dk.coldfire-第50节
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〃It's a pretty drive；〃 she said； much preferring the mute to spending a night in the mill。
Her reluctance arose only in part from the fact that the old mill promised to be unfortable。 The place was； after all； the locus of both their nightmares。 Besides； since arriving in Svenborg； she had felt vaguely。 。 。
threatened。
〃But something's going to happen；〃 he said。 〃I don't know what。
Just。 。 。 something。 At the mill。 I feel it。 We're going to。 。 。 get some answers。 But it might take a little time。 We've got to be ready to wait； be patient。〃
Though Holly was the one who had suggested going to the mill； she suddenly didn't want answers。 In a dim premonition of her own； she perceived an undefined but oning tragedy； blood； death； and darkness。
Jim； on the other hand； seemed to shed the lead weight of his previous apprehension and take on a new buoyancy。 〃It's good…what we're doing； where we're going。 I sense that； Holly。 You know what I mean？ I'm being told we made the right move in ing here； that there's something frightening ahead of us； yes； something that's going to shock the hell out of us； maybe very real danger； but there's also something that's going to lift us up。〃 His eyes were shining and he was excited。
She had never seen him like this； not even when they had been making love。 In whatever obscure way it touched him； this higher power of his was in contact with him now。 She could see his quiet rapture。 〃I feel a。 。 。 a strange sort of jubilation ing； a wonderful discovery； revelations。 。 。〃
The bespectacled clerk had stepped away from the cash register to show them the total on the tape。 Grinning； he said； 〃Newlyweds？〃 At the convenience store next door； they bought ice for the chest； then orange juice； diet soda； bread； mustard； bologna…olive loaf； and pre…packaged cheese slices。
〃Olive loaf；〃 Holly said wonderingly。 〃I haven't eaten this stuff since I was maybe fourteen and I learned I had arteries。〃
〃And how about these；〃 he said； snatching a box of chocolate…covered doughnuts off a shelf； adding it to the market basket that he was carrying。
〃Bologna sandwiches； chocolate doughnuts。 。 。 and potato chips； of course。 Wouldn't be a picnic without chips。 The crinkled kind； okay？ Some cheese twists； too。 Chips and cheese twists； they go together。〃 ù Holly had never seen him like this： almost boyish； with no apparent weight on his shoulders。 He might have been setting out on a camping trip with friends； a little adventure。
She wondered if her own apprehension was justified。 Jim was； after all； the one whose presentiments had proven to be accurate。 Maybe they were going to discover something wonderful at the mill； unravel the mystery behind the last…minute rescues he had performed； maybe even encounter this higher power to which he referred。 Perhaps The Enemy； in spite of its ability to reach out of a dream into the real world； was not as formidable as it seemed。
At the cash register； after the clerk finished bagging their purchases and was making change； Jim said； 〃Wait a minute； one more thing；〃 and hurried to the rear of the store。 When he returned； he was carrying two lined yellow tablets and one black； fine…point felt…tip pen。 To Holly； he said； 〃We'll be needing these tonight。〃
When they had loaded the car and pulled out of the parking lot at The Central； heading for the Ironheart farm； Holly indicated the pen and tablets； which she was holding in a separate bag。 〃What'll we be needing these for？〃 〃I haven't the slightest idea。 I just suddenly knew we have to have them。〃
〃That's just like God；〃 she said； 〃always being mysterious and obscure 。〃
After a silence； he said； 〃I'm not so sure any more that it's God talking to me。〃
〃Oh？ What changed your mind？〃 〃Well； the issues you raised last evening； for one thing。 If God didn't want little Nick O'Conner to die up there in Boston； why didn't He just stop that vault from exploding？ Why chase me clear across the country and throw me at the boy； as you put it？ And why would He up and change His mind about the people on the airliner； let more of them live； just because I decided they should？ They were all questions I'd asked myself； but you weren't willing to settle for the easy answers that satisfied me。〃 He looked away from the street for a moment as they reached the edge of town； smiled at her； and repeated one of the questions she had asked him yesterday when she had been needling him： 〃Is God a waffler〃 〃I would've expected。 。 。〃
〃What？〃 〃Well； you were so sure you could see a divine hand in this； it must be a bit of a letdown to consider less exalted possibilities。 I'd expect you to be a little bummed out。〃
He shook his head。 〃I'm not。 You know； I always had trouble accepting that it was God working through me； it seemed like such a crazy idea； but I lived with it just because there wasn't any better explanation。
There still isn 't a better explanation； I guess； but another possibility has occurred to me； and it's something so strange and wonderful in its way that I don't mind losing God from the team。〃
〃What other possibility？〃 〃I don't want to talk about it just yet；〃 he said as sunlight and tree shadows dappled the dusty windshield and played across his face。
〃I want to think it through； be sure it makes sense； before I lay it out for you； 'cause I know now you're a hard judge to convince。〃
He seemed happy。 Really happy。 Holly had liked him pretty much since she had first seen him； regardless of his moodiness。 She had perceived a hopefulness beneath his glower； a tenderness beneath his gruffness； a better man beneath the exterior of a lesser one； but in his current buoyant mood； she found him easier than ever to like。
She playfully pinched his cheek。
〃What？〃 he said。
〃You're cute。〃
As they drove out of Svenborg； it occurred to Holly that the distribution pattern of the houses and other buildings was more like a pioneer settlement than like a modern munity。 In most towns； buildings were concentrated more densely in the center； with larger lots and increasing open space toward the perimeter； until finally the last structures gave way to rural precincts。 But when they came to the city limits of Svenborg； the delineation between town and country was almost ruler…straight and unmistakable。 Houses stopped and brushland began； with only an intervening firebreak； and Holly could not help but think of pioneers in the Old West constructing their outposts with a wary eye toward the threats that might arise out of the lawless badlands all around them。
Inside its boundaries； the town seemed ominous and full of dark secrets。
Seen from the outside…and Holly turned to stare back at it as the road rose toward the brow of a gentle hill…it looked not threatening but threatened； as if its residents knew； in their bones； that something frightful in the golden land around them was waiting to claim them all。
Perhaps fire was all they feared。 Like much of California； the land was parched where human endeavor had not brought water to it。 Nestled between the Santa Ynez Mountains to the west and the San Rafael Mountains to the east； the valley was so broad and deep that it contained more geographical variety than some entire states back East Although at this time of year； untouched by rain since early spring； most of it was brown and crisp。 They traveled across rounded golden hills； brown meadows。 The better vantage points on their two…mile route revealed vistas of higher hills overgrown with chaparral； valleys within the valley where groves of California live oaks flourished； and small green vineyards encircled by vast seared fields。
〃It's beautiful；〃 Holly said； taking in the pale hills； shining…gold meadows； and oily chaparral。 Even the oaks； whose clusters indicated areas with a paratively high water table； were not lush but a half parched silvergreen。 〃Beautiful； but a tinderbox。 How would they cope with a fire out here？〃 Even as she posed that question； they came around a bend in the road and saw a stretch of blackened land to the right of the two…lane county road。 Brush and grass had been reduced to veins of gray…white ash in coalblack soot。 The fire had taken place within the past couple of days； for it was still recent enough to lend a burnt odor to the August air。
〃That one didn't get far；〃 he said。 〃Looks like ten acres burned at most。
They're quick around here； they jump at the first sign of smoke。
There's a good volunteer group in town； plus a Department of Forestry station in the valley； lookout posts。 If you live here； you don't forget the threat…you just realize after a while that it can be dealt with。〃
Jim sounded confident enough； and he had lived there for seven or eight years； so Holly tried to suppress her pyrophobia。 Nevertheless； even after they had passed the charred land and could no longer smell the scorched brush； Holly had an image in her mind of the huge valley at night； aflame from end to end； vortexes of red…orange…white fire whirling like tornadoes and consuming everything that lay between the ramparts of the two mountain ranges。
〃Ironheart Farm；〃 he said； startling her。
As Jim slowed the Ford； Holly looked to the left of the bl
