The Shining 原版小说-第12部分
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whisper。 〃Please。 I'm not promising anything。 If you still want to talk then;
we'll talk。 About anything you want。〃
They looked across the sunny kitchen at each other for a long time; and when
she turned back to the dishes without saying anything more; he began to shudder。
God; he needed a drink。 Just a little pick…me…up to put things in their true
perspective —
〃Danny said he dreamed you had a car accident;〃 she said abruptly。 〃He has
funny dreams sometimes。 He said it this morning; when I got him dressed。 Did
you; Jack? Did you have an accident?〃
〃No。〃
By noon the craving for a drink had bee a low…grade fever。 He went to Al's。
〃You dry?〃 Al asked before letting him in。 Al looked horrible。
〃Bone dry。 You look like Lon Chaney in Phantom of the Opera。〃
〃e on in。〃
They played two…handed whist all afternoon。 They didn't drink。
A week passed。 He and Wendy didn't speak much。 But he knew she was watching;
not believing。 He drank coffee black and endless cans of Coca…Cola。 One night he
drank a whole six…pack of Coke and then ran into the bathroom and vomited it up。
The level of the bottles in the liquor cabinet did not go down。 After his
classes he went over to Al Shockley's…she hated Al Shockley worse than she had
ever hated anyone…and when he came home she would swear she smelled scotch or
gin on his breath; but he would talk lucidly to her before supper; drink coffee;
play with Danny after supper; sharing a Coke with him; read him a bedtime story;
then sit and correct themes with cup after cup of black coffee by his hand; and
she would have to admit to herself that she had been wrong。
Weeks passed and the unspoken word retreated further from the back of her
lips。 Jack sensed its retirement but knew it would never retire pletely。
Things began to get a little easier。 Then George Hatfield。 He had lost his
temper again; this time stone sober。
〃Sir; your party still doesn't — 〃
〃Hello?〃 Al's voice; out of breath。
〃Go ahead;〃 the operator said dourly。
〃Al; this is Jack Torrance。〃
〃Jacky…boy!〃 Genuine pleasure。 〃How are you?〃
〃Good。 I just called to say thanks。 I got the job。 It's perfect。 If I can't
finish that goddam play snowed in all winter; I'll never finish it。〃
〃You'll finish。〃
〃How are things?〃 Jack asked hesitantly。
〃Dry;〃 Al responded。 〃You?〃
〃As a bone。〃
〃Miss it much?〃
〃Every day。〃
Al laughed。 〃I know that scene。 But I don't know how you stayed dry after that
Hatfield thing; Jack。 That was above and beyond。〃
〃I really bitched things up for myself;〃 he said evenly。
〃Oh; hell。 I'll have the Board around by spring。 Effinger's already saying
they might have been too hasty。 And if that play es to something — 〃
〃Yes。 Listen; my boy's out in the car; Al。 He looks like he might be getting
restless — 〃
〃Sure。 Understand。 You have a good winter up there; Jack。 Glad to help。〃
〃Thanks again; Al。〃 He hung up; closed his eyes in the hot booth; and again
saw the crashing bike; the bobbing flashlight。 There had been a squib in the
paper the next day; no more than a space…filler really; but the owner had not
been named。 Why it had been out there in the night would always be a mystery to
them; and perhaps that was as it should be。
He went back out to the car and gave Danny his slightly melted Baby Ruth。
〃Daddy?〃
〃What; doc?〃
Danny hesitated; looking at his father's abstracted face。
〃When I was waiting for you to e back from that hotel; I had a bad dream。
Do you remember? When I fell asleep?〃
〃Um…hm。〃
But it was no good。 Daddy's mind was someplace else; not with him。 Thinking
about the Bad Thing again。
(I dreamed that you hurt me; Daddy)
〃What was the dream; doc?〃
〃Nothing;〃 Danny said as they pulled out into the parking lot。 He put the maps
back into the glove partment。
〃You sure?〃
〃Yes。〃
Jack gave his son a faint; troubled glance; and then his mind turned to his
play。
》
NIGHT THOUGHTS
Love was over; and her man was sleeping beside her。
Her man。
She smiled a little in the darkness; his seed still trickling with slow warmth
from between her slightly parted thighs; and her smile was both rueful and
pleased; because the phrase her man summoned up a hundred feelings。 Each feeling
examined alone was a bewilderment。 Together; in this darkness floating to sleep;
they were like a distant blues tune heard in an almost deserted night club;
melancholy but pleasing。
Lovin' you baby; is just like rollin' off a log;
But if I can't be your woman; I sure ain't goin' to be your dog。
Had that been Billie Holiday? Or someone more prosaic like Peggy Lee? Didn't
matter。 It was low and torchy; and in the silence of her head it played
mellowly; as if issuing from one of those old…fashioned jukeboxes; a Wurlitzer;
perhaps; half an hour before closing。
Now; moving away from her consciousness; she wondered how many beds she had
slept in with this man beside her。 They had met in college and had first made
love in his apartment 。。。 that had been less than three months after her
mother drove her from the house; told her never to e back; that if she wanted
to go somewhere she could go to her father since she had been responsible for
the divorce。 That bad been in 1970。 So long ago? A semester later they had moved
in together; had found jobs for the summer; and had kept the apartment when
their senior year began。 She remembered that bed the most clearly; a big double
that sagged in the middle。 When they made love; the rusty box spring had counted
the beats。 That fall she had finally managed to break from her mother。 Jack had
helped her。 She wants to keep beating you; Jack had said。 The more times you
phone her; the more times you crawl back begging forgiveness; the more she can
beat you with your father。 It's good for her; Wendy; because she can go on
making believe it was your fault。 But it's not good for you。 They had talked it
over again and again in that bed; that year。
(Jack sitting up with the covers pooled around his waist; a cigarette burning
between his fingers; looking her in the eye — he had a half…humorous; half…
scowling way of doing that — telling her: She told you never to e back; right?
Never to darken her door again; right? Then why doesn't she hang up the phone
when she knows it's you? Why does she only tell you that you can't e in if
I'm with you? Because she thinks I might cramp her style a little bit。 She wants
to keep putting the thumbscrews right to you; baby。 You're a fool if you keep
letting her do it。 She told you never to e back; so why don't you take her at
her word? Give it a rest。 And at last she'd seen it his way。)
It had been Jack's idea to separate for a while — to get perspective on the
relationship; he said。 She had been afraid he had bee interested in someone
else。 Later she found it wasn't so。 They were together again in the spring and
he asked her if she had been to see her father。 She had jumped as if he'd struck
her with a quirt。
How did you know that?
The Shadow knows。
Have you been spying on me?
And his impatient laughter; which had always made her feel so awkward — as if
she were eight and he was able to see her motivations more clearly than she。
You needed time; Wendy。
For what?
I guess 。。。 to see which one of us you wanted to marry。
Jack; what are you saying?
I think I'm proposing marriage。
The wedding。 Her father had been there; her mother had not been。 She
discovered she could live with that; if she had Jack。 Then Danny had e; her
fine son。
That had been the best year; the best bed。 After Danny was born; Jack had
gotten her a job typing for half a dozen English Department profs — quizzes;
exams; class syllabi; study notes; reading lists。 She ended up tvping a novel
for one of them; a novel that never got published 。。。 much to Jack's very
irreverent and very private glee。 The job was good for forty a week; and
skyrocketed all the way up to sixty during the two months she