dk.coldfire-第13节

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　〃Heaven；　you　mean。〃　
　The　priest　hesitated。　〃Or　the　other。〃　
　Jim　slept　for　a　couple　of　hours。　When　he　woke；　he　saw　the　priest　standing　at　the　foot　of　the　bed；　watching　him　intently。　
　〃You　were　talking　in　your　sleep。〃　
　Jim　sat　up　in　bed。　〃Was　I？　What'd　I　say？〃　〃　There　is　an　enemy。'〃　〃That's　all　I　said？〃　〃Then　you　said；　It's　ing。　It'll　kill　us　all。'〃　A　shiver　of　dread　passed　through　Jim；　not　because　the　words　had　any　power　of　themselves；　and　not　because　he　understood　them；　but　because　he　sensed　that　on　a　subconscious　level　he　knew　all　too　well　what　he　had　meant。　
　He　said；　〃A　dream；　I　guess。　A　bad　dream。　That's　all。〃　
　But　shortly　past　three　o'clock　in　the　morning；　during　that　second　night　in　the　rectory；　he　thrashed　awake；　sat　straight　up　in　bed；　and　heard　the　words　escaping　him　again；　〃It'll　kill　us　all。〃　The　room　was　lightless。　
　He　fumbled　for　the　lamp；　switched　it　on。　
　He　was　alone。　
　He　looked　at　the　windows。　Darkness　beyond。　
　He　had　the　bizarre　but　unshakable　feeling　that　something　hideous　and　merciless　had　been　hovering　near；　something　infinitely　more　savage　and　strange　than　anyone　in　recorded　history　had　ever　seen；　dreamed；　or　imagined。　Trembling；　he　got　out　of　bed。　He　was　wearing　an　ill…fitting　pair　of　the　priest's　pajamas。　For　a　moment　he　just　stood　there；　not　sure　what　to　do。　
　Then　he　switched　off　the　light　and；　barefoot；　went　to　one　window；　then　the　other。　He　was　on　the　second　floor。　The　night　was　silent；　deep；　and　peaceful。　If　something　had　been　out　there；　it　was　gone　now。　
　The　following　morning；　he　dressed　in　his　own　clothes；　which　Father　Geary　had　laundered　for　him。　He　spent　most　of　the　day　in　the　living　room；　in　a　big　easy　chair；　his　feet　propped　on　a　hassock；　reading　magazines　and　dozing；　while　the　priest　tended　to　parish　business。　
　Jim's　sunburnt　and　wind…abraded　face　was　stiffening。　Like　a　mask。　
　That　evening；　they　prepared　dinner　together。　At　the　kitchen　sink；　Father　Geary　cleaned　lettuce；　celery；　and　tomatoes　for　a　salad。　Jim　set　the　table　opened　a　bottle　of　cheap　Chianti　to　let　it　breathe；　then　sliced　canned　mushrooms　into　a　pot　of　spaghetti　sauce　on　the　stove。　
　They　worked　in　a　fortable　mutual　silence；　and　Jim　wondered　about　the　curious　relationship　that　had　evolved　between　them。　There　had　been　a　dreamlike　quality　to　the　past　couple　of　days；　as　if　he　had　not　merely　found　refuge　in　a　small　desert　town　but　in　a　place　of　peace　outside　the　real　world　a　town　in　the　Twilight　Zone。　The　priest　had　stopped　asking　questions　In　fact；　it　now　seemed　to　Jim　that　Father　Geary　had　never　been　half　probing　or　insistent　as　the　circumstances　warranted。　And　he　suspected　that　the　priest's　Christian　hospitality　did　not　usually　extend　to　the　sheltering　of　injured　and　suspicious　strangers。　Why　he　should　receive　special　consideration　at　Geary's　hands　was　a　mystery　to　him；　but　he　was　grateful　for　it。　
　When　he　had　sliced　half　the　mushrooms　in　the　can；　he　suddenly　s　〃Life　line。〃　
　Father　Geary　turned　from　the　sink；　a　stalk　of　celery　in　hand。　
　〃Pardon　me？〃　A　chill　swept　through　Jim；　and　he　almost　dropped　the　knife　into　the　sauce。　He　put　it　on　the　counter。　
　〃Jim？〃　Shivering；　he　turned　to　the　priest　and　said；　〃I've　got　to　get　to　an　airport。〃　
　〃An　airport？〃　〃Right　away；　Father。〃　
　The　priest's　plump　face　dimpled　with　perplexing；　wrinkling　his　tanned　forehead　far　past　his　long…vanished　hairline。　〃But　there's　no　airport　here。〃　
　〃How　far　to　the　nearest　one？〃　Jim　asked　urgently。　
　〃Well。　。　。　two　hours　by　car。　All　the　way　to　Las　Vegas。〃　
　〃You've　got　to　drive　me　there。〃　
　〃What？　Now？〃　〃Right　now；〃　Jim　said。　
　〃But〃　〃I　have　to　get　to　Boston。〃　
　〃But　you've　been　ill〃　〃I'm　better　now。〃　
　〃Your　face〃　〃It　hurts；　and　it　looks　like　hell；　but　it's　not　fatal。　Father；　I　have　to　get　to　Boston。〃　
　〃Why？〃　He　hesitated；　then　decided　on　a　degree　of　revelation。　〃If　I　don't　get　to　Boston；　someone　there　is　going　to　be　killed。　Someone　who　shouldn't　die。〃　
　〃Who？　Who's　going　to　die？〃　Jim　licked　his　peeling　lips。　〃I　don't　know。〃　
　〃You　don't　know？〃　〃But　I　will　when　I　get　there。〃　
　Father　Geary　stared　at　him　for　a　long　time。　At　last　he　said；　〃Jim；　you're　the　strangest　man　I've　ever　known。〃　
　Jim　nodded。　〃I'm　the　strangest　man　I've　ever　known。〃　
　When　they　set　out　from　the　rectory　in　the　priest's　six…year…old　Toyota；　an　hour　of　light　remained　in　the　long　August　day；　although　the　sun　was　hidden　behind　clouds　the　color　of　fresh　bruises。　
　They　had　been　on　the　road　only　half　an　hour　when　lightning　shattered　the　bleak　sky　and　danced　on　jagged　legs　across　the　somber　desert　horizon。　
　Flash　after　flash　erupted；　sharper　and　brighter　in　the　pure　Mojave　air　than　Jim　had　ever　seen　lightning　elsewhere。　Ten　minutes　later；　the　sky　grew　darker　and　lower；　and　rain　fell　in　silvery　cataracts　the　equal　of　anything　that　Noah　had　witnessed　while　hurrying　to　plete　his　ark。　
　〃Summer　storms　are　rare　here；〃　Father　Geary　said；　switching　on　the　windshield　wipers。　
　〃We　can't　let　it　delay　us；〃　Jim　said　worriedly。　
　〃I'll　get　you　there；〃　the　priest　assured　him。　
　〃There　can't　be　that　many　flights　east　from　Vegas　at　night。　They'd　mostly　leave　during　the　day。　I　can't　miss　out　and　wait　till　morning。　
　I've　got　to　be　in　Boston　tomorrow〃　The　parched　sand　soaked　up　the　deluge。　But　some　areas　were　rocky　or　hard…packed　from　months　of　blistering　sun；　and　in　those　places　the　water　spilled　off　slopes；　forming　rivulets　in　every　shallow　declivity。　Rivulets　became　streams；　and　streams　grew　swiftly　into　rivers；　until　every　bridged　arroyo　they　passed　over　was　soon　filled　with　roiling；　churning　torrents　on　which　were　borne　clumps　of　uprooted　desert　bunch…grass；　fragments　of　dead　tumbleweed；　driftwood；　and　dirty　white　foam。　
　Father　Geary　had　two　favorite　cassette　tapes；　which　he　kept　in　the　car：　a　collection　of　rock…'n'…roll　golden　oldies；　and　an　Elton　John　best…of　He　put　on　Elton。　They　moved　through　the　storm…hammered　day　then　through　the　rainswept　night　to　the　melodies　of　〃Funeral　for　a　Friend；〃　〃Daniel；〃　and　〃Benny　and　the　Jets。〃　
　The　blacktop　glimmered　with　quicksilver　puddles。　To　Jim；　it　was　eerie　that　the　water　mirages　on　the　highway　a　few　days　ago　had　now　bee　real。　
　He　grew　more　tense　by　the　minute。　Boston　called　to　him；　but　it　was　far　away；　and　few　things　were　darker　or　more　treacherous　than　a　blacktop　highway　through　a　storm…wracked　desert　at　night。　Unless；　perhaps；　the　human　heart。　
　The　priest　hunched　over　the　wheel　as　he　drove。　He　studied　the　highway　intently　while　singing　along　softly　with　Elton。　
　After　a　while　Jim　said；　〃Father；　wasn't　there　a　doctor　in　town？〃　〃Yes。〃　
　〃But　you　didn't　call　him。〃　
　〃I　got　the　cortisone　prescription　from　him。〃　
　〃I　saw　the　tube。　It　was　a　prescription　for　you；　made　out　three　months　ago。〃　
　〃Well。　。　。　I've　seen　sunstroke　before。　I　knew　I　could　treat　you。〃　
　〃But　you　seemed　awfully　worried　there　at　first。〃　
　The　priest　was　silent　for　a　few　miles。　Then　he　said；　〃I　don't　know　who　you　are；　where　you　e　from；　or　why　you　really　need　to　get　to　Boston。　
　But　I　do　know　you're　a　man　in　trouble；　maybe　deep　trouble；　as　deep　as　it　ever　gets。　And　I　know。　。　。　at　least；　I　think　I　know　that　you're　a　good　man　at　heart。　Anyway；　it　seemed　to　me　that　a　man　in　trouble　would　want　to　keep　a　low　profile。〃　
　〃Thanks。　I　do。〃　
　A　couple　of　miles　farther；　the　rain　came　down　hard　enough　to　overwhelm　the　windshield　wipers　and　force　Geary　to　reduce　speed。　
　The　priest　said；　〃You're　the　one　who　saved　that　woman　and　her　little　girl。〃　
　Jim　tensed　but　did　not　respond。　
　〃You　fit　the　description　on　TV；〃　the　priest　said。　
　They　were　silent　for　a　few　more　miles。　
　Father　Geary　said；　〃I'm　not　a　sucker　for　miracles。〃　
　Jim　was　baffled　by　that　statement。　
　Father　Geary　switched　off　Elton　John。　The　only　sounds　were　the　swish　bum　of　the　tires　on　the　wet　pavement　and　the　metronomic　thump　of　the　windshield　wipers。　
　〃I　believe　that　the　miracles　of　the　Bible　happened；　yes；　I　accept　all　of　that　as　real　history；〃　the　priest　said；　keeping　his　eyes　on　the　road。　
　〃But　I'm　reluctant　to　believe　that　some　statue　of　the　Holy　Mother　wept　real　tears　in　a　church　in　Cincinnati　or　Peoria　or　Teaneck　last　week　after　the　Wednesday…night　bingo　games；　witnessed　only　by　two　teenagers　and　the　parish　cleaning　lady。　And　I'm　not　ready　to　believe　that　a　shadow　resembling　Jesus；　cast　on　someone's　garage　wall　by　a　yellow　bug　light；　is　a　sign　of　impending　apocalypse。　God　works　in　mysterious　ways；　but　not　with　bug　lights　and　garage　walls。〃　
　The　priest　fell　silent　again；　and　Jim　waited；　wondering　where　all　this　was　leading。　
　〃When　I　found　you　in　the　church；　lying　by　the　sanctuary　railing；〃　Geary　said　in　a　voice　that　grew　more　haunted　word　by　word；　〃you　were　marked　by　the　stigmata　of　Christ。　There　was　a　nail　hole　in　each　of　your　hands…〃　Jim　looked　at　his　hands　and　saw　no　wounds。　
　〃…and　your　forehead　was　scratched　and　prickled　with　what　might　have　been　punctures　from　a　crown　of　thorns。〃　
　His　face　was　still　such　a　mess　from　the　punishment　of　sun　and　wind　that　it　was　no　use　searching　in　the　rearview　mirror　for　the　minor　injuries　the　priest　had　described。　
　Geary　said；　〃I　was。　。　。　frightened；　I　guess。　But　fascinated；　too。〃　
　They　came　to　a　forty…foot…long　concrete　bridge　at　an　arroyo　where　the　r