gns.snakes-第20部分

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　black　pouches　beneath　them　from　lack　of　sleep。　Distraught；　her　hair　was　not　as　immaculate　as　it　usually　was。
　　
　　As　she　swung　herself　into　the　passenger　seat　and　slammed　the　door　his　hopes　plummeted；　almost　had　him　wishing　that　he　had　gone　to　the　Rising　Sun　instead　and　kept　on　kidding　himself　that　everything　would　be　all　right；　not　knowing　for　sure　meant　that　you　still　had　illusions。　But　eventually　you　had　to　face　up　to　reality。
　　
　　'We'd　better　go　somewhere　where　we　can　talk。'　Her　voice　faltered　and　she　stared　straight　ahead　of　her。
　　
　　'All　right。'　His　stomach　was　churning。　Hell；　that　wasn't　easy；　not　only　was　he　almost　out　of　petrol　but　half　a　mile　further　on　there　was　a　police　road　block。　'Let　me　think　。。。　I　know；　the　sandpit。'
　　
　　She　nodded　but　did　not　speak。　The　'sandpit'　was　a　played…out　sand　quarry　just　to　the　rear　of　the　churchyard。　It　had　not　been　quarried　for　twenty　years　and　up　until　a　few　years　ago　the　village　bikers　used　to　scramble　there　at　weekends。　There　had　been　plaints　about　the　noise；　a　petition；　and　nowadays　nobody　went　there　except　teenage　courting　couples　who　did　not　have　transport　to　take　them　further　afield。
　　
　　A　bridle　path；　just　wide　enough　to　take　a　car；　led　off　from　where　the　wall　bordering　the　cemetery　ended。　A　hundred　yards；　rutted　and　dipping　sharply；　terminating　in　five　acres　of　overgrown　scrubland　surrounded　by　high　precarious　sandcliffs；　thorn　bushes　and　saplings　somehow　securing　a　hold　and　serving　to　create　an　atmosphere　of　dank　loneliness。　Even　in　the　heat　of　summer　it　was　cool　in　here。
　　
　　It　was　obvious　to　Keith　that　the　snake　hunters　had　beaten　the　place　out　thoroughly；　bracken　and　grass　flattened；　even　some　of　the　low…growing　bushes　on　the　steep　face　had　been　ripped　out。　At　least　there　was　no　danger　here。
　　
　　He　switched　the　engine　off；　was　aware　of　the　silence；　the　gathering　dusk　down　in　this　desolate　place；　the　tension　in　the　van。　We'd　better　go　somewhere　where　we　can　talk。　We're　here；　so　let's　talk。
　　
　　'Well？'　Unless　he　said　something　they　might　sit　here　like　this　all　night。
　　
　　'I'm　pregnant。'　She　stifled　a　sob。
　　
　　'Oh。'
　　
　　'What　d'you　mean；　'oh'？'
　　

　　He　didn't　reply。　What　the　hell　did　she　expect　him　to　say；　what　do　other　guys　say　when　their　girlfriends　inform　them　they're　in　the　club？
　　
　　'You've　had　it　confirmed？'
　　
　　'No；　not　yet；　it's　too　early。'
　　
　　'Then　how　the　hell　d'you　know？'
　　
　　'I　know；'　her　voice　rose；　almost　a　scream　of　frustration；　'girls　know　those　sort　of　things　long　before　they're　confirmed。'
　　
　　Keith　fell　silent。　Mixed　feelings；　jubilation；　you　can't　walk　out　on　me　now；　darling。　Apprehension　because　it　was　too　involved　even　to　start　to　prehend　at　this　stage。
　　
　　'I'm　not　running　away。'　His　tone　was　low　when　he　spoke　at　last。　'I'll　stand　by　you；　you　know　that。'
　　
　　'That's　not　the　point。'　Kirsten　was　back　on　the　verge　of　tears。　'You　haven't　run　away；　but　。'　have。'
　　
　　'What　。　。　。　whatever　arc　you　talking　about？'
　　
　　'Mum　and　Dad　decided　it　was　best　if　we　left　Stainforth　for　a　while；　at　least　until　the　snakes　had　been　rounded　up。　They　insisted　that　I　went　with　them。　As　you　know；　Dad　has　a　flat　in　the　city　and　we　all　squashed　into　that。　They　wanted　to　get　me　away　from　you；　thought　that　if　I　didn't　see　you　for　a　bit　and　that　if　I　was　introduced　to　one　or　two　of　Dad's　eligible　bachelor　business　associates；　or　their　sons；　they　could　persuade　me　to　finish　with　you。　Oh　God；　Keith；　it　was　awful。　The　pressure　they　put　on　me　。。。　all　snobbery　。　。　。'
　　
　　She　was　crying；　shaking　with　constricted　sobs；　and　he　slipped　an　arm　around　her。
　　
　　'I　walked　out　on　them　this　morning。'　It　was　a　couple　of　minutes　before　she　was　able　to　continue。　'We　had　a　fearful　row　at　breakfast。　Mum　must　have　guessed　something　because　she　accused　me　of　being　pregnant。　So　I　stormed　out；　caught　a　bus　and　walked　the　rest　of　the　way。　I　had　a　bit　of　bother　at　the　checkpoint　but　in　the　end　the　police　sent　an　army　cadet　to　escort　me　home。　Now　I'm　in　a　fine　mess。　I've　left　home；　I've　nowhere　to　go；　and　I've　also　lost　my　job。　Mrs　Holloway　has　sacked　me　for　not　turning　in　for　work。　Oh；　Keith　。　。　。'　Her　tears　came　in　a　flood；　her　face　buried　against　his　chest。　'Whatever　are　we　going　to　do？'
　　
　　'We're　going　to　get　married。'　He　tried　to　keep　the　jubilation　out　of　his　voice。　Sod　your　folks；　they　can　take　a　running　jump。　Then　a　sudden　awful　thought　occurred　to　him　and　he　added；　'If　you　want　to　get　married；　that　is。'
　　
　　'Of　course；　I　do。'　She　squeezed　his　hand。　'It's　just　that　it　all　seems　such　a　frightful；　awful　mess；　that's　all。'
　　
　　Silence　again。　Dusk　had　merged　into　near…darkness　down　in　the　quarry。　Only　by　craning　his　neck　could　Keith　see　the　evening　sky　up　above　them；　the　remnants　of　a　summer　sunset。　For　some　reason　he　remembered　the　date…21　June；　the　Summer　Solstice。　The　longest　day。　This　was　one　midsummer　night　he　would　never　forget。
　　
　　'What's　that？'　Kirsten's　head　was　suddenly　erect；　listening。
　　
　　'What's　what？'　He　didn't　want　to　be　in　a　hurry　to　go。
　　
　　Savour　every　second；　you'll　remember　this　night　for　the　rest　of　your　life。
　　
　　'I　heard　something。'　She　was　staring　into　the　sandpit　darkness；　trying　to　make　out　shapes　and　silhouettes　that　would　be　gone　in　a　matter　of　minutes。　'Like　something's　round　the　front　of　the　van。'
　　
　　Probably　rats；　he　thought；　but　you　don't　tell　emotional　girls　that。　'A　rabbit　maybe；'　he　sighed；　'there　are　lots　of　them　in　here。　The　sand　is　full　of　their　burrows。'
　　
　　'There　it　is　again。'　She　was　tense；　holding　on　to　him。　T　can　feel　it　vibrating　on　the　。。　。　Keith！'　A　piercing　scream；　she　was　clutching　at　him；　almost　hysterical。　'There；　do　you　see　it？'
　　
　　He　saw　it　all　right；　felt　his　stomach　heave　up；　tasted　something　sharp　and　sour　at　the　back　of　his　throat；　recalled　a　TV　documentary　he　had　once　watched　about　snake…charming；　the　way　the　snake　came　up　out　of　a　wicker　basket；　a　wriggling　revolting　creature　mastering　a　vertical　stance　with　a　body　that　had　no　backbone。　And　the　snake　was　doing　just　that　now；　rising　up　from　somewhere　in　the　region　of　the　radiator　grille；　uncoiling；　going　up　and　up；　aware　of　the　two　humans　inside　the　vehicle；　its　tiny　eyes　fixed　on　them；　scenting　their　terror　and　mocking　them　with　open　jaws　that　seemed　to　laugh。
　　
　　'It　can't　get　at　us；'　Keith　Doyle　whispered　hoarsely。　'No　way。　We're　safe。'
　　
　　'Let's　get　away　from　here；'　she　pleaded；　shuddered　and　closed　her　eyes。　'Oh　Keith；　take　me　home。'
　　
　　'No　problem。'　He　laughed　but　it　sounded　forced　and　the　fingers　that　rested　on　the　ignition　key　trembled。　'No　problem　at　all；　we　can　swing　round；　drive　right　back　on　to　the　road；　and　if　we　don't　dislodge　this　bugger　on　the　way　then　there　are　loads　of　police　and　soldiers　in　the　village　who　will　be　only　too　delighted　to　shoot　it。'
　　
　　Seconds　later　he　knew　that　he　did　have　a　problem；　a　very　frightening　one。　The　starter…motor　whirred　but　did　not　fire；　vibrated　hollowly　beneath　the　bonnet。　He　tried　it　again；　much　slower　this　time；　they　felt　it　groaning；　stopping。　A　third　time；　it　would　not　even　turn　over。
　　
　　'Keith！'　Kirsten　was　on　the　verge　of　panic。　He　gripped　her　wrist　hard；　was　not　taking　any　chances　on　her　opening　the　door　and　trying　to　make　a　run　for　it。　He　recalled　his　own　flight　three　days　ago。　He　had　only　made　it　to　the　garage　by　the　grace　of　God。　Kirsten　certainly　would　not　make　it　back　to　the　road。
　　
　　'Don't　worry。'　He　tried　to　sound　convincing。　'She'll　go　in　a　minute。'　But　he　knew　it　wouldn't　because　it　had　been　reluctant　to　start　even　on　these　hot　summer　mornings。　It　was　the　battery；　sure　enough；　possibly　the　same　one　that　was　on　this　S…registered　vehicle　from　new；　now　old　and　tired。　Dying；　maybe　dead　already。　There　was　just　a　faint　chance　that　if　they　waited　a　few　minutes　it　might　fire。　A　very　faint　chance；　the　kind　you　only　relied　on　when　there　was　nothing　else　left。　The　snake　was　on　the　bonnet　now；　coils　of　it。　Keith　would　not　even　attempt　to　guess　at　its　length　but　in　the　fading　daylight　he　was　just　able　to　make　out　its　colouring；　a　ringed　body；　　red；　　black　　and　　white　rings；　　the　fearsome　snout　jet…black。　Colourful；　deadly；　its　head　only　inches　from　the　glass　of　the　windscreen；　staring　inside　intently。　'Keith；　I　don't　want　to　look！'　'You　don't　have　to。　Close　your　eyes。'　'I　can't；　it's　like　I've　'got　to　look！'
　　
　　A　thought　crossed　his　mind；　one　that　would　have　been　funny　in　any　other　situation　except　this。　You　paid　a　quid　or　so　to　go　into　a　reptile　house　and　gawp　at　snakes　through　glass　but　this　bugger　was　getting　a　close…up　of　humans　in　a　cage　for　free！　Jesus；　that　was　rich；　it　kind　of　put　things　in　perspective；　made　you　realise　that　when　it　came　down　to　the　law　of　the　jungle　Man　counted　for　nothing。　'Keith；　I　can't　stand　it　any　longer！'
　　
　　'Hang　on；　I'll　try　the　battery　again。'　He　knew　before　he　turned　the　key　that　it　wasn't　going　to　be　any　good。　This　time　the　starter…motor　didn't　even　turn　over。　The　engine　was　as　dead　as　the　proverbial　dodo；　and　even　if　it　hadn't　been　he　wondered　if　there　was　enough　petrol　in　the　tank　to　get　them　out　of　there。　You're　a　stupid　p