dk.watchers-第48部分

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　〃It's　test　time　again；〃　she　told　Einstein。　〃Let's　see　if　you　can　do　better　than　you　did　on　Monday。〃
　Einstein　sat　very　erect；　his　chest　puffed　out；　his　head　held　high；　as　if　confident　of　his　ability。
　Travis　was　sitting　in　the　armchair；　watching。　He　said；　〃If　you　fail；　fur　face；　we're　going　to　trade　you　in　on　a　poodle　that　can　roll　over；　play　dead；　and　beg　for　its　supper。〃
　Nora　was　pleased　to　see　that　Einstein　ignored　Travis。　〃This　is　not　a　time　for　frivolity；〃　she　admonished。
　〃I　stand　corrected；　professor；〃　Travis　said。
　Nora　held　up　a　flashcard　with　TREE　printed　on　it。　The　retriever　went　unerringly　to　the　photo　of　a　pine　tree　and　indicated　it　with　a　touch　of　his　nose。　When　she　held　up　a　card　that　said　CAR；　he　put　a　paw　on　the　photo　of　the　car；　and　when　she　held　up　HOUSE；　he　sniffed　at　the　picture　of　a　colonial　mansion。　They　went　through　fifty　words；　and　for　the　first　time　the　dog　correctly　paired　every　printed　word　with　the　image　it　represented。　Nora　was　thrilled　by　his　progress；　and　Einstein　could　not　stop　wagging　his　tail。
　Travis　said；　〃Well；　Einstein；　you're　still　a　hell　of　a　long　way　from　reading　Proust。〃
　Rankled　by　Travis's　needling　of　her　star　pupil；　Nora　said；　〃He's　doing　fine！　Terrific。　You　can't　expect　him　to　be　reading　at　college　level　overnight。　He's　learning　faster　than　a　child　would。〃
　〃Is　that　so？〃
　〃Yes；　that's　so！　Much　faster　than　a　child　would。〃
　〃Well　then；　maybe　he　deserves　a　couple　of　Milk…Bones。〃
　Einstein　dashed　immediately　into　the　kitchen　to　get　the　box　of　dog　biscuits。
　2
　As　the　summer　wore　on；　Travis　was　amazed　by　the　swift　progress　Nora　made　in　teaching　Einstein　to　read。
　By　the　middle　of　July；　they　graduated　from　her　homemade　primer　to　children's　picture　books　by　Dr。　Seuss；　Maurice　Sendak；　Phil　Parks；　Susi　Bohdal；　Sue　Dreamer；　Mercer　Mayer；　and　many　others。　Einstein　appeared　to　enjoy　all　of　them　immensely；　though　his　favorites　were　by　Parks　and　especially…for　reasons　neither　Nora　nor　Travis　could　discern…　the　charming　Frog　and　Toad　books　by　Arnold　Lobel。　They　brought　armsful　of　children's　books　home　from　the　city　library　and　purchased　additional　stacks　of　them　at　the　bookstore。
　At　first；　Nora　read　them　aloud；　carefully　moving　a　finger　under　each　word　as　she　spoke　it；　and　Einstein's　eyes　followed　along　as　he　leaned　in　toward　the　book　with　undivided　attention。　Later；　she　did　not　read　the　book　aloud　but　held　it　open　for　the　dog　and　turned　the　pages　for　him　when　he　indicated…　by　a　whimper　or　some　other　sign…that　he　had　finished　that　portion　of　the　text　and　was　ready　to　proceed　to　the　next　page。
　Einstein's　willingness　to　sit　for　hours；　focusing　on　the　books；　seemed　proof　that　he　was　actually　reading　them　and　not　just　looking　at　the　cute　drawings。　Nevertheless；　Nora　decided　to　test　him　on　the　contents　of　some　of　the　volumes　by　posing　a　number　of　questions　about　the　story　lines。
　After　Einstein　had　read　Frog　and　Toad　All　Year；　Nora　closed　the　book　and　said；　〃All　right。　Now；　answer　yes　or　no　to　these　questions。〃
　They　were　in　the　kitchen；　where　Travis　was　making　a　cheese…and…potato　casserole　for　dinner。　Nora　and　Einstein　were　sitting　on　chairs　at　the　kitchen　table。　Travis　paused　in　his　cooking　to　watch　the　dog　take　the　quiz。
　Nora　said；　〃First…when　Frog　came　to　see　Toad　on　a　winter's　day；　Toad　was　in　bed　and　did　not　want　to　e　outside。　Is　that　right？〃
　Einstein　had　to　sidle　around　on　his　chair　to　free　his　tail　and　wag　it。　Yes。
　Nora　said；　〃But　finally　Frog　got　Toad　outside；　and　they　went　ice…skating。〃
　One　bark。　No。
　〃They　went　sledding；〃　she　said。
　Yes。
　〃Very　good。　Later　that　same　year；　at　Christmas；　Frog　gave　Toad　a　gift。　Was　it　a　sweater？〃
　No。
　〃A　new　sled？〃
　No。
　〃A　clock　for　his　mantel？〃
　Yes；　yes；　yes。
　〃Excellent！〃　Nora　said。　〃Now　what　shall　we　read　next？　How　about　this　One。　Fantastic　Mr。　Fox。〃
　Einstein　wagged　his　tail　vigorously。
　Travis　would　have　enjoyed　taking　a　more　active　role　in　the　dog's　education；　but　he　could　see　that　working　intensely　with　Einstein　was　having　an　enormously　beneficial　effect　on　Nora；　and　he　did　not　want　to　interfere。　Indeed；　he　sometimes　played　the　curmudgeon；　questioning　the　value　of　teaching　the　pooch　to　read；　making　wisecracks　about　the　pace　of　the　dog's　progress　or　its　taste　in　reading　matter。　This　mild　naysaying　was　just　enough　to　redouble　Nora's　determination　to　stick　with　the　lessons；　to　spend　even　more　time　with　the　dog；　and　to　prove　Travis　wrong。　Einstein　never　reacted　to　those　negative　remarks；　and　Travis　suspected　the　dog　exhibited　forbearance　because　he　understood　the　little　game　of　reverse　psychology　in　which　Travis　was　engaged。
　Exactly　why　Nora's　teaching　chores　made　her　blossom　was　not　clear。　Perhaps　it　was　because　she　had　never　interacted　with　anyone…not　even　with　Travis　or　with　her　Aunt　Violet…as　intensely　as　she　had　with　the　dog；　and　the　mere　process　of　extensive　munication　encouraged　her　to　e　farther　out　of　her　shell。　Or　perhaps　giving　the　gift　of　literacy　to　the　dog　was　extremely　satisfying　to　her。　She　was　by　nature　a　giving　person　who　took　pleasure　in　sharing　with　others；　yet　she　had　spent　all　of　her　life　as　a　recluse　without　a　single　previous　opportunity　to　express　that　side　of　her　personality。　Now　she　had　a　chance　to　give　of　herself；　and　she　was　generous　with　her　time　and　energy；　and　in　her　own　generosity　she　found　joy。
　Travis　also　suspected　that；　through　her　relationship　with　the　retriever；　she　was　expressing　a　natural　talent　for　mothering。　Her　great　patience　was　that　of　a　good　mother　dealing　with　a　child；　and　she　often　spoke　to　Einstein　so　tenderly　and　affectionately　that　she　sounded　as　if　she　were　addressing　her　own　much…loved　offspring。
　Whatever　the　reason；　Nora　became　more　relaxed　and　outgoing　as　she　worked　with　Einstein。　Gradually　forsaking　her　shapeless　dark　dresses　for　summery　white　cotton　slacks；　colorful　blouses；　jeans　and　T…shirts；　she　seemed　to　grow　ten　years　younger。　She　had　her　glorious　dark　hair　redone　at　the　beauty　salon　and　did　not　brush　out　all　the　styling　this　time。　She　laughed　more　often　and　more　engagingly。　In　conversation；　she　met　Travis's　eyes　and　seldom　looked　shyly　away　from　him；　as　she　had　done　previously。　She　was　quicker　to　touch　him；　too；　and　to　put　an　arm　around　his　waist。　She　liked　to　be　hugged；　and　they　kissed　with　ease　now；　although　their　kissing　remained；　for　the　most　part；　that　of　uncertain　teenagers　in　the　early　stages　of　courting。
　On　July　14；　Nora　received　news　that　lifted　her　spirits　even　higher。　The　Santa　Barbara　District　Attorney's　Office　called　to　tell　her　that　it　was　not　going　to　be　necessary　for　her　to　appear　in　court　to　testify　against　Arthur　Streck。　In　light　of　his　previous　criminal　record；　Streck　had　changed　his　mind　about　pursuing　a　plea　of　innocence　and　waging　a　defense　against　charges　of　attempted　rape；　assault；　and　breaking　and　entering。　He　had　instructed　his　attorney　to　plea…bargain　with　the　D。A。　As　a　result；　they　dropped　all　charges　except　assault；　and　Streck　accepted　a　prison　sentence　of　three　years；　with　a　provision　that　he　serve　at　least　two　years　before　being　eligible　for　parole。　Nora　had　dreaded　the　trial。　Suddenly　she　was　free；　and　in　celebration　she　got　slightly　tipsy　for　the　first　time　in　her　life。
　That　same　day；　when　Travis　brought　home　a　new　stack　of　reading　material；　Einstein　discovered　there　were　Mickey　Mouse　picture　books　for　children　and
　ic　books；　and　the　dog　was　as　jubilant　about　that　discovery　as　Nora　was　about　the　resolution　of　the　charges　against　Arthur　Streck。　His　fascination　with　Mickey　and　Donald　Duck　and　the　rest　of　the　Disney　gang　remained　a　mystery；　but　it　was　undeniable。　Einstein　couldn't　stop　wagging　his　tail；　and　he　slobbered　all　over　Travis　in　gratitude。
　Everything　would　have　been　rosy　if；　in　the　middle　of　the　night；　Einstein　had　stopped　going　through　the　house　from　window　to　window；　looking　out　at　the　darkness　with　obvious　fear。
　　
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　By　Thursday　morning；　July　15；　almost　six　weeks　after　the　murders　at　Bordeaux　Ridge；　two　months　after　the　dog　and　The　Outsider　had　escaped　from　Banodyne；　Lemuel　Johnson　sat　alone　in　his　office　on　an　upper　floor　of　the　federal　building　in　Santa　Ana；　the　county　seat　of　Orange　County。　He　stared　out　the　window　at　the　pollutant…rich　haze　that　was　trapped　under　an　inversion　layer；　blanketing　the　western　half　of　the　county　and　adding　to　the　misery　of　hundred…degree　heat。　The　bile…yellow　day　matched　his　sour　mood。
　His　duties　were　not　limited　to　the　search　for　the　lab　escapees；　but　that　case　constantly　worried　him　when　he　was　doing　other　work。　He　was　unable　to　put　the　Banodyne　affair　out　of　mind　even　to　sleep；　and　lately　he　was　averaging　only　four　or　five　hours　of　rest　a　night。　He　could　not　tolerate　failure。
　No；　in　truth；　his　attitude　was　much　stronger　than　that：　he　was　obsessed　with　avoiding　failure。　His　father；　having　started　life　dirt…poor　and　having　built　a　successful　business；　had　inculcated　in　Lem　an　almost　religious　belief　in　the　need　to　achieve；　to　succeed；　and　to　fulfill　all　of　one's　goals。　No　matter　how　much　success　you　had；　his　dad　often　said；　life　could　pull　the　rug　right　out　from　under　you　if　you　weren't　diligent。　〃It's　even　worse　for　a　black　man；　Lem。　With　a　black　man；　success　is　like　a　tightrope　over　the　Grand　Canyon。　He's　up　there　real　high；　and　it's　sweet；　but　when　he　makes　a　mistake；　when　he　fails；　it's　a　mile…long　drop　into　an　abyss。　An　abyss。　Because　failure　means　being　poor。　And　in　a　lot　of　people's　eyes；　even　in　this　enlightened　age；　a　poor　miserable　failed　black　man　is　no　man　at　all；　he's　just　a　nigger。〃　That　Was　the　only　time　his　father　ever　used　the　hated　word。　Lem　had　grown　up　With　the　conviction　that　any　success　he　achieved　was　merely　a　precarious　toehold　on　the　cliff　of　life；　that　he　was　always　in　danger　of　being　blown　off　that　cliff　by　the　winds　of　adversity；　and　that　he　dared　not　relent　in　his　determination　to　cling　fast　and　to　climb　to　a　wider；　safer　ledge。
　He　wasn't　sleeping　well；　and　his　appetite　was　no　good。　When　he　did　eat；　the　meal　was　inevitably　followed　by　severe　acid　indigestion。　His　bridge　game　had　gone　to　hell　because　he　could　not　concentrate　on　the　cards；　at　their
　weekly　get…togethers　with　Walt　and　Audrey　Gaines；　the　Johnsons　were　taking　a　beating。
　He　knew　why　he　was　obsessed　with　closing　every　case　success