sk.cujo-第20节

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　and　the　chainfall。'
'If　you　knew　better；　you　sinned　against　the　boy；'　Joe　said。　'Next　time　I　guess　you'll　think　before　you　throw　your　tongue　in　gear。'　He　smiled　at　her　through　a　mouthful＇　of　food　and　reached　for　the　bread。
'You　could　e　with　us；　if　you　wanted。'
'Sure。　I'll　just　tell　Richie　Simms　to　forget　getting　in　his　first　cutting　this　summer。　Besides；　why　do　I　want　to　go　down　and　see　them　two？　From　what　I've　seen　of　them　and　what　you　tell　of　them；　I　got　to　think　they're　a　couple　of　first…class　snots。　Only　reason　you　like　them　is　because　you'd　like　to　be　a　snot　like　them。'　His　voice　was　gradually　rising。　He　began　to　spray　food。　When　he　got　like　this　he　frightened　her　and　she　gave　in。　Most　times。　She　would　not　do　that　tonight。　'Mostly　you'd　like　the　boy　to　be　a　snot　like　them。　That's　what　I　think。　You'd　like　to　turn　him　against　me；　I　guess。　Am　I　wrong？'
'Why　don't　you　ever　call　him　by　his　name？'
'You　want　to　just　shut　the　craphouse　door　now；　Charity；'　he　said；　looking　at　her　hard。　A　flush　had　crept　up　his　cheeks　and　across　his　forehead。　'Mind　me；　now。'
'No；'　she　said。　'That's　not　the　end。'
He　dropped　his　fork；　astounded。　'What？　What　did　you　say？'
She　walked　towards　him；　allowing　herself　the　luxury　of　total　anger　for　the　first　time　in　her　marriage。　But　it　was　all　inside；　burning　and　sloshing　like　acid。　She　could　feel　it　eating。　She　daren't　shout。　To　shout　would　be　the　end　for　sure。　She　kept　her　voice　low。
'Yes；　you'd　think　that　about　my　sister　and　her　husband。　Sure　you　would。　Look　at　you；　sitting　there　and　eating　with　your　dirty　hands　and　your　hat　still　on。　You　don't　want　him　down　there　seeing　how　other　people　live。　Just　the　same　way　I　don't　want　him　seeing　how　you　and　your　friends　live　when　you're　off　to　yourselves。　That's　why　I　wouldn't　let　him　go　on　that　hunting　trip　with　you　last　November。'
She　paused　and　he　only　sat　there；　a　half…eaten　slice　of　Wonder　Bread　in　one　hand；　steak　juice　on　his　chin。　She　thought　that　the　only　thing　keeping　him　from　springing　at　her　was　his　total　amazement　that　she　should　be　saying　these　things　at　all。
'So　I'll　trade　with　you；'　she　said。　'I've　got　you　that　chainfall　and　I'm　willing　to　hand　over　the　rest　of　the　money　to　you　…　lots　wouldn't　…　but　if　you're　going　to　be　so　ungrateful；　I'll　go　you　one　more。　You　let　him　go　down　with　me　to　Connecticut；　and　I'll　let　him　go　up　to　Moosehead　with　you　e　deerhunting　season。'　She　felt　cold　and　prickly　all　over；　as　if　she　had　just　offered　to　strike　a　bargain　with　the　devil。
'I　ought　to　strap　you；'　he　said　wonderingly。　He　spoke　to　her　as　if　she　were　a　child　who　had　misunderstood　some　very　simple　case　of　cause　and　effect。　'I'll　take　him　hunting　with　me　if　I　want；　when　I　want。　Don't　you　know　that？　He's　my　son。　God's　sake。　If　I　want；　when　I　want。'　He　smiled　a　little；　pleased　with　the　sound　it　made。　'Now　…　you　got　that？'
She　locked　her　eyes　with　his。　'No；'　she　said。　'You　won't。'
He　got　up　in　a　hurry　then。　His　chair　fell　over。
'I'll　put　a　stop　to　it；'　she　said。　She　wanted　to　step　back　from　him；　but　that　would　end　it　too。　One　false　move；　one　sign　of　giving；　and　he　would　be　on　her。
He　was　unbuckling　his　belt。　'I'm　going　to　strap　you；　Charity；'　he　said　regretfully。
'I'll　put　a　stop　to　it　any　way　I　can。　I'll　go　up　to　the　school　and　report　him　truant。　Go　to　Sheriff　Bannerman　and　report　him　kidnapped。　But　most　of　all　。。。　I'll　see　to　it　that　Brett　doesn't　want　to　go。'
He　pulled　his　belt　from　the　loops　of　his　pants　and　held　it　with　the　buckle　end　penduluming　back　and　forth　by　the　floor。
'The　only　way　you'll　get　him　up　there　with　the　rest　of　those　drunks　and　animals　before　he's　fifteen　is　if　I　let　him　go；'　she　said。　'You　sling　your　belt　on　me　if　you　want；　Joe　Camber。　Nothing　is　going　to　change　that。'
'Is　that　so？'
'I'm　standing　here　and　telling　you　it　is。'
But　suddenly　he　didn't　seem　to　he　in　the　room　with　her　any　more。　His　eyes　had　gone　far　away；　musing。　She　had　seen　him　do　this　other　times。　Something　had　just　crossed　his　mind；　a　new　fact　to　be　laboriously　added　into　the　equation。　She　prayed　that　whatever　it　was　would　be　on　her　side　of　the　equals　sign。　She　had　never　gone　so　much　against　him　before；　and　she　was　scared。
Camber　suddenly　smiled。　'Regular　little　spitfire；　ain't　you？'
She　said　nothing。
He　began　to　slip　his　belt　back　into　the　loops　of　his　pants　again。　He　was　still　smiling；　his　eyes　still　far　away。　'You　suppose　you　can　screw　like　one　of　those　spitfires？　Like　one　of　those　little　Mexican　spitfires？'
She　still　said　nothing；　wary。
'If　I　say　you　and　him　can　go；　what　about　then？　You　suppose　we　could　shoot　for　the　moon？'
'What　do　you　mean？'
'It　means　okay；'　he　said。　'You　and　him。'
He　crossed　the　room　in　his　quick；　agile　way；　and　it　made　her　cold　to　think　of　how　quick　he　could　have　crossed　it　a　minute　before；　how　quick　he　could　have　had　his　belt　on　her。　And　who　would　there　have　been　to　stop　him？　What　a　man　did　with　…　or　to　…　his　wife；　that　was　their　own　affair。　She　could　have　done　nothing；　said　nothing。　Because　of　Brett。　Because　of　her　pride。
He　put　his　hand　on　her　shoulder。　He　dropped　it　to　one　of　her　breasts。　He　squeezed　it。　'e　on；'　he　said。　'I'm　horny。'
'Brett　…'
'He　won't　be　in　until　nine。　e　on。　Told　you；　you　can　go。　You　can　at　least　say　thanks；　can't　you？'
A　kind　of　cosmic　absurdity　rose　to　her　lips　and　had　passed　through　them　before　she　could　stop　it：　'Take　off　your　hat。'
He　sailed　it　heedlessly　across　the　kitchen。　He　was　smiling。　His　teeth　were　quite　yellow。　The　two　top　ones　in　front　were　dentures。　'If　we　had　the　money　now；　we　could　screw　on　a　bedful　of　greenbacks；'　he　said。　'I　saw　that　in　a　movie　once。'
He　took　her　upstairs　and　she　kept　expecting　him　to　turn　vicious；　but　he　didn't。　His　lovemaking　was　as　it　usually　was；　quick　and　hard；　but　he　was　not　vicious。　He　did　not　hurt　her　intentionally；　and　tonight；　for　perhaps　the　tenth　or　eleventh　time　since　they　had　been　married；　she　had　a　climax。　She　let　herself　go　to　him；　eyes　closed；　feeling　the　shelf　of　his　chin　dig　into　the　top　of　her　head。　She　stifled　the　cry　that　rose　to　her　lips。　It　would　have　made　him　suspicious　if　she　had　cried　out。
She　was　not　sure　he　really　knew　that　what　always　happened　at　the　end　for　men　sometimes　happened　for　women　too。
Not　long　after　（and　still　an　hour　before　Brett　came　home　from　the　Bergerons）　he　left　her；　not　telling　her　where　he　was　going。　She　surmised　it　was　down　to　Gary　Pervier's；　where　the　drinking　would　start。　She　lay　in　bed　and　wondered　if　what　she　had　done　and　what　she　had　promised　could　ever　be　worth　it。　Tears　tried　to　e　and　she　drove　them　back。　She　lay　hot…eyed　and　straight　in　bed；　and　just　before　Brett　came　in；　his　arrival　announced　by　Cujo's　barks　and　the　slam　of　the　back…door　screen；　the　moon　rose　in　all　its　silvery；　detached　glory。　Moon　doesn't　care；　Charity　thought；　but　the　thought　brought　her　no　fort。
'What　is　it？'　Donna　asked。
Her　voice　was　dull；　almost　defeated。　The　two　of　them　were　sitting　in　the　living　room。　Vic　had　not　gotten　home　until　nearly　Tad's　bedtime；　and　that　was　now　half　an　hour　past。　He　was　sleeping　in　his　room　upstairs；　the　Monster　Words　tacked　by　his　bed；　the　closet　door　firmly　shut。
Vic　got　up　and　crossed　to　the　window；　which　now　looked　out　only　on　darkness。　She　knows；　he　thought　glumly。　Not　the　fine　tuning；　maybe；　but　she's　getting　a　pretty　clear　picture。　All　the　way　home　he　had　tried　to　decide　if　he　should　confront　her　with　it；　lance　the　boil；　try　living　with　the　laudable　pus　。。。　or　if　he　should　just　deep…six　it。　After　leaving　Deering　Oaks　he　had　torn　the　letter　up；　and　on　his　way　home　up　302　he　had　fed　the　scraps　out　the　window。　Litterbug　Trenton；　he　thought。　And　now　the　choice　had　been　taken　out　of　his　hands。　He　could　see　her　pale　reflection　in　the　dark　glass；　her　face　a　white　circle　in　yellow　lamplight。
He　turned　toward　her；　having　absolutely　no　idea　what　he　was　going　to　say。
He　knows；　Donna　was　thinking。
It　was　not　a　new　thought；　not　by　now；　because　the　last　three　hours　had　been　the　longest　three　of　her　whole　life。　She　had　heard　the　knowledge　in　his　voice　when　he　called　to　say　he　would　he　home　late。　At　first　there　had　been　panic　…　the　raw；　fluttering　panic　of　a　bird　trapped　in　a　garage。　The　thought　had　been　in　italics　followed　by　ic…book　exclamation　points：　He　knows！　He　knows！　He　KNOWS！！　She　had　gotten　Tad　his　supper　in　a　fog　of　fear；　trying　to　see　what　might　logically　happen　next；　but　she　was　unable。　I'll　wash　the　dishes　next；　she　thought。　Then　dry　them。　Then　put　them　away。　Then　read　Tad　some　stories。　Then　I'll　just　sail　off　the　edge　of　the　world。
Panic　had　been　superseded　by　guilt。　Terror　had　followed　the　guilt。　Then　a　kind　of　fatalistic　apathy　had　settled　in　as　certain　emotional　circuits　quietly　shut　themselves　down。　The　apathy　was　even　tinged　by　a　certain　relief。　The　secret　was　out。　She　wondered　if　Steve　had　done　it；　or　if　Vic　had　guessed　on　his　own。　She　rather　thought　it　had　been　Steve；　but　it　didn't　really　matter。　There　was　also　relief　that　Tad　was　in　bed；　safely　asleep。　But　she　wondered　what　sort　of　morning　he　would　wake　up　to。　And　that　thought　brought　her　full　circle　to　her　original　panicky　fear　again。　She　felt　sick；　lost。
He　turned　toward　her　from　the　window　and　said；　'I　got　a　letter　today。　An　unsigned　letter。'
He　couldn't　finish。　He　crossed　the　room　again；　restlessly；　and　she　found　herself　thinking　what　a