dk.coldfire-第45部分

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　stacked　on　the　linoleum　floor。　
　'　Wall…eyed　fishing　lures　dangled　on　a　rack　near　the　door。　The　air　smelled　of　rubber　boots。　
　At　the　check…out　counter；　Jim　already　had　piled　up　a　pair　of　high　quality　summerweight　sleeping　bags　with　air…mattress　liners；　a　Coleman　lantern　with　a　can　of　fuel；　a　sizable　Thermos　ice　chest；　two　big　flashlights；　packages　of　batteries　for　the　flashes；　and　a　few　other　items。　At　the　cash　register；　farther　along　the　counter　from　Jim；　a　bearded　man　in　spectacles　as　thick　as　bottle　glass　was　ringing　up　the　sale；　and　Jim　was　waiting　with　an　open　wallet。　
　〃I　thought　we　were　going　to　the　mill；〃　Holly　said。　
　〃We　are；〃　Jim　said。　〃But　unless　you　want　to　sleep　on　a　wooden　floor　without　benefit　of　any　conveniences；　we　need　this　stuff〃　〃I　didn't　realize　we　were　staying　overnight。〃　
　〃Neither　did　I。　Until　I　walked　in　here　and　heard　myself　asking　for　these　things。〃　
　〃Couldn't　we　stay　at　a　motel？〃　〃Nearest　one's　clear　over　to　Santa　Ynez。〃　
　〃It's　a　pretty　drive；〃　she　said；　much　preferring　the　mute　to　spending　a　night　in　the　mill。　
　Her　reluctance　arose　only　in　part　from　the　fact　that　the　old　mill　promised　to　be　unfortable。　The　place　was；　after　all；　the　locus　of　both　their　nightmares。　Besides；　since　arriving　in　Svenborg；　she　had　felt　vaguely。　。　。　
　threatened。　
　〃But　something's　going　to　happen；〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　know　what。　
　Just。　。　。　something。　At　the　mill。　I　feel　it。　We're　going　to。　。　。　get　some　answers。　But　it　might　take　a　little　time。　We've　got　to　be　ready　to　wait；　be　patient。〃　
　Though　Holly　was　the　one　who　had　suggested　going　to　the　mill；　she　suddenly　didn't　want　answers。　In　a　dim　premonition　of　her　own；　she　perceived　an　undefined　but　oning　tragedy；　blood；　death；　and　darkness。　
　Jim；　on　the　other　hand；　seemed　to　shed　the　lead　weight　of　his　previous　apprehension　and　take　on　a　new　buoyancy。　〃It's　good…what　we're　doing；　where　we're　going。　I　sense　that；　Holly。　You　know　what　I　mean？　I'm　being　told　we　made　the　right　move　in　ing　here；　that　there's　something　frightening　ahead　of　us；　yes；　something　that's　going　to　shock　the　hell　out　of　us；　maybe　very　real　danger；　but　there's　also　something　that's　going　to　lift　us　up。〃　His　eyes　were　shining　and　he　was　excited。　
　She　had　never　seen　him　like　this；　not　even　when　they　had　been　making　love。　In　whatever　obscure　way　it　touched　him；　this　higher　power　of　his　was　in　contact　with　him　now。　She　could　see　his　quiet　rapture。　〃I　feel　a。　。　。　a　strange　sort　of　jubilation　ing；　a　wonderful　discovery；　revelations。　。　。〃　
　The　bespectacled　clerk　had　stepped　away　from　the　cash　register　to　show　them　the　total　on　the　tape。　Grinning；　he　said；　〃Newlyweds？〃　At　the　convenience　store　next　door；　they　bought　ice　for　the　chest；　then　orange　juice；　diet　soda；　bread；　mustard；　bologna…olive　loaf；　and　pre…packaged　cheese　slices。　
　〃Olive　loaf；〃　Holly　said　wonderingly。　〃I　haven't　eaten　this　stuff　since　I　was　maybe　fourteen　and　I　learned　I　had　arteries。〃　
　〃And　how　about　these；〃　he　said；　snatching　a　box　of　chocolate…covered　doughnuts　off　a　shelf；　adding　it　to　the　market　basket　that　he　was　carrying。　
　〃Bologna　sandwiches；　chocolate　doughnuts。　。　。　and　potato　chips；　of　course。　Wouldn't　be　a　picnic　without　chips。　The　crinkled　kind；　okay？　Some　cheese　twists；　too。　Chips　and　cheese　twists；　they　go　together。〃　ù　Holly　had　never　seen　him　like　this：　almost　boyish；　with　no　apparent　weight　on　his　shoulders。　He　might　have　been　setting　out　on　a　camping　trip　with　friends；　a　little　adventure。　
　She　wondered　if　her　own　apprehension　was　justified。　Jim　was；　after　all；　the　one　whose　presentiments　had　proven　to　be　accurate。　Maybe　they　were　going　to　discover　something　wonderful　at　the　mill；　unravel　the　mystery　behind　the　last…minute　rescues　he　had　performed；　maybe　even　encounter　this　higher　power　to　which　he　referred。　Perhaps　The　Enemy；　in　spite　of　its　ability　to　reach　out　of　a　dream　into　the　real　world；　was　not　as　formidable　as　it　seemed。　
　At　the　cash　register；　after　the　clerk　finished　bagging　their　purchases　and　was　making　change；　Jim　said；　〃Wait　a　minute；　one　more　thing；〃　and　hurried　to　the　rear　of　the　store。　When　he　returned；　he　was　carrying　two　lined　yellow　tablets　and　one　black；　fine…point　felt…tip　pen。　To　Holly；　he　said；　〃We'll　be　needing　these　tonight。〃　
　When　they　had　loaded　the　car　and　pulled　out　of　the　parking　lot　at　The　Central；　heading　for　the　Ironheart　farm；　Holly　indicated　the　pen　and　tablets；　which　she　was　holding　in　a　separate　bag。　〃What'll　we　be　needing　these　for？〃　〃I　haven't　the　slightest　idea。　I　just　suddenly　knew　we　have　to　have　them。〃　
　〃That's　just　like　God；〃　she　said；　〃always　being　mysterious　and　obscure　。〃　
　After　a　silence；　he　said；　〃I'm　not　so　sure　any　more　that　it's　God　talking　to　me。〃　
　〃Oh？　What　changed　your　mind？〃　〃Well；　the　issues　you　raised　last　evening；　for　one　thing。　If　God　didn't　want　little　Nick　O'Conner　to　die　up　there　in　Boston；　why　didn't　He　just　stop　that　vault　from　exploding？　Why　chase　me　clear　across　the　country　and　throw　me　at　the　boy；　as　you　put　it？　And　why　would　He　up　and　change　His　mind　about　the　people　on　the　airliner；　let　more　of　them　live；　just　because　I　decided　they　should？　They　were　all　questions　I'd　asked　myself；　but　you　weren't　willing　to　settle　for　the　easy　answers　that　satisfied　me。〃　He　looked　away　from　the　street　for　a　moment　as　they　reached　the　edge　of　town；　smiled　at　her；　and　repeated　one　of　the　questions　she　had　asked　him　yesterday　when　she　had　been　needling　him：　〃Is　God　a　waffler〃　〃I　would've　expected。　。　。〃　
　〃What？〃　〃Well；　you　were　so　sure　you　could　see　a　divine　hand　in　this；　it　must　be　a　bit　of　a　letdown　to　consider　less　exalted　possibilities。　I'd　expect　you　to　be　a　little　bummed　out。〃　
　He　shook　his　head。　〃I'm　not。　You　know；　I　always　had　trouble　accepting　that　it　was　God　working　through　me；　it　seemed　like　such　a　crazy　idea；　but　I　lived　with　it　just　because　there　wasn't　any　better　explanation。　
　There　still　isn　't　a　better　explanation；　I　guess；　but　another　possibility　has　occurred　to　me；　and　it's　something　so　strange　and　wonderful　in　its　way　that　I　don't　mind　losing　God　from　the　team。〃　
　〃What　other　possibility？〃　〃I　don't　want　to　talk　about　it　just　yet；〃　he　said　as　sunlight　and　tree　shadows　dappled　the　dusty　windshield　and　played　across　his　face。　
　〃I　want　to　think　it　through；　be　sure　it　makes　sense；　before　I　lay　it　out　for　you；　'cause　I　know　now　you're　a　hard　judge　to　convince。〃　
　He　seemed　happy。　Really　happy。　Holly　had　liked　him　pretty　much　since　she　had　first　seen　him；　regardless　of　his　moodiness。　She　had　perceived　a　hopefulness　beneath　his　glower；　a　tenderness　beneath　his　gruffness；　a　better　man　beneath　the　exterior　of　a　lesser　one；　but　in　his　current　buoyant　mood；　she　found　him　easier　than　ever　to　like。　
　She　playfully　pinched　his　cheek。　
　〃What？〃　he　said。　
　〃You're　cute。〃　
　As　they　drove　out　of　Svenborg；　it　occurred　to　Holly　that　the　distribution　pattern　of　the　houses　and　other　buildings　was　more　like　a　pioneer　settlement　than　like　a　modern　munity。　In　most　towns；　buildings　were　concentrated　more　densely　in　the　center；　with　larger　lots　and　increasing　open　space　toward　the　perimeter；　until　finally　the　last　structures　gave　way　to　rural　precincts。　But　when　they　came　to　the　city　limits　of　Svenborg；　the　delineation　between　town　and　country　was　almost　ruler…straight　and　unmistakable。　Houses　stopped　and　brushland　began；　with　only　an　intervening　firebreak；　and　Holly　could　not　help　but　think　of　pioneers　in　the　Old　West　constructing　their　outposts　with　a　wary　eye　toward　the　threats　that　might　arise　out　of　the　lawless　badlands　all　around　them。　
　Inside　its　boundaries；　the　town　seemed　ominous　and　full　of　dark　secrets。　
　Seen　from　the　outside…and　Holly　turned　to　stare　back　at　it　as　the　road　rose　toward　the　brow　of　a　gentle　hill…it　looked　not　threatening　but　threatened；　as　if　its　residents　knew；　in　their　bones；　that　something　frightful　in　the　golden　land　around　them　was　waiting　to　claim　them　all。　
　Perhaps　fire　was　all　they　feared。　Like　much　of　California；　the　land　was　parched　where　human　endeavor　had　not　brought　water　to　it。　Nestled　between　the　Santa　Ynez　Mountains　to　the　west　and　the　San　Rafael　Mountains　to　the　east；　the　valley　was　so　broad　and　deep　that　it　contained　more　geographical　variety　than　some　entire　states　back　East　Although　at　this　time　of　year；　untouched　by　rain　since　early　spring；　most　of　it　was　brown　and　crisp。　They　traveled　across　rounded　golden　hills；　brown　meadows。　The　better　vantage　points　on　their　two…mile　route　revealed　vistas　of　higher　hills　overgrown　with　chaparral；　valleys　within　the　valley　where　groves　of　California　live　oaks　flourished；　and　small　green　vineyards　encircled　by　vast　seared　fields。　
　〃It's　beautiful；〃　Holly　said；　taking　in　the　pale　hills；　shining…gold　meadows；　and　oily　chaparral。　Even　the　oaks；　whose　clusters　indicated　areas　with　a　paratively　high　water　table；　were　not　lush　but　a　half　parched　silvergreen。　〃Beautiful；　but　a　tinderbox。　How　would　they　cope　with　a　fire　out　here？〃　Even　as　she　posed　that　question；　they　came　around　a　bend　in　the　road　and　saw　a　stretch　of　blackened　land　to　the　right　of　the　two…lane　county　road。　Brush　and　grass　had　been　reduced　to　veins　of　gray…white　ash　in　coalblack　soot。　The　fire　had　taken　place　within　the　past　couple　of　days；　for　it　was　still　recent　enough　to　lend　a　burnt　odor　to　the　August　air。　
　〃That　one　didn't　get　far；〃　he　said。　〃Looks　like　ten　acres　burned　at　most。　
　They're　quick　around　here；　they　jump　at　the　first　sign　of　smoke。　
　There's　a　good　volunteer　group　in　town；　plus　a　Department　of　Forestry　station　in　the　valley；　lookout　posts。　If　you　live　here；　you　don't　forget　the　threat…you　just　realize　after　a　while　that　it　can　be　dealt　with。〃　
　Jim　sounded　confident　enough；　and　he　had　lived　there　for　seven　or　eight　years；　so　Holly　tried　to　suppress　her　pyrophobia。　Nevertheless；　even　after　they　had　passed　the　charred　land　and　could　no　longer　smell　the　scorched　brush；　Holly　had　an　image　in　her　mind　of　the　huge　valley　at　night；　aflame　from　end　to　end；　vortexes　of　red…orange…white　fire　whirling　like　tornadoes　and　consuming　everything　that　lay　between　the　ramparts　of　the　two　mountain　ranges。　
　〃Ironheart　Farm；〃　he　said；　startling　her。　
　As　Jim　slowed　the　Ford；　Holly　looked　to　the　left　of　the　blacktop　county　route。　
　A　farmhouse　stood