dk.intensity-第76部分

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en't　nearly　as　treacherous　as　the　top　of　the　motor　home。
　The　slope　wasn't　steep　either；　and　she　climbed　easily　to　the　front　wall　of　the　house。　The　recent　rain　had　liberated　a　tarry　scent　from　the　numerous　coats　of　creosote　with　which　the　logs　had　been　treated　over　the　years。
　The　double…hung　window　of　Vess's　second…story　bedroom　was　open　three　inches；　as　she　had　left　it　before　departing　the　house。　She　slipped　her　aching　hands　through　the　opening　and；　groaning；　shoved　up　on　the　bottom　panel。　In　this　wet　weather；　the　wood　had　swollen；　but　although　it　stuck　a　couple　of　times；　she　got　it　all　the　way　open。
　She　climbed　through　the　window　into　Vess's　bedroom；　where　she　had　left　a　lamp　burning。
　In　the　upstairs　hall；　she　glanced　at　the　open　door　across　trom　the　bedroom。　The　dark　study　lay　beyond；　and　she　was　still　troubled　by　the　feeling　that　there　was　something　in　it　that　she　had　missed；　something　vital　she　should　know　about　Edgler　Vess。
　But　she　had　no　time　for　additional　detective　work。　She　hurried　downstairs　to　the　living　room。
　Ariel　was　huddled　in　the　armchair　where　she　had　been　left。　She　was　still　hugging　herself　and　rocking；　lost。
　According　to　the　mantel　clock；　the　time　was　four　minutes　past　eleven。　〃You　stay　right　there；〃　Chyna　instructed。　〃Just　a　minute　more；　honey。〃
　She　went　through　the　kitchen　to　the　laundry　room；　in　search　of　a　broom。　She　found　both　a　broom　and　a　sponge　mop。　The　mop　had　the　longer　handle　of　the　two；　so　she　took　it　instead　of　the　broom。
　As　she　entered　the　living　room　again；　she　heard　a　familiar　and　dreaded　sound。　Squeak…squeak。　Squeak…squeak…squeak。
　She　glanced　at　the　nearest　window　and　saw　the　uninjured　Doberman　clawing　the　glass。　Its　pointy　ears　were　pricked；　but　they　flattened　against　its　skull　when　Chyna；made　eye　contact　with　the　creature。　The　Doberman　issued　the　now…familiar　needful　keening　that　caused　the　fine　hairs　to　stiffen　on　the　nape　of　Chyna's　neck。
　Squeak…squeak…squeak。　Turning　away　from　the　dog；　Chyna　started　toward　Ariel…and　then　had　her　attention　drawn　to　the　other　living…room　window。　A　Doberman　stood　with　its　forepaws　at　the　base　of　that　pane　too。
　This　had　to　be　the　first　one　she　had　encountered　when　she'd　gone　out　of　the　house；　the　same　animal　that　she　had　sprayed　in　the　muzzle。　It　had　recovered　quickly　and　had　bitten　her　foot　when　she'd　been　pinned　on　the　ground　by　the　third　dog。
　She　was　sure　that　she'd　blinded　the　second　dog；　which　had　shot　at　her　like　a　mortar　round　from　out　of　the　darkness；　and　the　third　as　well。　Until　now　she　had　assumed　that　her　second　chance　at　this　animal　had　also　resulted　in　a　disabling　eye　shot。
　She'd　been　wrong。　At　the　time；　of　course；　she　herself　had　been　all　but　blinded　by　her　fogged　visor…and　frantic；　because　the　third　dog　had　been　holding　her　down　and　chewing　through　the　padding　at　her　throat；　licking　at　her　chin。　All　she　had　known　was　that　this　animal　had　shrieked　when　she'd　squirted　it　and　that　it　had　stopped　biting　her　foot。
　The　stream　of　ammonia　must　have　splashed　the　dog's　muzzle　the　second　time；　just　as　it　had　during　their　first　encounter。　〃Lucky　bastard；〃　she　whispered。
　The　twice…injured　Doberman　didn't　scratch　at　the　window　glass。　It　just　watched　her。　Intently。　Ears　standing　straight　up。　Missing　nothing。
　Or　perhaps　it　wasn't　the　same　dog　at　all。　Perhaps　there　werefive　of　them。　Or　six。
　At　the　other　window：　Squeak…squeak。　Squeak…squeak。　Crouching　in　front　of　Ariel；　Chyna　said；　〃Honey；　we're　ready　to　go。〃　The　girl　rocked。　Chyna　took　hold　of　one　of　Ariel's　hands。　This　time；　she　didn't　have　to　pry　the　fingers　out　of　a　marble…hard　fist；　and　at　her　urging；　the　girl　got　up　from　the　chair。
　Carrying　the　sponge　mop　in　one　hand；　leading　the　girl　with　the　other；　Chyna　crossed　the　living　room；　past　the　two　big　front　windows。　She　moved　slowly　and　didn't　look　directly　at　the　Dobermans；　because　she　was　afraid　that　either　haste　or　another　moment　of　confrontational　eye　contact　might　spur　them　to　smash　through　the　glass。
　She　and　Ariel　stepped　through　a　doorless　opening　to　the　stairs。　Behind　them；　one　of　the　dogs　began　to　bark。　Chyna　didn't　like　that。　Didn't　like　that　at　all。　None　of　them　had　barked　before。　Their　disciplined　stealth　had　been　chilling…but　now　the　barking　was　worse　than　their　silence。
　Climbing　the　stairs；　pulling　the　girl　after　her；　Chyna　felt　a　hundred　years　old；　weak　and　depleted。　She　wanted　to　sit　and　catch　her　breath　and　let　her　aching　legs　rest。　To　keep　moving；　Ariel　needed　constant　tension　on　her　arm；　without　it；　she　stopped　and　stood　murmuring　soundlessly。　Each　riser　seemed　higher　than　the　one　below　it；　as　though　Chyna　were　the　storybook　Alice　in　the　wake　of　the　white　rabbit；　her　stomach　full　of　exotic　mushrooms；　ascending　an　enchanted　staircase　in　some　dark　wonderland。
　Then；　as　they　turned　at　the　landing　and　started　up　the　second　flight；　glass　shattered　into　the　living　room　below。　In　an　instant；　that　sound　made　Chyna　young　again；　able　to　bound　like　a　gazelle　up　stairs　made　for　giants。　〃Hurry！〃　she　urged　Ariel；　pulling　her　along。
　The　girl　picked　up　her　pace　but　still　seemed　to　be　plodding。　Leaping；　desperate；　to　the　top　of　the　second　flight；　Chyna　said；　'Wuny！〃　Vicious　barking　rose　in　the　stairwell　below。
　Chyna　entered　the　upstairs　hall；　holding　tightly　to　the　girl's　hand。　She　could　hear　the　galloping　thunder　of　ascending　dogs　louder　even　than　her　own　heart。
　To　the　door　on　the　left。　Into　Vess's　bedroom。　She　dragged　Ariel　after　her；　across　the　threshold；　and　slammed　the　door。　There　was　no　lock；　just　the　spring　latch　activated　by　the　knob。
　They're　dogs；　for　God　sake；　just　dogs；　mean　as　hell；　hut　they　can't　operate　a　doorknob。
　A　dog　threw　itself　against　the　door；　which　rattled　in　its　frame　but　seemed　secure。
　Chyna　led　Ariel　to　the　open　window；　where　she　propped　the　mop　against　the　wall。
　Barking；　barking；　the　dogs　clawed　at　the　door。　With　both　hands；　Chyna　clasped　the　girl's　face；　leaned　close；　and　peered　hopefully　into　her　beautiful　blue　but　vacant　eyes。
　〃Honey；　please；　I　need　you　again；　like　I　needed　you　with　the　power　drill　and　the　handcuffs。　I　need　you　a　lot　worse　now；　Ariel；　because　we　don't　have　much　time；　not　much　time　at　all；　and　we're　so　close；　we　really　are；　so　damn　close。〃
　Though　their　eyes　were　at　most　three　inches　apart；　Ariel　seemed　not　to　see　Chyna。
　〃Listen　to　me；　listen；　honey；　wherever　you　are；　wherever　you're　hiding　out　there　in　the　Wild　Wood　or　beyond　the　wardrobe　door　there　in　Narnia…is　that　where　you　are；　baby？　…　or　maybe　Oz；　but　wherever　you　are；　please　listen　to　me　and　do　what　I　tell　you。　We've　got　to　go　out　on　the　porch　roof。　It's　not　steep；　you　can　do　it；　but　you　have　to　be　careful。　I　want　you　to　go　out　the　window　and　then　take　a　couple　of　steps　to　the　left。　Not　to　the　right。　There's　not　much　roof　to　the　right；　you'll　fall　off。　Take　a　couple　steps　to　the　left　and　stop　and　just　wait　there　for　me。　I'll　be　right　behind　you；　just　wait；　and　I'll　take　you　on　from　there。〃
　She　let　go　of　the　girl's　face　and　hugged　her　fiercely；　loving　her　as　she　would　have　loved　a　sister　if　she'd　had　one；　as　she　wished　she　had　been　able　to　love　her　mother；　loving　her　for　what　she　had　been　through；　for　having　suffered　and　survived。
　〃I　am　your　guardian；　honey。　I'm　your　guardian。　Vess　is　never　going　to　touch　you　again；　the　freak；　the　hateful　bastard。　He's　never　going　to　touch　you　again。　I'm　going　to　get　you　out　of　this　stinking　place；　and　away　from　him　forever；　but　you　have　to　work　with　me；　you　have　to　help　and　listen　and　be　careful；　so　careful。〃
　She　let　go　of　the　girl　and　met　her　eyes　again。　Ariel　was　still　Elsewhere。　There　was　no　flicker　of　recognition　as　there　had　been　for　a　split　second　in　the　cellar；　after　the　girl　had　used　the　drill。
　The　barking　had　stopped。　From　the　far　side　of　the　room　came　a　new　and　disturbing　sound。　Not　the　clatter　of　the　door　shaking　in　its　frame。　A　harder　rattling　noise。　Metallic。
　The　knob　was　jiggling　back　and　forth。　One　of　the　dogs　must　be　pawing　industriously　at　it。
　The　door　wasn't　well　fitted。　Chyna　could　see　a　half…inch　gap　between　the　edge　of　it　and　the　jamb。　In　the　gap　was　a　gleam　of　shiny　brass：　the　tongue　of　the　simple　latch。　If　the　latch　was　not　seated　deeply　in　the　jamb；　even　the　dog's　fumbling　might；　by　purest　chanc