第43部分（第1页）

he　should　e　back　creeping　through　this　hotel　two　thousand　miles　from　the　New

England　town　where　his　father　had　lived　and　died。

He　raised　the　radio　up　and　brought　it　down；　and　it　smashed　on　the　floor

spilling　old　clocksprings　and　tubes　like　the　result　of　some　crazy　elevator　game

gone　awry；　making　his　fathers　voice　gone；　leaving　only　his　voice；　Jacks　voice；

Jackys　voice；　chanting　in　the　cold　reality　of　the　office：

〃　—　dead；　youre　dead；　youre　dead！〃

And　the　startled　sound　of　Wendys　feet　hitting　the　floor　over　his　head；　and

Wendys　startled；　frightened　voice：　〃Jack？　Jack！〃

He　stood；　blinking　down　at　the　shattered　radio。　Now　there　was　only　the

snowmobile　in　the　equipment　shed　to　link　them　to　the　outside　world。

He　put　his　hands　over　his　eyes　and　clutched　at　his　temples。　He　was　getting　a

headache。

》

CATATONIC

Wendy　ran　down　the　hall　in　her　stocking　feet　and　ran　down　the　main　stairs　to

the　lobby　two　at　a　time。　She　didnt　look　up　at　the　carpeted　flight　that　led　to

the　second　floor；　but　if　she　had；　she　would　have　seen　Danny　standing　at　the　top

of　them；　still　and　silent；　his　unfocused　eyes　directed　out　into　indifferent

space；　his　thumb　in　his　mouth；　the　collar　and　shoulders　of　his　shirt　damp。　There

were　puffy　bruises　on　his　neck　and　just　below　his　chin。

Jacks　cries　had　ceased；　but　that　did　nothing　to　ease　her　fear。　Ripped　out　of

her　sleep　by　his　voice；　raised　in　that　old　hectoring　pitch　she　remembered　so

well；　she　still　felt　that　she　was　dreaming　—　but　another　part　knew　she　was　awake；

and　that　terrified　her　more。　She　half…expected　to　burst　into　the　office　and　find

him　standing　over　Dannys　sprawled…out　body；　drunk　and　confused。

She　pushed　through　the　door　and　Jack　was　standing　there；　rubbing　at　his

temples　with　his　fingers。　His　face　was　ghostwhite。　The　two…way　CB　radio　lay　at

his　feet　in　a　sprinkling　of　broken　glass。

〃Wendy？〃　he　asked　uncertainly。　〃Wendy　—　？〃

The　bewilderment　seemed　to　grow　and　for　a　moment　she　saw　his　true　face；　the

one　he　ordinarily　kept　so　well　hidden；　and　it　was　a　face　of　desperate

unhappiness；　the　face　of　an　animal　caught　in　a　snare　beyond　its　ability　to

decipher　and　render　harmless。　Then　the　muscles　began　to　work；　began　to　writhe

under　the　skin；　the　mouth　began　to　tremble　infirmly；　the　Adams　apple　began　to

rise　and　fall。