sk.carrie-第35节

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er　to　hand　over　her　weapons　and　give　up。　Carrie　obediently　raises　her　hands　and　plucks　her　head　from　her　shoulders。　Hands　it　to　Sheriff　Doyle；　who　solemnly　puts　it　in　a　wicker　basket　marked　People's　Exhibit　A。
（and　tommy's　dead）
Well；　well。　She　began　to　cry。　She　put　her　hands　over　her　face　and　sobbed　into　them。　A　soft　breeze　snuffled　through　the　juniper　bushes　on　top　of　the　hill。　More　fire　engines　screamed　by　on　Route　6　like　huge　red　hounds　in　the　night。
（the　town's　burning　down　o　well）
She　had　no　idea　how　long　she　sat　there；　crying　in　a　grainy　half…doze。　She　was　not　even　aware　that　she　was　following　Carrie's　progress　toward　The　Cavalier；　no　more　than　she　was　aware　of　the　process　of　respiration　unless　she　thought　about　it。　Carrie　was　hurt　very　badly；　was　going　on　brute　determination　alone　at　this　point。　It　was　three　miles　out　to　The　Cavalier；　even　across…country；　as　Carrie　was　going。　Sue
（watched？　thought？　doesn't　matter）
as　Carrie　fell　in　a　brook　and　dragged　herself　out；　icy　and　shivering。　It　was　really　amazing　that　she　kept　going。　But　of　course　it　was　for　Momma。　Momma　wanted　her　to　be　the　Angel's　Fiery　Sword；　to　destroy…　
（she's　going　to　destroy　that　too）
She　got　up　and　began　to　run　clumsily；　not　bothering　to　follow　the　trail　of　blood。　She　didn't　need　to　follow　it　any　more。
From　The　Shadow　Exploded　（pp。　164…165）：
Whatever　any　of　us　may　think　of　the　Carrie　White　affair；　it　is　over。　It's　time　to　turn　to　the　future。　As　Dean　McGuffin　points　out；　in　his　excellent　Science　Yearbook　article；　if　we　refuse　to　do　this；　we　will　almost　certainly　have　to　pay　the　piper　…　and　the　price　is　apt　to　be　a　high　one。
A　thorny　moral　question　is　raised　here。　Progress　is　already　being　made　toward　plete　isolation　of　the　TK　gene。　It　is　more　or　less　assumed　in　the　scientific　munity　（see；　for　instance；　Bourke　and　Hannegan's　'A　View　Toward　Isolation　of　the　TK　Gene　with　Specific　Remendations　for　Control　Parameters'　in　Mocrobiology　Annual；　Berkeley：　1982）　that　when　a　testing　procedure　is　established；　all　school…age　children　will　undergo　the　test　as　routinely　as　they　now　undergo　the　TB　skin…patch。　Yet　TK　is　not　a　germ；　it　is　as　much　a　part　of　the　afflicted　person　as　the　colour　of　his　eyes。
If　overt　TK　ability　occurs　as　a　part　of　puberty；　and　if　this　hypothetical　TK　test　is　performed　on　children　entering　the　first　grade；　we　shall　certainly　be　forewarned。　But　in　this　case；　is　forewarned　forearmed？　If　the　TB　test　shows　positive　a　child　can　be　treated　or　isolated。　If　the　TK　test　shows　positive；　we　have　no　treatment　except　a　bullet　in　the　head。　And　how　is　it　possible　to　isolate　a　person　who　will　eventually　have　the　power　to　knock　down　all　walls？
And　even　if　isolation　could　be　made　successful；　would　the　American　people　allow　a　small；　pretty　girl…child　to　be　ripped　away　from　her　parents　at　the　first　sign　of　puberty　to　be　locked　in　a　bank　vault　for　the　rest　of　her　life？　I　doubt　it。　Especially　when　The　White　mission　has　worked　so　hard　to　convince　the　public　that　the　nightmare　in　Chamberlain　was　a　plete　fluke。
Indeed；　we　seem　to　have　returned　to　Square　One。
From　the　sworn　testimony　of　Susan　Snell；　taken　before　The　State　Investigatory　Board　of　Maine　（from　The　White　mission　Report）；　pp。　306…472：
Q。　Now；　Miss　Snell；　the　Board　would　like　to　go　through　your　testimony　concerning　your　alleged　meeting　with　Carrie　White　in　The　Cavalier　parking　lot
A。　Why　do　you　keep　asking　the　same　questions　over　and　over？　I've　told　you　twice　already。
Q。　We　want　to　make　sure　the　record　is　correct　in　every
A。　You　want　to　catch　me　in　a　lie；　isn't　that　what　you　really　mean？　You　don't　think　I'm　telling　the　truth；　do　YOU？
Q。　You　say　you　came　upon　Carrie　at
A。　Will　you　answer　me？
Q。　…at　2：00　on　the　morning　of　May　28th。　Is　that　correct？
A　I'm　not　going　to　answer　any　more　questions　until　you　answer　the　one　I　just　asked。
Q。　Miss　Snell；　this　body　is　empowered　to　cite　you　for　contempt　if　you　refuse　to　answer　on　any　other　grounds　than　Constitutional　ones。
A。　I　don't　care　what　you're　empowered　to　do。　I've　lost　someone　I　love。　Go　and　throw　me　in　jail。　I　don't　care。　I　…　go　to　hell。　All　of　you；　go　to　hell。　You're　trying　to　。。。　to　。。。　I　don't　know；　crucify　me　or　something。　Just　lay　off　me！
（A　short　recess）
Q。　Miss　Snell；　are　you　willing　to　continue　your　testimony　at　this　time？
A。　Yes。　But　I　won't　be　badgered。　Mr　Chairman。
Q。　Of　course　not；　young　lady。　No　one　wants　to　badger　you。　Now　you　claim　to　have　e　upon　Carrie　in　the　parking　lot　of　this　tavern　at　2：00。　Is　that　correct？
A。　Yes。
Q。　You　knew　it　was　2：00？
A。　I　was　wearing　the　watch　you　see　on　my　wrist　right　now。
Q。　To　be　sure。　Isn't　The　Cavalier　better　than　six　miles　from　where　you　left　your　mother's　car？
A。　It　is　by　the　road。　It's　close　to　three　as　the　crow　flies。
Q。　You　walked　this　distance？
X　Yes。
Q。　Now　you　testified　earlier　that　you　'knew'　you　were　getting　close　to　Carrie。　Can　you　explain　this？
A。　No。
Q。　Could　you　smell　her？
A。　What？
Q。　Did　you　follow　your　nose？
（Laughter　in　the　galleries）
A。　Are　you　playing　games　with　me？
Q。　Answer　the　question；　please。
A。　No。　I　didn't　follow　my　nose。
Q。　Could　you　see　her？
A。　No。
Q。　Hear　her？
A。　No。
Q。　Then　how　could　you　possibly　know　she　was　there？　A。　How　did　Tom　Quillan　know？　Or　Cora　Simard？　Or　poor　Vic　Mooney？　How　did　any　of　them　know？
Q。　Answer　the　question；　miss。　This　is　hardly　the　place　or　the　time　for　impertinence。
A。　But　they　did　say　they　'just　knew；'　didn't　they？　I　read　Mrs　Simard's　testimony　in　the　paper！　And　what　about　the　fire　hydrants　that　opened　themselves？　And　the　gas　pumps　that　broke　their　own　locks　and　turned　themselves　on？　The　power　lines　that　climbed　down　off　their　poles！　And
Q。　Miss　Snell；　please　
A。　Those　things　are　in　the　record　of　this　mission's　proceedings！
Q。　This　is　not　an　issue　here。
A。　Then　what　is？　Are　you　looking　for　the　truth　or　just　a　scapegoat？
Q。　You　deny　you　had　prior　knowledge　of　Carrie　White's　whereabouts？
A。　Of　course　I　do。　It's　an　absurd　idea。
Q。　Oh？　And　why　is　it　absurd？
A。　Well；　if　you're　suggesting　some　kind　of　conspiracy；　it's　absurd　because　Carrie　was　dying　when　I　found　her。　It　could　not　have　been　an　easy　way　to　die。
Q。　If　you　had　no　prior　knowledge　of　her　whereabouts；　how　could　you　go　directly　to　her　location？
A。　Oh；　you　stupid　man！　Have　you　listened　to　anything　that's　been　said　here？　Everybody　knew　it　was　Carrie！　Anyone　could　have　found　her　if　they　had　put　their　minds　to　it。
Q。　But　not　just　anyone　found　her。　You　did。　Can　you　tell　us　why　people　did　not　show　up　from　all　over；　like　iron　filings　drawn　to　a　magnet？
A。　She　was　weakening　rapidly。　I　think　that　perhaps　the　。。。　the　zone　of　her　influence　was　shrinking。
Q。　I　think　you　will　agree　that　that　is　a　relatively　uninformed　supposition。
A。　Of　course　it　is。　On　the　subject　of　Carrie　White；　we're　all　relatively　uninformed。
Q。　Have　it　your　way；　Miss　Snell。　Now　if　we　could　turn　to　。。。
At　first；　when　she　climbed　up　the　enbankment　between　Henry　Drain's　meadow　and　the　parking　lot　of　The　Cavalier；　she　thought　Carrie　was　dead。　Her　figure　was　halfway　across　the　parking　lot；　and　she　looked　oddly　shrunken　and　crumpled。　Sue　was　reminded　of　dead　animals　she　had　seen　on　495　…　woodchucks；　groundhogs；　skunks　…　that　had　been　crushed　by　speeding　trucks　and　station　wagons。
But　the　presence　was　still　in　her　mind；　vibrating　stubbornly；　repeating　the　call　letters　of　Carrie　White's　personality　over　and　over。　An　essence　of　Carrie；　a　gestalt。　Muted　now；　not　strident；　not　announcing　itself　with　a　clarion；　but　waxing　and　waning　in　steady　oscillations。
Unconscious。
Sue　climbed　over　the　guard　rail　that　bordered　the　parking　lot；　feeling　the　heat　of　the　fire　against　her　face。
The　Cavalier　was　a　wooden　frame　building；　and　it　was　burning　briskly。　The　charred　remains　of　a　car　were　limned　in　flame　to　the　right　of　the　back　door。　Carrie　had　done　that。　She　did　not　go　to　look　and　see　if　anyone　had　been　in　it。　It　didn't　matter；　not　now。
She　walked　over　to　where　Carrie　lay　on　her　side；　unable　to　hear　her　own　footsteps　under　the　hungry　crackle　of　the　fire。　She　looked　down　at　the　curled…up　figure　with　a　bemused　and　bitter　pity。　The　knife　hilt　protruded　cruelly　from　her　shoulder；　and　she　was　lying　in　a　small　pool　of　blood　…　some　of　it　was　trickling　from　her　mouth。　She　looked　as　if　she　had　been　trying　to　turn　herself　over　when　unconsciousness　had　taken　her。　Able　to　start　fires；　pull　down　electric　cables；　able　to　kill　almost　by　thought　alone；　lying　here　unable　to　turn　herself　over。
Sue　knelt；　took　her　by　one　arm　and　the　unhurt　shoulder；　and　gently　turned　her　on　to　her　back。
Carrie　moaned　thickly；　and　her　eyes　fluttered。　The　perception　of　her　in　Sue's　mind　sharpened；　as　if　a　mental　picture　was　ing　into　focus。
（who's　there）
And　Sue；　without　thought；　spoke　in　the　same　fashion：
（me　sue　snell）
Only　there　was　no　need　to　think　of　her　name。　The　thought　of　herself　as　herself　was　neither　words　nor　pictures。　The　realization　suddenly　brought　everything　up　close；　made　it　real；　and　passion　for　Carrie　broke　through　the　dullness　of　her　shock。
And　Carrie　with　faraway；　dumb　reproach：
（you　tricked　me　you　all　tricked　me）
（carrie　i　don't　even　know　what　happened　is　tommy）
（you　tricked　me　that　happened　trick　trick　trick　o　dirty　trick）
The　mixture　of　image　and　emotion　was　staggering；　indescribable。　Blood。　Sadness。　Fear。　The　lates