sk.theshining-第38节
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ridor he was in。
Something made him pause there and he wasn't sure what for a moment。 Then he remembered that directly around this corner； on the way back to the stairs； there was one of those old…fashioned fire extinguishers curled up against the wall。 Curled there like a dozing snake。
They weren't chemical…type extinguishers at all； Daddy said； although there were several of those in the kitchen。 These were the forerunner of the modern sprinkler systems。 The long canvas hoses hooked directly into the Overlook's plumbing system； and by turning a single valve you could bee a one…man fire department。 Daddy said that the chemical extinguishers； which sprayed foam or CO； were much better。 The chemicals smothered fires； took away the oxygen they needed to burn； while a high…pressure spray might just spread the flames around。
Daddy said that Mr。 Ullman should replace the old…fashioned hoses right along with the old…fashioned boiler； but Mr。 Ullman would probably do neither because he was a CHEAP PRICK。 Danny knew that this was one of the worst epithets his father could summon。 It was applied to certain doctors； dentists； and appliance repairmen； and also to the head of his English Department at Stovington； who had disallowed some of Daddy's book orders because he said the books would put them over budget。 〃Over budget； hell；〃 he had fumed to Wendy…Danny had been listening from his bedroom where he was supposed to be asleep。 〃He's just saving the last five hundred bucks for himself； the CHEAP PRICK。〃 Danny looked around the corner。
The extinguisher was there； a fiat hose folded back a dozen times on itself； the red tank attached to the wall。 Above it was an ax in a glass case like a museum exhibit； with white words printed on a red background： IN CASE OF EMERGENCY； BREAK GLASS。 Danny could read the word EMERGENCY； which was also the name of one of his favorite TV shows； but was unsure of the rest。 But he didn't like the way the word was used in connection with that long fiat hose。 EMERGENCY was'； fire； explosions； car crashes； hospitals； sometimes death。 And he didn't like the way that hose hung so blandly on the wall。 When he was alone； he always skittered past these extinguishers as fast as he could。 No particular reason。 It just felt better to go fast。 It felt safer。
Now； heart thumping loudly in his chest； he came around the corner and looked down the hall past the extinguisher to the stairs。 Mommy was down there； sleeping。 And if Daddy was back from his walk； he would probably be sitting in the kitchen； eating a sandwich and reading a book。 He would just walk right past that old extinguisher and go downstairs。
He started toward it； moving closer to the far wall until his right arm was brushing the expensive silk paper。 Twenty steps away。 Fifteen。 A dozen。
When he was ten steps away； the brass nozzle suddenly rolled off the fat loop it had been lying （sleeping？） on and fell to the hall carpet with a dull thump。 It lay there； the dark bore of its muzzle pointing at Danny。 He stopped immediately； his shoulders twitching forward with the suddenness of his scare。 His blood thumped thickly in his ears and temples。 His mouth had gone dry and sour； his hands curled into fists。 Yet the nozzle of the hose only lay there； its brass casing glowing mellowly； a loop of flat canvas leading back up to the red…painted frame bolted to the wall。
So it had fallen off； so what？ It was only a fire extinguisher； nothing else。
It was stupid to think that it looked like some poison snake from 〃Wide World of Animals〃 that had heard him and woken up。 Even if the stitched canvas did look a little bit like scales。 He would just step over it and go down the hall to the stairs； walking a little bit fast； maybe； to make sure it didn't snap out after him and curl around his foot 。 。 。
He wiped his lips with his left hand； in unconscious imitation of his father； and took a step forward。 No movement from the hose。 Another step。 Nothing。
There； see how stupid you are？ You got all worked up thinking about that dumb room and that dumb Bluebeard story and that hose was probably ready to fall off for the last five years。 That's all。
Danny stared at the hose on the floor and thought of wasps。
Eight steps away； the nozzle of the hose gleamed peacefully at him from the rug as if to say： Don't worry。 I'm just a hose； that's all。 And even if that isn't all； what I do to you won't be much worse than a bee sting。 Or a wasp sting。 What would I want to do to a nice little boy like you 。 。 。 except bite。。
。 and bite 。 。 。 and bite？
Danny took another step； and another。 His breath was dry and harsh in his throat。 Panic was close now。 He began to wish the hose would move； then at last be would know； he would be sure。 He took another step and now he was within striking distance。 But it's not going to strike at you； he thought hysterically。
How can it strike at you； bite at you； when it's just a hose？
Maybe it's full of wasps。
His internal temperature plummeted to ten below zero。 He stared at the black bore in the center of the nozzle； nearly hypnotized。 Maybe it was full of wasps； secret wasps； their brown bodies bloated with poison； so full of autumn poison that it dripped from their stingers in clear drops of fluid。
Suddenly he knew that he was nearly frozen with terror； if he did not make his feet go now； they would bee locked to the carpet and he would stay here； staring at the black hole in the center of the brass nozzle like a bird staring at a snake； he would stay here until his daddy found him and then what would happen？
With a high moan； he made himself run。 As he reached the hose； some trick of the light made the nozzle seem to move； to revolve as if to strike； and he leaped high in the air above it； in his panicky state it seemed that his legs pushed him nearly all the way to the ceiling； that he could feel the stiff back hairs that formed his cowlick brushing the hallway's plaster ceiling； although later he knew that couldn't have been so。
He came down on the other side of the hose and ran； and suddenly he heard it behind him； ing for him； the soft dry whicker of that brass snake's head as it slithered rapidly along the carpet after him like a rattlesnake moving swiftly through a dry field of grass。 It was ing for him； and suddenly the stairs seemed very far away； they seemed to retreat a running step into the distance for each running step he took toward them。
Daddy！ he tried to scream； but his closed throat would not allow a word to pass。 He was on his own。 Behind him the sound grew louder； the dry sliding sound of the snake； slipping swiftly over the carpet's dry hackles。 At his heels now； perhaps rising up with the clear poison dribbling from its brass snout。
Danny reached the stairs and had to pinwheel his arms crazily for balance。 For one moment it seemed sure that he would cartwheel over and go head…for…heels to the bottom。
He threw a glance back over his shoulder。
The hose had not moved。 It lay as it had lain； one loop off the frame； the brass nozzle on the hall floor； the nozzle pointing disinterestedly away from him。 You see； stupid？ he berated himself。 You made it all up； scaredy…cat。 It was all your imagination； scaredy…cat； scaredy…cat。
He clung to the stairway railing； his legs trembling in reaction。
（It never chased you） his mind told him； and seized on that thought； and played it back。
（never chased you； never chased you； never did； never did） It was nothing to be afraid of。 Why； he could go back and put that hose right into its frame； if he wanted to。 He could； but he didn't think he would。 Because what if it had chased him and had gone back when it saw that it couldn't 。 。 。
quite 。 。 。 catch him？
The hose lay on the carpet； almost seeming to ask him if he would like to e back and try again。
Panting； Danny ran downstairs。
》
TALKING TO MR。 ULLMAN
The Sidewinder Public Library was a small； retiring building one block down from the town's business area。 It was a modest； vine…covered building； and the wide concrete walk up to the door was lined with the corpses of last summer's flowers。 On the lawn was a large bronze statue of a Civil War general Jack had never heard of； although he had been something of a Civil War buff in his teenage years。
The newspaper files were kept downstairs。 They consisted of the Sidewinder Gazette that had gone bust in 1963； the Estes Park daily； and the Boulder Camera。 No Denver papers at all。
Sighing； Jack settled for the Camera。
When the files reached 1965； the actual newspapers were replaced by spools of microfilm （〃A federal grant；〃 the librarian told him brightly。 〃We hope to do 1958 to '64 when the next check es through； but they're so slow； aren't they？
You will be careful； won't you？ I just know you will。 Call if you need me。〃）。
The only reading machine bad a lens that had somehow gotten warped； and by the time Wendy put her hand on his shoulder some forty…five minutes after he had switched from the actual papers； he had a juicy thumper of a headache。
〃Danny's in the park；〃 she said； 〃but I don't want him outside too
