sk.theshining-第67部分

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。　A　zipper　ran　up　the　back　of　the　costume　to　the　neck。　To　the　left　of　him　was　a　dog's　or　wolf's　head；　blank　eyesockets　above　the　muzzle；　the　mouth　open　in　a　meaningless　snarl　that　showed　the　rug's　black　and　blue　pattern　between　fangs　that　appeared　to　be　papier…mache。
　　The　man's　mouth　and　chin　and　cheeks　were　smeared　with　blood。
　　He　began　to　growl　at　Danny。　He　was　grinning；　but　the　growl　was　real。　It　was　deep　in　his　throat；　a　chilling　primitive　sound。　Then　he　began　to　bark。　His　teeth　were　also　stained　red。　He　began　to　crawl　toward　Danny；　dragging　his　boneless　tail　behind　him。　The　costume　dog's　head　lay　unheeded　on　the　carpet；　glaring　vacantly　over　Danny's　shoulder。
　　〃Let　me　by；〃　Danny　said。
　　〃I'm　going　to　eat　you；　little　boy；〃　the　dogman　answered；　and　suddenly　a　fusillade　of　barks　came　from　his　grinning　mouth。　They　were　human　imitations；　but　the　savagery　in　them　was　real。　The　man's　hair　was　dark；　greased　with　sweat　from　his　confining　costume。　There　was　a　mixture　of　scotch　and　champagne　on　his　breath。
　　Danny　flinched　back　but　didn't　run。　〃Let　me　by。〃
　　〃Not　by　the　hair　of　my　chinny…chin…chin；〃　the　dogman　replied。　His　small　red　eyes　were　fixed　attentively　on　Danny's　face。　He　continued　to　grin。　〃I'm　going　to　eat　you　up；　little　boy。　And　I　think　I'll　start　with　your　plump　little　cock。〃　He　began　to　prance　skittishly　forward；　making　little　leaps　and　snarling。
　　Danny's　nerve　broke。　He　fled　back　into　the　short　hallway　that　led　to　their　quarters；　looking　back　over　his　shoulder。　There　was　a　series　of　mixed　howls　and　barks　and　growls；　broken　by　slurred　mutterings　and　giggles。
　　Danny　stood　in　the　hallway；　trembling。
　　〃Get　it　up！〃　the　drunken　dogman　cried　out　from　around　the　corner。　His　voice　was　both　violent　and　despairing。　〃Get　it　up；　Harry　you　bitch…bastard！　I　don't　care　how　many　casinos　and　airlines　and　movie　panies　you　own！　I　know　what　you　like　in　the　privacy　of　your　own　h…home！　Get　it　up！　I'll　huff。　。　。　and　I'll　puff　。　。　。　until　Harry　Derwent's　all　bloowwwwn　down！〃　He　ended　with　a　long；　chilling　howl　that　seemed　to　turn　into　a　scream　of　rage　and　pain　just　before　it　dwindled　off。
　　Danny　turned　apprehensively　to　the　closed　bedroom　door　at　the　end　of　the　hallway　and　walked　quietly　down　to　it。　He　opened　it　and　poked　his　head　through。
　　His　mommy　was　sleeping　in　exactly　the　same　position。　No　one　was　hearing　this　but　him。
　　He　closed　the　door　softly　and　went　back　up　to　the　intersection　of　their　corridor　and　the　main　hall；　hoping　the　dogman　would　be　gone；　the　way　the　blood　on　the　walls　of　the　Presidential　Suite　had　been　gone。　He　peeked　around　the　corner　carefully。
　　The　man　in　the　dog　costume　was　still　there。　He　had　put　his　head　back　on　and　was　now　prancing　on　all　fours　by　the　stairwell；　chasing　his　tail。　He　occasionally　leaped　off　the　rug　and　came　down　making　dog　grunts　in　his　throat。
　　〃Woof！　Woof！　Bowwowwow！　Grrrrrr！〃　These　sounds　came　hollowly　out　of　the　mask's　stylized　snarling　mouth；　and　among　them　were　sounds　that　might　have　been　sobs　or　laughter。
　　Danny　went　back　to　the　bedroom　and　sat　down　on　his　cot；　covering　his　eyes　with　his　hands。　The　hotel　was　running　things　now。　Maybe　at　first　the　things　that　had　happened　had　only　been　accidents。　Maybe　at　first　the　things　he　had　seen　really　were　like　scary　pictures　that　couldn't　hurt　him。　But　now　the　hotel　was　controlling　those　things　and　they　could　hurt。　The　Overlook　hadn't　wanted　him　to　go　to　his　father。　That　might　spoil　all　the　fun。　So　it　had　put　the　dogman　in　his　way；　just　as　it　had　put　the　hedge　animals　between　them　and　the　road。
　　But　his　daddy　could　e　here。　And　sooner　or　later　his　daddy　would。
　　He　began　to　cry；　the　tears　rolling　silently　down　his　cheeks。　It　was　too　late。
　　They　were　going　to　die；　all　three　of　them；　and　when　the　Overlook　opened　next　late　spring；　they　would　be　right　here　to　greet　the　guests　along　with　the　rest　of　the　spooks。　The　woman　in　the　tub。　The　dogman。　The　horrible　dark　thing　that　had　been　in　the　cement　tunnel。　They　would　be…　（Stop！　Stop　that　now！）　He　knuckled　the　tears　furiously　from　his　eyes。　He　would　try　as　hard　as　he　could　to　keep　that　from　happening。　Not　to　himself；　not　to　his　daddy　and　mommy。
　　He　would　try　as　hard　as　he　could。
　　He　closed　his　eyes　and　sent　his　mind　out　in　a　high；　hard　crystal　bolt。
　　（！！！　DICK　PLEASE　E　QUICK　WE'RE　IN　BAD　TROUBLE　DICK　WE　NEED）　And　suddenly；　in　the　darkness　behind　his　eyes　the　thing　that　chased　him　down　the　Overlook's　dark　halls　in　his　dreams　was　there；　right　there；　a　huge　creature　dressed　in　white；　its　prehistoric　club　raised　over　its　head：
　　〃I'll　make　you　stop　it！　You　goddam　puppy！　I'll　make　you　stop　it　because　I　am　your　FATHER！〃
　　〃No！〃　He　jerked　back　to　the　reality　of　the　bedroom；　his　eyes　wide　and　staring；　the　screams　tumbling　helplessly　from　his　mouth　as　his　mother　bolted　awake；　clutching　the　sheet　to　her　breasts。
　　〃No　Daddy　no　no　no…〃　And　they　both　heard　the　vicious；　descending　swing　of　the　invisible　club；　cutting　the　air　somewhere　very　close；　then　fading　away　to　silence　as　he　ran　to　his　mother　and　hugged　her；　trembling　like　a　rabbit　in　a　snare。
　　The　Overlook　was　not　going　to　let　him　call　Dick。　That　might　spoil　the　fun；　too。
　　They　were　alone。
　　Outside　the　snow　came　harder；　curtaining　them　off　from　the　world。
　　　
　　　》
　　MID…AIR
　　
　　Dick　Hallorann's　flight　was　called　at　6：45　A。M。；　EST；　and　the　boarding　clerk　held　him　by　Gate　31；　shifting　his　flight　bag　nervously　from　hand　to　hand；　until　the　last　call　at　6：55。　They　were　both　looking　for　a　man　named　Carlton　Vecker；　the　only　passenger　on　TWA's　flight　196　from　Miami　to　Denver　who　hadn't　checked　in。
　　〃Okay；〃　the　clerk　said；　and　issued　Hallorann　a　blue　firstclass　boarding　pass。
　　〃You　lucked　out。　You　can　board；　sir。〃　Hallorann　hurried　up　the　enclosed　boarding　ramp　and　let　the　mechanically　grinning　stewardess　tear　his　pass　off　and　give　him　the　stub。
　　〃We're　serving　breakfast　on　the　flight；〃　the　stew　said。　〃If　you'd　like…〃
　　〃Just　coffee；　babe；〃　he　said；　and　went　down　the　aisle　to　a　seat　in　the　smoking　section。　He　kept　expecting　the　no…show　Vecker　to　pop　through　the　door　like　a　jack…in…the…box　at　the　last　second。　The　woman　in　the　seat　by　the　window　was　reading　You　Can　Be　Your　Own　Best　Friend　with　a　sour；　unbelieving　expression　on　her　face。　Hallorann　buckled　his　seat　belt　and　then　wrapped　his　large　black　hands　around　the　seat's　armrests　and　promised　the　absent　Carlton　Vecker　that　it　would　take　him　and　five　strong　TWA　flight　attendants　to　drag　him　out　of　his　seat。　He　kept　his　eye　on　his　watch。　It　dragged　off　the　minutes　to　the　7：00　takeoff　time　with　maddening　slowness。
　　At　7：05　the　stewardess　informed　them　that　there　would　be　a　slight　delay　while　the　ground　crew　rechecked　one　of　the　latches　on　the　cargo　door。
　　〃Shit　for　brains；〃　Dick　Hallorann　muttered。
　　The　sharp…faced　woman　turned　her　sour；　unbelieving　expression　on　him　and　then　went　back　to　her　book。
　　He　had　spent　the　night　at　the　airport；　going　from　counter　to　counter…United；　American；　TWA；　Continental；　Braniff…haunting　the　ticket　clerks。　Sometime　after　midnight；　drinking　his　eighth　or　ninth　cup　of　coffee　in　the　canteen；　he　had　decided　he　was　being　an　asshole　to　have　taken　this　whole　thing　on　his　own　shoulders。　There　were　authorities。　He　had　gone　down　to　the　nearest　bank　of　telephones；　and　after　talking　to　three　different　operators；　he　had　gotten　the　emergency　number　of　the　Rocky　Mountain　National　Park　Authority。
　　The　man　who　answered　the　telephone　sounded　utterly　worn　out。　Hallorann　had　given　a　false　name　and　said　there　was　trouble　at　the　Overlook　Hotel；　west　of　Sidewinder。　Bad　trouble。
　　He　was　put　on　hold。
　　The　ranger　（Hallorann　assumed　he　was　a　ranger）　came　back　on　in　about　five　minutes。
　　〃They've　got　a　CB；〃　the　ranger　said。
　　〃Sure　they've　got　a　CB；〃　Hallorann　said。
　　〃We　haven't　had　a　Mayday　call　from　them。〃
　　〃Man；　that　don't　matter。　They…〃
　　〃Exactly　what　kind　of　trouble　are　they　in；　Mr。　Hall？〃
　　〃Well；　there's　a　family。　The　caretaker　and　his　family。　I　think　maybe　he's　gone　a　little　nuts；　you　know。　I　think　maybe　he　might　hurt　his　wife　and　his　little　boy。〃
　　〃May　I　ask　how　you've　e　by　this　information；　sir？〃　Hallorann　closed　his　eyes。　〃What's　your　name；　fellow？〃
　　〃Tom　Staunton；　sir。〃
　　〃Well；　Tom；　I　know。　Now　I'll　be　just　as　straight　with　you　as　I　can　be。　There's　bad　trouble　up　there。　Maybe　killin　bad；　do　you　dig　what　I'm　sayin？〃
　　〃Mr。　Hall；　I　really　have　to　know　how　you…〃
　　〃Look；〃　Hallorann　had　said。　〃I'm　telling　you　I　know。　A　few　years　back　there　was　a　fellow　up　there　name　of　Grady。　He　killed　his　wife　and　his　two　daughters　and　then　pulled　the　string　on　himself。　I'm　telling　you　it's　going　to　happen　again　if　you　guys　don't　haul　your　asses　out　there　and　stop　id〃
　　〃Mr。　Hall；　you're　not　calling　from　Colorado。〃
　　〃No。　But　what　difference…〃
　　〃If　you're　not　in　Colorado；　you're　not　in　CB　range　of　the　Overlook　Hotel。　If　you're　not　in　CB　range　you　can't　possibly　have　been　in　contact　with　the；　uh　。　。
　　。〃　Faint　rattle　of　papers。　〃The　Torrance　family。　While　I　had　you　on　hold　I　tried　to　telephone。　It's　out；　which　is　nothing　unusual。　There　are　still　twenty…five　miles　of　aboveground　telephone　lines　between　the　hotel　and　the　Sidewinder　switching　station。　My　conclusion　is　that　you　must　be　some　sort　of　crank。〃
　　〃Oh　man；　you　stupid　。　。　。〃　But　his　despair　was　too　great　to　find　a　noun　to　go　with　the　adjective。　Suddenly；　illumination。　〃Call　them！〃　he　cried。
　　〃Sir？〃
　　〃You　got　the　CB；　they　got　the　CB。　So　call　them！　Call　them　and　ask　them　what's　up！〃　There　was　a　brief　silence；　and　the　humming　of　long…distance　wires。
　　〃You　tried　that　too；　didn't　you？〃　Hallorann　asked。　〃That's　why　you　had　me　on　hold　so　long。　You　tried　the　phone　and　then　you　tried　the　CB　and　you　didn't　get　nothing　but　you　don't　think　nothing's　wrong　。　。　。　what　are　you　guys　doing　up　there？　Sitting　on　your　asses　and　playing　gin　rummy？〃
　　〃No；　we　are　not；〃　Staunton　said　angrily。　Hallorann　was　relieved　at　the　sound　of　anger　in　the　voice。　For　the　first　time　he　felt　he　was　speaking　to　a　man　and　not　to　a　recording。　〃I'm　the　only　man　here；　sir。　Every　other　ranger　in　the　park；　plus　game　wardens；　plus　volunteers；　are　up　in　Hasty　Notch；　risking　their　lives　because　three　stupid　assholes