第82部分（第2页）

Wendy　had　pressed　her　face　against　Halloranns　back　to　cut　out　the　wind；　and

Danny　had　likewise　pressed　his　face　against　his　mothers　back；　and　so　it　was

only　Hallorann　who　saw　the　final　thing；　and　he　never　spoke　of　it。　From　the

window　of　the　Presidential　Suite　he　thought　he　saw　a　huge　dark　shape　issue；

blotting　out　the　snowfield　behind　it。　For　a　moment　it　assumed　the　shape　of　a

huge；　obscene　manta；　and　then　the　wind　seemed　to　catch　it；　to　tear　it　and　shred

it　like　old　dark　paper。　It　fragmented；　was　caught　in　a　whirling　eddy　of　smoke；

and　a　moment　later　it　was　gone　as　if　it　had　never　been。　But　in　those　few　seconds

as　it　whirled　blackly；　dancing　like　negative　motes　of　light；　he　remembered

something　from　his　childhood　。。。　fifty　years　ago；　or　more。　He　and　his　brother

had　e　upon　a　huge　nest　of　ground　wasps　just　north　of　their　farm。　It　had　been

tucked　into　a　hollow　between　the　earth　and　an　old　lightning…blasted　tree。　His

brother　had　had　a　big　old　niggerchaser　in　the　band　of　his　hat；　saved　all　the　way

from　the　Fourth　of　July。　He　had　lighted　it　and　tossed　it　at　the　nest。　It　had

exploded　with　a　loud　bang；　and　an　angry；　rising　hum　—　almost　a　low　shriek　—　had

risen　from　the　blasted　nest。　They　had　run　away　as　if　demons　had　been　at　their

beels。　In　a　way；　Hallorann　supposed　that　demons　had　been。　And　looking　back　over

his　shoulder；　as　he　was　now；　he　had　on　that　day　seen　a　large　dark　cloud　of

hornets　rising　in　the　hot　air；　swirling　together；　breaking　apart；　looking　for

whatever　enemy　had　done　this　to　their　home　so　that　they　—　the　single　group

intelligence　—　could　sting　it　to　death。

Then　the　thing　in　the　sky　was　gone　and　it　might　only　have　been　smoke　or　a

great　flapping　swatch　of　wallpaper　after　all；　and　there　was　only　the　Overlook；　a

flaming　pyre　in　the　roaring　throat　of　the　night。

*　*　*

There　was　a　key　to　the　equipment　sheds　padlock　on　his　key　ring；　but　Hallorann

saw　there　would　be　no　need　to　use　it。

The　door　was　ajar；　the　padlock　hanging　open　on　its　hasp。

〃I　cant　go　in　there；〃　Danny　whispered。

〃Thats　okay。　You　stay　with　your　mom。　There　used　to　be　a　pile　of　old

horseblankets。　Probably　all　moth…eaten　by　now；　but　better　than　freezin　to　death。

Missus　Torrance；　you　still　with　us？〃

〃I　dont　know；〃　the　wan　voice　answered。　〃I　think　so。〃

〃Good。　Ill　be　just　a　second。〃

〃e　back　as　quick　as　you　can；〃　Danny　whispered。　〃Please。〃