dk.intensity-第41部分

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s　little　cruelties…or　bigger　ones…and　the　struggle　to　understand　had　only　exhausted　her　and　left　her　empty；　cold；　and　gray　inside。
　Pointing　to　her　red　and　swollen　index　finger；　Vess　said；　〃That　must　hurt。　And　your　neck。〃
　〃The　headache's　the　worst　of　it。　And　none　of　it's　anything　like　pleasure。〃
　〃Well；　I　can't　easily　show　you　the　way　to　enlightenment　and　prove　you're　wrong。　It　takes　time。　But　there's　a　smaller　lesson；　quick　to　learn。　。　。　。　〃
　He　got　up　from　his　chair　and　went　to　a　spice　rack　at　the　end　of　the　kitchen　cabinets。　Among　the　small　bottles　and　tins　of　thyme；　cloves；　dill；　nutineg；　chili　pepper；　ginger；　marjoram；　and　cinnamon　was　a　bottle　of　aspirin。　〃I　don't　take　this　for　headaches；　because　I　like　to　savor　the　pain。　But　I　keep　aspirin　on　hand　because；　once　in　a　while；　I　like　to　chew　on　them　for　the　taste。〃
　〃They're　vile。〃
　〃Just　bitter。　Bitterness　can　be　as　pleasing　as　sweetness　when　you　learn　that　every　experience；　every　sensation；　is　worthwhile。〃
　He　returned　to　the　table　with　the　bottle　of　aspirin。　He　put　it　in　front　of　her…and　took　away　her　glass　of　water。
　〃No；　thanks；〃　she　said。
　〃Bitterness　has　its　place。〃
　She　ignored　the　bottle。
　〃Suit　yourself；〃　Vess　said；　clearing　the　plates　off　the　table。　Although　Chyna　needed　relief　from　her　various　pains；　she　refused　to　touch　the　aspirin。　Perhaps　irrationally　but　nonetheless　strongly　she　felt　that　by　chewing　a　few　of　the　tablets；　even　strictly　for　the　medicinal　effect；　she　would　be　stepping　into　the　strange　rooms　of　Edgler　Vess's　madness。　This　was　a　threshold　that　she　didn't　care　to　cross　for　any　purpose；　even　with　one　foot　solidly　anchored　in　the　real　world。
　He　hand…washed　the　breakfast　plates；　bowls；　pans；　and　utensils。　He　was　efficient　and　fastidious；　using　steaming　hot　water　and　lots　of　lemon…scented　dishwashing　liquid。
　Chyna　had　one　more　question　that　could　not　go　unasked；　and　at　last　she　said；　〃Why　the　Templetons？　Why　choose　them　of　all　people？　It　wasn't　random；　was　it；　not　just　the　place　you　happened　to　stop　in　the　night？　〃
　〃Not　just　random；〃　he　agreed；　scrubbing　the　omelet　pan　with　a　plastic　scouring　pad。　〃A　few　weeks　back；　Paul　Templeton　was　up　this　way　on　business；　and　when…〃
　〃You　knew　him？〃
　〃Not　really。　He　was　in　town；　the　county　seat；　on　business　like　I　said；　and　as　he　was　taking　something　from　his　wallet　to　show　me；　a　set　of　those　little　hinged　plastic　windows　fell　out；　you　know；　with　little　wallet…size　photographs；　and　I　picked　them　up　for　him。　One　of　the　pictures　was　his　wife。　Another　was　Laura。　She　looked　so　。。。　fresh；　unspoiled。　I　said　something　like　'That's　a　pretty　girl；'　and　Paul　was　off　and　running　about　her；　every　inch　the　proud　papa。　Told　me　she　was　soon　going　to　have　her　master's　degree　in　psychology；　three…pointeight　grade　average　and　everything。　He　told　me　how　he　really　missed　her　away　at　school；　even　after　six　years　of　getting　used　to　it；　and　how　he　couldn't　wait　for　the　end　of　the　month；　because　Laura　was　ing　home　for　a　three…day　weekend。　He　didn't　mention　she　was　bringing　along　a　friend。〃
　An　accident。　Photos　dropped。　A　casual　exchange；　mere　idle　conversation。
　The　arbitrariness　of　it　was　breathtaking　and　almost　more　than　Chyna　could　bear。
　Then；　as　she　watched　Vess　thoroughly　wiping　off　the　counters　and　rinsing　the　dishpan　and　scrubbing　the　sink；　Chyna　began　to　feel　that　what　had　happened　to　the　Templeton　family　was　worse　than　merely　arbitrary。　All　this　violent　death　began　to　seem　fated；　an　inexorable　spiral　into　lasting　darkness；　as　if　they　had　been　born　and　had　lived　only　for　Edgler　Vess。
　It　was　as　if　she　too　had　been　born　and　had　struggled　this　far　only　for　the　purpose　of　bringing　one　moment　of　sick　satisfaction　to　this　soulless　predator。
　The　worst　horror　of　his　rampages　was　not　the　pain　and　fear　that　he　inflicted；　not　the　blood；　not　the　mutilated　cadavers。　The　pain　and　the　fear　were　paratively　brief；　considering　all　the　routine　pain　and　anxiety　of　life。　The　blood　and　bodies　were　merely　aftermath。　The　worst　horror　was　that　he　stole　meaning　from　the　unfinished　lives　of　those　people　he　killed；　made　himse4（the　primary　purpose　of　their　existence；　robbed　them　not　of　time　but　of　fulfillment。
　His　base　sins　were　envy　of　beauty；　of　happiness　and　pride；　bending　the　whole　world　to　his　view　of　creation；　and　these　were　the　greatest　sins　of　all；　the　same　transgressions　over　which　the　devil　himself；　once　an　archangel；　had　stumbled　and　fallen　a　long　way　out　of　Heaven。
　Hand…drying　the　plates；　pans；　and　flatware　in　the　drainage　rack；　returning　each　piece　to　the　proper　shelf　or　drawer；　Edgler　Vess　looked　as　pink…clean　as　a　freshly　bathed　baby　and　as　innocent　as　the　stillborn。　He　smelled　of　soap；　a　good　bracing　aftershave；　and　lemon…scented　dishwashing　liquid。　But　in　spite　of　all　this；　Chyna　found　herself　superstitiously　expecting　to　detect　a　whiff　of　brimstone。
　Every　life　led　to　a　series　of　quiet　epiphanies　or　at　least　to　opportunities　for　epiphanies　and　Chyna　was　washed　by　a　poignant　new　grief　when　she　thought　about　this　grim　aspect　of　the　Templeton　family's　interrupted　journeys。　The　kindnesses　they　might　have　done　for　others。　The　love　they　might　have　given。　The　things　they　might　have　e　to　understand　in　their　hearts。
　Vess　finished　the　breakfast　clean…up　and　returned　to　the　table。　〃I　have　a　few　things　to　do　upstairs；　outside…and　then　I'll　have　to　sleep　four　or　five　hours　if　I　can。　I've　got　to　go　to　work　this　evening。　I　need　my　rest。〃
　She　wondered　what　work　he　did；　but　she　didn't　ask。　He　might　be　talking　about　a　job…or　about　his　dogged　assault　on　Ariel's　sanity。　If　the　latter；　Chyna　didn't　want　to　know　what　was　ing。
　〃When　you　shift　around　in　the　chair；　do　it　easy。　Those　chains　will　scrape　the　wood　if　you're　not　careful。〃
　〃I'd　hate　to　mar　the　furniture；〃　she　said。
　He　stared　at　her　for　perhaps　half　a　minute　and　then　said；　〃If　you're　stupid　enough　to　think　you　can　get　free；　I'll　hear　the　chains　rattling；　and　I'll　have　to　e　back　in　here　to　quiet　you。　If　that's　necessary；　you　won't　like　what　I'll　do。〃
　She　said　nothing。　She　was　hopelessly　hobbled　and　chained　down。　She　couldn't　possibly　escape。
　〃Even　if　you　somehow　get　free　of　the　table　and　chairs；　you　can't　move　fast。　And　attack　dogs　patrol　the　grounds。〃
　〃I've　seen　them；〃　she　assured　him。
　〃If　you　weren't　chained；　they'd　still　drag　you　down　and　kill　you　before　you'd　gone　ten　steps　from　the　door。〃
　She　believed　him　but　she　didn't　understand　why　he　felt　the　need　to　press　the　point　so　hard。
　〃I　once　turned　a　young　man　loose　in　the　yard；〃　Vess　said。　〃He　raced　straight　to　the　nearest　tree　and　got　up　and　out　of　harm's　way　with　only　one　bad　bite　in　his　right　calf　and　a　nip　on　the　left　ankle。　He　braced　himself　in　the　branches　and　thought　he　would　be　safe　for　a　little　while；　with　the　dogs　circling　below　and　watching　him；　but　I　got　a　twenty…two　rifle　and　went　out　on　the　back　porch　and　shot　him　in　the　leg　from　there。　He　fell　out　of　the　tree；　and　then　it　was　all　over　in　maybe　a　minute。〃
　Chyna　said　nothing。　There　were　moments　when　municating　with　this　hateful　thing　seemed　no　more　possible　than　discussing　the　merits　of　Mozart　with　a　shark。　This　was　one　of　those　moments。
　〃You　were　invisible　to　me　last　night；〃　he　said。
　She　waited。　His　gaze　traveled　over　her；　and　he　seemed　to　be　looking　for　a　loose　link　in　one　of　the　chains　or　a　handcuff　left　open　and　unnoticed　until　now。
　〃Like　a　spirit。〃
　She　was　not　sure　that　it　was　ever　possible　to　discern　what　this　thing　was　thinking…but　right　now；　by　God；　it　seemed　to　be　vaguely　uneasy　about　leaving　her　alone。　She　couldn't　for　the　life　of　her　imagine　why。
　〃Stay？〃　he　said。
　She　nodded。
　〃Good　girl。〃
　He　went　to　the　door　between　the　kitchen　and　the　living　room。
　Realizing　that　they　had　one　more　issue　to　discuss；　she　said；　〃Before　you　go　。。。
　He　turned　to　look　at　her。
　〃Could　you　take　me　to　a　bathroom？〃　she　asked。
　〃It's　too　much　trouble　to　undo　the　chains　just　now；〃　he　said。　〃Piss　in　your　pants　if　you　have　to。　I'm　going　to　clean　you　up　later　anyway。　And　I　can　buy　new　chair　cushions。〃
　He　pushed　through　the　door　into　the　living　room　and　was　gone。　Chyna　was　determined　not　to　endure　the　humiliation　of　sitting　in　her　own　waste。　She　had　a　faint　urge　to　pee；　but　it　wasn't　insistent　yet。　Later　she　would　be　in　trouble。
　How　odd…that　she　could　still　care　about　avoiding　humiliation　or　think　about　the　future。
　Halfway　across　the　living　room；　Mr。　Vess　stops　to　listen　to　the　woman　in　the　kitchen。　He　hears　no　clink　of　chains。　He　waits。　And　still　no　sound。　The　silence　troubles　him。
　He's　not　sure　what　to　make　of　her。　He　knows　so　much　about　her　now…yet　she　still　contains　mysteries。
　Shackled　and　in　his　plete　control；　surely　she　cannot　be　his　blown　tire。　She　smells　of　despair　and　defeat。　In　the　beaten　tone　of　her　voice；　he　sees　the　gray　of　ashes　and　feels　the　texture　of　a　coffin　blanket。
　She　is　as　good　as　dead；　and　she　is　resigned　to　it。　Yet　。。。
　From　the　kitchen　es　the　clink　of　chains。　Not　loud；　not　a　vigorous　assault　on　her　bonds。　Just　a　quiet　rattle　as　she　shifts　position　perhaps　to　clasp　her　thighs　tightly　together　to　repress　the　urge　to　urinate。
　Mr。　Vess　smiles。　He　goes　upstairs　to　his　room。　From　the　top　shelf　at　the　back　of　his　walk…in　closet；　he　takes　down　a　telephone。　In　the　bedroom；　he　plugs　it　into　a　wall　jack　and　makes　two　calls；　letting　people　know　that　he　has　returned　from　his　three…day　vacation　and　will　be　back　in　harness　by　this　evening。
　Although　he　is　confident　that　the　Dobermans；　in　his　absence；　will　never　allow　anyone　to　get　into　the　house；　Vess　keeps　only　two　phones　and　secretes　them　in　closets　when　he　is　not　at　home。　In　the　extremely　unlikely　event　that　an　intruder　should　manage　to　sprint　through　the　attacking　dogs　and　get　into　the　house　alive；　he　will　not　be　able　to　call　for　help。
　The　danger　of　cellular　phones　has　been　on　Mr。　Vess's　mind　in　recent　days。　It's　difficult　to　imagine　a　would…be　burglar　carrying　a　portable　phone　or　using　it　to　call　the　police　for　help　from　a　house　in　which　he's　bee　trapped　by　guard　dogs；　but　stranger　things　have　happened。　If　Chyna　Shepherd　had　found　a　cellular　phone　in　the　clerk's　Honda　the　previous　night；　she　would　not　be　the　one　now　languishing　in　shackles。
　The　technological　revolution　here　at　the　end　of　the　millennium　offers　nu