sk.thetalisman-第112部分

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　　Jack's　eyes　began　to　burn。　'You　got　it；　Richard　old　chum。'　He　raised　his　arm　and　pressed　his　already　damp　eyes　into　the　fabric　at　the　crook　of　his　elbow。
　　'Oh　hey；　calm　down；　hey　really　。　。　。'　Richard　said；　tugging　frantically　at　his　sweater。　'Don't　cry；　Jack；　e　on；　please；　I　know　it's　a　terrible　thing；　I　didn't　mean　to　。　。　。　it　was　just　that…'　Richard　had　crossed　the　room　instantly　and　without　noise；　and　was　now　awkwardly　patting　Jack's　arm　and　shoulder。
　　'I'm　okay；'　Jack　said。　He　lowered　his　arm。　'It's　not　some　crazy　fantasy；　Richard；　no　matter　how　it　looks　to　you。'　He　sat　up　straight。　'My　father　called　me　Travelling　Jack；　and　so　did　an　old　man　in　Arcadia　Beach。'　Jack　hoped　he　was　right　about　Richard's　sympathy　opening　internal　doors；　when　he　looked　at　Richard's　face；　he　saw　that　it　was　true。　His　friend　looked　worried；　tender；　four…square。
　　Jack　began　his　story。
　　　
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　　Around　the　two　boys　the　life　of　Nelson　House　went　on；　both　calm　and　boisterous　in　the　manner　of　boarding　schools；　punctuated　with　shouts　and　roars　and　laughter。　Footsteps　padded　past　the　door　but　did　not　stop。　From　the　room　above　came　regular　thumps　and　an　occasional　drift　of　music　Jack　finally　recognized　as　a　record　by　Blue　Oyster　Cult。　He　began　by　telling　Richard　about　the　Daydreams。　From　the　Daydreams　he　went　to　Speedy　Parker。　He　described　the　voice　speaking　to　him　from　the　whirling　funnel　in　the　sand。　And　then　he　told　Richard　of　how　he　had　taken　Speedy's　'magic　juice'　and　first　flipped　into　the　Territories。
　　'But　I　think　it　was　just　cheap　wine；　wino　wine；'　Jack　said。　'Later；　after　it　was　all　gone；　I　found　out　that　I　didn't　need　it　to　flip。　I　could　just　do　it　by　myself。'
　　'Okay；'　Richard　said　nonmittally。
　　He　tried　to　truly　represent　the　Territories　to　Richard：　the　cart…track；　the　sight　of　the　summer　palace；　the　timelessness　and　specificity　of　it。　Captain　Farren；　the　dying　Queen；　which　brought　him　to　Twinners；　Osmond。　The　scene　at　All…Hands'　Village；　the　Outpost　Road　which　was　the　Western　Road。　He　showed　Richard　his　little　collection　of　sacred　objects；　the　guitar…pick　and　marble　and　coin。　Richard　merely　turned　these　over　in　his　fingers　and　gave　them　back　without　ment。　Then　Jack　relived　his　wretched　time　in　Oatley。　Richard　listened　to　Jack's　tales　of　Oatley　silent　but　wide…eyed。
　　Jack　carefully　omitted　Morgan　Sloat　and　Morgan　of　Orris　from　his　account　of　the　scene　at　the　Lewisburg　rest　area　on　I…70　in　western　Ohio。
　　Then　Jack　had　to　describe　Wolf　as　he　had　first　seen　him；　that　beaming　giant　in　Oshkosh　B'Gosh　bib　overalls；　and　he　felt　his　tears　building　again　behind　his　eyes。　He　did　actually　startle　Richard　by　weeping　while　he　told　about　trying　to　get　Wolf　into　cars；　and　confessed　his　impatience　with　his　panion；　fighting　not　to　weep　again；　and　was　fine　for　a　long　time…he　managed　to　get　through　the　story　of　Wolf's　first　Change　without　tears　or　a　constricted　throat。　Then　he　struck　trouble　again。　His　rage　kept　him　talking　freely　until　he　got　to　Ferd　Janklow；　and　then　his　eyes　grew　hot　again。
　　Richard　said　nothing　for　a　long　time。　Then　he　stood　up　and　fetched　a　clean　handkerchief　from　a　bureau　drawer。　Jack　noisily；　wetly　blew　his　nose。
　　'That's　what　happened；'　Jack　said。　'Most　of　it；　anyhow。'
　　'What　have　you　been　reading？　What　movies　have　you　been　seeing？'
　　'Fuck　you；'　Jack　said。　He　stood　up　and　walked　across　the　room　to　get　his　pack；　but　Richard　reached　out　and　put　his　hand　around　Jack's　wrist。　'I　don't　think　you　made　it　all　up。　I　don't　think　you　made　any　of　it　up。'
　　'Don't　you？'
　　'No。　I　don't　know　what　I　do　think；　actually；　but　I'm　sure　you're　not　telling　me　deliberate　lies。'　He　dropped　his　hand。　'I　believe　you　were　in　the　Sunlight　Home；　I　believe　that；　all　right。　And　I　believe　that　you　had　a　friend　named　Wolf；　who　died　there。　I'm　sorry；　but　I　cannot　take　the　Territories　seriously；　and　I　cannot　accept　that　your　friend　was　a　werewolf。'
　　'So　you　think　I'm　nuts；'　Jack　said。
　　'I　think　you're　in　trouble。　But　I'm　not　going　to　call　my　father；　and　I'm　not　going　to　make　you　leave　now。　You'll　have　to　sleep　in　the　bed　here　tonight。　If　we　hear　Mr。　Haywood　ing　around　to　do　bed　checks；　you'll　be　able　to　hide　under　the　bed。'　
　　Richard　had　taken　on　a　faintly　executive　air；　and　he　put　his　hands　on　his　hips　and　glanced　critically　around　his　room。　'You　have　to　get　some　rest。　I'm　sure　that's　part　of　the　problem。　They　worked　you　half　to　death　in　that　horrible　place；　and　your　mind　got　twisted；　and　now　you　need　to　rest。'
　　'I　do；'　Jack　admitted。
　　Richard　rolled　his　eyes　upward。　'I　have　to　go　to　intramural　basketball　pretty　soon；　but　you　can　hide　in　here；　and　I'll　bring　some　more　food　back　from　the　dining　room　later　on。　The　important　thing　is；　you　need　rest　and　you　need　to　get　back　home。'　
　　Jack　said；　'New　Hampshire　isn't　home。'
　　
　　　CHAPTER　30
　　　Thayer　Gets　Weird
　　　
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　　Through　the　window　Jack　could　see　boys　in　coats；　hunched　against　the　cold；　crossing　to　and　fro　between　the　library　and　the　rest　of　the　school。　Etheridge；　the　senior　who　had　spoken　to　Jack　that　morning；　bustled　by；　his　scarf　flying　out　behind　him。
　　Richard　took　a　tweed　sport　jacket　from　the　narrow　closet　beside　the　bed。　'Nothing　is　going　to　make　me　think　that　you　should　do　anything　but　go　back　to　New　Hampshire。　I　have　to　go　to　basketball　now；　because　if　I　don't　Coach　Frazer'll　make　me　do　ten　punishment　laps　as　soon　as　he　es　back。　Some　other　coach　is　taking　our　practice　today；　and　Frazer　said　he'd　run　us　into　the　ground　if　we　cut　out。　Do　you　want　to　borrow　some　clean　clothes？　I　at　least　have　a　shirt　that'll　fit　you…my　father　sent　it　to　me　from　New　York；　and　Brooks　Brothers　got　the　size　wrong。'
　　'Let's　see　it；'　Jack　said。　His　clothes　had　bee　definitely　disreputable；　so　stiff　with　filth　that　whenever　he　noticed　it　Jack　felt　like　Pigpen；　the　'Peanuts'　character　who　lived　in　a　mist　of　dirt　and　disapproval。　Richard　gave　him　a　white　button…down　still　in　its　plastic　bag。　'Great；　thanks；'　Jack　said。　He　took　it　out　of　the　bag　and　began　removing　the　pins。　It　would　almost　fit。
　　'There's　a　jacket　you　might　try　on；　too；'　Richard　said。　'The　blazer　hanging　at　the　end　of　the　closet。　Try　it　on；　okay？　And　you　might　as　well　use　one　of　my　ties；　too。　Just　in　case　anyone　es　in。　Say　you're　from　Saint　Louis　Country　Day；　and　you're　on　a　Newspaper　Exchange。　We　do　two　or　three　of　those　a　year…kids　from　here　go　there；　kids　from　there　e　here；　to　work　on　the　other　school's　paper。'　He　went　toward　the　door。　'I'll　e　back　before　dinner　and　see　how　you　are。'　
　　Two　ballpoints　were　clipped　to　a　plastic　insert　in　his　jacket　pocket；　Jack　noticed；　and　all　the　buttons　of　the　jacket　were　buttoned。
　　Nelson　House　grew　perfectly　quiet　within　minutes。　From　Richard's　window　Jack　saw　boys　seated　at　desks　in　the　big　library　windows。　Nobody　moved　on　the　paths　or　over　the　crisp　brown　grass。　An　insistent　bell　rang；　marking　the　beginning　of　fourth　period。　Jack　stretched　his　arms　out　and　yawned。　A　feeling　of　security　returned　to　him…a　school　around　him；　with　all　those　familiar　rituals　of　bells　and　classes　and　basketball　practices。　Maybe　he　would　be　able　to　stay　another　day；　maybe　he　would　even　be　able　to　call　his　mother　from　one　of　the　Nelson　House　phones。　He　would　certainly　be　able　to　catch　up　on　his　sleep。
　　Jack　went　to　the　closet　and　found　the　blazer　hanging　where　Richard　had　said　it　would　be。　A　tag　still　hung　from　one　of　the　sleeves：　Sloat　had　sent　it　from　New　York；　but　Richard　had　never　worn　it。　Like　the　shirt；　the　blazer　was　one　size　too　small　for　Jack　and　clung　too　tightly　to　his　shoulders；　but　the　cut　was　roomy　and　the　sleeves　allowed　the　white　shirt　cuffs　to　peek　out　half　an　inch。
　　Jack　lifted　a　necktie　from　the　hook　just　inside　the　closet…red；　with　a　pattern　of　blue　anchors。　Jack　slipped　the　tie　around　his　neck　and　laboriously　knotted　it。　Then　he　examined　himself　in　the　mirror　and　laughed　out　loud。　Jack　saw　that　he　had　made　it　at　last。　He　looked　at　the　beautiful　new　blazer；　the　club　tie；　his　snowy　shirt；　his　rumpled　jeans。　He　was　there。　He　was　a　preppy。
　　　
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　　Richard　had　bee；　Jack　saw；　an　admirer　of　John　McPhee　and　Lewis　Thomas　and　Stephen　Jay　Gould。　He　picked　The　Panda's　Thumb　from　the　row　of　books　on　Richard