第56部分（第1页）

〃All　right；〃　Jack　said；　and　at　that　moment；　at　least；　he　meant　it。　The　same

way　he　had　always　meant　it　on　those　mornings　after；　looking　at　his　pale　and

haggard　face　in　the　bathroom　mirror。　Im　going　to　stop；　going　to　cut　it　off

flat。　But　morning　gave　way　to　afternoon；　and　in　the　afternoons　he　felt　a　little

better。　And　afternoon　gave　way　to　night。　As　some　great　twentieth…century　thinker

had　said；　night　must　fall。

He　found　himself　wishing　that　Wendy　would　ask　him　about　the　hedges；　would　ask

him　what　Danny　meant；　when　he　said　You　know　because　you　saw　—　　If　she　did；　he

would　tell　her　everything。　Everything。　The　hedges；　the　woman　in　the　room；　even

about　the　fire　hose　that　seemed　to　have　switched　positions。　But　where　did

confession　stop？　Could　he　tell　her　hed　thrown　the　magneto　away；　that　they　could

all　be　down　in　Sidewinder　right　now　if　he　hadnt　done　that？

What　she　said　was；　〃Do　you　want　tea？〃

〃Yes。　A　cup　of　tea　would　be　good。〃

She　went　to　the　door　and　paused　there；　rubbing　her　forearms　through　her

sweater。　〃Its　my　fault　as　much　as　yours；〃　she　said。　〃What　were　we　doing　while

he　was　going　through　that　。。。　dream；　or　whatever　it　was？〃

〃Wendy　—　〃

〃We　were　sleeping；〃　she　said。　〃Sleeping　like　a　couple　of　teenage　kids　with

their　itch　nicely　scratched。〃

〃Stop　it；〃　he　said。　〃Its　over。〃

〃No；〃　Wendy　answered；　and　gave　him　a　strange；　restless　smile。　〃Its　not　over。〃

She　went　out　to　make　tea；　leaving　him　to　keep　watch　over　their　son。

》

THE　ELEVATOR

Jack　awoke　from　a　thin　and　uneasy　sleep　where　huge　and　ill…defined　shapes

chased　him　through　endless　snowfields　to　what　he　first　thought　was　another

dream：　darkness；　and　in　it；　a　sudden　mechanical　jumble　of　noises　—　clicks　and

clanks；　hummings；　rattlings；　snaps　and　whooshes。

Then　Wendy　sat　up　beside　him　and　he　knew　it　was　no　dream。

〃Whats　that？〃　Her　hand；　cold　marble；　gripped　his　wrist。　He　restrained　an　urge

to　shake　it　off　—　how　in　the　hell　was　he　supposed　to　know　what　it　was？　The

illuminated　clock　on　his　nightstand　said　it　was　five　minutes　to　twelve。

The　humming　sound　again。　Loud　and　steady；　varying　the　slightest　bit。　Followed

by　a　clank　as　the　humming　ceased。　A　rattling　bang。　A　thump。　Then　the　humming

resumed。