dw.jimmythekid-第11节

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　'What　specialist　does　he　see？〃
　〃I　can't　find　out；〃　Kelp　said。　〃There's　all　kinds　of　medical　people；　and　specialty　therapists；　and　I　don't　know　what　in　that　building。　And　it's　tough　to　hang　around　in　there。　And　the　maintenance　people　don't　know　Jimmy　Harrington　from　a　special　delivery　letter。　Anyway；　when　he　leaves　there　on　Fridays；　he　goes　down　to　Wall　Street　in　the　limousine；　and　his　father　rides　out　to　the　estate　with　him。　The　father　stays　there　all　weekend；　and　rides　in　with　him　on　Mondays。　But　Monday　to　Friday　the　father　stays　in　town。〃
　〃The　boy's　all　alone　out　in　the　estate？〃　May　was　truly　shocked。
　〃There's　four　servants　that　live　in；〃　Kelp　said。　〃The　chauffeur；　and　the…〃
　The　door　opened　and　Murch's　Mom　came　in；　followed　by　Murch。　They　were　both　carrying　beers；　and　Murch　was　also　carrying　a　saltshaker。　May　looked　up　and　said；　〃So　there　you　are。〃
　〃It's　real　nice　out　there；〃　Murch's　Mom　said。　She　sat　down　at　the　table；　placing　the　beer　in　front　of　her。　〃Especially　at　this　time　of　year；　with　the　leaves　all　turning。〃
　〃We　thought　you　got　lost；〃　May　said。
　〃Naw；〃　Murch　said。　〃It's　simple。　You　go　out　80；　you　get　off　at　the　Hope　interchange；　you　take　county　road　519。　Our　big　problem　was；　we　had　a　hell　of　a　time　finding　an　abandoned　farmhouse。〃
　〃I　knew　it；〃　Dortmunder　said。　He　gave　a　triumphant　glare　toward　the　book　lying　on　the　table　in　front　of　Kelp。
　Kelp　said；　〃But　you　did　find　one；　huh？〃
　〃Yeah；　finally。〃　Murch　shook　his　head。　〃All　the　abandoned　farmhouses　out　there；　people　from　the　city　already　went　out　and　found　them　and　bought　them　and　filled　them　up　with　fancy　barn　siding　and　cloth　wallpaper　and　made　country　houses　out　of　them。〃
　〃They've　all　got　Great　Danes；〃　Murch's　Mom　said。　〃We　went　out　some　of　those　driveways　pretty　fast。〃
　〃But　the　point　is；〃　Kelp　said；　〃you　did　find　an　abandoned　farmhouse。〃
　〃It's　a　mess；〃　Murch　said。　〃There　isn't　any　electricity；　and　there　isn't　any　plumbing。　There's　a　well　out　back；　with　a　handle　thing　that　you　pump。〃
　Murch's　Mom　nodded。　〃It's　not　like　anything　in　the　twentieth　century；〃　she　said。
　〃But　it's　isolated；〃　Kelp　suggested。　〃Is　it？〃
　〃Oh；　yeah；〃　Murch　said。　〃It's　isolated；　all　right。　Way　to　hell　and　gone　isolated。〃
　〃Well；　that's　the　important　part；〃　Kelp　said。　Primarily　speaking　to　Dortmunder；　he　said；　〃We'll　only　be　there　for　a　couple　days；　and　the　more　abandoned　and　isolated　it　is　the　better。〃
　Dortmunder　said　to　Murch；　〃How　far　is　this　from　where　we　grab　the　kid？〃
　〃Maybe　twenty　miles。〃
　〃And　how　far　from　the　kid's　house？〃
　〃Maybe　forty。〃
　Dortmunder　nodded　thoughtfully。　〃It's　kind　of　close；〃　he　said。
　Kelp　said；　〃That's　got　a　big　advantage；　when　you　think　about　it。　The　cops　won't　be　looking　in　that　close。〃
　〃The　cops；〃　Dortmunder　told　him；　〃will　be　looking　everywhere。　A　rich　man's　son　is　gone；　they'll　look　for　him。〃
　〃If　they　find　that　abandoned　farmhouse；〃　Murch　said；　〃I'll　be　surprised。〃
　〃We'll　all　be　surprised；〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃Unpleasantly。〃
　〃I'll　tell　you　something　else；〃　Murch　said。　〃Last　night　I　started　reading　again　the　chapter　where　they　do　the　kidnapping。　You　know；　where　they　go　and　grab　the　kid。〃
　〃Chapter　eight；〃　Kelp　said。　〃Page　seventy…three。〃
　Dortmunder　gave　him　a　look。　〃You　memorized　it？〃
　〃I'm　just　careful；　that's　all；〃　Kelp　said。
　〃Anyway；〃　Murch　said；　〃we　got　a　hell　of　a　lot　of　stuff　we're　supposed　to　put　together　for　that　job。　Not　just　the　abandoned　farmhouse　and　the　side　road　and　all　that；　but　a　lot　of　stuff；　you　know。〃
　〃Not　that　much；〃　Kelp　said。　〃Just　a　couple　things。〃
　〃Not　that　much？〃　Murch　started　counting　them　off　on　his　fingers。　〃A　big　tractor　trailer　rig。　A　school　bus。　A　car。　Guns。　Mickey　Mouse　masks。　A　detour　sign。〃
　〃None　of　that　is　tough；〃　Kelp　said。　〃I　can　get　the　car　myself；　I'll　borrow　one　from　a　doctor。〃
　〃The　tractor…trailer？　The　school　bus？〃
　〃We'll　pick　them　up；〃　Kelp　said。　〃Don't　worry　about　it；　Stan；　we　can　do　it。　The　detour　sign　I'll　paint　myself　and　bring　it　along。〃
　〃It's　a　lot　of　stuff；〃　Murch　said。
　〃Just　don't　worry　about　it；〃　Kelp　told　him。
　May　said；　〃Let's　get　back　to　the　boy。　How　old　is　he？〃
　〃Twelve；〃　Kelp　told　her。　〃That's　the　adventurous　age；　May。　The　kid'll　have　a　ball；　it'll　be　like　living　out　one　of　his　favorite　television　shows。〃
　〃I'm　beginning　to　feel　sorry　for　him　anyway；〃　May　said；　〃even　if　we　don't　take　him。　Living　all　alone　with　nobody　around　but　servants；　hasn't　seen　his　mother　since　he　was　six　years　old。　That's　no　life　for　a　little　boy。〃
　Kelp　said；　〃So　this'll　make　a　nice　change。〃
　May　stared　at　him。　〃To　kidnap　him？　A　nice　change？〃
　〃Why　not？〃　Kelp　seemed　perfectly　sincere　about　it。　〃A　break　in　the　routine；　everybody　likes　that。〃
　〃I　just　wish　I　knew；〃　May　said；　〃what　kind　of　specialist　he　goes　to　when　he　es　to　the　city。〃
　〃Maybe　it's　a　speech　therapist；〃　Kelp　suggested；　〃like　the　kid　in　the　book。〃
　Dortmunder　plunked　his　glass　down　on　the　table。　Exasperated；　he　said；　〃How　many　coincidences　you　want　out　of　that　book？〃
　〃Well；　what　difference　does　it　make　anyway？〃　Kelp　shrugged。　〃The　point　is；　he　es　to　the　city　on　a　regular　schedule。〃
　May　said；　〃I　was　just　thinking　about　special　medicines　or　treatments　or　something　that　we　might　have　to　have。〃
　〃He　looks　healthy；　May；〃　Kelp　said。　〃Besides；　we'll　only　have　him　a　day　or　two。　He　probably　won't　even　miss　a　session。〃
　〃I'd　still　like　to　know　who　he　sees；〃　May　said。　〃Just　what　kind　of　specialist。　Just　to　know。〃
　
　10
　
　J　I　M　M　Y　H　A　R　R　I　N　G　T　0　N；　lying　on　the　black　naugahyde　couch　in　Dr。　Schraubenzieher's　office；　looking　over　at　the　pumpkin…colored　drapes　half…closed　over　the　air…shaft　window；　said；　〃You　know；　for　the　last　few　weeks；　every　time　I　e　into　the　city　I　keep　having　this　feeling；　someone　is　watching　me。〃
　〃Mm　hm？〃
　〃A　very　specific　kind　of　watching；〃　Jimmy　said。　〃I　have　this　feeling；　I'm　somebody's　target。　Like　a　sniper's　target。　Like　the　man　in　the　tower　in　Austin；　Texas。〃
　〃Mm　hm？〃
　〃That's　obviously　paranoid；　of　course；〃　Jimmy　said。　〃And　yet　it　doesn't　truly　have　a　paranoid　feel　about　it。　I　think　I　understand　paranoid　manifestations；　and　this　seems　somehow　to　be　something　else。　Do　you　have　any　ideas；　Doctor？〃
　〃Well；〃　Dr。　Schraubenzieher　said；　〃why　don't　we　study　the　implications。　You　feel　that　you　are　being　watched；　that　you　are　somehow　a　target。　Is　that　right？〃
　〃That's　right。　A　very　specific　sensation　of　eyes；　of　being　observed　for　some　purpose。　It's　like　that　well…known　phenomenon　of　being　on　a　plane　and　feeling　that　one　is　under　observation；　and　then　looking　around　to　see　that　some　other　passenger　actually　is　looking　at　you。〃
　〃And　in　the　current　situation？　Is　anyone　actually　looking　at　you？〃
　Jimmy　frowned　at　the　drapes。　They　moved　slightly；　stirred　by　the　quiet　air…conditioner　in　the　wall　below。　〃I　don't　know；〃　he　said。　〃So　far　I　haven't　caught　anyone　at　it。〃
　〃Caught　anyone？　A　very　suggestive　phrase；　that。〃
　〃But　that's　the　way　it　feels。〃　Jimmy　concentrated；　trying　to　get　in　touch　with　his　feelings。　He'd　been　in　analysis　for　nearly　four　years；　and　was　very　professional　about　it　by　now。　〃There's　an　element　of　。　。　…　sport　in　it；〃　he　said。　〃As　though　it's　a　game；　and　I　win　if　I　catch　them　looking　at　me。　I　know　that　sounds　childish；　but　that　is　the　sensation。〃
　〃As　I　am　forced　to　remind　you　frequently；　Jimmy；〃　Dr。　Schraubenzieher　said　mildly；　〃you　are　a　child。　A　childlike　response；　even　from　you；　is　not　necessarily　a　negative　event。〃
　〃I　know；〃　Jimmy　said。　One　of　his　unresolved　and　so…far　unstated　disagreements　with　the　doctor　concerned　this　aspect　of　childlike　behavior；　Jimmy　felt　that　his　own　disapproval　of　such　behavior　in　himself　was　so　instinctive　and　so　strong　that　it　simply　had　to　be　trusted。　He　was　not；　however；　prepared　as　yet　to　debate　the　issue　with　Dr。　Schrauhenzieher；　so　he　altered　the　subject　slightly；　saying；　〃Why　did　you　say　that　'caught　anyone'　was　a　suggestive　phrase？〃
　〃You　know　very　well　why；〃　the　doctor　said；　he　himself　knew　very　well　why　Jimmy　was　veering　away　from　the　topic　of　childishness；　but　he　wouldn't　push　the　matter。　In　the　course　of　the　analysis　the　debate　must　eventually　arise；　and　it　would　be　better　to　wait　for　Jimmy　to　feel　strong　enough　to　raise　the　subject　himself。
　At　the　moment；　Jimmy　had　hared　off　after　this　semantic　scent。　〃I　don't　see　that　'caught　anyone'　is　a　particularly　pertinent　phrase；〃　he　said。　〃It's　merely　the　standard　idiom　in　that　circumstance；　normal　American　usage：　'I　caught　him　looking　at　me　is　simply　the　way　that　s　said。　I　suppose　it's　the　mind's　instinctive　aversion　to　the　duplication　of　idea　implicit　in　'I　saw　him　looking。'　On　the　other　hand；　I　could　merely　be　evading　the　issue；　analyzing　it　away。〃
　〃One　of　the　great　problems　in　analysis；〃　the　doctor　said；　〃is　that　the　patient　may　merely　bee　cleverer　at　avoiding　self…prehension。　To　evade　my　suggestion　by　offering　the　titillation　of　a　friendly　discussion　on　idiomatic　usage　is　wily　enough；　but　then　to　suggest　yourself　that　you　are　trying　an　evasion　technique　is　almost　too　clever。　The　idea　being；　of　course；　that　we　will　now　go　off　on　the　tangent　of　your　evasion　mechanisms；　and　therefore　safely　avoid　discussion　of　either　your　dislike　of　childhood　mannerisms　or　your　fear　of　petition。〃
　〃Fear　of　petition？〃　On