dk.nightchills-第3节

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s；　white　frame　and　brick　saltboxes。　Paul　supposed　he　responded　to　it　so　positively　because　he　had　no　bad　memories　to　associate　with　it；　only　good　ones；　and　that　could　not　be　said　of　many　places　in　a　man's　life。
　〃There's　Edison's　store！　There's　Edison's！〃　Mark　Annendale　leaned　over　from　the　back　seat；　pointing　through　the　windshield。
　Smiling；　Paul　said；　〃Thank　you；　Coonskin　Pete；　scout　of　the　north。〃
　Rya　was　as　excited　as　her　brother；　for　Sam　Edison　was　like　a　grandfather　to　them。　But　she　was　more　dignified　than　Mark。
　At　eleven　she　yearned　for　the　womanhood　that　was　still　years　ahead　of　her。　She　sat　up　straight　in　her　safety　harness　beside　Paul　on　the　front　seat。　She　said；　〃Mark；　sometimes　I　think　you're　five　years　old　instead　of　nine。〃
　〃Oh；　yeah？　Well；　sometimes　I　think　you're　sixty　instead　of　eleven！〃
　〃Touché；〃　Paul　said。
　Mark　grinned。　Usually；　he　was　no　match　for　his　sister。　This　sort　of　quick　response　was　not　his　style。
　Paul　glanced　sideways　at　Rya　and　saw　that　she　was　blushing。　He　winked　to　let　her　know　that　he　wasn't　laughing　at　her。
　Smiling；　sure　of　herself　again；　she　settled　back　in　her　seat。　She　could　have　topped　Mark's　line　with　a　better　one　and　left　him　mumbling。　But　she　was　capable　of　generosity；　not　a　particularly　mon　quality　in　children　her　age。
　The　instant　the　station　wagon　stopped　at　the　curb；　Mark　was　out　on　the　pavement　He　bounded　up　the　three　concrete　steps；　raced　across　the　wide　roofed　veranda；　and　disappeared　into　the　store。　The　screen　door　slammed　shut　behind　him　just　as　Paul　switched　off　the；　engine。
　Rya　was　determined　not　to　make　a　spectacle　of　herself；　as　Mark　had　done。　She　took　her　time　getting　out　of　the　car；　stretched　and　yawned；　smoothed　the　knees　of　her　jeans；　straightened　the　collar　of　her　dark　blue　blouse；　patted　her　long　brown　hair；　closed　the　car　door；　and　went　up　the　steps。　By　the　time　she　reached　the　porch；　however；　she　too　had　begun　to　run。
　Edison's　General　Store　was　an　entire　shopping　center　in　three　thousand　square　feet。　There　was　one　room；　a　hundred　feet　long　and　thirty　feet　wide；　with　an　ancient　pegged　pine　floor。　The　east　end　of　the　store　was　a　grocery。　The　west　end　held　dry　goods　and　sundries　as　well　as　a　gleaming；　modem　drug　counter。
　As　his　father　had　been　before　him；　Sam　Edison　was　the　town's　only　licensed　pharmacist。
　In　the　center　of　the　room；　three　tables　and　twelve　oak　chairs　were　grouped　in　front　of　a　wood…burning　country　stove。　Ordinarily；　you　could　find　elderly　men　playing　cards　at　one　of
　those　tables；　but　at　the　moment　the　chairs　were　empty。　Edison's　store　was　not　just　a　grocery　and　pharmacy；　it　was　also　Black　River's　munity　center。
　Paul　opened　the　heavy　lid　on　the　soda　cooler　and　plucked　a　bottle　of　Pepsi　from　the　icy　water。　He　sat　down　at　one　of　the　tables。
　Rya　and　Mark　were　standing　at　an　old…fashioned　glass…fronted　candy　counter；　giggling　at　one　of　Sam's　jokes。　He　gave　them　sweets　and　sent　them　to　the　paperback　and　ic　book　racks　to　choose　presents　for　themselves；　then　he　came　over　and　sat　with　his　back　to　the　cold　stove。
　They　shook　hands　across　the　table。
　At　a　glance；　Paul　thought；　Sam　looked　hard　and　mean。　He　was　very　solidly　built；　five　eight；　one　hundred　sixty　pounds；　broad　in　the　chest　and　shoulders。　His　short…sleeved　shirt　revealed　powerful　forearms　and　biceps。　His　face　was　tanned　and　creased；　and　his　eyes　were　like　chips　of　gray　slate。　Even　with　his　thick　white　hair　and　beard；　he　looked　more　dangerous　than　grandfatherly；　and　he　could　have　passed　as　a　decade　younger　than　his　fifty…five　years。
　But　that　forbidding　exterior　was　misleading。　He　was　a　warm　and　gentle　man；　a　push…over　for　children。　Most　likely；　he　gave　away　more　candy　than　he　sold。　Paul　had　never　seen　him　angry；　had　never　heard　him　raise　his　voice。
　〃When　did　you　get　in　town？〃
　〃This　is　our　first　stop。〃
　〃You　didn't　say　in　your　letter　how　long　you'd　be　staying　this　year。　Four　weeks？〃
　〃Six；　I　think。〃
　〃Wonderful！〃　His　gray　eyes　glittered　merrily；　but　in　that　very　craggy　face；　the　expression　might　have　appeared　to　be　malice　to　anyone　who　didn't　know　him　well。　〃You're　staying　the　night　with　us；　as　planned？　You　aren't　going　up　into　the　mountains　today？〃
　Paul　shook　his　head：　no。　〃Tomorrow　will　be　soon　enough。　We've　been　on　the　road　since　nine　this　morning。　I　don't　have　strength　to　pitch　camp　this　afternoon。〃
　〃You're　looking　good；　though。〃
　〃I'm　feeling　good　now　that　I'm　in　Black　River。〃
　〃Needed　this　vacation；　did　you？〃
　〃God；　yes。〃　Paul　drank　some　of　the　Pepsi。　〃I'm　sick　to　death　of　hypertense　poodles　and　Siamese　cats　with　ringworms。〃
　Sam　smiled。　〃I've　told　you　a　hundred　times。　Haven't　I？　You　can't　expect　to　be　an　honest　veterinarian　when　you　set　up　shop　in　the　suburbs　of　Boston。　Down　there　you're　a　nursemaid　for　neurotic　house　pets…and　their　neurotic　owners。　Get　out　into　the　country；　Paul。〃
　〃You　mean　I　ought　to　involve　myself　with　cows　calving　and　mares　foaling？〃
　〃Exactly。〃
　Paul　sighed。　〃Maybe　I　will　one　day。〃
　〃You　should　get　those　kids　out　of　the　suburbs；　out　where　the　air　is　clean　and　the　water　drinkable。〃
　〃Maybe　I　will。〃　He　looked　toward　the　rear　of　the　store；　toward　a　curtained　doorway。　〃Is　Jenny　here？〃
　〃I　spent　all　morning　filling　prescriptions；　and　now　she's　out　delivering　them。　I　think　I've　sold　more　drugs　in　the　past　four　days　than　I　usually　sell　in　four　weeks。〃
　〃Epidemic？〃
　〃Yeah。　Flu；　grippe；　whatever　you　want　to　call　it。〃
　〃What　does　Doe　Troutman　call　it？〃
　Sam　shrugged。　〃He's　not　really　sure。　Some　new　breed　of　flu；　he　thinks。〃
　〃W/hat's　he　prescribing？〃
　〃A　general　purpose　antibiotic。　Tetracycline。〃
　〃That's　not　particularly　strong。〃
　〃Yes；　but　this　flu　isn't　all　that　devastating。〃
　〃Is　the　tetracycline　helping？〃
　〃It's　too　soon　to　tell。〃
　Paul　glanced　at　Rya　and　Mark。
　〃They're　safer　here　than　anywhere　else　in　town；〃　Sam　said。　〃Jenny　and　I　are　about　the　only　people　in　Black　River　who　haven't　e　down　with　it。〃
　〃If　I　get　up　there　in　the　mountains　and　find　I've　got　two　sick　kids　on　my　hands；　what　should　I　expect？　Nausea？　Fever？〃
　〃None　of　that。　Just　night　chills。〃
　Paul　tilted　his　head　quizzically。
　〃Damned　scary；　as　I　understand　it。〃　Sam's　eyebrows　drew　together　in　one　bushy　white　bar。　〃You　wake　up　in　the　middle　of　the　night；　as　if　you've　just　had　a　terrible　dream。　You　shake　so　hard　you　can't　hold　on　to　anything。　You　can　barely　walk。　Your　heart　is　racing。　You're　pouring　sweat…and　I　mean　sweating　pints…like　you've　got　awfully　high　blood　pressure。　It　lasts　as　much　as　an　hour；　then　it　goes　away　as　if　it　never　was。　Leaves　you　weak　most　of　the　next　day。〃
　Frowning；　Paul　said；　〃Doesn't　sound　like　flu。〃
　〃Doesn't　sound　like　much　of　anything。　But　it　scares　hell　out　of　people。　Some　of　them　got　sick　Tuesday　night；　and　most　of　the　others　joined　in　on　Wednesday。　Every　night　they　wake　up　shaking；　and　every　day　they're　weak；　a　bit　tired。　Damned　few　people　around　here　have　had　a　good　night's　sleep　this　week。〃
　〃Has　Doe　Troutman　gotten　a　second　opinion　on　any　of　these　cases？〃
　〃Nearest　other　doctor　is　sixty　miles　away；〃　Sam　said。　〃He　did　call　the　State　Health　Authority　yesterday　afternoon；　asked　for　one　of　their　field　men　to　e　up　and　have　a　look。　But　they　can't　send　anyone　until　Monday。　I　guess　they　can't　get　very　excited　about　an　epidemic　of　night　chills。〃
　〃The　chills　could　be　the　tip　of　an　iceberg。〃
　〃Could　be。　But　you　know　bureaucrats。〃　When　he　saw　Paul　glance　at　Rya　and　Mark　again；　Sam　said；　〃Look；　don't　worry　about　it。　We'll　keep　the　kids　away　from　everyone　who's　sick。〃
　〃I　was　supposed　to　take　Jenny　up　the　street　to　Ultman's　Cafe。　We　were　going　to　have　a　nice　quiet　dinner　together。〃
　〃If　you　catch　the　flu　from　a　waitress　or　another　customer；　you'll　pass　it　on　to　the　kids。　Skip　the　cafe。　Have　dinner　here。　You　know　I'm　the　best　cook　in　Black　River。〃
　Paul　hesitated。
　Laughing　softly；　stroking　his　beard　with　one　hand；　Sam　said；　〃We'll　have　an　early　dinner。　Six　o'clock。　That'll　give　you　and　Jenny　plenty　of　time　together。　You　can　go　for　a　ride　later。　Or
　I'll　keep　myself　and　the　kids　out　of　the　den　if　you'd　rather　just　stay　home。〃
　Paul　smiled。　〃What's　on　the　menu？〃
　〃Manicotti。〃
　〃Who　needs　Ultman's　Cafe？〃
　Sam　nodded　agreement。　〃Only　the　Ultmans。〃
　Rya　and　Mark　hurried　over　to　get　Sam's　approval　of　the　gifts　they　had　chosen　for　themselves。　Mark　had　two　dollars'　worth　of　ic　books；　and　Rya　had　two　paperbacks。　Each　of　them　had　small　bags　of　candy。
　Rya's　blue　eyes　seemed　especially　bright　to　Paul；　as　if　there　were　lights　behind　them。　She　grinned　and　said；　〃Daddy；　this　is　going　to　be　the　best　vacation　we've　ever　had！〃
　2
　Thirty…one　Months　Earlier：
　Friday；　January　10；　1975
　OGDEN　SALSBURY　ARRIVED　ten　minutes　early　for　his　three　o'clock　appointment。　That　was　characteristic　of　him。
　H。　Leonard　Dawson；　president　and　principal　stockholder　of　Futurex　International；　did　not　at　once　wele　Salsbury　into　his　office。　In　fact　Dawson　kept　him　waiting　until　three　fifteen。　That　was　characteristic　of　him。　He　never　allowed　his　associates　to　forget　that　his　time　was　inestimably　more　valuable　than　theirs。
　When　Dawson's　secretary　finally　ushered　Salsbury　into　the　great　man's　chambers；　it　was　as　if　she　were　showing　him　to　the　altar　in　a　hushed　cathedral。　Her　attitud