sk.theshining-第65部分

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　　（Daddy's　voice：　No；　don't　fight　them；　doc。　Walk　on　them　like　they　were　your　own　feet。　Walk　with　them。）　（Yes；　Daddy。）　He　began　to　walk　again；　trying　to　regain　the　easy　rhythm　he　had　practiced　with　his　daddy。　Little　by　little　it　began　to　e；　but　with　the　rhythm　came　an　awareness　of　just　how　tired　he　was；　how　much　his　fear　had　exhausted　him。　The　tendons　of　his　thighs　and　calves　and　ankles　were　hot　and　trembly。　Ahead　he　could　see　the　Overlook；　mockingly　distant；　seeming　to　stare　at　him　with　its　many　windows；　as　if　this　were　some　sort　of　contest　in　which　it　was　mildly　interested。
　　Danny　looked　back　over　his　shoulder　and　his　hurried　breathing　caught　for　a　moment　and　then　hurried　on　even　faster。　The　nearest　lion　was　now　only　twenty　feet　behind；　breasting　through　the　snow　like　a　dog　paddling　in　a　pond。　The　two　others　were　to　its　right　and　left；　pacing　it。　They　were　like　an　army　platoon　on　patrol；　the　dog；　still　off　to　their　left；　the　scout。　The　closest　lion　had　its　head　down。　The　shoulders　bunched　powerfully　above　its　neck。　The　tail　was　up；　as　if　in　the　instant　before　he　had　turned　to　look　it　had　been　swishing　back　and　forth；　back　and　forth。　He　thought　it　looked　like　a　great　big　housecat　that　was　having　a　good　time　playing　with　a　mouse　before　killing　it。
　　（…falling…）　No；　if　he　fell　he　was　dead。　They　would　never　let　him　get　up。　They　would　pounce。　He　pinwheeled　his　arms　madly　and　lunged　ahead；　his　center　of　gravity　dancing　just　beyond　his　nose。　He　caught　it　and　hurried　on；　snapping　glances　back　over　his　shoulder。　The　air　whistled　in　and　out　of　his　dry　throat　like　hot　glass。
　　The　world　closed　down　to　the　dazzling　snow；　the　green　hedges；　and　the　whispery　sound　of　his　snowshoes。　And　something　else。　A　soft；　muffled　padding　sound。　He　tried　to　hurry　faster　and　couldn't。　He　was　walking　over　the　buried　driveway　now；　a　small　boy　with　his　face　almost　buried　in　the　shadow　of　his　parka　hood。　The　afternoon　was　still　and　bright。
　　When　he　looked　back　again；　the　point　lion　was　only　five　feet　behind。　It　was　grinning。　Its　mouth　was　open；　its　haunches　tensed　down　like　a　clockspring。
　　Behind　it　and　the　others　he　could　see　the　rabbit；　its　head　now　sticking　out　of　the　snow；　bright　green；　as　if　it　had　turned　its　horrid　blank　face　to　watch　the　end　of　the　stalk。
　　Now；　on　the　Overlook's　front　lawn　between　the　circular　drive　and　the　porch；　he　let　the　panic　loose　and　began　to　run　clumsily　in　the　snowshoes；　not　daring　to　look　back　now；　tilting　further　and　further　forward；　his　arms　out　ahead　of　him　like　a　blind　man　feeling　for　obstacles。　His　hood　fell　back；　revealing　his　plexion；　paste　white　giving　way　to　hectic　red　blotches　on　his　cheeks；　his　eyes　bulging　with　terror。　The　porch　was　very　close　now。
　　Behind　him　he　heard　the　sudden　hard　crunch　of　snow　as　something　leaped。
　　He　fell　on　the　porch　steps；　screaming　without　sound；　and　scrambled　up　them　on　his　hands　and　knees；　snowshoes　clattering　and　askew　behind　him。
　　There　was　a　slashing　sound　in　the　air　and　sudden　pain　in　his　leg。　The　ripping　sound　of　cloth。　Something　else　that　might　have…must　have…been　in　his　mind。
　　Bellowing；　angry　roar。
　　Smell　of　blood　and　evergreen。
　　He　fell　full…length　on　the　porch；　sobbing　hoarsely；　the　rich；　metallic　taste　of　copper　in　his　mouth。　His　heart　was　thundering　in　his　chest。　There　was　a　small　trickle　of　blood　ing　from　his　nose。
　　He　had　no　idea　how　long　he　lay　there　before　the　lobby　doors　flew　open　and　Jack　ran　out；　wearing　just　his　jeans　and　a　pair　of　slippers。　Wendy　was　behind　him。
　　〃Danny！〃　she　screamed。
　　〃Doc！　Danny；　for　Christ's　sake！　What's　wrong？　What　happened？〃　Daddy　was　helping　him　up。　Below　the　knee　his　snowpants　were　ripped　open。
　　Inside；　his　woollen　ski　sock　had　been　ripped　open　and　his　calf　had　been　shallowly　scratched　。　。　。　as　if　he　had　tried　to　push　his　way　through　a　closely　grown　evergreen　hedge　and　the　branches　had　clawed　him。
　　He　looked　over　his　shoulder。　Far　down　the　lawn；　past　the　putting　green；　were　a　number　of　vague；　snow…cowled　humps。　The　hedge　animals。　Between　them　and　the　playground。　Between　them　and　the　road。
　　His　legs　gave　way。　Jack　caught　him。　He　began　to　cry。
　　　
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　　THE　LOBBY
　　
　　He　had　told　them　everything　except　what　had　happened　to　him　when　the　snow　had　blocked　the　end　of　the　concrete　ring。　He　couldn't　bring　himself　to　repeat　that。
　　And　be　didn't　know　the　right　words　to　express　the　creeping；　lassitudinous　sense　of　terror　he　had　felt　when　he　heard　the　dead　aspen　leaves　begin　to　crackle　furtively　down　there　in　the　cold　darkness。　But　he　told　them　about　the　soft　sound　of　snow　falling　in　clumps。　About　the　lion　with　its　head　and　its　bunched　shoulders　working　its　way　up　and　out　of　the　snow　to　chase　him。　He　even　told　them　about　how　the　rabbit　had　turned　its　head　to　watch　near　the　end。
　　The　three　of　them　were　in　the　lobby。　Jack　had　built　a　roaring　blaze　in　the　fireplace。　Danny　was　bundled　up　in　a　blanket　on　the　small　sofa　where　once；　a　million　years　ago；　three　nuns　had　sat　laughing　like　girls　while　they　waited　for　the　line　at　the　desk　to　thin　out。　He　was　sipping　hot　noodle　soup　from　a　mug。
　　Wendy　sat　beside　him；　stroking　his　hair。　Jack　had　sat　on　the　floor；　his　face　seeming　to　grow　more　and　more　still；　more　and　more　set　as　Danny　told　his　story。
　　Twice　he　pulled　his　handkerchief　out　of　his　back　pocket　and　rubbed　his　sorelooking　lips　with　it。
　　〃Then　they　chased　me；〃　he　finished。　Jack　got　up　and　went　over　to　the　window；　his　back　to　them。　He　looked　at　his　mommy。　〃They　chased　me　all　the　way　up　to　the　porch。〃　He　was　struggling　to　keep　his　voice　calm；　because　if　he　stayed　calm　maybe　they　would　believe　him。　Mr。　Stenger　hadn't　stayed　calm。　He　had　started　to　cry　and　hadn't　been　able　to　stop　SO　THE　MEN　IN　THE　WHITE　COATS　had　e　to　take　him　away　because　if　you　couldn't　stop　crying　it　meant　you　had　LOST　YOUR　MARBLES　and　when　would　you　be　back？　NO　ONE　KNOWS。　His　parka　and　snowpants　and　the　clotted　snowshoes　lay　on　the　rug　just　inside　the　big　double　doors。
　　（I　won't　cry　I　won't　let　myself　cry）　And　he　thought　he　could　do　that；　but　he　couldn't　stop　shaking。　He　looked　into　the　fire　and　waited　for　Daddy　to　say　something。　High　yellow　flames　danced　on　the　dark　stone　hearth。　A　pine…knot　exploded　with　a　bang　and　sparks　rushed　up　the　flue。
　　〃Danny；　e　over　here。〃　Jack　turned　around。　His　face　still　had　that　pinched；　deathly　look。　Danny　didn't　like　to　look　at　it。
　　〃Jack…〃
　　〃I　just　want　the　boy　over　here　for　a　minute。〃　Danny　slipped　off　the　sofa　and　came　over　beside　his　daddy。
　　〃Good　boy。　Now　what　do　you　see？〃　Danny　bad　known　what　he　would　see　even　before　he　got　to　the　window。　Below　the　clutter　of　boot　tracks；　sled　tracks；　and　snowshoe　tracks　that　marked　their　usual　exercise　area；　the　snowfield　that　covered　the　Overlook's　lawns　sloped　down　to　the　topiary　and　the　playground　beyond。　It　was　marred　by　two　sets　of　tracks；　one　of　them　in　a　straight　line　from　the　porch　to　the　playground；　the　other　a　long；　looping　line　ing　back　up。
　　〃Only　my　tracks；　Daddy。　But…〃
　　〃What　about　the　hedges；　Danny？〃　Danny's　lips　began　to　tremble。　He　was　going　to　cry。　What　if　he　couldn't　stop？
　　（i　won't　cry　I　Won't　Cry　Won't　Won't　WON'T）
　　〃All　covered　with　snow；〃　he　whispered。　〃But；　Daddy…〃
　　〃What？　I　couldn't　hear　you！〃
　　〃Jack；　you're　cross…examining　him！　Can't　you　see　he's　upset；　he's…〃
　　〃Shut　up！　Well；　Danny？〃
　　〃They　scratched　me；　Daddy。　My　leg…〃
　　〃You　must　have　cut　your　leg　on　the　crust　of　the　snow。〃　Then　Wendy　was　between　them；　her　face　pale　and　angry。　〃What　are　you　trying　to　make　him　do？〃　she　asked　him。　〃Confess　to　murder？　What's　wrong　with　you？〃　The　strangeness　in　his　eyes　seemed　to　break　then。　〃I'm　trying　to　help　him　find　the　difference　between　something　real　and　something　that　was　only　an　hallucination；　that's　all。〃　He　squatted　by　Danny　so　they　were　on　an　eye…to…eye　level；　and　then　hugged　him　tight。　〃Danny；　it　didn't　really　happen。　Okay？　It　was　like　one　of　those　trances　you　have　sometimes。　That's　all。〃
　　〃Daddy？〃
　　〃What；　Dan？〃
　　〃I　didn't　cut　my　leg　on　the　crust。　There　isn't　any　crust。　It's　all　powdery　snow。　It　won't　even　stick　together　to　make　snowballs。　Remember　we　tried　to　have　a　snowball　fight　and　couldn't？〃　He　felt　his　father　stiffen　against　him。　〃The　porch　step；　then。〃　Danny　pulled　away。　Suddenly　he　had　it。　It　had　flashed　into　his　mind　all　at　once；　the　way　things　sometimes　did；　the　way　it　had　about　the　woman　wanting　to　be　in　that　gray　man's　pants。　He　stared　at　his　father　with　widening　eyes。
　　〃You　know　I'm　telling　the　truth；〃　he　whispered；　shocked。
　　〃Danny…〃Jack's　face；　tightening。
　　〃You　know　because　you　saw…〃　The　sound　of　Jack's　open　palm　striking　Danny's　face　was　flat；　not　dramatic　at　all。　The　boy's　head　rocked　back；　the　palmprint　reddening　on　his　cheek　like　a　brand。
　　Wendy　made　a　moaning　noise。
　　For　a　moment　they　were　still；　the　three　of　them；　and　then　Jack　grabbed　for　his　son　and　said；　〃Danny；　I'm　sorry；　you　okay；　doc？〃
　　〃You　hit　him；　you　bastardl〃　Wendy　cried。　〃You　dirty　bastard！〃　She　grabbed　his　other　arm　and　for　a　moment　Danny　was　pulled　between　them。
　　〃Oh　please　stop　pulling　me！〃　he　screamed　at　them；　and　there　was　such　agony　in　his　voice　that　they　both　let　go　of　him；　and　then　the　tears　had　to　e　and　he　collap