sk.petsematary-第21节

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　　Norma　suddenly　uttered　a　long；　snoring　breath。　Her　eyelids　fluttered。　And　Louis　was　suddenly　doused　with　a　cold；　horrid　certainty。
　　She's　going　to　open　her　eyes。　。　。　oh　Christ　she's　going　to　open　her　eyes　and　start　talking　about　the　Pet　Sematary。
　　But　she　only　looked　at　Louis　with　a　muddled　sort　of　recognition；　and　then　her　eyes　closed　again。　Louis　was　ashamed　of　himself　and　this　stupid　fear　that　was　so　unlike　him。　At　the　same　time　he　felt　hope　and　relief。　There　had　been　some　pain　in　her　eyes　but　not　agony。　His　first　guess　was　that　this　had　not　been　a　grave　seizure。
　　Louis　was　breathing　hard　now　and　sweating。　No　one　but　TV　paramedics　could　make　CPR　look　easy。　A　good　steady　closedchest　massage　popped　a　lot　of　calories；　and　the　webbing　between　his　arms　and　shoulders　would　ache　tomorrow。
　　〃Can　I　do　anything？〃
　　He　looked　around。　A　woman　dressed　in　slacks　and　a　brown　sweater　stood　hesitantly　in　the　doorway；　one　hand　clutched　into　a　fist　between　her　breasts。　The　mother　of　the　ghosts；　Louis　thought。
　　〃No；〃　he　said；　and　then：　〃Yes。　Wet　a　cloth；　please。　Wring　it　out。　Put　it　on　her　forehead。〃
　　She　moved　to　do　it。　Louis　looked　down；　Norma's　eyes　were　open　again。
　　〃Louis；　I　fell　down；〃　she　whispered。　〃Think　I　fainted。〃
　　〃You've　had　some　sort　of　coronary　event；〃　Louis　said。　〃Doesn't　look　too　serious。　Now　relax　and　don't　talk；　Norma。〃
　　He　rested　for　a　moment　and　then　took　her　pulse　again。　The　beat　was　too　fast。　She　was　Morse…coding：　her　heart　would　beat　regularly；　then　run　briefly　in　a　series　of　beats　that　was　almost　but　not　quite　fibrillation；　and　then　begin　to　beat　regularly　again。　Beat…beat…beat；　WHACK…WHACK…WHACK；　beat…beat…beat…beat…beat。　It　was　not　good；　but　it　was　marginally　better　than　cardiac　arrhythmia。
　　The　woman　came　over　with　the　cloth　and　put　it　on　Norma's　forehead。　She　stepped　away　uncertainly。　Jud　came　back　in　with　Louis's　bag。
　　〃Louis？〃
　　〃She's　going　to　be　fine；〃　Louis　said；　looking　at　Jud　but　actually　speaking　to　Norma。　〃MedCu　ing？〃
　　〃Your　wife　is　calling　them；〃　Jud　said。　〃I　didn't　stay　around。〃
　　〃No　。　。　。　hospital；〃　Norma　whispered。
　　〃Yes；　hospital；〃　Louis　said。　〃Five　days'　observation；　medication；　then　home　with　your　feet　up；　Norma　my　girl。　And　if　you　say　anything　else；　I'll　make　you　eat　all　these　apples。　Cores　and　all。〃
　　She　smiled　wanly；　then　closed　her　eyes　again。
　　Louis　opened　his　bag；　rummaged；　found　the　Isodil；　and　shook　one　of　the　pills；　so　tiny　it　easily　would　have　fit　on　the　moon　of　one　fingernail；　into　the　palm　of　his　hand。　He　recapped　the　bottle　and　pinched　the　pill　between　his　fingers。
　　〃Norma；　can　you　hear　me？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃Want　you　to　open　your　mouth。　You　did　your　trick；　now　you　get　your　treat。　I'm　going　to　put　a　pill　under　your　tongue。　Just　a　small　one。　I　want　you　to　hold　it　there　until　it　dissolves。　It's　going　to　taste　a　little　bitter　but　never　mind　that。　All　right？〃
　　She　opened　her　mouth。　Stale　denture　breath　wafted　out；　and　Louis　felt　a　moment　of　aching　sorrow　for　her；　lying　here　on　her　kitchen　floor　in　a　litter　of　apples　and　Halloween　candy。　It　occurred　to　him　that　once　she　had　been　seventeen；　her　breasts　eyed　with　great　interest　by　the　young　men　of　the　neighborhood；　all　her　teeth　her　own；　and　the　heart　under　her　shirtwaist　a　tough　little　pony…engine。
　　She　settled　her　tongue　over　the　pill　and　grimaced　a　little。　The　pill　tasted　a　little　bitter；　all　right。　It　always　did。　But　she　was　no　Victor　Pascow；　beyond　help　and　beyond　reach。　He　thought　Norma　was　going　to　live　to　fight　another　day。　Her　hand　groped　in　the　air；　and　Jud　took　it　gently。
　　Louis　got　up　then；　found　the　overturned　bowl；　and　began　to　pick　up　the　treats。　The　woman；　who　introduced　herself　as　Mrs。　Buddinger　from　down　the　road；　helped　him　and　then　said　she　thought　she　had　better　go　back　to　the　car。　Her　two　boys　were　frightened。
　　〃Thank　you　for　your　help；　Mrs。　Buddinger；〃　Louis　said。
　　〃I　didn't　do　anything；〃　she　said　flatly。　〃But　I'll　go　down　on　my　knees　tonight　and　thank　God　you　were　here；　Dr。　Creed。〃
　　Louis　waved　a　hand；　embarrassed。
　　〃That　goes　for　me；　too；〃　Jud　said。　His　eyes　found　Louis's　and　held　them。　They　were　steady。　He　was　in　control　again。　His　brief　moment　of　confusion　and　fear　had　passed。　〃I　owe　you　one；　Louis。〃
　　〃Get　off　it；〃　Louis　said　and　tipped　a　finger　toward　Mrs。　Buddinger　as　she　left。　She　smiled　and　waved　back。　Louis　found　an　apple　and　began　to　eat　it。　The　Spy　was　so　sweet　that　Louis's　taste　buds　cramped　momentarily　。　。　。　but　that　was　not　a　totally　unpleasurable　sensation。　Won　one　tonight；　Lou；　he　thought　and　worked　on　the　apple　with　relish。　He　was　ravenous。
　　〃I　do　though；〃　Jud　said。　〃When　you　need　a　favor；　Louis；　you　see　me　first。〃
　　〃All　right；〃　Louis　said；　〃I'll　do　that。〃
　　The　ambulance　from　Bangor　MedCu　arrived　twenty　minutes　later。　As　Louis　stood　outside　watching　the　orderlies　load　Norma　into　the　back；　he　saw　Rachel　looking　out　the　living　room　window。　He　waved　to　her。　She　lifted　a　hand　in　return。
　　He　and　Jud　stood　together　and　watched　the　ambulance　pull　away；　lights　flashing；　siren　silent。
　　〃Guess　I'll　go　on　up　to　the　hospital　now；〃　Jud　said。
　　〃They　won't　let　you　see　her　tonight；　Jud。　They'll　want　to　run　an　EKG　on　her　and　then　put　her　in　intensive　care。　No　visitors　for　the　first　twelve　hours。〃
　　〃Is　she　going　to　be　okay；　Louis？　Really　okay？〃
　　Louis　shrugged。　〃No　one　can　guarantee　that。　It　was　a　heart　attack。　For　whatever　it's　worth；　I　think　she's　going　to　be　fine。　Maybe　better　than　ever；　once　she　gets　on　some　medication。〃
　　〃Ayuh；〃　Jud　said；　lighting　a　Chesterfield。
　　Louis　smiled　and　glanced　at　his　watch。　He　was　amazed　to　see　it　was　only　ten　minutes　to　eight。　It　seemed　that　a　great　deal　more　time　had　gone　by。
　　〃Jud；　I　want　to　go　get　Ellie　so　she　can　finish　her　trick…or…treating。〃
　　〃Yeah；　course　you　do。〃　This　came　out　as　Cossy'do。　〃Tell　her　to　get　all　the　treats　she　can；　Louis。〃
　　〃I　will；〃　Louis　promised。
　　Ellie　was　still　in　her　witch　costume　when　Louis　got　home。　Rachel　had　tried　to　persuade　her　into　her　nightie；　but　Ellie　had　resisted；　holding　out　for　the　possibility　that　the　game；　suspended　because　of　heart　attack；　might　yet　be　played　out。　When　Louis　told　her　to　put　her　coat　back　on；　Ellie　whooped　and　clapped。
　　〃It's　going　to　be　awfully　late　for　her；　Louis。〃
　　〃We'll　take　the　car；〃　he　said。　〃e　on；　Rachel。　She's　been　looking　forward　to　this　for　a　month。〃
　　〃Well。　。　。〃　She　smiled。　Ellie　saw　it　and　shouted　again。　She　ran　for　the　coat　closet。　〃Is　Norma　all　right？〃
　　〃I　think　so。〃　He　felt　good。　Tired　but　good。　〃It　was　a　small　one。　She's　going　to　have　to　be　careful；　but　when　you're　seventy…five　you　have　to　recognize　that　your　pole…vaulting　days　are　done　anyway。〃
　　〃It's　lucky　you　were　there。　Almost　God's　providence。〃
　　〃I'll　settle　for　luck。〃　He　grinned　as　Ellie　came　back。　〃You　ready；　Witch　Hazel？〃
　　〃I'm　ready；〃　she　said。　〃e　on…e　on…e　on！〃
　　On　the　way　home　with　half　a　bag　of　candy　an　hour　later　（Ellie　protested　when　Louis　finally　called　a　halt；　but　not　too　much；　she　was　tired）；　his　daughter　startled　him　by　saying：　〃Did　I　make　Missus　Crandall　have　the　heart　attack；　Daddy？　When　I　wouldn't　take　the　apple　with　the　bruise　on　it？〃
　　Louis　looked　at　her；　startled；　wondering　where　children　got　such　funny；　half…superstitious　ideas。　Step　on　a　crack；　break　your　mother's　back。　Loves　me；　loves　me　not。　Daddy's　stomach；　Daddy's　head；　smile　at　midnight；　Daddy's　dead。　That　made　him　think　of　the　Pet　Sematary　again　and　those　crude　circles。　He　wanted　to　smile　at　himself　and　was　not　quite　able。
　　〃No；　honey；〃　he　said。　〃When　you　were　in　with　those　two　ghosts…〃
　　〃Those　weren't　ghosts；　just　the　Buddinger　twins。〃
　　〃Well；　when　you　were　in　with　them；　Mr。　Crandall　was　telling　me　that　his　wife　had　been　having　little　chest　pains。　In　fact；　you　might　have　been　responsible　for　saving　her　life　or　at　least　for　keeping　it　from　being　much　worse。〃
　　Now　it　was　Ellie's　turn　to　look　startled。
　　Louis　nodded。　〃She　needed　a　doctor；　honey。　I'm　a　doctor。　But　I　was　only　there　because　it　was　your　night　to　go　trick…or…treating。〃
　　Ellie　considered　this　for　a　long　time　and　then　nodded。　〃But　she'll　probably　die　anyway；〃　she　said　matter…of…factly。　〃People　who　have　heart　attacks　usually　die。　Even　if　they　live；　pretty　soon　they　have　another　one　and　another　one　and　another　one　until
　　。。。boom！〃
　　〃And　where　did　you　learn　these　words　of　wisdom；　may　I　ask？〃　Ellie　only　shrugged…a　very　Louislike　shrug；　he　was　amused　to　see。
　　She　allowed　him　to　carry　in　her　bag　of　candy…an　almost　ultimate　sign　of　trust…and　Louis　pondered　her　attitude。　The　thought　of　Church's　death　had　brought　on　near…hysteria。　But　the　thought　of　grandmotherly　Norma　Crandall　dying　。　。　。　that　Ellie　seemed　to　take　calmly；　a　matter　of　course；　a　given。　What　had　she　said？　Another　one　and　another　one；　until。　。　。　boom！
　　The　kitchen　was　empty；　but　Louis　could　hear　Rachel　moving　around　upstairs。　He　set　Ellie's　candy　down　on　the　counter　and　said；　〃It　doesn't　necessarily　work　that　way；　Ellie。　Norma's　heart　attack　was　a　very　small　one；　and　I　was　able　to　administer　the　treatment　right　away。　I　doubt　if　her　heart　was　damaged　much　at　all。　She…〃
　　〃Oh；　I　know；〃　Ellie　agreed；　almost　cheerfully。　〃But　she's　old；　and　sh