sk.theshining-第87部分

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hought　（this　is　what　superman　must　feel　like）　slipped　through　Hallorann's　mind　as　they　flew　through　the　air。　He　lost　his　hold　on　them　and　then　he　struck　the　snow　in　a　soft　billow。　It　was　down　his　shirt　and　up　his　nose　and　he　was　dimly　aware　that　it　felt　good　on　his　hurt　cheek。
　　Then　he　struggled　to　the　top　of　it；　for　that　moment　not　thinking　about　the　hedge　animals；　or　Wendy　Torrance；　or　even　the　boy。　He　rolled　over　on　his　back　so　he　could　watch　it　die。
　　
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　　The　Overlook's　windows　shattered。　In　the　ballroom；　the　dome　over　the　mantelpiece　clock　cracked；　split　in　two　pieces；　and　fell　to　the　floor。　The　clock　stopped　ticking：　cogs　and　gears　and　balance　wheel　all　became　motionless。　There　was　a　whispered；　sighing　noise；　and　a　great　billow　of　dust。　In　217　the　bathtub　suddenly　split　in　two；　letting　out　a　small　flood　of　greenish；　noxious…smelling　water。　In　the　Presidential　Suite　the　wallpaper　suddenly　burst　into　flames。　The　batwing　doors　of　the　Colorado　Lounge　suddenly　snapped　their　hinges　and　fell　to　the　dining　room　floor。　Beyond　the　basement　arch；　the　great　piles　and　stacks　of　old　papers　caught　fire　and　went　up　with　a　blowtorch　hiss。　Boiling　water　rolled　over　the　flames　but　did　not　quench　them。　Like　burning　autumn　leaves　below　a　wasps'　nest；　they　whirled　and　blackened。　The　furnace　exploded；　shattering　the　basement's　roofbeams；　sending　them　crashing　down　like　the　bones　of　a　dinosaur。
　　The　gasjet　which　had　fed　the　furnace；　unstoppered　now；　rose　up　in　a　bellowing　pylon　of　flame　through　the　riven　floor　of　the　lobby。　The　carpeting　on　the　stair　risers　caught；　racing　up　to　the　first…floor　level　as　if　to　tell　dreadful　good　news。　A　fusillade　of　explosions　ripped　the　place。　The　chandelier　in　the　dining　room；　a　two…hundred…pound　crystal　bomb；　fell　with　a　splintering　crash；　knocking　tables　every　which　way。　Flame　belched　out　of　the　Overlook's　five　chimneys　at　the　breaking　clouds。
　　（No！　Mustn't！　Mustn't！　MUSTN'T！）　It　shrieked；　it　shrieked　but　now　it　was　voiceless　and　it　was　only　screaming　panic　and　doom　and　damnation　in　its　own　ear；　dissolving；　losing　thought　and　will；　the　webbing　falling　apart；　searching；　not　finding；　going　out；　going　out　to；　fleeing；　going　out　to　emptiness；　notness；　crumbling。
　　The　party　was　over。
　　　
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　　The　roar　shook　the　whole　facade　of　the　hotel。　Glass　belched　out　onto　the　snow　and　twinkled　there　like　jagged　diamonds。　The　hedge　dog；　which　had　been　approaching　Danny　and　his　mother；　recoiled　away　from　it；　its　green　and　shadow…　marbled　ears　flattening；　its　tail　ing　down　between　its　legs　as　its　haunches　flattened　abjectly。　In　his　head；　Hallorann　heard　it　whine　fearfully；　and　mixed　with　that　sound　was　the　fearful；　confused　yowling　of　the　big　cats。　He　struggled　to　his　feet　to　go　to　the　other　two　and　help　them；　and　as　he　did　so　he　saw　something　more　nightmarish　than　all　the　rest：　the　hedge　rabbit；　still　coated　with　snow；　was　battering　itself　crazily　at　the　chainlink　fence　at　the　far　end　of　the　playground；　and　the　steel　mesh　was　jingling　with　a　kind　of　nightmare　music；　like　a　spectral　zither。　Even　from　here　he　could　hear　the　sounds　of　the　close…set　twigs　and　branches　which　made　up　its　body　cracking　and　crunching　like　breaking　bones。
　　〃Dick！　Dick！〃　Danny　cried　out。　He　was　trying　to　support　his　mother；　help　her　over　to　the　snowmobile。　The　clothes　he　had　carried　out　for　the　two　of　them　were　scattered　between　where　they　had　fallen　and　where　they　now　stood。　Hallorann　was　suddenly　aware　that　the　woman　was　in　her　nightclothes；　Danny　jacketless；　and　it　was　no　more　than　ten　above　zero。
　　（my　gad　she's　in　her　bare　feet）　He　struggled　back　through　the　snow；　picking　up　her　coat；　her　boots；　Danny's　coat；　odd　gloves。　Then　he　ran　back　to　them；　plunging　hip…deep　in　the　snow　from　time　to　time；　having　to　flounder　his　way　out。
　　Wendy　was　horribly　pale；　the　side　of　her　neck　coated　with　blood；　blood　that　was　now　freezing。
　　〃I　can't；〃　she　muttered。　She　was　no　more　than　semiconscious。　〃No；　I　。　。　。
　　can't。　Sorry。〃　Danny　looked　up　at　Hallorann　pleadingly。
　　〃Gonna　be　okay；〃　Hallorann　said；　and　gripped　her　again。　〃e　on。〃　The　three　of　them　made　it　to　where　the　snowmobile　had　slewed　around　and　stalled　out。　Hallorann　sat　the　woman　down　on　the　passenger　seat　and　put　her　coat　on。　He　lifted　her　feet　up…they　were　very　cold　but　not　frozen　yet…and　rubbed　them　briskly　with　Danny's　jacket　before　putting　on　her　boots。　Wendy's　face　was　alabaster　pale；　her　eyes　halflidded　and　dazed；　but　she　had　begun　to　shiver。
　　Hallorann　thought　that　was　a　good　sign。
　　Behind　them；　a　series　of　three　explosions　rocked　the　hotel。　Orange　flashes　lit　the　snow。
　　Danny　put　his　mouth　close　to　Hallorann's　ear　and　screamed　something。
　　〃What？〃
　　〃I　said　do　you　need　that？〃　The　boy　was　pointing　at　the　red　gascan　that　leaned　at　an　angle　in　the　snow。
　　〃I　guess　we　do。〃　He　picked　it　up　and　sloshed　it。　Still　gas　in　there；　he　couldn't　tell　how　much。
　　He　attached　the　can　to　the　back　of　the　snowmobile；　fumbling　the　job　several　times　before　getting　it　right　because　his　fingers　were　going　numb。　For　the　first　time　he　became　aware　that　he'd　lost　Howard　Cottrell's　mittens。
　　（i　get　out　of　this　i　gonna　have　my　sister　knit　you　a　dozen　pair；　howie）
　　〃Get　on！〃　Hallorann　shouted　at　the　boy。
　　Danny　shrank　back。　〃We'll　freeze！〃
　　〃We　have　to　go　around　to　the　equipment　shed！　There's　stuff　in　there　。　。　。
　　blankets　。　。　。　stuff　like　that。　Get　on　behind　your　mother！〃　Danny　got　on；　and　Hallorann　twisted　his　head　so　he　could　shout　into　Wendy's　face。
　　〃Missus　Torrance！　Hold　onto　me！　You　understand？　Hold　on！〃　She　put　her　arms　around　him　and　rested　her　cheek　against　his　back。　Hallorann　started　the　snowmobile　and　turned　the　throttle　delicately　so　they　would　start　up　without　a　jerk。　The　woman　had　the　weakest　sort　of　grip　on　him；　and　if　she　shifted　backward；　her　weight　would　tumble　both　her　and　the　boy　off。
　　They　began　to　move。　He　brought　the　snowmobile　around　in　a　circle　and　then　they　were　traveling　west　parallel　to　the　hotel。　Hallorann　cut　in　more　to　circle　around　behind　it　to　the　equipment　shed。
　　They　had　a　momentarily　clear　view　into　the　Overlook's　lobby。　The　gasflame　ing　up　through　the　shattered　floor　was　like　a　giant　birthday　candle；　fierce　yellow　at　its　heart　and　blue　around　its　flickering　edges。　In　that　moment　it　seemed　only　to　be　lighting；　not　destroying。　They　could　see　the　registration　desk　with　its　silver　bell；　the　credit　card　decals；　the　old…fashioned；　scrolled　cash　register；　the　small　figured　throw　rugs；　the　highbacked　chairs；　horsehair　hassocks。　Danny　could　see　the　small　sofa　by　the　fireplace　where　the　three　nuns　had　sat　on　the　day　they　had　e　up…closing　day。　But　this　was　the　real　closing　day。
　　Then　the　drift　on　the　porch　blotted　the　view　out。　A　moment　later　they　were　skirting　the　west　side　of　the　hotel。　It　was　still　light　enough　to　see　without　the　snowmobile's　headlight。　Both　upper　stories　were　flaming　now；　and　pennants　of　flame　shot　out　the　windows。　The　gleaming　white　paint　had　begun　to　blacken　and　peel。　The　shutters　which　had　covered　the　Presidential　Suite's　picture　window…　shutters　Jack　had　carefully　fastened　as　per　instructions　in　mid…October…now　hung　in　flaming　brands；　exposing　the　wide　and　shattered　darkness　behind　them；　like　a　toothless　mouth　yawing　in　a　final；　silent　deathrattle。
　　Wendy　had　pressed　her　face　against　Hallorann's　back　to　cut　out　the　wind；　and　Danny　had　likewise　pressed　his　face　against　his　mother's　back；　and　so　it　was　only　Hallorann　who　saw　the　final　thing；　and　he　never　spoke　of　it。　From　the　window　of　the　Presidential　Suite　he　thought　he　saw　a　huge　dark　shape　issue；　blotting　out　the　snowfield　behind　it。　For　a　moment　it　assumed　the　shape　of　a　huge；　obscene　manta；　and　then　the　wind　seemed　to　catch　it；　to　tear　it　and　shred　it　like　old　dark　paper。　It　fragmented；　was　caught　in　a　whirling　eddy　of　smoke；　and　a　moment　later　it　was　gone　as　if　it　had　never　been。　But　in　those　few　seconds　as　it　whirled　blackly；　dancing　like　negative　motes　of　light；　he　remembered　something　from　his　childhood　。　。　。　fifty　years　ago；　or　snore。　He　and　his　brother　had　e　upon　a　huge　nest　of　ground　wasps　just　north　of　their　farm。　It　had　been　tucked　into　a　hollow　between　the　earth　and　an　old　lightning…blasted　tree。　His　brother　had　had　a　big　old　niggerchaser　in　the　band　of　his　hat；　saved　all　the　way　from　the　Fourth　of　July。　He　had　lighted　it　and　tossed　it　at　the　nest。　It　had　exploded　with　a　loud　bang；　and　an　angry；　rising　hum…almost　a　low　shriek…had　risen　from　the　blasted　nest。　They　had　run　away　as　if　demons　had　been　at　their　beels。　In　a　way；　Hallorann　supposed　that　demons　had　been。　And　looking　back　over　his　shoulder；　as　he　was　now；　he　had　on　that　day　seen　a　large　dark　cloud　of　hornets　rising　in　the　hot　air；　swirling　together；　breaking　apart；　looking　for　whatever　enemy　had　done　this　to　their　home　so　that　they…the　single　group　intelligence…could　sting　it　to　death。
　　Then　the　thing　in　the　sky　was　gone　and　it　might　only　have　been　smoke　or　a　great　flapping　swatch　of　wallpaper　after　all；　and　there　was　only　the　Overlook；　a　flaming　pyre　in　the　roaring　throat　of　the　night。
　　
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　　There　was　a　key　to　the　equipment　shed's　padlock　on　his　key　ring；　but　Hallorann　saw　there　would　be　no　need　to　use　it。
　　The　door　was　ajar；　the　padlock　hanging　open　on　its　hasp。
　　〃I　can't　go　in　there；〃　Danny　whispered。
　　〃That's　okay。　You　stay　with　your　mom。　There　used　to　be　a　pile　of　old　horseblankets。　Probably　all　moth…eaten　by　now；　but　better　than　freezin　to　death。
　　Missus　Torrance；　you　still　with　us？〃
　　〃I　don't　know；〃　the　wan　voice　answered。　〃I　think　so。〃
　　〃Good。　I'll　be　just　a　second。〃
　　〃e　back　as　quick　as　you　can；〃　Danny　whispered。　〃Please。〃　Hallorann　nodded。　He　had　trained　the　headlamp　on　the　door　and　now　he　floundered　through　the　snow；　casting　a　long　shadow　in　front　of　himself。　He　pushed　the　equipment　shed　door　open　and　stepped　in。　The　horseblankets　were　still　in　the　corner；　by　the　rogue　set。　He　picked　up　four　of　themthey　smelled　musty　and　old　and　the　moths　certainly　had　been　having　a　free　lunch…and　then　he　paused。
　　One　of　the　rogue　mallets　was　gone。
　　（Was　that　what　he　hit　me　with？）　Well；　it　didn't　matter　what　he'd　been　hit　with；　did　it？　Still；　his　fingers　went　to