sk.theplant-第15部分

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　　〃You　look　like　you　had　a　tough　night；〃　I　said。
　　〃Tougher　morning。　You　seen　the　Times？〃
　　I　had；　as　a　matter　of　fact…the　front　page；　anyway。　There　was　the　usual　report　on　Reagan's　condition；　the　usual　stuff　about　unrest　in　the　mideast；　the　usual　corruption…in…government　story；　and　the　usual　bottom…of…the…page　mand　to　support　the　Fresh　Air　Fund。　Nothing　that　struck　me　as　of　any　immediate　concern。　Nevertheless；　I　felt　a　little　stirring　of　the　hairs　on　the　back　of　my　neck。
　　The　Times　was　sitting　folded　over　in　the　OUT　half　of　Roger's　IN/OUT　basket。　I　took　it。
　　〃First　page　of　the　B　section；〃　he　said；　still　looking　out　the　window。　At　the　bum；　presumably。　。　。　or　do　you　call　a　female　of　the　species　a　bumette？
　　I　turned　to　the　National　Report　and　saw　a　picture　of　an　airplane…what　was　left　of　one；　anyway…in　a　weedy　field　littered　with　cast…off　engine　parts。　In　the　background；　a　bunch　of　people　were　standing　behind　a　cyclone　fence　and　gawking。　I　scanned　the　headline　and　knew　at　once。
　　〃Barfield？〃　I　asked。
　　〃Barfield；〃　he　agreed。
　　〃Christ！〃
　　〃Christ　had　nothing　to　do　with　it。〃
　　I　scanned　the　piece　without　really　reading　it；　just　looking　for　her　name。　And　there　she　was：　Tina　Barfield　of　Central　Falls；　source　of　that　old　adage　〃if　you　play　around　the　buzz…saw　too　long；　sooner　or　later　someone　is　gonna　get　cut。〃　Or　burned　alive　in　a　Cessna　Titan；　she　should　have　added。
　　〃She　said　she'd　be　safe　from　Carlos　if　she　did　a　genuine　Good　Turn；〃　Roger　said。　〃That　might　lead　some　to　deduce　that　what　she　did　us　was　just　the　opposite。〃
　　〃I　believed　her　about　that；〃　I　said。　I　think　I　was　telling　the　truth；　but　whether　I　was　or　wasn't；　I　didn't　want　Roger　deciding　to　uproot　the　ivy　growing　in　Riddley's　closet　because　of　what　had　happened　to　Tina　Barfield。　Shocked　as　I　was；　I　didn't　want　that。　Then　I　saw…or　maybe　intuited…that　Roger's　mind　wasn't　running　that　way；　and　I　relaxed　a　little。
　　〃Actually；　I　did；　too；〃　he　said。　〃She　was　at　least　trying　to　do　a　Good　Turn。〃
　　〃Maybe　she　just　didn't　do　it　soon　enough；〃　I　said。
　　He　nodded。　〃Maybe　that　was　it。　I　read　the　short　story　she　mentioned；　by　the　way…the　one　by　Jerome　Bixby。〃
　　〃'It's　a　Good　Life。　'〃
　　〃Right。　By　the　time　I'd　read　two　pages；　I　recognized　it　as　the　basis　of　a　famous　Twilight　Zone　episode　starring　Billy　Mumy。　What　the　hell　ever　happened　to　Billy　Mumy？〃
　　I　didn't　give　Shit　One　about　what　happened　to　Billy　Mumy；　but　thought　it　might　be　a　bad　idea　to　say　so。
　　〃The　story's　about　a　little　boy　who's　a　super…psychic。　He　destroys　the　whole　world；　apparently；　except　for　his　own　little　circle　of　friends　and　relatives。　Those　people　he　holds　hostage；　killing　them　if　they　dare　to　cross　him　in　any　way。〃
　　I　remembered　the　episode。　The　little　kid　hadn't　pulled　out　anyone's　heart　or　caused　any　planes　to　crash；　but　he'd　turned　one　character…his　big　brother　or　maybe　a　neighbor…into　a　jack…in…the…box。　And　when　he　made　a　mess；　he　simply　sent　it　away　into　the　cornfield。
　　〃Based　on　that；　can　you　imagine　what　living　with　Carlos　must　have　been　like？〃　Roger　asked　me。
　　〃What　are　we　going　to　do；　Roger？〃
　　He　turned　from　the　window　then　and　looked　at　me　straight　on。　Frightened…I　was；　too…but　determined。　I　respected　him　for　that。　And　I　respect　myself；　too。
　　I　think。
　　〃We're　going　to　make　Zenith　House　into　a　profitable　concern　if　we　can；〃　he　said；　〃and　then　we're　going　to　jam　about　nine　gallons　of　black　ink　in　Harlow　Enders's　eye。　I　don't　know　if　that　plant　is　really　a　modern…day　version　of　Jack's　beanstalk　or　not；　but　if　it　is；　we're　going　to　climb　it　and　get　the　golden　harp；　the　golden　goose；　and　all　the　gold　doubloons　we　can　carry。　Agreed？〃
　　I　stuck　out　my　hand。　〃Agreed；　boss。〃
　　He　shook　it。　I　haven't　had　many　fine　moments　before　nine　in　the　morning；　at　least　not　as　an　adult；　but　that　was　one　of　them。
　　〃We're　also　going　to　be　careful；〃　he　said。　〃Agreed　there？〃
　　〃Agreed。〃　It's　only　tonight；　dear　diary；　that　I　realize　what　you're　left　with　if　you　take　the　a　out　of　agreed。　I　would　be　telling　less　than　the　truth　if　I　didn't　say　that　sort　of　haunts　me。
　　We　talked　a　little　more。　I　wanted　to　go　down　and　check　on　Zenith；　Roger　suggested　we　wait　for　Bill；　Herb；　and　Sandra；　then　do　it　together。
　　LaShonda　Evans　came　in　before　they　did；　plaining　that　the　reception　area　smelled　funny。　Roger　sympathized；　suggested　it　might　be　mildew　in　the　carpet；　and　authorized　a　petty…cash　expenditure　for　a　can　of　Glade；　which　can　be　purchased　in　the　Smiler's　across　the　street。　He　also　suggested　that　she　leave　the　editors　pretty　much　alone　for　the　next　couple　of　months；　they　were　all　going　to　be　working　hard；　he　said；　trying　to　live　up　to　the　parent　pany's　expectations。　He　didn't　say　〃unrealistic　expectations；〃　but　some　people　can　convey　a　great　deal　with　no　more　than　a　certain　tone　of　voice；　and　Roger　is　one　of　them。
　　〃It's　my　policy　not　to　go　any　further　than　right　here；　Mr。　Wade；〃　she　said；　standing　in　the　door　of　Roger's　office　and　speaking　with　great　dignity。　〃You're　okay。　。　。　and　so　are　you；　Mr。　Kenton。　。　。　most　of　the　time。　。　。〃
　　I　thanked　her。　I've　discovered　that　after　your　girl　has　dropped　you　for　some　West　Coast　smoothie　who　probably　knows　Tai　Chi　and　has　been　rolphed　as　est…ed　to　a　nicety；　even　left…handed　pliments　sound　pretty　good。
　　〃。　。　。but　those　other　three　are　a　little　on　the　weird　side。〃
　　With　that；　LaShonda　left。　I　imagine　she　had　calls　to　make；　a　few　of　which　might　even　have　to　do　with　the　publishing　business。　Roger　looked　at　me；　amused；　and　further　rumpled　his　disarranged　hair。　〃She　didn't　know　what　the　smell　was；〃　he　said。
　　〃I　don't　think　LaShonda　spends　a　lot　of　time　in　the　kitchen。〃
　　〃When　you　look　like　LaShonda；　I　doubt　if　you　need　to；〃　Roger　said。　〃The　only　time　you　smell　garlic　is　when　the　waiter　brings　your　Shrimp　Mediterranean。〃
　　〃Meanwhile；〃　I　said；　〃there's　Glade。　And　the　garlic…smell　will　be　gone　before　long；　anyway。　Unless；　of　course；　you're　either　a　bloodhound　or　a　supernatural　houseplant。〃
　　We　looked　at　each　other　for　a　moment；　then　burst　out　laughing。　Maybe　just　because　Tina　Barfield　was　dead　and　we　were　alive。　Not　very　nice；　I　know；　but　the　day　brightened　from　that　point　on；　that　much；　at　least；　I'm　sure　of。
　　Roger　had　left　little　notes　on　Herb's；　Sandra's；　and　Bill's　desks。　By　nine…thirty　we　were　all　gathered　in　Roger's　office；　which　doubles　as　our　editorial　conference　room。　Roger　began　by　saying　that　he　thought　both　Herb　and　Sandra　had　been　aided　in　their　inspirations；　and　with　no　more　preamble　than　that；　he　told　them　the　story　of　our　trip　to　Rhode　Island。　I　helped　as　much　as　I　could。　We　both　tried　to　express　how　strange　our　visit　to　the　greenhouse　had　been；　how　otherworldly；　and　I　believe　all　three　of　them　understood　most　of　that。　When　it　came　to　Norville　Keen；　however；　I　don't　think　either　Roger　or　I　really　got　the　point　across。
　　Bill　and　Herb　were　sitting　side　by　side　on　the　floor；　as　they　often　do　during　our　editorial　conferences；　drinking　coffee；　and　I　saw　them　exchange　a　glance　of　the　kind　in　which　eyeballs　rolling　heavenward　play　a　crucial　part。　I　thought　about　trying　to　press　the　point；　then　didn't。　If　I　may　misquote　the　wisdom　of　Norville　Keen：〃You　can't　believe　in　a　zombie　unless　you've　seen　that　zombie。〃
　　Roger　finished　the　job　by　handing　Bill　that　day's　B　section　of　The　New　York　Times。　We　waited　as　it　made　the　rounds。
　　〃Oh；　poor　woman；〃　Sandra　said。　She　had　dragged　in　her　office　chair　and　was　sitting　in　it　with　her　knees　primly　together。　No　sitting　on　the　floor　for　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Jackson's　little　girl。　〃I　never　fly　unless　I　have　to。　It's　much　more　dangerous　than　they　let　on。〃
　　〃This　is　crap；〃　Bill　said。　〃I　mean；　I　love　you；　Roger；　but　this　really　is　crap。　You've　been　under　pressure…you　too；　John；　especially　since　you　got　the　gate　from　your　girlfriend…and　you　guys've　just。　。　。　I　don't　know。　。　。　let　your　imaginations　run　away　with　you。〃
　　Roger　nodded　as　if　he　had　expected　no　less。　He　turned　to　Herb。　〃What　do　you　think？〃　he　asked　him。
　　Herb　stood　up　and　hitched　his　belt　in　that　take…charge　way　of　his。　〃I　think　we　ought　to　go　take　a　look　at　the　famous　ivy　plant。〃
　　〃Me　too；〃　Sandra　said。
　　〃You　guys　don't　actually　believe　this；　do　you？〃　Bill　Gelb　asked。　He　sounded　both　amused　and　alarmed。　〃I　mean；　let's　not　dial　1…800…MASSHYSTERIA　just　yet；　okay？〃
　　〃I　don't　believe　or　disbelieve　anything；〃　Sandra　said。　〃Not　for　sure。　All　I　know　for　sure　is　that　I　got　my　idea　about　the　joke…book　after　I　was　down　there。　After　I　smelled　baking　cookies。　And　why　would　the　janitor's　room　smell　like　my　grandma's　kitchen；　anyway？〃
　　〃Maybe　for　the　same　reason　the　reception　area　smells　like　garlic；〃　Bill　said。　〃Because　these　guys　have　been　playing　jokes。〃　I　opened　my　mouth　to　say　that　Sandra　had　smelled　cookies　and　Herb　toast　and　jam　in　Riddley's　cubicle　the　day　before　Roger　and　I　made　our　trip　to　Central　Falls；　but　before　I　could；　Bill　said：　〃What　about　the　plant；　Sandy？　Did　you　see　an　ivy　growing　all　over　the　place　in　there？〃
　　〃No；　but　I　didn't　turn　on　the　light；〃　she　said。　〃I　just　peeped　my　head　in；　and　then。　。　。　I　don't　know。　。　。　I　got　a　little　scared。　Like　it　was　spooky；　or　something。〃
　　〃It　was　spooky　in　spite　of　the　smell　of　gramma's　baking　cookies；　or　because　of　it？〃　Bill　asked。　Like　a　TV…show　prosecutor　hammering　some　hapless　defense　witness。
　　Sandra　looked　at　him　defiantly　and　said　nothing。　Herb　tried　to　take　her　hand；　but　she　shook　it　off。
　　I　stood　up。　〃Enough　talk。　Why　describe　a　guest　when　you　can　see　that　guest？〃
　　Bill　looked　at　me　as　if　I'd　flipped　my　lid。　〃Say　what？〃
　　〃I　believe　that　in　his　own　inimitable　way；　John　is　trying　to　express　the　idea　that　seeing　is　believing；〃　Roger　said。　〃Let's　go　have　a　look。　And　may　I　suggest　you　all　keep　your　hands　to　yourselves？　I　don't　think　it　bites…not　us；　anyway…but　I　do　think　we'd　be　wise　to　be　careful。〃
　　It　sounded　like　damned　good　advice　to　me。　As　Roger　lead　us　down　the　hall　past　our　offices　in　a　little　troop；　I　found　myself　remembering　the　last　words　of　the　rabbit　general　in　Richard　Adams's　Watership　Down：　〃e　back；　you　fools！　e　back！　Dogs　aren't　dangerous！〃
　　When　we　got　to　the　place　where　the　hall　jogs　to　the　left；　Bill　said：　〃Hey；　hold　it；　just　a　goddam　minute。〃　Soun