sk.petsematary-第3节

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　　Well；　maybe　I　will；〃　Louis　said；　not　intending　to　at　all。　The　next　thing　would　be　an　informal　（and　free）　diagnosis　of　Norma's　arthritis　on　the　porch。　He　liked　Crandall；　liked　his　Crooked　grin；　his　offhand　way　of　talking；　his　Yankee　accent；　which　was　not　hard…edged　at　all　but　so　soft　it　was　almost　a　drawl。　A　good　man；　Louis　thought；　but　doctors　became　leery　of　people　fast。　It　was　unfortunate；　but　sooner　or　later　even　your　best　friends　wanted　medical　advice。　And　with　old　people　there　was　no　end　to　it。　〃But　don't　look　for　me；　or　stay　up…we've　had　a　hell　of　a　day。〃
　　〃Just　so　long　as　you　know　you　don't　need　no　engraved　invitation；〃　Crandall　said…and　there　was　something　in　the　man's　crooked　grin　that　made　Louis　feel　that　Crandall　knew　exactly　what　Louis　was　thinking。
　　He　watched　the　old　guy　for　a　moment　before　joining　the　movers。　Crandall　walked　straight　and　easily；　like　a　man　of　sixty　instead　of　over　eighty。　Louis　felt　that　first　faint　tug　of　affection。
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　　By　nine　o'clock　the　movers　were　gone。　Ellie　and　Gage；　both　exhausted；　were　sleeping　in　their　new　rooms；　Gage　in　his　crib；　Ellie　on　a　mattress　on　the　floor　surrounded　by　a　foothill　of　boxes…her　billions　of　Crayolas；　whole；　broken；　and　blunted；　her　Sesame　Street　posters；　her　picture　books；　her　clothes；　heaven　knew　what　else。　And　of　course　Church　was　with　her；　also　sleeping　and　growling　rustily　in　the　back　of　his　throat。　That　rusty　growl　seemed　the　closest　the　big　torn　could　e　to　purring。
　　Rachel　had　prowled　the　house　restlessly　with　Gage　in　her　arms　earlier；　second…guessing　the　places　where　Louis　had　told。　the　movers　to　leave　things；　getting　them　to　rearrange；　change；　or　restack。　Louis　had　not　lost　their　check；　it　was　still　in　his　breast　pocket；　along　with　the　five　ten…dollar　bills　he　had　put　aside　for　a　tip。　When　the　van　was　finally　emptied；　he　handed　both　the　check　and　the　cash　over；　nodded　at　their　thanks；　signed　the　bill　of　receipt；　and　stood　on　the　porch；　watching　them　head　back　to　their　big　truck。　He　supposed　they　would　probably　stop　over　in　Bangor　and　have　a　few　beers　to　lay　the　dust。　A　couple　of　beers　would　go　down　well　right　now。　That　made　him　think　of　Jud　Crandall　again。
　　He　and　Rachel　sat　at　the　kitchen　table；　and　he　saw　the　circles　under　her　eyes。　〃You；〃　he　said；　〃go　to　bed。〃
　　〃Doctor's　orders？〃　she　asked；　smiling　a　little。
　　〃Yeah。〃
　　〃Okay；〃　she　said；　standing。　〃I'm　beat。　And　Gage　is　apt　to　be　up　in　the　night。　You　ing？〃
　　He　hesitated。　〃I　don't　think　so；　just　yet。　That　old　fella　across　the　street…〃
　　〃Road。　You　call　it　a　road；　out　in　the　country。　Or　if　you're　Judson　Crandall；　I　guess　you　call　it　a　rud。〃
　　〃Okay；　across　the　rud。　He　invited　me　over　for　a　beer。　I　think　I'm　going　to　take　him　up　on　it。　I'm　tired；　but　I'm　too　jived…up　to　sleep。〃
　　Rachel　smiled。　〃You'll　end　up　getting　Norma　Crandall　to　tell　you　where　it　hurts　and　what　kind　of　mattress　she　sleeps　on。〃
　　Louis　laughed；　thinking　how　funny…funny　and　scary…it　was；　the　way　wives　could　read　their　husbands'　minds　after　a　while。
　　〃He　was　here　when　we　needed　him；〃　he　said。　〃I　can　do　him　a　favor；　I　guess。〃
　　〃Barter　system？〃
　　He　shrugged；　unwilling　and　unsure　how　to　tell　her　that　he　had　taken　a　liking　to　Crandall　on　short　notice。　〃How's　his　wife？〃
　　〃Very　sweet；〃　Rachel　said。　〃Gage　sat　on　her　lap。　I　was　surprised　because　he's　had　a　hard　day；　and　you　know　he　doesn't　take　very　well　to　new　people　on　short　notice　under　the　best　of　circumstances。　And　she　had　a　dolly　she　let　Eileen　play　with。〃
　　〃How　bad　would　you　say　her　arthritis　is？〃　〃Quite　bad。〃
　　〃In　a　wheelchair？〃
　　〃No　。　。　。　but　she　walks　very　slowly；　and　her　fingers　。　。
　　Rachel　held　her　own　slim　fingers　up　and　hooked　them　into　claws　to　demonstrate。　Louis　nodded。　〃Anyway；　don't　be　late；　Lou。　I　get　the　creeps　in　strange　houses。〃
　　〃It　won't　be　strange　for　long；〃　Louis　said　and　kissed　her。
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　　Louis　came　back　later　feeling　small。　No　one　asked　him　to　examine　Norma　Crandall；　when　he　crossed　the　street　（rud；　he　reminded　himself；　smiling）；　the　lady　had　already　retired　for　the　night。　Jud　was　a　vague　silhouette　behind　the　screens　of　the　enclosed　porch。　There　was　the　fortable　squeak　of　a　rocker　on　old　linoleum。　Louis　knocked　on　the　screen　door；　which　rattled　panionably　against　its　frame。　Crandall's　cigarette　glowed　like　a　large；　peaceable　firefly　in　the　summer　darkness。　From　a　radio；　low；　came　the　voice　of　a　Red　Sox　game；　and　all　of　it　gave　Louis　Creed　the　oddest　feeling　of　ing　home。
　　〃Doc；〃　Crandall　said。　〃I　thought　that　was　you。〃
　　Hope　you　meant　it　about　the　beer；〃　Louis　said；　ing　in。
　　〃Oh；　about　beer　I　never　lie；〃　Crandall　said。　〃A　man　who　lies　about　beer　makes　enemies。　Sit　down；　Doc。　I　put　an　extra　couple　on　ice；　just　in　case。〃
　　The　porch　was　long　and　narrow；　furnished　with　rattan　chairs　and　sofas。　Louis　sank　into　one　and　was　surprised　at　how　fortable　it　was。　At　his　left　hand　was　a　tin　pail　filled　with　ice　cubes　and　a　few　cans　of　Black　Label。　He　took　one。
　　〃Thank　you；〃　he　said　and　opened　it。　The　first　two　swallows　hit　his　throat　like　a　blessing。
　　〃More'n　wele；〃　Crandall　said。　〃I　hope　your　time　here　will　be　a　happy　one；　Doc。〃
　　〃Amen；〃　Louis　said。
　　〃Say！　If　you　want　crackers　or　somethin；　I　could　get　some。　I　got　a　wedge　of　rat　that's　just　about　ripe。〃
　　〃A　wedge　of　what？〃
　　〃Rat　cheese。〃　Crandall　sounded　faintly　amused。
　　〃Thanks；　but　just　the　beer　will　do　me。〃
　　〃Well　then；　we'll　just　let　her　go。〃　Crandall　belched　contentedly。
　　〃Your　wife　gone　to　bed？〃　Louis　asked；　wondering　why　he　was　opening　the　door　like　this。
　　〃Ayuh。　Sometimes　she　stays　up。　Sometimes　she　don't。〃
　　〃Her　arthritis　is　quite　painful；　isn't　it？〃
　　〃You　ever　see　a　case　that　wasn't？〃　Crandall　asked。
　　Louis　shook　his　head。
　　〃I　guess　it's　tolerable；〃　Crandall　said。　〃She　don't　plain　much。　She's　a　good　old　girl；　my　Norma。〃　There　was　a　great　and　simple　weight　of　affection　in　his　voice。　Out　on　Route　15；　a　tanker　truck　droned　by；　one　so　big　and　long　that　for　a　moment　Louis　couldn't　see　his　house　across　the　road。　Written　on　the　side；　just　visible　in　the　last　light；　was　the　word
　　ORINCO。
　　〃One　hell　of　a　big　truck；〃　Louis　mented。
　　〃Orinco's　near　Orrington；〃　Crandall　said。　〃Chemical　fertilizer　fact'ry。　They　e　and　go；　all　right。　And　the　oil　tankers；　and　the　dump　trucks；　and　the　people　who　go　to　work　in　Bangor　or　Brewer　and　e　home　at　night。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃That's　the　one　thing　about　Ludlow　I　don't　like　anymore。　That　frigging　road。　No　peace　from　it。　They　go　all　day　and　all　night。　Wake　Norma　up　sometimes。　Hell；　wake　me　up　sometimes；　and　I　sleep　like　a　goddam　log。〃
　　Louis；　who　thought　this　strange　Maine　landscape　almost　eerily　quiet　after　the　constant　roar　of　Chicago；　only　nodded　his　head。
　　〃One　day　soon　the　Arabs　will　pull　the　plug；　and　they'll　be　able　to　grow　African　violets　right　down　the　yellow　line；〃　Crandall　said。
　　〃You　might　be　right。〃　Louis　tilted　his　can　back　and　was　surprised　to　find　it　empty。
　　Crandall　laughed。　〃You　just　grab　yourself　one　to　grow　on；　Doc。〃
　　Louis　hesitated　and　then　said；　〃All　right；　but　just　one　more。　I　have　to　be　getting　back。〃
　　〃Sure　you　do。　Ain't　moving　a　bitch？〃
　　〃It　is；〃　Louis　agreed；　and　then　for　a　time　they　were　silent。　The　silence　was　a　fortable　one；　as　if　they　had　known　each　other　for　a　long　time。　This　was　a　feeling　about　which　Louis　had　read　in　books；　but　which　he　had　never　experienced　until　now。　He　felt　ashamed　of　his　casual　thoughts　about　free　medical　advice　earlier。
　　On　the　road　a　semi　roared　by；　its　running　lights　twinkling　like　earthstars。
　　〃That's　one　mean　road；　all　right；〃　Crandall　repeated　thoughtfully；　almost　vaguely；　and　then　turned　to　Louis。　There　was　a　peculiar　little　smile　on　his　seamed　mouth。　He　poked　a　Chesterfield　into　one　corner　of　the　smile　and　popped　a　match　with　his　thumbnail。　〃You　remember　the　path　there　that　your　little　girl　mented　on？〃
　　For　a　moment　Louis　didn't；　Ellie　had　mented　on　a　whole　catalogue　of　things　before　finally　collapsing　for　the　night。　Then　he　did　remember。　That　wide　mown　patch　winding　up　through　the　copse　of　trees　and　over　the　hill。
　　〃Yes；　I　do。　You　promised　to　tell　her　about　it　sometime。〃
　　〃I　did；　and　I　will；〃　Crandall　said。　〃That　path　goes　up　into　the　woods　about　a　mile　and　a　half。　The　local　kids　around　Route　15　and　Middle　Drive　keep　it　nice　because　they　use　it。　Kids　e　and　go　。　。　。　there's　a　lot　more　moving　around　than　there　used　to　be　when　I　was　a　boy；　then　you　picked　a　place　out　and　stuck　to　it。　But　they　seem　to　tell　each　other；　and　every　spring　a　bunch　of　them　mows　that　path。　They　keep　it　nice　all　the　summer　long。　Not　all　of　the　adults　in　town　know　it's　there…a　lot　of　them　do；　of　course；　but　not　all；　not　by　a　long　chalk…but　all　of　the　kids　do。　I'd　bet　on　it。〃
　　〃Know　what's　there？〃
　　〃The　pet　cemetery；〃　Crandall　said。
　　〃Pet　cemetery；〃　Louis　repeated；　bemused。
　　〃It's　not　as　odd　as　it　prob'ly　sounds；〃　Crandall　said；　smoking　and　rocking。　〃It's　the　road。　It　uses　up　a　lot　of　animals；　that　road　does。　Dogs　and　cats；　mostly；　but　that　ain't　all。　One　of　those　big　Orinco　trucks　run　down　the　pet　raccoon　the　Ryder　…children　used　to　keep。　That　was　back…Christ；　must　have　been　in　'73；　maybe　earlier。　Before　the　state　made　keeping　a　coon　or　eve