dk.intensity-第3部分

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d　nudged　the　rear　bumper　of　the　Mercedes　with　the　front　bumper　of　the　Cadillac；　metal　kissing　metal　with　a　squeal。　Eventually　the　old　woman　got　rattled　and　began　to　swerve　erratically；　afraid　to　go　faster　with　Woltz　so　close　behind　her　but　too　frightened　of　him　to　pull　off　the　road　and　let　him　pass　by。
　〃Of　course；〃　Chyna　said；　〃he　wouldn't　have　gone　past　and　left　her　alone。　By　then　he　was　too　psychotic。　He　would　have　stopped　when　she　stopped。　It　still　would　have　ended　badly。〃
　Woltz　had　pulled　alongside　the　Mercedes　a　few　times；　driving　in　the　wrong　lane；　shouting　and　shaking　his　fist　at　the　white…haired　couple；　who　first　tried　to　ignore　him　and　then　stared　back　wide…eyed　and　fearfui。　Each　time；　rather　than　drive　by　and　leave　them　in　his　dust；　he　had　dropped　behind　again　to　play　tag　with　their　rear　bumper。　To　Woltz；　in　his　drug　fever　and　alcoholic　haze；　this　harassment　was　deadly　serious　business；　with　an　importance　and　a　meaning　that　could　never　be　understood　by　anyone　who　was　clean　and　sober。　To　Chyna's　mother；　Anne；　it　was　all　a　game；　an　adventure；　and　it　was　she；　in　her　ceaseless　search　for　excitement；　who　said；　Why　don't　we　give　her　a　driving　test？　Woltz　said；　Test？　I　don't　need　to　give　the　old　bitch　a　test　to　see　she　can't　drive　for　shit。　This　time；　as　Woltz　pulled　beside　the　Mercedes；　matching　speeds　with　it；　Anne　said；　I　mean；　see　if　she　can　keep　it　on　the　road。　Make　it　a　challenge　for　her。
　To　Laura；　Chyna　recalled；　〃There　was　a　canal　parallel　to　the　road；　one　of　those　drainage　channels　you　see　along　some　Florida　highways。　Not　deep　but　deep　enough。　Woltz　used　the　Cadillac　to　crowd　the　Mercedes　onto　the　shoulder　of　the　road。　The　woman　should　have　crowded　him　back；　forced　him　the　other　way。　She　should　have　tramped　the　pedal　to　the　floor　and　pegged　the　speedometer　and　gotten　the　hell　out　of　there。　The　Mercedes　would've　outrun　the　Cadillac；　no　problem。　But　she　was　old　and　scared；　and　she'd　never　encountered　anyone　like　this。　I　think　she　was　just　disbelieving；　so　unable　to　understand　the　kind　of　people　she　was　up　against；　unable　to　grasp　how　far　they'd　go　even　though　she　and　her　husband　had　done　nothI。ng　to　them。　Woltz　forced　her　off　the　road。　The　Mercedes　rolled　into　the　canal。〃
　Woltz　had　stopped；　shifted　the　Cadillac　into　reverse；　and　backed　up　to　where　the　Mercedes　was　swiftly　sinking。　He　and　Anne　had　gotten　out　of　the　car　to　watch。　Chyna's　mother　had　insisted　that　she　watch　too：　e　on；　you　little　chicken。　You　don't　want　to　miss　this；　baby。　This　is　one　to　remember　The　passenger's　side　of　the　Mercedes　was　flat　against　the　muddy　bottom　of　the　canal；　and　the　driver's　side　was　revealed　to　them　as　they　stood　on　the　embankment　in　the　humid　evening　air。　They　were　being　bitten　by　hordes　of　mosquitoes　but　were　hardly　aware　of　them；　mesmerized　by　the　sight　below　them；　gazing　through　the　driver…side　windows　of　the　submerged　vehicle。
　〃It　was　twilight；〃　Chyna　told　Laura；　putting　into　words　the　images　behind　her　closed　eyes；　〃so　the　headlights　were　on；　still　on　even　after　the　Mercedes　sank；　and　there　were　lights　inside　the　car。　They　had　airconditioning；　so　all　the　windows　were　closed；　and　neither　the　windshield　nor　the　driver…side　window　had　shattered　when　the　car　rolled。　We　could　see　inside；　'cause　the　windows　were　only　a　few　inches　under　water。　There　was　no　sign　of　the　husband。　Maybe　he　was　knocked　unconscious　when　they　rolled。　But　the　old　woman　。。。　her　face　was　at　the　window。　The　car　was　flooded；　but　there　was　a　big　bubble　of　air　against　the　inside　of　the　glass；　and　she　pressed　her　face　into　it　so　she　could　breathe。　We　stood　there　looking　down　at　her。　Woltz　could　have　helped。　My　mother　could　have　helped。　But　they　just　watched。　The　old　woman　couldn't　seem　to　get　the　window　open；　and　the　door　must　have　been　jammed；　or　maybe　she　was　just　too　scared　and　too　weak。〃
　Chyna　had　tried　to　pull　away；　but　her　mother　had　held　her；　speaking　urgently　to　her；　the　whispered　words　borne　on　a　tide　of　breath　sour　with　vodka　and　grapefruit　juice。　We're　different　than　other　people；　baby。　No　rules　apply　to　us。　You'll　never　understand　what　freedom　really　means　ifyou　don't　watch　this。　Chyna　had　closed　her　eyes；　but　she　had　still　been　able　to　hear　the　old　woman　screaming　into　the　big　air　bubble　inside　the　submerged　car。　Muffled　screaming。
　〃Then　gradually　the　screaming　faded　。。。　finally　stopped；〃　Chyna　told　Laura。　〃When　I　opened　my　eyes；　twilight　had　gone　and　night　had　e。　There　was　still　light　in　the　Mercedes；　and　the　woman's　face　was　still　pressed　to　the　glass；　but　a　breeze　had　risen；　rippling　the　water　in　the　canal；　and　her　features　were　a　blur。　I　knew　she　was　dead。　She　and　her　husband。　I　started　to　cry。　Woltz　didn't　like　that。　He　threatened　to　drag　me　into　the　canal；　open　a　door　on　the　Mercedes；　and　shove　me　inside　with　the　dead　people。　My　mother　made　me　drink　some　grapefruit　juice　with　vodka。　I　was　only　seven。　The　rest　of　the　way　back　to　Key　West；　I　lay　on　the　backseat；　dizzy　from　the　vodka；　half　drunk　and　a　little　sick；　still　crying　but　quietly；　so　I　wouldn't　make　Woltz　angry；　crying　quietly　until　I　fell　asleep。〃
　In　Laura's　Mustang；　the　only　sounds　were　the　soft　rumble　of　the　engine　and　the　singing　of　the　tires　on　the　blacktop。
　Chyna　finally　opened　her　eyes　and　came　back　from　the　memory　of　Florida；　from　the　long…ago　humid　twilight　to　the　Napa　Valley；　where　most　of　the　red　light　had　gone　out　of　the　sky　and　darkness　encroached　on　all　sides。
　The　old　man　in　the　Buick　was　no　longer　in　front　of　them。　They　were　not　driving　as　fast　as　before；　and　evidently　he　had　gotten　far　ahead　of　them。
　Laura　said　softly；　〃Dear　God。〃
　Chyna　was　shaking　uncontrollably。　She　plucked　a　few　Kleeney　from　the　console　box　between　the　seats；　blew　her　nose；　and　blotted　her　eyes。　Over　the　past　two　years；　she　had　shared　part　of　her　childhood　with　Laura；　but　every　new　revelation…and　there　was　much　still　to　reveal…was　as　difficult　as　the　one　before　it。　When　she　spoke　of　the　past；　she　always　burned　with　shame；　as　though　she　had　been　as　guilty　as　her　mother；　as　if　every　criminal　act　and　spell　of　madness　could　be　blamed　on　her；　though　she　had　been　only　a　helpless　child　trapped　in　the　insanity　of　others。
　〃Will　you　ever　see　her　again？〃　Laura　asked。
　Recollection　had　left　Chyna　half　numb　with　horror。　〃I　don't　know。〃
　〃Would　you　want　to？〃
　Chyna　hesitated。　Her　hands　were　curled　into　fists；　the　damp　Kleenex　wadded　in　the　right　one。　〃Maybe。〃
　〃For　God's　sake　why？〃
　〃To　ask　her　why。　To　try　to　understand。　To　settle　some　things。　But　。。。　maybe　not。〃
　〃Do　you　even　know　where　she　is？〃
　〃No。　But　it　wouldn't　surprise　me　if　she　was　in　jail。　Or　dead。　You　can't　live　like　that　and　hope　to　grow　old。〃
　They　drove　down　out　of　the　foothills　into　the　valley。　
　Eventually　Chyna　said；　〃I　can　still　see　her　standing　in　the　steamy　darkness　on　the　banks　of　that　canal；　greasy　with　sweat；　her　hair　hanging　damp　and　all　tangled；　covered　with　mosquito　bites；　eyes　bleary　from　vodka。　Laura；　even　then　she　was　still　the　most　beautiful　woman　you've　ever　seen。　She　was　always　so　beautiful；　so　perfect　on　the　outside；　like　someone　out　of　a　dream；　like　an　angel　。。。　but　she　was　never　half　as　beautiful　as　when　she　was　excited；　when　there'd　been　violence。　I　can　see　her　standing　there；　only　visible　because　of　the　greenish　glow　from　the　headlights　of　the　Mercedes　rising　through　the　murky　canal　water；　so　ravishing　in　that　green　light；　glorious；　the　most　beautiful　person　you've　ever　seen；　like　a　goddess　from　another　world。〃
　Gradually　Chyna's　trembling　subsided。　The　heat　of　shame　faded　from　her　face；　but　slowly。
　She　was　immeasurably　grateful　for　Laura's　concern　and　support。　A　friend。　Until　Laura；　Chyna　had　lived　secretly　with　her　past；　unable　to　speak　of　it　to　anyone。　Now；　having；　unburdened　herself　of　another　hateful　corrupting　memory；　she　couldn't　begin　to　put　her　gratitude　into　words。　
　〃It's　okay；〃　Laura　said；　as　if　reading　Chyna's　mind。
　They　rode　in　silence。　They　were　late　for　dinner。
　
　To　Chyna；　the　Templeton　house　looked　inviting　at　first　glimpse：　Victorian；　gabled；　roomy；　with　deep　porches　front　and　rear。　It　stood　a　half　mile　off　the　county　road；　at　the　end　of　a　gravel　driveway；　surrounded　by　one　hundred　twenty　acres　of　vineyards。
　For　three　generations；　the　Templetons　had