第41部分（第1页）

（this　game　isnt　croquet　though　the　mallets　are　too　short　this　game　is）

（WHACK…BOOM！　Straight　through　the　wicket。）

（OFF　WITH　HIS　HEEEEEAAAAAAAD　—）

Danny　pushed　the　door　open。　It　swung　smoothly；　without　a　creak。　He　was

standing　just　outside　a　large　bination　bedsitting　room；　and　although　the　snow

had　not　reached　up　this　far　　the　highest　drifts　were　still　a　foot　below　the

second…floor　windows　　the　room　was　dark　because　Daddy　had　closed　all　the　shutters

on　the　western　exposure　two　weeks　ago。

He　stood　in　the　doorway；　fumbled　to　his　right；　and　found　the　switch　plate。　Two

bulbs　in　an　overhead　cut…glass　fixture　came　on。　Danny　stepped　further　in　and

looked　around。　The　rug　was　deep　and　soft；　a　quiet　rose　color。　Soothing。　A　double

bed　with　a　white　coverlet。　A　writing　desk

（Pray　tell　me：　Why　is　a　raven　like　a　writing　desk？）

by　the　large　shuttered　window。　During　the　season　the　Constant　Writer

（having　a　wonderful　time；　wish　you　were　fear）

would　have　a　pretty　view　of　the　mountains　to　describe　to　the　folks　back　home。

He　stepped　further　in。　Nothing　here；　nothing　at　all。　Only　an　empty　room；　cold

because　Daddy　was　heating　the　east　wing　today。　A　bureau。　A　closet；　its　door　open

to　reveal　a　clutch　of　hotel　hangers；　the　kind　you　cant　steal。　A　Gideon　Bible　on

an　endtable。　To　his　left　was　the　bathroom　door；　a　full…length　mirror　on　it

reflecting　his　own　white…faced　image。　That　door　was　ajar　and　—

He　watched　his　double　nod　slowly。

Yes；　thats　where　it　was；　whatever　it　was。　In　there。　In　the　bathroom。　His

double　walked　forward；　as　if　to　escape　the　glass。　It　put　its　hand　out；　pressed

it　against　his　own。　Then　it　fell　away　at　an　angle　as　the　bathroom　door　swung

open。　He　looked　in。

A　long　room；　old…fashioned；　like　a　Pullman　car。　Tiny　white　hexagonal　tiles　on

the　floor。　At　the　far　end；　a　toilet　with　the　lid　up。　At　the　right；　a　washbasin

and　another　mirror　above　it；　the　kind　that　hides　a　medicine　cabinet。　To　the

left；　a　huge　white　tub　on　claw　feet；　the　shower　curtain　pulled　closed。　Danny

stepped　into　the　bathroom　and　walked　toward　the　tub　dreamily；　as　if　propelled

from　outside　himself；　as　if　this　whole　thing　were　one　of　the　dreams　Tony　had

brought　him；　that　he　would　perhaps　see　something　nice　when　he　pulled　the　shower

curtain　back；　something　Daddy　had　forgotten　or　Mommy　had　lost；　something　that

would　make　them　both　happy　—

So　he　pulled　the　shower　curtain　back。

The　woman　in　the　tub　had　been　dead　for　a　long　time。　She　was　bloated　and

purple；　her　gas…filled　belly　rising　out　of　the　cold；　ice…rimmed　water　like　some

fleshy　island。　Her　eyes　were　fixed　on　Dannys；　glassy　and　huge；　like　marbles。

She　was　grinning；　her　purple　lips　pulled　back　in　a　grimace。　Her　breasts　lolled。