第28部分（第1页）

kitchen　and　find　her　cup　out　with　a　tea　bag　in　it。　She　would　remember　that　the

books　were　due　at　the　library　and　find　them　all　neatly　piled　up　on　the　hall

table；　her　library　card　on　top。　Or　Jack　would　take　it　into　his　head　to　wax　the

Volkswagen　and　find　Danny　already　out　there；　listening　to　tinny　top…forty　music

on　his　crystal　radio　as　he　sat　on　the　curb　to　watch。

Aloud　she　said；　〃Then　why　the　nightmares　now？　Why　did　Tony　tell　him　to　lock

the　bathroom　door？〃

〃I　believe　its　because　Tony　has　outlived　his　usefulness；〃　Edmonds　said。　〃He

was　born　—　Tony；　not　Danny　—　at　a　time　when　you　and　your　husband　were　straining　to

keep　your　marriage　together。　Your　husband　was　drinking　too　much。　There　was　the

incident　of　the　broken　arm。　The　ominous　quiet　between　you。〃

Ominous　quiet；　yes；　that　phrase　was　the　real　thing；　anyway。　The　stiff；　tense

meals　where　the　only　conversation　had　been　please　pass　the　butter　or　Danny；　eat

the　rest　of　your　carrots　or　may　I　be　excused；　please。　The　nights　when　Jack　was

gone　and　she　had　lain　down；　dry…eyed；　on　the　couch　while　Danny　watched　TV。　The

mornings　when　she　and　Jack　had　stalked　around　each　other　like　two　angry　cats

with　a　quivering；　frightened　mouse　between　them。　It　all　rang　true；

（dear　God；　do　old　scars　ever　stop　hurting？）

horribly；　horribly　true。

Edmonds　resumed；　〃But　things　have　changed。　You　know；　schizoid　behavior　is　a

pretty　mon　thing　in　children。　Its　accepted；　because　all　we　adults　have　this

unspoken　agreement　that　children　are　lunatics。　They　have　invisible　friends。　They

may　go　and　sit　in　the　closet　when　theyre　depressed；　withdrawing　from　the　world。

They　attach　talismanic　importance　to　a　special　blanket；　or　a　teddy　bear；　or　a

stuffed　tiger。　They　suck　their　thumbs。　When　an　adult　sees　things　that　arent

there；　we　consider　him　ready　for　the　rubber　room。　When　a　child　says　hes　seen　a

troll　in　his　bedroom　or　a　vampire　outside　the　window；　we　simply　smile

indulgently。　We　have　a　one…sentence　explanation　that　explains　the　whole　range　of

such　phenomena　in　children　—　〃

〃Hell　grow　out　of　it；〃　Jack　said。

Edmonds　blinked。　〃My　very　words；〃　he　said。　〃Yes。　Now　I　would　guess　that　Danny

was　in　a　pretty　good　position　to　develop　a　full…fledged　psychosis。　Unhappy　home

life；　a　big　imagination；　the　invisible　friend　who　was　so　real　to　him　that　he

nearly　became　real　to　you。　Instead　of　‘growing　out　of　his　childhood