rz.nineprincesinamber-第1部分

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　It　was　starting　to　end；　after　what　seemed　most　of　eternity　to　me。
　I　attempted　to　wriggle　my　toes；　succeeded。　I　was　sprawled　there　in　a　hospital　bed　and　my　legs　were　done　up　in　plaster　casts；　but　they　were　still　mine。
　I　squeezed　my　eyes　shut；　and　opened　them；　three　times。
　The　room　grew　steady。
　Where　the　hell　was　I？
　Then　the　fogs　were　slowly　broken；　and　some　of　that　which　is　called　memory　returned　to　me。　I　recalled　nights　and　nurses　and　needles。　Every　time　things　would　begin　to　clear　a　bit；　someone　would　e　in　and　jab　me　with　something。　That's　how　it　had　been。　Yes。　Now；　though；　I　was　feeling　halfway　decent。　They'd　have　to　stop。
　Wouldn't　they？
　The　thought　came　to　assail　me：　Maybe　not。
　Some　natural　skepticism　as　to　the　purity　of　all　human　motives　came　and　sat　upon　my　chest。　I'd　been　over…narcotized；　I　suddenly　knew。　No　real　reason　for　it；　from　the　way　I　felt；　and　no　reason　for　them　to　stop　now；　if　they'd　been　paid　to　keep　it　up。　So　play　it　cool　and　stay　dopey；　said　a　voice　which　was　my　worst；　if　wiser；　self。
　So　I　did。
　A　nurse　poked　her　head　in　the　door　about　ten　minutes　later；　and　I　was；　of　course；　still　sacking　Z's。　She　went　away。
　By　then；　I'd　reconstructed　a　bit　of　what　had　occurred。
　I　had　been　in　some　sort　of　accident；　I　remembered　vaguely。　What　had　happened　after　that　was　still　a　blur；　and　as　to　what　had　happened　before；　I　had　no　inkling　whatsoever。　But　I　had　first　been　in　a　hospital　and　then　brought　to　this　place；　I　remembered。　Why？　I　didn't　know。
　However；　my　legs　felt　pretty　good。　Good　enough　to　hold　me　up；　though　I　didn't　know　how　much　time　had　lapsed　since　their　breaking　…　and　I　knew　they'd　been　broken。
　So　I　sat　up。　It　took　me　a　real　effort；　as　my　muscles　were　very　tired。　It　was　dark　outside　and　a　handful　of　stars　were　standing　naked　beyond　the　window。　I　winked　back　at　them　and　threw　my　legs　over　the　edge　of　the　bed。
　I　was　dizzy；　but　after　a　while　it　subsided　and　I　got　up；　gripping　the　rail　at　the　head　of　the　bed；　and　I　took　my　first　step。
　Okay。　My　legs　held　me。
　So；　theoretically；　I　was　in　good　enough　shape　to　walk　out。
　I　made　it　back　to　the　bed；　stretched　out　and　thought。　I　was　sweating　and　shaking。　Visions　of　sugar　plums；　etc。
　In　the　State　of　Denmark　there　was　the　odor　of　decay。。。
　It　had　been　an　accident　involving　an　auto；　I　recalled。　One　helluva　one。。。
　Then　the　door　opened；　letting　in　light；　and　through　slits　beneath　my　eyelashes　I　saw　a　nurse　with　a　hypo　in　her　hand。
　She　approached　my　bedside；　a　hippy　broad　with　dark　hair　and　big　arms。
　Just　as　she　neared；　I　sat　up。
　〃Good　evening；〃　I　said。
　〃Why　…　good　evening；〃　she　replied。
　〃When　do　I　check　out？〃　I　asked。
　〃I'll　have　to　ask　Doctor。〃
　〃Do　so；〃　I　said。
　〃Please　roll　up　your　sleeve。〃
　〃No　thanks。〃
　〃I　have　to　give　you　an　injection〃
　〃No　you　don't。　I　don't　need　it〃
　〃I'm　afraid　that's　for　Doctor　to　say。〃
　〃Then　send　him　around　and　let　him　say　it。　But　in　the　meantime；　I　will　not　permit　it。〃
　〃I'm　afraid　I　have　my　orders。〃
　〃So　did　Eichmann；　and　look　what　happened　to　him；〃　and　I　shook　my　head　slowly。
　〃Very　well；〃　she　said。　〃I'll　have　to　report　this。。。〃
　〃Please　do；〃　I　said；　〃and　while　you're　at　it；　tell　him　I've　decided　to　check　out　in　the　morning。〃
　〃That's　impossible。　You　can't　even　walk　…　and　there　were　internal　injuries。。。〃
　〃We'll　see；〃　said　I。　〃Good　night〃
　She　swished　out　of　sight　without　answering。
　So　I　lay　there　and　mulled。　It　seemed　I　was　in　some　sort　of　private　place　…　so　somebody　was　footing　the　bill。　Whom　did　I　know？　No　visions　of　relatives　appeared　behind　my　eyes。　Friends　either。　What　did　that　leave？　Enemies？
　I　thought　a　while。
　Nothing。
　Nobody　to　benefact　me　thus。
　I'd　gone　over　a　cliff　in　my　car；　and　into　a　lake；　I　suddenly　remembered。　And　that　was　all　I　remembered。
　I　was。。。
　I　strained　and　began　to　sweat　again。
　I　didn't　know　who　I　was。
　But　to　occupy　myself；　I　sat　up　and　stripped　away　all　my　bandages。　I　seemed　all　right　underneath　them；　and　it　seemed　the　right　thing　to　do。　I　broke　the　cast　on　my　right　leg；　using　a　metal　strut　I'd　removed　from　the　head　of　the　bed。　I　had　a　sudden　feeling　that　I　had　to　get　out　in　a　hurry；　that　there　was　something　I　had　to　do。
　I　tested　my　right　leg。　It　was　okay。
　I　shattered　the　cast　on　my　left　leg；　got　up；　and　went　to　the　closet。
　No　clothes　there。
　Then　I　heard　the　footsteps。　I　returned　to　my　bed　and　covered　over　the　broken　casts　and　the　discarded　bandages。
　The　door　swung　inward　once　again。
　Then　there　was　light　all　around　me；　and　there　was　a　beefy　guy　in　a　white　jacket　standing　with　his　hand　on　the　wall　switch。
　〃What's　this　I　hear　about　you　giving　the　nurse　a　hard　time？〃　he　asked；　and　there　was　no　more　feigning　sleep。
　〃I　don't　know；〃　I　said。　〃What　is　it？〃
　That　troubled　him　for　a　second　or　two；　said　the　frown；　then；　〃It's　time　for　your　shot。〃
　〃Are　you　an　M。D。？〃　I　asked。
　〃No；　but　I'm　authorized　to　give　you　a　shot。〃
　〃And　I　refuse　it；〃　I　said；　〃as　I've　a　legal　right　to　do。　What's　it　to　you？〃
　〃You'll　have　your　shot；〃　he　said；　and　he　moved　around　to　the　left　side　of　the　bed。　He　had　a　hypo　in　one　hand　which　bad　been　out　of　sight　till　then。
　It　was　a　very　foul　blow；　about　four　inches　below　the　belt　buckle；　I'd　say；　and　it　left　him　on　his　knees。
　〃____　____！〃　he　said；　after　a　time。
　〃e　within　spitting　distance　again；〃　I　said；　〃and　see　what　happens。〃
　〃We've　got　ways　to　deal　with　patients　like　you；〃　he　gasped。
　So　I　knew　the　time　had　e　to　act。
　〃Where　are　my　clothes？〃　I　said。
　〃____　____！〃　He　repeated
　〃Then　I　guess　I'll　have　to　take　yours。　Give　them　to　me。〃
　It　became　boring　with　the　third　repetition；　so　I　threw　the　bedclothes　over　his　head　and　clobbered　him　with　the　metal　strut。
　Within　two　minutes；　I'd　say；　I　was　garbed　all　in　white；　the　color　of　Moby　Dick　and　vanilla　ice　cream。　Ugly。
　I　shoved　him　into　the　closet　and　looked　out　the　lattice　window。　I　saw　the　Old　Moon　with　the　New　Moon　in　her　arms；　hovering　above　a　row　of　poplars。　The　grass　was　silvery　and　sparkled。　The　night　was　bargaining　weakly　with　the　sun。　Nothing　to　show；　for　me；　where　this　place　was　located。　I　seemed　to　be　on　the　third　floor　of　the　building　though；　and　there　was　a　cast　square　of　light　off　to　my　left　and　low；　seeming　to　indicate　a　first　floor　window　with　someone　awake　behind　it。
　So　I　left　the　room　and　considered　the　hallway。　Off　to　the　left；　it　ended　against　a　wall　with　a　latticed　window；　and　there　were　four　more　doors；　two　on　either　side。　Probably　they　let　upon　more　rooms　like　my　own。　I　went　and　looked　out　the　window　and　saw　more　grounds；　more　trees；　more　night；　nothing　new。　Turning；　I　headed　in　the　other　direction。
　Doors；　doors；　doors；　no　lights　from　under　any　of　them；　the　only　sounds　my　footsteps　from　the　too　big　borrowed　shoes。
　Laughing　Boy's　wristwatch　told　me　it　was　five　forty…four。　The　metal　strut　was　inside　my　belt；　under　the　white　orderly　jacket；　and　it　rubbed　against　my　hip　bone　as　I　walked。　There　was　a　ceiling　fixture　about　every　twenty　feet；　casting　about　forty　watts　of　light。
　I　came　to　a　stairway；　off　to　the　right；　leading　down。　I　took　it。　It　was　carpeted　and　quiet。
　The　second　floor　looked　like　my　own；　rows　of　rooms；　so　I　continued　on。
　When　I　reached　the　first　floor　I　turned　right；　looking　for　the　door　with　light　leaking　out　from　beneath　it。
　I　found　it；　way　up　near　the　end　of　the　corridor；　and　I　didn't　bother　to　knock。
　The　guy　was　sitting　there　in　a　garish　bathrobe；　at　a　big　shiny　desk；　going　over　some　sort　of　ledger。　This　was　no　wardroom。　He　looked　up　at　me　with　burning　eyes　all　wide　and　lips　swelling　toward　a　yell　they　didn't　reach；　perhaps　because　of　my　determined　expression。　He　stood；　quickly。
　I　shut　the　door　behind　me；　advanced；　and　said：
　〃Good　morning。　You're　in　trouble。〃
　People　must　always　be　curious　as　to　trouble；　because　after　the　three　seconds　it　took　me　to　cross　the　room；　his　words　were：
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃I　mean；〃　I　said；　〃that　you're　about　to　suffer　a　lawsuit　for　holding　me　inmunicado；　and　another　one　for　malpractice；　for　your　indiscriminate　use　of　narcotics。　I'm　already　suffering　withdrawal　symptoms　and　might　do　something　violent。。。〃
　He　stood　up。
　〃Get　out　of　here；〃　he　said。
　I　saw　a　pack　of　cigarettes　on　his　desk。　I　helped　myself　and　said；　〃Sit　down　and　shut　up。　We've　got　things　to　talk　about。〃
　He　sat　down；　but　he　didn't　shut　up：
　〃You're　breaking　several　regulations；〃　he　said。
　〃So　we'll　let　a　court　decide　who's　liable；〃　I　replied。　〃I　want　my　clothes　and　my　personal　effects。　I'm　checking　out。〃
　〃You're　in　no　condition　…　〃
　〃Nobody　asked　you。　Pony　up　this　minute；　or　answer　to　the　law。〃
　He　reached　toward　a　button　on　his　desk；　but　I　slapped　his　hand　away。
　〃Now！〃　I　repeated。　〃You　should　have　pressed　that　when　I　came　in。　It's　too　late　now。〃
　〃Mr。　Corey；　you're　being　most　difficult。。。〃
　Corey？
　〃I　didn't　check　me　in　here；〃　I　said；　〃but　I　damn　well　have　a　right　to　check　me　out。　And　now's　the　time。　So　let's　get　about　it。〃
　〃Obviously；　you're　in　no　condition　to　leave　this　institution；〃　he　replied。　〃I　cannot　permit　it。　I　am　going　to　call　for　someone　to　escort　you　back　to　your　room　and　put　you　to　bed。〃
　〃Don't　try　it；〃　I　said；　〃or　you'll　find　out　what　condition　I'm　in。　Now；　I've　several　questions。　The　first　one's　Who　checked　me　in；　and　who's　footing　my　bill　at　this　place？〃
　〃Very　well；〃　he　sighed；　and　his　tiny；　sandy　mustaches　sagged　as　low　as　they　could。
　He　opened　a　drawer；　put　his　hand　inside；　and　I　was　wary。
　I　knocked　it　down　before　he　had　the　safety　catch　off：　a　。32　automatic；　very　neat；　Colt。　I　snapped　the　catch　myself　when　I　retrieved　it　from　the　desktop；　and　I　pointed　it　and　said：　〃You　will　answer　my　questions。　Obviously　you　consider　me　dangerous。　You　may　be　right。〃
　He　smiled　weakly；　lit　a　cigarette　himself；　which　was　a　mistake；　if　he　intended　to　indicate　aplomb。　His　hands　shook。
　〃All　right；　Corey　…　if　it　will　make　you　happy；〃　he　said；　〃your　sister　checked　you　in。〃
　〃？〃　thought　I。
　〃Which　sister？〃　I　asked。
　〃Evelyn；〃　he　said。
　No　bells。　So；　〃That's　ridiculous。　I　haven't　seen　Evelyn　in　years；〃　I　said。　〃She　didn't　even　know　I　was　in　this　part　of　the　country。〃
　He　shrugged。
　〃Nevertheless。。。〃
　〃Where's　she　staying　now？　I　want　to　call　her；〃　I　said。
　〃I　don't　have