sidneysheldon.astrangerinthemirror-第51部分

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　〃I'll　look　after　him；〃　Jill　said。　She　put　down　her　book　and　went　down　the　hall　to　Toby's　bedroom。　The　moment　Jill　walked　into　the　room；　her　nostrils　were　assailed　by　the　familiar　stench　of　sickness。　In　an　instant；　every　fiber　of　her　being　was　flooded　with　memories　of　those　long；　dreadful　months　when　she　had　fought　to　save　Toby。　Toby's　head　was　propped　up　on　a　large　pillow。　As　he　watched　Jill　enter；　his　eyes　suddenly　came　alive；　flashing　out　frantic　messages。　Where　have　you　been？　Why　have　you　stayed　away　from　me？　I　need　you。　Help　me！　It　was　as　though　his　eyes　had　a　voice。　Jill　looked　down　at　the　loathsome；　twisted　body　with　the　grinning　death's　mask　and　she　felt　nauseated。　You'll　never　get　well；　damn　you！　You've　got　to　die！　I　want　you　to　die！　As　Jill　stared　at　Toby；　she　watched　the　expression　in　his　eyes　change。　They　registered　shock　and　disbelief　and　then　they　began　to　fill　with　such　hatred；　such　naked　malevolence；　that　Jill　involuntarily　took　a　step　away　from　the　bed。　She　realized　then　what　had　happened。　She　had　spoken　her　thoughts　aloud。　She　turned　and　fled　from　the　room。　
　In　the　morning；　the　rain　stopped。　Toby's　old　wheelchair　had　been　brought　up　from　the　basement。　The　day　nurse；　Frances　Gordon；　was　wheeling　Toby　out　in　his　chair　to　the　garden　to　get　some　sun。　Jill　listened　to　the　sound　of　the　wheelchair　moving　down　the　hall　toward　the　elevator。　She　waited　a　few　minutes；　then　she　went　downstairs。　She　was　passing　the　library　when　the　phone　rang。　It　was　David；　calling　from　Washington。　
　〃How　are　you　today？〃　He　sounded　warm　and　caring。　She　had　never　been　so　glad　to　hear　his　voice。　
　〃I'm　fine；　David。〃　
　〃I　wish　you　were　with　me；　darling。〃　
　〃So　do　I。　I　love　you　so　much。　And　I　want　you。　I　want　you　to　hold　me　in　your　arms　again。　Oh；　David。。。〃　
　Some　instinct　made　Jill　turn。　Toby　was　in　the　hallway；　strapped　in　the　wheelchair　where　the　nurse　had　left　him　for　a　moment。　His　blue　eyes　blazed　at　Jill　with　such　loathing；　such　malice　that　it　was　like　a　physical　blow。　His　mind　was　speaking　to　her　through　his　eyes；　screaming　at　her；　I'm　going　to　kill　you！　Jill　dropped　the　telephone　in　panic。　She　ran　out　of　the　room　and　up　the　stairs；　and　she　could　feel　Toby's　hatred　pursuing　her；　like　some　violent；　evil　force。　She　stayed　in　her　bedroom　all　day；　refusing　food。　She　sat　in　a　chair；　in　a　trancelike　state；　her　mind　going　over　and　over　the　moment　at　the　telephone。　Toby　knew。　He　knew。　She　could　not　face　him　again。　Finally；　night　came。　It　was　the　middle　of　July；　and　the　air　still　held　the　heat　of　the　day。　Jill　opened　her　bedroom　windows　wide　to　catch　whatever　faint　breeze　there　might　be。　
　In　Toby's　room　Nurse　Gallagher　was　on　duty。　She　tiptoed　in　to　take　a　look　at　her　patient。　Nurse　Gallagher　wished　she　could　read　his　mind；　then　perhaps　she　might　be　able　to　help　the　poor　man。　She　tucked　the　covers　around　Toby。　
　〃You　get　a　good　night's　sleep　now；〃　she　said；　cheerily。　〃I'll　be　back　to　check　on　you。〃　There　was　no　reaction。　He　did　not　even　move　his　eyes　to　look　at　her。　Perhaps　its　just　as　well　I　can't　read　his　mind。　Nurse　Gallagher　thought。　She　took　one　last　look　at　him　and　retired　to　her　little　sitting　room　to　watch　some　late…night　television。　Nurse　Gallagher　enjoyed　the　talk　shows。　She　loved　to　watch　movie　stars　chat　about　themselves。　It　made　them　terribly　human；　just　like　ordinary；　everyday　people。　She　kept　the　sound　low；　so　that　it　would　not　disturb　her　patient。　But　Toby　Temple　would　not　have　heard　it　in　any　case。　His　thoughts　were　elsewhere。　
　The　house　was　asleep；　safe　in　the　guarded　fastness　of　the　Bel…Air　woods。　A　few　faint　sounds　of　traffic　drifted　up　from　Sunset　Boulevard　far　below。　Nurse　Gallagher　was　watching　a　late　night　movie。　She　wished　they　would　run　an　old　Toby　Temple　film。　It　would　be　so　exciting　to　watch　Mr。　Temple　on　television　and　know　that　he　was　here　in　person；　just　a　few　feet　away。　At　four　a。m。。　Nurse　Gallagher　dozed　off　in　the　middle　of　a　horror　film。　In　Toby's　bedroom　there　was　a　deep　silence。　In　Jill's　room；　the　only　sound　that　could　be　heard　was　the　ticking　of　the　bedside　clock。　Jill　lay　in　her　bed；　naked；　sound　asleep；　one　arm　hugging　a　pillow；　her　body　dark　against　the　white　sheets。　The　street　noises　were　muffled　and　far　away。　Jill　turned　restlessly　in　her　sleep　and　shivered。　She　dreamed　that　she　and　David　were　in　Alaska　on　their　honeymoon。　They　were　on　a　vast　frozen　plain　and　a　sudden　storm　had　e　up。　The　wind　was　blowing　the　icy　air　into　their　faces；　and　it　was　difficult　to　breathe。　She　turned　toward　David；　bat　he　was　gone。　She　was　alone　in　the　frigid　Arctic；　coughing；　fighting　to　get　her　breath。　
　It　was　the　sound　of　someone　choking　that　woke　Jill　up。　She　heard　a　horrid；　gasping　wheeze；　a　death　rattle；　and　she　opened　her　eyes；　and　the　sound　was　ing　from　her　own　throat。　She　could　not　breathe。　An　icy　cloak　of　air　covered　her　like　some　obscene　blanket；　caressing　her　nude　body；　stroking　her　breasts；　kissing　her　lips　with　a　frigid；　malodorous　breath　that　reeked　of　the　grave。　Jill's　heart　was　pounding　wildly　now；　as　she　fought　for　air。　Her　lungs　felt　seared　from　the　cold。　She　tried　to　sit　up；　and　it　was　as　though　there　was　an　invisible　weight　holding　her　down。　She　knew　this　had　to　be　a　dream；　but　at　the　same　time　she　could　hear　that　hideous　rattle　from　her　throat　as　she　fought　for　breath。　She　was　dying。　But　could　a　person　die　during　a　nightmare？　Jill　could　feel　the　cold　tendrils　exploring　her　body；　moving　in　between　her　legs；　inside　her　now；　filling　her；　and　with　a　heart…stopping　suddenness；　she　realized　it　was　Toby。　Somehow；　by　some　means；　it　was　Toby。　And　the　quick　rush　of　terror　in　Jill　gave　her　the　strength　to　claw　her　way　to　the　foot　of　the　bed；　gasping　for　breath；　mind　and　body　fighting　to　stay　alive。　She　reached　the　floor　and　struggled　to　her　feet　and　ran　for　the　door；　feeling　the　cold　pursuing　her；　surrounding　her；　clutching　at　her。　Her　fingers　found　the　door　knob　and　twisted　it　open。　She　ran　out　into　the　hallway；　panting　for　air；　filling　her　starved　lungs　with　oxygen。　The　hallway　was　warm；　quiet；　still。　Jill　stood　there；　swaying；　her　teeth　chattering　uncontrollably。　She　turned　to　look　into　her　room。　It　was　normal　and　peaceful。　She　had　had　a　nightmare。　Jill　hesitated　a　moment；　then　slowly　walked　back　through　the　doorway。　Her　room　was　warm。　There　was　nothing　to　be　afraid　of。　Of　course；　Toby　could　not　harm　her。　In　her　sitting　room；　Nurse　Gallagher　awakened　and　went　in　to　check　on　her　patient。　Toby　Temple　was　lying　in　his　bed；　exactly　as　she　had　left　him。　His　eyes　were　staring　at　the　ceiling；　focused　on　something　that　Nurse　Gallagher　could　not　see。　
　After　that　the　nightmare　kept　recurring　regularly；　like　a　black　omen　of　doom；　a　prescience　of　some　horror　to　e。　Slowly；　a　terror　began　to　build　up　in　Jill。　Wherever　she　went　in　the　house；　she　could　feel　Toby's　presence。　When　the　nurse　took　him　out；　Jill　could　hear　him。　Toby's　wheelchair　had　developed　a　high…pitched　creak；　and　it　got　on　Jill's　nerves　every　time　she　heard　it。　I　must　have　it　fixed；　she　thought。　
　She　avoided　going　anywhere　near　Toby's　room；　but　it　did　not　matter。　He　was　everywhere；　waiting　for　her。　The　headaches　were　constant　now；　a　savage；　rhythmic　pounding　that　would　not　let　her　rest。　Jill　wished　that　the　pain　would　stop　for　an　hour；　a　minute；　a　second。　She　had　to　sleep。　She　went　into　the　maid's　room　behind　the　kitchen；　as　far　away　from　Toby's　quarters　as　she　could　get。　The　room　was　warm　and　quiet。　Jill　lay　down　on　the　bed　and　closed　her　eyes。　She　was　asleep　almost　instantly。　She　was　awakened　by　the　fetid；　icy　air；　filling　the　room；　clutching　at　her；　trying　to　entomb　her。　Jill　leaped　up　and　ran　out　the　door。　
　The　days　were　horrible　enough；　but　the　nights　were　terrifying。　They　followed　the　same　pattern。　Jill　would　go　to　her　room　and　huddle　in　her　bed；　fighting　to　stay　awake；　afraid　to　go　to　sleep；　knowing　that　Toby　would　e。　But　her　exhausted　body　would　take　over　and　she　would　finally　doze　off。　She　would　be　awakened　by　the　cold。　She　would　lie　shivering　in　her　bed；　feeling　the　icy　air　creeping　toward　her；　an　evil　presence　enveloping　her　like　a　terrible　malediction。　She　would　get　up　and　flee　in　silent　terror。　
　It　was　three　a。m。　Jill　had　fallen　asleep　in　her　chair；　reading　a　book。　She　came　out　of　her　sleep　gradually；　slowly；　and　she　op