sk.theshining-第23部分

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ering　harmlessly　on　the　parking　lot　asphalt　four　yards　away。　There　was　his　Volkswagen；　his　poor　old　battered　bug；　veteran　of　many　wild　midnight　drunken　rides；　sitting　on　three　fiat　shoes。　There　was　a　new　dent　in　the　right　front　fender；　he　saw；　and　there　was　something　in　the　middle　of　the　dent　that　was　either　red　paint　or　blood。　For　a　moment　he　had　been　confused；　his　thoughts　（jesus　christ　al　we　hit　him　after　all）　of　that　other　night。　Then　his　eyes　had　shifted　to　George；　George　lying　dazed　and　blinking　on　the　asphalt。　His　debate　group　had　e　out　and　they　were　huddled　together　by　the　door；　staring　at　George。　There　was　blood　on　his　face　from　a　scalp　laceration　that　looked　minor；　but　there　was　also　blood　running　out　of　one　of　George's　ears　and　that　probably　meant　a　concussion。　When　George　tried　to　get　up；　Jack　shook　free　of　Miss　Strong　and　went　to　him。　George　cringed。
　　Jack　put　his　hands　on　George's　chest　and　pushed　him　back　down。　〃Lie　still；〃　he　said。　〃Don't　try　to　move。〃　He　turned　to　Miss　Strong；　who　was　staring　at　them　both　with　horror。
　　〃Please　go　call　the　school　doctor；　Miss　Strong；〃　be　told　her。　She　turned　and　fled　toward　the　office。　He　looked　at　his　debate　class　then；　looked　them　right　in　the　eye　because　he　was　in　charge　again；　fully　himself；　and　when　he　was　himself　there　wasn't　a　nicer　guy　in　the　whole　state　of　Vermont。　Surely　they　knew　that。
　　〃You　can　go　home　now；〃　he　told　them　quietly。　〃We'll　meet　again　tomorrow。〃　But　by　the　end　of　that　week　six　of　his　debaters　had　dropped　out；　two　of　them　the　class　of　the　act；　but　of　course　it　didn't　matter　much　because　he　had　been　informed　by　then　that　he　would　be　dropping　out　himself。
　　Yet　somehow　he　had　stayed　off　the　bottle；　and　he　supposed　that　was　something。
　　And　he　had　not　hated　George　Hatfield。　He　was　sure　of　that。　He　had　not　acted　but　had　been　acted　upon。
　　You　hate　me　because　you　know　。　。　。
　　But　he　had　known　nothing。　Nothing。　He　would　swear　that　before　the　Throne　of　Almighty　God；　just　as　he　would　swear　that　he　had　set　the　timer　ahead　no　more　than　a　minute。　And　not　out　of　hate　but　out　of　pity。
　　Two　wasps　were　crawling　sluggishly　about　on　the　roof　beside　the　hole　in　the　flashing。
　　He　watched　them　until　they　spread　their　aerodynamically　unsound　but　strangely　efficient　wings　and　lumbered　off　into　the　October　sunshine；　perchance　to　sting　someone　else。　God　had　seen　fit　to　give　them　stingers　and　lack　supposed　they　had　to　use　them　on　somebody。
　　How　long　had　he　been　sitting　there；　looking　at　that　hole　with　its　unpleasant　surprise　down　inside；　raking　over　old　coals？　He　looked　at　his　watch。　Almost　half　an　hour。
　　He　let　himself　down　to　the　edge　of　the　roof；　dropped　one　leg　over；　and　felt　around　until　his　foot　found　the　top　rung　of　the　ladder　just　below　the　overhang。
　　He　would　go　down　to　the　equipment　shed　where　he　had　stored　the　bug　bomb　on　a　high　shelf　out　of　Danny's　reach。　He　would　get　it；　e　back　up；　and　then　they　would　be　the　ones　surprised。　You　could　be　stung；　but　you　could　also　sting　back。
　　He　believed　that　sincerely。　Two　hours　from　now　the　nest　would　be　just　so　much　chewed　paper　and　Danny　could　have　it　in　his　room　if　he　wanted　to…Jack　had　had　one　in　his　room　when　he　was　just　a　kid；　it　had　always　smelled　faintly　of　woodsmoke　and　gasoline。　He　could　have　it　right　by　the　head　of　his　bed。　It　wouldn't　hurt　him。
　　〃I'm　getting　better。〃　The　sound　of　his　own　voice；　confident　in　the　silent　afternoon；　reassured　him　even　though　he　hadn't　meant　to　speak　aloud。　He　was　getting　better。　It　was　possible　to　graduate　from　passive　to　active；　to　take　the　thing　that　had　once　driven　you　nearly　to　madness　as　a　neutral　prize　of　no　more　than　occasional　academic　interest。　And　if　there　was　a　place　where　the　thing　could　be　done；　this　was　surely　it。
　　He　went　down　the　ladder　to　get　the　bug　bomb。　They　would　pay。　They　would　pay　for　stinging　him。
　　　
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　　DOWN　IN　THE　FRONT　YARD
　　
　　Jack　had　found　a　huge　white…painted　wicker　chair　in　the　back　of　the　equipment　shed　two　weeks　ago；　and　had　dragged　it　around　to　the　porch　over　Wendy's　objections　that　it　was　really　the　ugliest　thing　she　had　ever　seen　in　her　whole　life。　He　was　sitting　in　it　now；　amusing　himself　with　a　copy　of　E。　L。　Doctorow's　Wele　to　Hard　Times；　when　his　wife　and　son　rattled　up　the　driveway　in　the　hotel　truck。
　　Wendy　parked　it　in　the　turn…around；　raced　the　engine　sportily；　and　then　turned　it　off。　The　truck's　single　taillight　died。　The　engine　rumbled　grumpily　with　post…ignition　and　finally　stopped。　Jack　got　out　of　his　chair　and　ambled　down　to　meet　them。
　　〃Hi；　Dad！〃　Danny　called；　and　raced　up　the　hill。　He　had　a　box　in　one　hand。
　　〃Look　what　Mommy　bought　me！〃　Jack　picked　his　son　up；　swung　him　around　twice；　and　kissed　him　heartily　on　the　mouth。
　　〃Jack　Torrance；　the　Eugene　O'Neill　of　his　generation；　the　American　Shakespeare！〃　Wendy　said；　smiling。　〃Fancy　meeting　you　here；　so　far　up　in　the　mountains。〃
　　〃The　mon　ruck　became　too　much　for　me；　dear　lady；〃　he　said；　and　slipped　his　arms　around　her。　They　kissed。　〃How　was　your　trip？〃
　　〃Very　good。　Danny　plains　that　I　keep　jerking　him　but　I　didn't　stall　the　truck　once　and　。　。　。　oh；　Jack；　you　finished　it！〃　She　was　looking　at　the　roof；　and　Danny　followed　her　gaze。　A　faint　frown　touched　his　face　as　he　looked　at　the　wide　swatch　of　fresh　shingles　atop　the　Overlook's　west　wing；　a　lighter　green　than　the　rest　of　the　roof。　Then　he　looked　down　at　the　box　in　his　hand　and　his　face　cleared　again。　At　night　the　pictures　Tony　had　showed　him　came　back　to　haunt　in　all　their　original　clarity；　but　in　sunny　daylight　they　were　easier　to　disregard。
　　〃Look；　Daddy；　look！〃　Jack　took　the　box　from　his　son。　It　was　a　model　car；　one　of　the　Big　Daddy　Roth　caricatures　that　Danny　bad　expressed　an　admiration　for　in　the　past。　This　one　was　the　Violent　Violet　Volkswagen；　and　the　picture　on　the　box　showed　a　huge　purple　VW‘　with　long　'59　Cadillac　Coupe　de　Ville　taillights　burning　up　a　dirt　track。
　　The　VW　had　a　sunroof；　and　poking　up　through　it；　clawed　hands　on　the　wheel　down　below；　was　a　gigantic　warty　monster　with　popping　bloodshot　eyes；　a　maniacal　grin；　and　a　gigantic　English　racing　cap　turned　around　backward。
　　Wendy　was　smiling　at　him；　and　Jack　winked　at　her。
　　〃That's　what　I　like　about　you；　doc；〃　Jack　said；　handing　the　box　back。　〃Your　taste　runs　to　the　quiet；　the　sober；　the　introspective。　You　are　definitely　the　child　of　my　loins。〃
　　〃Mommy　said　you'd　help　me　put　it　together　as　soon　as　I　could　read　all　of　the　first　Dick　and　Jane。〃
　　〃That　ought　to　be　by　the　end　of　the　week；〃　Jack　said。　〃What　else　have　you　got　in　that　fine…looking　truck；　ma'am？〃
　　〃Uh…uh。〃　She　grabbed　his　arm　and　pulled　him　back。　〃No　peeking。　Some　of　that　stuff　is　for　you。　Danny　and　I　will　take　it　in。　You　can　get　the　milk。　It's　on　the　floor　of　the　cab。〃
　　〃That's　all　I　am　to　you；〃　Jack　cried；　clapping　a　hand　to　his　forehead。　〃Just　a　dray　horse；　a　mon　beast　of　the　field。　Dray　here；　dray　there；　dray　everywhere。〃
　　〃Just　dray　that　milk　right　into　the　kitchen；　mister。〃
　　〃It's　too　much！〃　he　cried；　and　threw　himself　on　the　ground　while　Danny　stood　over　him　and　giggled。
　　〃Get　up；　you　ox；〃　Wendy　said；　and　prodded　him　with　the　toe　of　her　sneaker。
　　〃See？〃　he　said　to　Danny。　〃She　called　me　an　ox。　You're　a　witness。〃
　　〃Witness；　witness！〃　Danny　concurred　gleefully；　and　broadjumped　his　prone　father。
　　Jack　sat　up。　〃That　reminds　me；　chumly。　I've　got　something　for　you。　too。　On　the　porch　by　my　ashtray。〃
　　〃What　is　it？〃
　　〃Forgot。　Go　and　see。〃　Jack　got　up　and　the　two　of　them　stood　together；　watching　Danny　charge　up　the　lawn　and　then　take　the　steps　to　the　porch　two　by　two。　He　put　an　arm　around　Wendy's　waist。
　　〃You　happy；　babe？〃　She　looked　up　at　him　solemnly。　〃This　is　the　happiest　I've　been　since　we　were　married。〃
　　〃Is　that　the　truth？〃
　　〃God's　honest。〃　He　squeezed　her　tightly。　〃I　love　you。〃　She　squeezed　him　back；　touched。　Those　had　never　been　cheap　words　with　John　Torrance；　she　could　count　the　number　of　times　he　had　said　them　to　her；　both　before　and　after　marriage；　on　both　her　hands。
　　〃I　love　you　too。〃
　　〃Mommy！　Mommyl〃　Danny　was　on　the　porch　now；　shrill　and　excited。　〃e　and　see！
　　Wow！　It's　neat！〃
　　〃What　is　it？〃　Wendy　asked　him　as　they　walked　up　from　the　parking　lot；　hand　in　hand。
　　〃Forgot；〃　Jack　said。
　　〃Oh；　you'll　get　yours；〃　she　said；　and　elbowed　him。　〃See　if　you　don't。〃
　　〃I　was　hoping　I'd　get　it　tonight；〃　he　remarked；　and　she　laughed。　A　moment　later　he　asked；　〃Is　Danny　happy；　do　you　think？〃
　　〃You　ought　to　know。　You're　the　one　who　has　a　long　talk　with　him　every　night　before　bed。〃
　　〃That's　usually　about　what　he　wants　to　be　when　he　grows　up　or　if　Santa　Claus　is　really　real。　That's　getting　to　be　a　big　thing　with　him。　I　think　his　old　buddy　Scott　let　some　pennies　drop　on　that　one。　No；　he　hasn't　said　much　of　anything　about　the　Overlook　to　me。〃
　　〃Me　either；〃　she　said。　They　were　climbing　the　porch　steps　now。　〃But　he's　very　quiet　a　lot　of　the　time。　And　I　think　he's　lost　weight；　Jack；　I　really　do。〃
　　〃He's　just　getting　tall。〃　Danny's　back　was　to　them。　He　was　examining　something　on　the　table　by　Jack's　chair；　but　Wendy　couldn't　see　what　it　was。
　　〃He's　not　eating　as　well；　either。　He　used　to　be　the　original　steam　shovel。
　　Remember　last　year？〃
　　〃They　taper　off；〃　he　said　vaguely。　〃I　think　I　read　that　in　Spock。　He'll　be　using　two　forks　again　by　the　time　he's　seven。〃　They　had　stopped　on　the　top　step。
　　〃He's　pushing　awfully　hard　on　those　readers；　too；〃　she　said。　〃I　know　he　wants　to　learn　how；　to　please　us　。　。　。　to　please　you；〃　she　added　reluctantly。
　　〃To　please　himself　most　of　all；〃　Jack　said。　〃I　haven't　been　pushing　him　on　that　at　all。　In　fact；　I　do　wish　he　wouldn't　go　quite　so　hard。〃
　　〃Would　you　think　I　was　foolish　if　I　made　an　appointment　for　him　to　have　a　physical？　There's　a　G。P。　in　Sidewinder；　a　young　man　from　what　the　checker　in　the　market　said…〃
　　〃You're　a　little　nervous　about　the　snow　ing；　aren't　you？〃　She　shrugged。　〃I　suppose。　If　you　think　it's　foolish…〃
　　〃I　don't。　In　fact；　you　can　make　appointments　for　all　three　of　us。　We'll　get　our　clean　bills　of　health　and　then　we　can　sleep　easy　at　night。〃
　　〃I'll　make　the　appointments　this　afternoon；〃　she　said。
　　〃Mom！　Look；　Mommy！〃　He　came　running　to　her　with