dclegg.purity-第16部分

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more　days　of　this。。。this　tempest？〃　The　kitchen　was　like　a　brilliant　day　pared　to　the　murky　rain　outdoors。
　Owen　had　e　in　through　the　back；　his　towel　in　his　arms。　〃Up　for　a　swim；　Cathy？〃
　Mrs。　M　shook　her　head。　〃Feeling　a　bit　downtrodden　from　the　rain。　Ask　Frank；　he'd　probably　love　a　race　with　you。〃
　〃Mr。　M's　around？〃
　〃He's　enjoying　the　summer　here　after　all。〃
　〃That's　great。　I　would've　thought　with　the　rain。。。〃
　Mrs。　M　didn't　seem　to　notice　his　ment。　She　crossed　her　legs；　one　over　the　other；　and　Owen　thought　for　a　moment　that　it　was　the　most　luxurious　movement　he　had　ever　in　his　life　seen。　〃You　here　for　Jenna？〃
　〃I　doubt　she　wants　to　see　me。〃
　〃Owen；〃　Mrs。　M　said；　setting　the　paper　down　on　the　kitchen　table。　She　arched　an　eyebrow。　〃Something's　changed　about　you。　What　is　it？　Turn　around。〃
　Dutifully；　he　turned　about　and　then　back　to　face　her　again。
　〃You're　different　now。　What's　that　all　about？〃　She　said　it　with　a　sweet　amazement。　〃Are　you　in　love？〃
　〃No；〃　he　said；　too　quickly。
　〃Jenna's　in　her　room。　She　sleeps　later　and　later。　Go　call　her　if　you　want。
　She　should　get　up。　It's　nearly　ten。　No　one　should　sleep　this　late。　Not　at　her　age。　Not　in　summer。〃　Then；　Mrs。　M　leaned　forward；　her　breasts　dropping　slightly　out　of　her　robe。　〃Between　you；　me；　and　the　wall；　Owen；　I　think　she's　really　depressed　over　something。　But　I'm　the　last　person　she'll　confide　in。　I　imagine　it's　about　a　boy；〃　she　whispered。　〃That　McTeague　character。〃
　Then；　she　said；　lightly；　〃I　always　thought　there　was　something　not　right　about　him。〃
　4
　〃Oh。　It's　you；〃　Jenna　said。　She　was　sitting　up　in　her　bed；　the　covers　around　her　white　cotton　nightgown。
　〃Hi；〃　he　said　from　the　doorway。　The　room　smelled　of　sandalwood　and　vanilla。
　〃It's　the　rain。　It　does　this　to　me；〃　she　said；　wiping　her　hair　back　from　her　face。　〃I　hate　storms。〃　She　added；　idly；　almost　as　if　he　wasn't　listening；　〃It's　like　my　summer　got　stolen。〃
　He　remembered　the　love　that　he　had　nearly　forgotten。　He　remembered　why　he　loved　Jenna　so　much。　She　was　there　for　him；　always。　She　had　always　been　there　for　him。
　〃Okay　if　I　e　in？　You　know；　like　I　used　to？〃
　〃Sure；〃　she　said；　drawing　her　knees　up。　Then；　〃What　is　it　between　you　two？〃
　He　went　into　the　bedroom；　and　sat　down　on　the　chair　near　her　desk。
　〃Who　two？〃
　〃Don't　be　coy；〃　she　said　unpleasantly。　〃Jimmy。　Is　it　just　sex？〃
　〃Oh。　That。〃
　〃Yes。　That。〃
　〃I　don't　want　to　talk　about　it。〃
　〃I　think　you　do。〃
　〃No；　I　really　don't。〃　And　then；　something　within　him　opened　up。　It　was　like　feeling　a　heat　…　a　fire　…　in　his　chest；　near　his　heart。　It　was　Dagon。
　Dagon　would　inspire　him。　He　felt　that　strength；　suddenly；　just　when　he　thought　he　would　falter。　Without　even　trying；　tears　poured　from　his　eyes。
　〃Owen？　Owen？〃　she　asked；　but　he　was　nearly　blind　from　the　tears。　She　lifted　the　blanket；　and　patted　a　space　next　to　her。　〃e　here。　What's　wrong？
　Owen？〃
　He　bawled　like　a　baby；　and　without　knowing　who　…　or　what　…　had　moved　him；　he　found　himself　in　her　bed；　her　arms　around　him。
　〃Aw；　Owen；　what's　wrong？　What's　wrong　my　precious；　precious；　precious　baby　boy？〃　She　held　him　close；　and　Dagon　was　there。　He　felt　it。　He　was　not　alone。
　Dagon　was　there。
　The　voice　that　came　from　his　throat　didn't　feel　like　his。　It　was　some　small　boy's。　Some　crybaby　who　shivered　and　spilled　emotion　across　the　girl　he　loved。
　〃He。。。I　didn't。。。I　didn't　want。。。I　can't　talk　about。。。I　didn't。。。he　just　kept。。。he　just　kept。。。he　kept。。。he。。。I　tried　to。。。fight。。。fight。。。fight。。。push。。。hit。。。but。。。he　just　kept。。。　he　just　kept。。。he　just　kept。〃
　〃Oh　my　god；〃　Jenna　said；　her　voice　chilled　and　haunted。　〃No。　He　didn't。　No。　Did　he？　Owen？　Did　he　rape　you？　Did　he？〃
　〃He　just　kept。。。oh　god；　Jenna；　I　can't　face　this。。。I　wanted　to。。。I　wanted　to。。。I　wanted　to。。。kill。。。myself。。。I　wanted　to。。。〃
　And　so　it　began；　and　she　said　all　the　things　that　she　was　meant　to　say；　and　Owen　told　less　than　he　needed　to　tell；　because　she　made　the　connections　herself；　and　he　sat　with　her　for　hours　in　her　arms；　and　then；　they　made　love。
　5
　He　went　to　the　boat　that　night。
　It　was　over　now。　It　was　all　over。　Dagon　was　still　within　him；　and　he　had　won。
　He　wanted　to　take　it　to　Jimmy。　He　wanted　Jimmy　to　suffer　from　it。　If　he　could；　he　would've　videotaped　the　afternoon；　he　would've　tape…recorded　Jenna's　voice　saying　over　and　over　again　that　she　loved　him；　that　it　was　all　her　fault；　that　Jimmy　should　never　have　e　to　the　island；　that　he　was　bad；　he　was　evil；　and　they　should　call　the　police；　they　should　do　something。　She　even　told　him　that　if　that　bastard　ever　set　foot　on　her　property　again；　she　would　take　that　gun　and　shoot　him　right　between　the　eyes。
　The　storm　continued　to　rage；　but　in　muted　anger；　across　the　gray　mood　of　sky。　The　Sound　and　the　distant　islands　that　could　be　seen　were　like　watercolor　images；　fuzzy　and　melting　in　the　rain。　Owen　wore　a　bright　yellow　raincoat　that　belonged　to　his　father。　He　was　a　fire　in　the　darkness。
　〃Mooncalf；　you　look　like　a　fisherman；〃　Jimmy　said。　He　wore　cut…off　jeans　and　a　striped　rugby　shirt　that　was　already　soaked　through；　and　his　hair　was　like　seaweed；　hanging　in　his　eyes。　In　his　hand；　a　green　bottle　of　beer。　〃Like；　you　know；　a　real　New　England　Clam　Chowder　Fisherman！〃　He　had　to　shout　over　a　roll　of　thunder　and　a　crack　in　the　sky；　then　the　world　lit　up　for　a　moment；　it　returned　to　gray。
　Owen　laughed；　shaking　his　head。　〃You're　drunk；　boy。〃
　〃Want　a　beer？〃　Jimmy　asked。
　〃Sure；〃　Owen　said。　〃How　many　you　drink　already？〃
　〃Four。　Maybe　five。　Who's　counting？〃
　〃Let's　get　out　of　the　rain！〃
　〃I　like　the　jetty；〃　Jimmy　said；　tossing　him　a　small　bottle　and　then　leaping　to　the　dock。　He　grabbed　Owen's　free　hand。　〃No　one's　looking。　We　can　hold　hands；　all　right？〃
　〃I　don't　know。〃　Owen　tugged　away。　He　twisted　the　top　off　the　Rolling　Rock　bottle；　and　took　a　swig。　〃God；　I'm　sick　of　rain！〃
　〃Me；　too！〃　Jimmy　tried　to　kiss　him；　but　Owen　stepped　back　to　avoid　it。
　The　rain　lightened　slightly；　it　was　a　warm　rain；　it　washed　across　their　bodies。　〃She's　sort　of　expecting　us；〃　Owen　said。
　〃Who？〃
　〃Jenna。〃
　〃Jenna？〃　Jimmy　laughed；　and　then　looked　sidelong　up　the　hill　to　the　Montgomery　place。　〃What　for？　I　thought　it　was　you　and　me　tonight。〃
　〃She's。。。she's　pissed。　I　guess　that's　what　it　is；〃　Owen　shrugged。　〃She's　pissed　and　she　wants　us　to　talk　to　her。　I　told　her。〃
　〃You。。。you　told　her？〃
　〃After　yesterday；　in　the　truck；　Christ；　Jimmy；　I　can't　not　tell　her。　I've　known　her　all　my　life。　She's　one　of　my　closest　friends。　I　told　her　about　us。
　About　how　we're　going　to　go　away　together。　How　you　love　me　now。　How　everything's　all　right。〃
　〃You。。。you。。。〃　he　stammered。　The　bottle　in　his　hand　dropped　to　the　rocky　ledge；　shattering。　〃You　told　her。〃
　It　was　ing　out　now。　The　madness　that　they　all　had　within　them。
　Owen　wanted　to　smile；　but　knew　that　if　he　did；　he　would　give　himself　away。
　6
　The　rain　thinned。　Minutes　had　passed　while　Jimmy　had　taken　in　what　had　just　been　said。　Owen　could　practically　see　the　thoughts　in　the　eyebrows　as　they　squiggled　around；　flashing　anger　and　confusion；　and　the　way　he　chewed　his　lip；　and　his　eyes　wouldn't　stop　blinking。　Owen　reached　over　and　touched　his　scalp。　〃Sometimes　I　think　I　see　a　halo　around　your　head。　I　do。　I　think　you're　some　kind　of　angel；〃　Owen　said；　and　then　scruffed　his　hair。
　〃You　fucking　told　her？〃　Jimmy　growled。　〃You　goddamn　fucking　son　of　a　bitch　told　her　what　we'd　been。。。what　we'd。。。〃
　〃Do　you　think　she　didn't　see？〃　Owen　set　his　bottle　down　on　the　jetty；　and　put　his　hands　on　Jimmy's　shoulders；　pulling　him　into　him。　〃Do　you　think　she's　stupid？　We're　her　friends；　for　Christ　sakes。　She　can　see。　She　told　me　she　watched　us　that　first　night。　She　saw　us。　There　was　enough　light　to　see　our　shadows；　puppy。　She　told　me　it　upset　her；　but　she　understood。　She　wasn't　sure　if　it　wasn't　just　one　of　those　drunk　boy　things。。。or　something　else。　I　told　her　it　was。〃　Then；　he　added　hesitantly；　〃Something　else。〃
　〃You　fucking　goddamn　son　of　a　bitch　gardener's　son　living　in　your　goddamn　peasant　fucking　world　you　don't　even　know　what　you've　done！〃
　Jimmy　shouted。　His　face　had　contorted　until　it　was　more　mask　than　face；　a　mask　of　pain　and　fury。　It　was　no　longer　human。　〃You　fucking　think　that；〃　spit