sk.carrie-第31节

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'Holy　God；'　he　panted。　'Did　you　see　that？'
'What's　been　happening？'　Doyle　asked　curtly。
'I　been　monitorin'　the　radio；'　Quillan　said；　'Motton　and　Westover　wanted　to　know　if　they　should　send　ambulances　and　I　said　bell　yes；　send　everything。　Hearses　too。　Did　I　do　right？'
'Yes。'　Doyle　ran　his　hands　through　his　hair。　'Have　you　seen　Harry　Block？'　Block　was　the　town's　missioner　of　Public　Utilities；　and　that　included　water。
　
'Nope。　But　Chief　Deighan　says　they　got　water　in　the　old　Rennet　Block　across　town。　They're　laying　hose　now。　I　collared　some　kids；　and　they're　settin'　up　a　hospital　in　the　police　station。　They're　good　boys；　but　they're　gonna　get　blood　on　your　floor；　Otis。'
Otis　Doyle　felt　unreality　surge　over　him。　Surely　this　conversation　couldn't　be　happening　in　Chamberlain。　Couldn't。
'That's　all　right；　Tommy。　You　did　right。　You　go　back　there　and　start　calling　every　doctor　in　the　phone　book。　I'm　going　over　to　Summer　Street。'
'Okay；　Otis。　If　you　see　that　crazy　broad；　be　careful。'
'Who？'　Doyle　was　not　a　barking　man；　but　now　he　did。
Tom　Quillan　flinched　back。　'Carrie；　Carrie　White。'
'Who？　How　do　you　know？'
Quillan　blinked　slowly。　'I　dunno。　It　just　sort　of　。。。　came　to　me。'
From　the　national　AP　ticker；　11：46　Pm：
CHAMBERLAIN；　MAINE　（AP）
A　DISASTER　OF　MAJOR　PROPORTIONS　HAS　STRUCK　THE　TOWN　OF　CHAMBERLAIN；　MAINE　TONIGHT。　A　FIRE；　BELIEVED　TO　HAVE　BEGUN　AT　EWEN　（U…WIN）　HIGH　SCHOOL　DURING　A　SCHOOL　DANCE；　HAS　SPREAD　TO　THE　DOWNTOWN　AREA；　RESULTING　IN　MULTIPLE　EXPLOSIONS　THAT　HAVE　LEVELLED　MUCH　OF　THE　DOWNTOWN　AREA。　A　RESIDENTIAL　AREA　TO　THE　WEST　OF　THE　DOWNTOWN　AREA　IS　ALSO　REPORTED　TO　BE　BURNING。　HOWEVER；　MOST　CONCERN　AT　THIS　TIME　IS　OVER　THE　HIGH　SCHOOL　WHERE　A　JUNIOR…SENIOR　PROM　WAS　BEING　HELD。　IT　IS　BELIEVED　THAT　MANY　OF　THE　PROM…GOERS　WERE　TRAPPED　INSIDE。　AN　ANDOVER　FIRE　OFFICIAL　SUMMONED　TO　THE　SCENE　SAID　THE　KNOWN　TOTAL　OF　DEAD　STOOD　AT　SIXTY…SEVEN。　MOST　OF　THEM　HIGH　SCHOOL　STUDENTS。　ASKED　HOW　HIGH　THE　TOTAL　MIGHT　GO　HE　SAID：　'WE　DON'T　KNOW。　WE'RE　AFRAID　TO　GUESS。　THIS　IS　GOING　TO　BE　WORSE　THAN　THE　COCONUT　GROVE。'　AT　LAST　REPORT　THREE　FIRES　WERE　RAGING　OUT　OF　CONTROL　IN　THE　TOWN。　REPORTS　OF　POSSIBLE　ARSON　ARE　UNCONFIRMED。　ENDS。
11：56　PM　MAY　27　8943F　AP
There　were　no　more　AP　reports　from　Chamberlain。　At　12：06　AM。；　a　Jackson　Avenue　gas　main　was　opened。　At　12：17；　an　ambulance　attendant　from　Motton　tossed　out　a　cigarette　butt　as　the　rescue　vehicle　sped　toward　Summer　Street。
The　explosion　destroyed　nearly　half　a　block　at　a　stroke；　including　the　offices　of　The　Chamberlain　Clarion。　By　12：18　A。M。。　Chamberlain　was　cut　off　from　the　country　that　slept　in　reason　beyond。
At　12：10；　still　seven　minutes　before　the　gas…main　explosion；　the　telephone　exchange　experienced　a　softer　explosion：　a　plete　jam　of　every　town　phone　line　still　in　operation。　The　three　harried　girls　on　duty　stayed　at　their　posts　but　were　utterly　unable　to　cope。　They　worked　with　expressions　of　wooden　horror　on　their　faces；　trying　to　place　unplaceable　calls。
And　so　Chamberlain　drifted　into　the　streets。
They　came　like　an　invasion　from　the　graveyard　that　lay　in　the　elbow　creek　formed　by　the　intersection　of　The　Bellsqueeze　Road　and　Route　6；　they　came　in　white　nightgowns　and　in　robes；　as　if　in　winding　shrouds。　They　came　in　pyjamas　and　curlers　（Mrs　Dawson；　she　of　the　now…deceased　son　who　had　been　a　very　funny　fellow；　came　in　a　mudpack　as　if　dressed　for　a　minstrel　show）；　they　came　to　see　what　happened　to　their　town；　to　see　if　it　was　indeed　lying　burnt　and　bleeding。　Many　of　them　also　came　to　die。
Carlin　Street　was　thronged　with　them；　a　riptide　of　them；　moving　downtown　through　the　hectic　light　in　the　sky；　when　Carrie　came　out　of　the　Carlin　Street　Congregational　Church；　where　she　had　been　praying。
She　had　gone　in　only　five　minutes　before；　after　opening　the　gas　main　（it　had　been　easy；　as　soon　as　she　pictured　it　lying　there　under　the　street　it　had　been　easy）；　but　it　seemed　like　hours。　She　had　prayed　long　and　deeply；　sometimes　aloud；　sometimes　silently。　Her　heart　thudded　and　laboured。　The　veins　on　her　face　and　neck　bulged。　Her　mind　was　filled　with　the　huge　knowledge　of　POWERS；　and　of　an　ABYSS。　She　prayed　in　front　of　the　altar；　kneeling　in　her　wet　and　torn　and　bloody　gown；　her　feet　bare　and　dirty　and　bleeding　from　a　broken　bottle　she　had　stepped　on。　Her　breath　sobbed　in　and　out　of　her　throat；　and　the　church　was　filled　with　groanings　and　swayings　and　sunderings　as　psychic　energy　sprang　from　her。　Pews　fell；　hymnals　flew；　and　a　silver　munion　set　cruised　silently　across　the　vaulted　darkness　of　the　nave　to　crash　into　the　far　wall。　She　prayed　and　there　was　no　answering。　No　one　was　there　…　or　if　there　was；　He/It　was　cowering　from　her。　God　had　turned　His　face　away；　and　why　not？　This　horror　was　as　much　His　doing　as　hers。　And　so　she　left　the　church；　left　it　to　go　home　and　find　her　momma　and　make　destruction　plete。
She　paused　on　the　lower　step；　looking　at　the　flocks　of　people　streaming　toward　the　centre　of　town。　Animals。　Let　them　burn；　then。　Let　the　streets　be　filled　with　the　smell　of　their　sacrifice。　Let　this　place　be　called　racca；　ichabod；　wormwood。
Flex
And　power　transformers　atop　lightpoles　bloomed　into　nacreous　purple　light；　spitting　catherine…wheel　sparks。　High…tension　wires　fell　into　the　streets　in　pick…up…sticks　tangles　and　some　of　them　ran；　and　that　was　bad　for　them　because　now　the　whole　street　was　littered　with　wires　and　the　stink　began；　the　burning　began。　People　began　to　scream　and　back　away　and　touched　the　cables　and　went　into　jerky　electrical　dances。　Some　had　already　slumped　into　the　street；　their　robes　and　pyjamas　smouldering。
Carrie　turned　back　and　looked　fixedly　at　the　church　she　had　just　left。　The　heavy　door　suddenly　swung　shut；　as　if　in　a　hurricane　wind。
Carrie　turned　towards　home。
From　the　sworn　testimony　of　Mrs　Cora　Simard；　taken　before　The　State　Investigatory　Board　（from　The　White　mission　Report）。　pp。　217…218：
Q。　Mrs　Simard；　the　Board；　understands　that　you　lost　your　daughter　on　Prom　Night；　and　we　sympathise　with　you　deeply。　We　will　make　this　as　brief　as　possible。
A。　Thank　you。　I　want　to　help　if　I　can；　of　course。
Q。　Were　you　on　Carlin　Street　at　approximately　12。12　when　Carietta　White　came　out　of　the　First　Congregational　Church　on　that　street？
A。　Yes。
Q。　Why　were　you　there？
A。　My　husband　had　to　be　in　Boston　over　the　weekend　on　business　and　Rhonda　was　at　the　Spring　Ball。　I　was　home　alone　watching　TV　and　waiting　up　for　her。　I　was　watching　the　Friday　Night　Movie　when　the　town　hall　whistle　went　off；　but　I　didn't　connect　that　with　the　dance。　But　then　the　explosion　。。。　I　didn't　know　what　to　do。　I　tried　to　call　the　police　but　got　a　busy　signal　after　the　first　three　numbers。　I　。。。　I。。。Then　。。。
Q。　Take　your　time；　Mrs　Simard。　All　the　time　you　need。
A。　I　was　getting　frantic。　There　was　a　second　explosion　…　Teddy's　Amoco　station；　I　know　now　…　And　I　decided　to　go　downtown　and　see　what　was　happening。　There　was　a　glow　in　the　sky；　an　awful　glow。　That　was　when　Mrs　Shyres　pounded　on　the　door。
Q。　Mrs　Georgette　Shyres？
A。　Yes；　they　live　around　the　corner。　217　Willow。　That's　just　of　Carlin　Street。　She。　was　pounding　and　calling：　'Cora；　are　you　in　there？　Are　you　in　there？'　I　went　to　the　door。　She　was　in　her　bath…robe　and　slippers。　Her　feet　looked　cold。　She　said　they　had　called　Auburn　to　see　if　they　knew　anything　and　they　told　her　the　school　was　on　fire。　I　said：　'Oh　dear　God；　Rhonda's　at　the　dance。'
Q。　Is　this　when　you　decided　to　go　downtown　with　Mrs　Shyres？
A。　We　didn't　decide　anything。　We　just　went。　I　put　on　a　pair　of　slippers　…　Rhonda's；　I　think。　They　had　little　white　puffballs　on　them。　I　should　have　worn　my　shoes；　but　I　wasn't　thinking。　I　guess　I'm　not　thinking　now。　What　do　you　want　to　hear　about　my　shoes　for？
Q。　You　tell　it　in　your　own　way；　Mrs　Simard。
A。　T…Thank　you。　I　gave　Mrs　Shyres　some　old　jacket　that　was　around；　and　we　went。
Q。　Were　there　many　people　walking　down　Carlin　street？
A。　I　don't　know。　I　was　too　upset。　Maybe　thirty。　Maybe　more。
Q。　What　happened？
A。　Georgette　and　I　were　walking　toward　Main　Street；　holding　hands　just　like　two　little　girls　walking　across　a　meadow　after　dark。　Georgette's　teeth　were　clicking。　I　remember　that。　I　wanted　to　ask　her　to　stop　clicking　her　teeth；　but　I　thought　it　would　be　impolite。　A　block　and　a　half　from　the　Congo　Church；　I　saw　the　door　open　and　I　thought：　Someone　has　gone　in　to　ask　God's　help。　But　a　second　later　I　knew　that　wasn't　true。
Q。　How　did　you　know？　It　would　be　logical　to　assume　just　what　you　first　assumed；　wouldn't　it？
A。　I　just　knew。
Q。　Did　you　know　the　person　who　came　out　of　the　church？
A。　Yes。　It　was　Carrie　White。
Q。　Had　you　ever　seen　Carrie　White　before？
A。　No。　She　was　not　one　of　my　daughter's　friends。
Q。　Had　you　ever　seen　a　picture　of　Carrie　White？
A。　No。
Q。　And　in　any　case；　it　was　dark　and　you　were　a　block　and　a　half　from　the　church。
A。　Yes；　sir。
Q。　Mrs　Simard；　how　did　you　know　it　was　Carrie　White？
A。　I　just　knew。
Q。　This　knowing；　Mrs　Simard：　was　it　like　a　light　going　on　in　your　head？
A。　No；　sir。
Q。　What　way　it
A。　I　can't　tell　you。　It　faded　away　the　way　a　dream　does。　An　hour　after　you　get　up　you　can　only　remember　you　had　a　dream。　But　I　knew。
Q。　Was　there　an　emotional　feeling　that　went　with　this　knowledge？
A。　Yes。　Horror。
Q。　What　did　you　do　then？
A。　I　turned　to　Georgette　and　said：　'There　she　is。　Georgette