第48部分（第1页）

〃No；〃　he　whimpered；　hardly　aware　that　he　had　been　reduced　to　this；　whimpering

with　his　eyes　shut　like　a　child。　〃Oh　no；　God。　Please；　God；　no。〃

But　below　the　tumble　of　his　chaotic　thoughts；　below　the　triphammer　beat　of　his

heart；　he　could　hear　the　soft　and　futile　sound　of　the　doorknob　being　turned　to

and　fro　as　something　locked　in　tried　helplessly　to　get　out；　something　that

wanted　to　meet　him；　something　that　would　like　to　be　introduced　to　his　family　as

the　storm　shrieked　around　them　and　white　daylight　became　black　night。　If　he

opened　his　eyes　and　saw　that　doorknob　moving　he　would　go　mad。　So　he　kept　them

shut；　and　after　an　unknowable　time；　there　was　stillness。

Jack　forced　himself　to　open　his　eyes；　half…convinced　that　when　he　did；　she

would　be　standing　before　him。　But　the　hall　was　empty。

He　felt　watched　just　the　same。

He　looked　at　the　peephole　in　the　center　of　the　door　and　wondered　what　would

happen　if　he　approached　it；　stared　into　it。　What　would　he　be　eyeball　to　eyeball

with？

His　feet　were　moving

（feets　dont　fail　me　now）

before　he　realized　it。　He　turned　them　away　from　the　door　and　walked　down　to

the　main　hall；　his　feet　whispering　on　the　blue…black　jungle　carpet。　He　stopped

halfway　to　the　stairs　and　looked　at　the　fire　extinguisher。　He　thought　that　the

folds　of　canvas　were　arranged　in　a　slightly　different　manner。　And　he　was　quite

sure　that　the　brass　nozzle　had　been　pointing　toward　the　elevator　when　he　came　up

the　hall。　Now　it　was　pointing　the　other　way。

〃I　didnt　see　that　at　all；〃　Jack　Torrance　said　quite　clearly。　His　face　was

white　and　haggard　and　his　mouth　kept　trying　to　grin。

But　he　didnt　take　the　elevator　back　down。　It　was　too　much　like　an　open　mouth。

Too　much　by　half。　He　took　the　stairs。

》

THE　VERDICT

He　stepped　into　the　kitchen　and　looked　at　them；　bouncing　the　passkey　a　few

inches　up　off　his　left　hand；　making　the　chain　on　the　white　metal　tongue　jingle；

then　catching　it　again。　Danny　was　pallid　and　worn　out。　Wendy　had　been　crying；　he

saw；　her　eyes　were　red　and　darkly　circled。　He　felt　a　sudden　burst　of　gladness　at