dk.watchers-第40部分

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　merely　been　closed　and　dead…bolted。　A　length　of　scrap　wire　had　been　wound　around　the　handle　on　the　fixed　door　and　around　that　on　the　active　door；　linking　them；　fastening　them　together。　He　would　have　to　unwind　the　wire　before　he　could　get　out；　which　might　take　half　a　minute。
　Click；　click；　click。
　He　fired　once　toward　the　hallway　without　even　looking　and　ran　in　the　opposite　direction；　crossing　the　empty　living　room。　He　heard　the　killer　behind　him。　Clicking。　ing　fast　in　the　darkness。　Yet　when　Ken　reached　the　dining　room　and　was　almost　to　the　doorway　that　led　into　the　kitchen；　intending　to　make　a　break　for　the　family　room　and　the　patio　door　by　which　Tee！　had　entered；　he　heard　the　clicking　ing　from　in　front　of　him。　He　was　sure　the　killer　had　pursued　him　into　the　living　room；　but　now　the　guy　had　gone　back　into　the　lightless　hallway　and　was　ing　at　him　from　the　other　direction；　making　a　crazy　game　of　this。　From　the　sounds　the　bastard　was　making；　he　seemed　just　about　to　enter　the　breakfast　area；　which　would　put　only　the　width　of　the　kitchen　between　him　and　Ken；　so　Ken　decided　to　make　a　stand　right　there；　decided　to　blow　away　this　psycho　the　moment　the　guy　appeared　in　the　beam　of　the　light…　Then　the　killer　shrieked。
　Clicking　along　the　hallway；　still　out　of　sight　but　ing　toward　Ken；　the　attacker　let　out　a　shrill　inhuman　cry　that　was　the　essence　of　primal　rage　and　hatred；　the　strangest　sound　that　Ken　had　ever　heard；　not　the　sound　a　man　would　make；　not　even　a　lunatic。　He　gave　up　all　thought　of　confrontation；　pitched　his　flashlight　into　the　kitchen　to　create　a　diversion；　turned　away　from　the　approaching　enemy；　and　fled　again；　though　not　back　into　the　living　room；　not　toward　any　part　of　the　house　in　which　this　game　of　cat　and　mouse　could　be　extended；　but　straight　across　the　dining　room　toward　a　window　that　glimmered　vaguely　with　the　last　dim　glow　of　twilight。　He　tucked　his　head　down；　brought　his　arms　up　against　his　chest；　and　turned　sideways　as　he　slammed　into　the　glass。　The　window　exploded；　and　he　fell　out　into　the　rear　yard；　rolling　through　construction　debris。　Splintery　scraps　of　two…by…fours　and　chunks　of　concrete　poked　painfully　into　his　legs　and　ribs。　He　scrambled　to　his　feet；　spun　toward　the　house；　and　emptied　his　revolver　at　the　broken　window　in　case　the　killer　was　in　pursuit　of　him。
　In　the　settling　night；　he　saw　no　sign　of　the　enemy。
　Figuring　he　had　not　scored　a　hit；　he　wasted　no　time　cursing　his　luck。　He　sprinted　around　the　house；　along　the　side　of　it；　and　out　to　the　street。　He　had　to　get　to　the　patrol　car；　where　there　was　a　radio…and　a　pump…action　riot　gun。
　3
　On　Wednesday　and　Thursday；　the　second　and　third　of　June；　Travis　and　Nora　and　Einstein　searched　diligently　for　a　way　to　improve　human…canine　munications；　and　in　the　process　man　and　dog　had　almost　begun　to　chew　up　furniture　in　frustration。　However；　Nora　proved　to　have　enough　patience　and　confidence　for　all　of　them。　When　the　breakthrough　came　near　sunset　on　Friday　evening；　the　fourth　of　June；　she　was　less　surprised　than　either　Travis　or　Einstein。
　They　had　purchased　forty　magazines…everything　from　Time　and　Life　to　McCall's　and　Redbook…and　fifty　books　of　art　and　photography；　and　had　brought　them　to　the　living　room　of　Travis's　rental　house；　where　there　was　space　to　spread　everything　out　on　the　floor。　They　had　put　pillows　on　the　floor　as　well；　so　they　could　work　at　the　dog's　level　and　be　fortable。
　Einstein　had　watched　their　preparations　with　interest。
　Sitting　on　the　floor　with　her　back　against　the　vinyl　sofa；　Nora　took　the　retriever's　head　in　both　hands　and；　with　her　face　close　to　his；　their　noses　almost　touching；　she　said；　〃Okay；　now　you　listen　to　me；　Einstein。　We　want　to　know　all　sorts　of　things　about　you：　where　you　came　from；　why　you're　smarter　than　an　ordinary　dog；　what　you　were　afraid　of　in　the　woods　that　day　Travis　found　you；　why　you　sometimes　stare　out　the　window　at　night　as　if　you're　frightened　of　something。　Lots　more。　But　you　can't　talk；　can　you？　No。　And　so　far　as　we　know；　you　can't　read。　And　even　if　you　can　read；　you　can't　write。　So　we've　got　to　do　this　with　pictures；　I　think。〃
　From　where　he　sat　near　Nora；　Travis　could　see　that　the　dog's　eyes　never　wavered　from　hers　as　she　spoke。　Einstein　was　rigid。　His　tail　hung　down；　motionless。　He　not　only　seemed　to　understand　what　she　was　telling　him；　but　he　appeared　to　be　electrified　by　the　experiment。
　How　much　does　the　mutt　really　perceive；　Travis　wondered；　and　how　many　of　his　reactions　am　I　imagining　because　of　pure　wishful　thinking？
　People　have　a　natural　tendency　to　anthropomorphize　their　pets；　to　ascribe　human　perceptions　and　intentions　to　the　animals　where　none　exist。　In　Einstein's　case；　where　there　really　was　an　exceptional　intelligence　at　work；　the　temptation　to　see　profound　meaning　in　every　meaningless　doggy　twitch　was　even　greater　than　usual。
　〃We're　going　to　study　all　these　pictures；　looking　for　things　that　interest　you；　for　things　that'll　help　us　understand　where　you　came　from　and　how　you　got　to　be　what　you　are。　Every　time　you　see　something　that'll　help　us　put　the　puzzle　together；　you've　got　somehow　to　bring　it　to　our　attention。　Bark　at　it　or　put　a　paw　on　it　or　wag　your　tail。〃
　〃This　is　nuts；〃　Travis　said。
　〃Do　you　understand　me；　Einstein？〃　Nora　asked。
　The　retriever　issued　a　soft　woof。
　〃This　will　never　work；〃　Travis　said。
　〃Yes；　it　will；〃　Nora　insisted。　〃He　can't　talk；　can't　write；　but　he　can　show　us　things。　If　he　points　out　a　dozen　pictures；　we　might　not　immediately　understand　what　meaning　they　have　for　him；　how　they　refer　to　his　origins；　but　in　time　we'll　find　a　way　to　relate　them　to　one　another　and　to　him；　and　we'll　know　what　he's　trying　to　tell　us。〃
　The　dog；　his　head　still　trapped　firmly　in　Nora's　hands；　rolled　his　eyes　toward　Travis　and　woofed　again。
　〃We　ready？〃　Nora　asked　Einstein。
　His　gaze　flicked　back　to　her；　and　he　wagged　his　tail。
　〃All　right；〃　she　said；　letting　go　of　his　head。　〃Let's　start。〃
　Wednesday；　Thursday；　and　Friday；　for　hours　at　a　time；　they　leafed　through　scores　of　publications；　showing　Einstein　pictures　of　all　kinds　of　things…　people；　trees；　flowers；　dogs；　other　animals；　machines；　city　streets；　country　lanes；　cars；　ships；　planes；　food；　advertisements　for　a　thousand　products…　hoping　he　would　see　something　that　would　excite　him。　The　problem　was　that　he　saw　many　things　that　excited　him；　too　many。　He　barked　at；　pawed　at；　woofed　at；　put　his　nose　to；　or　wagged　his　tail　at　perhaps　a　hundred　out　of　the　thousands　of　pictures；　and　his　choices　were　of　such　variety　that　Travis　could　see　no　pattern　to　them；　no　way　to　link　them　and　divine　meaning　from　their　association　to　one　another。
　Einstein　was　fascinated　by　an　automobile　ad　in　which　the　car；　being　pared　to　a　powerful　tiger；　was　shown　locked　in　an　iron　cage。　Whether　it　was　the　car　or　the　tiger　that　seized　his　interest　was　not　clear。　He　also　responded　to　several　puter　advertisements；　Alpo　and　Purina　Dog　Chow　ads；　an　ad　for　a　portable　stereo　cassette　player；　and　pictures　of　books；　butterflies；　a　parrot；　a　forlorn　man　in　a　prison　cell；　four　young　people　playing　with　a　striped　beach　ball；　Mickey　Mouse；　a　violin；　a　man　on　an　exercise　treadmill；　and　many　other　things。　He　was　tantalized　by　a　photograph　of　a　golden　retriever　like　himself；　and　was　downright　excited　by　a　picture　of　a　cocker　spaniel；　but　curiously　he　showed　little　or　no　interest　in　other　breeds　of　dogs。
　His　strongest…and　most　puzzling…response　was　to　a　photo　in　a　magazine　article　about　an　uping　movie　from　20th　Century…Fox。　The　film's　story　involved　the　supernatural…ghosts；　poltergeists；　demons　risen　from　Hell…　and　the　photo　that　agitated　him　was　of　a　slab…jawed；　wickedly　fanged；　lantern…eyed　demonic　apparition。　The　creature　was　no　more　hideous　than　others　in　the　film；　less　hideous　than　several　of　them；　yet　Einstein　was　affected　by　only　that　one　demon。
　The　retriever　barked　at　the　photograph。　He　scurried　behind　the　sofa　and　peeked　around　the　end　of　it　as　if　he　thought　the　creature　in　the　picture　might　rise　off　the　page　and　e　after　him。　He　barked　again；　whined；　and　had　to　be　coaxed　back　to　the　magazine。　Upon　seeing　the　demon　a　second　time；　Einstein　growled　menacingly。　Frantically；　he　pawed　at　the　magazine；　turning　its　pages　until；　somewhat　tattered；　it　was　pletely　closed。
　〃What's　so　special　about　that　picture？〃　Nora　asked　the　dog。
　Einstein　just　stared　at　her…and　shivered　slightly。
　Patiently；　Nora　reopened　the　magazine　to　the　same　page。
　Einstein　closed　it　again。
　Nora　opened　it。
　Einstein　closed　it　a　third　time；　snatched　it　up　in　his　jaws；　and　carried　it　out　of　the　room。
　Travis　and　Nora　followed　the　retriever　into　the　kitchen；　where　they　watched　him　go　straight　to　the　trash　can。　The　can　was　one　of　those　with　a　foot　pedal　that　opened　a　hinged　lid。　Einstein　put　a　paw　on　the　pedal；　watched　the　lid　open；　dropped　the　magazine　into　the　can；　and　released　the　pedal。
　〃What's　that　all　about？〃　Nora　wondered。
　〃I　guess　that's　one　movie　he　definitely　doesn't　want　to　see。〃
　〃Our　own　four…footed；　furry　critic。〃
　That　incident　occurred　Thursday　afternoon。　By　early　Friday　evening；　Travis's　frustration…and　that　of　the　dog…were　nearing　critical　mass。
　Sometimes　Einstein　exhibited　uncanny　intelligence；　but　sometimes　he　behaved　like　an　ordinary　dog；　and　these　oscillations　between　canine　genius　and　dopey　mutt　were　enervating　for　anyone　trying　to　understand　how　he　could　be　so　bright。　Travis　began　to　think　that　the　best　way　to　deal　with　the　retriever　was　to　just　accept　him　for　what　he　was：　be　prepared　for　his　amazing　feats　now　and　then；　but　don't　expect　him　to　deliver　all　the　time。　Most　likely　the　mystery　of　Einstein's　unusual　intelligence　would　never　be　solved。
　However；　Nora　remained　patient。　She　frequently　reminded　them　that　Rome　wasn't　built　in　a　day　and　that　any　worthwhile　achievement　required　determination；　persistence；　tenacity；　and　time。
　When　she　launched　into　these　lectures　about　steadfastness　and　endurance；　Travis　sighed　wearily…and　Einstein　yawned。
　Nora　was　unperturbed。　After　they　had　examined　the　pictures　in　all　of　the　books　and　magazines；　she　collected　those　to　which　Einstein　had　responded；　spread　them　out　across　the　floor；　and　encouraged　him　to　make　connections　between　one　image　and　another。
　〃All　of　these　are　pictures　of　t