第19部分(第1页)
〃Im pleased;〃 Wendy said; and thought it would sound absurd。 It didnt。 She
had e out here from New England; where she had spent her life; and it seemed
to her that in a few short sentences this man Watson; with his fluffy fringe of
hair; had epitomized what the West was supposed to be all about。 And never mind
the lecherous wink earlier。
〃Young master Torrance;〃 Watson said gravely; and put out his hand。 Danny; who
had known all about handshaking for almost a year now; put his own hand out
gingerly and felt it swallowed up。 〃You take good care of em; Dan。〃
〃Yes; sir。〃
Watson let go of Dannys hand and straightened up fully。 He looked at Ullman。
〃Until next year; I guess;〃 he said; and held his hand out。
Ullman touched it bloodlessly。 His pinky ring caught the lobbys electric
lights in a baleful sort of wink。
〃May twelfth; Watson;〃 he said。 〃Not a day earlier or later。〃
〃Yes; sir;〃 Watson said; and Jack could almost read the codicil in Watsons
mind: 。。。 you fucking little faggot。
〃Have a good winter; Mr。 Ullman。〃
〃Oh; I doubt it;〃 Ullman said remotely。
Watson opened one of the two big main doors; the wind whined louder and began
to flutter the collar of his jacket。 〃You folks take care now;〃 he said。
It was Danny who answered。 〃Yes; sir; we will。〃
Watson; whose not…so…distant ancestor had owned this place; slipped humbly
through the door。 It closed behind him; muffling the wind。 Together they watched
him clop down the porchs broad front steps in his battered black cowboy boots。
Brittle yellow aspen leaves tumbled around his heels as he crossed the lot to
his International Harvester pickup and climbed in。 Blue smoke jetted from the
rusted exhaust pipe as he started it up。 The spell of silence held among them as
he backed; then pulled out of the parking lot。 His truck disappeared over the
brow of the hill and then reappeared; smaller; on the main road; heading west。
For a moment Danny felt more lonely than he ever had in his life。
》
THE FRONT PORCH
The Torrance family stood together on the long front porch of the Overlook