第24部分（第1页）

wiped　his　mouth　with　it。　Wendy　had　a　moment　of　that　sickening　time…is…running…

backward　feeling　again。　It　was　a　gesture　she　remembered　well　from　his　drinking

days。

〃Why　did　you　lock　the　door；　Danny？〃　she　asked　gently。　〃Why　did　you　do　that？〃

〃Tony；〃　he　said。　〃Tony　told　me　to。〃

They　exchanged　a　glance　over　the　top　of　his　head。

〃Did　Tony　say　why；　son？〃　Jack　asked　quietly。

〃I　was　brushing　my　teeth　and　I　was　thinking　about　my　reading；〃　Danny　said。

〃Thinking　real　hard。　And　。。。　and　I　saw　Tony　way　down　in　the　mirror。　He　said　he

had　to　show　me　again。〃

〃You　mean　he　was　behind　you？〃　Wendy　asked。

〃No；　he　was　in　the　mirror。〃　Danny　was　very　emphatic　on　this　point。　〃Way　down

deep。　And　then　I　went　through　the　mirror。　The　next　thing　I　remember　Daddy　was

shaking　me　and　I　thought　I　was　being　bad　again。〃

Jack　winced　as　if　struck。

〃No；　doc；〃　he　said　quietly。

〃Tony　told　you　to　lock　the　door？〃　Wendy　asked；　brushing　his　hair。

〃Yes。〃

〃And　what　did　he　want　to　show　you？〃

Danny　tensed　in　her　arms；　it　was　as　if　the　muscles　in　his　body　had　turned　into

something　like　piano　wire。　〃I　dont　remember；〃　he　said；　distraught。　〃I　dont

remember。　Dont　ask　me。　I　。。。　I　dont　remember　nothing！〃

〃Shh；〃　Wendy　said；　alarmed。　She　began　to　rock　him　again。　〃Its　all　right　if

you　dont　remember；　hon。　Sure　it　is。〃

At　last　Danny　began　to　relax　again。

〃Do　you　want　me　to　stay　a　little　while？　Read　you　a　story？〃

〃No。　Just　the　night　light。〃　He　looked　shyly　at　his　father。　〃Would　you　stay；

Daddy？　For　a　minute？〃

〃Sure；　doc。〃

Wendy　sighed。　〃Ill　be　in　the　living　room；　Jack。〃

〃Okay。〃

She　got　up　and　watched　as　Danny　slid　under　the　covers。　He　seemed　very　small。

〃Are　you　sure　youre　okay；　Danny？〃

〃Im　okay。　Just　plug　in　Snoopy；　Mom。〃