dk.coldfire-第66部分

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ake　objects　from　people　in　the　audience。　My　dad　would　work　with　me；　and　we　would。　
　。　。　
　I　would　hold　the　objects　and　pretend　to　have　psychic　impressions；　tell　the　people　things　about　themselves　that　I　couldn't　know。〃　
　〃Pretend？〃　she　asked。　
　He　blinked。　〃Maybe　not。　It's　so　strange。　。　。　how　little　I　remember　even　when　I　try。〃　
　〃It　wasn't　a　trick。　You　could　really　do　it。　That's　why　your　folks　put　together　the　act　in　the　first　place。　You　were　a　gifted　child。〃　
　He　ran　his　fingers　down　the　Bro　Dart…protected　jacket　of　The　Black　Windmill。　〃But。　。　。〃　
　〃But？〃　〃There's　so　much　I　still　don't　understand。　。　。　。〃　
　〃Oh；　me　too；　kiddo。　But　we're　getting　closer；　and　I　have　to　believe　that's　a　good　thing。〃　
　A　shadow；　cast　from　within；　stole　across　his　face　again。　
　Not　wanting　to　see　him　slip　back　into　a　darker　mood；　Holly　said；　〃e　on。〃　She　picked　up　the　book　and　took　it　to　the　librarian's　desk。　
　Jim　followed　her。　
　The　energetic　Mrs。　Glynn　was　drawing　on　posterboard　with　a　rainbow　of　colored　pencils　and　magic　markers。　The　colorful　images　were　of　wellrendered　boys　and　girls　dressed　as　spacemen；　spelunkers；　sailors；　acrobats；　and　jungle　explorers。　She　had　penciled　in　but　not　yet　colored　the　message：　THIS　IS　A　LIBRARY。　KIDS　AND　ADVENTURERS　WELE。　
　ALL　OTHERS　STAY　OUT！　〃Nice；〃　Holly　said　sincerely；　indicating　the　poster。　〃You　really　put　yourself　into　this　job。〃　
　〃Keeps　me　out　of　barrooms；〃　Mrs。　Glynn　said；　with　a　grin　that　made　it　clear　why　any　kid　would　like　her。　
　Holly　said；　〃My　fiance　here　has　spoken　so　highly　of　you。　Maybe　you　don't　remember　him　after　twenty…five　years。〃　
　Mrs。　Glynn　looked　speculatively　at　Jim。　
　He　said；　〃I'm　Jim　Ironheart；　Mrs。　Glynn。〃　
　〃Of　course　I　remember　you！　You　were　the　most　special　little　boy。〃　
　She　got　up；　leaned　across　the　desk；　and　insisted　on　getting　a　hug　from　Jim。　
　Releasing　him；　turning　to　Holly；　she　said；　〃So　you're　going　to　be　marrying　my　Jimmy。　That's　wonderful！　A　lot　of　kids　have　passed　through　here　since　I've　been　running　the　place；　even　for　a　town　this　small；　and　I　can't　pretend　I'd　remember　all　of　them。　But　Jimmy　was　special。　He　was　a　very　special　boy。〃　
　Holly　heard；　again；　how　Jim　had　had　an　insatiable　appetite　for　fantasy　fiction；　how　he'd　been　so　terribly　quiet　his　first　year　in　town；　and　how　he'd　been　totally　mute　during　his　second　year；　after　the　sudden　death　of　his　grandmother。　
　Holly　seized　that　opening：　〃You　know；　Mrs。　Glynn；　one　of　the　reasons　Jim　brought　me　back　here　was　to　see　if　we　might　like　to　live　in　the　farmhouse；　at　least　for　a　while…〃　〃It's　a　nicer　town　than　it　looks；〃　Mrs。　Glynn　said。　〃You'd　be　happy　here；　I'll　guarantee　it。　In　fact；　let　me　issue　you　a　couple　of　library　cards！〃　She　sat　down　and　pulled　open　a　desk　drawer。　
　As　the　librarian　withdrew　two　cards　from　the　drawer　and　picked　up　a　pen；　Holly　said；　〃Well；　the　thing　is。　。　。　there're　as　many　bad　memories　for　him　as　good；　and　Lena's　death　is　one　of　the　worst。〃　
　〃And　the　thing　is；〃　Jim　picked　up；　〃I　was　only　ten　when　she　died…well　almost　eleven…and　I　guess　maybe　I　made　myself　forget　some　of　what　happened。　I'm　not　too　clear　on　how　she　died；　the　details；　and　I　was　wondering　if　you　remember。　。　。〃　
　Holly　decided　that　he　might　make　a　decent　interviewer　after　all。　
　Mrs　Glynn　said；　〃I　can't　say　I　recall　the　details　of　it。　And　I　guess　nobody'll　ever　know　what　on　earth　she　was　doing　out　in　that　old　mill　in　the　middle　of　the　night。　Henry；　your　grandpa；　said　she　sometimes　went　there　just　to　get　away　from　things。　It　was　peaceful　and　cool；　a　place　she　could　do　a　little　knitting　and　sort　of　meditate。　And；　of　course；　in　those　days　it　wasn't　quite　the　ruin　it's　bee。　Still。　
　。　。　it　seemed　odd　she'd　be　out　there　knitting　at　two　o'clock　in　the　morning。〃　
　As　the　librarian　recounted　what　she　could　recall　of　Lena's　death；　confirming　that　Holly's　dream　had　really　been　Jim's　memory；　Holly　was　touched　by　both　dread　and　nausea。　What　Eloise　Glynn　did　not　seem　to　know；　what　perhaps　no　one　knew；　was　that　Lena　had　not　been　in　that　mill　alone。　
　Jim　had　been　there；　too。　
　And　only　Jim　had　e　out　of　it　alive。　
　Holly　glanced　at　him　and　saw　that　he　had　lost　all　color　in　his　face　again。　
　He　was　not　merely　pale。　He　was　as　gray　as　the　sky　outside。　
　Mrs。　Glynn　asked　Holly　for　her　driver's　license；　to　plete　the　library　card；　and　even　though　Holly　didn't　want　the　card；　she　produced　the　license。　
　The　librarian　said；　〃Jim；　I　think　what　got　you　through　all　that　pain　and　loss；　more　than　anything；　was　books。　You　pulled　way　into　yourself；　read　al！　the　time；　and　I　think　you　used　fantasy　as　sort　of　a　painkiller。〃　
　She　handed　Holly　the　license　and　library　card；　and　said　to　her；　〃Jim　was　an　awfully　bright　boy。　He　could　get　totally　into　a　book；　it　became　real　for　him。〃　
　Yeah；　Holly　thought；　did　it　ever。　
　〃When　he　first　came　to　town　and　I　heard　he'd　never　been　to　a　real　school　before；　been　educated　by　his　parents；　I　thought　that　was　just　terrible；　even　if　they　did　have　to　travel　all　the　time　with　that　nightclub　act　of　theirs〃　Holly　recalled　the　gallery　of　photographs　on　Jim's　study　walls　in　Laguna　Niguel：　Miami；　Atlantic　City；　New　York；　London；　Chicago；　Las　Vegas。　。　。　
　〃…but　they'd　actually　done　a　pretty　fine　job。　At　least　they'd　turned　him　into　a　booklover；　and　that　served　him　well　later。〃　She　turned　to　Jim。　〃I　suppose　you　haven't　asked　your　grandpa　about　Lena's　death　because　you　figure　it　might　upset　him　to　talk　about　it。　But　I　think　he's　not　as　fragile　as　you　imagine；　and　he'd　know　more　about　it　than　anyone；　of　course。〃　Mrs。　
　Glynn　addressed　Holly　again：　〃Is　something　wrong；　dear？〃　Holly　realized　she　was　standing　with　the　blue　library　card　in　her　hand；　statue…still；　like　one　of　those　waiting…to…be…reanimated　people　in　the　worlds　within　the　books　upon　the　shelves　within　these　rooms。　For　a　moment　she　could　not　respond　to　the　woman's　question。　
　Jim　looked　too　stunned　to　pick　up　the　ball　this　time。　His　grandfather　was　alive　somewhere。　But　where？　〃No；〃　Holly　said；　〃nothing's　wrong。　I　just　realized　how　late　it's　getting…〃　A　shatter　of　static；　a　vision：　her　severed　head　screaming；　her　severed　hands　crawling　like　spiders　across　a　floor；　her　decapitated　body　writhing　and　twisting　in　agony；　she　was　dismembered　but　not　dead；　impossibly　alive；　in　a　thrall　of　horror　beyond　endurance　Holly　cleared　her　throat；　blinked　at　Mrs。　Glynn；　who　was　staring　at　her　curiously。　
　〃Uh；　yeah；　quite　late。　And　we're　supposed　to　go　see　Henry　before　lunch。　
　It's　already　ten。　I've　never　met　him。〃　She　was　babbling　now；　couldn't　stop。　〃I'm　really　looking　forward　to　it。〃　
　Unless　he　really　did　die　over　four　years　ago；　like　Jim　had　told　her；　in　which　case　she　wasn't　looking　forward　to　it　at　all。　But　Mrs。　Glynn　did　not　appear　to　be　a　spiritualist　who　would　blithely　suggest　conjuring　up　the　dead　for　a　little　chat。　
　〃He's　a　nice　man；〃　Eloise　Glynn　said。　〃I　know　he　must've　hated　having　to　move　off　the　farm　after　his　stroke；　but　he　can　be　thankful　it　didn't　leave　him　worse　than　he　is。　My　mother；　God　rest　her　soul；　had　a　stroke；　left　her　unable　to　walk；　talk；　blind　in　one　eye；　and　so　confused　she　couldn't　always　recognize　her　own　children。　At　least　poor　Henry　has　his　wits　about　him；　as　I　understand　it。　He　can　talk；　and　I　hear　he's　the　leader　of　the　wheelchair　pack　over　there　at　Fair　Haven。〃　
　〃Yes；〃　Jim　said；　sounding　as　wooden　as　a　talking　post；　〃that's　what　I　hear。〃　
　〃Fair　Haven's　such　a　nice　place；〃　Mrs。　Glynn　said；　〃it's　good　of　you　to　keep　him　there；　Jim。　It's　not　a　snakepit　like　so　many　nursing　homes　these　days。〃　
　The　Yellow　Pages　at　a　public　phone　booth　provided　an　address　for　Fair　Haven　on　the　edge　of　Solvang。　Holly　drove　south　and　west　across　the　valley。　
　〃I　remember　he　had　a　stroke；〃　Jim　said。　〃I　was　in　the　hospital　with　him；　came　up　from　Orange　County；　he　was　in　the　intensive…care　unit。　I　hadn't。　。　。　hadn't　seen　him　in　thirteen　years　or　more。〃　
　Holly　was　surprised　by　that；　and　her　look　generated　a　hot　wave　of　shame　that　withered　Jim。　〃You　hadn't　seen　your　own　grandfather　in　thirteen　years？〃　〃There　was　a　reason。　。　。　。〃　
　〃What？〃　He　stared　at　the　road　ahead　for　a　while；　then　let　out　a　guttural　sound　of　frustration　and　disgust。　〃I　don't　know。　There　was　a　reason；　but　I　can't　remember　it。　Anyway；　I　came　back　when　he　had　his　stroke；　when　he　was　dying　in　the　hospital。　And　I　remember　him　dead；　damn　it。〃　
　〃Clearly　remember　it？〃　〃Yes。〃　
　She　said；　〃You　remember　the　sight　of　him　dead　in　the　hospital　bed；　all　his　monitor　lines　flat？〃　He　frowned。　〃No。〃　
　〃Remember　a　doctor　telling　you　he'd　passed　away？〃　〃No。〃　
　〃Remember　making　arrangements　for　his　burial？〃　〃No。〃　
　which　case　she　wasn't　looking　forward　to　it　at　all。　But　Mrs。　Glynn　did　not　appear　to　be　a　spiritualist　who　would　blithely　suggest　conjuring　up　the　dead　for　a　little　chat。　
　〃He's　a　nice　man；〃　Eloise　Glynn　said。　〃I　know　he　must've　hated　having　to　move　off　the　farm　after　his　stroke；　but　he　can　be　thankful　it　didn't　leave　him　worse　than　he　is。　My　mother；　God　rest　her　soul；　had　a　stroke；　left　her　unable　to　walk；　talk；　blind　in　one　eye；　and　so　confused　she　couldn't　always　recognize　her　own　children。　At　least　poor　Henry　has　his　wits　about　him；　as　I　understand　it。　He　can　talk；　and　I　hear　he's　the　leader　of　the　wheelchair　pack　over　there　at　Fair　Haven。〃　
　〃Yes；〃　Jim　said；　sounding　as　wooden　as　a　talking　post；　〃that's　what　I　hear。〃　
　〃Fair　Haven's　such　a　nice　place；〃　Mrs。　Glynn　said；　〃it's　good　of　you　to　keep　him　there；　Jim。　It's　not　a　snakepit　like　so　many　nursing　homes　these　days。〃　
　The　Yellow　Pages　at　a　public　phone　booth　provided　an　address　for　Fair　Haven　on　the　edge　of　Solvang。　Holly　drove　south　and　west　across　the　valley。　
　〃I　remember　he　had　a　stroke；〃　Jim　said。　〃I　was　in　the　hospital　with　him；　came　up　from　Orange　County；　he　was　in　the　intensive…care　unit。　I　hadn't。　。　。　hadn't　seen　him　in　thirteen　years　or　more。〃　
　Holly　was　surprised　by　that；　and　her　look　generated　a　hot　wave　of　shame　that　withered　Jim。　〃You　hadn't　seen　your　own　grandfather　in　thirteen　years？〃　〃There　was　a　reason。　。　。　。〃　
　〃What？〃　He　stared　at　the　road　ahead　for　a　while；　then　let　out　a　guttural　sound　of　frustration　and　disgust。　〃I　don't　know。　There　was　a　reason；　but　I　can't　remember　it。　Anyway；　I　came　back　when　he　had　his　stroke；　when　he　was　dying　in　th