dk.watchers-第37部分

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　What　if　he　felt　that　she　had　no　real　talent？
　Aside　from　the　escape　provided　by　books；　the　thing　that　kept　Nora　going
　through　many　grim；　lonely　years　was　her　painting。　She　believed　that　she　was　good；　perhaps　very　good；　though　she　was　too　shy　and　too　vulnerable　to　voice　that　conviction　to　anyone。　What　if　she　was　wrong？　What　if　she　had　no　talent　and　had　been　merely　filling　time？　Her　art　was　the　primary　medium　by　which　she　defined　herself。　She　had　little　else　with　which　to　sustain　even　her　thin　and　shaky　self…image；　so　she　desperately　needed　to　believe　in　her　talent。　Travis's　opinion　meant　more　to　her　than　she　could　say；　and　if　his　reaction　to　her　painting　was　negative；　she　would　be　devastated。
　But　after　leaving　Garrison　Dilworth's　office；　Nora　knew　that　the　time　had　e　to　take　the　risk。　The　truth　about　Violet　Devon　had　been　a　key　that　had　unlocked　Nora's　emotional　prison。　She　would　need　a　long　time　to　move　from　her　cell；　down　the　long　hall　to　the　outside　world；　but　the　journey　would　inevitably　continue。　Therefore；　she　would　have　to　open　herself　to　all　the　experiences　that　her　new　life　provided；　including　the　awful　possibility　of　rejection　and　severe　disappointment。　Without　risk；　there　was　no　hope　of　gain。
　Back　at　the　house；　she　considered　taking　Travis　upstairs　to　have　a　look　at　a　half　dozen　of　her　most　recent　paintings。　But　the　idea　of　having　a　man　in　her　bedroom；　even　with　the　most　innocent　intentions；　was　too　unsettling。　Garrison　Dilworth's　revelations　freed　her；　yes；　and　her　world　was　rapidly　broadening；　but　she　was　not　yet　that　free。　Instead；　she　insisted　that　Travis　and　Einstein　sit　on　one　of　the　big　sofas　in　the　furniture…stuffed　living　room；　where　she　would　bring　some　of　her　canvases　for　viewing。　She　turned　on　all　the　lights；　drew　the　drapes　away　from　the　windows；　and　said；　〃I'll　be　right　back。〃
　But　upstairs　she　dithered　over　the　ten　paintings　in　her　bedroom；　unable　to　decide　which　two　she　should　take　to　him　first。　Finally　she　settled　on　four　pieces；　though　it　was　a　bit　awkward　carrying　that　many　at　once。　Halfway　down　the　stairs；　she　halted；　trembling；　and　decided　to　take　the　paintings　back　and　select　others。　But　she　retreated　only　four　steps　before　she　realized　that　she　could　spend　the　entire　day　in　vacillation。　Reminding　herself　that　nothing　could　be　gained　without　risk；　she　took　a　deep　breath　and　went　quickly　downstairs　with　the　four　paintings　that　she　had　originally　chosen。
　Travis　liked　them。　More　than　liked　them。　He　raved　about　them。　〃My　God；　Nora；　this　is　no　hobby　painting。　This　is　the　real　thing。　This　is　art。〃
　She　propped　the　paintings　on　four　chairs；　and　he　was　not　content　to　study　them　from　the　sofa。　He　got　up　for　a　closer　look；　moved　from　one　canvas　to　another　and　back　again。
　〃You're　a　superb　photorealist；〃　he　said。　〃Okay；　so　I'm　no　art　critic；　but　by　God　you're　as　skilled　as　Wyeth。　But　this　other　thing　。　。　。　this　eerie　quality　in　two　of　these　。　。
　His　pliments　had　left　her　blushing　furiously；　and　she　had　to　swallow　hard　to　find　her　voice。　〃A　touch　of　surrealism。〃
　She　had　brought　two　landscapes　and　two　still　lifes。　One　of　each　was；　indeed；　strictly　a　photorealist　work。　But　the　other　two　were　photorealism　with　a　strong　element　of　surrealism。　In　the　still　life；　for　example；　several　water　glasses；　a　pitcher；　spoons；　and　a　sliced　lemon　were　on　a　table；　portrayed　in　excruciating
　detail；　and　at　first　glance　the　scene　looked　very　realistic；　but　at　second　glance　you　noticed　that　one　of　the　glasses　was　melting　into　the　surface　on　which　it　stood；　and　that　one　slice　of　lemon　was　penetrating　the　side　of　a　glass　as　if　the　glass　had　been　formed　around　it。
　〃They're　brilliant；　they　really　are；〃　he　said。　〃Do　you　have　others？〃
　Did　she　have　others！
　She　made　two　additional　trips　to　her　bedroom；　returning　with　six　more　paintings。
　With　each　new　canvas；　Travis's　excitement　grew。　His　delight　and　enthusiasm　were　genuine；　too。　Initially　she　thought　that　he　might　be　humoring　her；　but　soon　she　was　certain　he　was　not　disguising　his　true　reaction。
　Moving　from　canvas　to　canvas　and　back　again；　he　said；　〃Your　sense　of　color　is　excellent。〃
　Einstein　acpanied　Travis　around　the　room；　adding　a　soft　woof　after　each　of　his　master's　statements　and　vigorously　wagging　his　tail；　as　if　expressing　agreement　with　the　assessment。
　〃There's　such　mood　in　these　pieces；〃　Travis　said。
　〃Woof。〃
　〃Your　control　of　the　medium　is　astonishing。　I've　no　sense　that　I'm　looking　at　thousands　of　brush　strokes。　Instead；　it　seems　as　if　the　picture　just　appeared　on　the　canvas　magically。〃
　〃Woof。〃
　〃It's　hard　to　believe　you've　had　no　formal　schooling。〃
　〃Woof。〃
　〃Nora；　these　are　easily　good　enough　to　sell。　Any　gallery　would　take　these
　in　a　minute。〃　…
　〃Woof。〃
　〃You　could　not　only　make　a　living　at　this　。　。　。　I　think　you　could　build　one　hell　of　a　reputation。〃
　Because　she　had　not　dared　to　admit　how　seriously　she　had　always　taken　her　work；　Nora　had　often　painted　one　picture　over　another；　using　a　canvas　again　and　again。　As　a　consequence；　many　of　her　pieces　were　gone　forever。　But　in　the　attic　she　had　stored　more　than　eighty　of　her　best　paintings。　Now；　because　Travis　insisted；　they　brought　down　more　than　a　score　of　those　wrapped　canvases；　tore　off　the　brown　paper；　and　propped　them　on　the　living…room　furniture。　For　the　first　time　in　Nora's　memory；　that　dark　chamber　looked　bright　and　weling。
　〃Any　gallery　would　be　delighted　to　do　a　show　of　these；〃　Travis　said。　〃In　fact；　tomorrow；　let's　load　some　of　them　into　the　truck　and　take　them　around　to　a　few　galleries；　hear　what　they　say。〃
　〃Oh　no；　no。〃
　〃I　promise　you；　Nora；　you　won't　be　disappointed。〃
　She　was　suddenly　in　the　clutches　of　anxiety。　Although　thrilled　by　the　prospect　of　a　career　in　art；　she　was　also　frightened　by　the　big　step　she　would　be　taking。　Like　walking　off　the　edge　of　a　cliff。
　She　said；　〃Not　yet。　In　a　week　。　。　。　or　a　month　。　。　。　we'll　load　them　in　the
　truck　and　take　them　to　a　gallery。　But　not　yet；　Travis。　I　just　can't　。　。　I　can't　handle　it　yet。〃
　He　grinned　at　her。　〃Sensory　overload　again？〃
　Einstein　came　to　her　and　rubbed　against　her　leg；　looking　up　with　a　sweet　expression　that　made　Nora　smile。
　Scratching　behind　the　dog's　ears；　she　said；　〃So　much　has　happened　so　fast。　I　can't　absorb　it　all。　I　keep　having　to　fight　off　attacks　of　dizziness。　I　feel　a　little　bit　as　if　I'm　on　a　carousel　that's　whirling　around　faster　and　faster；　out　of　control。〃
　What　she　said　was　true；　to　an　extent；　but　that　was　not　the　only　reason　she　wished　to　delay　going　public　with　her　art。　She　also　wanted　to　move　slowly　in　order　to　have　time　to　savor　every　glorious　development。　If　she　rushed　into　things；　the　transformation　from　reclusive　spinster　to　a　full…fledged　participant　in　life　would　go　too　fast；　and　later　it　would　be　just　a　blur。　She　wanted　to　enjoy　every　moment　of　her　metamorphosis。
　As　if　she　were　an　invalid　who　had　been　confined　since　birth　to　a　single　dark　room　full　of　life…support　equipment；　and　as　if　she　had　just　been　miraculously　cured；　Nora　Devon　was　ing　cautiously　out　into　a　new　world。
　　
　　
　Travis　was　not　solely　responsible　for　Nora's　emergence　from　reclusion。　Einstein　had　an　equally　large　role　in　her　transformation。
　The　retriever　had　obviously　decided　that　Nora　could　be　trusted　with　the　secret　of　his　extraordinary　intelligence。　After　the　Modern　Bride　and　baby　business　in　Solvang；　the　dog　gave　her　glimpse　after　glimpse　of　his　undoglike　mind　at　work。
　Taking　his　lead　from　Einstein；　Travis　told　Nora　how　he　had　found　the　retriever　in　the　woods　and　how　something　strange…and　never　seen…had　been　pursuing　it。　He　recounted　all　the　amazing　things　the　dog　had　done　since　then。　He　also　told　her　of　Einstein's　occasional　bouts　with　anxiety　in　the　heart　of　the　night；　when　he　sometimes　stood　at　a　window　and　stared　out　at　the　darkness　as　if　he　believed　the　unknown　creature　in　the　woods　would　find　him。
　They　sat　for　hours　one　evening　in　Nora's　kitchen；　drinking　pots　of　coffee　and　eating　homemade　pineapple　cake　and　discussing　explanations　for　the　dog's　uncanny　intelligence。　When　not　cadging　bits　of　cake；　Einstein　listened　to　them　with　interest；　as　if　he　understood　what　they　were　saying　about　him；　and　sometimes　he　whined　and　paced　impatiently；　as　if　frustrated　that　his　canine　vocal　apparatus　did　not　permit　him　to　speak。　But　they　were　mostly　spinning　their　wheels　because　they　had　no　explanations　worth　discussing。
　〃I　believe　he　could　tell　us　where　he　es　from；　why　he's　so　damn　different　from　other　dogs；〃　Nora　said。
　Einstein　busily　swept　the　air　with　his　tail。
　〃Oh；　I'm　sure　of　it；〃　Travis　said。　〃He's　got　a　humanlike　self…awareness。
　He　knows　he's　different；　and　I　suspect　he　knows　why；　and　I　think　he'd　like　to　tell　us　about　it　if　he　could　only　find　a　way。〃
　The　retriever　barked　once；　ran　to　the　far　end　of　the　kitchen；　ran　back；　looked　up　at　them；　did　a　frantic　little　dance　of　purely　human　frustration；　and　finally　slumped　on　the　floor　with　his　head　on　his　paws；　alternately　chuffing　and　whining　softly。
　Nora　was　most　intrigued　by　the　story　of　（he　night　that　the　dog　had　gotten　excited　over　Travis's　book　collection。　〃He　recognizes　that　books　are　a　means　of　munication；〃　she　said。　〃And　maybe　he　senses　there's　a　way　to　use　books　to　bridge　the　munications　gap　between　him　and　us。〃
　〃How？〃　Travis　asked　as　he　lifted　another　forkful　of　pineapple　cake。
　Nora　shrugged。　〃I　don't　know。　But　maybe　the　problem　was　that　your　books　weren't　the　right　kind。　Novels；　you　said？〃
　〃Yeah。　Fiction。〃
　She　said；　〃Maybe　what　we　need　is　books　with　pictures；　images　he　can　react　to。　Maybe　if　we　gathered　up　a　lot　of　picture　books　of　all　kinds；　and　magazines　with　pictures；　and　maybe　if　we　spread　them　out　on　the　floor　and　worked　with　Einstein；　maybe　we'd　find　some　way　to　municate　with　him。〃
　The　retriever　leaped　to　his　feet　and　padded　directly　to　Nora。　From　the　expression　on　his　face　and　from　the　intent　look　in　his　eyes；　Nora　knew　that　her　proposal　was　a　good　one。　Tomorrow；　she　would　collect　dozens　of　books　and　magazines；　and　put　the　scheme　into　operation。
　〃It's　going　to　take　a　lot　of　patience；〃　Travis　warned　her。
　〃I've　got　oceans　of　patience。〃
　〃You　may　think　you　have；　but　sometimes　dealing　with　Einstein　gives　a　whole　new　meaning　to　the　word。〃
　Turning　to　Travis；　the　dog　bl