dk.intensity-第68部分

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　Suddenly　the　door　came　toward　her；　free　of　all　restraint；　and　it　was　too　heavy　to　be　lowered　slowly　out　of　its　frame。　She　backed　rapidly　into　the　cellar；　letting　the　slab　thud　to　the　floor　of　the　vestibule　just　as　sh　vacated　it。
　Chyna　waited；　catching　her　breath；　listening　to　the　house　for　any　indication　that　Vess　had　returned。
　Finally　she　reentered　the　vestibule。　She　crossed　the　fallen　door　as　if　it　were　a　bridge；　and　she　went　into　the　cell。
　The　dolls　watched；　unmoving　and　sly。　Ariel　was　sitting　in　the　armchair；　head　lowered；　hands　fisted　in　her　lap；　exactly　as　she　had　been　when　Chyna　had　spoken　to　her　through　the　port　in　the　door。　If　she　had　heard　the　hammering　and　subsequent　motion；　she　had　not　been　disturbed　by　it。
　〃Ariel？〃　Chyna　said。
　The　girl　didn't　reply　or　raise　her　head。
　Chyna　sat　on　the　footstool　in　front　of　the　armchair。　〃Honey；　it's　time　to　go。〃
　When　she　received　no　response；　Chyna　leaned　forward；　lowered　her　head；　and　looked　up　at　the　girl's　shadowed　face。　Ariel's　eyes　were　open；　and　her　gaze　was　fixed　on　her　white…knuckled　fists。　Her　lips　were　moving；　as　though　she　were　whispering　confidences　to　someone；　but　no　sound　escaped　her。
　Chyna　put　her　cuffed　hands　under　Ariel's　chin　and　lifted　her　head。　The　girl　didn't　try　to　pull　away；　didn't　flinch；　but　was　revealed　when　her　veil　of　hair　slid　away　from　her　face。　Although　they　were　eye…toeye；　Ariel　stared　through　Chyna；　as　if　all　in　this　world　were　transparent；　and　in　her　eyes　was　a　chilling　bleakness；　as　if　the　landscape　of　her　other　world　was　lifeless；　daunting。　〃We　have　to　go。　Before　he　es　home。〃
　Bright…eyed　and　attentive；　perhaps　the　dolls　listened。　Ariel　apparently　did　not。
　With　both　hands；　Chyna　enfolded　one　of　the　girl's　fists。　The　bones　were　sharp　and　the　skin　was　cold；　clenched　as　fiercely　as　if　she　had　been　suspended　from　rocks　at　a　precipice。
　Chyna　tried　to　pry　the　fingers　apart。　The　sculpted　digits　of　a　marble　fist　would　have　been　hardly　more　resistant。
　Finally　Chyna　lifted　the　hand　and　kissed　it　more　tenderly　than　she　had　ever　kissed　anyone　before；　more　tenderly　than　she　had　ever　been　kissed；　and　she　said　softly；　〃I　want　to　help　you。　I　need　to　help　you；　honey。　If　I　can't　leave　here　with　you；　there's　no　point　in　my　leaving　at　all。〃
　Ariel　didn't　respond。
　〃Please　let　me　help　you。〃　Softer　still：　〃Please。〃
　Chyna　kissed　the　hand　once　more；　and　at　last　she　felt　the　girl's　fingers　stir。　They　opened　partway；　cold　and　stiff；　but　would　not　relax　entirely；　as　hooked　and　rigid　as　a　skeleton's　fingers　in　which　the　joints　had　calcified。
　Ariel's　desire　to　reach　out　for　help；　tempered　by　her　paralyzing　fear　of　mitment；　was　achingly　familiar　to　Chyna。　It　struck　in　her　a　chord　of　sympathy　and　pity　for　this　girl；　for　all　lost　girls；　and　her　throat　tightened　so　severely　that　for　a　moment　she　was　unable　to　swallow　or　breathe。
　Then　she　slipped　one　cuffed　hand　into　Ariel's　and　the　other　over　it；　got　up　from　the　footstool；　and　said；　〃e　on；　child。　e　with　me。　Out　of　here。〃
　Though　Ariel's　face　remained　as　expressionless　as　an　egg；　though　she　continued　to　look　through　Chyna　with　the　otherworldly　detachment　of　a　novitiate　in　the　thrall　of　a　holy　visitation；　her　head　spinning　with　visions；　she　got　up　from　the　armchair。　After　taking　only　two　steps　toward　the　door；　however；　she　stopped　and　would　not　go　farther　in　spite　of　Chyna's　pleas。　The　girl　might　be　able　to　envision　an　imaginary　world　in　which　she　could　find　a　fragile　peace；　a　Wild　Wood　of　her　own；　but　perhaps　she　was　no　longer　able　to　imagine　that　this　world　extended　beyond　the　walls　of　her　cell　and；　failing　to　visualize　it；　could　not　cross　the　threshold　into　it。
　Chyna　released　Ariel's　hand。　She　selected　a　doll…a　bisque　charmer　with　golden　ringlets　and　painted　green　eyes；　wearing　a　white　eyelet　pinafore　over　a　blue　dress。　She　pressed　it　against　the　girl's　breast　and　encouraged　her　to　embrace　it。　She　wasn't　sure　why　the　collection　was　here；　but　perhaps　Ariel　liked　the　dolls；　in　which　case　she　might　e　along　more　readily　if　given　one　for　fort。
　Initially；　Ariel　was　unresponsive；　standing　with　one　hand　still　fisted　at　her　side　and　the　other　like　a　half…open　crab　claw。　Then；　without　shifting　her　gaze　from　faraway　things；　she　took　the　doll　in　both　hands；　gripping　it　by　the　legs。　Like　the　shadow　of　a　bird　in　flight；　a　fierce　expression　crossed　her　face　and　was　gone　before　it　could　be　clearly　read。　She　turned；　swung　the　doll　as　if　it　were　a　sledgehammer；　and　smashed　its　head　into　the　top　of　the　dinette　table；　shattering　the　unglazed…china　face。
　Startled；　Chyna　said；　〃Honey；　no；〃　and　gripped　the　girl　by　the　shoulder。
　Ariel　wrenched　away　from　Chyna　and　slammed　the　doll　into　the　table　again；　harder　than　before；　and　Chyna　stepped　backward；　not　in　fear　but　in　respect　of　the　girl's　fury。　And　fury　it　was；　a　righteous　anger；　not　merely　an　autistic　spasm；　in　spite　of　the　fact　that　she　remained　expressionless。
　She　pounded　the　doll　against　the　table　repeatedly；　until　its　smashed　head　broke　and　spun　across　the　room　and　bounced　off　a　wall；　until　both　its　arms　cracked　and　fell　away；　until　it　was　ruined　beyond　repair。　Then　she　dropped　it　and　stood　trembling；　arms　hanging　at　her　sides。　She　was　still　staring　into　the　Elsewhere　and　was　no　more　with　Chyna　than　she　had　ever　been。
　From　the　bookcases；　from　atop　the　cabinets；　from　the　shadowed　corners　of　the　room；　the　dolls　watched　intently；　as　if　they　were　thrilled　by　her　outburst　and　in　some　strange　way　feeding　on　it　as　Vess　himself　would　have　fed　if　he'd　been　there　to　see。
　Chyna　wanted　to　put　her　arms　around　the　girl；　but　the　handcuffs　made　it　impossible　to　embrace　her。　Instead；　she　touched　Ariel's　face　and　kissed　her　on　the　forehead。　〃Ariel；　untouched　and　alive。〃
　Rigid；　shaking；　Ariel　neither　pulled　away　from　Chyna　nor　leaned　toward　her。　Gradually　the　girl's　trembling　subsided。
　〃I　need　your　help；〃　Chyna　pleaded。　〃I　need　you。〃
　This　time；　as　if　sleepwalking；　Ariel　allowed　herself　to　be　led　from　the　cell。
　They　crossed　the　fallen　door　through　the　vestibule。　In　the　cellar；　Chyna　picked　up　the　drill　from　the　floor；　plugged　it　into　the　power　strip　on　the　wall；　and　put　it　on　the　workbench。
　She　had　no　timepiece　for　reference；　but　she　was　sure　that　nine　o'clock　had　e　and　gone。　In　the　night　were　dogs　waiting　and　Edgler　Vess　somewhere　at　work；　bemused　by　waking　dreams　of　returning　home　to　his　pair　of　captives。
　Trying　unsuccessfully　to　get　the　girl's　eyes　to　focus　on　her；　Chyna　explained　what　they　needed　to　do。　She　might　be　able　to　drive　the　motor　home　while　handcuffed；　though　not　without　some　difficulty；　as　she　would　have　to　let　go　of　the　steering　wheel　to　shift　gears。　Dealing　with　the　dogs　while　cuffed　would　be　a　lot　harder。　Perhaps　impossible。　If　they　were　to　make　the　best　use　of　the　time　remaining　before　Vess's　return；　and　if　they　were　to　have　the　best　chance　of　getting　away；　Ariel　was　going　to　have　to　drill　out　the　locks　on　the　manacles。
　The　girl　gave　no　indication　that　she　heard　a　word　of　what　Chyna　told　her。　Indeed；　before　Chyna　finished；　Ariel's　lips　were　moving　again　in　a　silent　conversation　with　some　phantom；　she　didn't　〃speak〃　ceaselessly　but　paused　from　time　to　time　as　if　receiving　a　response　from　an　imaginary　friend。
　Nevertheless；　Chyna　showed　her　how　to　hold　the　drill　and　press　the　trigger。　The　girl　didn't　blink　at　the　sudden　shriek　of　the　motor　and　the　air…cutting　whistle　of　the　whirling　bit。
　〃Now　you　hold　it；〃　Chyna　said。
　Oblivious；　Ariel　stood　with　her　arms　at　her　sides；　hands　half　open　and　fingers　hooked　as　they　had　been　since　she　had　dropped　the　ruined　doll。
　〃We　don't　have　much　time；　honey。〃
　In　her　clockless　Elsewhere；　time　meant　nothing　to　Ariel。　Chyna　put　the　drill　on　the　workbench。　She　drew　the　girl　in　front　of　the　tool　and　placed　her　hands　on　it。
　Ariel　didn't　pull　away　or　let　her　hands　slide　off　the　drill；　but　she　didn't　lift　it　either。
　Chyna　knew　that　the　girl　heard　her；　understood　the　situation；　and；　on　some　level；　yearned　to　help。
　〃Our　hopes　are　in　your　hands；　honey。　You　can　do　it。〃
　She　retrieved　the　workbench　stool　from　the　outer　vestibule　door；　which　it　had　been　propping　open；　and　sat　down。　She　put　her　hands　on　the　workbench；　wrists　turned　to　expose　the　tiny　keyhole　on　the　left　man