sk.theshining-第70部分
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He almost fell over the drinks cart that was being wheeled along by a low… browed man in a white mess jacket。 His foot rapped the lower chromed shelf of the cart； the bottles and siphons on top chattered together musically。
〃Sorry；〃 Jack said thickly。 He suddenly felt closed in and claustrophobic； he wanted to get out。 He wanted the Overlook back the way it had been 。 。 。 free of these unwanted guests。 His place was not honored； as the true opener of the way； he was only another of the ten thousand cheering extras； a doggy rolling over and sitting up on mand。
〃Quite all right；〃 the man in the white mess jacket said。 The polite； clipped English ing from that thug's face was surreal。 〃A drink？〃
〃Martini。〃 From behind him； another ber of laughter broke； Roger was howling to the tune of 〃Home on the Range。〃 Someone was picking out acpaniment on the Steinway baby grand。
〃Here you are。〃 The frosty cold glass was pressed into his hand。 Jack drank gratefully； feeling the gin hit and crumble away the first inroads of sobriety。
〃Is it all right； sir？〃
〃Fine。〃
〃Thank you； sir。〃 The cart began to roll again。
Jack suddenly reached out and touched the man's shoulder。
〃Yes； sir？〃
〃Pardon me； but 。 。 。 what's your name？〃 The other showed no surprise。 〃Grady； sir。 Delbert Grady。〃
〃But you 。 。 。 I mean that。 。 。〃 The bartender was looking at him politely。 Jack tried again； although his mouth was mushed by gin and unreality； each word felt as large as an ice cube。
〃Weren't you once the caretaker here？ When you 。 。 ； when。 。 。〃 But he couldn't finish。 He couldn't say it。
〃Why no； sir。 I don't believe so。〃
〃But your wife 。 。 。 your daughters。 。
〃My wife is helping in the kitchen； sir。 The girls are asleep； of course。 It's much too late for them。〃
〃You were the caretaker。 You…〃 Oh say it！ 〃You killed them。〃 Grady's face remained blankly polite。 〃I don't have any recollection of that at all； sir。〃 His glass was empty。 Grady plucked it from Jack's unresisting fingers and set about making another drink for him。 There was a small white plastic bucket on his cart that was filled with olives。 For soave reason they reminded Jack of tiny severed heads。 Grady speared one deftly； dropped it into the glass； and handed it to him。
〃But you…〃
〃You're the caretaker； sir；〃 Grady said mildly。 〃You've always been the caretaker。 I should know； sir。 I've always been here。 The same manager hired us both； at the same time。 Is it all right； sir？〃 Jack gulped at his drink。 His head was swirling。 〃Mr。 Ullman …〃
〃I know no one by that name； sir。〃
〃But he…〃
〃The manager；〃 Grady said。 〃The hotel； sir。 Surely you realize who hired you； sir。〃
〃No；〃 he said thickly。 〃No； I…〃
〃I believe you must take it up further with your son； Mr。 Torrance； sir。 He understands everything； although he hasn't enlightened you。 Rather naughty of him； if I may be so bold； sir。 In fact； he's crossed you at almost every turn； hasn't he？ And him not yet six。〃
〃Yes；〃 Jack said。 〃He has。〃 There was another wave of laughter from behind them。
〃He needs to be corrected； if you don't mind me saying so。 He needs a good talking…to； and perhaps a bit more。 My own girls； sir； didn't care for the Overlook at first。 One of them actually stole a pack of my matches and tried to burn it down。 I corrected them。 I corrected them most harshly。 And when my wife tried to stop me from doing my duty； I corrected her。〃 He offered Jack a bland； meaningless smile。 〃I find it a sad but true fact that women rarely understand a father's responsibility to his children。 Husbands and fathers do have certain responsibilities； don't they； sir？〃
〃Yes；〃 Jack said。
〃They didn't love the Overlook as I did；〃 Grady said； beginning to make him another drink。 Silver bubbles rose in the upended gin bottle。 〃Just as your son and wife don't love it 。 not at present； anyway。 But they will e to love it。
You must show them the error of their ways； Mr。 Torrance。 Do you agree？〃
〃Yes。 I do。〃 He did see。 He had been too easy with them。 Husbands and fathers did have certain responsibilities。 Father Knows Best。 They did not understand。 That in itself was no crime； but they were willfully not understanding。 He was not ordinarily a harsh man。 But he did believe in punishment。 And if his son and his wife had willfully set themselves against his wishes； against the things he knew were best for them； then didn't he have a certain duty…？
〃A thankless child is sharper than a serpent's tooth；〃 Grady said； handing him his drink。 〃I do believe that the manager could bring your son into line。 And your wife would shortly follow。 Do you agree； sir？〃 He was suddenly uncertain。 〃I 。 。 。 but 。 。 。 if they could just leave 。 。 。 I mean； after all； it's me the manager wants； isn't it？ It must be。 Because…〃 Because why？ He should know but suddenly he didn't。 Oh； his poor brain was swimming。
〃Bad dog！〃 Derwent was saying loudly； to a counterpoint of laughter。 〃Bad dog to piddle on the floor。〃
〃Of course you know；〃 Grady said； leaning confidentially over the cart； 〃your son is attempting to bring an outside party into it。 Your son has a very great talent； one that the manager could use to even further improve the Overlook； to further 。 。 。_。 enrich it； shall we say？ But your son is attempting to use that very talent against us。 He is willful； Mr。 Torrance； Sir。 Willful。〃
〃Outside party？〃 Jack asked stupidly。
Grady nodded。
〃Who？〃
〃A nigger；〃 Grady said。 〃A nigger cook。〃
〃Hallorann？〃
〃I believe that is his name； sir； yes。〃 Another burst of laughter from behind them was followed by Roger saying something in a whining； protesting voice。
〃Yes！ Yes！ Yes！〃 Derwent began to chant。 The others around him took it up； but before Jack could hear what they wanted Roger to do now； the band began to play again…the tune was 〃Tuxedo Junction；〃 with a lot of mellow sax in it but not much soul。
（Soul？ Soul hasn't even been invented yet。 Or has it？） （A nigger 。 。 。 a nigger cook。） He opened his mouth to speak； not knowing what might e out。 What did was：
〃I was told you hadn't finished high school。 But you don't talk like an uneducated man。〃
〃It's true that I left organized education very early； sir。 But the manager takes care of his help。 He finds that it pays。 Education always pays； don't you agree； sir？〃
〃Yes；〃 Jack said dazedly。
〃For instance； you show a great interest in learning more about the Overlook Hotel。 Very wise of you； sir。 Very noble。 A certain scrapbook was left in the basement for you to find…〃
〃By whom？〃 Jack asked eagerly。
〃By the manager； of course。 Certain other materials could be put at your disposal； if you wished them 。 。 。 〃
〃I do。 Very much。〃 He tried to control the eagerness in his voice and failed miserably。
〃You're a true scholar；〃 Grady said。 〃Pursue the topic to the end。 Exhaust all sources。〃 He dipped his low…browed head； pulled out the lapel of his white mess jacket； and buffed his knuckles at a spot of dirt that was invisible to Jack。
〃And the manager puts no strings on his largess；〃 Grady went on。 〃Not at all。
Look at me； a tenth…grade dropout Think how much further you yourself could go in the Overlooks organizational structure。 Perhaps 。 。 。 in time 。 。 。 to the very top。〃
〃Really？〃 Jack whispered。
〃But that's really up to your son to decide； isn't it？〃 Grady asked； raising his eyebrows。 The delicate gesture went oddly with the brows themselves； which were bushy and somehow savage。
〃Up to Danny？〃 Jack frowned at Grady。 〃No； of course not。 I wouldn't allow my son to make decisions concerning my career。 Not at all。 What do you take me for？
〃
〃A dedicated man；〃 Grady said warmly。 〃Perhaps I put it badly； sir。 Let us say that your future here is contingent upon how you decide to deal with your son's waywardness。〃
〃I make my own decisions；〃 Jack whispered。
〃But you must deal with him。〃
〃I will。〃
〃Firmly 〃
〃I will。〃
〃A man who cannot control his own family holds very little interest for our manager。 A man who cannot guide the courses of his own wife and son can hardly be expected to guide himself； let alone assume a position of responsibility in an operation of this magnitude。 He…〃
〃I said I'll handle him！〃 Jack shouted suddenly； enraged。
〃Tuxedo Junction〃 had just concluded and a new tune hadn't begun。 His shout fell perfectly into the gap； and conversation suddenly ceased behind him。 His skin suddenly felt hot all over。 He became fixedly positive that everyone was staring at him。 They had finished with Roger and would now mence with him。
Roll over。 Sit up。 Play dead。 If you play the game with us； we'll play the game with you。 Position of responsibility。 They wanted him to sacrifice his son。
（…Now he follows Harry everywhere； wagging his little tail behind him…） （Roll over。 Play dead。 Chastise your son。）
〃Right this way； sir；〃 Grady was saying。 〃Something that might interest you。〃 The conversation had begun again； lifting and dropping in its own rhythm； weaving in and out of the band music； now doing a swing version of Lennon and McCartney's 〃Ticket to Ride。〃 （I've heard better over supermarket loudspeakers。） He giggled foolishly。 He looked down at his left hand and saw there was another drink in it； half…full。 He emptied it at a gulp。
Now he was standing in front of the mantelpiece； the heat from the crackling fire that bad been laid in the hearth warming his legs。
（a fire？ 。 。 。 in August？ 。 。 。 yes 。 。 。 and no 。 。 。 all times are one） There was a clock under a glass dome； flanked by two carved ivory elephants。
Its hands stood at a minute to midnight。 He gazed at it blearily。 Had this been what Grady wanted him to see？ He turned around to ask； but Grady had left him。
Halfway through 〃Ticket to Ride；〃 the band wound up in a brassy flourish。
〃The hour is at hand！〃 Horace Derwent proclaimed。 〃Midnight！ Unmask！ Unmask！〃 He tried to turn again； to see what famous faces were hidden beneath the glitter and paint and masks； but he was frozen now； unable to look away from the clock…its hands had e together and pointed straight up。
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