第57部分（第1页）

blue　and　yellow。　〃Is　this？〃　A　green　party　streamer；　faded　to　a　pale　pastel　color

with　age。

〃And　this？〃

She　tossed　it　out　and　it　came　to　rest　on　the　blue…black　jungle　carpet；　a　black

silk　cats…eye　mask；　dusted　with　sequins　at　the　temples。

〃Does　that　look　like　a　short　circuit　to　you；　Jack？〃　she　screamed　at　him。

Jack　stepped　slowly　away　from　it；　shaking　his　head　mechanically　back　and

forth。　The　cats…eye　mask　stared　up　blankly　at　the　ceiling　from　the　confetti…

strewn　hallway　carpet。

》

THE　BALLROOM

It　was　the　first　of　December。

Danny　was　in　the　east…wing　ballroom；　standing　on　an　over…stuffed；　high…backed

wing　chair；　looking　at　the　clock　under　glass。　It　stood　in　the　center　of　the

ballrooms　high；　ornamental　mantelpiece；　flanked　by　two　large　ivory　elephants。

He　almost　expected　the　elephants　would　begin　to　move　and　try　to　gore　him　with

their　tusks　as　he　stood　there；　but　they　were　moveless。　They　were　〃safe。〃　Since

the　night　of　the　elevator　he　had　e　to　divide　all　things　at　the　Overlook　into

two　categories。　The　elevator；　the　basement；　the　playground；　Room　217；　and　the

Presidential　Suite　（it　was　Suite；　not　Sweet；　he　had　seen　the　correct　spelling　in

an　account　book　Daddy　had　been　reading　at　supper　last　night　and　had　memorized　it

carefully）　—　those　places　were　〃unsafe。〃　Their　quarters；　the　lobby；　and　the　porch

were　〃safe。〃　Apparently　the　ballroom　was；　too。

（The　elephants　are；　anyway。）

He　was　not　sure　about　other　places　and　so　avoided　them　on　general　principle。

He　looked　at　the　clock　inside　the　glass　dome。　It　was　under　glass　because　all

its　wheels　and　cogs　and　springs　were　showing。　A　chrome　or　steel　track　ran　around

the　outside　of　these　works；　and　directly　below　the　clockface　there　was　a　small

axis　bar　with　a　pair　of　meshing　cogs　at　either　end。　The　hands　of　the　clock　stood

at　quarter　past　XI；　and　although　he　didnt　know　Roman　numerals　he　could　guess　by

the　configuration　of　the　hands　at　what　time　the　clock　had　stopped。　The　clock

stood　on　a　velvet　base。　In　front　of　it；　slightly　distorted　by　the　curve　of　the

dome；　was　a　carefully　carved　silver　key。

He　supposed　that　the　clock　was　one　of　the　things　he　wasnt　supposed　to　touch；

like　the　decorative　fire…tools　in　their　brass…bound　cabinet　by　the　lobby