dk.nightchills-第9部分

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　〃They　don't？　It's　only　thirty　miles　down　the　road。〃
　She　shrugged。　〃That's　just　one　of　the　curiosities　of　this　plague。〃
　He　put　the　car　in　gear　and　drove　out　into　the　street。　〃So　be　it。　A　quiet　little　bar　in　Bexford。〃
　She　found　an　all…night　Canadian　radio　station　playing　American　swing　music　from　the　1940s。　〃No　more　talk　for　a　while；〃　she　said。　She　sat　close　to　him　with　her　head　against　his　shoulder。
　The　drive　from　Black　River　to　Bexford　was　a　pleasant　one。　The　narrow　black…top　road　rose　and　fell　and　twisted　gracefully　through　the　lightless；　leafy　countryside。　For　miles　at　a　time；　trees　arched　across　the　roadway；　forming　a　tunnel　of　cool　night　air。　After　a　while；　in　spite　of　the　Benny　Goodman　music；　Paul　felt　that　they　were　the　only　two　people　in　the　world…and　that　was　a　surprisingly　agreeable　thought。
　She　was　even　lovelier　than　the　mountain　night；　and　as　mysterious　in　her　silence　as　some　of　the　deep；　unsettled　northern　hollows　through　which　they　passed。　For　such　a　slender　woman；　she　had　great　presence。　She　took　up　very　little　space　on　the　seat；　and　yet　she　seemed　to　dominate　the　car　and　overwhelm　him。　Her　eyes；　so　large　and　dark；　were　closed；　yet　he　felt　as　if　she　were　watching　him。　Her　face…too　beautiful　to　appear　in　Vogue：　she　would　have　made　the　other　models　in　the　magazine　look　like　horses…was　in　repose。　Her　full　lips　were　slightly　parted　as　she　sang　softly　with　the　music；　and　this　bit　of　animation；　this　parting　of　the　lips　had　more　sensual　impact　than　a　heavy…eyed；　full…faced　leer　from　Elizabeth　Taylor。　As　she　leaned　against　him；　her　dark　hair　fanned　across　his　shoulder；　and　her　scent…clean　and　soapy…rose　to　him。
　In　Bexford；　he　parked　across　the　street　from　the　tavern。
　She　switched　off　the　radio　and　kissed　him　once；　quickly；　as　a　sister　might。　〃You're　a　nice　man。〃
　〃What　did　I　do？〃
　〃I　didn't　want　to　talk；　and　you　didn't　make　me。〃
　〃It　wasn't　any　hardship；〃　he　said。　〃You　and　me。　。　。　we　municate　with　silence　as　well　as　with　words。　Hadn't　you　noticed？〃
　She　smiled。　〃I've　noticed。〃
　〃But　maybe　you　don't　put　enough　value　on　that。　Not　as　much　as　you　should。〃
　〃I　put　a　great　deal　of　value　on　it；〃　she　said。
　〃Jenny；　what　we　have　is…〃
　She　put　one　hand　on　his　lips。　〃I　didn't　mean　for　the　conversation　to　take　such　a　serious　turn；〃　she　said。
　〃But　I　think　we　should　talk　seriously。　We're　long　overdue　for　that。〃
　〃No；〃　she　said。　〃I　don't　want　to　talk　about　us；　not　seriously。　And　because　you're　such　a　nice　man；　you're　going　to　do　what　I　want。〃　She　kissed　him　again；　opened　her　door；　and　got　out　of　the　car。
　The　tavern　was　a　warm；　cozy　place。　There　was　a　rustic　bar　along　the　left…hand　wall；　about　fifteen　tables　in　the　center　of　the　room；　and　a　row　of　maroon　leatherette　booths　along　the　right　wall。　The　shelves　behind　the　bar　were　lit　with　soft　blue　bulbs。　Each　of　the　tables　in　the　center　of　the　room　held　a　tall　candle　in　a　red　glass　lantern；　and　an　imitation　stained…glass　Tiffany　lamp　hung　over　each　of　the　booths。　The　jukebox　was　playing　a　soulful　country　ballad　by　Charlie　Rich。　The　bartender；　a　heavyset　man　with　a　walrus　mustache；　joked　continuously　with　the　customers。　Without　trying　for　it；　without　being　aware　of　it；　he　sounded　like　W。　C。　Fields。　There　were　four　men　at　the　bar；　half　a　dozen　couples　at　the　tables；　and　other　couples　in　the　booths。　The　last　booth　was　open；　and　they　took　it。
　When　they　had　ordered　and　received　their　drinks　from　a　perky　red…headed　waitress…Scotch　for　him　and　a　dry　vodka　martini　for　her…Paul　said；　〃Why　don't　you　e　up　and　spend　a　few　days　with　us　at　camp？　We　have　an　extra　sleeping　bag。〃
　〃I'd　like　that；〃　she　said。
　〃When？〃
　〃Maybe　next　week。〃
　〃I'll　tell　the　kids。　Once　they're　expecting　you；　you　won't　be　able　to　back　out　of　it。〃
　She　laughed。　〃Those　two　are　something　else；〃　she　said。
　〃How　true。〃
　〃Do　you　know　what　Rya　said　to　me　when　she　was　helping　me　pour　the　coffee　after　dinner？〃　Jenny　took　a　sip　of　her　drink。　〃She　asked　if　I　had　divorced　my　first　husband　because　he　was　a　lousy　lover。〃
　〃Oh；　no！　She　didn't　really。〃
　〃Oh；　yes；　she　did。〃
　〃I　know　that　girl's　only　eleven。　But　sometimes　I　wonder。。
　〃Reincarnation？〃　Jenny　asked。
　〃Maybe　that's　it。　She's　only　eleven　years　old　in　this　life；　but　maybe　she　lived　to　be　seventy　in　another　life。　What　did　you　say　to　her　when　she　asked？〃
　Jenny　shook　her　head　as　if　she　were　amazed　at　her　gullibility。　Her　black　hair　swung　away　from　her　face。　〃Well；　when　she　saw　that　I　was　about　to　tell　her　it　was　none　of　her　business　whether　or　not　my　first　husband　was　a　lousy　lover；　she　told　me　I　mustn't　be　cross　with　her。　She　said　she　wasn't　just　being　nosy。　She　said　she　was　just　a　growing　girl；　a　bit　mature　for　her　age；　who　had　a　perfectly　understandable　curiosity　about　adults；　love　and　marriage。　Then　she　really　began　to　con　me。〃
　Paul　grimaced。　〃I　can　tell　you　the　line　she　used：　Poor　little　orphan　girl。　Confused　by　her　own　pubescence。　Bewildered　by　a　new　set　of　emotions　and　body　chemistry。〃
　〃So　she's　used　it　on　you。〃
　〃Many　times。〃
　〃And　you　fell　for　it？〃
　〃Everyone　falls　for　it。〃
　〃I　sure　did。　I　felt　so　sorry　for　her。　She　had　a　hundred　questions…〃
　〃All　of　them　intimate；〃　Paul　said。
　〃…and　I　answered　all　of　them。　And　then　I　found　out　the　whole　conversation　was　meant　to　lead　up　to　one　line。　After　she　had　learned　more　about　my　husband　than　she　could　ever　want　to　know；　she　told　me　that　she　and　her　mother　had　had　long　talks　a　year　or　so　before　Annie　died；　and　that　her　mother　told　her　you　were　just　a　fantastic　lover。〃
　Paul　groaned。
　〃I　said　to　her；　'Rya；　I　believe　you're　trying　to　sell　your　father　to　me。'　She　got　indignant　and　said　that　was　a　terrible　thing　to　think。　I　said；　'Well；　I　can't　believe　that　your　mother　ever　said　anything　of　the　sort　to　you。　How　old　would　you　have　been　then？　Six？'　And　she　said；　'Six；　that's　right。　But　even　when　I　was　six；　I　was　very　mature　for　my　age。'〃
　Vhen　he　was　done　laughing；　Paul　said；　〃Well；　you　can't
　blame　her。　She's　only　playing　the　matchmaker　because　she　likes　you。　So　does　Mark。〃　He　leaned　toward　her　and　lowered　his　voice　slightly。　〃So　do　I。〃
　She　looked　down　at　her　drink。　〃Read　any　good　books　lately？〃　He　stirred　his　Scotch　and　sighed。　〃Since　I'm　such　a　nice　man；　I'm　supposed　to　let　you　change　the　subject　that　easily。〃
　〃That's　right。〃
　Jenny　Leigh　Edison　distrusted　romance　and　feared　marriage。　Her　ex…husband；　whose　name　she　had　gladly　surrendered；　was　one　of　those　men　who　despise　education；　work；　and　sacrifice；　but　who　nonetheless　think　they　deserve　fame　and　fortune。　Because；　year　after　year；　he　achieved　neither　goal；　he　needed　some　excuse　for　failure。　She　made　a　good　one。　He　said　he　hadn't　been　able　to　put　together　a　successful　band　because　of　her。　He　hadn't　been　able　to　get　a　recording　contract　with　a　major　pany　because　of　her。　She　was　holding　him　back；　he　said。　She　was　getting　in　his　way；　he　said。　After　seven　years　of　supporting　him　by　playing　cocktail…bar　piano；　she　suggested　that　they　would　both　be　happier　if　the　marriage　were　dissolved。　At　first；　he　accused　her　of　deserting　him；　and　then　he　threatened　to　kill　her　if　she　left。　She　divorced　him。　〃Love　and　romance　aren't　enough　to　make　a　marriage　work；〃　she　had　once　told　Paul。　〃You　need　something　else。　Maybe　it's　respect。　Until　I　do　know　what　it　is；　I'm　in　no　hurry　to　get　back　to　the　altar。〃
　Like　the　nice　man　that　he　was；　he　had　changed　the　subject　at　her　request。　They　were　talking　about　music　when　Bob　and　Emma　Thorp　came　over　to　the　booth　and　said　hello。
　Bob　Thorp　was　chief　of　the　four…man　police　force　in　Black　River。　Ordinarily；　a　town　so　small　would　have　boasted　no　more　than　a　single　constable。　But　in　Black　River；　more　than　a　constable　was　needed　to　maintain　order　when　the　logging　camp　men　came　into　town　for　some　relaxation；　therefore；　Big　Union　Supply　pany　paid　for　the　four…man　force。　Bob　was　a　six…foot…two；　two…hundred…pound　ex…MP　with　martial　arts　training。　With　his　square　face；　deep…set　eyes；　and　low　forehead；　he　looked　both　dangerous　and　dim…witted。　He　could　be　dangerous；　but　he　was　not　stupid。　He　wrote　an　amusing　column　for　Black　River's　weekly　newspaper；　and　the　quality　of　thought　and　language　in　those　pieces　would　have　been　a　credit　to　any　big　city　newspaper's　editorial　page。　This　bination　of　brute　strength　and　unexpected　intelligence　made　Bob　a　match　even　for　lumbermen　much　bigger　than　he　was。
　At　thirty…five　Emma　Thorp　was　still　the　prettiest　woman　in　Black　River。　She　was　a　green…eyed　blonde　with　a　spectacular　figure；　a　bination　of　beauty　and　sex　appeal　that　had　gotten　her　into　the　finals　of　the　Miss　U。S。A。　Contest　ten　years　ago。　That　achievement　made　her　Black　River's　only　genuine　celebrity。　Her　son；　Jeremy；　was　the　same　age　as　Mark。　Jeremy　stayed　at　the　Annendale　camp　for　a　few　days　every　year。　Mark　valued　him　as　a　playmate…but　valued　him　more　because　his　mother　was　Emma。　Mark　was　deeply　in　puppy　love　with　Emma　and　mooned　around　her　every　chance　he　got。
　〃Are　you　here　on　vacation？〃　Bob　asked。
　〃Just　got　in　this　afternoon。〃
　Jenny　said；　〃We'd　ask　you　to　sit　down；　but　Paul's　trying　to　keep　an　arm's　length　from　everyone　who　has　the　flu。　If　he　picked　it　up；　he'd　just　pass　it　on　to　the　kids。〃
　〃It's　nothing　serious；〃　Bob　said。　〃Not　the　flu；　really。　Just　night　chills。〃
　〃Maybe