stephen king - mist-第2部分

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　〃David；　what　was　that？〃
　〃I　think　it　was　the　boathouse。〃
　〃Oh。　Oh；　Jesus。〃
　〃Steffy；　I　want　us　to　go　downstairs　again。〃　I　took　Billy　in　my　arms　and　stood　up　with　him。　Steffs　eyes　were　big　and　frightened。
　〃David；　are　we　going　to　be　all　right
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Really？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　We　went　downstairs。　Ten　minutes　later；　as　the　final　squall　peaked；　there　was　a　splintering　crash　from　upstairs…the　picture　window。　So　maybe　my　vision　earlier　hadn't　been　so　crazy　after　all。　Steff；　who　had　been　dozing；　woke　up　with　a　little　shriek；　and　Billy　stirred　uneasily　in　the　guest　bed。
　〃The　rain　will　e　in；〃　she　said。　〃It'll　ruin　the　furniture。〃
　〃If　it　does；　it　does。　It's　insured。〃
　〃That　doesn't　make　it　any　better；〃　she　said　in　an　upset；　scolding　voice。　〃Your　mother's　dresser　。。。　our　new　sofa。。。。　the　colour　TV。。。〃
　〃Shhh；〃　I　said。　〃Go　to　sleep。〃
　〃I　can't；〃　she　said；　and　five　minutes　later　she　had。
　I　stayed　awake　for　another　half　hour　with　one　lit　candle　for　pany；　listening　to　the　thunder　walk　and　talk　outside。　I　had　a　feeling　that　there　were　going　to　be　a　lot　of　people　from　the　lakefront　munities　calling　their　insurance　agents　in　the　morning；　a　lot　of　chainsaws　burring　as　cottage　owners　cut　up　the　trees　that　had　fallen　on　their　roofs　and　battered　through　their　windows；　and　a　lot　of　orange　CMP　trucks　on　the　road。
　The　storm　was　fading　now；　with　no　sign　of　a　new　squall　ing　in。　I　went　back　upstairs；　leaving　Steff　and　Billy　on　the　bed；　and　looked　into　the　living　room。　The　sliding　glass　door　had　held。　But　where　the　picture　window　had　been　there　was　now　a　jagged　hole　stuffed　with　birch　leaves。　It　was　the　top　of　the　old　tree　that　had　stood　by　our　outside　basement　access　for　as　long　as　I　could　remember。　Looking　at　its　top；　now　visiting　in　our　living　room；　I　could　understand　what　Steff　had　meant　by　saying　insurance　didn't　make　it　any　better。　I　had　loved　that　tree。　It　had　been　a　hard　campaigner　of　many　winters；　the　one　tree　on　the　lakeside　of　the　house　that　was　exempt　from　my　own　chainsaw。　Big　chunks　of　glass　on　the　rug　reflected　my　candle…flame　over　and　over。　I　reminded　myself　to　warn　Steff　and　Billy。　They　would　want　to　wear　their　slippers　in　here。　Both　of　them　liked　to　slop　around　barefoot　in　the　morning。
　I　went　downstairs　again。　All　three　of　us　slept　together　in　the　guest　bed；　Billy　between　Steff　and　me。　I　had　a　dream　that　I　saw　God　walking　across　Harrison　on　the　far　side　of　the　lake；　a　God　so　gigantic　that　above　his　waist　He　was　lost　in　a　clear　blue　sky。　In　the　dream　I　could　hear　the　rending　crack　and　splinter　of　breaking　trees　as　God　stamped　the　woods　into　the　shape　of　His　footsteps。　He　was　circling　the　lake；　ing　toward　the　Bridgton　side；　toward　us；　and　all　the　houses　and　cottages　and　summer　places　were　bursting　into　purple…white　flame　like　lightning；　and　soon　the　smoke　covered　everything。　The　smoke　covered　everything　like　a　Mist。
　　
　II。　After　the　Storm。　Norton。　A　Trip　to　Town。
　〃Jeee…pers；〃　Billy　said。
　He　was　standing　by　the　fence　that　separates　our　property　from　Norton's　and　looking　down　our　driveway。　The　driveway　runs　a　quarter　of　a　mile　to　a　camp　road　which；　in　its　turn；　runs　about　three…quarters　of　mile　to　a　stretch　of　two…lane　blacktop；　called　Kansas　Road。　From　Kansas　Road　you　can　go　anywhere　you　want；　as　long　as　it's　Bridgton。
　I　saw　what　Billy　was　looking　at　and　my　heart　went　cold。
　〃Don't　go　any　closer；　champ。　Right　there　is　close　enough。〃
　Billy　didn't　argue。
　The　morning　was　bright　and　as　clear　as　a　bell。　The　sky；　which　had　been　a　mushy；　hazy　color　during　the　heat　wave；　had　regained　a　deep；　crisp　blue　that　was　nearly　autumnal。　There　was　a　light　breeze；　making　cheerful　sun…dapples　move　back　and　forth　in　the　driveway。　Not　far　from　where　Billy　was　standing　there　was　a　steady　hissing　noise；　and　in　the　grass　there　was　what　you　might　at　first　have　taken　for　a　writhing　bundle　of　snakes。　The　power　lines　leading　to　our　house　had　fallen　in　an　untidy　tangle　about　twenty　feet　away　and　lay　in　a　burned　patch　of　grass。　They　were　twisting　lazily　and　spitting。　if　the　trees　and　grass　hadn't　been　so　pletely　damped　down　by　the　torrential　rains；　the　house　might　have　gone　up。　As　it　was；　there　was　only　that　black　patch　where　the　wires　had　touched　directly。
　〃Could　that　lectercute　a　person；　Daddy？〃
　〃Yeah。　it　could。〃
　〃What　are　we　going　to　do　about　it？〃
　〃Nothing。　Wait　for　the　CMP。〃
　〃When　will　they　e？〃
　〃I　don't　know。〃　Five…year…olds　have　as　many　questions　as　Hallmark　has　cards。　〃I　imagine　they're　pretty　busy　this　morning。　Want　to　take　a　walk　up　to　the　end　of　the　driveway　with　me？〃
　He　started　to　e　and　then　stopped；　eyeing　the　wires　nervously。　One　of　them　humped　up　and　turned　over　lazily；　as　if　beckoning。
　〃Daddy；　can　lectricity　shoot　through　the　ground？〃
　A　fair　question。　〃Yes；　but　don't　worry。　Electricity　wants　the　ground；　not　you；　Billy。　You'll　be　all　right　if　you　stay　away　from　the　wires。〃
　〃Wants　the　ground；〃　he　muttered；　and　then　came　to　me。　We　walked　up　the　driveway　holding　hands。
　It　was　worse　than　I　had　imagined。　Trees　had　fallen　across　the　drive　in　four　different　places；　one　of　them　small；　two　of　them　middling；　and　one　old　baby　that　must　have　been　five　feet　through　the　middle。　Moss　was　crusted　onto　it　like　a　moldy　corset。
　Branches；　some　half…stripped　of　their　leaves；　lay　everywhere　in　jackstraw　profusion。　Billy　and　I　walked　up　to　the　camp　road；　tossing　the　smaller　branches　off　into　the　woods　on　either　side。　it　reminded　me　of　a　summer's　day　that　had　been　maybe　twenty…five　years　before；　I　couldn't　have　been　much　older　than　Billy　was　now。　All　my　uncles　had　been　here；　and　they　had　spent　the　day　in　the　woods　with　axes　and　hatchets　and　Darcy　poles；　cutting　brush。　Later　that　afternoon　they　had　all　sat　down　to　the　trestle　picnic　table　my　dad　and　mom　used　to　have　and　there　had　been　a　monster　meal　of　hot　dogs　and　hamburgers　and　potato　salad。　The　'Gansett　beer　had　flowed　like　water　and　my　uncle　Reuben　took　a　dive　into　the　lake　with　all　his　clothes　on；　even　his　deck…shoes。　In　those　days　there　were　still　deer　in　these　woods。
　〃Daddy；　can　I　go　down　to　the　lake？〃
　He　was　tired　of　throwing　branches；　and　the　thing　to　do　with　a　little　boy　when　he's　tired　is　to　let　him　go　do　something　else。　〃Sure。〃
　We　walked　back　to　the　house　together　and　then　Billy　cut　right；　going　around　the　house　and　giving　the　downed　wires　a　large　berth。　I　went　left；　into　the　garage；　to　get　my　McCullough。　As　I　had　suspected；　I　could　already　hear　the　unpleasant　song　of　the　chainsaw　up　and　down　the　lake。
　I　topped　up　the　tank；　took　off　my　shirt；　and　was　starting　back　up　the　driveway　when　Steff　came　out。　She　eyed　the　downed　trees　lying　across　the　driveway　nervously。
　〃How　bad　is　it？〃
　〃I　can　cut　it　up。　How　bad　is　it　in　there？〃
　〃Well；　I　got　the　glass　cleaned　up；　but　you're　going　to　have　to　do　something　about　that　tree；　David。　We　can't　have　a　tree　in　the　living　room。〃
　'No；〃　I　said。　〃I　guess　we　can't。〃
　We　looked　at　each　other　in　the　morning　sunlight　and　got　giggling。　I　set　the　McCullough　down　on　the　cement　areaway；　and　kissed　her；　holding　her　buttocks　firmly。
　〃Don't；〃　she　murmured。　〃Billy's…〃
　He　came　tearing　around　the　corner　of　the　house　just　then。　〃Dad！　Daddy！　Y'oughta　see　the　〃
　Steffy　saw　the　live　wires　and　screamed　for　him　to　watch　out。　Billy；　who　was　a　good　distance　away　from　them；　pulled　up　short　and　stared　at　his　mother　as　if　she　had　gone　mad。
　〃I'm　okay；　Mom；〃　he　said　in　the　careful　tone　of　voice　you　use　to　placate　the　very　old　and　senile。　He　walked　towards　us；　showing　us　how　all　right　he　was；　and　Steff　began　to　tremble　in　my　arms。
　〃It's　all　right；〃　I　said　in　her　ear。　〃He　knows　about　them。〃
　〃Yes；　but　people　get　killed；〃　she　said。　〃They　have　ads　all　the　time　on　television　about　live　wires；　people　get…Billy；　I　want　you　to　e　in　the　house　right　now！〃
　〃Aw；　e　on；　Mom！　I　wanna　show　Dad　the　boathouse！〃　He　was　almost　bug…eyed　with　excitement　and　disappointment。　He　had　gotten　a　taste　of　poststorm　apocalypse　and　wanted　to　share　it。
　〃You　go　in　right　now！　Those　wires　are　dangerous　and…〃
　〃Dad　said　they　want　the　ground；　not　me…〃
　〃Billy；　don't　you　argue　with　me！〃
　〃I'll　e　down　and　look；　champ。　Go　on　down　yourself。〃　I　could　feel　Steff　tensing　against　me。　〃Go　around　the　other　side；　kiddo。〃
　〃Yeah！　Okay！〃
　He　tore　past　us；　taking　the　stone　steps　that　led　around　the　west　end　of　the　house　two　by　two。　He　disappeared　with　his　shirttail　flying；　trailing　back　one　word　…　〃Wow！〃　…　as　he　spotted　some　other　piece　of　destruction。
　〃He　knows　about　the　wires；　Steffy。〃　I　took　her　gently　by　the　shoulders。　〃He's　scared　of　them。　That's　good。　it　makes　him　safe。〃
　One　tear　tracked　down　her　cheek。　〃David；　I'm　scared。〃
　〃e　on！　It's　over。〃
　〃Is　it？　Last　winter　。。。　and　the　late　spring　。。。　they　called　it　a　black　spring　in　town　。。。　they　said　there　hadn't　been　one　in　these　parts　since　1888…〃
　〃They〃　undoubtedly　meant　Mrs。　Carmody；　who　kept　the　Bridgton　Antiquary；　a　junk　shop　that　Steff　liked　to　rummage　around　in　sometimes。　Billy　loved　to　go　with　her。　In　one　of　the　shadowy；　dusty　back　rooms；　stuffed　owls　with　gold…ringed　eyes　spread　their　wings　forever　as　their　feet　endlessly　grasped　varnished　logs；　stuffed　raccoons　stood　in　a　trio　around　a　〃stream〃　that　was　a　long　fragment　of　dusty　mirror；　and　one　moth…eaten　wolf；　which　was　foaming　sawdust　instead　of　saliva　around　his　muzzle；　snarled　a　creepy　eternal　snarl。　Mrs。　Carmody　claimed　the　wolf　was　shot　by　her　father　as　it　came　to　drink　from　Stevens　Brook　one　September　afternoon　in　1901。
　The　expeditions　to　Mrs。　Carmody's　Antiquary　shop　worked　well　for　my　wife　and　son。　She　was　into　carnival　glass　and　he　was　into　death　in　the　name　of　taxidermy。　But　I　thought　that　the　old　woman　exercised　a　rather　unpleasant　hold　over　Steff's　mind；　which　was　in　all　other　ways　practical　and　hardheaded。　She　had　found　Steff's　vulnerable　spot；　a　mental　Achilles'　heel。　Nor　was　Steff　the　only　one　in　town　who　was　fascinated　by　Mrs。　。　Carmody's　gothic　pronouncements　and　folk　remedies　（which　were　always　prescribed　in　God's　name）。
　Stump…water　would　take　off　bruises　if　your　husband　was　the　sort　who　got　a　bit　too　free　with　his　fists　after　three　drinks。　You　could　tell　what　kind　of　a　winter　was　ing　by　counting　the　rings　on　the　caterpillars　in　June　or　by　measuring　the　thickness　of　August　honeyb。　And　now；　good