sk.theshining-第96节

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bells　。　。　。　not　that　any　fire　truck　would　be　able　to　get　up　here　much　before　the　end　of　March。　Most　of　all　what　came　through　in　Danny's　thought　was　a　sense　of　urgent　immediacy；　a　feeling　that　it　was　going　to　happen　at　any　time。
　　〃All　right；〃　Hallorann　said。　He　began　to　move　toward　the　two　of　them　and　at　first　it　was　like　swimming　through　deep　water。　His　sense　of　balance　was　screwed；　and　the　eye　on　the　right　side　of　his　face　didn't　want　to　focus。　His　jaw　was　sending　giant　throbbing　bursts　of　pain　up　to　his　temple　and　down　his　neck；　and　his　cheek　felt　as　large　as　a　cabbage。　But　the　boy's　urgency　had　gotten　him　going；　and　it　got　a　little　easier。
　　〃All　right？〃　Wendy　asked。　She　looked　from　Hallorann　to　her　son　and　back　to　Hallorann。　〃What　do　you　mean；　all　right？〃
　　〃We　have　to　go；〃　Hallorann　said。
　　〃I'm　not　dressed　。　。　。　my　clothes。　。　。〃　Danny　darted　out　of　her　arms　then　and　raced　down　the　corridor。　She　looked　after　him；　and　as　he　vanished　around　the　corner；　back　at　Hallorann。　〃What　if　he　es　back？〃
　　〃Your　husband？〃
　　〃He's　not　Jack；〃　she　muttered。　〃Jack's　dead。　This　place　killed　hire。　This　damned　place。〃　She　struck　at　the　wall　with　her　fist　and　cried　out　at　the　pain　in　her　cut　fingers。　〃It's　the　boiler；　isn't　it？〃
　　〃Yes；　ma'am。　Danny　says　it's　going　to　explode。〃
　　〃Good。〃　The　word　was　uttered　with　dead　finality。　〃I　don't　know　if　I　can　get　down　those　stairs　again。　My　ribs　。　。　。　he　broke　my　ribs。　And　something　in　my　back。　It　hurts。〃
　　〃You'll　make　it；〃　Hallorann　said。　〃We'll　all　make　it。〃　But　suddenly　he　remembered　the　hedge　animals；　and　wondered　what　they　would　do　if　they　were　guarding　the　way　out。。
　　Then　Danny　was　ing　back。　He　had　Wendy's　boots　and　coat　and　gloves；　also　his　own　coat　and　gloves。
　　〃Danny；〃　she　said。　〃Your　boots。〃
　　〃It's　too　late；〃　he　said。　His　eyes　stared　at　them　with　a　desperate　kind　of　madness。　He　looked　at　Dick　and　suddenly　Hallorann's　mind　was　fixed　with　an　image　of　a　clock　under　a　glass　dome；　the　clock　in　the　ballroom　that　had　been　donated　by　a　Swiss　diplomat　in　1949。　The　hands　of　the　clock　were　standing　at　a　minute　to　midnight。
　　〃Oh　my　God；〃　Hallorann　said。　〃Oh　my　dear　God。〃　He　clapped　an　arm　around　Wendy　and　picked　her　up。　He　clapped　his　other　arm　around　Danny。　He　ran　for　the　stairs。
　　Wendy　shrieked　in　pain　as　he　squeezed　the　bad　ribs；　as　something　in　her　back　ground　together；　but　Hallorann　did　not　slow。　He　plunged　down　the　stairs　with　them　in　his　arms。　One　eye　wide　and　desperate；　the　other　puffed　shut　to　a　slit。
　　He　looked　like　a　one…eyed　pirate　abducting　hostages　to　be　ransomed　later。
　　Suddenly　the　shine　was　on　him；　and　he　understood　what　Danny　had　meant　when　he　said　it　was　too　late。　He　could　feel　the　explosion　getting　ready　to　rumble　up　from　the　basement　and　tear　the　guts　out　of　this　horrid　place。
　　He　ran　faster；　bolting　headlong　across　the　lobby　toward　the　double　doors。
　　
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　　It　hurried　across　the　basement　and　into　the　feeble　yellow　glow　of　the　furnace　room's　only　light。　It　was　slobbering　with　fear。　It　had　been　so　close；　so　close　to　having　the　boy　and　the　boy's　remarkable　power。　It　could　not　lose　now。　It　must　not　happen。　It　would　dump　the　boiler　and　then　chastise　the　boy　harshly。
　　〃Mustn't　happen！〃　it　cried。　〃Oh　no；　mustn't　happen！〃　It　stumbled　across　the　floor　to　the　boiler；　which　glowed　a　dull　red　halfway　up　its　long　tubular　body。　It　was　huffing　and　rattling　and　hissing　off　plumes　of　steam　in　a　hundred　directions；　like　a　monster　calliope。　The　pressure　needle　stood　at　the　far　end　of　the　dial。
　　〃No；　it　won't　be　allowed！〃　the　manager/caretaker　cried。
　　It　laid　its　Jack　Torrance　hands　on　the　valve；　unmindful　of　the　burning　smell　which　arose　or　the　searing　of　the　flesh　as　the　red…hot　wheel　sank　in；　as　if　into　a　mudrut。
　　The　wheel　gave；　and　with　a　triumphant　scream；　the　thing　spun　it　wide　open。　A　giant　roar　of　escaping　steam　bellowed　out　of　the　boiler；　a　dozen　dragons　hissing　in　concert。　But　before　the　steam　obscured　the　pressure　needle　entirely；　the　needle　had　visibly　begun　to　swing　back。
　　〃I　WIN！〃　it　cried。　It　capered　obscenely　in　the　hot；　rising　mist；　waving　its　flaming　hands　over　its　head。　〃NOT　TOO　LATE！　I　WIN！　NOT　TOO　LATE！　NOT　TOO　LATE！
　　NOT…〃　Words　turned　into　a　shriek　of　triumph；　and　the　shriek　was　swallowed　in　a　shattering　roar　as　the　Overlook's　boiler　exploded。
　　
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　　Hallorann　burst　out　through　the　double　doors　and　carried　the　two　of　them　through　the　trench　in　the　big　snowdrift　on　the　porch。　He　saw　the　hedge　animals　clearly；　more　clearly　than　before；　and　even　as　he　realized　his　worst　fears　were　true；　that　they　were　between　the　porch　and　the　snowmobile；　the　hotel　exploded。
　　It　seemed　to　him　that　it　happened　all　at　once；　although　later　he　knew　that　couldn't　have　been　the　way　it　happened。
　　There　was　a　flat　explosion；　a　sound　that　seemed　to　exist　on　one　low　all…　pervasive　note　（WHUMMMMMMMMM…）　and　then　there　was　a　blast　of　warm　air　at　their　backs　that　seemed　to　push　gently　at　them。　They　were　thrown　from　the　porch　on　its　breath；　the　three　of　them；　and　a　confused　thought　（this　is　what　superman　must　feel　like）　slipped　through　Hallorann's　mind　as　they　flew　through　the　air。　He　lost　his　hold　on　them　and　then　he　struck　the　snow　in　a　soft　billow。　It　was　down　his　shirt　and　up　his　nose　and　he　was　dimly　aware　that　it　felt　good　on　his　hurt　cheek。
　　Then　he　struggled　to　the　top　of　it；　for　that　moment　not　thinking　about　the　hedge　animals；　or　Wendy　Torrance；　or　even　the　boy。　He　rolled　over　on　his　back　so　he　could　watch　it　die。
　　
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　　The　Overlook's　windows　shattered。　In　the　ballroom；　the　dome　over　the　mantelpiece　clock　cracked；　split　in　two　pieces；　and　fell　to　the　floor。　The　clock　stopped　ticking：　cogs　and　gears　and　balance　wheel　all　became　motionless。　There　was　a　whispered；　sighing　noise；　and　a　great　billow　of　dust。　In　217　the　bathtub　suddenly　split　in　two；　letting　out　a　small　flood　of　greenish；　noxious…smelling　water。　In　the　Presidential　Suite　the　wallpaper　suddenly　burst　into　flames。　The　batwing　doors　of　the　Colorado　Lounge　suddenly　snapped　their　hinges　and　fell　to　the　dining　room　floor。　Beyond　the　basement　arch；　the　great　piles　and　stacks　of　old　papers　caught　fire　and　went　up　with　a　blowtorch　hiss。　Boiling　water　rolled　over　the　flames　but　did　not　quench　them。　Like　burning　autumn　leaves　below　a　wasps'　nest；　they　whirled　and　blackened。　The　furnace　exploded；　shattering　the　basement's　roofbeams；　sending　them　crashing　down　like　the　bones　of　a　dinosaur。
　　The　gasjet　which　had　fed　the　furnace；　unstoppered　now；　rose　up　in　a　bellowing　pylon　of　flame　through　the　riven　floor　of　the　lobby。　The　carpeting　on　the　stair　risers　caught；　racing　up　to　the　first…floor　level　as　if　to　tell　dreadful　good　news。　A　fusillade　of　explosions　ripped　the　place。　The　chandelier　in　the　dining　room；　a　two…hundred…pound　crystal　bomb；　fell　with　a　splintering　crash；　knocking　tables　every　which　way。　Flame　belched　out　of　the　Overlook's　five　chimneys　at　the　breaking　clouds。
　　（No！　Mustn't！　Mustn't！　MUSTN'T！）　It　shrieked；　it　shrieked　but　now　it　was　voiceless　and　it　was　only　screaming　panic　and　doom　and　damnation　in　its　own　ear；　dissolving；　losing　thought　and　will；　the　webbing　falling　apart；　searching；　not　finding；　going　out；　going　out　to；　fleeing；　going　out　to　emptiness；　notness；　crumbling。
　　The　party　was　over。
　　　
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　　The　roar　shook　the　whole　facade　of　the　hotel。　Glass　belched　out　onto　the　snow　and　twinkled　there　like　jagged　diamonds。　The　hedge　dog；　which　had　been　approaching　Danny　and　his　mother；　recoiled　away　from　it；　its　green　and　shadow…　marbled　ears　flattening；　its　tail　ing　down　between　its　legs　as　its　haunches　flattened　abjectly。　In　his　head；　Hallorann　heard　it　whine　fearfully；　and　mixed　with　that　sound　was　the　fearful；　confused　yowling　of　the　big　cats。　He　struggled　to　his　feet　to　go　to　the　other　two　and　help　them；　and　as　he　did　so　he　saw　something　more　nightmarish　than　all　the　rest：　the　hedge　rabbit；　still　coated　with　snow；　was　battering　itself　crazily　at　the　chainlink　fence　at　the　far　end　of　the　playground；　and　the　steel　mesh　was　jingling　with　a　kind　of　nightmare　music；　like　a　spectral　zither。　Even　from　here　he　could　hear　the　sounds　of　the　close…set　twigs　and　branches　which　made　up　its　body　cracking　and　crunching　like　breaking　bones。
　　〃Dick！　Dick！〃　Danny　cried　out。　He　was　trying　to　support　his　mother；　help　her　over　to　the　snowmobile。　The　clothes　he　had　carried　out　for　the　two　of　them　were　scattered　between　where　they　had　fallen　and　where　they　now　stood。　Hallorann　was　suddenly　aware　that　the　woman　was　in　her　nightclothes；　Danny　jacketless；　and　it　was　no　more　than　ten　above　zero。
　　（my　gad　she's　in　her　bare　feet）　He　struggled　back　through　the　snow；　picking　up　her　coat；　her　boots；　Danny's　coat；　odd　gloves。　Then　he　ran　back　to　them；　plunging　hip…deep　in　the　snow　from　time　to　time；　having　to　flounder　his　way　out。
　　Wendy　was　horribly　pale；　the　side　of　her　neck　coated　with　blood；　blood　that　was　now　freezing。
　　〃I　can't；〃　she　muttered。　She　was　no　more　than　semiconscious。　〃No；　I　。　。　。
　　can't。　Sorry。〃　Danny　looked　up　at　Hallorann　pleadingly。
　　〃Gonna　be　okay；〃　Hallorann　said；　and　gripped　her　again。　〃e　on。〃　The　three　of　them　made　it　to　where　the