stephen king - mist-第13部分

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　〃No；　you　look！〃　His　voice　began　to　rise　toward　a　courtroom　shout。　It　carried　very；　very　well；　and　several　of　the　people　who　were　wandering　around；　edgy　and　aimless；　looked　over　to　see　what　was　going　on。　Norton　jabbed　his　finger　at　me　as　he　spoke。　〃It's　a　joke。　It's　a　banana　skin　and　I'm　the　guy　that's　supposed　to　slip　on　it。　None　of　you　people　are　exactly　crazy　about　out…of…towners；　am　I　right？　You　all　pretty　much　stick　together。　The　way　it　happened　when　I　hauled　you　into　court　to　get　what　was　rightfully　mine。　You　won　that　one；　all　right。　Why　not？　Your　father　was　the　famous　artist；　and　it's　your　town。　I　only　pay　my　taxes　and　spend　my　money　here！〃
　He　was　no　longer　performing；　hectoring　us　with　the　trained　courtroom　shout；　he　was　nearly　screaming　and　on　the　verge　of　losing　all　control。　Ollie　Weeks　turned　and　walked　away；　clutching　his　beer。　Myron　and　his　friend　Jim　were　staring　at　Norton　with　frank　amazement。
　〃Am　I　supposed　to　go　back　there　and　look　at　some　ninety…eight…cent　rubber…joke　novelty　while　these　two　hicks　stand　around　and　laugh　their　asses　off？〃
　〃Hey；　you　want　to　watch　who　you're　calling　a　hick；〃　Myron　said。
　〃I'm　glad　that　tree　fell　on　your　boathouse；　if　you　want　to　know　the　truth。　Glad。〃　Norton　was　grinning　savagely　at　me。　〃Stove　it　in　pretty　well；　didn't　it？　Fantastic。　Now　get　out　of　my　way。〃
　He　tried　to　push　past　me。　I　grabbed　him　by　the　arm　and　threw　him　against　the　beer　cooler。　A　woman　cawed　in　surprise。　Two　six…packs　of　Bud　fell　over。
　〃You　dig　out　your　ears　and　listen；　Brent。　There　are　lives　at　stake　here。　My　kid's　is　not　the　least　of　them。　So　you　listen；　or　I'll　swear　I'll　knock　the　shit　out　of　you。〃
　〃Go　ahead；〃　Norton　said；　still　grinning　with　a　kind　of　insane　palsied　bravado。　His　eyes；　bloodshot　and　wide；　bulged　from　their　sockets。　〃Show　everyone　how　big　and　brave　you　are；　beating　up　a　man　with　a　heart　condition　who　is　old　enough　to　be　your　father。〃
　〃Sock　him　anyway！〃　Jim　exclaimed。　〃Fuck　his　heart　condition。　I　don't　even　think　a　cheap　New　York　shyster　like　him　has　got　a　heart。〃
　〃You　keep　out　of　it；〃　I　said　to　Jim；　and　then　put　my　face　down　to　Norton's。　I　was　kissing　distance；　if　that　had　been　what　I　had　in　mind。　The　cooler　was　off；　but　it　was　still　radiating　a　chill。　〃Stop　throwing　up　sand。　You　know　damn　well　I'm　telling　the　truth。〃
　〃I　know　。。。　no　。。。　such　thing；〃　he　panted。
　〃If　it　was　another　time　and　place；　I'd　let　you　get　away　with　it。　I　don't　care　how　scared　you　are；　and　I'm　not　keeping　score。　I'm　scared；　too。　But　I　need　you；　goddammit！　Does　that　get　through？　I　need　you！〃
　〃Let　me　go！　〃
　I　grabbed　him　by　the　shirt　and　shook　him。　〃Don't　you　understand　anything？　People　are　going　to　start　leaving　and　walk　right　into　that　thing　out　there！　For　Christ's　sake；　don't　you　understand　？〃
　〃Let　me　go！〃
　〃Not　until　you　e　back　there　with　me　and　see　for　yourself。〃
　〃I　told　you；　no！　It's　all　a　trick；　a　joke；　I'm　not　as　stupid　as　you　take　me　for…〃
　〃Then　I'll　haul　you　back　there　myself。〃
　I　grabbed　him　by　the　shoulder　and　the　scruff　of　his　neck。　The　scam　of　his　shirt　under　one　arm　tore　with　a　soft　purring　sound。　I　dragged　him　toward　the　double　doors。　Norton　let　out　a　wretched　scream。　A　knot　of　people；　fifteen　or　eighteen；　had　gathered；　but　they　kept　their　distance。　None　showed　any　signs　of　wanting　to　interfere。
　〃Help　me！〃　Norton　cried。　His　eyes　bulged　behind　his　glasses。　His　styled　hair　had　gone　awry　again；　sticking　up　in　the　same　two　little　tufts　behind　his　ears。　People　shuffled　their　feet　and　watched。
　〃What　are　you　screaming　for？〃　I　said　in　his　ear。　〃It's　just　a　joke；　right？　That's　why　I　took　you　to　town　when　you　asked　to　e　and　why　I　trusted　you　to　cross　Billy　in　the　parking　lot…because　I　had　this　handy　fog　all　manufactured；　I　rented　a　fog　machine　from　Hollywood；　it　cost　me　fifteen　thousand　dollars　and　another　eight　thousand　dollars　to　ship　it；　all　so　I　could　play　a　joke　on　you。　Stop　bullshitting　yourself　and　open　your　eyes！〃
　〃Let。。。　me　。。。　go！〃　Norton　bawled。　We　were　almost　at　the　doors。
　〃Here；　here！　What　is　this？　What　are　you　doing？〃
　It　was　Brown。　He　bustled　and　elbowed　his　way　through　the　crowd　of　watchers。
　〃Make　him　let　me　go；〃　Norton　said　hoarsely。　〃He's　crazy。
　〃No。　He's　not　crazy。　I　wish　he　were；　but　he　isn't。〃　That　was　Ollie；　and　I　could　have　blessed　him。　He　came　around　the　aisle　behind　us　and　stood　there　facing　Brown。
　Brown's　eyes　dropped　to　the　beer　Ollie　was　holding。　〃You're　drinking！〃　he　said；　and　his　voice　was　surprised　but　not　totally　devoid　of　pleasure。　〃You'll　lose　your　job　for　this。〃
　〃e　on；　Bud；〃　I　said；　letting　Norton　go。　〃This　is　no　ordinary　situation。〃
　〃Regulations　don't　change；〃　Brown　said　smugly。　〃I'll　see　that　the　pany　hears　of　it。　That's　my　responsibility。〃
　Norton；　meanwhile；　had　skittered　away　and　stood　at　some　distance；　trying　to　straighten　his　shirt　and　smooth　back　his　hair。　His　eyes　darted　between　Brown　and　me　nervously。
　〃Hey！〃　Ollie　cried　suddenly；　raising　his　voice　and　producing　a　bass　thunder　I　never　would　have　suspected　from　this　large　but　soft　and　unassuming　man。　〃Hey！　Everybody　in　the　store！　You　want　to　e　up　back　and　hear　this！　It　concerns　all　of　you！〃　He　looked　at　me　levelly；　ignoring　Brown　altogether。　〃Am　I　doing　all　right？〃
　〃Fine。〃
　People　began　to　gather。　The　original　knot　of　spectators　to　my　argument　with　Norton　doubled；　then　trebled。
　〃There's　something　you　all　had　better　know…〃　Ollie　began。
　〃You　put　that　beer　down　right　now；〃　Brown　said。
　〃You　shut　up　right　now；〃　I　said；　and　took　a　step　toward　him。
　Brown　took　a　pensatory　step　back。　〃I　don't　know　what　some　of　you　think　you　are　doing；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　can　tell　you　it's　going　to　be　reported　to　the　Federal　Foods　pany！　All　of　it！　And　I　want　you　to　understand…there　may　be　charges！〃　His　lips　drew　nervously　back　from　his　yellowed　teeth；　and　I　could　feel　sympathy　for　him。　Just　trying　to　cope；　that　was　all　he　was　doing。　As　Norton　was　by　imposing　a　mental　gag　order　on　himself。　Myron　and　Jim　had　tried　by　turning　the　whole　thing　into　a　macho　charade…if　the　generator　could　be　fixed；　the　mist　would　blow　over。　This　was　Brown's　way。　He　was　。。。　Protecting　the　Store。
　〃Then　you　go　ahead　and　take　down　the　names；〃　I　said。　〃But　please　don't　talk。〃
　〃I'll　take　down　plenty　of　names；〃　he　responded。　〃Yours　will　be　head　on　the　list；　you　。。。　you　bohemian。〃
　〃Mr。　David　Drayton　has　got　something　to　tell　you；〃　Ollie　said；　〃and　I　think　you　had　better　all　listen　up；　in　case　you　were　planning　on　going　home。〃
　So　I　told　them　what　had　happened；　pretty　much　as　I　told　Norton。　There　was　some　laughter　at　first；　then　a　deepening　uneasiness　as　I　finished。
　〃It's　a　lie；　you　know；〃　Norton　said。　His　voice　tried　for　hard　emphasis　and　overshot　into　stridency。　This　was　the　man　I'd　told　first；　hoping　to　enlist　his　credibility。　What　a　balls…up。
　〃Of　course　it's　a　lie；〃　Brown　agreed。　〃It's　lunacy。　Where　do　you　suppose　those　tentacles　came　from；　Mr。　Drayton？〃
　〃I　don't　know；　and　at　this　point；　that's　not　even　a　very　important　question。　They're　here。　There's…〃
　〃I　suspect　they　came　out　of　a　few　of　those　beer　cans。　That's　what　I　suspect。〃　This　got　some　appreciative　laughter。　It　was　silenced　by　the　strong；　rusty…hinge　voice　of　Mrs。　Carmody。
　〃Death！〃　she　cried；　and　those　who　had　been　laughing　quickly　sobered。
　She　marched　into　the　center　of　the　rough　circle　that　had　formed；　her　canary　pants　seeming　to　give　off　a　light　of　their　own；　her　huge　purse　swinging　against　one　elephantine　thigh。　Her　black　eyes　glanced　arrogantly　around；　as　sharp　and　balefully　sparkling　as　a　magpie's。　Two　good…looking　girls　of　about　sixteen　with　CAMP　WOODLANDS　written　on　the　back　of　their　white　rayon　shirts　shrank　away　from　her。
　〃You　listen　but　you　don't　hear！　You　hear　but　you　don't　believe！　Which　one　of　you　wants　to　go　outside　and　see　for　himself？〃　Her　eyes　swept　them；　and　then　fell　on　me。　〃And　just　what　do　you　propose　to　do　about　it；　Mr。　David　Drayton？　What　do　you　think　you　can　do　about　it？〃
　She　grinned；　skull…like　above　her　canary　outfit。
　〃It's　the　end；　I　tell　you。　The　end　of　everything。　It's　the　Last　Times。　The　moving　finger　has　writ；　not　in　fire；　but　in　lines　of　mist。　The　earth　has　opened　and　spewed　forth　its　abominations…〃
　〃Can't　you　make　her　shut　up？〃　one　of　the　teenage　girls　burst　out。　She　was　beginning　to　cry。　〃She's　scaring　me！〃
　〃Are　you　scared；　dearie？〃　Mrs。　Carmody　asked；　and　turned　on　her。　〃You　aren't　scared　now；　no。　But　when　the　foul　creatures　the　imp　has　loosed　upon　the　face　of　the　earth　e　for　you…〃
　〃That's　enough　now；　Mrs。　Carmody；〃　Ollie　said；　taking　her　arm。　〃That's　just　fine。〃
　〃You　let　go　of　me！　It's　the　end；　I　tell　you！　It's　death！　Death！　〃
　〃It's　a　pile　of　shit；〃　a　man　in　a　fishing　hat　and　glasses　said　disgustedly。
　〃No；　sir；〃　Myron　spoke　up。　〃I　know　it　sounds　like　something　out　of　a　dope…dream；　but　it's　the　flat…out　truth。　I　saw　it　myself。〃
　〃I　did；　too；〃　Jim　said。
　〃And　me；〃　Ollie　chipped　in。　He　had　succeeded　in　quieting　Mrs。　Carmody；　at　least　for　the　time　being。　But　she　stood　close　by；　clutching　her　big　purse　and　grinning　her　crazy　grin。　No　one　wanted　to　stand　too　close　to　her…they　muttered　among　themselves；　not　liking　the　corroboration。　Several　of　them　looked　back　at　the　big　plate…glass　windows　in　an　uneasy；　speculative　way。　I　was　glad　to　see　it。
　〃Lies；〃　Norton　said。　〃You　people　all　lie　each　other　up。　That's　all。〃
　〃What　you're　suggesting　is　totally　beyond　belief；〃　Brown　said。
　〃We　don't　have　to　stand　here　chewing　it　over；〃　I　told　him。　〃e　back　into　the　storage　area　with　me。　Take　a　look。　And　a　listen。〃
　〃Customers　are　not　allowed　in　the…〃
　〃Bud；〃　Ollie　said；　〃go　with　him。　Let's　settle　this。〃
　〃All　right；〃　Brown　said。　〃Mr。　Drayton？　Let's　get　this　foolishness　over　with。〃
　We　pushed　through　the　double　doors　into　the　darkness。
　The　sound　was　unpleasant…perhaps　evil。
　Brown　felt　it；　too；　for　all　his　hardheaded　Yankee　manner；　his　hand　clutched　my　arm　immediately；　his　breath　caught　for　a　moment　and　then　resumed　more　harshly。
　It　was　a　low　whispering　sound　from　the　direction　of　the　loading　door…an　almost　caressing　sound。　I　swept　around　gently　with　one　foot　and　finally　struck　one　of　the　flashlights。　I　bent　down；　got　it；　and　turned　it　on。　Brown's　face　was　tightly　drawn；　and　he　hadn't　even　seen　them…he　was　only　hearing　them。　But　I　had　seen；　and　I