sk.petsematary-第29部分

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　I　stayed　awake。〃
　　Louis　raised　his　eyebrows　at　that；　and　Jud　shrugged。
　　〃When　the　clock　in　the　downstairs　hall　chimed　twelve；　I　got　right　up　and　sat　there　dressed　on　my　bed　with　the　moon　shinin　in　the　window。　Next　I　know；　the　clock　is　chimin　the　half…hour；　then　one　o'clock；　and　still　no　Stanny　B。　He's　forgot　all　about　me；　that　dumb　Frenchman；　I　think　to　myself；　and　I'm　gettin　ready　to　take　my　clothes　off　again　when　these　two　pebbles　whap　off　the　window；　damn　near　hard　enough　to　break　the　glass。　One　of　them　did　put　a　crack　in　a　pane；　but　I　never　noticed　it　until　the　next　morning；　and　my　mother　didn't　see　it　until　the　next　winter；　and　by　then　she　thought　the　frost　done　it。
　　〃I　just　about　flew　across　to　that　window　and　heaved　it　up。　It　grated　and　rumbled　against　the　frame；　the　way　they　only　seem　to　do　when　you're　a　kid　and　you　want　to　get　out　after　midnight…〃　Louis　laughed；　even　though　he　could　not　remember　ever　having　wanted　to　get　out　of　the　house　at　some　dark　hour　when　he　was　a　boy　of　ten。　Still；　if　he　had　wanted　to；　he　was　sure　that　windows　which　had　never　creaked　in　the　daytime　would　creak　then。
　　〃I　figured　my　folks　must　have　thought　burglars　were　trying　to　break　in；　but　when　my　heart　quieted　down　I　could　hear　my　dad　still　sawin　wood　in　the　bedroom　on　the　first　floor。　I　looked　out　and　there　was　Stanny　B。；　standin　in　our　driveway　and　lookin　up；　swayin　like　there　was　a　high　wind　when　there　wasn't　so　much　as　a　puff　of　breeze。　I　don't　think　he　ever　would　have　e；　Louis；　except　that　he'd　gotten　to　that　stage　of　drunkenness　where　you're　as　wide　awake　as　an　owl　with　diarrhea　and　you　just　don't　give　a　care　about　anything。　And　he　sort　of　yells　up　at　me…only　I　guess　he　thought　he　was　whispering…'You　in　down；　boy；　or　am　I　in　up　to　get　you？'
　　〃Shh！'　I　says；　scared　to　death　now　that　my　dad　will　wake　up　and　give　me　the　whopping　of　my　young　life。　'What'd　you　say？'　Stanny　says；　even　louder　than　before。　If　my　parents　had　been　around　on　the　road　side　of　this　house；　Louis；　I　would　have　been　a　goner。　But　they　had　the　bedroom　that　belongs　to　Norma　and　me　now；　with　the　river　view。〃
　　〃I　bet　you　got　down　those　stairs　in　one　hell　of　a　hurry；〃　Louis　said。　〃Have　you　got　another　beer；　Jud？〃　He　was　already　two　past　his　usual　limit；　but　tonight　that　seemed　okay。　Tonight　that　seemed　almost　mandatory。
　　〃I　do；　and　you　know　where　they're　kept；〃　Jud　said　and　lit　a　fresh　smoke。　He　waited　until　Louis　was　seated　again。　〃No；　I　wouldn't　have　dared　to　try　the　stairs。　They　went　past　my　parents'　bedroom。　I　went　down　the　ivy　trellis；　hand　over　hand；　just　as　quick　as　I　could。　I　was　some　scared；　I　can　tell　you；　but　I　think　I　was　more　scared　of　my　dad　just　then　than　I　was　of　going　up　to　the　Pet　Sematary　with　Stanny　B。〃
　　He　crushed　out　his　smoke。
　　〃We　went　up　there；　the　two　of　us；　and　I　guess　Stanny　B。　must　have　fallen　down　half　a　dozen　times　if　he　fell　down　once。　He　was　really　far　gone；　smelled　like　he'd　fallen　into　a　vat　of　corn。　One　time　he　damn　near　put　a　stick　through　his　throat。　But　he　had　a　pick　and　shovel　with　him。　When　we　got　to　the　Pet　Sematary；　I　kind　of　expected　he'd　sling　me　the　pick　and　shovel　and　just　pass　out　while　I　dug　the　hole。
　　〃Instead　he　seemed　to　sober　up　a　little。　He　told　me　we　was　goin　on；　up　over　the　deadfall　and　deeper　into　the　woods；　where　there　was　another　burial　place。　I　looked　at　Stanny；　who　was　so　drunk　he　could　barely　keep　his　feet；　and　I　looked　at　that　deadfall；　and　I　said；　'You　can't　climb　that；　Stanny　B。；　you'll　break　your　neck。'
　　〃And　he　said；　'I　ain't　gonna　break　my　neck；　me；　and　neither　are　you。　I　can　walk　and　you　can　lug　your　dog。'　And　he　was　right。　He　sailed　up　over　that　deadfall　just　as　smooth　as　silk；　never　even　looking　down；　and　I　lugged　Spot　all　the　way　up　there；　although　he　must　have　weighed　thirty…five　pounds　or　so　and　I　only　went　about　ninety　myself。　I　want　to　tell　you；　though；　Louis；　I　was　some　sore　and　sprung　the　next　day。　How　do　you　feel　today？〃
　　Louis　didn't　answer；　only　nodded。
　　〃We　walked　and　we　walked；〃　Jud　said。　〃It　seemed　to　me　we　was　gonna　walk　forever。　The　woods　were　spookier　in　those　days。　More　birds　calling　from　the　trees；　and　you　didn't　know　what　any　of　em　was。　Animals　moving　around　out　there。　Deer；　most　likely；　but　back　then　there　were　moose　too　and　bears　and　catamounts。　I　dragged　Spot。　After　a　while　I　started　to　get　the　funny　idea　that　old　Stanny　B。　was　gone　and　I　was　following　an　Indian。　Following　an　Indian　and　somewhere　farther　along　he'd　turn　around；　all　grinning　and　black…eyed；　his　face　streaked　up　with　that　stinking　paint　they　made　from　bearfat；　that　he'd　have　a　tommyhawk　made　out　of　a　wedge　of　slate　and　a　hake　of　ashwood　all　tied　together　with　rawhide；　and　he'd　grab　me　by　the　back　of　the　neck　and　whack　off　my　hair…along　with　the　top　of　my　skull。　Stanny　wasn't　staggerin　or　fallin　anymore；　he　just　walked　straight　and　easy；　with　his　head　up；　and　that　sort　of　helped　to　feed　the　idea。　But　when　we　got　to　the　edge　of　the　Little　God　Swamp　and　he　turned　around　to　talk　to　me；　I　seen　it　was　Stanny；　all　right；　and　the　reason　he　wasn't　staggerin　or　fallin　anymore　was　because　he　was　scared。　Scairt　himself　sober；　he　did。
　　〃He　told　me　the　same　things　I　told　you　last　night…about　the　loons；　and　the　St。　Elmo's　fire；　and　how　I　wasn't　to　take　any　notice　of　anything　I　saw　or　heard。　Most　of　all；　he　said；　don't　speak　to　anything　if　it　should　speak　to　you。　Then　we　started　across　the　swamp。　And　I　did　see　something。　I　ain't　going　to　tell　you　what；　only　that　I've　been　up　there　maybe　five　times　since　that　time　when　I　was　ten；　and　I've　never　seen　anything　like　it　again。　Nor　will　I；　Louis；　because　my　trip　to　the　Micmac　burial　place　last　night　was　my　last　trip。〃
　　I'm　not　sitting　here　believing　all　of　this；　am　I？　Louis　asked　himself　almost　conversationally…the　three　beers　helped　him　to　sound　conversational；　at　least　to　his　own　mind's　ear。　I　am　not　sitting　here　believing　this　story　of　old　Frenchmen　and　Indian　burying　grounds　and　something　called　the　Wendigo　and　pets　that　e　back　to　life；　am　I？　For　Christ's　sake；　the　cat　was　stunned；　that's　all；　a　car　hit　it　and　stunned　it…no　big　deal。　This　is　a　senile　old　man's　maunderings。
　　Except　that　it　wasn't；　and　Louis　knew　it　wasn't；　and　three　beers　wasn't　going　to　cure　that　knowing；　and　thirty…three　beers　wouldn't。
　　Church　had　been　dead；　that　was　one　thing；　he　was　alive　now　and　that　was　another；　there　was　something　fundamentally　different；　fundamentally　wrong　about　him；　and　that　was　a　third。　Something　had　happened。　Jud　had　repaid　what　he　saw　as　a　favor　but　the　medicine　available　at　the　Micmac　burying　ground　was　perhaps　not　such　good　medicine；　and　Louis　now　saw　something　in　Jud's　eyes　that　told　him　the　old　man　knew　it。　Louis　thought　of　what　he　had　seen…or　thought　he　had　seen…in　Jud's　eyes　the　night　before。　That　capering；　gleeful　thing。　He　remembered　thinking　that　Jud's　decision　to　take　Louis　and　Ellie's　cat　on　that　particular　night　journey　had　not　entirely　been　Jud's　own。
　　If　not　his；　then　whose？　his　mind　asked。　And　because　he　had　no　answer；　Louis　swept　the　unfortable　question　away。
　　〃I　buried　Spot　and　built　the　cairn；〃　Jud　went　on　flatly；　〃and　by　the　time　I　was　done；　Stanny　B。　was　fast　asleep。　I　had　to　shake　the　hell　out　of　him　to　get　him　going　again；　but　by　the　time　we　got　down　those　forty…four　stairs…〃
　　〃Forty…five；〃　Louis　murmured。
　　Jud　nodded。　〃Yeah；　that's　right；　ain't　it？　Forty…five。　By　the　time　we　got　down　those　forty…five　stairs；　he　was　walking　as　steady　as　if　he　was　sober　again。　We　went　back　through　the　swamp　and　the　woods　and　over　the　deadfall；　and　finally　we　crossed　the　road　and　we　was　at　my　house　again。　It　seemed　to　me　like　ten　hours　must　have　gone　past；　but　it　was　still　full　dark。
　　〃What　happens　now？'　I　ask　Stanny　B。　'Now　you　wait　and　see　what　may　happen；'　Stanny　says；　and　off　he　walks；　staggering　and　lurching　again。　I　imagine　he　slept　out　in　back　of　the　livery　that　night；　and　as　things　turned　out；　my　dog　Spot　outlived　Stanny　B。　by　two　years。　His　liver　went　bad　and　poisoned　him；　and　two　little　kids　found　him　in　the　road　on　July　4；　1912；　stiff　as　a　poker。
　　〃But　me；　that　night；　I　just　climbed　back　up　the　ivy　and　got　into　bed　and　fell　asleep　almost　as　soon　as　my　head　touched　the　pillow。
　　〃Next　morning　1　didn't　get　up　until　almost　nine　o'clock；　and　then　my　mother　was　calling　me。　My　dad　worked　on　the　railroad；　and　he　would　have　been　gone　since　six。〃　Jud　paused；　thinking。　〃My　mother　wasn't　just　calling　me；　Louis。　She　was　screaming　for　me。〃
　　Jud　went　to　the　fridge；　got　himself　a　Miller's；　and　opened　it　on　the　drawer　handle　below　the　breadhox　and　toaster。　His　face　looked　yellow　in　the　overhead　light；　the　color　of　nicotine。　He　drained　half　his　beer；　uttered　a　belch　like　a　gunshot；　and　then　glanced　down　the　hail　toward　the　room　where　Norma　slept。　He　looked　back　at　Louis。
　　〃This　is　hard　for　me　to　talk　about；〃　he　said。　〃I　have　turned　it　over　in　my　mind；　years　and　years；　but　I've　never　told　anyone　about　it。　Others　knew　what　had　happened；　but　they　never　talked　to　me　about　it。　The　way　it　is　about　sex；　I　guess。　I'm　telling　you；　Louis；　because　you've　got　a　different　kind　of　pet　now。　Not　necessarily　a　dangerous　one；　but　。　。　。　different。　Do　you　find　that's　true？〃
　　Louis　thought　of　Church　jumping　awkwardly　off　the　toilet　seat；　his　haunches　thudding　against　the　side　of　the　tub；　he　thought　of　those　muddy　eyes　that　were　almost　but　not　quite　stupid　staring　into　his　own。
　　At　last　he　nodded。
　　〃When　I　got　downstairs；　my　mother　was　backed　into　a　corner　in　the　pantry　between　our　icebox　and　one　of　the　counters。　There　was　a　bunch　of　white　stuff　on　the　floor…curtains　she'd　been　meaning　to　hang。　Standing　in　the　doorway　of　the　pantry　was　Spot；　my　dog。　There　was　dirt　all　over　him　and　mud　splashed　clear　up　his　legs。　The　fur　on　his　belly　was　filthy；　all　knotted　and　snarled。　He　was　just　standing　there…not　growling　or　nothing…　just　standing　there；　but　it　was　pretty　clear　that　he　had　backed　her　into　a　corner；　whether　he　meant　to　or　not。　She　was　in　terror；
　　Louis。　I　don't　know　how　you　felt　about　your　parents；　but　I　know　how　I　felt　about　mine…I　loved　them　both　dearly。　Knowing　I'd　done　something　to　put　my　own　mother　in　terror　took　away　any　joy　I　might　have　felt　when　I　saw　Spot　standing　there。　I　didn't　even　seem　to　feel　surpr