　hardly　a　once…in…a…century　occurrence。　They　like　to　pass　it　around；　but　I　doubt　that　many　could　pass　it　around　with　as　much　conviction　as　Mrs。　Carmody。
　〃We　had　a　hard　winter　and　a　late　spring；〃　I　said。　〃Now　we're　having　a　hot　summer。　And　we　had　a　storm　but　it's　over。　You're　not　acting　like　yourself；　Stephanie。〃
　〃That　wasn't　an　ordinary　storm；〃　she　said　in　that　same　husky　voice。
　〃No；〃　I　said。　〃I'll　go　along　with　you　there。〃
　I　had　heard　the　Black　Spring　story　from　Bill　Giosti；　who　owned　and　operated…after　a　fashion…Giosti's　Mobil　in　Casco　Village。　Bill　ran　the　place　with　his　three　tosspot　sons　（with　occasional　help　from　his　four　tosspot　grandsons　。。。　when　they　could　take　time　off　from　tinkering　with　their　snowmobiles　and　dirtbikes）。　Bill　was　seventy；　looked　eighty；　and　could　still　drink　like　twenty…three　when　the　mood　was　on　him。　Billy　and　I　had　taken　the　Scout　in　for　a　fill…up　the　day　after　a　surprise　mid…May　storm　dropped　nearly　a　foot　of　wet；　heavy　snow　on　the　region；　covering　the　new　grass　and　flowers。　Giosti　had　been　in　his　cups　for　fair；　and　happy　to　pass　along　the　Black　Spring　story；　along　with　his　own　original　twist。　But　we　get　snow　in　May　sometimes；　it　es　and　it's　gone　two　days　later。　It's　no　big　deal。
　Steff　was　glancing　doubtfully　at　the　downed　wires　again。　〃When　will　the　power　pany　e？〃
　〃Just　as　soon　as　they　can。　It　won't　be　long。　I　just　don't　want　you　to　worry　about　Billy。　His　head's　on　pretty　straight。　He　forgets　to　pick　up　his　clothes；　but　he　isn't　going　to　go　and　step　on　a　bunch　of　live　lines。　He's　got　a　good；　healthy　dose　of　self…interest。〃　I　touched　a　corner　of　her　mouth　and　it　obliged　by　turning　up　in　the　beginning　of　a　smile。　〃Better？〃
　〃You　always　make　it　seem　better；〃　she　said；　and　that　made　me　feel　good。
　From　the　lakeside　of　the　house　Billy　was　yelling　for　us　to　e　and　see。
　〃e　on；〃　I　said。　〃Let's　go　look　at　the　damage。〃
　She　snorted　ruefully。　〃if　I　want　to　look　at　damage；　I　can　go　sit　in　my　living　room。〃
　〃Make　a　little　kid　happy；　then。〃
　We　walked　down　the　stone　steps　hand　in　hand。　We　had　just　reached　the　first　turn　in　them　when　Billy　came　from　the　other　direction　at　speed；　almost　knocking　us　over。
　〃Take　it　easy；〃　Steff　said；　frowning　a　little。　Maybe；　in　her　mind；　she　was　seeing　him　skidding　into　that　deadly　nest　of　live　wires　instead　of　the　two　of　us。
　〃You　gotta　e　see！〃　Billy　panted。　〃The　boathouse　is　all　bashed！　There's　a　dock　on　the　rocks　。。。　and　trees　in　the　boat　cove　。。。　Jesus　Christ！〃
　〃Billy　Drayton！〃　Steff　thundered。
　〃Sorry；　Ma…but　you　gotta…wow！　〃　He　was　gone　again。
　〃Having　spoken；　the　doomsayer　departs；〃　I　said；　and　that　made　Steff　giggle　again。　〃Listen；　after　I　cut　up　those　trees　across　the　driveway；　I'll　go　by　the　Central　Maine　Power　office　on　Portland　Road。　Tell　them　what　we　got。　Okay？〃
　〃Okay；〃　she　said　gratefully。　〃When　do　you　think　you　can　go　~；〃
　Except　for　the　big　tree…the　one　with　the　moldy　corset　of　moss…it　would　have　been　an　hour's　work。　With　the　big　one　added　in；　I　didn't　think　the　job　would　be　done　until　eleven　or　so。
　〃I'll　give　you　lunch　here；　then。　But　you'll　have　to　get　some　things　at　the　market　for　me　。。。　we're　almost　out　of　milk　and　butter。　Also　。。。　well；　I'll　have　to　make　you　a　list。〃
　Give　a　woman　a　disaster　and　she　turns　squirrel。　I　gave　her　a　hug　and　nodded。　We　went　on　around　the　house。　it　didn't　take　more　than　a　glance　to　understand　why　Billy　had　been　a　little　overwhelmed。
　〃Lordy；〃　Steff　said　in　a　faint　voice。
　From　where　we　stood　we　had　enough　elevation　to　be　able　to　see　almost　a　quarter　of　a　mile　of　shoreline…the　Bibber　property　to　our　left；　our　own；　and　Brent　Norton's　to　our　right。
　The　huge　old　pine　that　had　guarded　our　boat　cove　had　been　sheared　off　halfway　up。　What　was