sk.theshining-第31节

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　　〃Why　do　you　suppose　Tony　would　do　that；　Danny？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。〃　Danny　brightened。　〃But　my　daddy　and　mommy　are　teaching　me　to　read；　and　I'm　trying　real　hard。〃
　　〃So　you　can　read　Tony's　signs。〃
　　〃Well；　I　really　want　to　learn。　But　that　too；　yeah。〃
　　〃Do　you　like　Tony；　Danny？〃　Danny　looked　at　the　tile　floor　and　said　nothing。
　　〃Danny？〃
　　〃It's　hard　to　tell；〃　Danny　said。　〃I　used　to。　I　used　to　hope　he'd　e　every　day；　because　he　always　showed　me　good　things；　especially　since　Mommy　and　Daddy　don't　think　about　DIVORCE　anymore。〃　Dr。　Edmonds's　gaze　sharpened；　but　Danny　didn't　notice。　He　was　looking　hard　at　the　floor；　concentrating　on　expressing　himself。　〃But　now　whenever　he　es　he　shows　me　bad　things。　Awful　things。　Like　in　the　bathroom　last　night。　The　things　he　shows　me；　they　sting　me　like　those　wasps　stung　me。　Only　Tony's　things　sting　me　up　here。〃　He　cocked　a　finger　gravely　at　his　temple；　a　small　boy　unconsciously　burlesquing　suicide。
　　〃What　things；　Danny？〃
　　〃I　can't　remember！〃　Danny　cried　out；　agonized。　〃I'd　tell　you　if　I　could！　It's　like　I　can't　remember　because　it's　so　bad　I　don't　want　to　remember。　All　I　can　remember　when　I　wake　up　is　REDRUM。〃
　　〃Red　drum　or　red　rum？〃
　　〃Rum。；'
　　〃What's　that；　Danny？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。〃
　　〃Danny？〃
　　〃Yes；　sir？〃
　　〃Can　you　make　Tony　e　now？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。　He　doesn't　always　e。　I　don't　even　know　if　I　want　him　to　e　anymore。〃
　　〃Try；　Danny。　I'll　be　right　here。〃　Danny　looked　at　Edmonds　doubtfully。　Edmonds　nodded　encouragement。
　　Danny　let　out　a　long；　sighing　breath　and　nodded。　〃But　I　don't　know　if　it　will　work。　I　never　did　it　with　anyone　looking　at　me　before。　And　Tony　doesn't　always　e；　anyway。〃
　　〃If　he　doesn't；　he　doesn't；〃　Edmonds　said。　〃I　just　want　you　to　try。〃
　　〃Okay。〃　He　dropped　his　gaze　to　Edmonds's　slowly　swinging　loafers　and　cast　his　mind　outward　toward　his　mommy　and　daddy。　They　were　here　someplace　。　。　。　right　beyond　that　wall　with　the　picture　on　it；　as　a　matter　of　fact。　In　the　waiting　room　where　they　had　e　in。　Sitting　side　by　side　but　not　talking。　Leafing　through　magazines。　Worried。　About　him。
　　He　concentrated　harder；　his　brow　furrowing；　trying　to　get　Into　the　feeling　of　his　mommy's　thoughts。　It　was　always　harder　when　they　weren't　right　there　in　the　room　with　him。　Then　he　began　to　get　it。　Mommy　was　thinking　about　a　sister。　Her　sister。　The　sister　was　dead。　His　mommy　was　thinking　that　was　the　main　thing　that　turned　her　mommy　into　such　a　（hitch？）　into　such　an　old　biddy。　Because　her　sister　had　died。　As　a　little　girl　she　was　（hit　by　a　car　oh　god　i　could　never　stand　anything　like　that　again　like　aileen　but　what　if　he's　sick　really　sick　cancer　spinal　meningitis　leukemia　brain　tumor　like　john　gunther's　son　or　muscular　dystrophy　oh　jeez　kids　his　age　get　leukemia　all　the　time　radium　treatments　chemotherapy　we　couldn't　afford　anything　like　that　but　of　course　they　just　can't　turn　you　out　to　die　on　the　street　can　they　and　anyway　he's　all　right　all　right　all　right　you　really　shouldn't　let　yourself　think）　（Danny…）　（about　aileen　and）　（Dannee…）　（that　car）　（Dannee…）　But　Tony　wasn't　there。　Only　his　voice。　And　as　it　faded；　Danny　followed　it　down　into　darkness；　falling　and　tumbling　down　some　magic　hole　between　Dr。　Bill's　swinging　loafers；　past　a　loud　knocking　sound；　further；　a　bathtub　cruised　silently　by　in　the　darkness　with　some　horrible　thing　lolling　in　it；　past　a　sound　like　sweetly　chiming　church　bells；　past　a　clock　under　a　dome　of　glass。
　　Then　the　dark　was　pierced　feebly　by　a　single　light；　festooned　with　cobwebs。
　　The　weak　glow　disclosed　a　stone　floor　that　looked　damp　and　unpleasant。　Somewhere　not　far　distant　was　a　steady　mechanical　roaring　sound；　but　muted；　not　frightening。　Soporific。　It　was　the　thing　that　would　be　forgotten；　Danny　thought　with　dreamy　surprise。
　　As　his　eyes　adjusted　to　the　gloom　he　could　see　Tony　just　ahead　of　him；　a　silhouette。　Tony　was　looking　at　something　and　Danny　strained　his　eyes　to　see　what　it　was。
　　（Your　daddy。　See　your　daddy？）　Of　course　he　did。　How　could　he　have　missed　him；　even　in　the　basement　light's　feeble　glow？　Daddy　was　kneeling　on　the　floor；　casting　the　beam　of　a　flashlight　over　old　cardboard　boxes　and　wooden　crates。　The　cardboard　boxes　were　mushy　and　old；　some　of　them　had　split　open　and　spilled　drifts　of　paper　onto　the　floor。
　　Newspapers；　books；　printed　pieces　of　paper　that　looked　like　bills。　His　daddy　was　examining　them　with　great　interest。　And　then　Daddy　looked　up　and　shone　his　flashlight　in　another　direction。　Its　beam　of　light　impaled　another　book；　a　large　white　one　bound　with　gold　string。　The　cover　looked　like　white　leather。　It　was　a　scrapbook。　Danny　suddenly　needed　to　cry　out　to　his　daddy；　to　tell　him　to　leave　that　book　alone；　that　some　books　should　not　be　opened。　But　his　daddy　was　climbing　toward　it。
　　The　mechanical　roaring　sound；　which　he　now　recognized　as　the　boiler　at　the　Overlook　which　Daddy　checked　three　or　four　times　every　day；　had　developed　an　ominous；　rhythmic　hitching。　It　began　to　sound　like　。　。　。　like　pounding。　And　the　smell　of　mildew　and　wet；　rotting　paper　was　changing　to　something　else…the　high；　junipery　smell　of　the　Bad　Stuff。　It　hung　around　his　daddy　like　a　vapor　as　he　reached　for　the　book　。　。　。　and　grasped　it。
　　Tony　was　somewhere　in　the　darkness　（This　inhuman　place　makes　human　monsters。　This　inhuman　place）　repeating　the　same　inprehensible　thing　over　and　over。
　　（makes　human　monsters。）　Falling　through　darkness　again；　now　acpanied　by　the　heavy；　pounding　thunder　that　was　no　longer　the　boiler　but　the　sound　of　a　whistling　mallet　striking　silk…　papered　walls；　knocking　out　whiffs　of　plaster　dust。　Crouching　helplessly　on　the　blue…black　woven　jungle　rug。
　　（e　out）　（This　inhuman　place）　（and　take　your　medicine！）　（makes　human　monsters。）　With　a　gasp　that　echoed　in　his　own　head　he　jerked　himself　out　of　the　darkness。
　　Hands　were　on　him　and　at　first　he　shrank　back；　thinking　that　the　dark　thing　in　the　Overlook　of　Tony's　world　had　somehow　followed　him　back　into　the　world　of　real　things…and　then　Dr。　Edmonds　was　saying：　〃You're　all　right；　Danny。　You're　all　right。　Everything　is　fine。〃　Danny　recognized　the　doctor；　then　his　surroundings　in　the　office。　He　began　to　shudder　helplessly。　Edmonds　held　him。
　　When　the　reaction　began　to　subside；　Edmonds　asked；　〃You　said　something　about　monsters；　Danny…what　was　it？〃
　　〃This　inhuman　place；〃　he　said　gutturally。　〃Tony　told　me。　。　。　this　inhuman　place　。　。　。　makes　。　。　。　makes　。　。　。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃Can't　remember。〃
　　〃Try！〃
　　〃I　can't。〃
　　〃Did　Tony　e？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃What　did　he　show　you？〃
　　〃Dark。　Pounding。　I　don't　remember。〃
　　〃Where　were　you？〃
　　〃Leave　me　alone！　I　don't　remember！　Leave　me　alone！〃　He　began　to　sob　helplessly　in　fear　and　frustration。　It　was　all　gone；　dissolved　into　a　sticky　mess　like　a　wet　bundle　of　paper；　the　memory　unreadable。
　　Edmonds　went　to　the　water　cooler　and　got　him　a　paper　cup　of　water。　Danny　drank　it　and　Edmonds　got　him　another　one。
　　〃Better？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃Danny；　I　don't　want　to　badger　you　。　。　。　tease　you　about　this；　I　mean。　But　can　you　remember　anything　about　before　Tony　came？〃
　　〃My　mommy；〃　Danny　said　slowly。　〃She's　worried　about　me。〃
　　〃Mothers　always　are；　guy。〃
　　〃No　。　。　。　she　had　a　sister　that　died　when　she　was　a　little　girl。　Aileen。　She　was　thinking　about　how　Aileen　got　hit　by　a　car　and　that　made　her　worried　about　me。　I　don't　remember　anything　else。〃　Edmonds　was　looking　at　him　sharply。　〃Just　now　she　was　thinking　that？　Out　in　the　waiting　room？〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　　〃Danny；　how　would　you　know　that？〃
　　〃I　don't　know；〃　Danny　said　wanly。　〃The　shining；　I　guess。〃
　　〃The　what？〃　Danny　shook　his　head　very　slowly。　〃I'm　awful　tired。　Can't　I　go　see　my　mommy　and　daddy？　I　don't　want　to　answer　any　more　questions。　I'm　tired。　And　my　stomach　hurts。〃
　　〃Are　you　going　to　throw　up？〃
　　〃No；　sir。　I　just　want　to　go　see　my　mommy　and　daddy。〃
　　〃Okay；　Dan。〃　Edmonds　stood　up。　〃You　go　on　out　and　see　them　for　a　minute；　then　send　them　in　so　I　can　talk　to　them。　Okay？'；'
　　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　　〃There　are　books　out　there　to　look　at。　You　like　books；　don't　you？〃
　　〃Yes；　sir；〃　Danny　said　dutifully。
　　〃You're　a　good　boy；　Danny。〃　Danny　gave　him　a　faint　smile。
　　
　　*　　*　　*
　　
　　〃I　can't　find　a　thing　wrong　with　him；〃　Dr。　Edmonds　said　to　the　Torrances。　〃Not　physically。　Mentally；　he's　bright　and　rather　too　imaginative。　It　happens。
　　Children　have　to　grow　into　their　imaginations　like　a　pair　of　oversized　shoes。
　　Danny's　is　still　way　too　big　for　him。　Ever　had　his　IQ　tested？〃
　　〃I　don't　believe　in　them；〃　Jack　said。　〃They　straight…jacket　the　expectations　of　both　parents　and　teachers。〃　Dr。　Edmonds　nodded。　〃That　may　be。　But　if　you　did　test　him；　I　think　you'd　find　he's　right　off　the　scale　for　his　age　group。　His　verbal　ability；　for　a　boy　who　is　five　going　on　six；　is　amazing。〃
　　〃We　don't　talk　down　to　him；〃　Jack　said　with　a　trace　of　pride。
　　〃I　doubt　if　you've　ever　had　to　in　order　to　make　yourself　understood。〃　Edmonds　paused；　fiddling　with　a　pen。　〃He　went　into　a　trance　while　I　was　with　him。　At　my　request。　Exactly　as　you　described　him　in　the　bathroom　last　night。　All　his　muscles　went　lax；　his　body　slumped；　his　eyeballs　rotated　outward。　Textbook　auto…　hypnosis。　I　was　amazed