dk.coldfire-第48部分

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er　two　windows　were　even　more　out　of　line　with　the　desired　view；　so　she　did　not　even　try　them。　
　〃The　ringing　in　the　stone；〃　Jim　said　dreamily。　
　Holly　returned　to　the　head　of　the　stairs　as　the　bells　began　to　ring　again。　
　She　paused　and　looked　back　just　long　enough　to　be　sure　that　Jim　was　following　her；　for　he　seemed　in　something　of　a　daze。　
　Hurrying　down　the　stairs；　she　heard　more　lines　of　Poe's　poem　reverberating　in　her　mind：　Hear　the　loud　alarum　bells　Brazen　bells！　What　a　tale　of　terror；　now；　their　turbulency　tells　She　had　never　been　the　kind　of　woman　to　whom　sprang　lines　of　Verdee　appropriate　to　the　moment。　She　couldn't　recall　quoting　a　line　of　poetry　or　even　reading　any　other　than　Louise　Tarvohl's　treacle！…since　college。　
　When　she　reached　the　window；　she　scrubbed　frantically　at　another　pane　with　the　palm　of　her　hand；　to　give　them　a　better　view　of　the　spectacle　below。　She　saw　that　the　light　was　blood…red　again　and　dimmer；　as　if　whatever　had　been　rising　through　the　water　was　now　sinking　again。　
　Oh；　the　bells；　bells；　bells！　What　a　tale　their　terror　tells　It　seemed　crazy　to　be　mentally　reciting　poetry　in　the　midst　of　these　wondrous　and　frightening　events；　but　she　had　never　been　under　such　stress　before。　
　Maybe　this　was　the　way　the　mind　worked…giddily　dredging　up　long…forgotten　knowledge…when　you　were　about　to　meet　a　higher　power。　
　Because　that's　just　what　she　felt　was　about　to　happen；　an　encounter　with　a　higher　power；　perhaps　God　but　most　likely　not。　She　didn't　really　think　God　lived　in　a　pond；　although　any　minister　or　priest　would　probably　tell　her　that　God　lived　everywhere；　in　all　things。　God　was　like　the　eight…hundred…pound　gorilla　who　could　live　anywhere　he　wanted。　
　Just　as　Jim　reached　her；　the　ringing　stopped；　and　the　crimson　light　in　the　pond　quickly　faded。　He　squeezed　in　beside　her　and　put　his　face　to　the　glass。　
　They　waited。　
　Two　seconds　ticked　by。　Two　more。　
　〃No；〃　she　said。　〃Damn　it；　I　wanted　you　to　see。〃　
　But　the　ringing　did　not　resume；　and　the　pond　remained　dark　out　there　in　the　steadily　dimming　twilight。　Night　would　be　upon　them　within　a　few　minutes。　
　〃What　was　it？〃　Jim　asked；　leaning　back　from　the　window。　
　〃Like　something　in　a　Spielberg　film；〃　she　said　excitedly；　〃rising　up　out　of　the　water；　from　deep　under　the　pond；　light　throbbing　in　time　with　the　bells。　I　think　that's　where　the　ringing　originates；　from　the　thing　in　the　pond；　and　somehow　it's　transmitted　through　the　walls　of　the　mill。〃　
　〃Spielberg　film？〃　He　looked　puzzled。　
　She　tried　to　explain：　〃Wonderful　and　terrifying；　awesome　and　strange；　scary　and　damned　exciting　all　at　once。〃　
　〃You　mean　like　in　Close　Encounters？　Are　you　talking　a　starship　or　something？〃　〃Yes。　No。　I'm　not　sure。　I　don't　know。　Maybe　something　weirder　than　that。〃　
　〃Weirder　than　a　starship？〃　Her　wonder；　and　even　her　fear；　subsided　in　favor　of　frustration。　
　She　was　not　accustomed　to　finding　herself　at　a　plete　loss　for　words　to　describe　things　that　she　had　felt　or　seen。　But　with　this　man　and　the　inparable　experiences　in　which　he　became　entangled；　even　her　sophisticated　vocabulary　and　talent　for　supple　phrase…making　failed　her　miserably。　
　〃Shit；　yes！〃　she　said　at　last。　〃Weirder　than　a　starship。　At　least　weirder　than　the　way　they　show　them　in　the　movies。〃　
　〃e　on；〃　he　said；　ascending　the　stairs　again；　〃let's　get　back　up　there。〃　When　she　lingered　at　the　window；　he　returned　to　her　and　took　her　hand。　〃It　isn't　over　yet。　I　think　it's　just　beginning。　And　the　place　for　us　to　be　is　the　upper　room。　I　know　it's　the　place。　e　on；　Holly。〃　
　They　sat　on　the　inflatable…mattress　sleeping　bags　again。　
　The　lantern　cast　a　pearly…silver　glow；　whitewashing　the　yellow…beige　blocks　of　limestone。　In　the　baglike　wicks　inside　the　glass　chimney　of　the　lamp；　the　gas　burned　with　a　faint　hiss；　so　it　seemed　as　if　whispering　voices　were　rising　through　the　floorboards　of　that　high　room。　
　Jim　was　poised　at　the　apex　of　his　emotional　roller　coaster；　full　of　childlike　delight　and　anticipation；　and　this　time　Holly　was　right　there　with　him。　
　The　light　in　the　pond　had　terrified　her；　but　it　had　also　touched　her　in　other　ways；　sparking　deep　psychological　responses　on　a　primitive　sub…subconscious　level；　igniting　fuses　of　wonder　and　hope　which　were　fizzing…burning　unquenchably　toward　some　much…desired　explosion　of　faith；　emotional　catharsis。　
　She　had　accepted　that　Jim　was　not　the　only　troubled　person　in　the　room。　
　His　heart　might　contain　more　turmoil　than　hers；　but　she　was　as　empty；　in　her　own　way；　as　he　was　in　his。　When　they'd　met　in　Portland；　she　had　been　a　burnt…out　cynic；　going　through　the　motions　of　a　life；　not　even　trying　to　identify　and　fill　the　empty　spaces　in　her　heart。　She　had　not　experienced　the　tragedy　and　grief　that　he　had　known；　but　now　she　realized　that　leading　a　life　equally　devoid　of　tragedy　and　joy　could　breed　despair。　Passing　days　and　weeks　and　years　in　the　pursuit　of　goals　that　had　not　really　mattered　to　her；　driven　by　a　purpose　she　had　not　truly　embraced；　with　no　one　to　whom　she　was　profoundly　mitted；　she　had　been　eaten　by　a　dry…rot　of　the　soul。　
　She　and　Jim　were　the　two　pieces　of　a　yin…yang　puzzle；　each　shaped　to　fill　the　hollowness　in　the　other；　healing　each　other　merely　by　their　contact。　
　They　fit　together　astonishingly　well；　and　the　match　seemed　inevitable；　but　the　puzzle　might　never　have　been　solved　if　the　halves　of　it　had　not　been　brought　together　in　the　same　place　at　the　same　time。　
　Now　she　waited　with　nervous　excitement　for　contact　with　the　power　that　had　led　Jim　to　her。　She　was　ready　for　God　or　for　something　quite　different　but　equally　benign。　She　could　not　believe　that　what　she　had　seen　in　the　pond　was　The　Enemy。　That　creature　was　apart　from　this；　connected　somehow　but　different。　Even　if　Jim　had　not　told　her　that　something　fine　and　good　was　ing；　she　eventually　would　have　sensed；　on　her　own；　that　the　light　in　the　water　and　the　ringing　in　the　stone　heralded　not　blood　and　death　but　rapture。　
　They　spoke　tersely　at　first；　afraid　that　voluble　conversation　would　inhibit　that　higher　power　from　initiating　the　next　stage　of　contact。　
　〃How　long　has　the　pond　been　here？〃　she　asked。　
　〃A　long　time。〃　
　〃Before　the　Ironhearts？〃　〃Yeah。〃　
　〃Before　the　farm　itself？〃　〃I'm　sure　it　was。〃　
　〃Possibly　forever？〃　〃Possibly。〃　
　〃Any　local　legends　about　it？〃　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　〃Ghost　stories；　Loch　Ness；　that　kind　of　stuff〃　〃No。　Not　that　I've　ever　heard。〃　
　They　were　silent。　Waiting。　
　Finally　Holly　said；　〃What's　your　theory？〃　〃Huh？〃　〃Earlier　today　you　said　you　had　a　theory；　something　strange　and　wonderful；　but　you　didn't　want　to　talk　about　it　till　you'd　thought　it　through。〃　
　〃Oh；　right。　Now　maybe　it's　more　than　a　theory。　When　you　said　you'd　seen　something　under　the　pond　in　your　dream。　。　。　well；　I　don't　know　why；　but　I　started　thinking　about　an　encounter。　。　。　。〃　
　〃Encounter？〃　〃Yeah。　Like　what　you　said。　Something。　。　。　alien。〃　
　〃Not　of　this　world；〃　Holly　said；　remembering　the　sound　of　the　bells　and　the　light　in　the　pond。　
　〃They're　out　there　in　the　universe　somewhere；〃　he　said　with　quiet　enthusiasm。　〃It's　too　big　for　them　not　to　be　out　there。　And　someday　they'll　be　ing。　Someone　will　encounter　them。　So　why　not　me；　why　not　you？〃　〃But　it　must've　been　there　under　the　pond　when　you　were　ten。〃　
　〃Maybe。〃　
　〃Why　would　it　be　there　all　this　time？〃　〃I　don't　know。　Maybe　it's　been　there　a　lot　longer。　Hundreds　of　years。　
　Thousands。〃　
　〃But　why　a　starship　at　the　bottom　of　a　pond？〃　〃Maybe　it's　an　observation　station；　a　place　where　they　monitor　human　civilization；　like　an　outpost　we　might　set　up　in　Antarctica　to　study　things　there。　
　Holly　realized　they　sounded　like　kids　sitting　under　the　stars　on　a　summer　night；　drawn　like　all　kids　to　the　contemplation　of　the　unknown　and　to　fantasies　of　exotic　adventure。　On　one　level　she　found　their　musings　absurd；　even　laughable；　and　she　was　unable　to　believe　that　recent　events　could　have　such　a　neat　yet　fanciful　explanation。　But　on　another　level；　where　she　was　still　a　child　and　always　would　be；　she　desperately　wanted　the　fantasy　to　be　made　real。　
　Twenty　minutes　passed　without　a　new　development；　and　gradually　Holly　began　to　settle　down　from　the　heights　of　excitement　and　nervous　agitation　to　which　the　lights　in　the　pond　had　catapulted　her。　Still　filled　with　wonder　but　no　longer　mentally　numbed　by　it；　she　remembered　what　had　happened　to　her　just　prior　to　the　appearance　of　the　radiant　presence　in　the　millpond：　the　overwhelming；　preternatural；　almost　panic…inducing　awareness　of　being　watched。　She　was　about　to　mention　it　to　Jim　when　she　recalled　the　other　strange　things　she　had　found　at　the　farmhouse。　
　〃It's　pletely　furnished；〃　she　said。　〃You　never　cleaned　the　house　out　after　your　grandfather　died。〃　
　〃I　left　it　furnished　in　case　I　was　able　to　rent　it　while　waitin　for　a　buyer。〃　
　Those　were　virtually　the　same　words　she　had　used；　standing　in　the　house；　to　explain　the　curious　situation　to　herself　〃But　you　left　all　their　personal　belongings　there；　too。〃　
　He　did　not　look　at　her　but　at　the　walls；　waiting　for　some　sign　of　a　superhuman　presence。　〃I'd　have　taken　that　stuff　away　if　I'd　ever　found　a　renter。〃　
　〃You've　left　it　there　for　almost　five　years？〃　He　shrugged。　
　She　said；　〃It's　been　cleaned　more　or　less　regularly　since　then；　though　not　recently。　
　〃A　renter　might　always　show　up。〃　
　〃It's　sort　of　creepy；　Jim。〃　
　Finally　he　looked　at　her。　〃How　so？〃　〃It's　like　a　mausoleum。〃　
　His　blue　eyes　were　utterly　unreadable；　but　Holly　had　the　feeling　she　was　annoying　him；　perhaps　because　this　mundane　talk　of　renters　and　house　cleaning　and　real　estate　was　pulling　him　away　from　the　more　pleasurable　contemplation　of　alien　encounters。　
　He　sighed　and　said；　〃Yeah；　it　is　creepy；　a　little。〃　
　〃Then　why。　。　。　？〃　He　slowly　twisted　the　lantern　control；　reducing　the　flow　of　gas　to　the　wicks。　The　hard　white　light　softened　to　a　moon…pale　glow；　and　the　shadows　eased　closer。　〃To　tell　you　the　truth；　I　couldn't　bear　to　pack　up　my　granddad's　things。　Together；　we'd　sorted　through　grandma's　belongings　only　eight　months　earlier；　when　she'd　died；　and　that　had　been　hard　enough。　When　he。　。　。　passed　away　so　soon　after　her；　it　was　too　much　for　me。　For　so　long；　they'd　been　all　I　had。　
　Then　suddenly　I　didn't　even　have　them。