sk.theshining-第67节
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She turned to Danny。 〃Did you…？〃 Danny nodded slowly。 〃Yes。 And music。 Like from a long time ago。 In my head。〃 The elevator car stopped again。 The hotel was silent； creaking； deserted。
Outside； the wind whined around the eaves in the darkness。
〃Maybe you are both crazy；〃 Jack said conversationally。 〃I don't hear a goddamned thing except that elevator having a case of the electrical hiccups。 If you two want to have duet hysterics； fine。 But count me out。〃 The elevator was ing down again。
Jack stepped to the right； where a glass…fronted box was mounted on the wall at chest height。 He smashed his bare fist against it。 Glass tinkled inward。
Blood dripped from two of his knuckles。 He reached in and took out a key with a long； smooth barrel。
〃Jack； no。 Don't。〃
〃I am going to do my job。 Now leave me alone； Wendy！〃 She tried to grab his arm。 He pushed her backward。 Her feet tangled in the hem of her robe and she fell to the carpet with an ungainly thump。 Danny cried out shrilly and fell on his knees beside her。 Jack turned back to the elevator and thrust the key into the socket。
The elevator cables disappeared and the bottom of the car came into view in the small window。 A second later Jack turned the key hard。 There was a grating； screeching sound as the elevator car came to an instant standstill。 For a moment the declutched motor in the basement whined even louder； and then its circuit breaker cut in and the Overlook went unearthly still。 The night wind outside seemed very loud by parison。 Jack looked stupidly at the gray metal elevator door。 There were three splotches of blood below the keyhole from his lacerated knuckles。
He turned back to Wendy and Danny for a moment。 She was sitting up； and Danny had his arm around her。 They were both staring at him carefully； as if he was a stranger they had never seen before； possibly a dangerous one。 He opened his mouth； not sure what was going to e out。
〃It 。 。 。 Wendy； it's my job。〃 She said clearly： 〃Fuck your job〃 He turned back to the elevator； worked his fingers into the crack that ran down the right side of the door； and got it to open a little way。 Then he was able to get his whole weight on it and threw the door open。
The car had stopped halfway； its floor at Jack's chest level。 Warm light still spilled out of it； contrasting with the oily darkness of the shaft below。
He looked in for what seemed a long time。
〃It's empty；〃 he said then。 〃A short circuit； like I said。〃 He hooked his fingers into the slot behind the door and began to pull it closed 。 。 。 then her hand was on his shoulder； surprisingly strong； yanking him away。
〃Wendy！〃 he shouted。 But she had already caught the car's bottom edge and pulled herself up enough so she could look in。 Then； with a convulsive heave of her shoulder and belly muscles； she tried to boost herself all the way up。 For a moment the issue was in doubt。 Her feet tottered over the blackness of the shaft and one pink slipper fell from her foot and slipped out of sight。
〃Mommy！〃 Danny screamed。
Then she was up； her cheeks flushed； her forehead as pale and shining as a spirit lamp。 〃What about this； Jack？ Is this a short circuit？〃 She threw something and suddenly the hall was full of drifting confetti； red and white and blue and yellow。 〃Is this？〃 A green party streamer； faded to a pale pastel color with age。
〃And this？〃 She tossed it out and it came to rest on the blue…black jungle carpet； a black silk cat's…eye mask； dusted with sequins at the temples。
〃Does that look like a short circuit to you； Jack？〃 she screamed at him。
Jack stepped slowly away from it； shaking his head mechanically back and forth。 The cat's…eye mask stared up blankly at the ceiling from the confetti… strewn hallway carpet。
》
THE BALLROOM
It was the first of December。
Danny was in the east…wing ballroom； standing on an over…stuffed； high…backed wing chair； looking at the clock under glass。 It stood in the center of the ballroom's high； ornamental mantelpiece； flanked by two large ivory elephants。
He almost expected the elephants would begin to move and try to gore him with their tusks as he stood there； but they were moveless。 They were 〃safe。〃 Since the night of the elevator he bad e to divide all things at the Overlook into two categories。 The elevator； the basement； the playground； Room 217； and the Presidential Suite （it was Suite； not Sweet； he had seen the correct spelling in an account book Daddy had been reading at supper last night and had memorized it carefully）…those places were 〃unsafe。〃 Their quarters； the lobby； and the porch were 〃safe。〃 Apparently the ballroom was； too。
（The elephants are； anyway。） He was not sure about other places and so avoided them on general principle。
He looked at the clock inside the glass dome。 It was under glass because all its wheels and cogs and springs were showing。 A chrome or steel track ran around the outside of these works； and directly below the clockface there was a small axis bar with a pair of meshing cogs at either end。 The hands of the clock stood at quarter past XI； and although he didn't know Roman numerals he could guess by the configuration of the hands at what time the clock had stopped。 The clock stood on a velvet base。 In front of it； slightly distorted by the curve of the dome； was a carefully carved silver key。
He supposed that the clock was one of the things he wasn't supposed to touch； like the decorative fire…tools in their brass…bound cabinet by the lobby fireplace or the tall china highboy at the back of the dining room。
A sense of injustice and a feeling of angry rebellion suddenly rose in him and （never mind what t' m not supposed to touch； just never mind。 touched me； hasn't it？ played with me； hasn't it？） It had。 And it hadn't been particularly careful not to break him； either。
Danny put his hands out； grasped the glass dome； and lifted it aside。 He let one finger play over the works for a moment； the pad of his index finger denting against the cogs； running smoothly over the wheels。 He picked up the silver key。
For an adult it would have been unfortably small； but it fitted his own fingers perfectly。 He placed it in the keyhole at the center of the clockface。
It went firmly home with a tiny click； more felt than heard。 It wound to the right； of course； clockwise。
Danny turned the key until it would turn no more and then removed it。 The clock began to tick。 Cogs turned。 A large balance wheel rocked back and forth in semicircles。 The hands were moving。 If you kept your head perfectly motionless and your eyes wide open； you could see the minute hand inching along toward its meeting some forty…five minutes from now with the hour hand。 At XII。
（And the Red Death held sway over all。） He frowned； and then shook the thought away。 It was a thought with no meaning or reference for him。
He reached his index finger out again and pushed the minute band up to the hour； curious about what might happen。 It obviously wasn't a cuckoo clock； but that steel rail bad to have some purpose。
There was a small； ratcheting series of clicks； and then the clock began to tinkle Strauss's 〃Blue Danube Waltz。〃 A punched roll of cloth no more than two inches in width began to unwind。 A small series of brass strikers rose and fell。
From behind the clockface two figures glided into view along the steel track； ballet dancers； on the left a girl in a fluffy skirt and white stockings； on the right a boy in a black leotard and ballet slippers。 Their hands were held in arches over their beads。 They came together in the middle； in front of VI。
Danny espied tiny grooves in their sides； just below their armpits。 The axis bar slipped into these grooves and he heard another small click。 The cogs at either end of the bar began to。 turn。 〃The Blue Danube〃 tinkled。 The dancers' arms came down around each other。 The boy flipped the girl up over his head and then whirled over the bar。 They were now lying prone； the boy's head buried beneath the girl's short ballet skirt； the girl's face pressed against the center of the boy's leotard。 They writhed in a mechanical frenzy。
Danny's nose wrinkled。 They were kissing peepees。 That made him feel sick。
A moment later and things began to run backward。 The boy whirled back over the axis bar。 He flipped the girl into an upright position。 They seemed to nod knowingly at each other as their hands arched back over their heads。 They retreated the way they had e； disappearing just as 〃The Blue Danube〃 finished。 The clock began to strike a count of silver chimes。
（Midnight！ Stroke of midnight！） （Hooray for masks！） Danny whirled on the chair； almost falling down。 The ballroom was empty。
Beyond the double cathedral window he could see fresh snow beginning to sift down。 The huge ballroom rug （rolled up for dancing； of course）； a rich tangle of red and gold embroidery； lay undisturbed on the floor。 Spaced around it were small； intimate tables for two； the spidery chairs that went with each upended with legs pointing at the ceiling。
The whole place was empty。
But it wasn't really empty。 Because here in the Overloo
