th.red dragon-第13部分

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　freshness　of　the　chemicals　were　critical。　This　was　his　responsibility；　along　with　all　the　other　operations　until　the　film　had　passed　through　the　dryer。　Many　times　a　day　he　lifted　samples　of　film　from　the　tank　and　checked　them　frame　by　frame。
　The　darkroom　was　quiet。　Dolarhyde　discouraged　chatter　among　his　assistants　and　municated　with　them　largely　in　gestures。
　When　the　evening　shift　ended；　he　remained　alone　in　the　darkroom　to　develop；　dry；　and　splice　some　film　of　his　own。
　
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　Dolarhyde　got　home　about　ten　P。M。　He　lived　alone　in　a　big　house　his　grandparents　had　left　him。　It　stood　at　the　end　of　a　gravel　drive　that　runs　through　an　apple　orchard　north　of　St。　Charles；　Missouri；　across　the　Missouri　River　from　St。　Louis。　The　orchard's　absentee　owner　did　not　take　care　of　it。　Dead　and　twisted　trees　stood　among　the　green　ones。　Now；　in　late　July；　the　smell　of　rotting　apples　hung　over　the　orchard。　There　were　many　bees　in　the　daytime。　The　nearest　neighbor　was　a　half…mile　away。
　Dolarhyde　always　made　an　inspection　tour　of　the　house　as　soon　as　he　got　home；　there　had　been　an　abortive　burglary　attempt　some　years　before。　He　flicked　on　the　lights　in　each　room　and　looked　around。　A　visitor　would　not　think　he　lived　alone。　His　grandparents'　clothes　still　hung　in　the　closets；　his　grandmother's　brushes　were　on　her　dresser　with　bings　of　hair　in　them。　Her　teeth　were　in　a　glass　on　the　bedside　table。　The　water　had　long　since　evaporated。　His　grandmother　had　been　dead　for　ten　years。
　（The　funeral　director　had　asked　him；　〃Mr。　Dolarhyde；　wouldn't　you　like　to　bring　me　your　grandmother's　teeth？〃　He　replied；　〃Just　drop　the　lid。〃）
　Satisfied　that　he　was　alone　in　the　house；　Dolarhyde　went　upstairs；　took　a　long　shower；　and　washed　his　hair。
　He　put　on　a　kimono　of　a　synthetic　material　that　felt　like　silk　and　lay　down　on　his　narrow　bed　in　the　room　he　had　occupied　since　childhood。　His　grandmother's　hair　dryer　had　a　plastic　cap　and　hose。　He　put　on　the　cap　and；　while　he　dried；　he　thumbed　through　a　new　high…fashion　magazine。　The　hatred　and　brutishness　in　some　of　the　photographs　were　remarkable。
　He　began　to　feel　excited。　He　swiveled　the　metal　shade　of　his　reading　lamp　to　light　a　print　on　the　wall　at　the　foot　of　the　bed。　It　was　William　Blake's　The　Great　Red　Dragon　and　the　Woman　Clothed　with　the　Sun。
　The　picture　had　stunned　him　the　first　time　he　saw　it。　Never　before　had　he　seen　anything　that　approached　his　graphic　thought。　He　felt　that　Blake　must　have　peeked　in　his　ear　and　seen　the　Red　Dragon。　For　weeks　Dolarhyde　had　worried　that　his　thoughts　might　glow　out　his　ears；　might　be　visible　in　the　darkroom；　might　fog　the　film。　He　put　cotton　balls　in　his　ears。　Then；　fearing　that　cotton　was　too　flammable；　he　tried　steel　wool。　That　made　his　ears　bleed。　Finally　he　cut　small　pieces　of　asbestos　cloth　from　an　ironing…board　cover　and　rolled　them　into　little　pills　that　would　fit　in　his　ears。
　The　Red　Dragon　was　all　he　had　for　a　long　time。　It　was　not　all　he　had　now。　He　felt　the　beginnings　of　an　erection。
　He　had　wanted　to　go　through　this　slowly；　but　now　he　could　not　wait。
　Dolarhyde　closed　the　heavy　draperies　over　windows　in　the　downstairs　parlor。　He　set　up　his　screen　and　projector。　His　grandfather　had　put　a　La…Z…Boy　recliner　in　the　parlor；　over　his　grandmother's　objections。　（She　had　put　a　doily　on　the　headrest。）　Now　Dolarhyde　was　glad。　It　was　very　fortable。　He　draped　a　towel　over　the　arm　of　the　chair。
　He　turned　out　the　lamps。　Lying　back　in　the　dark　room；　he　might　have　been　anywhere。　Over　the　ceiling　fixture　he　had　a　good　light　machine　which　rotated；　making　varicolored　dots　of　light　crawl　over　the　walls；　the　floor；　his　skin。　He　might　have　been　reclining　on　the　acceleration　couch　of　a　space　vehicle；　in　a　glass　bubble　out　among　the　stars。　When　he　closed　his　eyes　he　thought　he　could　feel　the　points　of　light　move　over　him；　and　when　he　opened　them；　those　might　be　the　lights　of　cities　above　or　beneath　him。　There　was　no　more　down　or　up。　The　light　machine　turned　faster　as　it　got　warm；　and　the　dots　swarmed　over　him；　flowed　over　furniture　in　angular　streams；　fell　in　meteor　showers　down　the　walls。　He　might　have　been　a　et　plunging　through　the　Crab　Nebula。
　There　was　one　place　shielded　from　the　light。　He　had　placed　a　piece　of　cardboard　near　the　machine；　and　it　cast　a　shadow　over　the　movie　screen。
　Sometimes；　in　the　future；　he　would　smoke　first　to　heighten　the　effect；　but　he　did　not　need　it　now；　this　time。
　He　thumbed　the　drop　switch　at　his　side　to　start　the　projector。　A　white　rectangle　sprang　on　the　screen；　grayed　and　streaked　as　the　leader　moved　past　the　lens；　and　then　the　gray　Scotty　perked　up　his　ears　and　ran　to　the　kitchen　door；　shivering　and　wagging　his　stump　of　a　tail。　A　cut　to　the　Scotty　ranning　beside　a　curb；　turning　to　snap　at　his　side　as　he　ran。
　Now　Mrs。　Leeds　came　into　the　kitchen　carrying　groceries。　She　laughed　and　touched　her　hair。　The　children　came　in　behind　her。
　A　cut　to　a　badly　lit　shot　in　Dolarhyde's　own　bedroom　upstairs。　He　is　standing　nude　before　the　print　of　The　Great　Red　Dragon　and　the　Woman　Clothed　with　the　Sun。　He　is　wearing　〃bat　glasses；〃　the　close…fitting　wraparound　plastic　glasses　favored　by　hockey　players。　He　has　an　erection；　which　he　improves　with　his　hand。
　The　focus　blurs　as　he　approaches　the　camera　with　stylized　movements；　hand　reaching　to　change　the　focus　as　his　face　fills　the　frame。　The　picture　quivers　and　sharpens　suddenly　to　a　close…up　of　his　mouth；　his　disfigured　upper　lip　rolled　back；　tongue　out　through　the　teeth；　one　rolling　eye　still　in　the　frame。　The　mouth　fills　the　screen；　writhing　lips　pulled　back　from　jagged　teeth　and　darkness　as　his　mouth　engulfs　the　lens。
　The　difficulty　of　the　next　part　was　evident。
　A　bouncing　blur　in　a　harsh　movie　light　became　a　bed　and　Charles　Leeds　thrashing；　Mrs。　Leeds　sitting　up；　shielding　her　eyes；　turning　to　Leeds　and　putting　her　hands　on　him；　rolling　toward　the　edge　of　the　bed；　legs　tangled　in　the　covers；　traying　to　rise。　The　camera　jerked　toward　the　ceiling；　molding　whipping　across　the　screen　like　a　stave；　and　then　the　picture　steadied；　Mrs。　Leeds　back　down　on　the　mattress；　a　dark　spot　on　her　nightdress　spreading　and　Leeds；　hands　to　his　neck　and　eyes　wild　rising。　The　screen　went　black　for　five　beats；　then　the　tic　of　a　splice。
　The　camera　was　steady　now；　on　a　tripod。　They　were　all　dead　now。　Arranged。　Two　children　seated　against　the　wall　facing　the　bed；　one　seated　across　the　corner　from　them　facing　the　camera。　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Leeds　in　bed　with　the　covers　over　them。　Mr。　Leeds　propped　up　against　the　headboard；　the　sheet　covering　the　rope　around　his　chest　and　his　head　lolled　to　the　side。
　Dolarhyde　came　into　the　picture　from　the　left　with　the　stylized　movements　of　a　Balinese　dancer。　Blood…smeared　and　naked　except　for　his　glasses　and　gloves；　he　mugged　and　capered　among　the　dead。　He　approached　the　far　side　of　the　bed；　Mrs。　Leeds's　side；　took　the　corner　of　the　covers；　whipped　them　off　the　bed　and　held　the　pose　as　though　he　had　executed　a　veronica。
　Now；　watching　in　the　parlor　of　his　grandparents'　house；　Dolarhyde　was　covered　with　a　sheen　of　sweat。　His　thick　tongue　ran　out　constantly；　the　scar　on　his　upper　lip　wet　and　shiny　and　he　moaned　as　he　stimulated　himself。
　Even　at　the　height　of　his　pleasure　he　was　sorry　to　see　that　in　the　film's　ensuing　scene　he　lost　all　his　grace　and　elegance　of　motion；　rooting　piglike　with　his　bottom　turned　carelessly　to　the　camera。　There　were　no　dramatic　pauses；　no　sense　of　pace　or　climax；　just　brutish　frenzy。
　It　was　wonderful　anyway。　Watching　the　film　was　wonderful。　But　not　as　wonderful　as　the　acts　themselves。
　Two　major　flaws；　Dolarhyde　felt；　were　that　the　film　did　not　actually　show　the　deaths　of　the　Leedses　and　that　his　own　performance　was　poor　toward　the　end。　He　seemed　to　lose　all　his　values。　That　was　not　how　the　Red　Dragon　would　do　it。
　Well。　He　had　many　films　to　make　and；　with　experience；　he　hoped　he　could　maintain　some　aesthetic　distance；　even　in　the　most　intimate　moments。
　He　must　bear　down。　This　was　his　life's　work；　a　magnificent　thing。　It　would　live　forever。
　He　must　press　on　soon。　He　must　select　his　fellow　performers。　Already　he　had　copied　several　films　of　Fourth　of　July　family　outings。　The　end　of　summer　always　brought　a　rush　of　business　at　the　film…processing　plant　as　vacation　movies　came　in。　Thanksgiving　would　bring　another　rush。
　Families　were　mailing　their　applications　to　him　every　day。
　
　
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　The　plane　from　Washington　to　Birmingham　was　half…empty。　Graham　took　a　window　seat　with　no　one　beside　him。
　He　declined　the　tired　sandwich　the　stewardess　offered　and　put　his　Jacobi　file　on　the　tray　table。　At　the　front　he　had　listed　the　similarities　between　the　Jacobis　and　the　Leedses。
　Both　couples　were　in　their　late　thirties；　both　had　children　…　two　boys　and　a　girl。　Edward　Jacobi　had　another　son；　by　a　previous　marriage；　who　was　away　at　college　when　the　family　was　killed。
　Both　parents　in　each　case　had　college　degrees；　and　both　families　lived　in　two…story　houses　in　pleasant　suburbs。　Mrs。　Jacobi　and　Mrs。　Leeds　were　attractive　women。　The　families　had　some　of　the　same　credit　cards　and　they　subscribed　to　some　of　the　same　popular　magazines。
　There　the　similarities　ended。　Charles　Leeds　was　a　tax　attorney；　while　Edward　Jacobi　was　an　engineer　and　metallurgist。　The　Atlanta　family　were　Presbyterian；　the　Jacobis　were　Catholic。　The　Leedses　were　lifelong　Atlanta　residents；　while　the　Jacobis　had　lived　in　Birmingham　only　three　months；　transferred　there　from　Detroit。
　The　word　〃random〃　sounded　in　Graham's　head　like　a　dripping　faucet。　〃Random　selection　of　victims；〃　〃no　apparent　motive〃　…　newspapers　used　those　terms；　and　detectives　spat　them　out　in　anger　and　frustration　in　homicide　squad　rooms。
　〃Random〃　wasn't　accurate；　though。　Graham　knew　that　mass　murderers　and　serial　murderers　do　not　select　their　victims　at　random。
　The　man　who　killed　the　Jacobis　and　the　Leedses　saw　something　in　them　that　drew　him　and　drove　him　to　do　it。　He　might　have　known　them　well　…　Graham　hoped　so　…　or　he　might　not　have　known　them　at　all。　But　Graham　was　sure　the　killer　saw　them　at　some　time　before　he　killed　them。　He　chose　them　because　something　in　them　spoke　to　him；　and　the　women　were　at　the　core　of　it。　What　was　it？
　There　were　some　differences　in　the　cr