dk.intensity-第39部分

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　When　he　put　the　glass　down；　he　slipped　a　cork…lined　ceramic　coaster　under　it。　Then　he　sat　across　the　table　from　her　again。
　Chyna　was　repelled　by　the　prospect　of　drinking　from　a　glass　that　he　had　handled；　but　she　really　was　dehydrated。　Her　mouth　was　dry；　and　her　throat　was　vaguely　sore。
　Because　of　the　cuffs；　she　picked　up　the　glass　in　both　hands。　She　knew　that　he　was　watching　her　for　signs　of　fear。　The　water　didn't　slop　around　in　the　tumbler。　The　rim　of　the　glass　didn't　chatter　against　her　teeth。
　She　truly　wasn't　afraid　of　him　any　more；　at　least　not　for　the　moment；　although　maybe　later。　Certainly　later。　Now　her　interior　landscape　was　a　desert　under　sullen　skies：　numbing　desolation；　with　the　angry　flicker　of　lightning　toward　a　far　horizon。
　She　drank　half　of　the　water　before　she　put　the　glass　down。
　〃When　I　entered　the　room　a　moment　ago；〃　the　killer　said；　〃you　were　sitting　with　your　hands　folded；　your　head　bowed　against　your　hands。　Were　you　praying？〃
　She　thought　about　it。　〃No。〃
　〃There's　no　point　in　lying　to　me。〃
　〃I'm　not　lying。　I　wasn't　praying　just　then。〃
　〃But　you　do　pray？〃
　〃Sometimes。〃
　〃God　fears　me。〃
　She　waited。
　He　said；　〃God　fears　me…those　are　words　that　can　be　made　from　the　letters　of　my　name。〃
　〃I　see。　〃
　〃Dragon　seed。〃
　〃From　the　letters　of　your　name；〃　she　said。
　〃Yes。　And　。。。　forge　of　rage。〃
　〃It's　an　interesting　game。〃
　〃Names　are　interesting。　Yours　is　passive。　A　place　name　for　a　first　name。　And　Shepherd…bucolic；　fuzzily　Christian。　When　I　think　of　your　name；　I　see　an　Asian　peasant　on　a　hillside　with　sheep　。。。　or　a　slant…eyed　Christ　making　converts　among　the　heathens。〃　He　smiled；　amused　by　his　banter。　〃But　clearly；　your　name　doesn't　define　you　well。　You're　not　a　passive　person。〃
　〃I　have　been；〃　she　said；　〃most　of　my　life。〃
　〃Really？　Well；　you　weren't　passive　last　night。〃
　〃Not　last　night；〃　she　agreed。　〃But　until　then。〃
　〃My　name；　on　the　other　hand；　is　a　power　name。　Edgler　Foreman　Vess。〃　He　spelled　it　for　her。　〃Not　Edgar。　Edge…ler。　Like　'on　the　edge。'　And　Vess　。。。　if　you　draw　it　out；　it's　like　a　serpent　hissing。〃
　〃Demon。〃
　〃Yes；　that's　right。　It's　there　in　my　name…demon。　〃Anger。〃
　He　seemed　pleased　by　her　willingness　to　play。　〃You're　good　at　this；　especially　considering　that　you　don't　have　pen　and　paper。〃
　〃Vessel；〃　she　said。　〃That's　in　your　name　too。〃
　〃An　easy　one。　But　also　semen。　Vessel　and　semen；　female　and　male。　Would　you　like　to　craft　an　insult　out　of　that；　Chyna？〃
　Instead　of　replying；　she　picked　up　the　glass　and　drank　half　of　the　remaining　water。　The　ice　cubes　were　cold　against　her　teeth。　
　〃Now　that　you've　wet　your　whistle；〃　Vess　said；　〃I　want　to　know　all　about　you。　Remember…scrimshaw。〃
　Chyna　told　him　everything；　beginning　with　the　moment　that　she　had　heard　a　scream　while　sitting　at　the　guest…bedroom　window　in　the　Templeton　house。　She　delivered　her　account　in　a　monotone；　not　by　calculation　but　because　suddenly　she　could　speak　no　other　way。　She　tried　to　vary　her　inflection；　put　life　into　her　words…but　failed。
　The　sound　of　her　voice；　droning　through　the　events　of　the　night；　scared　her　as　Edgler　Vess　no　longer　did。　Her　account　came　to　her　as　if　she　were　listening　to　someone　else　speak；　and　it　was　the　voice　of　a　lost　and　defeated　person。
　She　told　herself　that　she　was　not　defeated；　that　she　still　had　hope；　that　she　would　get　the　best　of　this　murderous　bastard　one　way　or　another。　But　her　inner　voice　lacked　all　conviction。
　In　spite　of　Chyna's　spiritless　recitation　of　events；　Vess　was　a　rapt　listener。　He　began　in　a　relaxed　slouch；　lounging　back　in　his　chair；　but　by　the　time　Chyna　finished；　he　was　leaning　forward　with　his　arms　on　the　table；　hunched　toward　her。
　He　interrupted　her　several　times　to　ask　questions。　At　the　end；　he　sat　for　a　while　in　contemplative　silence。
　She　could　not　bear　to　look　at　him。　She　folded　her　hands　on　the　table；　closed　her　eyes；　and　put　her　forehead　against　the　backs　of　her　church…door　thumbs；　as　she　had　been　when　Vess　had　e　out　of　the　laundry　room。
　She　wasn't　praying　this　time　either。　She　lacked　the　hope　needed　for　prayer。
　After　a　few　minutes；　she　heard　Vess's　chair　slide　back　from　the　table。　He　got　up。　She　heard　him　moving　around；　and　then　the　familiar　clatter　of　any　cook　being　busy　in　any　kitchen。
　She　smelled　butter　heating　in　a　pan；　then　browning　onions。　In　the　telling　of　her　story；　Chyna　had　lost　her　appetite；　and　it　didn't　return　with　the　aroma　of　the　onions。
　Finally　Vess　said；　〃Funny　that　I　didn't　smell　you　right　away　at　the　Templetons'。〃
　〃You　can　do　that？〃　she　asked；　without　raising　her　head　from　her　hands。　〃You　can　just　smell　people　out；　as　if　you　were　a　damn　dog？〃
　〃Usually；〃　he　said；　taking　no　offense；　and　with　what　seemed　to　be　utmost　seriousness。　〃And　you　must　have　made　a　sound　more　than　once　through　the　night。　You　surely　can't　be　that　stealthy。　Even　your　breathing　I　should　have　heard。〃
　Then　came　the　sound　of　a　wire　whisk　vigorously　beating　eggs　in　a　bowl。
　She　smelled　bread　toasting。
　〃In　a　still　house；　with　everyone　dead；　your　movement　should　have　made　currents　in　the　air；　like　a　cool　breath　on　the　back　of　my　neck；　shivering　the　fine　hairs　on　my　hands。　Your　every　movement　should　have　been　a　different　texture　against　my　eyes。　And　when　I　walked　through　a　space　where　you'd　just　been；　I　should　have　sensed　the　displacement　of　air　caused　by　your　passage。〃
　He　was　stone　crazy。　So　cute　in　his　chambray　shirt；　with　his　beautiful　blue　eyes；　his　thick　dark　hair　bed　straight　back　from　his　forehead；　and　the　dimple　in　his　left　cheek…but　pustulant　and　cankerriddled　inside。　〃My　senses；　you　see；　are　unusually　acute。〃
　He　ran　the　water　in　the　sink。　Without　looking；　she　knew　that　he　was　rinsing　the　whisk。　He　wouldn't　put　it　aside　dirty。
　He　said；　〃My　senses　are　so　sharp　because　I've　given　myself　to　sensation。　Sensation　is　my　religion；　you　might　say。〃
　A　sizzling　arose；　much　louder　than　the　cooking　sound　of　onions；　and　a　new　aroma。
　〃But　you　were　invisible　to　me；〃　he　said。　〃Like　a　spirit。　What　makes　you　special？〃
　Bitter；　she　murmured　against　the　tabletop；　〃If　I　was　special；　would　I　be　here　in　chains？〃
　Although　Chyna　hadn't　actually　spoken　to　him　and　wouldn't　have　thought　that　he　could　hear　her　above　the　crisp　sputtering　of　eggs　and　onions；　Vess　said；　〃I　suppose　you're　right。〃
　Later；　when　he　put　the　plates　on　the　table；　she　raised　her　head　and　moved　her　hands。
　〃Rather　than　make　you　eat　with　your　hands；　I'm　going　to　give　you　a　fork；〃　he　said；　〃because　I　assume　you　see　the　pointlessness　of　throwing　it　and　trying　to　stick　me　in　the　eye。〃
　She　nodded。
　〃Good　girl。〃
　On　her　plate　was　a　plump　four…egg　omelet　oozing　cheddar　cheese　and　stippled　with　saut6ed　onions。　On　top　were　three　slices　of　a　firm　tomato　and　a　sprinkling　of　chopped　parsley。　Two　pieces　of　buttered　toast；　each　neatly　sliced　on　the　diagonal；　were　arranged　to　bracket　the　omelet。
　He　refilled　her　water　glass　and　added　two　more　cubes　of　ice。　Famished　only　a　short　while　ago；　Chyna　now　could　hardly　tolerate　the　sight　of　food。　She　knew　that　she　must　eat；　so　she　picked　at　the　eggs　and　nibbled　the　toast。　But　she　would　never　be　able　to　finish　all　that　he　had　given　her。
　Vess　ate　with　gusto　but　not　noisily　or　sloppily。　His　table　manners　were　beyond　reproach；　and　he　used　his　napkin　frequently　to　blot　his　lips。
　Chyna　was　deep　in　her　private　grayness；　and　the　more　Vess　appeared　to　enjoy　his　breakfast；　the　more　her　own　omelet　began　to　taste　like　ashes。
　〃You'd　be　quite　attractive　if　you　weren't　so　rumpled　and　sweaty；　your　face　smudged　with　dirt；　your　hair　straggly　from　the　rain。　Very　attractive；　I　think。　A　real　charmer　under　that　grime。　Maybe　later　I'll　bathe　YOU。〃
　Chyna　Shepberd；　untouched　and　alive。　Uncannily；　after　a　further　silence；　Edgler　Vess　said；　〃Untouched　and　alive。〃
　She　knew　that　she　had　not　spoken　the　prayer　aloud。
　〃Untouched　and　alive；〃　he　repeated。　〃Is　that　what　you　said　。。。　on　the　stairs　earlier；　on　your　way　down　to　Ariel？〃
　She　stared　at　him；　speechless。　〃Is　it？〃　Finally：　〃Yes。〃
　〃I've　been　wondering　about　it。　You　said　your　name　and　then　those　three　words；　though　none　of　it　made　sense　when　I　didn't　know　that　Chyna　Shepherd　was　your　name。〃
　She　looked　away　from　him；　at　the　window。　A　Doberman　roamed　the　backyard。
　〃Was　it　a　prayer？〃　he　asked。
　In　her　desolation；　Chyna　hadn't　thought　that　he　could　scare　her　any　more；　but　she　had　been　wrong。　His　intuitiveness　was　frightening　and　not　entirely　for　reasons　that　she　could　understand。
　She　looked　away　from　the　Doberman　and　met　Vess's　eyes。　For　one　brief　moment；　she　saw　the　dog　within；　a　dark　and　merciless　aspect。
　〃Was　it　a　prayer？〃　he　asked　again。　
　〃Yes。〃
　〃In　your　heart；　Chyna；　deep　in　your　heart；　do　you　truly　believe　that　God　really　exists？　Be　truthful　now；　not　just　with　me　but　with　yourself。〃
　At　one　time…not　long　ago…she　had　been　just　barely　sure　enough　of　what　she　believed　to　answer　Yes。　Now　she　was　silent。　
　〃Even　if　God　exists；〃　Vess　said；　〃does　he　know　what　you　do？〃
　She　took　another　bite　of　the　omelet。　It　seemed　greasier　than　before。　The　eggs　and　butter　and　cheese；　too　rich；　cloyed　in　her　mouth；　and　she　could　hardly　swallow。
　She　put　down　her　fork。　She　was　finished。　She'd　eaten　no　more　than　a　third　of　her　meal。
　Vess　finished　the　food　on　his　plate；　washing　it　down　with　coffee　that　he　didn't　offer　her…no　doubt　because　he　thought　that　she　would　try　to　throw　the　hot　brew　in　his　eyes。
　〃You　look　so　glum；〃　Vess　said。
　She　didn't　reply。
　〃You're　feeling　like　such　a　failure；　aren't　you？　You've　failed　poor　Ariel；　yourself；　and　God　too；　if　He　exists。〃
　〃What　do　you　want　with　me？〃　she　asked。　She　meant；　'you　put　me　through　this；　why　not　kill　me　and　get　it　over　with？'
　〃I　haven't　figured　that　out　yet；〃　Vess　said。　〃Whatever　I　do　with　you；　it's　got…to　be　special。　I　feel　you're　special；　whether　you　think　you　are　or　not；　and　whatever　we　do　together　should　be　。。。　intense。〃
　She　closed　her　eyes　and　wondered　if　she　could　find　Narnia　again　after　all　these　years。
　He　said；　〃I　can't　answer　your　question　as　to　what　I　want　with　youbut　I　have　no　doubts　about　what　I　want　with　Ariel。　Would　you　like　to　hear　what　I　intend　to　do　with　her？〃
　Most　likely；　she　was　too　old　to　believe　in　anything；　even　just　a　magic　wardrobe。
　Vess's　voice　c