第29部分（第1页）

somehow　slipped　by　since　he　had　e　down　here。　His　hands　and　arms　were　grimy；

and　he　probably　smelled　bad。　He　decided　to　go　up　and　take　a　shower　before　Wendy

and　Danny　got　back。

He　walked　slowly　between　the　mountains　of　paper；　his　mind　alive　and　ticking

over　possibilities　in　a　speedy　way　that　was　exhilarating。　He　hadnt　felt　this

way　in　years。　It　suddenly　seemed　that　the　book　he　had　semijokingly　promised

himself　might　really　happen。　It　might　even　be　right　here；　buried　in　these　untidy

heaps　of　paper。　It　could　be　a　work　of　fiction；　or　history；　or　both　—　a　long　book

exploding　out　of　this　central　place　in　a　hundred　directions。

He　stood　beneath　the　cobwebby　light；　took　his　handkerchief　from　his　back

pocket　without　thinking；　and　scrubbed　at　his　lips　with　it。　And　that　was　when　he

saw　the　scrapbook。

A　pile　of　five　boxes　stood　on　his　left　like　some　tottering　Pisa。　The　one　on

top　was　stuffed　with　more　invoices　and　ledgers。　Balanced　on　top　of　those；

keeping　its　angle　of　repose　for　who　knew　how　many　years；　was　a　thick　scrapbook

with　white　leather　covers；　its　pages　bound　with　two　hanks　of　gold　string　that

bad　been　tied　along　the　binding　in　gaudy　bows。

Curious；　he　went　over　and　took　it　down。　The　top　cover　was　thick　with　dust。　He

held　it　on　a　plane　at　lip　level；　blew　the　dust　off　in　a　cloud；　and　opened　it。　As

he　did　so　a　card　fluttered　out　and　he　grabbed　it　in　mid…air　before　it　could　fall

to　the　stone　floor。　It　was　rich　and　creamy；　dominated　by　a　raised　engraving　of

the　Overlook　with　every　window　alight。　The　lawn　and　playground　were　decorated

with　glowing　Japanese　lanterns。　It　looked　almost　as　though　you　could　step　right

into　it；　an　Overlook　Hotel　that　had　existed　thirty　years　ago。

Horace　M。　Derwent　Requests

The　Pleasure　of　Your　pany

At　a　Masked　Ball　to　Celebrate

The　Grand　Opening　of

THE　OVERLOOK　HOTEL

Dinner　Will　Be　Served　At　8　P。M。

Unmasking　And　Dancing　At　Midnight

August　29；　1945　　　　　　　RSVP

Dinner　at　eight！　Unmasking　at　midnight！

He　could　almost　see　them　in　the　dining　room；　the　richest　men　in　America　and

their　women。　Tuxedos　and　glimmering　starched　shirts；　evening　gowns；　the　band

playing；　gleaming　high…heeled　pumps。　The　clink　of　glasses；　the　jocund　pop　of

champagne　corks。　The　war　was　over；　or　almost　over。　The　future　lay　ahead；　clean

and　shining。　America　was　the　colossus　of　the　world　and　at　last　she　knew　it　and

accepted　it。

And　later；　at　midnight；　Derwent　himself　crying：　〃Unmask！　Unmask！〃　The　masks