sk.theshining-第67节

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　　She　turned　to　Danny。　〃Did　you…？〃　Danny　nodded　slowly。　〃Yes。　And　music。　Like　from　a　long　time　ago。　In　my　head。〃　The　elevator　car　stopped　again。　The　hotel　was　silent；　creaking；　deserted。
　　Outside；　the　wind　whined　around　the　eaves　in　the　darkness。
　　〃Maybe　you　are　both　crazy；〃　Jack　said　conversationally。　〃I　don't　hear　a　goddamned　thing　except　that　elevator　having　a　case　of　the　electrical　hiccups。　If　you　two　want　to　have　duet　hysterics；　fine。　But　count　me　out。〃　The　elevator　was　ing　down　again。
　　Jack　stepped　to　the　right；　where　a　glass…fronted　box　was　mounted　on　the　wall　at　chest　height。　He　smashed　his　bare　fist　against　it。　Glass　tinkled　inward。
　　Blood　dripped　from　two　of　his　knuckles。　He　reached　in　and　took　out　a　key　with　a　long；　smooth　barrel。
　　〃Jack；　no。　Don't。〃
　　〃I　am　going　to　do　my　job。　Now　leave　me　alone；　Wendy！〃　She　tried　to　grab　his　arm。　He　pushed　her　backward。　Her　feet　tangled　in　the　hem　of　her　robe　and　she　fell　to　the　carpet　with　an　ungainly　thump。　Danny　cried　out　shrilly　and　fell　on　his　knees　beside　her。　Jack　turned　back　to　the　elevator　and　thrust　the　key　into　the　socket。
　　The　elevator　cables　disappeared　and　the　bottom　of　the　car　came　into　view　in　the　small　window。　A　second　later　Jack　turned　the　key　hard。　There　was　a　grating；　screeching　sound　as　the　elevator　car　came　to　an　instant　standstill。　For　a　moment　the　declutched　motor　in　the　basement　whined　even　louder；　and　then　its　circuit　breaker　cut　in　and　the　Overlook　went　unearthly　still。　The　night　wind　outside　seemed　very　loud　by　parison。　Jack　looked　stupidly　at　the　gray　metal　elevator　door。　There　were　three　splotches　of　blood　below　the　keyhole　from　his　lacerated　knuckles。
　　He　turned　back　to　Wendy　and　Danny　for　a　moment。　She　was　sitting　up；　and　Danny　had　his　arm　around　her。　They　were　both　staring　at　him　carefully；　as　if　he　was　a　stranger　they　had　never　seen　before；　possibly　a　dangerous　one。　He　opened　his　mouth；　not　sure　what　was　going　to　e　out。
　　〃It　。　。　。　　Wendy；　it's　my　job。〃　She　said　clearly：　〃Fuck　your　job〃　He　turned　back　to　the　elevator；　worked　his　fingers　into　the　crack　that　ran　down　the　right　side　of　the　door；　and　got　it　to　open　a　little　way。　Then　he　was　able　to　get　his　whole　weight　on　it　and　threw　the　door　open。
　　The　car　had　stopped　halfway；　its　floor　at　Jack's　chest　level。　Warm　light　still　spilled　out　of　it；　contrasting　with　the　oily　darkness　of　the　shaft　below。
　　He　looked　in　for　what　seemed　a　long　time。
　　〃It's　empty；〃　he　said　then。　〃A　short　circuit；　like　I　said。〃　He　hooked　his　fingers　into　the　slot　behind　the　door　and　began　to　pull　it　closed　。　。　。　then　her　hand　was　on　his　shoulder；　surprisingly　strong；　yanking　him　away。
　　〃Wendy！〃　he　shouted。　But　she　had　already　caught　the　car's　bottom　edge　and　pulled　herself　up　enough　so　she　could　look　in。　Then；　with　a　convulsive　heave　of　her　shoulder　and　belly　muscles；　she　tried　to　boost　herself　all　the　way　up。　For　a　moment　the　issue　was　in　doubt。　Her　feet　tottered　over　the　blackness　of　the　shaft　and　one　pink　slipper　fell　from　her　foot　and　slipped　out　of　sight。
　　〃Mommy！〃　Danny　screamed。
　　Then　she　was　up；　her　cheeks　flushed；　her　forehead　as　pale　and　shining　as　a　spirit　lamp。　〃What　about　this；　Jack？　Is　this　a　short　circuit？〃　She　threw　something　and　suddenly　the　hall　was　full　of　drifting　confetti；　red　and　white　and　blue　and　yellow。　〃Is　this？〃　A　green　party　streamer；　faded　to　a　pale　pastel　color　with　age。
　　〃And　this？〃　She　tossed　it　out　and　it　came　to　rest　on　the　blue…black　jungle　carpet；　a　black　silk　cat's…eye　mask；　dusted　with　sequins　at　the　temples。
　　〃Does　that　look　like　a　short　circuit　to　you；　Jack？〃　she　screamed　at　him。
　　Jack　stepped　slowly　away　from　it；　shaking　his　head　mechanically　back　and　forth。　The　cat's…eye　mask　stared　up　blankly　at　the　ceiling　from　the　confetti…　strewn　hallway　carpet。
　　　
　　　》
　　THE　BALLROOM
　　
　　It　was　the　first　of　December。
　　Danny　was　in　the　east…wing　ballroom；　standing　on　an　over…stuffed；　high…backed　wing　chair；　looking　at　the　clock　under　glass。　It　stood　in　the　center　of　the　ballroom's　high；　ornamental　mantelpiece；　flanked　by　two　large　ivory　elephants。
　　He　almost　expected　the　elephants　would　begin　to　move　and　try　to　gore　him　with　their　tusks　as　he　stood　there；　but　they　were　moveless。　They　were　〃safe。〃　Since　the　night　of　the　elevator　he　bad　e　to　divide　all　things　at　the　Overlook　into　two　categories。　The　elevator；　the　basement；　the　playground；　Room　217；　and　the　Presidential　Suite　（it　was　Suite；　not　Sweet；　he　had　seen　the　correct　spelling　in　an　account　book　Daddy　had　been　reading　at　supper　last　night　and　had　memorized　it　carefully）…those　places　were　〃unsafe。〃　Their　quarters；　the　lobby；　and　the　porch　were　〃safe。〃　Apparently　the　ballroom　was；　too。
　　（The　elephants　are；　anyway。）　He　was　not　sure　about　other　places　and　so　avoided　them　on　general　principle。
　　He　looked　at　the　clock　inside　the　glass　dome。　It　was　under　glass　because　all　its　wheels　and　cogs　and　springs　were　showing。　A　chrome　or　steel　track　ran　around　the　outside　of　these　works；　and　directly　below　the　clockface　there　was　a　small　axis　bar　with　a　pair　of　meshing　cogs　at　either　end。　The　hands　of　the　clock　stood　at　quarter　past　XI；　and　although　he　didn't　know　Roman　numerals　he　could　guess　by　the　configuration　of　the　hands　at　what　time　the　clock　had　stopped。　The　clock　stood　on　a　velvet　base。　In　front　of　it；　slightly　distorted　by　the　curve　of　the　dome；　was　a　carefully　carved　silver　key。
　　He　supposed　that　the　clock　was　one　of　the　things　he　wasn't　supposed　to　touch；　like　the　decorative　fire…tools　in　their　brass…bound　cabinet　by　the　lobby　fireplace　or　the　tall　china　highboy　at　the　back　of　the　dining　room。
　　A　sense　of　injustice　and　a　feeling　of　angry　rebellion　suddenly　rose　in　him　and　（never　mind　what　t'　m　not　supposed　to　touch；　just　never　mind。　touched　me；　hasn't　it？　played　with　me；　hasn't　it？）　It　had。　And　it　hadn't　been　particularly　careful　not　to　break　him；　either。
　　Danny　put　his　hands　out；　grasped　the　glass　dome；　and　lifted　it　aside。　He　let　one　finger　play　over　the　works　for　a　moment；　the　pad　of　his　index　finger　denting　against　the　cogs；　running　smoothly　over　the　wheels。　He　picked　up　the　silver　key。
　　For　an　adult　it　would　have　been　unfortably　small；　but　it　fitted　his　own　fingers　perfectly。　He　placed　it　in　the　keyhole　at　the　center　of　the　clockface。
　　It　went　firmly　home　with　a　tiny　click；　more　felt　than　heard。　It　wound　to　the　right；　of　course；　clockwise。
　　Danny　turned　the　key　until　it　would　turn　no　more　and　then　removed　it。　The　clock　began　to　tick。　Cogs　turned。　A　large　balance　wheel　rocked　back　and　forth　in　semicircles。　The　hands　were　moving。　If　you　kept　your　head　perfectly　motionless　and　your　eyes　wide　open；　you　could　see　the　minute　hand　inching　along　toward　its　meeting　some　forty…five　minutes　from　now　with　the　hour　hand。　At　XII。
　　（And　the　Red　Death　held　sway　over　all。）　He　frowned；　and　then　shook　the　thought　away。　It　was　a　thought　with　no　meaning　or　reference　for　him。
　　He　reached　his　index　finger　out　again　and　pushed　the　minute　band　up　to　the　hour；　curious　about　what　might　happen。　It　obviously　wasn't　a　cuckoo　clock；　but　that　steel　rail　bad　to　have　some　purpose。
　　There　was　a　small；　ratcheting　series　of　clicks；　and　then　the　clock　began　to　tinkle　Strauss's　〃Blue　Danube　Waltz。〃　A　punched　roll　of　cloth　no　more　than　two　inches　in　width　began　to　unwind。　A　small　series　of　brass　strikers　rose　and　fell。
　　From　behind　the　clockface　two　figures　glided　into　view　along　the　steel　track；　ballet　dancers；　on　the　left　a　girl　in　a　fluffy　skirt　and　white　stockings；　on　the　right　a　boy　in　a　black　leotard　and　ballet　slippers。　Their　hands　were　held　in　arches　over　their　beads。　They　came　together　in　the　middle；　in　front　of　VI。
　　Danny　espied　tiny　grooves　in　their　sides；　just　below　their　armpits。　The　axis　bar　slipped　into　these　grooves　and　he　heard　another　small　click。　The　cogs　at　either　end　of　the　bar　began　to。　turn。　〃The　Blue　Danube〃　tinkled。　The　dancers'　arms　came　down　around　each　other。　The　boy　flipped　the　girl　up　over　his　head　and　then　whirled　over　the　bar。　They　were　now　lying　prone；　the　boy's　head　buried　beneath　the　girl's　short　ballet　skirt；　the　girl's　face　pressed　against　the　center　of　the　boy's　leotard。　They　writhed　in　a　mechanical　frenzy。
　　Danny's　nose　wrinkled。　They　were　kissing　peepees。　That　made　him　feel　sick。
　　A　moment　later　and　things　began　to　run　backward。　The　boy　whirled　back　over　the　axis　bar。　He　flipped　the　girl　into　an　upright　position。　They　seemed　to　nod　knowingly　at　each　other　as　their　hands　arched　back　over　their　heads。　They　retreated　the　way　they　had　e；　disappearing　just　as　〃The　Blue　Danube〃　finished。　The　clock　began　to　strike　a　count　of　silver　chimes。
　　（Midnight！　Stroke　of　midnight！）　（Hooray　for　masks！）　Danny　whirled　on　the　chair；　almost　falling　down。　The　ballroom　was　empty。
　　Beyond　the　double　cathedral　window　he　could　see　fresh　snow　beginning　to　sift　down。　The　huge　ballroom　rug　（rolled　up　for　dancing；　of　course）；　a　rich　tangle　of　red　and　gold　embroidery；　lay　undisturbed　on　the　floor。　Spaced　around　it　were　small；　intimate　tables　for　two；　the　spidery　chairs　that　went　with　each　upended　with　legs　pointing　at　the　ceiling。
　　The　whole　place　was　empty。
　　But　it　wasn't　really　empty。　Because　here　in　the　Overloo