第12部分(第1页)
〃That one says SLOWER VEHICLES USE RIGHT LANE。 That means us。〃
〃The bug will make it;〃 Danny said。
〃Please; God;〃 Mommy said; and crossed her fingers。 Danny looked down at her
open…toed sandals and saw that she had crossed her toes as well。 He giggled。 She
smiled back; but he knew that she was still worried。
The road wound up and up in a series of slow S curves; and Jack dropped the
bugs stick shift from fourth gear to third; then into second。 The bug wheezed
and protested; and Wendys eye fixed on the speedometer needle; which sank from
forty to thirty to twenty; where it hovered reluctantly。
〃The fuel pump。。。〃 she began timidly。
〃The fuel pump will go another three miles;〃 Jack said shortly。
The rock wall fell away on their right; disclosing a slash valley that seemed
to go down forever; lined a dark green with Rocky Mountain pine and spruce。 The
pines fell away to gray cliffs of rock that dropped for hundreds of feet before
smoothing out。 She saw a waterfall spilling over one of them; the early
afternoon sun sparkling in it like a golden fish snared in a blue net。 They were
beautiful mountains but they were hard。 She did not think they would forgive
many mistakes。 An unhappy foreboding rose in her throat。 Further west in the
Sierra Nevada the Donner Party had bee snowbound and had resorted to
cannibalism to stay alive。 The mountains did not forgive many mistakes。
With a punch of the clutch and a jerk; Jack shifted down to first gear and
they labored upward; the bugs engine thumping gamely。
〃You know;〃 she said; 〃I dont think weve seen five cars since we came
through Sidewinder。 And one of them was the hotel limousine。〃
Jack nodded。 〃It goes right to Stapleton Airport in Denver。 Theres already
some icy patches up beyond the hotel; Watson says; and theyre forecasting more
snow for tomorrow up higher。 Anybody going through the mountains now wants to be
on one of the main roads; just in case。 That goddam Ullman better still be up
there。 I guess he will be。〃
〃Youre sure the larder is fully stocked?〃 she asked; still thinking of the
Donners。
〃He said so。 He wanted Hallorann to go over it with you。 Halloranns the
cook。〃
〃Oh;〃 she said faintly; looking at the speedometer。 It had dropped from