dk.intensity-第1部分

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　The　red　sun　balances　on　the　highest　ramparts　of　the　mountains；　and　in　its　waning　light；　the　foothills　appear　to　be　ablaze。　A　cool　breeze　blows　down　out　of　the　sun　and　fans　through　the　tall　dry　grass；　which　streams　like　waves　of　golden　fire　along　the　slopes　toward　the　rich　and　shadowed　valley。
　In　the　knee…high　grass；　he　stands　with　his　hands　in　the　pockets　of　his　denim　jacket；　studying　the　vineyards　below。　The　vines　were　pruned　during　the　winter。　The　new　growing　season　has　just　begun。　The　colorful　wild　mustard　that　flourished　between　the　rows　during　the　colder　months　has　been　chopped　back　and　the　stubble　plowed　under。　The　earth　is　dark　and　fertile。
　The　vineyards　encircle　a　barn；　outbuildings；　and　a　bungalow　for　the　caretaker。　Except　for　the　barn；　the　largest　structure　is　the　owners'　Victorian　house　with　its　gables；　dormers；　decorative　millwork　under　the　eaves；　and　carved　pediment　over　the　front　porch　steps。
　Paul　and　Sarah　Templeton　live　in　the　house　year…round；　and　their　daughter；　Laura；　visits　occasionally　from　San　Francisco；　where　she　attends　university。　She　is　supposed　to　be　in　residence　throughout　this　weekend。
　He　dreamily　contemplates　a　mental　image　of　Laura's　face；　as　detailed　as　a　photograph。　Curiously；　the　girl's　perfect　features　engender　thoughts　of　succulent；　sugar…laden　bunches　of　pinot　noir　and　grenache　with　translucent　purple　skin。　He　can　actually　taste　the　phantom　grapes　as　he　imagines　them　bursting　between　his　teeth。
　As　it　slowly　sinks　behind　the　mountains；　the　sun　sprays　light　so　warmly　colored　and　so　mordant　that；　where　touched；　the　darkening　land　appears　to　be　wet　with　it　and　dyed　forever。　The　grass　grows　red　as　well；　no　longer　like　a　fireless　burning　but；　instead；　a　red　tide　washing　around　his　knees。
　He　turns　his　back　on　the　house　and　the　vineyards。　Savoring　the　steadily　intensifying　taste　of　grapes；　he　walks　westward　into　the　shadows　cast　by　the　high　forested　ridges。
　He　can　smell　the　small　animals　of　the　open　meadows　cowering　in　their　burrows。　He　hears　the　whisper　of　feathers　carving　the　wind　as　a　hunting　hawk　circles　hundreds　of　feet　overhead；　and　he　feels　the　co　glimmer　of　stars　that　are　not　yet　visible。
　In　the　strange　sea　of　shimmering　red　light；　the　black　shadows　of　overhanging　trees　flickered　shark…swift　across　the　windshield。
　On　the　winding　two…lane　blacktop；　Laura　Templeton　handled　the　Mustang　with　an　expertise　that　Chyna　admired；　but　she　drove　too　fast。
　〃You've　got　a　heavy　foot；〃　Chyna　said。
　Laura　grinned。　〃Better　than　a　big　butt。〃
　〃You'll　get　us　killed。〃
　〃Mom　has　rules　about　being　late　for　dinner。〃
　〃Being　late　is　better　than　being　dead　for　dinner。〃
　〃You've　never　met　my　mom。　She's　hell　on　rules。〃
　〃So　is　the　highway　patrol。〃
　Laura　laughed。　〃Sometimes　you　sound　just　like　her。〃
　Bracing　herself　as　Laura　took　a　curve　too　fast；　Chyna　said；　〃Well；　one　of　us　has　to　be　a　responsible　adult。〃
　〃Sometimes　I　can't　believe　you're　only　three　years　older　than　me；〃　Laura　said　affectionately。　〃Twenty…six；　huh？　You　sure　you're　not　a　hundred　and　twenty…six？〃
　〃I'm　ancient；〃　Chyna　said。
　They　had　left　San　Francisco　under　a　hard　blue　sky；　taking　a　four…day　break　from　classes　at　the　University　of　California；　where；　in　the　spring；　they　would　earn　master's　degrees　in　psychology。　Laura　hadn't　been　delayed　in　her　education　by　the　need　to　earn　her　tuition　and　living　expenses；　but　Chyna　had　spent　the　past　ten　years　attending　classes　part　time　while　working　full　time　as　a　waitress；　first　in　a　Denny's；　then　in　a　unit　of　the　Olive　Garden　chain；　and　most　recently　in　an　upscale　restaurant　with　white　tablecloths　and　cloth　napkins　and　fresh　flowers　on　the　tables　and　customers…bless　them…who　routinely　tipped　fifteen　or　twenty　percent。　This　visit　to　the　Templetons'　house　in　the　Napa　Valley　would　be　the　closest　thing　to　a　vacation　that　she'd　had　in　a　decade。
　From　San　Francisco；　Laura　had　followed　Interstate　80　through　Berkeley　and　across　the　eastern　end　of　San　Pablo　Bay。　Blue　heron　had　stalked　the　shallows　and　leaped　gracefully　into　flight：　enormous；　eerily　prehistoric；　beautiful　against　the　cloudless　heavens。
　Now；　in　the　gold…and…crimson　sunset；　scattered　clouds　burned　in　the　sky；　and　the　Napa　Valley　unrolled　like　a　radiant　tapestry。　Laura　had　departed　the　main　road　in　favor　of　a　scenic　route；　however；　she　drove　so　fast　that　Chyna　was　seldom　able　to　take　her　eyes　off　the　highway　to　enjoy　the　scenery。　
　〃Man；　I　love　speed；〃　Laura　said。
　〃I　hate　it。〃
　〃I　like　to　move；　streak；fly。　Hey；　maybe　I　was　a　gazelle　in　a　previous　life。　You　think？〃
　Chyna　looked　at　the　speedometer　and　grimaced。　〃Yeah；　maybe　a　gazelle…or　a　madwoman　locked　away　in　Bedlam。〃
　〃Or　a　cheetah。　Cheetahs　are　really　fast。〃
　〃Yeah；　a　cheetah；　and　one　day　you　were　chasing　your　prey　and　ran　straight　off　the　edge　of　a　cliff　at　full　tilt。　You　were　the　Wile　E。　Coyote　of　cheetahs。〃
　〃I'm　a　good　driver；　Chyna。〃
　〃I　know〃
　〃Then　relax。〃
　〃I　can't。〃
　Laura　sighed　with　fake　exasperation。　〃Ever？〃
　〃When　I　sleep；〃　Chyna　said；　and　she　nearly　jammed　her　feet　through　the　floorboards　as　the　Mustang　took　a　wide　curve　at　high　speed。
　Beyond　the　narrow　graveled　shoulder　of　the　two…lane；　the　land　sloped　down　through　wild　mustard　and　looping　brambles　to　a　row　of　tall　black　alders　fringed　with　early…spring　buds。　Beyond　the　alders　lay　vineyards　drenched　with　fierce　red　light；　and　Chyna　was　convinced　that　the　car　would　slide　off　the　blacktop；　roll　down　the　embankment；　and　crash　into　the　trees；　and　that　her　blood　would　fertilize　the　nearest　of　the　vines。
　Instead；　Laura　effortlessly　held　the　Mustang　to　the　pavement。　The　car　swept　out　of　the　curve　and　up　a　long　incline。
　Laura　said；　〃I　bet　you　even　worry　in　your　sleep。〃
　〃Well；　sooner　or　later；　in　every　dream　there's　a　boogeyman。　You've　got　to　be　on　the　lookout　for　him。〃
　〃I　have　lots　of　dreams　without　boogeymen；〃　Laura　said。　〃I　have　wonderful　dreams。〃
　〃Getting　shot　out　of　a　cannon？〃
　〃That　would　be　fun。　No；　but　sometimes　I　dream　that　I　can　fly。　I'm　always　naked　and　just　floating　or　swooping　along　fifty　feet　above　the　ground；　over　telephone　lines；　across　fields　of　bright　flowers；　over　tree…tops。　So　free。　People　look　up　and　smile　and　wave。　They're　so　delighted　to　see　that　I　can　fly；　so　happy　for　me。　And　sometimes　I'm　with　this　beautiful　guy；　lean　and　muscular；　with　a　mane　of　golden　hair　and　lovely　green　eyes　that　look　all　the　way　tbrougb　me　to　my　soul；　and　we're　making　love　in　midair；　drifting　up　there；　and　I'm　having　spectacular　orgasms；　one　after　another；　floating　through　sunshine　with　flowers　below　and　birds　swooping　overhead；　birds　with　these　gorgeous　iridescent…blue　wings　and　singing　the　most　fantastic　birdsongs　you　ever　heard；　and　I　feel　as　if　I'm　full　of　dazzling　light；　just　a　creature　of　light；　and　like　I'm　going　to　explode；　such　an　energy；　explode　and　form　a　whole　new　universe　and　be　the　universe　and　live　forever。　You　ever　have　a　dream　like　that？〃
　Chyna　had　finally　taken　her　eyes　off　the　onrushing　blacktop。　She　stared　in　blank…faced　astonishment　at　Laura。　Finally　she　said；　〃No。〃
　Glancing　away　from　the　two…lane；　Laura　said；　〃Really？　You　never　had　a　dream　like　that？〃
　〃Never。〃
　〃I　have　lots　of　dreams　like　that。〃
　〃Could　you　keep　your　eyes　on　the　road；　kiddo？〃
　Laura　looked　at　the　highway　and　said；　〃Don't　you　ever　dream　about　sex？〃
　〃Sometimes。〃
　〃And？〃
　〃What？〃
　〃And？〃
　Chyna　shrugged。　〃It's　bad。〃
　Frowning；　Laura　said；　〃You　dream　about　having　bad　sex？　Listen；　Chyna；　you　don't　have　to　dream　about　that…there　are　lots　of　guys　who　can　provide　all　the　bad　sex　you　want。〃
　〃Ho；　ho。　I　mean　these　are　nightmares；　very　threatening。〃
　〃Sex　is　threatening？〃
　〃Because　I'm　always　a　little　girl　in　the　dreams…six　or　seven　or　eight…and　I'm　always　hiding　from　this　man；　not　quite　sure　what　he　wants；　why　he's　looking　for　me；　but　I　know　he　wants　something　from　me　that　he　shouldn't　have；　something　terrible；　and　it's　going　to　be　like　dying。〃
　〃Who's　the　man？〃
　〃Different　men。〃
　〃Some　of　the　creeps　your　mother　used　to　hang　out　with？〃
　Chyna　had　told　Laura　a　great　deal　about　her　mother。　She　had　never　told　anyone　else。　〃Yeah。　Them。　I　always　got　away　from　them　in　real　life。　They　never　touched　me。　And　they　never　touch　me　in　the　dreams。　Bu