sk.petsematary-第4部分

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　over　in　the　road；　you　understand。　It　just　went　feet　up　one　day。〃
　　〃I'll　take　it　under　advisement；〃　Louis　said。
　　〃You　do　that；〃　Crandall　said　and　stood　up。　〃How's　that　beer　doing？　I　believe　I'll　go　in　for　a　slice　of　old　Mr。　Rat　after　all。〃
　　〃Beer's　gone；〃　Louis　said；　also　standing；　〃and　I　ought　to　go；　too。　Big　day　tomorrow。〃
　　〃Starting　in　at　the　university？〃
　　Louis　nodded。　〃The　kids　don't　e　back　for　two　weeks；　but　by　then　I　ought　to　know　what　I'm　doing；　don't　you　think？〃
　　〃Yeah；　if　you　don't　know　where　the　pills　are；　I　guess　you'll　have　trouble。〃　Crandall　offered　his　hand　and　Louis　shook　it；　mindful　again　of　the　fact　that　old　bones　pained　easily。　〃e　on　over　any　evening；〃　he　said。　〃Want　you　to　meet　my　Norma。　Think　she'd　enjoy　you。〃
　　〃I'll　do　that；〃　Louis　said。　〃Nice　to　meet　you；　Jud。〃
　　〃Same　goes　both　ways。　You'll　settle　in。　May　even　stay　awhile。〃
　　〃I　hope　we　do。〃
　　Louis　walked　down　the　crazy…paved　path　to　the　shoulder　of　the　road　and　had　to　pause　while　yet　another…truck；　this　one　followed　by　a　line　of　five　cars　headed　in　the　direction　of　Bucksport；　passed　by。　Then；　raising　his　hand　in　a　short　salute；　he　crossed　the　street　（road；　he　reminded　himself　again）　and　let　himself　into　his　new　house。
　　It　was　quiet　with　the　sounds　of　sleep。　Ellie　appeared　not　to　have　moved　at　all；　and　Gage　was　still　in　his　crib；　sleeping　in　typical　Gage　fashion；　spread…eagled　on　his　back；　a　bottle　within　easy　reach。　Louis　paused　there　looking　in　at　his　son；　his　heart　abruptly　filling　with　a　love　for　the　boy　so　strong　that　it　seemed　almost　dangerous。　He　supposed　part　of　it　was　simply　homesickness　for　all　the　familiar　Chicago　places　and　Chicago　faces　that　were　now　gone；　erased　so　efficiently　by　the　miles　that　they　might　never　have　been　at　all。　There's　a　lot　more　moving　around　than　there　used　to　be　。　。　。　used　to　be　you　picked　a　place　out　and　stuck　to　it。　There　was　some　truth　in　that。
　　He　went　to　his　son；　and　because　there　was　no　one　there　to　see　him　do　it；　not　even　Rachel；　he　kissed　his　fingers　and　then　pressed　them　lightly　and　briefly　to　Gage's　cheek　through　the　bars　of　the　crib。
　　Gage　clucked　and　turned　over　on　his　side。
　　〃Sleep　well；　baby；〃　Louis　said。
　　He　undressed　quietly　and　slipped　into　his　half　of　the　bed　that　was　for　now　just　two　single　mattresses　pushed　together　on　the　floor。　He　felt　the　strain　of　the　day　beginning　to　pass。　Rachel　didn't　stir。　Unpacked　boxes　bulked　ghostly　in　the　mom。
　　Just　before　sleep；　Louis　hiked　himself　up　on　one　elbow　and　looked　out　the　window。　Their　room　was　at　the　front　of　the　house；　and　he　could　look　across　the　road　at　the　Crandall　place。　It　was　too　dark　to　see　shapes…on　a　moonlit　night　it　would　not　have　been…but　be　could　see　the　cigarette　ember　over　there。　Still　up；　he　thought。　He'll　maybe　be　up　for　a　long　rime。　The　old　sleep　poorly。　Perhaps　they　stand　watch。
　　Against　what？　
　　Louis　was　thinking　about　that　when　he　slipped　into　sleep。　He　dreamed　he　was　in　Disney　World；　driving　a　bright　white　van　with　a　red　cross　on　the　side。　Gage　was　beside　him；　and　in　the　dream　Gage　was　at　least　ten　years　old。　Church　was　on　the　white　van's　dashboard；　looking　at　Louis　with　his　bright　green　eyes；　and　out　on　Main　Street　by　the　l890s　train　station；　Mickey　Mouse　was　shaking　hands　with　the　children　clustered　around　him；　his　big　white　cartoon　gloves　swallowing　their　small；　trusting　hands。
　　　7
　　The　next　two　weeks　were　busy　ones　for　the　family。　Little　by　little　Louis's　new　job　began　to　shake　down　for　him　（how　it　would　be　when　ten　thousand　students；　many　of　them　drug　and　liquor　abusers；　some　afflicted　with　social　diseases；　some　anxious　about　grades　or　depressed　about　leaving　home　for　the　first　time；　a　dozen　of　them…girls；　mostly…anorexic。。。　how　it　would　be　when　all　of　them　converged　on　the　campus　at　once　would　be　something　else　again）。　And　while　Louis　began　getting　a　handle　on　his　job　as　head　of　University　Medical　Services；　Rachel　began　to　get　a　handle　on　the　house。
　　Gage　was　busy　taking　the　bumps　and　spills　that　went　with　getting　used　to　his　new　environment；　and　for　a　while　his　nighttime　schedule　was　badly　out　of　whack；　but　by　the　middle　of　their　second　week　in　Ludlow；　he　had　begun　to　sleep　through　again。　Only　Ellie；　with　the　prospect　of　beginning　kindergarten　in　a　new　place　before　her；　seemed　always　overexcited　and　on　a　hair…trigger。　She　was　apt　to　go　into　prolonged　giggling　fits　or　periods　of　almost　menopausal　depression　or　temper　tantrums　at　the　drop　of　a　word。　Rachel　said　Ellie　would　get　over　it　when　she　saw　that　school　was　not　the　great　red　devil　she　had　made　it　out　to　be　in　her　own　mind；　and　Louis　thought　Rachel　was　right。　Most　of　the　time；　Ellie　was　what　she　had　always　been…a　dear。
　　His　evening　beer　or　two　with　Jud　Crandall　became　something　of　a　habit。　Around　the　time　Gage　began　sleeping　through　again；　Louis　began　bringing　his　own　six…pack　over　every　second　or　third　night。　He　met　Norma　Crandall；　a　sweetly　pleasant　woman　who　had　rheumatoid　arthritis…filthy　old　rheurnatoid　arthritis；　which　kills　so　much　of　what　could　be　good　in　the　old　ages　of　men　and　women　who　are　otherwise　healthy…　but　her　attitude　was　good。　She　would　not　surrender　to　the　pain；　there　would　be　no　white　flags。　Let　it　take　her　if　it　could。　Louis　thought　she　might　have　another　five　to　seven　productive　if　not　terribly　fortable　years　ahead　of　her。
　　Going　pletely　against　his　own　established　customs；　he　examined　her　at　his　own　instigation；　inventoried　the　prescriptions　her　own　doctor　had　given　her；　and　found　them　to　be　pletely　in　order。　He　felt　a　nagging　disappointment　that　there　was　nothing　else　he　could　do　or　suggest　for　her；　but　her　Dr。　Weybridge　had　things　as　under　control　as　they　were　ever　going　to　be　for　Norma　Crandall…barring　some　sudden　breakthrough；　which　was　possible　but　not　to　be　counted　upon。　You　learned　to　accept；　or　you　ended　up　in　a　small　room　writing　letters　home　with　Crayolas。
　　Rachel　liked　her；　and　they　had　sealed　their　friendship　by　exchanging　recipes　the　way　small　boys　trade　baseball　cards；　beginning　with　Norma　Crandall's　deep…dish　apple　pie　for　Rachel's　beef　stroganoff。　Norma　was　taken　with　both　of　the　Creed　children…particularly　with　Ellie；　who；　she　said；　was　going　to　be　〃an　old…time　beauty。〃　At　least；　Louis　told　Rachel　that　night　in　bed；　Norma　hadn't　said　Ellie　was　going　to　grow　into　a　real　sweet　coon。　Rachel　laughed　so　hard　she　broke　explosive　wind；　and　then　both　of　them　laughed　so　long　and　loudly　that　they　woke　up　Gage　in　the　next　room。
　　The　first　day　of　kindergarten　arrived。　Louis；　who　felt　pretty　well　in　control　of　the　infirmary　and　the　medical…support　facilities　now；　took　the　day　off。　（Besides；　the　infirmary　was　currently　dead　empty；　the　last　patient；　a　summer　student　who　had　broken　her　leg　on　the　Student　Union　steps；　had　been　discharged　a　week　before。）　He　stood　on　the　lawn　beside　Rachel　with　Gage　in　his　arms；　as　the　big　yellow　bus　made　the　turn　from　Middle　Drive　and　lumbered　to　a　stop　in　front　of　their　house。　The　doors　at　the　front　folded　open；　the　babble　and　squawk　of　many　children　drifted　out　on　the　mild　September　air。
　　Ellie　cast　a　strange；　vulnerable　glance　back　over　her　shoulder；　as　if　to　ask　them　if　there　might　not　yet　be　time　to　abort　this　inevitable　process；　and　perhaps　what　she　saw　on　the　faces　of　her　parents　convinced　her　that　the　time　was　gone；　and　everything　which　would　follow　this　first　day　was　simply　inevitable…　like　the　progress　of　Norma　Crandall's　arthritis。　She　turned　away　from　them　and　mounted　the　steps　of　the　bus。　The　doors　folded　shut　with　a　gasp　of　dragon's　breath。　The　bus　pulled　away。　Rachel　burst　into　tears。
　　〃Don't；　for　Christ's　sake；〃　Louis　said。　He　wasn't　crying。　Only　damn　near。　〃It's　only　half　a　day。〃
　　〃Half　a　day　is　bad　enough；〃　Rachel　answered　in　a　scolding　voice　and　began　to　cry　harder。　Louis　held　her；　and　Gage　slipped　an　arm　fortably　around　each　parent's　neck。　When　Rachel　cried；　Gage　usually　cried　too。　But　not　this　time。　He　has　us　to　himself。　Louis　thought；　and　he　damn　well　knows　it。
　　They　waited　with　some　trepidation　for　Ellie　to　return；　drinking　too　much　coffee；　speculating　on　how　it　was　going　for　her。　Louis　went　out　into　the　back　room　that　was　going　to　be　his　study　and　messed　about　idly；　moving　papers　from　one　place　to　another　but　not　doing　much　else。　Rachel　began　lunch　absurdly　early。
　　When　the　phone　rang　at　a　quarter　past　ten；　Rachel　raced　for　it　and　answered　with　a　breathless　〃Hello？〃　before　it　could　ring　a　second　time。　Louis　stood　in　the　doorway　between　his　office　and　the　kitchen；　sure　it　would　be　Ellis's　teacher　telling　them　that　she　bad　decided　Ellie　couldn't　hack　it；　the　stomach　of　public　education　had　found　her　indigestible　and　was　spitting　her　back。　But　it　was　only　Norma　Crandall；　calling　to　tell　them　that　Jud　had　picked　the　last　of　the　corn　and　they　were　wele　to　a　dozen　ears　if　they　wanted　it。　Louis　went　over　with　a　shopping　bag　and　scolded　Jud　for　not　letting　him　help　pick　it。
　　〃Most　of　it　ain't　worth　a　tin　shit　anyway；〃　Jud　said。
　　〃You'll　kindly　spare　that　talk　while　I'm　around；〃　Norma　said。　She　came　out　on　the　porch　with　iced　tea　on　an　antique　Coca…Cola　tray。
　　〃Sorry；　my　Love。〃
　　〃He　ain't　sorry　a　bit；〃　Norma　said　to　Louis　and　sat　down　with　a　wince。
　　〃Saw　Ellie　get　on　the　bus；〃　Jud　said；　lighting　a　Chesterfield。　〃She'll　be　fine；〃　Norma　said。　〃They　almost　always　are。〃　Almost；　Louis　thought　morbidly。
　　But　Ellie　was　fine。　She　came　home　at　noon　smiling　and　sunny；　her　blue　first…day…of…school　dress　belling　gracefully　around　her　scabbed　shins　（and　there　was　a　new　scrape　on　one　knee　to　marvel　over）；　a　picture　of　what　might　have　been　two　children　or　perhaps　two　walking　gantries　in　one　hand；　one　shoe　untied；　one　ribbon　missing　from　her　hair；　shouting；　〃We　sang　'Old　MacDonald'！　Mommy！　Daddy！　We　sang　'Old　MacDonald'！　Same　one　as　in　the　Carstairs　Street　School！〃
　　Rachel　glanced　over　at　Louis；　who　was　sitting　in　the　window　seat　with　Gage　on　his　lap。　The　baby　was　almost　asleep。　There　was　something　sad　in　Rachel's　glance；　and　although　she　looked　away　quickly；　Louis　felt　a　moment　of　terrible　panic。　We're　really　going　to　get　old；　be　thought。　It's　really　true。　No　one's　going　to　make　an　exception　for　us。　She's　on　her　way。　。　。　and　so　are　we。
　　Ellie　ran　over　to　him；　trying　to　show　him　her　picture；