sk.misery-第39部分

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to　do　the　trick。　Your　car　is　gone。　That's　the　good　news。〃
　〃What　。　。　。〃　More　faint　alarm　bells。　Pomeroy　。　。　。　he　knew　that　name；　but　couldn't　think　exactly　how　he　knew　it。　Then　it　came　to　him。　Pomeroy。　The　late　great　Andrew　Pomeroy；　twenty…three；　of　Cold　Stream　Harbor；　New　York。　Found　in　the　Grider　Wildlife　Preserve；　wherever　that　was。
　〃Now　Paul；〃　she　said；　in　the　prim　voice　he　knew　so　well。　〃No　need　to　be　coy。　I　know　you　know　who　Andy　Pomeroy　was；　because　I　know　you've　read　my　book。　I　suppose　that　I　sort　of　hoped　you　would　read　it；　you　know；　otherwise；　why　would　I　have　left　it　out？　But　I　made　sure；　you　know　…　I　make　sure　of　everything。　And　sure　enough；　the　threads　were　broken。〃
　〃The　threads；〃　he　said　faintly。
　〃Oh　yes。　I　read　once　about　a　way　you're　supposed　to　find　out　for　sure　if　someone　has　been　snooping　around　in　your　drawers。　You　tape　a　very　fine　thread　across　each　one；　and　if　you　e　back　and　find　one　broken；　why　you　know；　don't　you？　You　know　someone's　been　snooping。　You　see　how　easy　it　is？〃
　〃Yes；　Annie。〃　He　was　listening；　but　what　he　really　wanted　to　do　was　trip　out　on　the　marvellous　quality　of　the　light。
　Again　she　bent　over　to　check　whatever　it　was　she　had　at　the　foot　of　the　bed；　again　he　heard　a　faint　dull　clunk/clank；　wood　thumping　against　some　metallic　object；　and　then　she　turned　back；　brushing　absently　at　her　hair　again。
　〃I　did　that　with　my　book　…　only　I　didn't　really　use　threads；　you　know；　I　used　hairs　from　my　own　head。　I　put　them　across　the　thickness　of　the　book　in　three　different　places　and　when　I　came　in　this　morning　…　very　early；　creeping　like　a　little　mousie　so　I　wouldn't　wake　you　up　…　all　three　threads　were　broken；　so　I　knew　you　had　been　looking　at　my　book。〃　She　paused；　and　smiled。　It　was；　for　Annie；　a　very　winning　smile；　yet　it　had　an　unpleasant　quality　he　could　not　quite　put　his　finger　on。　〃Not　that　I　was　surprised。　I　knew　you　had　been　out　of　the　room。　That's　the　bad　news。　I've　known　for　a　long；　long　time；　Paul。〃　He　should　feel　angry　and　dismayed；　he　supposed。　She　had　known；　known　almost　from　the　start；　it　seemed　。　。　。　but　he　could　only　feel　that　dreamy；　floating　euphoria；　and　what　she　was　saying　did　not　seem　nearly　as　important　as　the　glorious　quality　of　the　strengthening　light　as　the　day　hovered　on　the　edge　of　being。
　〃But；〃　she　said　with　the　air　of　one　returning　to　business；　〃we　were　talking　about　your　car。　I　have　studded　tires；　Paul；　and　at　my　place　in　the　hills　I　keep　a　set　of　10X　tire　chains。　Early　yesterday　afternoon　I　felt　ever　so　much　better　…　I　spent　most　of　my　time　up　there　on　my　knees；　deep　in　prayer；　and　the　answer　came；　as　it　often　does；　and　it　was　quite　simple；　as　it　often　is。　What　you　take　to　the　Lord　in　prayer；　Paul；　He　giveth　back　a　thousandfold。　So　I　put　the　chains　on　and　I　crept　back　down　here。　It　was　not　easy；　and　I　knew　I　might　well　have　an　accident　in　spite　of　the　studs　and　the　chains。　I　also　knew　that　there　is　rarely　such　a　thing　as　a　〃minor　accident〃　on　those　twisty　upcountry　roads。　But　I　felt　easy　in　my　mind；　because　I　felt　safe　in　the　will　of　the　Lord。〃
　〃That's　very　uplifting；　Annie；〃　Paul　croaked。
　She　gave　him　a　look　which　was　momentarily　startled　and　narrowly　suspicious　。　。　。　and　then　she　relaxed　and　smiled　〃I've　got　a　present　for　you；　Paul；〃　she　said　softly；　and　before　he　could　ask　her　what　it　was　…　he　wasn't　sure　he　wanted　any　sort　of　present　from　Annie　…　she　went　on：　〃The　roads　were　terribly　icy。　I　almost　went　off　twice　。　。　。　The　second　time　Old　Bessie　slid　all　the　way　around　in　a　circle　and　kept　right　on　going　downhill　while　she　did　it！〃　Annie　laughed　cheerily　〃Then　I　got　stuck　in　a　snowbank　…　this　was　around　midnight　…　but　a　sanding…crew　from　the　Eustice　Public　Works　Department　came　along　and　helped　me　out。〃
　〃Bully　for　the　Eustice　Public　Works　Department；〃　Paul　said；　but　what　came　out　was　badly　slurred　…　Burry　furdah　Estice　Pulleyqurks　Deparrent。
　〃The　two　miles　in　from　the　county　highway；　that　was　the　last　hard　patch。　The　county　highway　is　Route　9；　you　know。　The　road　you　were　on　when　you　had　your　wreck。　They　had　sanded　that　one　to　a　fare…thee…well。　I　stopped　where　you　went　off　and　looked　for　your　car。　And　I　knew　what　I　would　have　to　do　if　I　saw　it。　Because　there　would　be　questions；　and　I'd　be　just　about　the　first　one　they'd　ask　those　questions　to　for　reasons　I　think　you　know。〃　I'm　way　ahead　of　you；　Annie；　he　thought。　I　examined　this　whole　scenario　three　weeks　ago。
　〃One　of　the　reasons　I　brought　you　back　was　because　it　seemed　like　more　than　a　coincidence　。　。　。　it　seemed　moral　like　the　hand　of　Providence。〃
　〃What　seemed　like　the　hand　of　Providence；　Annie？〃　he；　managed。
　〃Your　car　was　wrecked　in　almost　exactly　the　same　spot　where　I　got　rid　of　that　Pomeroy　creep。　The　one　who　said　he　was　an　artist。〃　She　slapped　a　hand　in　contempt；　shifted　her　feet；　and　there　was　that　wooden　clunking　sound　as　one　of　them　brushed　some　of　whatever　it　was　she　had　down　there　on　the　floor。
　〃I　picked　him　up　on　my　way　back　from　Estes　Park。　I　was　there　at　a　ceramics　show。　I　like　little　ceramic　figurines。〃
　〃I　noticed；〃　Paul　said。　His　voice　seemed　to　e　from　light…years　away。　Captain　Kirk！　There's　a　voice　ing　in　over　the　sub…etheric；　he　thought；　and　chuckled　dimly。　That　deep　part　of　him　…　the　part　the　dope　couldn't　reach　…　tried　to　warn　him　to　shut　his　mouth；　just　shut　it；　but　what　was　the　sense？　She　knew。　Of　course　she　knows　…　the　Bourka　Bee…Goddess　knows　everything。　〃I　particularly　liked　the　penguin　on　the　block　of　ice。〃
　〃Thank　you；　Paul　。　。　。　he　is　cute；　isn't　he？
　〃Pomeroy　was　hitchhiking。　He　had　a　pack　on　his　back。　He　said　he　was　an　artist；　although　I　found　out　later　he　was　nothing　but　a　hippie　dope…fiend　dirty　bird　who　had　been　washing　dishes　in　an　Estes　Park　restaurant　for　the　last　couple　of　months。　When　I　told　him　I　had　a　place　in　Sidewinder；　he　said　that　was　a　real　coincidence。　He　said　he　was　going　to　Sidewinder。　He　said　he'd　gotten　an　assignment　from　a　magazine　in　New　York。　He　was　going　to　go　up　to　the　old　hotel　and　sketch　the　ruins。　His　pictures　were　going　to　be　with　an　article　they　were　doing。　It　was　a　famous　old　hotel　called　the　Overlook。　It　burned　down　ten　years　ago。　The　caretaker　burned　it　down。　He　was　crazy。　Everybody　in　town　said　so。　But　never　mind；　he's　dead。
　〃I　let　Pomeroy　stay　here　with　me。
　〃We　were　lovers。〃　She　looked　at　him　with　her　black　eyes　burning　in　her　solid　yet　doughy　white　face　and　Paul　thought：　If　Andrew　Pomeroy　could　get　it　up　for　you；　Annie；　he　must　have　been　as　crazy　as　the　caretaker　that　burned　down　the　hotel。
　〃Then　I　found　out　that　he　didn't　really　have　an　assignment　to　draw　pictures　of　the　hotel　at　all。　He　was　just　doing　them　on　his　own；　hoping　to　sell　them。　He　wasn't　even　sure　the　magazine　was　doing　an　article　on　the　Overlook。　I　found　that　out　pretty　quick！　After　I　did；　I　sneaked　a　look　at　his　sketchpad。　I　felt　I　had　a　perfect　right　to　do　that。　After　all；　he　was　eating　my　food　and　sleeping　in　my　bed。　There　were　only　eight　or　nine　pictures　in　the　whole　book　and　they　were　terrible。〃　Her　face　wrinkled；　and　for　a　moment　she　looked　as　she　had　when　she　had　imitated　the　sound　the　pig　made。
　〃I　could　have　made　better　pictures！　He　came　in　while　I　was　looking　and　he　got　mad。　He　said　I　was　snooping。　I　said　I　didn't　call　looking　at　things　in　my　own　house　snooping。　I　said　if　he　was　an　artist；　I　was　Madame　Curie。　He　started　to　laugh。　He　laughed　at　me。　So　I　。　。　。　I　。　。　。　〃
　〃You　killed　him；〃　Paul　said。　His　voice　sounded　dim　and　ancient。
　She　smiled　uneasily　at　the　wall。　〃Well；　I　guess　it　was　something　like　that。　I　don't　remember　very　well。　Just　when　he　was　dead。　I　remember　that。　I　remember　giving　him　a　bath。〃　He　stared　at　her　and　felt　a　sick；　soupy　horror。　The　image　came　to　him　…　Pomeroy's　naked　body　floating　in　the　downstairs　tub　like　a　piece　of　raw　dough；　head　reclining　aslant　against　the　porcelain；　open　eyes　staring　up　at　the　ceiling　。　。　。
　〃I　had　to；〃　she　said；　lips　drawing　back　a　bit　from　her　teeth。　〃You　probably　don't　know　what　the　police　can　do　with　just　one　piece　of　thread；　or　dirt　under　someone's　fingernails　or　even　dust　in　a　corpse's　hair！　You　don't　know　but　I　worked　in　hospitals　all　my　life　and　I　do　know！　I　do　know！　I　know　about　for…EN…sics！〃　She　was　working　herself　into　one　of　her　patented　Annie　Wilkes　frenzies　and　he　knew　he　should　try　and　say　something　which　would　at　least　temporarily　defuse　her；　but　his　mouth　seemed　numb　and　useless。
　〃They're　out　to　get　me；　all　of　them！　Do　you　think　they　would　have　listened　if　I　tried　to　tell　them　how　it　was？　Do　you？　Do　you？　Oh　no！　They'd　probably　say　something　crazy　like　I　made　a　pass　at　him　and　he　laughed　at　me　and　so　I　killed　him！　They'd　probably　say　something　like　that！〃　And　you　know　what；　Annie？　You　know　what？　I　think　that　just　might　be　a　little　closer　to　the　truth。
　〃The　dirty　birdies　around　here　would　say　anything　to　get　me　in　trouble　or　smear　my　name。〃　She　paused；　not　quite　panting　but　breathing　hard；　looking　at　him　hard；　as　if　inviting　him　to　just　dare　and　tell　her　different。　Just　you　dare！
　Then　she　seemed　to　get　herself　under　some　kind　of　control　and　she　went　on　in　a　calmer　voice。
　〃I　washed　。　。　。　well　。　。　。　what　was　left　of　him　。　。　。　and　his　clothes。　I　knew　what　to　do。　It　was　snowing　outside；　the　first　real　snow　of　the　year；　and　they　said　we'd　have　a　foot　by　the　next　morning。　I　put　his　clothes　in　a　plastic　bag　and　wrapped　the　body　in　sheets　and　took　everything　out　to　that　dry　wash　on　Route　9　after　dark。　I　walked　about　a　mile　farther　down　from　where　your　car　ended　up。　I　walked　until　I　was　in　the　woods　and　just　dumped　everything。　You　probably　think　I　hid　him；　but　I　didn't。　I　knew　the　snow　would　cover　him　up；　and　I　thought　the　spring　melt　would　carry　him　away　if　I　left　him　in　the　stream…bed。　And　that　was　what　happened；　except　I　had　no　idea　he　would　go　so　far。　Why；　they　found　his　body　a　whole　year　after　。　。　。　after　he　died；　and　almost　twenty…seven　miles　away。　Actually；　it　would　have　been　better　if　he　hadn't　gone　as　far　as　he　did；　because　there　are　always　hikers　and　bird…watchers　in　the　Grider　Preserve。　The　woods　around　here　are　much　less　travelled。〃　She　smiled。
　〃And　that's　where　your　car　is　now；　Paul　…　somewhere　between　Route　9　and　the　Grider　Wildlife　Preserve；　somewhere　in　the　woods。　It's　far　enough　in　so　you　can't　see　it　from　the　road。　I've　got　a　spotlight　on　the　s