sk.theshining-第15节

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　　〃But　he　didn't　like　that　lady；〃　Danny　said　immediately。　〃He　was　just　pretending　to　like　her。〃　Jack　grinned　down　at　him。　〃I'm　sure　that's　true；　doc。　But　flattery　is　the　stuff　that　greases　the　wheels　of　the　world。〃
　　〃What's　flattery？〃
　　〃Flattery；〃　Wendy　told　him；　〃is　when　your　daddy　says　he　likes　my　new　yellow　slacks　even　if　he　doesn't　or　when　he　says　I　don't　need　to　take　off　five　pounds。〃
　　〃Oh。　Is　it　lying　for　fun？〃
　　〃Something　very　like　that。〃　He　had　been　looking　at　her　closely　and　now　said：　〃You're　pretty；　Mommy。〃　He　frowned　in　confusion　when　they　exchanged　a　glance　and　then　burst　into　laughter。
　　〃Ullman　didn't　waste　much　flattery　on　me；〃　Jack　said。　〃e　on　over　by　the　window；　you　guys。　I　feel　conspicuous　standing　out　here　in　the　middle　with　my　denim　jacket　on。　I　honest　to　God　didn't　think　there'd　be　anybody　much　here　on　closing　day。　Guess　I　was　wrong。〃
　　〃You　look　very　handsome；〃　she　said；　and　then　they　laughed　again；　Wendy　putting　a　hand　over　her　mouth。　Danny　still　didn't　understand；　but　it　was　okay。　They　were　loving　each　other。　Danny　thought　this　place　reminded　her　of　somewhere　else　（the　beak…man　place）　where　she　had　been　happy。　He　wished　he　liked　it　as　well　as　she　did；　but　he　kept　telling　himself　over　and　over　that　the　things　Tony　showed　him　didn't　always　e　true。　He　would　be　careful。　He　would　watch　for　something　called　Redrum。　But　he　would　not　say　anything　unless　he　absolutely　had　to。　Because　they　were　happy；　they　had　been　laughing；　and　there　were　no　bad　thoughts。
　　〃Look　at　this　view；〃　Jack　said。
　　〃Oh；　it's　gorgeousl　Danny；　Iookl〃　But　Danny　didn't　think　it　was　particularly　gorgeous。　He　didn't　like　heights；　they　made　him　dizzy。　Beyond　the　wide　front　porch；　which　ran　the　length　of　the　hotel；　a　beautifully　manicured　lawn　（there　was　a　putting　green　on　the　right）　sloped　away　to　a　long；　rectangular　swimming　pool。　A　CLOSED　sign　stood　on　a　little　tripod　at　one　end　of　the　pool；　closed　was　one　sign　he　could　read　by　himself；　along　with　Stop；　Exit；　Pizza；　and　a　few　others。
　　Beyond　the　pool　a　graveled　path　wound　off　through　baby　pines　and　spruces　and　aspens。　Here　was　a　small　sign　he　didn't　know：　ROQUE。　There　was　an　arrow　below　it。
　　〃What's　R…O…Q…U…E；　Daddy？〃
　　〃A　game；〃　Daddy　said。　〃It's　a　little　bit　like　croquet；　only　you　play　it　on　a　gravel　court　that　has　sides　like　a　big　billiard　table　instead　of　grass。　It's　a　very　old　game；　Danny。　Sometimes　they　have　tournaments　here。〃
　　〃Do　you　play　it　with　a　croquet　mallet？〃
　　〃Like　that；〃　Jack　agreed。　〃Only　the　handle's　a　little　shorter　and　the　head　has　two　sides。　One　side　is　hard　rubber　and　the　other　side　is　wood。〃　（e　out；　you　little　shit！）
　　〃It's　pronounced　roke；〃　Daddy　was　saying。　〃I'll　teach　you　how　to　play；　if　you　want。〃
　　〃Maybe；〃　Danny　said　in　an　odd　colorless　little　voice　that　made　his　parents　exchange　a　puzzled　look　over　his　head。　〃I　might　not　like　it；　though。〃
　　〃Well　if　you　don't　like　it；　doc；　you　don't　have　to　play。　All　right？〃
　　〃Sure。〃
　　〃Do　you　like　the　animals？〃　Wendy　asked。　〃That's　called　a　topiary。〃　Beyond　the　path　leading　to　roque　there　were　hedges　clipped　into　the　shapes　of　various　animals。　Danny；　whose　eyes　were　sharp；　made　out　a　rabbit；　a　dog；　a　horse；　a　cow；　and　a　trio　of　bigger　ones　that　looked　like　frolicking　lions。
　　〃Those　animals　were　what　made　Uncle　Al　think　of　me　for　the　job；〃　Jack　told　him。　〃He　knew　that　when　I　was　in　college　I　used　to　work　for　a　landscaping　pany。　That's　a　business　that　fixes　people's　lawns　and　bushes　and　hedges。　I　used　to　trim　a　lady's　topiary。〃　Wendy　put　a　hand　over　her　mouth　and　snickered。　Looking　at　her；　Jack　said；
　　〃Yes；　I　used　to　trim　her　topiary　at　least　once　a　week〃
　　〃Get　away；　fly；〃　Wendy　said；　and　snickered　again。
　　〃Did　she　have　nice　hedges；　Dad？〃　Danny　asked；　and　at　this　they　both　stifled　great　bursts　of　laughter。　Wendy　laughed　so　hard　that　tears　streamed　down　her　cheeks　and　she　had　to　get　a　Kleenex　out　of　her　handbag。
　　〃They　weren't　animals；　Danny；〃　Jack　said　when　he　had　control　of　himself。　〃They　were　playing　cards。　Spades　and　hearts　and　clubs　and　diamonds。　But　the　hedges　grow；　you　see…〃　（They　creep；　Watson　had　said　。　。　。　no；　not　the　hedges；　the　boiler。　You　have　to　watch　it　all　the　time　or　you　and　your　f　ambly　will　end　up　on　the　f　uckin　moon。）　They　looked　at　him；　puzzled。　The　smile　had　faded　off　his　face。
　　〃Dad？〃　Danny　asked。
　　He　blinked　at　them；　as　if　ing　back　from　far　away。　〃They　grow；　Danny；　and　lose　their　shape。　So　I'll　have　to　give　them　a　haircut　once　or　twice　a　week　until　it　gets　so　cold　they　stop　growing　for　the　year。〃
　　〃And　a　playground；　too；〃　Wendy　said。　〃My　lucky　boy。〃　The　playground　was　beyond　the　topiary。　Two　slides；　a　big　swing　set　with　half　a　dozen　swings　set　at　varying　heights；　a　jungle　gym；　a　tunnel　made　of　cement　rings；　a　sandbox；　and　a　playhouse　that　was　an　exact　replica　of　the　Overlook　itself。
　　〃Do　you　like　it；　Danny？〃　Wendy　asked。
　　〃I　sure　do；〃　he　said；　hoping　he　sounded　more　enthused　than　he　felt。　〃It's　neat。〃　Beyond　the　playground　there　was　an　inconspicuous　chain　link　security　fence；　beyond　that　the　wide；　macadamized　drive　that　led　up　to　the　hotel；　and　beyond　that　the　valley　itself；　dropping　away　into　the　bright　blue　haze　of　afternoon。
　　Danny　didn't　know　the　word　isolation；　but　if　someone　had　explained　it　to　him　he　would　have　seized　on　it。　Far　below；　lying　in　the　sun　like　a　long　black　snake　that　had　decided　to　snooze　for　a　while；　was　the　road　that　led　back　through　Sidewinder　Pass　and　eventually　to　Boulder。　The　road　that　would　be　closed　all　winter　long。　He　felt　a　little　suffocated　at　the　thought；　and　almost　jumped　when　Daddy　dropped　his　hand　on　his　shoulder。
　　〃I'll　get　you　that　drink　as　soon　as　I　can；　doc。　They're　a　little　busy　right　now。〃
　　〃Sure；　Dad。〃　Mrs。　Brant　came　out　of　the　inner　office　looking　vindicated。　A　few　moments　later　two　bellboys；　struggling　with　eight　suitcases　between　them；　followed　her　as　best　they　could　as　she　strode　triumphantly　out　the　door。　Danny　watched　through　the　window　as　a　man　in　a　gray　uniform　and　a　hat　like　a　captain　in　the　Army　brought　her　long　silver　car　around　to　the　door　and　got　out。　He　tipped　his　cap　to　her　and　ran　around　to　open　the　trunk。
　　And　in　one　of　those　flashes　that　sometimes　came；　he　got　a　plete　thought　from　her；　one　that　floated　above　the　confused；　low…pitched　babble　of　emotions　and　colors　that　he　usually　got　in　crowded　places。
　　（i'　d　like　to　get　into　his　pants）　Danny's　brow　wrinkled　as　he　watched　the　bellboys　put　her　cases　into　the　trunk。
　　She　was　looking　rather　sharply　at　the　man　in　the　gray　uniform；　who　was　supervising　the　loading。　Why　would　she　want　to　get　that　man's　pants？　Was　she　cold；　even　with　that　long　fur　coat　on？　And　if　she　was　that　cold；　why　hadn't　she　just　put　on　some　pants　of　her　own？　His　mommy　wore　pants　just　about　all　winter。
　　The　man　in　the　gray　uniform　closed　the　trunk　and　walked　back　to　help　her　into　the　car。　Danny　watched　closely　to　see　if　she　would　say　anything　about　his　pants；　but　she　only　smiled　and　gave　him　a　dollar　bill…a　tip。　A　moment　later　she　was　guiding　the　big　silver　car　down　the　driveway。
　　He　thought　about　asking　his　mother　why　Mrs。　Brant　might　want　the　car…man's　pants；　and　decided　against　it。　Sometimes　questions　could　get　you　in　a　whole　lot　of　trouble。　It　had　happened　to　him　before。
　　So　instead　he　squeezed　in　between　them　on　the　small　sofa　they　were　sharing　and　watched　all　the　people　check　out　at　the　desk。　He　was　glad　his　mommy　and　daddy　were　happy　and　loving　each　other；　but　he　couldn't　help　being　a　little　worried。
　　He　couldn't　help　it。
　　　
　　　》
　　HALLORANN
　　
　　The　cook　didn't　conform　to　Wendy's　image　of　the　typical　resort　hotel　kitchen　personage　at　all。　To　begin　with；　such　a　personage　was　called　a　chef；　nothing　so　mundane　as　a　cook…cooking　was　what　she　did　in　her　apartment　kitchen　when　she　threw　all　the　leftovers　into　a　greased　Pyrex　casserole　dish　and　added　noodles。
　　Further；　the　culinary　wizard　of　such　a　place　as　the　Overlook；　which　advertised　in　the　resort　section　of　the　New　York　Sunday　Times；　should　be　small；　rotund；　and　pasty…faced　（rather　like　the　Pillsbury　Dough…Boy）；　he　should　have　a　thin　pencil…　line　mustache　like　a　forties　musical　edy　star；　dark　eyes；　a　French　accent；　and　a　detestable　personality。
　　Hallorann　had　the　dark　eyes　and　that　was　all。　He　was　a　tall　black　man　with　a　modest　afro　that　was　beginning　to　powder　white。　He　had　a　soft　southern　accent　and　he　laughed　a　lot；　disclosing　teeth　too　white　and　too　even　to　be　anything　but　1950…vintage　Sears　and　Roebuck　dentures。　Her　own　father　had　had　a　pair；　which　he　called　Roebuckers；　and　from　time　to　time　he　would　push　them　out　at　her　ically　at　the　supper　table　。　。　。　always；　Wendy　remembered　now；　when　her　mother　was　out　in　the　kitchen　getting　something　else　or　on　the　telephone。
　　Danny　had　stared　up　at　this　black　giant　in　blue　serge；　and　then　had　smiled　when　Hallorann　picked　him　up　easily；　set　him　in　the　crook　of　his　elbow；　and　said：　〃You　ain't　gonna　stay　up　here　all　winter。〃
　　〃Yes　I　am；〃　Danny　said　with　a　shy　grin。
　　〃No；　you're　gonna　e　down　to　St。　Pete's　with　me　and　learn　to　cook　and　go　out　on　the　beach　every　damn　evenin　watchin　for　crabs。　Right？〃　Danny　giggled　delightedly　and　shook　his　head　no。　Hallorann　set　him　dow