sk.theshining-第72部分

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aught　its　undercarriage　on　a　retaining　wall　near　the　end　of　the　landing　strip。　What　had　been　left　of　the　eighty…nine　people　aboard　hadn't　looked　much　different　from　a　Hamburger　Helper　casserole。
　　He　wouldn't　mind　so　much　if　it　was　just　himself。　He　was　pretty　much　alone　in　the　world　now；　and　attendance　at　his　funeral　would　be　mostly　held　down　to　the　people　he　had　worked　with　and　that　old　renegade　Masterton；　who　would　at　least　drink　to　him。　But　the　boy　。　。　。　the　boy　was　depending　on　him。　He　was　maybe　all　the　help　that　child　could　expect；　and　he　didn't　like　the　way　the　boy's　last　call　had　been　snapped　off。　He　kept　thinking　of　the　way　those　hedge　animals　had　seemed　to　move　。　。　。
　　A　thin　white　hand　appeared　over　his。
　　The　woman　with　the　sharp　face　had　taken　off　her　glasses。　Without　them　her　features　seemed　much　softer。
　　〃It　will　be　all　right；〃　she　said。
　　Hallorann　made　a　smile　and　nodded。
　　As　advertised　the　plane　came　down　hard；　reuniting　with　the　earth　forcefully　enough　to　knock　most　of　the　magazines　out　of　the　rack　at　the　front　and　to　send　plastic　trays　cascading　out　of　the　galley　like　oversized　playing　cards。　No　one　screamed；　but　Hallorann　heard　several　sets　of　teeth　clicking　violently　together　like　gypsy　castanets。
　　Then　the　turbine　engines　rose　to　a　howl；　braking　the　plane；　and　as　they　dropped　in　volume　the　pilot's　soft　southern　voice；　perhaps　not　pletely　steady；　came　over　the　inter　system。　〃Ladies　and　gentlemen；　we　have　landed　at　Stapleton　Airport。　Please　remain　in　your　seats　until　the　plane　has　e　to　a　plete　stop　at　the　terminal。　Thank　you。〃　The　woman　beside　Hallorann　closed　her　book　and　uttered　a　long　sigh。　〃We　live　to　fight　another　day；　Mr。　Hallorann。〃
　　〃Ma'am；　we　aren't　done　with　this　one；　yet。〃
　　〃True。　Very　true。　Would　you　care　to　have　a　drink　in　the　lounge　with　me？〃
　　〃I　would；　but　I　have　an　appointment　to　keep。〃
　　〃Pressing？〃
　　〃Very　pressing；〃　Hallorann　said　gravely。
　　〃Something　that　will　improve　the　general　situation　in　some　small　way；　I　hope。〃
　　〃I　hope　so　too；〃　Hallorann　said；　and　smiled。　She　smiled　back　at　him；　ten　years　dropping　silently　from　her　face　as　she　did　so。
　　
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　　Because　he　had　only　the　flight　bag　he'd　carried　for　luggage；　Hallorann　beat　the　crowd　to　the　Hertz　desk　on　the　lower　level。　Outside　the　smoked　glass　windows　he　could　see　the　snow　still　falling　steadily。　The　gusting　wind　drove　white　clouds　of　it　back　and　forth；　and　the　people　walking　across　to　the　parking　area　were　struggling　against　it。　One　man　lost　his　hat　and　Hallorann　could　miserate　with　him　as　it　whirled　high；　wide；　and　handsome。　The　man　stared　after　it　and　Hallorann　thought：　（Aw；　just　forget　it；　man。　That　homburg　ain't　in　down　until　it　gets　to　Arizona。）　On　the　heels　of　that　thought：　（If　it's　this　bad　in　Denver；　what's　it　going　to　be　like　west　of　Boulder？）　Best　not　to　think　about　that；　maybe。
　　〃Can　I　help　you；　sir？〃　a　girl　in　Hertz　yellow　asked　him。
　　〃If　you　got　a　car；　you　can　help　me；〃　he　said　with　a　big　grin。
　　For　a　heavier…than…average　charge　he　was　able　to　get　a　heavier…than…average　car；　a　silver　and　black　Buick　Electra。　He　was　thinking　of　the　winding　mountain　roads　rather　than　style；　he　would　still　have　to　stop　somewhere　along　the　way　and　get　chains　put　on。　He　wouldn't　get　far　without　them。
　　〃How　bad　is　it？〃　he　asked　as　she　handed　him　the　rental　agreement　to　sign。
　　〃They　say　it's　the　worst　storm　since　1969；〃　she　answered　brightly。　〃Do　you　have　far　to　drive；　sir？〃
　　〃Farther　than　I'd　like。〃
　　〃If　you'd　like；　sir；　I　can　phone　ahead　to　the　Texaco　station　at　the　Route　270　junction。　They'll　put　chains　on　for　you。'
　　〃That　would　be　a　great　blessing；　dear。〃　She　picked　up　the　phone　and　made　the　call。　〃They'll　be　expecting　you。〃
　　〃Thank　you　much。〃　Leaving　the　desk；　he　saw　the　sharp…faced　woman　standing　on　one　of　the　queues　that　had　formed　in　front　of　the　luggage　carousel。　She　was　still　reading　her　book。　Hallorann　winked　at　her　as　he　went　by。　She　looked　up；　smiled　at　him；　and　gave　him　a　peace　sign。
　　（shine）　He　turned　up　his　overcoat　collar；　smiling；　and　shifted　his　flight　bag　to　the　other　hand。　Only　a　little　one；　but　it　made　him　feel　better。　He　was　sorry　he'd　told　her　that　fish　story　about　having　a　steel　plate　in　his　head。　He　mentally　wished　her　well　and　as　he　went　out　into　the　howling　wind　and　snow；　he　thought　she　wished　him　the　same　in　return
　　
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　　The　charge　for　putting　on　the　chains　at　the　service　station　was　a　modest　one；　but　Hallorann　slipped　the　man　at　work　in　the　garage　bay　an　extra　ten　to　get　moved　up　a　little　way　on　the　waiting　list。　It　was　still　quarter　of　ten　before　he　was　actually　on　the　road；　the　windshield　wipers　clicking　and　the　chains　clinking　with　tuneless　monotony　on　the　Buick's　big　wheels。
　　The　turnpike　was　a　mess。　Even　with　the　chains　he　could　go　no　faster　than　thirty。　Cars　had　gone　off　the　road　at　crazy　angles；　and　on　several　of　the　grades　traffic　was　barely　struggling　along；　summer　tires　spinning　helplessly　in　the　drifting　powder。　It　was　the　first　big　storm　of　the　winter　down　here　in　the　lowlands　（if　you　could　call　a　mile　above　sealevel　〃low〃）；　and　it　was　a　mother。
　　Many　of　them　were　unprepared；　mon　enough；　but　Hallorann　still　found　himself　cursing　them　as　he　inched　around　them；　peering　into　his　snow…clogged　outside　mirror　to　be　sure　nothing　was　（Dashing　through　the　snow　。　。　。）　ing　up　in　the　left…hand　lane　to　cream　his　black　ass。
　　There　was　more　bad　luck　waiting　for　him　at　the　Route　36　entrance　ramp。　Route　36；　the　Denver…Boulder　turnpike；　also　goes　west　to　Estes　Park；　where　it　connects　with　Route　7。　That　road；　also　known　as　the　Upland　Highway；　goes　through　Sidewinder；　passes　the　Overlook　Hotel；　and　finally　winds　down　the　Western　Slope　and　into　Utah。
　　The　entrance　ramp　had　been　blocked　by　an　overturned　semi。　Bright…burning　flares　had　been　scattered　around　it　like　birthday　candles　on　some　idiot　child's　cake。
　　He　came　to　a　stop　and　rolled　his　window　down。　A　cop　with　a　fur　Cossack　hat　jammed　down　over　his　ears　gestured　with　one　gloved　hand　toward　the　flow　of　traffic　moving　north　on　I…25。
　　〃You　can't　get　up　herel〃　he　bawled　to　Hallorann　over　the　wind。　〃Go　down　two　exits；　get　on　91；　and　connect　with　36　at　Broomfield！〃
　　〃I　think　I　could　get　around　him　on　the　left！〃　Hallorann　shouted　back。　〃That's　twenty　miles　out　of　my　way；　what　you're　rappin！〃
　　〃I'll　rap　your　friggin　head！〃　the　cop　shouted　back。　〃This　ramp's　closed！〃　Hallorann　backed　up；　waited　for　a　break　in　traffic；　and　continued　on　his　way　up　Route　25。　The　signs　informed　him　it　was　only　a　hundred　miles　to　Cheyenne；　Wyoming。　If　he　didn't　look　out　for　his　ramp；　he'd　wind　up　there。
　　He　inched　his　speed　up　to　thirty…five　but　dared　no　more；　already　snow　was　threatening　to　clog　his　wiper　blades　and　the　traffic　patterns　were　decidedly　crazy。　Twenty…mile　detour。　He　cursed；　and　the　feeling　that　time　was　growing　shorter　for　the　boy　welled　up　in　him　again；　nearly　suffocating　with　its　urgency。
　　And　at　the　same　time　he　felt　a　fatalistic　certainty　that　he　would　not　be　ing　back　from　this　trip。
　　He　turned　on　the　radio；　dialed　past　Christmas　ads；　and　found　a　weather　forecast。
　　〃…six　inches　already；　and　another　foot　is　expected　in　the　Denver　metro　area　by　nightfall。　Local　and　state　police　urge　you　not　to　take　your　car　out　of　the　garage　unless　it's　absolutely　necessary；　and　warn　that　most　mountain　passes　have　already　been　closed。　So　stay　home　and　wax　up　your　boards　and　keep　tuned　to…〃
　　〃Thanks；　mother；〃　Hallorann　said；　and　turned　the　radio　off　savagely。
　　　
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　　WENDY
　　
　　Around　noon；　after　Danny　had　gone　into　the　bathroom　to　use　the　toilet；　Wendy　took　the　towel…wrapped　knife　from　under　her　pillow；　put　it　in　the　pocket　of　her　bathrobe；　and　went　over　to　the　bathroom　door。
　　〃Danny？〃
　　〃What？〃
　　〃I'm　going　down　to　make　us　some　lunch。　'Kay？〃
　　〃Okay。　Do　you　want　me　to　e　down？〃
　　〃No；　I'll　bring　it　up。　How　about　a　cheese　omelet　and　some　soup？〃
　　〃Sure。〃　She　hesitated　outside　the　closed　door　a　moment　longer；　〃Danny；　are　you　sure　it's　okay？〃
　　〃Yeah；〃　he　said。　〃Just　be　careful。〃
　　〃Where's　your　father？　Do　you　know？〃　His　voice　came　back；　curiously　flat：　〃No。　But　it's　okay。〃　She　stifled　an　urge　to　keep　asking；　to　keep　picking　around　the　edges　of　the　thing。　The　thing　was　there；　they　knew　what　it　was；　picking　at　it　was　only　going　to　frighten　Danny　more　。　。　。　and　herself。　Jack　had　lost　his　mind。　They　had　sat　together　on　Danny's　cot　as　the　storm　began　to　pick　up　clout　and　meanness　around　eight　o'clock　this　morning　and　had　listened　to　him　downstairs；　bellowing　and　stumbling　from　one　place　to　another。　Most　of　it　had　seemed　to　e　from　the　ballroom。　Jack　singing　tuneless　bits　of　song；　Jack　holding　up　one　side　of　an　argument；　Jack　screaming　loudly　at　one　point；　freezing　both　of　their　faces　as　they　stared　into　one　another's　eyes。　Finally　they　had　heard　him　stumbling　back　across　the　lobby；　and　Wendy　thought　she　had　heard　a　loud　banging　noise；　as　if　he　had　fallen　down　or　pushed　a　door　violently　open。　Since　eightthirty　or　so…three　and　a　half　hours　now…there　had　been　only　silence。
　　She　went　down　the　short　hall；　turned　into　the　main　first　floor　corridor；　and　went　to　the　stairs。　She　stood　on　the　firstfloor　landing　looking　down　into　the　lobby。　It　appeared　deserted；　but　the　gray　and　snowy　day　had　left　much　of　the　long　room　in　shadow。　Danny　could　be　wrong。　Jack　could　be　behind　a　chair　or　couch　。　。　。　maybe　behind　the　registration　desk　。　。　。　waiting　for　her　to　e　down；　。　。
　　She　wet　her　lips。　〃Jack？〃　No　answer。
　　Her　hand　found　the　handle　of　the　knife　and　she　began　to　go　down。　She　had　seen　the　end　of　her　marriage　many　times；　in　divorce；　in　Jack's　death　at　the　scene　of　a　drunken　car　accident　（a　regular　vision　in　the　dark　two　o'clock　of　Stovington　mornings）；　and　occasionally　in　daydreams　of　being　discovered　by　another　man；　a　soap　opera　Galahad　who　would　sweep　Danny　and　her　onto　the　saddle　of　his　snow…　white　charger　and　take　them　away。　But　she　had　never　envisioned　herself　prowling　halls　and　staircases　like　a　nervous　felon；　with　a　knife　clasped　in　one　hand　to　use　against　Jack。
　　A　wave　of　despair　struck　through　her　at　the　thought　and　she　had　to　stop　halfway　down　the　stairs　and　hold　the　railing；　afraid　he