sk.misery-第49部分

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f；　Paul　thought　…　and　then　she　was　striding　down　the　hall　again；　the　thud　of　her　boot…heels　mercifully　diminishing。
　He　turned　his　head　and　looked　dully　out　the　window。　He　could　see　only　part　of　the　trooper's　body。　His　head　was　still　under　the　mower；　which　was；　in　turn；　canted　at　a　drunken　angle　against　the　cruiser。　The　riding　mower　was　a　small　tractor…like　vehicle　meant　for　keeping　larger…than…average　lawns　neat　and　clipped。　It　had　not　been　designed　to　keep　its　balance　as　it　passed　over　jutting　rocks；　fallen　logs；　or　the　heads　of　state　troopers。　If　the　cruiser　hadn't　been　parked　exactly　where　it　was；　and　if　the　trooper　hadn't　gotten　exactly　as　close　to　it　as　he　had　before　Annie　struck　him；　the　mower　would　almost　surely　have　tipped　over；　spilling　her　off。　This　might　have　caused　her　no　harm　at　all；　but　it　might　have　hurt　her　quite　badly。
　She　has　the　luck　of　the　devil　himself；　Paul　thought　drearily；　and　watched　as　she　put　the　mower　in　neutral　and　then　pushed　it　off　the　trooper　with　one　hard　shove。　The　side　of　the　mower　squalled　along　the　side　of　the　cruiser　and　took　off　some　paint。
　Now　that　he　was　dead；　Paul　could　look　at　him。　The　cop　looked　like　a　big　doll　that　has　been　badly　treated　by　a　gang　of　nasty　children。　Paul　felt　a　terrible　aching　sympathy　for　this　unnamed　young　man；　but　there　was　another　emotion　mixed　with　that。　He　examined　it　and　was　not　much　surprised　to　find　it　was　envy。　The　trooper　would　never　go　home　to　his　wife　and　kids；　if　he　had　had　them；　but　on　the　other　hand；　he　had　escaped　Annie　Wilkes。
　She　grabbed　a　bloody　hand　and　dragged　him　up　the　driveway　and　through　the　barn　doors；　which　stood　ajar　on　their　tracks。　When　she　came　out；　she　pushed　them　along　their　tracks　as　far　as　they　would　go。　Then　she　walked　back　down　to　the　cruiser。　She　was　moving　with　a　calm　that　was　almost　serenity。　She　started　the　cruiser　and　drove　it　into　the　barn。　When　she　came　out　again　she　closed　the　doors　almost　pletely；　leaving　a　gap　just　wide　enough　for　her　to　slip　in　and　out。
　She　walked　halfway　down　the　driveway　and　looked　around；　hands　on　her　hips。　Again　Paul　saw　that　remarkable　expression　of　serenity。
　The　bottom　of　the　mower　was　smeared　with　blood；　particularly　around　the　grass…exhaust；　which　was　still　dripping。　Little　scraps　of　khaki　uniform　lay　in　the　driveway　or　fluttered　in　the　freshly　cut　grass　of　the　side　lawn。　There　were　daubs　and　splashes　of　blood　everywhere。　The　trooper's　gun；　with　a　long　slash　of　bright　metal　now　scarring　its　barrel；　lay　in　the　dust。　A　square　of　stiff　white　paper　had　caught　on　the　spines　of　a　small　cactus　Annie　had　set　out　in　May。　Bossie's　splintered　cross　lay　in　the　driveway　like　a　ment　on　the　whole　filthy　mess。
　She　moved　out　of　his　field　of　vision；　heading　toward　the　kitchen　again。　When　she　came　in　he　heard　her　singing。　〃She'll　be　driving　six　white　horses　when　she　ES！　。　。　。　she'll　be　driving　six　white　horses　when　she　ES！　She'll　be　driving　six　white　HORSES；　driving　six　white　HORSES　。　。　。　she'll　be　driving　six　white　HORSES　when　she　ES！〃　When　he　saw　her　again；　she　had　a　big　green　garbage　bag　in　her　hands　and　three　or　four　more　sticking　out　of　the　back　pockets　of　her　jeans。　Big　sweatstains　darkened　her　tee…shirt　around　her　armpits　and　neck。　When　she　turned；　he　saw　a　sweatstain　that　looked　vaguely　tree…like　rising　up　her　back。
　That's　a　lot　of　bags　for　a　few　scraps　of　cloth；　Paul　thought；　but　he　knew　that　she　would　have　plenty　to　put　in　them　before　she　was　done。
　She　picked　up　the　shreds　of　uniform　and　then　the　cross。　She　broke　it　into　two　pieces；　and　dropped　it　into　the　plastic　bag。　Incredibly；　she　genuflected　after　doing　this。　She　picked　up　the　gun；　rolled　the　cylinder；　dumped　the　slugs；　put　hem　in　one　hip　pocket；　snapped　the　cylinder　back　in　with　a　practiced　flick　of　her　wrist；　and　then　stuck　the　gun　in　the　waistband　of　her　jeans。　She　plucked　the　piece　of　paper　off　the　saguaro　and　looked　at　it　thoughtfully。　She　stuck　it　into　the　other　hip　pocket。　She　went　to　the　barn；　tossed　the　garbage　bags　inside　the　doors；　then　came　back　to　the　house。
　She　walked　up　the　side　lawn　to　the　cellar　bulkhead　which　was　almost　directly　below　Paul's　window。　Something　e　se　caught　her　eye。　It　was　his　ashtray。　She　picked　it　up　and　handed　it　politely　to　him　through　the　broken　window。
　〃Here；　Paul。〃　Numbly；　he　took　it。
　〃I'll　get　the　paper…clips　later；〃　she　said；　as　if　this　was　a　question　which　must　already　have　occurred　to　him。　For　one　moment　he　thought　of　bringing　the　heavy　ceramic　ashtray　down　on　her　head　as　she　bent　over；　cleaving　her　skull　with　it；　letting　out　the　disease　that　passed　for　her　brains。
　Then　he　thought　of　what　would　happen　to　him　…　what　could　happen　to　him　…　if　he　only　hurt　her；　and　put　the　ashtray　where　it　had　been　with　his　shaking　thumbless　hand。
　She　looked　up　at　him。　〃I　didn't　kill　him；　you　know。〃
　〃Annie　…　〃
　〃You　killed　him。　If　you　had　kept　your　mouth　shut；　I　would　have　sent　him　on　his　way。　He'd　be　alive　now　and　there　would　be　none　of　this　oogy　mess　to　clean　up。〃
　〃Yes；〃　Paul　said。　〃Down　the　road　he　would　have　gone；　and　what　about　me；　Annie？〃　She　was　pulling　her　hose　out　of　the　bulkhead　and　looping　it　over　her　arm。　〃I　don't　know　what　you　mean。〃
　〃Yes　you　do。〃　In　the　depth　of　his　shock　he　had　achieved　his　own　serenity。　〃He　had　my　picture。　It's　in　your　pocket　right　now；　isn't　it？〃
　〃Ask　me　no　questions　and　I　will　tell　you　no　lies。〃　There　was　a　faucet　bib　on　the　side　of　the　house　to　the　left　of　his　window。　She　began　to　screw　the　end　of　the　hose　onto　it。
　〃A　state　cop　with　my　picture　means　someone　found　my　car。　We　both　knew　someone　would。　I'm　only　surprised　it　took　so　long。　In　a　novel　a　car　might　be　able　to　float　right　out　of　the　story　…　I　guess　I　could　make　people　believe　it　if　I　had　to　…　but　in　real　life；　no　way。　But　we　went　on　fooling　ourselves　just　the　same；　didn't　we；　Annie？　You　because　of　the　book；　me　because　of　my　life；　miserable　as　it　has　bee　to　me。〃
　〃I　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about。〃　She　turned　on　the　faucet。　〃AR　I　know　is　you　killed　that　poor　kid　when　you　threw　the　ashtray　through　the　window。　You're　getting　what　might　happen　to　you　mixed　up　with　what　already　happened　to　him。〃　She　grinned　at　him。　There　was　craziness　in　that　grin；　but　he　saw　something　else　in　it　as　well；　something　that　really　frightened　him。　He　saw　conscious　evil　in　it　…　a　demon　capering　behind　her　eyes。
　〃You　bitch；〃　he　said。
　〃Crazy　bitch；　isn't　that　right？〃　she　asked；　still　smiling。
　〃Oh　yeah　…　you're　crazy；〃　he　said。
　〃Well；　we'll　have　to　talk　about　that；　won't　we？　When　I　have　more　time。　We'll　have　to　talk　about　that　a　lot。　But　right　now　I'm　very　busy；　as　I　think　you　can　see。〃　She　unreeled　the　hose　and　turned　it　on。　She　spent　nearly　half　an　hour　hosing　blood　off　the　mower　and　driveway　and　the　side　lawn；　while　interlinked　rainbows　glimmered　in　the　spray。
　Then　she　twisted　the　nozzle　off　and　walked　back　along　the　hose's　length；　looping　it　over　her　arm。　There　was　still　plenty　of　light　but　her　shadow　trailed　long　behind　her。　It　was　now　six　o'clock。
　She　unscrewed　the　hose；　opened　the　bulkhead；　and　dropped　the　green　plastic　snake　inside。　She　closed　the　bulkhead；　shot　the　bolt；　and　stood　back；　surveying　the　puddly　driveway　and　the　grass；　which　looked　as　though　a　heavy　dew　had　fallen　upon　it。
　Annie　walked　back　to　the　mower；　got　on；　started　it　up；　and　drove　it　around　back。　Paul　smiled　a　little。　She　had　the　luck　of　the　devil；　and　when　she　was　pressed　she　had　almost　the　cleverness　of　the　devil　…　but　almost　was　the　key　word。　She　had　slipped　in　Boulder　and　wriggled　away　mostly　due　to　luck。　Now　she　had　slipped　again。　He　had　seen　it。　She　had　washed　the　blood　off　the　mower　but　forgotten　the　blade　underneath　…　the　whole　blade　housing；　for　that　matter。　She　might　remember　later；　but　Paul　didn't　think　so。　Things　had　a　way　of　dropping　out　of　Annie's　mind　once　the　immediate　moment　was　past。　It　occurred　to　him　that　the　mind　and　the　mower　had　a　lot　in　mon　…　what　you　could　see　looked　all　right。　But　if　you　turned　the　thing　over　to　take　a　look　at　the　works；　you　saw　a　blood…slimed　killing　machine　with　a　very　sharp　blade。
　She　returned　to　the　kitchen　door　and　let　herself　into　the　house　again。　She　went　upstairs　and　he　heard　her　rummaging　there　for　awhile。　Then　she　came　down　again；　more　slowly；　dragging　something　that　sounded　soft　and　heavy。　After　a　moment's　consideration；　Paul　rolled　the　wheelchair　across　to　his　door　and　leaned　his　ear　against　the　wood。
　Dim；　diminishing　footfalls　…　slightly　hollow。　And　still　that　soft　flumping　sound　of　something　being　dragged。　Immediately　his　mind　lit　up　with　panicky　floodlights　and　his　skin　flushed　with　his　terror。
　Shed！　She's　gone　to　the　shed　to　get　the　axe！　It's　the　axe　again！
　But　this　was　only　a　momentary　atavism；　and　he　pushed　it　roughly　away。　She　hadn't　gone　into　the　shed；　she　was　going　down　cellar。　Dragging　something　down　cellar。
　He　heard　her　e　up　again　and　he　rolled　back　to　the　window。　As　her　boot…heels　approached　his　door；　as　the　key　slid　into　the　lock　again；　he　thought：　She's　e　to　kill　me。　And　the　only　emotion　this　thought　engendered　was　tired　relief。
　
　
　16
　
　The　door　opened　and　Annie　stood　there；　looking　at　him　contemplatively。　She　had　changed　into　a　fresh　white　tee…shirt　and　a　pair　of　chinos。　A　small　khaki　bag；　too　big　to　be　a　purse　and　not　quite　big　enough　to　be　a　knapsack；　was　slung　over　one　shoulder。
　As　she　came　in；　he　was　surprised　to　find　himself　able　to　say　it；　and　say　it　with　a　certain　amount　of　dignity：　〃Go　ahead　and　kill　me；　Annie；　if　that's　what　you　mean　to　do；　but　at　least　have　the　decency　to　make　it　quick。　Don't　cut　anything　more　off　me。〃
　〃I'm　not　going　to　kill　you；　Paul。〃　She　paused。　〃At　least；　not　if　I　have　just　a　little　luck。　I　should　kill　you　…　I　know　that　…　but　I'm　crazy；　right？　And　crazy　people　often　don't　look　after　their　best　interests；　do　they？〃　She　went　behind　him　and　propelled　him　across　the　room；　out　the　door；　and　down　the　hall。　He　could　hear　her　bag　slapping　solidly　against　her　side；　and　it　occurred　to　him　that　he　had　never　seen　her　carrying　a　bag　like　that　before。　If　she　went　to　town　in　a　dress；　she　carried　a　big；　clunky　purse　…　the　sort　of　purse　maiden　aunts　tote　to　church　jumble　sales。　If　she　went　in　pants；　she　went　with　a　wallet　stuck　in　her　hip　pocket；　like　a　man。
　The　sunlight　slanting　into　the　kitchen　w