第32部分（第1页）

（Why　are　you　here？）

There　was　nothing　aimless　about　it　after　all。　He　had　been　drawn　to　Room　217　by

a　morbid　kind　of　curiosity。　He　remembered　a　story　Daddy　had　read　to　him　once

when　he　was　drunk。　That　had　been　a　long　time　ago；　but　the　story　was　just　as

vivid　now　as　when　Daddy　had　read　it　to　him。　Mommy　had　scolded　Daddy　and　asked

what　he　was　doing；　reading　a　three…year…old　baby　something　so　horrible。　The　name

of　the　story　was　Bluebeard。　That　was　clear　in　his　mind　too；　because　he　had

thought　at　first　Daddy　was　saying　Bluebird；　and　there　were　no　bluebirds　in　the

story；　or　birds　of　any　kind　for　that　matter。　Actually　the　story　was　about

Bluebeards　wife；　a　pretty　lady　that　had　corn…colored　hair　like　Mommy。　After

Bluebeard　married　her；　they　lived　in　a　big　and　ominous　castle　that　was　not

unlike　the　Overlook。　And　every　day　Bluebeard　went　off　to　work　and　every　day　he

would　tell　his　pretty　little　wife　not　to　look　in　a　certain　room；　although　the

key　to　that　room　was　hanging　right　on　a　hook；　just　like　the　passkey　was　hanging

on　the　office　wall　downstairs。　Bluebeards　wife　had　gotten　more　and　more　curious

about　the　locked　room。　She　tried　to　peep　through　the　keyhole　the　way　Danny　had

tried　to　look　through　Room　217s　peephole　with　similar　unsatisfying　results。

There　was　even　a　picture　of　her　getting　down　on　her　knees　and　trying　to　look

under　the　door；　but　the　crack　wasnt　wide　enough。　The　door　swung　wide　and　。。。

The　old　fairy　tale　book　had　depicted　her　discovery　in　ghastly；　loving　detail。

The　image　was　burned　on　Dannys　mind。　The　severed　heads　of　Bluebeards　seven

previous　wives　were　in　the　room；　each　one　on　its　own　pedestal；　the　eyes　turned

up　to　whites；　the　mouths　unhinged　and　gaping　in　silent　screams。　They　were

somehow　balanced　on　necks　ragged　from　the　broadswords　decapitating　swing；　and

there　was　blood　running　down　the　pedestals。

Terrified；　she　had　turned　to　flee　from　the　room　and　the　castle；　only　to

discover　Bluebeard　standing　in　the　doorway；　his　terrible　eyes　blazing。　〃I　told

you　not　to　enter　this　room；〃　Bluebeard　said；　unsheathing　his　sword。　〃Alas；　in

your　curiosity　you　are　like　the　other　seven；　and　though　I　loved　you　best　of　all

your　ending　shall　be　as　was　theirs。　Prepare　to　die；　wretched　woman！〃

It　seemed　vaguely　to　Danny　that　the　story　had　bad　a　happy　ending；　but　that　had

paled　to　insignificance　beside　the　two　dominant　images：　the　taunting；　maddening

locked　door　with　some　great　secret　behind　it；　and　the　grisly　secret　itself；

repeated　more　than　half　a　dozen　times。　The　locked　door　and　behind　it　the　heads；

the　severed　beads。

His　hand　reached　out　and　stroked　the　rooms　doorknob；　almost　furtively。　He　had

no　idea　how　long　be　had　been　here；　standing　hypnotized　before　the　bland　gray

locked　door。

（And　maybe　three　times　Ive　thought　Ive　seen　things　。。。　nasty　things　。。。）

But　Mr。　Hallorann　—　Dick　—　had　also　said　he　didnt　think　those　things　could　hurt