sk.petsematary-第22节

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　　〃Oh；　I　know；〃　Ellie　agreed；　almost　cheerfully。　〃But　she's　old；　and　she'll　die　pretty　soon　anyway。　Mr。　Crandall　too。　Can　I　have　an　apple　before　I　go　to　bed；　Daddy？〃
　　〃No；〃　he　said；　looking　at　her　thoughtfully。　〃Go　up　and　brush　your　teeth；　babe。〃
　　Does　anyone　really　think　they　understand　kids？　he　wondered。
　　When　the　house　was　settled　and　they　were　in　their　side…by…side　twin　beds；　Rachel　asked　softly；　〃Was　it　very　bad　for　Ellie；　Lou？　Was　she　upset？〃
　　No；　he　thought。　She　knows　old　people　croak　at　regular　intervals；　just　like　she　knows　to　let　the　grasshopper　go　when　it　spits　like　she　knows　that　if　you　stumble　on　the　number　thirteen　when　you're　skipping　rope；　your　best　friend　will　die　。　。　。　like　she　knows　that　you　put　the　graves　in　diminishing　circles　up　in　the　Pet　Sematary。
　　〃Nope；〃　he　said。　〃She　handled　herself　very　well。　Let's　go　to　sleep；　Rachel；　okay？〃
　　That　night；　as　they　slept　in　their　house　and　as　Jud　lay　wakeful　in　his；　there　was　another　hard　frost。　The　wind　rose　in　the　early　morning；　ripping　most　of　the　remaining　leaves；　which　were　now　an　uninteresting　brown；　from　the　trees。
　　The　wind　awoke　Louis；　and　he　started　up　on　his　elbows；　mostly　asleep　and　confused。　There　were　steps　on　the　stairs　slow；　dragging　steps。　Pascow　had　e　back。　Only　now；　he　thought；　two　months　had　passed。　When　the　door　opened　he　would　see　a　rotting　horror；　the　jogging　shorts　caked　with　mould；　the　flesh　fallen　away　in　great　holes；　the　brain　decayed　to　paste。　Only　the　eyes　would　be　alive。　。　。　hellishly　bright　and　alive。　Pascow　would　not　speak　this　time；　his　vocal　cords　would　be　too　decayed　to　produce　sounds。　But　his　eyes。　。　。　they　would　beckon　him　to　e。
　　〃No；〃　he　breathed；　and　the　steps　died　out。
　　He　got　up；　went　to　the　door；　and　pulled　it　open；　his　lips　drawn　back　in　a　grimace　of　fear　and　resolution；　his　flesh　cringing。　Pascow　would　be　there；　and　with　his　raised　arms　he　would　look　like　a　long…dead　conductor　about　to　call　for　the　first　thundering　phrase　of　Walpurgisnacht。
　　No　such　thing；　as　Jud　might　have　said。　The　landing　was　empty　silent。　There　was　no　sound　but　the　wind。　Louis　went　back　to　bed　and　slept。
　　　21
　　The　next　day　Louis　called　the　intensive　care　unit　at　the　EMMC。　Norma's　condition　was　still　listed　as　critical；　that　was　standard　operating　procedure　for　the　first　twenty…four　hours　following　a　heart　attack。　Louis　got　a　cheerier　assessment　from　Weybridge；　her　doctor；　however。　〃I　wouldn't　even　call　it　a　minor　myocardial　infarction；〃　he　said。　〃No　scarring。　She　owes　you　a　hell　of　a　lot；　Dr。　Creed。〃
　　On　impulse；　Louis　stopped　by　the　hospital　later　that　week　with　a　bouquet　of　flowers；　and　found　that　Norma　had　been　moved　to　a　semiprivate　room　downstairs…a　very　good　sign。　Jud　was　with　her。
　　Norma　exclaimed　over　the　flowers　and　buzzed　a　nurse　for　a　vase。　Then　she　directed　Jud　until　they　were　in　water；　arranged　to　her　specifications；　and　placed　on　the　dresser　in　the　corner。
　　Mother　s　feeling　ever　s　much　better；　Jud　said　dryly　after　he　had　fiddled　with　the　flowers　for　the　third　time。
　　〃Don't　be　smart；　Judson；〃　Norma　said。
　　〃No；　ma'am。〃
　　At　last　Norma　looked　at　Louis。　〃I　want　to　thank　you　for　what　you　did；〃　she　said　with　a　shyness　that　was　utterly　unaffected　and　thus　doubly　touching。　〃Jud　says　I　owe　you　my　life。〃
　　Embarrassed；　Louis　said；　〃Jud　exaggerates。〃
　　〃Not　very　damn　much；　he　don't；〃　Jud　said。　He　squinted　at　Louis；　almost　smiling　but　not　quite。　〃Didn't　your　mother　tell　you　never　to　slip　a　thank…you；　Louis？〃
　　She　hadn't　said　anything　about　that；　at　least　not　that　Louis　could　remember；　but　he　believed　she　had　said　something　once　about　false　modesty　being　half　the　sin　of　pride。
　　〃Norma；〃　he　said；　〃anything　I　could　do；　I　was　pleased　to　do。〃
　　〃You're　a　dear　man；〃　Norma　said。　〃You　take　this　man　of　mine　out　somewhere　and　let　him　buy　you　a　glass　of　beer。　I'm　feeling　sleepy　again；　and　I　can't　seem　to　get　rid　of　him。〃
　　Jud　stood　up　with　alacrity。　〃Hot　damn！　I'll　go　for　that；　Louis。　Quick；　before　she　changes　her　mind。〃
　　The　first　snow　came　a　week　before　Thanksgiving。　They　got　another　four　inches　on　the　twenty…second　of　November；　but　the　day　before　the　holiday　itself　was　clear　and　blue　and　cold。　Louis　took　his　family　to　Bangor　International　Airport　and　saw　them　off　on　the　first　leg　of　their　trip　back　to　Chicago　for　a　visit　with　Rachel's　parents。
　　〃It's　not　right；〃　Rachel　said　for　perhaps　the　twentieth　time　since　discussions　on　this　matter　had　menced　in　earnest　a　month　ago。　〃I　don't　like　thinking　of　you　rattling　around　the　house　alone　on　Thanksgiving　Day。　That's　supposed　to　be　a　family　holiday；　Louis。〃
　　Louis　shifted　Gage；　who　looked　gigantic　and　wide…eyed　in　his　first　big…boy　parka；　to　his　other　arm。　Ellie　was　at　one　of　the　big　windows；　watching　an　Air　Force　helicopter　take　off。
　　〃I'm　not　exactly　going　to　be　crying　in　my　beer；〃　Louis　said。　〃Jud　and　Norma　are　going　to　have　me　over　for　turkey　and　all　the　trimmings。　Hell；　I'm　the　one　who　feels　guilty。　I've　never　liked　these　big　holiday　group　gropes　anyway。　I　start　drinking　in　front　of　some　football　game　at　three　in　the　afternoon　and　fall　asleep　at　seven；　and　the　next　day　it　feels　like　the　Dallas　Cowgirls　are　dancing　around　and　yelling　boola…boola　inside　my　head。　I　just　don't　like　sending　you　off　with　the　two　kids。〃
　　〃I'll　be　fine；〃　she　said。　〃Flying　first　class；　I　feel　like　a　princess。　And　Gage　will　sleep　on　the　flight　from　Logan　to　O'Hare。〃
　　〃You　hope；〃　he　said；　and　they　both　laughed。
　　The　flight　was　called；　and　Ellie　scampered　over。　〃That's　us；　Mommy。　e　on…e　on…e　on。　They'll　leave　without　us。〃
　　〃No　they　won't；〃　Rachel　said。　She　was　clutching　her　three　pink　boarding　cards　in　one　hand。　She　was　wearing　her　fur　coat；　some　fake　stuff　that　was　a　luxuriant　brown　。　。　。　probably　it　was　supposed　to　look　like　muskrat；　Louis　thought。　Whatever　it　was　supposed　to　look　like；　it　made　her　look　absolutely　lovely。
　　Perhaps　something　of　what　he　felt　showed　in　his　eyes　because　she　hugged　him　impulsively；　semicrushing　Gage　between　them。　Gage　looked　surprised　but　not　terribly　upset。
　　〃Louis　Creed；　I　love　you；〃　she　said。
　　〃Mom…eee；〃　Ellie　said；　now　in　a　fever　of　impatience。　〃some　on…e　on…c…　〃Oh；　all　right；〃　she　said。　〃Be　good；　LOUIS。〃
　　〃Tell　you　what；〃　he　said；　grinning；　〃I'll　be　careful。　Say　hello　to　your　folks；　Rachel。〃
　　〃Oh；　you；〃　she　said　and　wrinkled　her　nose　at　him。　Rachel　was　not　fooled；　she　knew　perfectly　well　why　Louis　was　skipping　this　trip。　〃Fun…nee。〃
　　He　watched　them　enter　the　boarding　ramp。　。　。　and　disappear　from　sight　for　the　next　week。　He　already　felt　homesick　and　lonely　for　them。　He　moved　over　to　the　window　where　Ellie　had　been；　hands　stuffed　in　his　coat　pockets；　watching　the　baggage　handlers　loading　the　hold。
　　The　truth　was　simple。　Not　only　Mr。　but　also　Mrs。　Irwin　Goldman　of　Lake　Forest　had　disliked　Louis　from　the　beginning。　He　came　from　the　wrong　side　of　the　tracks；　but　that　was　just　for　starters。　Worse；　he　fully　expected　their　daughter　to　support　him　while　he　went　to　medical　school；　where　he　would　almost　surely　flunk　out。
　　Louis　could　have　handled　all　this；　in　fact　had　been　doing　so。　Then　something　had　happened　which　Rachel　did　not　know　about　and　never　would　。　。　。　not　from　Louis；　anyway。　Irwin　Goldman　had　offered　to　pay　Louis's　entire　tuition　through　med　school。　The　price　of　this　〃scholarship〃　（Goldman's　word）　was　that　Louis　should　break　off　his　engagement　with　Rachel　at　once。
　　Louis　Creed　had　not　been　at　the　optimum　time　of　life　to　deal　with　such　an　outrage；　but　such　melodramatic　proposals　（or　bribes；　to　call　a　spade　a　spade）　are　rarely　made　to　those　who　are　at　an　optimum　time…which　might　be　around　the　age　of　eighty…five。　He　was　tired；　for　one　thing。　He　was　spending　eighteen　hours　a　week　in　classes；　another　twenty　hitting　the　books；　another　fifteen　waiting　tables　in　a　deep…dish　pizza　joint　down　the　block　from　the　Whitehall　Hotel。　He　was　also　nervous。　Mr。　Goldman's　oddly　jovial　manner　that　evening　had　contrasted　pletely　with　his　previous　cold　behavior；　and　Louis　thought　that　when　Goldman　invited　him　into　the　study　for　a　cigar；　a　look　had　passed　from　him　to　his　wife。　Later…much　later；　when　time　had　lent　a　little　perspective…Louis　would　reflect　that　horses　must　feel　much　the　same　free…floating　anxiety　when　they　smell　the　first　smoke　of　a　prairie　fire。　He　began　expecting　Goldman　to　reveal　at　any　moment　that　he　knew　Louis　had　been　sleeping　with　his　daughter。
　　When　Goldman　instead　made　his　incredible　offer…even　going　so　far　as　to　take　his　checkbook　from　the　pocket　of　his　smoking　jacket　like　a　rake　in　a　Noel　Coward　farce…Louis　had　blown　up。　He　accused　Goldman　of　trying　to　keep　his　daughter　like　an　exhibit　in　a　museum；　of　having　no　regard　for　anyone　but　himself；　and　of　being　an　overbearing；　thoughtless　bastard。　It　would　be　a　long　time　before　he　would　admit　to　himself　that　part　of　his　rage　had　been　relief。
　　All　of　these　little　insights　into　Irwin　Goldman's　character；　though　perhaps　true；　had　no　redeeming　touch　of　diplomacy　in　them。　Any　semblance　of　Noel　Coward　departed；　if　there　was　humor　in　the　rest　of　the　conversation；　it　was　of　a　much　more　vulgar　sort。　Goldman　told　him　to　get　out　and　that　if　he　ever　saw　Louis　on　his　doorstep　again；　he　would　shoot　him　like　a　yellow　dog。