sk.petsematary-第38节

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t　of　speed；　the　toboggan　had　wandered　off　course　and　struck　one　of　the　Civil　War　cannons。　The　score　was　two　broken　arms；　a　broken　wrist；　a　total　of　seven　broken　ribs；　a　concussion；　plus　contusions　far　too　numerous　to　count。　Only　the　boy　riding　on　the　shoulders　of　the　tail…ender　had　escaped　pletely　unscathed；　When　the　toboggan　hit　the　cannon；　this　fortunate　soul　flew　over　it　and　landed　headfirst　in　a　snowbank。　Cleaning　up　the　human　wreckage　hadn't　been　fun；　and　Louis　had　scored　all　of　the　boys　liberally　with　his　tongue　as　he　stitched　and　bandaged　and　stared　into　pupils；　but　telling　Rachel　about　it　later；　he　had　again　laughed　until　he　cried。　Rachel　had　looked　at　him　strangely；　not　understanding　what　was　so　funny；　and　Louis　couldn't　tell　her　that　it　had　been　a　stupid　accident；　and　people　had　been　hurt；　but　they　would　all　walk　away　from　it。　His　laughter　was　partly　relief；　but　it　was　partly　triumph　too…won　one　today；　Louis。
　　The　cases　of　bronchitis　in　his　own　family　began　to　clear　up　around　the　time　that　Ellie's　school　broke　for　the　holidays　on　December　16；　and　the　four　of　them　settled　down　to　spend　a　happy　and　old…fashioned　country　Christmas。　The　house　in　North　Ludlow；　which　had　seemed　so　strange　on　that　day　in　August　when　they　pulled　into　the　driveway　（strange　and　even　hostile；　what　with　Effie　cutting　herself　out　back　and　Gage　getting　stung　by　a　bee　at　almost　the　same　time）；　had　never　seemed　more　like　home。
　　After　the　kids　were　finally　asleep　on　Christmas　Eve；　Louis　and　Rachel　stole　downstairs　from　the　attic　like　thieves；　their　arms　full　of　brightly　colored　boxes…a　set　of　Matchbox　racers　for　Gage；　who　had　recently　discovered　the　joys　of　toy　cars；　Barbie　and　Ken　dolls　for　Ellie；　a　Turn　'n'　Go；　an　oversized　trike；　doll　clothes；　a　play　oven　with　a　light　bulb　inside；　other　stuff。
　　The　two　of　them　sat　side　by　side　in　the　glow　of　lights　from　the　tree；　fussing　the　stuff　together；　Rachel　in　a　pair　of　silk　lounging　pajamas；　Louis　in　his　robe。　He　could　not　remember　a　more　pleasant　evening。　There　was　a　fire　in　the　fireplace；　and　every　now　and　then　one　or　the　other　of　them　would　rise　and　throw　in　another　chunk　of　split　birch。
　　Winston　Churchill　brushed　by　Louis　once；　and　he　pushed　the　cat　away　with　an　almost　absent　feeling　of　distaste…that　smell。　Later　he　saw　Church　try　to　settle　down　next　to　Rachel's　leg；　and　Rachel　also　gave　it　a　push　and　an　impatient　〃Scat！〃　A　moment　later　Louis　saw　his　wife　rubbing　her　palm　on　one　silk…clad　thigh；　the　way　you　sometimes　do　when　you　feel　you　might　have　touched　something　nasty　or　germy。　He　didn't　think　Rachel　was　even　aware　she　was　doing　it。
　　Church　ambled　over　to　the　brick　hearth　and　collapsed　in　front　of　the　fire　gracelessly。　The　cat　had　no　grace　at　all　now；　it　seemed；　it　had　lost　it　all　on　that　night　Louis　rarely　allowed　himself　to　think　about。　And　Church　had　lost　something　else　as　well。　Louis　had　been　aware　of　it；　but　it　had　taken　him　a　full　month　to　pinpoint　it　exactly。　The　cat　never　purred　anymore；　and　it　used　to　have　one　of　the　loudest　motors　going；　particularly　when　Church　was　sleeping。　There　had　been　nights　when　Louis　had　had　to　get　up　and　close　Ellie's　door　so　he　could　get　to　sleep　himself。
　　Now　the　cat　slept　like　a　stone。　Like　the　dead。
　　No；　he　reminded　himself；　there　was　one　exception。　The　night　he　had　awakened　on　the　hide…a…bed　with　Church　curled　up　on　his　chest　like　a　stinking　blanket　。　。　。　Church　had　been　purring　that　night。　It　had　been　making　some　sound；　anyway。
　　But　as　Jud　Crandall　had　known…or　guessed…it　had　not　been　all　bad。　Louis　found　a　broken　window　down…cellar　behind　the　furnace；　and　when　the　glazier　fixed　it；　he　had　saved　them　yea　bucks　in　wasted　heating　oil。　For　calling　his　attention　to　the　broken　pane；　which　he　might　not　have　discovered　for　weeks…　months；　maybe…he　supposed　he　even　owed　Church　a　vote　of　thanks。
　　Ellie　no　longer　wanted　Church　to　sleep　with　her；　that　was　true；　but　sometimes　when　she　was　watching　TV；　she　would　let　the　cat　hop　up　on　her　lap　and　go　to　sleep。　But　just　as　often；　he　thought；　hunting　through　the　bag　of　plastic　widgets　that　were　supposed　to　hold　Ellie's　Bat…Cycle　together；　she　would　push　him　down　after　a　few　minutes；　saying；　〃Go　on；　Church；　you　stink。〃　She　fed　him　regularly　and　with　love；　and　even　Gage　was　not　above　giving　old　Church　an　occasional　tail　tug　。　。　。　more　in　the　spirit　of　friendliness　than　in　one　of　meanness；　Louis　was　convinced；　he　was　like　a　tiny　monk　yanking　a　furry　bell　rope。　At　these　times　Church　would　crawl　lackadaisically　under　one　of　the　radiators　where　Gage　couldn't　get　him。
　　We　might　have　noticed　more　differences　with　a　dog；　Louis　thought；　but　cats　are　such　goddam　independent　animals　anyway。　Independent　and　odd。　Fey　even。　It　didn't　surprise　him　that　the　old　Egyptian　queens　and　pharaohs　had　wanted　their　cats　mummified　and　popped　into　their　triangular　tombs　with　them　in　order　to　serve　as　spirit　guides　in　the　next　world。　Cats　were　weird。
　　〃How　you　doing　with　that　Bat…Cycle；　Chief？〃
　　He　held　out　the　finished　product。　〃Ta…dat〃
　　Rachel　pointed　at　the　bag；　which　still　had　three　or　four　plastic　widgets　in　it。　〃What　are　those？〃
　　〃Spares；〃　Louis　said；　smiling　guiltily。
　　〃You　better　hope　they're　spares。　The　kid　will　break　her　rotten　little　neck。〃
　　〃That　es　later；〃　Louis　said　maliciously。　〃When　she's　twelve　and　showing　off　on　her　new　skateboard。〃
　　She　groaned。　〃e　on；　Doc；　have　a　heart！〃
　　Louis　stood　up；　put　his　hands　on　the　small　of　his　back；　and　twisted　his　torso。　His　spine　crackled。　〃That's　all　the　toys。〃
　　〃And　they're　all　together。　Remember　last　year？〃　She　giggled　and　Louis　smiled。　Last　year　seemingly　everything　they'd　gotten　had　to　be　assembled；　and　they'd　been　up　until　almost　four　o'clock　Christmas　morning；　both　of　them　finishing　grouchy　and　out　of　sorts。　And　by　midafternoon　of　Christmas；　Ellie　had　decided　the　boxes　were　more　fun　than　the　toys。
　　〃Gross…OUT！〃　Louis　said；　imitating　Ellie。
　　〃Well；　e　on　to　bed；〃　Rachel　said；　〃and　I'll　give　you　a　present　early。〃
　　〃Woman；〃　Louis　said；　drawing　himself　up　to　his　full　height；　〃that　is　mine　by　right。〃
　　〃Don't　you　wish；〃　she　said　and　laughed　through　her　hands。　In　that　moment　she　looked　amazingly　like　Ellie　。　。　。　and　like　Gage。
　　〃Just　a　minute；〃　he　said。　〃There's　one　other　thing　I　gotta　do。〃　He　hurried　into　the　front　hail　closet　and　brought　back　one　of　his　boots。　He　removed　the　fire　screen　from　in　front　of　the　dying　fire。
　　〃Louis；　what　are　you…〃
　　〃You'll　see。〃
　　On　the　left　side　of　the　hearth　the　fire　was　out　and　there　was　a　thick　bed　of　fluffy　gray　ashes。　Louis　stamped　the　boot　into　them；　leaving　a　deep　track。　Then　he　tromped　the　boot　down　on　the　outer　bricks；　using　it　like　a　big　rubber　stamp。
　　〃There；〃　he　said；　after　he　had　put　the　boot　away　in　the　closet　again。　〃You　like？〃
　　Rachel　was　giggling　again。　〃Louis；　Ellie's　going　to　go　nuts。〃
　　During　the　last　two　weeks　of　school；　Ellie　had　picked　up　a　disquieting　rumor　around　kindergarten；　to　wit；　that　Santa　Claus　was　really　parents。　This　idea　had　been　reinforced　by　a　rather　skinny　Santa　at　the　Bangor　Mall；　whom　Ellie　had　glimpsed　in　the　Deering　Ice　Cream　Parlor　a　few　days　ago。　Santa　had　been　sitting　on　a　counter　stool；　his　beard　pulled　to　one　side　so　he　could　eat　a　cheeseburger。　This　had　troubled　Ellie　mightily　（it　seemed　to　be　the　cheeseburger；　somehow；　even　more　than　the　false　beard）；　in　spite　of　Rachel's　assurances　that　the　department　store　and　Salvation　Army　Santas　were　really　〃helpers；〃　sent　out　by　the　real　Santa；　who　was　far　too　busy　pleting　inventory　and　reading　children's　last…minute　letters　up　north　to　be　boogying　around　the　world　on　public　relations　jaunts。
　　Louis　replaced　the　fire　screen　carefully。　Now　there　were　two　clear　boot　tracks　in　their　fireplace；　one　in　the　ashes　and　one　on　the　hearth。　They　both　pointed　toward　the　Christmas　tree；　as　if　Santa　had　hit　bottom　on　one　foot　and　immediately　stepped　out　to　leave　the　goodies　assigned　to　the　Creed　household。　The　illusion　was　perfect　unless　you　happened　to　notice　that　they　were　both　left　feet。　。　。　and　Louis　doubted　if　Ellie　was　that　analytical。
　　〃Louis　Creed；　I　love　you；〃　Rachel　said　and　kissed　him。
　　〃You　married　a　winner；　baby；〃　Louis　said；　smiling　sincerely。　〃Stick　with　me　and　I'll　make　you　a　star。〃
　　They　started　for　the　stairs。　He　pointed　at　the　card　table　Ellie　had　set　up　in　front　of　the　TV。　There　were　oatmeal　cookies　and　two　Ring…Dings　on　it。　Also　a　can　of　Micheloeb。　FOR　YOU；　SANNA；　the　note　said　in　Ellie's　large；　sticklike　printing。　〃You　want　a　cookie　or　a　Ring…Ding？〃
　　〃Ring…Ding；〃　she　said　and　ate　half　of　it。　Louis　popped　the　tab　on　the　beer。
　　〃A　beer　this　late　is　going　to　give　me　acid　indigestion；〃　he　said。
　　〃Crap；〃　she　said　good…humoredly。　〃e　on；　Doe。〃
　　Louis　put　down　the　can　of　beer　and　suddenly　grasped　the　pocket　of　his　robe　as　if　he　had　forgotten　something…although　he　had　been　aware　of　that　small　packet　of　weight　all　evening　long。
　　〃Here；〃　he　said。　〃For　you。　You　can　open　it　now。　It's　after　midnight。　Merry　Christmas；　babe。〃
　　She　turned　the　little　box；　wrapped　up　in　silver　paper　and　tied　with　wide　satiny…blue　ribbon；　in　her　hands。　〃Louis；　what　is　it？〃
　　He　shrugged。　〃Soap。　Shampoo　sample。　I　forget；　exactly。〃
　　She　opened　it　on　the　stairs；　saw