sk.theshining-第74部分

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　　〃Jack！　What　are　you…〃
　　〃Gotcha！〃　he　said；　and　began　to　grin。　There　was　a　stale　odor　of　gin　and　olives　about　him　that　seemed　to　set　off　an　old　terror　in　her；　a　worse　terror　than　any　hotel　could　provide　by　itself。　A　distant　part　of　her　thought　that　the　worst　thing　was　that　it　had　all　e　back　to　this；　she　and　her　drunken　husband。
　　〃Jack；　I　want　to　help。〃
　　〃Oh　yeah。　You　and　Danny　only　want　to　help。〃　The　grip　on　her　ankle　was　crushing　now。　Still　holding　onto　her；　Jack　was　getting　shakily　to　his　knees。　〃You　wanted　to　help　us　all　right　out　of　here。　But　now　。　。　。　I　。　。　。　gotcha！〃
　　〃Jack；　you're　hurting　my　ankle…〃
　　〃I'll　hurt　more　than　your　ankle；　you　bitch。〃　The　word　stunned　her　so　pletely　that　she　made　no　effort　to　move　when　he　let　go　of　her　ankle　and　stumbled　from　his　knees　to　his　feet；　where　he　stood　swaying　in　front　of　her。
　　〃You　never　loved　me；〃　he　said。　〃You　want　us　to　leave　because　you　know　that'll　be　the　end　of　me。　Did　you　ever　think　about　my　re　。　。　。　res　。　。　。
　　respons'bilities？　No；　I　guess　to　fuck　you　didn't。　All　you　ever　think　about　is　ways　to　drag　me　down。　You're　just　like　my　mother；　you　milksop　bitch！〃
　　〃Stop　it；〃　she　said；　crying。　〃You　don't　know　what　you're　saying。　You're　drunk。
　　I　don't　know　how；　but　you're　drunk。〃
　　〃Oh；　I　know。　I　know　now。　You　and　him。　That　little　pup　upstairs。　The　two　of　you；　planning　together。　Isn't　that　right？〃
　　〃No；　no！　We　never　planned　anything！　What　are　you…〃
　　〃You　liarl〃　he　screamed。　〃Oh；　I　know　how　you　do　it！　I　guess　I　know　that！　When　I　say；　‘We're　going　to　stay　here　and　I'm　going　to　do　my　job；'　you　say；　‘Yes；　dear；'　and　he　says；　‘Yes；　Daddy；'　and　then　you　lay　your　plans。　You　planned　to　use　the　snowmobile。　You　planned　that。　But　I　knew。　I　figured　it　out。　Did　you　think　I　wouldn't　figure　it　out？　Did　you　think　I　was　stupid？〃　She　stared　at　him；　unable　to　speak　now。　He　was　going　to　kill　her；　and　then　he　was　going　to　kill　Danny。　Then　maybe　the　hotel　would　be　satisfied　and　allow　him　to　kill　himself。　Just　like　that　other　caretaker。　Just　like　（Grady。）　With　almost　swooning　horror；　she　realized　at　last　who　it　was　that　Jack　had　been　conversing　with　in　the　ballroom。
　　〃You　turned　my　son　against　me。　That　was　the　worst。〃　His　face　sagged　into　lines　of　selfpity。　〃My　little　boy。　Now　he　hates　me；　too。　You　saw　to　that。　That　was　your　plan　all　along；　wasn't　it？　You've　always　been　jealous；　haven't　you？　Just　like　your　mother。　You　couldn't　be　satisfied　unless　you　had　all　the　cake；　could　you？　Could　you？〃　She　couldn't　talk。
　　〃Well；　I'll　fix　you；〃　he　said；　and　tried　to　put　his　hands　around　her　throat。
　　She　took　a　step　backward；　then　another；　and　he　stumbled　against　her。　She　remembered　the　knife　in　the　pocket　of　her　robe　and　groped　for　it；　but　now　his　left　arm　had　swept　around　her；　pinning　her　arm　against　her　side。　She　could　smell　sharp　gin　and　the　sour　odor　of　his　sweat。
　　〃Have　to　be　punished；〃　he　was　grunting。　〃Chastised。　Chastised　。　。　。　harshly。〃　His　right　hand　found　her　throat。
　　As　her　breath　stopped；　pure　panic　took　over。　His　left　hand　joined　his　right　and　now　the　knife　was　free　to　her　own　hand；　but　she　forgot　about　it。　Both　of　her　hands　came　up　and　began　to　yank　helplessly　at　his　larger；　stronger　ones。
　　〃Mommy！〃　Danny　shrieked　from　somewhere。　〃Daddy；　stop！　You're　hurting　Mommyl〃　He　screamed　piercingly；　a　high　and　crystal　sound　that　she　heard　from　far　off。
　　Red　flashes　of　light　leaped　in　front　of　her　eyes　like　ballet　dancers。　The　room　grew　darker。　She　saw　her　son　clamber　up　on　the　bar　and　throw　himself　at　Jack's　shoulders。　Suddenly　one　of　the　hands　that　had　been　crushing　her　throat　was　gone　as　Jack　cuffed　Danny　away　with　a　snarl。　The　boy　fell　back　against　the　empty　shelves　and　dropped　to　the　floor；　dazed。　The　hand　was　on　her　throat　again。　The　red　flashes　began　to　turn　black。
　　Danny　was　crying　weakly。　Her　chest　was　burning。　Jack　was　shouting　into　her　face：　〃I'll　fix　you！　Goddam　you；　I'll　show　you　who　is　boss　around　here！　I'll　show　you…〃　But　all　sounds　were　fading　down　a　long　dark　corridor。　Her　struggles　began　to　weaken。　One　of　her　hands　fell　away　from　his　and　dropped　slowly　until　the　arm　was　stretched　out　at　right　angles　to　her　body；　the　hand　dangling　limply　from　the　wrist　like　the　hand　of　a　drowning　woman。
　　It　touched　a　bottle…one　of　the　straw…wrapped　wine　bottles　that　served　as　decorative　candleholders。
　　Sightlessly；　with　the　last　of　her　strength；　she　groped　for　the　bottle's　neck　and　found　it；　feeling　the　greasy　beads　of　wax　against　her　hand。
　　（and　U　God　if　it　slips）　She　brought　it　up　and　then　down；　praying　for　aim；　knowing　that　if　it　only　struck　his　shoulder　or　upper　arm　she　was　dead。
　　But　the　bottle　came　down　squarely　on　Jack　Torrance's　head；　the　glass　shattering　violently　inside　the　straw。　The　base　of　it　was　thick　and　heavy；　and　it　made　a　sound　against　his　skull　like　a　medicine　ball　dropped　on　a　hardwood　floor。　He　rocked　back　on　his　heels；　his　eyes　rolling　up　in　their　sockets。　The　pressure　on　her　throat　loosened；　then　gave　way　entirely。　He　put　his　hands　out；　as　if　to　steady　himself；　and　then　crashed　over　on　his　back。
　　Wendy　drew　a　long；　sobbing　breath。　She　almost　fell　herself；　clutched　the　edge　of　the　bar；　and　managed　to　hold　herself　up。　Consciousness　wavered　in　and　out。
　　She　could　hear　Danny　crying；　but　she　had　no　idea　where　he　was。　It　sounded　like　crying　in　an　echo　chamber。　Dimly　she　saw　dime…sized　drops　of　blood　falling　to　the　dark　surface　of　the　bar…from　her　nose；　she　thought。　She　cleared　her　throat　and　spat　on　the　floor。　It　sent　a　wave　of　agony　up　the　column　of　her　throat；　but　the　agony　subsided　to　a　steady　dull　press　of　pain　。　。　；　just　bearable。
　　Little　by　little；　she　managed　to　get　control　of　herself。
　　She　let　go　of　the　bar；　turned　around；　and　saw　Jack　lying　full…length；　the　shattered　bottle　beside　him。　He　looked　like　a　felled　giant。　Danny　was　crouched　below　the　lounge's　cash　register；　both　hands　in　his　mouth；　staring　at　his　unconscious　father。
　　Wendy　went　to　him　unsteadily　and　touched　his　shoulder。　Danny　cringed　away　from　her。
　　〃Danny；　listen　to　me…〃
　　〃No；　no；〃　he　muttered　in　a　husky　old　man's　voice。　〃Daddy　hurt　you　。　。　。　you　hurt　Daddy　。　。　。　Daddy　hurt　you　；　。　。　I　want　to　go　to　sleep。　Danny　wants　to　go　to　sleep。〃
　　〃Danny…〃
　　〃Sleep；　sleep。　Nighty…night。〃
　　〃No！〃　Pain　ripping　up　her　throat　again。　She　winced　against　it。　But　he　opened　his　eyes。　They　looked　at　her　warily　from　bluish；　shadowed　sockets。
　　She　made　herself　speak　calmly；　her　eyes　never　leaving　his。　Her　voice　was　low　and　husky；　almost　a　whisper。　It　hurt　to　talk。　〃Listen　to　me；　Danny。　It　wasn't　your　daddy　trying　to　hurt　me。　And　I　didn't　want　to　hurt　him。　The　hotel　has　gotten　into　him；　Danny。　The　Overlook　has　gotten　into　your　daddy。　Do　you　understand　me？〃　Some　kind　of　knowledge　came　slowly　back　into　Danny's　eyes。
　　〃The　Bad　Stuff；〃　he　whispered。　〃There　was　none　of　it　here　before；　was　there？〃
　　〃No。　The　hotel　put　it　here。　The　。　。　：　'　She　broke　off　in　a　fit　of　coughing　and　spat　out　more　blood。　Her　throat　already　felt　puffed　to　twice　its　size。　〃The　hotel　made　him　drink　it。　Did　you　hear　those　people　he　was　talking　to　this　morning？〃
　　〃Yes　。　。　。　the　hotel　people。　。　。〃
　　〃I　heard　them　too。　And　that　means　the　hotel　is　getting　stronger。　It　wants　to　hurt　all　of　us。　But　I　think　。　。　；　I　hope　。　。　；　that　it　can　only　do　that　through　your　daddy。　He　was　the　only　one　it　could　catch。　Are　you　understanding　me；　Danny？
　　It's　desperately　important　that　you　understand。〃
　　〃The　hotel　caught　Daddy；〃　He　looked　at　Jack　and　groaned　helplessly。
　　〃I　know　you　love　your　daddy。　I　do　too。　We　have　to　remember　that　the　hotel　is　trying　to　hurt　him　as　much　as　it　is　us。〃　And　she　was　convinced　that　was　true。
　　More；　she　thought　that　Danny　might　be　the　one　the　hotel　really　wanted；　the　reason　it　was　going　so　far　。　。　。　maybe　the　reason　it　was　able　to　go　so　far。　It　might　even　be　that　in　some　unknown　fashion　it　was　Danny's　shine　that　was　powering　it；　the　way　a　battery　powers　the　electrical　equipment　in　a　car　。　。　。
　　the　way　a　battery　gets　a　car　to　start。　If　they　got　out　of　here；　the　Overlook　might　subside　to　its　old　semi…sentient　state；　able　to　do　no　more　than　present　penny…dreadful　horror　slides　to　the　more　psychically　aware　guests　who　entered　it。　Without　Danny　it　was　not　much　more　than　an　amusement　park　haunted　house；　where　a　guest　or　two　might　hear　rappings　or　the　phantom　sounds　of　a　masquerade　party；　or　see　an　occasional　disturbing　thing。　But　if　it　absorbed　Danny　。　；　。
　　Danny's　shine　or　Iifeforce　or　spirit　。　。　。　whatever　you　wanted　to　call　it　。　。　。
　　into　itself…what　would　it　be　then？
　　The　thought　made　her　cold　all　over。
　　〃I　wish　Daddy　was　all　better；〃　Danny　said；　and　the　tears　began　to　flow　again。
　　〃Me　too；〃　she　said；　and　hugged　Danny　tightly。　〃And　honey；　that's　why　you've　got　to　help　me　put　your　daddy　somewhere。　Somewhere　that　the　hotel　can't　make　him　hurt　us　and　where　he　can't　hurt　himself。　Then　。　。　。　if　your　friend　Dick　es；　or　a　park　ranger；　we　can　take　him　away。　And　I　think　he　might　be　all　right　again。
　　All　of　us　might　be　all　right。　I　think　there's　still　a　chance　for　that；　if　we're　strong　and　brave；　like　you　were　when　you　jumped　on　his　back。　Do　you　understand？〃　She　looked　at　him　pleadingly　and　thought　how　strange　it　was；　she　had　never　seen　him　when　he　looked　so　much　like　Jack。
　　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　and　nodded。　〃I　think　。　。　。　if　we　can　get　away　from　here　。　。　。
　　everything　will　be　like　it　was。　Where　could　we　put　him？〃
　　〃The　pantry。　There's　food　in　there；　and　a　good　strong　bolt　on　the　outside。
　　It's　warm。　And　we　can　eat　up　the　things　from　the　refrigerator　and　the　freezer。
　　There　will　be　plenty　for　all　three　of　us　until　help　es。〃
　　〃Do　we　do　it　now？〃
　　〃Yes；　right　now。　Before　he　wakes　up。；〃　Danny　put　the　bargate　up　while　she　folded　Jack's　hands　on　his　chest　and　listened　to　his　breathing　for　a　moment。　It　was　slow　but　regular。　From　the　smell　of　him　she　thought　he　must　have　drunk　a　great　deal　。　。　。　and　he　was　out　of　the　habit。　She　thought　it　might　be　liquor　as　much　as　the　crack　on　the　head　with　the　bottle　that　had　put　him　out。
　　She　picked　up　his　legs　and　began　to　drag　him　along　the　floor。　She　had　been　married　to　him　for　nearly　seven　years；　he　had　lain　on　top　of　her　countless　times…in　the　thousan