sk.theshining-第27节

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　　And　their　son　would　stare　from　the　word　to　the　pictures；　his　lips　moving；　sounding　out；　actually　sweating　it　out；　And　with　his　double…sized　red　pencil　curled　into　his　pudgy　right　fist；　he　could　now　write　about　three　dozen　words　on　his　own。
　　His　finger　traced　slowly　under　the　words　in　the　reader。　Above　them　was　a　picture　Wendy　half…remembered　from　her　own　grammar　school　days；　nineteen　years　before。　A　laughing　boy　with　brown　curly　hair。　A　girl　in　a　short　dress；　her　hair　in　blond　ringlets　one　hand　holding　a　jump　rope。　A　prancing　dog　running　after　a　large　red　rubber　ball。　The　first…grade　trinity。　Dick；　Jane；　and　Jip。
　　〃See　Jip　run；〃　Danny　read　slowly。　〃Run；　Jip；　run。　Run；　run；　run。〃　He　paused；　dropping　his　finger　down　a　line。　〃See　the　。　。　。〃　He　bent　closer；　his　nose　almost　touching　the　page　now。　〃See　the　。　。　。〃
　　〃Not　so　close；　doc；〃　Wendy　said　quietly。　〃You'll　hurt　your　eyes。　It's…〃
　　〃Don't　tell　me！〃　he　said；　sitting　up　with　a　jerk。　His　voice　was　alarmed。
　　〃Don't　tell　me；　Mommy；　I　can　get　it！〃
　　〃All　right；　honey；〃　she　said。　〃But　it's　not　a　big　thing。　Really　it's　not。〃　Unheeding；　Danny　bent　forward　again。　On　his　face　was　an　expression　that　might　be　more　monly　seen　hovering　over　a　graduate　record　exam　in　a　college　gym　somewhere。　She　liked　it　less　and　less。
　　〃See　the　。　。　。　buh。　Aw。　El。　El。　See　the　buhaw…el…el？　See　the　buhawl。　Ball！〃　Suddenly　triumphant。　Fierce。　The　fierceness　in　his　voice　scared　her。　〃See　the　ball！〃
　　〃That's　right；〃　she　said。　〃Honey；　I　think　that's　enough　for　tonight。〃
　　〃A　couple　more　pages；　Mommy？　Please？〃
　　〃No；　doc。〃　She　closed　the　red…bound　book　firmly。　〃It's　bedtime。〃
　　〃Please？〃
　　〃Don't　tease　me　about　it；　Danny。　Mommy's　tired。〃
　　〃Okay。〃　But　he　looked　longingly　at　the　primer。
　　〃Go　kiss　your　father　and　then　wash　up。　Don't　forget　to　brush。〃
　　〃Yeah。〃　He　slouched　out；　a　small　boy　in　pajama　bottoms　with　feet　and　a　large　flannel　top　with　a　football　on　the　front　and　NEW　ENGLAND　PATRIOTS　written　on　the　back。
　　Jack's　typewriter　stopped；　and　she　heard　Danny's　hearty　smack。　〃Night；　Daddy。〃
　　〃Goodnight；　doc。　How'd　you　do？〃
　　〃Okay；　I　guess。　Mommy　made　me　stop。〃
　　〃Mommy　was　right。　It's　past　eight…thirty。　Going　to　the　bathroom？〃
　　〃Yeah。〃
　　〃Good。　There's　potatoes　growing　out　of　your　ears。　And　onions　and　carrots　and　chives　and…〃　Danny's　giggle；　fading；　then　cut　off　by　the　firm　click　of　the　bathroom　door。
　　He　was　private　about　his　bathroom　functions；　while　both　she　and　Jack　were　pretty　much　catch…as…catch…can。　Another　sign…and　they　were　multiplying　all　the　time…　that　there　was　another　human　being　in　the　place；　not　just　a　carbon　copy　of　one　of　them　or　a　bination　of　both。　It　made　her　a　little　sad。　Someday　her　child　would　be　a　stranger　to　her；　and　she　would　be　strange　to　him　。　。　。　but　not　as　strange　as　her　own　mother　had　bee　to　her。　Please　don't　let　it　be　that　way；　God。　Let　him　grow　up　and　still　love　his　mother。
　　Jack's　typewriter　began　its　irregular　bursts　again。
　　Still　sitting　in　the　chair　beside　Danny's　reading　table；　she　let　her　eyes　wander　around　her　son's　room。　The　glider's　wing　had　been　neatly　mended。　His　desk　was　piled　high　with　picture　books；　coloring　books；　old　Spiderman　ic　books　with　the　covers　half　torn　off；　Crayolas；　and　an　untidy　pile　of　Lincoln　Logs。　The　VW　model　was　neatly　placed　above　these　lesser　things；　its　shrink…wrap　still　undisturbed。　He　and　his　father　would　be　putting　it　together　tomorrow　night　or　the　night　after　if　Danny　went　on　at　this　rate；　and　never　mind　the　end　of　the　week。　His　pictures　of　Pooh　and　Eyore　and　Christopher　Robin　were　tacked　neatly　to　the　wall；　soon　enough　to　be　replaced　with　pin…ups　and　photographs　of　dope…　smoking　rock　singers；　she　supposed。　Innocence　to　experience。　Human　nature；　baby。
　　Grab　it　and　growl。　Still　it　made　her　sad。　Next　year　he　would　be　in　school　and　she　would　lose　at　least　half　of　him；　maybe　more；　to　his　friends。　She　and　Jack　had　tried　to　have　another　one　for　a　while　when　things　had　seemed　to　be　going　well　at　Stovington；　but　she　was　on　the　pill　again　now。　Things　were　too　uncertain。　God　knew　where　they　would　be　in　nine　months。
　　Her　eyes　fell　on　the　wasps'　nest。
　　It　held　the　ultimate　high　place　in　Danny's　room；　resting　on　a　large　plastic　plate　on　the　table　by　his　bed。　She　didn't　like　it；　even　if　it　was　empty。　She　wondered　vaguely　if　it　might　have　germs；　thought　to　ask　Jack；　then　decided　he　would　laugh　at　her。　But　she　would　ask　the　doctor　tomorrow；　if　she　could　catch　him　with　Jack　out　of　the　room。　She　didn't　like　the　idea　of　that　thing；　constructed　from　the　chewings　and　saliva　of　so　many　alien　creatures；　lying　within　a　foot　of　her　sleeping　son's　head。
　　The　water　in　the　bathroom　was　still　running；　and　she　got　up　and　went　into　the　big　bedroom　to　make　sure　everything　was　okay。　Jack　didn't　look　up；　he　was　lost　in　the　world　he　was　making；　staring　at　the　typewriter；　a　filter　cigarette　clamped　in　his　teeth。
　　She　knocked　lightly　on　the　closed　bathroom　room。　〃You　okay；　doc？　You　awake？〃　No　answer。
　　〃Danny？〃　No　answer。　She　tried　the　door。　It　was　locked。
　　〃Danny？〃　She　was　worried　now。　The　lack　of　any　sound　beneath　the　steadily　running　water　made　her　uneasy。　〃Danny？　Open　the　door；　honey。〃　No　answer。
　　〃Danny！〃
　　〃Jesus　Christ；　Wendy；　I　can't　think　if　you're　going　to　pound　on　the　door　all　night。〃
　　〃Danny's　locked　himself　in　the　bathroom　and　he　doesn't　answer　me！〃　Jack　came　around　the　desk；　looking　put　out。　He　knocked　on　the　door　once；　hard。
　　〃Open　up；　Danny。　No　games。〃　No　answer。
　　Jack　knocked　harder。　〃Stop　fooling；　doc。　Bedtime's　bedtime。　Spanking　if　you　don't　open　up。〃　He's　losing　his　temper；　she　thought；　and　was　more　afraid。　He　had　not　touched　Danny　in　anger　since　that　evening　two　years　ago；　but　at　this　moment　he　sounded　angry　enough　to　do　it。
　　〃Danny；　honey…〃　she　began。
　　No　answer。　Only　running　water。
　　〃Danny；　if　you　make　me　break　this　lock　I　can　guarantee　you　you'll　spend　the　night　sleeping　on　your　belly；〃　Jack　warned。
　　Nothing。
　　〃Break　it；〃　she　said；　and　suddenly　it　was　hard　to　talk。　〃Quick。〃　He　raised　one　foot　and　brought　it　down　hard　against　the　door　to　the　right　of　the　knob。　The　lock　was　a　poor　thing；　it　gave　immediately　and　the　door　shuddered　open；　banging　the　tiled　bathroom　wall　and　rebounding　halfway。
　　〃Danny！〃　she　screamed。
　　The　water　was　running　full　force　in　the　basin。　Beside　it；　a　tube　of　Crest　with　the　cap　off。　Danny　was　sitting　on　the　rim　of　the　bathtub　across　the　room；　his　toothbrush　clasped　limply　in　his　left　hand；　a　thin　foam　of　toothpaste　around　his　mouth。　He　was　staring；　trancelike；　into　the　mirror　on　the　front　of　the　medicine　cabinet　above　the　washbasin。　The　expression　on　his　face　was　one　of　drugged　horror；　and　her　first　thought　was　that　he　was　having　some　sort　of　epileptic　seizure；　that　he　might　have　swallowed　his　tongue。
　　〃Danny！〃　Danny　didn't　answer。　Guttural　sounds　came　from　his　throat。
　　Then　she　was　pushed　aside　so　hard　that　she　crashed　into　the　towel　rack；　and　Jack　was　kneeling　in　front　of　the　boy。
　　〃Danny；〃　he　said。　〃Danny；　Danny！〃　He　snapped　his　fingers　in　front　of　Danny's　blank　eyes。
　　〃Ah…sure；〃　Danny　said。　〃Tournament　play。　Stroke。　Nurrrrr　。　。　。〃
　　〃Danny…〃
　　〃Roque！〃　Danny　said；　his　voice　suddenly　deep；　almost　manlike。　〃Roque。　Stroke。
　　The　roque　mallet　。　。　。　has　two　sides。　Gaaaaaa…〃
　　〃Oh　Jack　my　God　what's　wrong　with　him？〃　Jack　grabbed　the　boy's　elbows　and　shook　him　hard。　Danny's　head　rolled　limply　backward　and　then　snapped　forward　like　a　balloon　on　a　stick。
　　〃Roque。　Stroke。　Redrum。〃　Jack　shook　him　again；　and　Danny's　eyes　suddenly　cleared。　His　toothbrush　fell　out　of　his　hand　and　onto　the　tiled　floor　with　a　small　click。
　　〃What？〃　he　asked；　looking　around。　He　saw　his　father　kneeling　before　him；　Wendy　standing　by　the　wall。　〃What？〃　Danny　asked　again；　with　rising　alarm。　〃W…W…Wuh…　What's　wr…r…r…〃
　　〃Don't　stutter！〃　Jack　suddenly　screamed　into　his　face。　Danny　cried　out　in　shock；　his　body　going　tense；　trying　to　draw　away　from　his　father；　and　then　he　collapsed　into　tears。　Stricken；　Jack　pulled　him　close。　〃Oh；　honey；　I'm　sorry。
　　I'm　sorry；　doc。　Please。　Don't　cry。　I'm　sorry。　Everything's　okay。〃　The　water　ran　ceaselessly　in　the　basin；　and　Wendy　felt　that　she　had　suddenly　stepped　into　some　grinding　nightmare　where　time　ran　backward；　backward　to　the　time　when　her　drunken　husband　had　broken　her　son's　arm　and　had　then　mewled　over　him　in　almost　the　exact　same　words。
　　（Oh　honey。　I'm　sorry。　I'm　sorry；　doc。　Please。　So　sorry。）　She　ran　to　them　both；　pried　Danny　out　of　Jack's　arms　somehow　（she　saw　the　look　of　angry　reproach　on　his　face　but　filed　it　away　for　later　consideration）；　and　lifted　him　up。　She　walked　him　back　into　the　small　bedroom；　Danny's　arms　clasped　around　her　neck；　Jack　trailing　them。
　　She　sat　down　on　Danny's　bed　and　rocked　him　back　and　forth；　soothing　him　with　nonsensical　words　repeated　over　and　over。　She　looked　up　at　Jack　and　there　was　only　worry　in　his　eyes　now。　He　raised　questioning　eyebrows　at　her。　She　shook　her　head　faintly。
　　〃Danny；〃　she　said。　〃Danny；　Danny；　Danny。　'S　okay；　doc。　'S　fine。〃　At　last　Danny　was　quiet；　only　faintly　trembling　in　her　arms。　Yet　it　was　Jack　he　spoke　to　first；　Jack　who　was　now　sitting　beside　them　on　the　bed；　and　she　felt　the　ol