th.red dragon-第36部分

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r　life；　was　the　only　constant　on　the　staff。
　Red…faced　in　the　kitchen　heat；　Grandmother　moved　restlessly　from　one　task　to　the　next；　often　leaving　dishes　half…made；　never　to　be　served。　She　made　casseroles　of　leftovers　while　vegetables　wilted　in　the　pantry。
　At　the　same　time；　she　became　fanatical　about　waste。　She　reduced　the　soap　and　bleach　in　the　wash　until　the　sheets　were　dingy　gray。
　In　the　month　of　November　she　hired　five　different　black　women　to　help　in　the　house。　They　would　not　stay。
　Grandmother　was　furious　the　evening　the　last　one　left。　She　went　through　the　house　yelling。　She　came　into　the　kitchen　and　saw　that　Queen　Mother　Bailey　had　left　a　teaspoonful　of　flour　on　the　board　after　rolling　out　some　dough。
　In　the　steam　and　heat　of　the　kitchen　a　half…hour　before　dinner　she　walked　up　to　Queen　Mother　and　slapped　her　face。
　Queen　Mother　dropped　her　ladle；　shocked。　Tears　sprang　into　her　eyes。　Grandmother　drew　back　her　hand　again。　A　big　pink　palm　pushed　her　away。
　〃Don't　you　ever　do　that。　You're　not　yourself；　Mrs。　Dolarhyde；　but　don't　you　ever　do　that。〃
　Screaming　insults；　Grandmother　with　her　bare　hand　shoved　over　a　kettle　of　soup　to　slop　and　hiss　down　through　the　stove。　She　went　to　her　room　and　slammed　the　door。　Francis　heard　her　cursing　in　her　room　and　objects　thrown　against　the　walls。　She　didn't　e　out　again　all　evening。
　Queen　Mother　cleaned　up　the　soup　and　fed　the　old　people。　She　got　her　few　things　together　in　a　basket　and　put　on　her　old　sweater　and　stocking　cap。　She　looked　for　Francis　but　couldn't　find　him。
　She　was　in　the　wagon　when　she　saw　the　boy　sitting　in　the　corner　of　the　porch。　He　watched　her　climb　down　heavily　and　e　back　to　him。
　〃Possum；　I'm　going　now。　I　won't　be　back　here。　Sironia　at　the　feed　store；　she'll　call　your　mama　for　me。　You　need　me　before　your　mama　get　here；　you　e　to　my　house。〃
　He　twisted　away　from　the　touch　on　his　cheek。
　Mr。　Bailey　clucked　to　the　mules。　Francis　watched　the　wagon　lantern　move　away。　He　had　watched　it　before；　with　a　sad　and　empty　feeling　since　he　understood　that　Queen　Mother　betrayed　him。　Now　he　didn't　care。　He　was　glad。　A　feeble　kerosene　wagon　light　fading　down　the　road。　It　was　nothing　to　the　moon。
　He　wondered　how　it　feels　to　kill　a　mule。
　
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　Marian　Dolarhyde　Vogt　did　not　e　when　Queen　Mother　Bailey　called　her。
　She　came　two　weeks　later　after　a　call　from　the　sheriff　in　St　Charles。　She　arrived　in　midafternoon；　driving　herself　in　a　prewar　Packard。　She　wore　gloves　and　a　hat。
　A　deputy　sheriff　met　her　at　the　end　of　the　lane　and　stooped　to　the　car　window。
　〃Mrs。　Vogt；　your　mother　called　our　office　around　noon；　saying　something　about　the　help　stealing。　When　I　e　out　here；　you'll　excuse　me　but　she　was　talking　out　of　her　head　and　it　looked　like　things　wasn't　tended　to。　Sheriff　thought　he　ought　to　get　ahold　of　y'all　first；　if　you　understand　me。　Mr。　Vogt　being　before　the　public　and　all。〃
　Marian　understood　him。　Mr。　Vogt　was　missioner　of　public　works　in　St。　Louis　now　and　was　not　in　the　party's　best　graces。
　〃To　my　knowledge；　nobody　else　has　saw　the　place；〃　the　deputy　said。
　Marian　found　her　mother　asleep。　Two　of　the　old　people　were　still　sitting　at　the　table　waiting　for　lunch。　One　woman　was　out　in　the　backyard　in　her　slip。
　Marian　telephoned　her　husband。　〃How　often　do　they　inspect　these　places？　。　。　。　They　must　not　have　seen　anything　。　。　。　I　don't　know　if　any　relatives　have　plained；　I　don't　think　these　people　have　any　relatives　。　。　。　No。　You　stay　away。　I　need　some　Negroes。　Get　me　some　Negroes　。　。　。　and　Dr。　Waters。　I'll　take　care　of　it。〃
　The　doctor　with　an　orderly　in　white　arrived　in　forty…five　minutes；　followed　by　a　panel　truck　bringing　Marian's　maid　and　five　other　domestics。
　Marian；　the　doctor；　and　the　orderly　were　in　Grandmother's　room　when　Francis　came　home　from　school。　Francis　could　hear　his　grandmother　cursing。　When　they　rolled　her　out　in　one　of　the　nursing…home　wheelchairs；　she　was　glassy…eyed　and　a　piece　of　cotton　was　taped　to　her　arm。　Her　face　looked　sunken　and　strange　without　her　teeth。　Marian's　arm　was　bandaged　too；　she　had　been　bitten。
　Grandmother　rode　away　in　the　doctor's　car；　sitting　in　the　backseat　with　the　orderly。　Francis　watched　her　go。　He　started　to　wave；　but　let　his　hand　fall　back　to　his　side。
　Marian's　cleaning　crew　scrubbed　and　aired　the　house；　did　a　tremendous　wash；　and　bathed　the　old　people。　Marian　worked　alongside　them　and　supervised　a　sketchy　meal。
　She　spoke　to　Francis　only　to　ask　where　things　were。
　Then　she　sent　the　crew　away　and　called　the　county　authorities。　Mrs。　Dolarhyde　had　suffered　a　stroke；　she　explained。
　It　was　dark　when　the　welfare　workers　came　for　the　patients　in　a　school　bus。　Francis　thought　they　would　take　him　too。　He　was　not　discussed。
　Only　Marian　and　Francis　remained　at　the　house。　She　sat　at　the　dining…room　table　with　her　head　in　her　hands。　He　went　outside　and　climbed　a　crabapple　tree。
　Finally　Marian　called　him。　She　had　packed　a　small　suitcase　with　his　clothes。
　〃You'll　have　to　e　with　me；〃　she　said；　walking　to　the　car。　〃Get　in。　Don't　put　your　feet　on　the　seat。〃
　They　drove　away　in　the　Packard　and　left　the　empty　wheelchair　standing　in　the　yard。
　There　was　no　scandal。　The　county　authorities　said　it　was　sure　a　shame　about　Mrs。　Dolarhyde；　she　sure　kept　things　nice。　The　Vogts　remained　untarnished。
　Grandmother　was　confined　to　a　private　nerve　sanatorium。　It　would　be　fourteen　years　before　Francis　went　home　to　her　again。
　
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　〃Francis；　here　are　your　stepsisters　and　stepbrother；〃　his　mother　said。　They　were　in　the　Vogts'　library。
　Ned　Vogt　was　twelve；　Victoria　thirteen；　and　Margaret　nine。　Ned　and　Victoria　looked　at　each　other。　Margaret　looked　at　the　floor。
　Francis　was　given　a　room　at　the　top　of　the　servants'　stairs。　Since　the　disastrous　election　of　1944　the　Vogts　no　longer　employed　an　upstairs　maid。
　He　was　enrolled　in　Potter　Gerard　Elementary　School；　within　walking　distance　of　the　house　and　far　from　the　Episcopal　private　school　the　other　children　attended。
　The　Vogt　children　ignored　him　as　much　as　possible　during　the　first　few　days；　but　at　the　end　of　the　first　week　Ned　and　Victoria　came　up　the　servants'　stairs　to　call。
　Francis　heard　them　whispering　for　minutes　before　the　knob　turned　on　his　door。　When　they　found　it　bolted；　they　didn't　knock。　Ned　said；　〃Open　this　door。〃
　Francis　opened　it。　They　did　not　speak　to　him　again　while　they　looked　through　his　clothes　in　the　wardrobe。　Ned　Vogt　opened　the　drawer　in　the　small　dressing　table　and　picked　up　the　things　he　found　with　two　fingers：　birthday　handkerchiefs　with　F。D。　embroidered　on　them；　a　capo　for　a　guitar；　a　bright　beetle　in　a　pill　bottle；　a　copy　of　Baseball　Joe　in　the　World　Series　which　had　once　been　wet；　and　a　get…well　card　signed　〃Your　classmate；　Sarah　Hughes。〃
　〃What's　this？〃　Ned　asked。
　〃A　capo。〃
　〃What's　it　for？〃
　〃A　guitar。〃
　〃Do　you　have　a　guitar？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃What　do　you　have　it　for？〃　Victoria　asked。
　〃My　father　used　it。〃
　〃I　can't　understand　you。　What　did　you　say？　Make　him　say　it　again；　Ned。〃
　〃He　said　it　belonged　to　his　father。〃　Ned　blew　his　nose　on　one　of　the　handkerchiefs　and　dropped　it　back　in　the　drawer。
　〃They　came　for　the　ponies　today；〃　Victoria　said。　She　sat　on　the　narrow　bed。　Ned　joined　her；　his　back　against　the　wall；　his　feet　on　the　quilt。
　〃No　more　ponies；〃　Ned　said。　〃No　more　lake　house　for　the　summer。　Do　you　know　why？　Speak　up；　you　little　bastard。〃
　〃Father　is　sick　a　lot　and　doesn't　make　as　much　money；〃　Victoria　said。　〃Some　days　he　doesn't　go　to　the　office　at　all。〃
　〃Know　why　he's　sick；　you　little　bastard？〃　Ned　asked。　〃Talk　where　I　can　understand　you。〃
　〃Grandmother　said　he's　a　drunk。　Understand　that　all　right？〃
　〃He's　sick　because　of　your　ugly　face；〃　Ned　said。
　〃That's　why　people　didn't　vote　for　him；　too；〃　Victoria　said。
　〃Get　out；〃　Francis　said。　When　he　turned　to　open　the　door；　Ned　kicked　him　in　the　back。　Francis　tried　to　reach　his　kidney　with　both　hands；　which　saved　his　fingers　as　Ned　kicked　him　in　the　stomach。
　〃Oh；　Ned；〃　Victoria　said。　〃Oh；　Ned。〃
　Ned　grabbed　Francis　by　the　ears　and　held　him　close　to　the　mirror　over　the　dressing　table。
　〃That's　why　he's　sick！〃　Ned　slammed　his　face　into　the　mirror。　〃That's　why　he's　sick！〃　Slam。　〃That's　why　he's　sick！〃　Slam。　The　mirror　was　smeared　with　blood　and　mucus。　Ned　let　him　go　and　he　sat　on　the　floor。　Victoria　looked　at　him；　her　eyes　wide；　holding　her　lower　lip　between　her　teeth。　They　left　him　there。　His　face　was　wet　with　blood　and　spit。　His　eyes　watered　from　the　pain；　but　he　did　not　cry。
　
　
　CHAPTER　28
　
　Rain　in　Chicago　drums　through　the　night　on　the　canopy　over　the　open　grave　of　Freddy　Lounds。
　Thunder　jars　Will　Graham's　pounding　head　as　he　weaves　from　the　table　to　a　bed　where　dreams　coil　beneath　the　pillow。
　The　old　house　above　St。　Charles；　shouldering　the　wind；　repeats　its　long　sigh　over　the　hiss　of　rain　against　the　windows　and　the　bump　of　thunder。
　The　stairs　are　creaking　in　the　dark。　Mr。　Dolarhyde　is　ing　down　them；　his　kimono　whispering　over　the　treads；　his　eyes　wide　with　recent　sleep。
　His　hair　is　wet　and　neatly　bed。　He　has　brushed　his　nails。　He　moves　smoothly　and　slowly；　carrying　his　concentration　like　a　brimming　cup。
　Film　beside　his　projector。　Two　subjects。　Other　reels　are　piled　in　the　wastebasket　for　burning。　Two　left；　chosen　from　the　dozens　of　home　movies　he　has　copied　at　the　plant　and　brought　home　to　audition。
　fortable　in　his　reclining　chair　with　a　tray　of　cheese　and　fruit　beside　him；　Dolarhyde　settles　in　to　watch。
　The　first　film　is　a　picnic　from　the　Fourth　of　July　weekend。　A　handsome　family；　three　children；　the　father　bull…necked；　dipping　into　the　pickle　jar　with　his　thick　fingers。　And　the　mother。
　The　best　view　of　her　is　in　the　softball　game　with　the　neighbors'　children。　Only　about　fifteen　seconds　of　her；　she　takes　a　lead　off　second　base；　faces　the　pitcher　and　the　plate；　feet　apart　ready　to　dash　either　way；　her　breasts　swaying　beneath　her　pullover　as　she　leans　forward　from　the　waist。　An　annoying　interruption　as　a　child　swings　a　bat。　The　woman　again；　walking　back　to　tag　up。　She　puts　one　foot　on　the　boat　cushion　they　use　for　a　base　and　stands　hip…shot；　the　thigh　muscle　tightening　in　her　locked　leg。
　Over　and　over　Dolarhyde　watches　the　frames　of　the　woman。　Foot　on　the　base；