sk.cujo-第23部分

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'Yeah；　I　guess　he　would。'　His　mother's　words　rang　true　to　him；　but　he　was　still　unhappy　about　it。
She　bent　and　kissed　his　cheek。　'I'll　tell　you！　We　can　call　your　father　tonight；　if　you　want。　How　would　that　be？　And　when　you　talk　to　him；　you　just　say；　sort　of　casually；　〃You　feeding　my　dog；　＇Daddy？〃　And　then　you'll　know。'
'Yeah；'　Brett　said。　He　smiled　gratefully　at　his　mother；　and　she　smiled　back；　relieved；　the　trouble　averted。　But；　perversely；　it　had　given　them　something　else　to　worry　about　during　the　seemingly　interminable　period　before　Joe　backed　the　car　up　to　the　porch　steps　and　silently　began　to　load　their　four　pieces　of　luggage　into　the　wagon　（into　one　of　them　Charity　had　surreptitiously　placed　all　six　of　her　snapshot　albums）。　This　new　worry　was　that　Cujo　would　lurch　into　the　yard　before　they　could　drive　away　and　stick　Joe　Camber　with　the　problem。
But　Cujo　hadn't　shown　up。
Now　Joe　lowered　the　tailgate　of　the　Country　Squire；　handed　Brett　the　two　small　bags；　and　took　the　two　large　ones　for　himself。
'Woman；　you　got　so　much　luggage　I　wonder　if　you　ain't　leavin　on　one　of　those　Reno　divorce　cruises　instead　of　going　down　to　Connecticut。'
Charity　and　Brett　smiled　uneasily。　It　sounded　like　an　attempt　at　humor；　but　with　Joe　Camber　you　were　never　really　sure。
'That　would　be　a　day；'　she　said。
'I　guess　I'd　just　have　to　chase　you　down　and　drag　you　back　with　my　new　chainfall；'　he　said；　unsmiling。　His　green　hat　was　cocked　squarely　on　the　back　of　his　head。　'Boy；　you　gonna　take　care　of　your　mom？'
Brett　nodded。
'Yeah；　you　better。　'　He　measured　the　boy。　'You're　getting　pretty　damn　big。　Probably　you　ain't　got　a　kiss　to　give　your　old　man。'
'I　guess　I　do；　Daddy；'　Brett　said。　He　hugged　his　father　tight　and　kissed　his　stubbly　cheek；　smelling　sour　sweat　and　a　phantom　of　last　night's　vodka。　He　was　surprised　and　overwhelmed　by　his　love　for　his　father；　a　feeling　that　sometimes　still　came；　always　when　it　was　least　expected　（but　less　and　less　often　over　the　last　two　or　three　years；　something　his　mother　did　not　know　and　would　not　have　believed　if　told）。　It　was　a　love　that　had　nothing　to　do　with　Joe　Camber's　day…to…day　behavior　toward　him　or　his　mother；　it　was　a　brute；　biological　thing　that　he　would　never　be　free　of；　a　phenomenon　with　many　illusory　referents　of　the　sort　which　haunt　for　a　lifetime：　the　smell　of　cigar…smoke；　the　look　of　a　double…edged　razor　reflected　in　a　mirror；　pants　hung　over　a　chair；　certain　curse　words。
His　father　hugged　him　back　and　then　turned　to　Charity。　He　put　a　finger　under　her　chin　and　turned　her　face　up　a　little。　From　the　loading　bays　behind　the　squat　brick　building　they　heard　a　bus　warming　up。　Its　engine　was　a　low　and　guttural　diesel　rumble。　'Have　a　good　time；'　he　said。
Her　eyes　filled　with　tears　and　she　wiped　them　away　quickly。　The　gesture　was　nearly　one　of　anger。　'Okay；'　she　said。
Abruptly　the　tight；　dosed；　nonmittal　expression　descended　over　his　face。　It　came　down　like　the　clap　of　a　knight's　visor。　He　was　the　perfect　country　man　again。　'Let's　get　these　cases　in；　boy！　Feels　like　there's　lead　in　this　one　。。。　Jesus…please…us！'
He　stayed　with　them　until　all　four　bags　had　been　checked；　looking　closely　at　each　tag；　oblivious　of　the　baggage　handler's　condescending　expression　of　amusement。　He　watched　the　handler　trundle　the　bags　out　on　a　dolly　and　load　them　into　the　guts　of　the　bus。　Then　he　turned　to　Brett　again。
'e　on　out　on　the　sidewalk　with　me；'　he　said。
Charity　watched　them　go。　She　sat　down　on　one　of　the　hard　benches；　opened　her　purse；　took　out　a　handkerchief；　and　began　fretting　at　it。　It　would　just　be　like　him　to　wish　her　a　good　time　and　then　try　to　talk　the　boy　into　going　back　to　the　home　place　with　him。
On　the　sidewalk；　Joe　said：　'Lemme　give　you　two　pieces　of　advice；　boy。　You　probably　won't　take　neither　of　them；　boys　seldom　do；　but　I　guess　that　never　stopped　a　father　giving　em。　First　piece　of　advice　is　this：　That　fella　you're　going　to　see；　that　Jim；　he's　nothing　but　a　piece　of　shit。　One　of　the　reasons　I'm　letting　you　go　on　this　jaunt　is　that　you're　ten　now；　and　ten's　old　enough　to　tell　the　difference　between　a　turd　and　a　tearose。　You　watch　him　and　you'll　see。　He　don't　do　nothing　but　sit　in　an　office　and　push　papers。　People　like　him　is　half　the　trouble　with　this　world；　because　their　brains　have　got　unplugged　from　their　hands。'　Thin；　hectic　color　had　risen　in　Joe's　cheeks。　'He's　a　piece　of　shit。　You　watch　him　and　see　if　you　don't　agree。'
'All　right；'　Brett　said。　His　voice　was　low　but　posed。
Joe　Camber　smiled　a　little。　'The　second　piece　of　advice　is　to　keep　your　hand　on　your　pocketbook。'
'I　haven't　got　any　mon　…'
Camber　held　out　a　rumpled　five…dollar　bill。　'Yeah；　you　got　this。　Don't　spend　it　all　in　one　place。　The　fool　and　his　money　soon　parted。'
'All　right。　Thank　you'
'So　long；'　Camber　said。　He　didn't　ask　for　another　kiss。
'Good…bye；　Daddy。'　Brett　stood　on　the　sidewalk　and　watched　his　father　climb　into　the　car　and　drive　away。　He　never　saw　his　father　alive　again。
At　quarter　past　eight　that　morning；　Gary　Pervier　staggered　out　of　his　house　in　his　pee…stained　underwear　shorts　and　urinated　into　the　honeysuckle。　In　a　perverse　sort　of　way　he　hoped　that　someday　his　piss　would　bee　so　rancid　with　booze　that　it　would　blight　the　honeysuckle。　That　day　hadn't　e　yet。
'Arrrouggh；　my　head！'　he　screamed；　holding　it　with　his　free　hand　as　he　watered　the　honeysuckle　which　had　buried　his　fence。　His　eyes　were　threaded　with　bright　snaps　of　scarlet。　His　heart　clattered　and　roared　like　an　old　water　pump　that　was　drawing　more　air　than　water　just　lately。　A　terrible　stomach　cramp　seized　him　as　he　finished　voiding　himself　…they　had　been　getting　more　mon　lately　…　and　as　he　doubled　up　a　large　and　foul…smelling　flatulence　purred　out　from　between　his　skinny　shanks。
He　turned　to　go　back　in。　and　that　was　when　he　heard　the　growling　begin。　It　was　a　low；　powerful　sound　ing　from　just　beyond　the　point　where　his　overgrown　side　yard　merged　with　the　hayfield　beyond　it。
He　turned　toward　the　sound　quickly；　his　headache　forgotten；　the　clatter　and　roar　of　his　heart　forgotten；　the　cramp　forgotten。　It　had　been　a　long　time　since　he'd　had　a　flashback　to　his　war　in　France；　but　he　had　one　now；　Suddenly　his　mind　was　screaming；　Germans！　Germans！　Squad　down！
But　it　wasn't　the　Germans。　When　the　grass　parted　it　was　Cujo　who　appeared。
'Hey；　boy；　what　are　you　growling　f　…'Gary　said；　and　then　faltered。
It　had　been　twenty　years　since　he　had　wen　a　rabid　dog；　but　you　didn't　forget　the　look。　He　had　been　in　an　Amoco　station　east　of　Machias；　headed　back　from　a　camping　trip　down　Eastport　way。　He　had　been　driving　the　old　Indian　motorcycle　he'd　had　for　a　while　in　the　mid…fifties。　A　panting；　slat…sided　yellow　dog　had　drifted　by　outside　that　Amoco　station　like　a　ghost。　Its　sides　had　been　moving　in　and　out　in　rapid；　shallow　springs　of　respiration。　Foam　was　dripping　from　its　mouth　in　a　steady　watery　stream。　It's　eyes　were　rolling　wildly。　Its　hindquarters　were　caked　with　shit。　It　had　been　reeling　rather　than　walking；　as　if　some　unkind　soul　had　opened　its　jaws　an　hour　before　and　filled　it　full　of　cheap　whiskey。
'Hot　damn；　there　he　is；'　the　pump　jockey　said。　He　had　dropped　the　adjustable　wrench　he　was　holding　and　had　rushed　into　the　cluttered；　dingy　little　office　which　adjoined　the　station's　garage　bay。　He　had　e　out　with　a　。30…30　clutched　in　his　greasy；　big…knuckled　hands。　He　went　out　onto　the　tarmac；　dropped　to　one　knee；　and　started　shooting。　His　first　shot　had　been　low；　shearing　away　one　of　the　dog's　back　legs　in　a　cloud　of　blood。　That　yellow　dog　never　even　moved；　Gary　remembered　as　he　stared　at　Cujo　now。　Just　looked　around　blankly　as　if　he　didn't　have　the　slightest　idea　what　was　happening　to　it。　The　pump　jockey's　second　try　had　cut　the　dog　almost　in　half。　Guts　hit　the　station's　one　pump　in　a　black　and　red　splash。　A　moment　later　three　more　guys　had　pulled　in；　three　of　Washington　County's　finest　crammed　shoulder　to　shoulder　in　the　cab　of　a　1940　Dodge　pickup。　They　were　all　armed。　＇bey　piled　out　and　pumped　another　eight　or　nine　rounds　into　the　dead　dog。　An　hour　after　that；　as　the　pump　jockey　was　finishing　tip　putting　a　new　headlamp　on　the　front　of　Gary's　Indian　cyclic；　the　County　Dog　Officer　arrived　in　a　Studebaker　with　no　door　on　the　passenger　side。　She　donned　long　rubber　gloves　and　cut　off　what　was　left　of　the　yellow　dog's　head　to　send　to　State　Health　and　Welfare。
Cujo　looked　a　hell　of　a　lot　spryer　than　that　long…ago　yellow　dog；　but　the　other　symptoms　were　exactly　the　same。　Not　too　far　gone；　he　thought。　More　dangerous。　Holy　Jesus；　got　to　get　my　gun　
He　started　to　back　away。　'Hi；　Cujo　。。。　nice　dog；　nice　boy；　nice　doggy　…'　Cujo　stood　at　the　edge　of　the　lawn。　his　great　head　lowered；　his　eyes　reddish　and　filmy；　growling。
'Nice　boy　…'
To　Cujo；　the　words　ing　from　THE　MAN　meant　nothing。　They　were　meaningless　…sounds；　like　the　wind。　What　mattered　was　the　smell　ing　from　THE　MAN。　It　was　hot；　rank；　and　pungent。　It　was　the　smell　of　fear；　and　was　maddening　and　unbearable。　He　suddenly　understood　THE　MAN　had　made　him　sick。　He　lunged　forward；　the　growl　in　his　chest　mounting　into　a　heavy　roar　of　rage。
Gary　saw　the　dog　ing　for　him。　He　turned　and　ran。　One　bite；　one　scratch　could　mean　death。　He　ran　for　the　porch　and　the　safety　of　the　house　beyond　the　porch。　But　there　had　been　too　many　drinks；　too　many　long　winter　days　by　the　stove；　and　too　many　long　summer　nights　in　the　lawn　chair。　He　could　hear　Cujo　closing　in　behind　him；　and　then　there　was　the　terrible　split　second　when　he　could　hear　nothing　and　understood　that　Cujo　had　leaped。
As　he　reached　the　first　splintery　step　of　his　porch；　two　hundred　pounds　of　Saint　Bernard　hit　him　like　a　lootive；　knocking　him　flat　and　driving　the　wind　from　him。　The　dog　went　for　the　back　of　his　neck。　Gary　tried　to　scramble　up。　The　dog　was　over　him；　the　thick　fur　of　its　underbelly　nearly　suffocating　him；　and　it　knocked　him　back　down　easily。　Gary　screamed。
Cujo　bit　him　high　on　the　shoulder；　his　powerful　jaws　dosing　and　crunching　through　the　bare　skin；　pulling　tendons　like　wires。　He　continued　to　growl。　Blood　flew。　Gary　felt　it　running　warmly　down　his　skinny　upper　arm。　He　turned　over　and　battered　at　the　dog　with　his　fists。　It　gave　back　a　little　and　Gary　was　able　to　scramble　up　three　more　steps　on　his　feet　and　hands。　Then　Cujo　came　again。
Gary　kicked　at　the　dog。　Cujo　feinted　the