sk.theshining-第45节

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　　She　suddenly　felt　more　naked　than　naked；　as　if　she　had　been　caught　in　an　obscene　act。
　　〃All　right；〃　she　said。　〃All　right；　Danny。〃
　　〃You're　mad　at　me；〃　he　said　in　a　small；　near…to…tears　voice。
　　〃No；　I'm　not。　Really　I'm　not。　I'm　just　sort　of　shook　up。〃　They　were　passing　a　SIDEWINDER　15　mi。　sign；　and　Wendy　relaxed　a　little。　From　here　on　in　the　road　was　better。
　　〃I　want　to　ask　you　one　more　question；　Danny。　I　want　you　to　answer　it　as　truthfully　as　you　can。　Will　you　do　that？〃
　　〃Yes；　Mommy；〃　he　said；　almost　whispering。
　　〃Has　your　daddy　been　drinking　again？〃
　　〃No；〃　he　said；　and　smothered　the　two　words　that　rose　behind　his　lips　after　that　simple　negative：　Not　yet。
　　Wendy　relaxed　a　little　more。　She　put　a　hand　on　Danny's　jeans…clad　leg　and　squeezed　it。　〃Your　daddy　has　tried　very　hard；〃　she　said　softly。　〃Because　he　loves　us。　And　we　love　him；　don't　we？〃　He　nodded　gravely。
　　Speaking　almost　to　herself　she　went　on：　〃He's　not　a　perfect　man；　but　he　has　tried　。　。　。　Danny；　he's　tried　so　hard！　When　he　。　。　。　stopped　。　。　。　he　went　through　a　kind　of　hell。　He's　still　going　through　it。　I　think　if　it　hadn't　been　for　us；　he　would　have　just　let　go。　I　want　to　do　what's　right。　And　I　don't　know。
　　Should　we　go？　Stay？　It's　like　a　choice　between　the　fat　and　the　fire。〃
　　〃I　know。〃
　　〃Would　you　do　something　for　me；　doc？〃
　　〃What？〃
　　〃Try　to　make　Tony　e。　Right　now。　Ask　him　if　we're　safe　at　the　Overlook。〃
　　〃I　already　tried；〃　Danny　said　slowly。　〃This　morning。〃
　　〃What　happened？〃　Wendy　asked。　〃What　did　he　say？〃
　　〃He　didn't　e；〃　Danny　said。　〃Tony　didn't　e。〃　And　he　suddenly　burst　into　tears。
　　〃Danny；〃　she　said；　alarmed。　〃Honey；　don't　do　that。　Please…〃　The　truck　swerved　across　the　double　yellow　line　and　she　pulled　it　back；　scared。
　　〃Don't　take　me　to　Gramma's；〃　Danny　said　through　his　tears。　〃Please；　Mommy；　I　don't　want　to　go　there；　I　want　to　stay　with　Daddy…〃
　　〃All　right；〃　she　said　softly。　〃All　right；　that's　what　we'll　do。〃　She　took　a　Kleenex　out　of　the　pocket　of　her　Western…style　shirt　and　handed　it　to　him。
　　〃We'll　stay。　And　everything　will　be　fine。　Just　fine。〃
　　
　　*　〃Bad　Moon　Rising；〃　by　J。　C。　Fogerty；　（c）　1969　Jondora　Music；　Berkeley；　California。　Used　by　permission。　All　rights　reserved。　International　copyright　secured。
　　　
　　　》
　　IN　THE　PLAYGROUND
　　
　　Jack　came　out　onto　the　porch；　tugging　the　tab　of　his　zipper　up　under　his　chin；　blinking　into　the　bright　air。　In　his　left　hand　he　was　holding　a　battery…powered　hedge…clipper。　He　tugged　a　fresh　handkerchief　out　of　his　back　pocket　with　his　right　hand；　wiped　his　lips　with　it；　and　tucked　it　away。　Snow；　they　had　said　on　the　radio。　It　was　hard　to　believe；　even　though　he　could　see　the　clouds　building　up　on　the　far　horizon。
　　He　started　down　the　path　to　the　topiary；　switching　the　hedge…clipper　over　to　the　other　hand。　It　wouldn't　be　a　long　job；　he　thought；　a　little　touch…up　would　do　it。　The　cold　nights　had　surely　stunted　their　growth。　The　rabbit's　ears　looked　a　little　fuzzy；　and　two　of　the　dog's　legs　had　grown　fuzzy　green　bonespurs；　but　the　lions　and　the　buffalo　looked　fine。　Just　a　little　haircut　would　do　the　trick；　and　then　let　the　snow　e。
　　The　concrete　path　ended　as　abruptly　as　a　diving　board。　He　stepped　off　it　and　walked　past　the　drained　pool　to　the　gravel　path　which　wound　through　the　hedge　sculptures　and　into　the　playground　itself。　He　walked　over　to　the　rabbit　and　pushed　the　button　on　the　handle　of　the　clippers。　It　hummed　into　quiet　life。
　　〃Hi；　Br'er　Rabbit；〃　Jack　said。　〃How　are　you　today？　A　little　off　the　top　and　get　some　of　the　extra　off　your　ears？　Fine。　Say；　did　you　hear　the　one　about　the　traveling　salesman　and　the　old　lady　with　a　pet　poodle？〃　His　voice　sounded　unnatural　and　stupid　in　his　ears；　and　he　stopped。　It　occurred　to　him　that　he　didn't　care　much　for　these　hedge　animals。　It　had　always　seemed　slightly　perverted　to　him　to　clip　and　torture　a　plain　old　hedge　into　something　that　it　wasn't。　Along　one　of　the　highways　in　Vermont　there　had　been　a　hedge　billboard　on　a　high　slope　overlooking　the　road；　advertising　some　kind　of　ice　cream。　Making　nature　peddle　ice　cream；　that　was　just　wrong。　It　was　grotesque。
　　（You　weren't　hired　to　philosophize；　Torrance。）　Ah；　that　was　true。　So　true。　He　clipped　along　the　rabbit's　ears；　brushing　a　small　litter　of　sticks　and　twigs　off　onto　the　grass。　The　hedge…clipper　hummed　in　that　low　and　rather　disgustingly　metallic　way　that　all　battery…powered　appliances　seem　to　have。　The　sun　was　brilliant　but　it　held　no　warmth；　and　now　it　wasn't　so　hard　to　believe　that　snow　was　ing。
　　Working　quickly；　knowing　that　to　stop　and　think　when　you　were　at　this　kind　of　a　task　usually　meant　making　a　mistake；　Jack　touched　up　the　rabbit's　〃face〃　（up　this　close　it　didn't　look　like　a　face　at　all；　but　he　knew　that　at　a　distance　of　twenty　paces　or　so　light　and　shadow　would　seem　to　suggest　one；　that；　and　the　viewer's　imagination）　and　then　zipped　the　clippers　along　its　belly。
　　That　done；　he　shut　the　clippers　off；　walked　down　toward　the　playground；　and　then　turned　back　abruptly　to　get　it　all　at　once；　the　entire　rabbit。　Yes；　it　looked　all　right。　Well；　he　would　do　the　dog　next。
　　〃But　if　it　was　my　hotel；〃　he　said；　〃I'd　cut　the　whole　damn　bunch　of　you　down。〃　He　would；　too。　Just　cut　them　down　and　resod　the　lawn　where　they'd　been　and　put　in　half　a　dozen　small　metal　tables　with　gaily　colored　umbrellas。　People　could　have　cocktails　on　the　Overlook's　lawn　in　the　summer　sun。　Sloe　gin　fizzes　and　margaritas　and　pink　ladies　and　all　those　sweet　tourist　drinks。　A　rum　and　tonic；　maybe。　Jack　took　his　handkerchief　out　of　his　back　pocket　and　slowly　rubbed　his　lips　with　it。
　　〃e　on；　e　on；〃　he　said　softly。　That　was　nothing　to　be　thinking　about。
　　He　was　going　to　start　back；　and　then　some　impulse　made　him　change　his　mind　and　he　went　down　to　the　playground　instead。　It　was　funny　how　you　never　knew　kids；　he　thought。　He　and　Wendy　had　expected　Danny　would　love　the　playground；　it　had　everything　a　kid　could　want。　But　Jack　didn't　think　the　boy　had　been　down　half　a　dozen　times；　if　that。　He　supposed　if　there　had　been　another　kid　to　play　with；　it　would　have　been　different。
　　The　gate　squeaked　slightly　as　he　let　himself　in；　and　then　there　was　crushed　gravel　crunching　under　his　feet。　He　went　first　to　the　playhouse；　the　perfect　scale　model　of　the　Overlook　itself。　It　came　up　to　his　lower　thigh；　just　about　Danny's　height　when　he　was　standing　up。　Jack　hunkered　down　and　looked　in　the　third…floor　windows。
　　〃The　giant　has　e　to　eat　you　all　up　in　your　beds；〃　he　said　hollowly。　〃Kiss　your　Triple　A　rating　goodbye。〃　But　that　wasn't　funny；　either。　You　could　open　the　house　simply　by　pulling　it　apart…it　opened　on　a　hidden　hinge。　The　inside　was　a　disappointment。　The　walls　were　painted；　but　the　place　was　mostly　hollow。　But　of　course　it　would　have　to　be；　he　told　himself；　or　how　else　could　the　kids　get　inside？　What　play　furniture　might　go　with　the　place　in　the　summer　was　gone；　probably　packed　away　in　the　equipment　shed。　He　closed　it　up　and　heard　the　small　click　as　the　latch　closed。
　　He　walked　over　to　the　slide；　set　the　hedge…clipper　down；　and　after　a　glance　back　at　the　driveway　to　make　sure　Wendy　and　Danny　hadn't　returned；　he　climbed　to　the　top　and　sat　down。　This　was　the　big　kids'　slide；　but　the　fit　was　still　unfortably　tight　for　his　grownup　ass。　How　long　had　it　been　since　he　had　been　on　a　slide？　Twenty　years？　It　didn't　seem　possible　it　could　be　that　long；　it　didn't　feel　that　long；　but　it　had　to　be　that；　or　more。　He　could　remember　his　old　man　taking　him　to　the　park　in　Berlin　when　he　had　been　Danny's　age；　and　he　had　done　the　whole　bit…slide；　swings；　teeter…totters；　everything。　He　and　the　old　man　would　have　a　hotdog　lunch　and　buy　peanuts　from　the　man　with　the　cart　afterward。
　　They　would　sit　on　a　bench　to　eat　them　and　dusky　clouds　of　pigeons　would　flock　around　their　feet。
　　〃Goddam　scavenger　birds；〃　his　dad　would　say；　〃don't　you　feed　them；　Jacky。〃　But　they　would　both　end　up　feeding　them；　and　giggling　at　the　way　they　ran　after　the　nuts；　the　greedy　way　they　ran　after　the　nuts。　Jack　didn't　think　the　old　man　had　ever　taken　his　brothers　to　the　park。　Jack　had　been　his　favorite；　and　even　so　Jack　had　taken　his　lumps　when　the　old　man　was　drunk；　which　was　a　lot　of　the　time。　But　Jack　had　loved　him　for　as　long　as　he　was　able；　long　after　the　rest　of　the　family　could　only　hate　and　fear　him。
　　He　pushed　off　with　his　hands　and　went　to　the　bottom；　but　the　trip　was　unsatisfying。　The　slide；　unused；　had　too　much　friction　and　no　really　pleasant　speed　could　be　built　up。　And　his　ass　was　just　too　big。　His　adult　feet　thumped　into　the　slight　dip　where　thousands　of　children's　feet　had　landed　before　him。　He　stood　up；　brushed　at　the　seat　of　his　pants；　and　looked　at　the　hedge…clipper。　But　instead　of　going　back　to　it　he　went　to　the　swings；　which　were　also　a　disappointment。　The　chains　had　built　up　rust　since　the　close　of　the　season；　and　they　squealed　like　things　in　pain。　Jack　promised　himself　he　would　oil　them　in　the　spring。
　　You　better　stop　it；　he　advised　himself。　You're　not　a　kid　anymore。　You　don't　need　this　place　to　prove　it。
　　But　he　went　on　to　the　cement　rings…they　were　too　small　for　him　and　he　passed　them　up…and　then　to　the　security　fence　which　marked　the　edg