sk.petsematary-第4部分

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Christ；　must　have　been　in　'73；　maybe　earlier。　Before　the　state　made　keeping　a　coon　or　even　a　denatured　skunk　illegal；　anyway。〃
　　〃Why　did　they　do　that？〃
　　〃Rabies；〃　Crandall　said。　〃Lot　of　rabies　in　Maine　now。　There　was　a　big　old　St。　Bernard　went　rabid　downstate　a　couple　of　years　ago　and　killed　four　people。　That　was　a　hell　of　a　thing。　Dog　hadn't　had　his　shots。　If　those　foolish　people　had　seen　that　dog　had　had　its　shots；　it　never　would　have　happened。　But　a　coon　or　a　skunk；　you　can　vaccinate　it　twice　a　year　and　still　it　don't　always　take。　But　that　coon　the　Ryder　boys　had；　that　was　what　the　oldtimers　used　to　call　a　'sweet　coon。'　It'd　waddle　right　up　to　you…gorry；　wa'n't　he　fat！…and　lick　your　face　like　a　dog。　Their　dad　even　paid　a　vet　to　spay　him　and　declaw　him。　That　must　have　cost　him　a　country　fortune！
　　〃Ryder；　he　worked　for　IBM　in　Bangor。　They　went　out　to　Colorado　five　years　ago　。　。　。　or　maybe　it　was　six。　Funny　to　think　of　those　two　almost　old　enough　to　drive。　Were　they　broken　up　over　that　coon？　I　guess　they　were。　Matty　Ryder　cried　so　long　his　mom　got　scared　and　wanted　to　take　him　to　the　doctor。　I　spose　he's　over　it　now；　but　they　never　forget。　When　a　good　animal　gets　run　down　in　the　road；　a　kid　never　forgets。〃
　　Louis's　mind　turned　to　Ellie　as　he　had　last　seen　her　tonight；　fast　asleep　with　Church　purring　rustily　on　the　foot　of　the　mattress。
　　〃My　daughter's　got　a　cat；〃　he　said。　〃Winston　Churchill。　We　call　him　Church　for　short。〃
　　〃Do　they　climb　when　he　walks？〃
　　〃I　beg　your　pardon？〃　Louis　had　no　idea　what　he　was　talking　about。
　　〃He　still　got　his　balls　or　has　he　been　fixed？〃
　　〃No；〃　Louis　said。　〃No；　he　hasn't　been　fixed。〃
　　In　fact　there　had　been　some　trouble　over　that　back　in　Chicago。　Rachel　had　wanted　to　get　Church　spayed；　had　even　made　the　appointment　with　the　vet。　Louis　canceled　it。　Even　now　he　wasn't　really　sure　why。　it　wasn't　anything　as　simple　or　as　stupid　as　equating　his　masculinity　with　that　of　his　daughter's　tom；　nor　even　his　resentment　at　the　idea　that　Church　would　have　to　be　castrated　so　the　fat　housewife　next　door　wouldn't　need　to　be　troubled　with　twisting　down　the　lids　of　her　plastic　garbage　cans…those　things　had　been　part　of　it；　but　most　of　it　had　been　a　vague　but　strong　feeling　that　it　Would　destroy　something　in　Church　that　he　himself　valued…that　it　would　put　out　the　go…to…hell　look　in　the　cat's　green　eyes。　Finally　he　had　pointed　out　to　Rachel　that　they　were　moving　to　the　country；　and　it　shouldn't　be　a　problem。　Now　here　was　Judson　Crandall；　pointing　out　that　part　of　country　living　in　Ludlow　consisted　of　dealing　with　Route　15；　and　asked　him　if　the　cat　was　fixed。　Try　a　little　irony；　Dr。　Creed…it's　good　for　your　blood。
　　〃I'd　get　him　fixed；〃　Crandall　said；　crushing　his　smoke　between　his　thumb　and　forefinger。　〃A　fixed　cat　don't　tend　to　wander　as　much。　But　if　it's　all　the　time　crossing　back　and　forth；　its　luck　will　run　out；　and　it'll　end　up　there　with　the　Ryder　kids'　coon　and　little　Timmy　Dessler's　cocker　spaniel　and　Missus　Bradleigh's　parakeet。　Not　that　the　parakeet　got　run　over　in　the　road；　you　understand。　It　just　went　feet　up　one　day。〃
　　〃I'll　take　it　under　advisement；〃　Louis　said。
　　〃You　do　that；〃　Crandall　said　and　stood　up。　〃How's　that　beer　doing？　I　believe　I'll　go　in　for　a　slice　of　old　Mr。　Rat　after　all。〃
　　〃Beer's　gone；〃　Louis　said；　also　standing；　〃and　I　ought　to　go；　too。　Big　day　tomorrow。〃
　　〃Starting　in　at　the　university？〃
　　Louis　nodded。　〃The　kids　don't　e　back　for　two　weeks；　but　by　then　I　ought　to　know　what　I'm　doing；　don't　you　think？〃
　　〃Yeah；　if　you　don't　know　where　the　pills　are；　I　guess　you'll　have　trouble。〃　Crandall　offered　his　hand　and　Louis　shook　it；　mindful　again　of　the　fact　that　old　bones　pained　easily。　〃e　on　over　any　evening；〃　he　said。　〃Want　you　to　meet　my　Norma。　Think　she'd　enjoy　you。〃
　　〃I'll　do　that；〃　Louis　said。　〃Nice　to　meet　you；　Jud。〃
　　〃Same　goes　both　ways。　You'll　settle　in。　May　even　stay　awhile。〃
　　〃I　hope　we　do。〃
　　Louis　walked　down　the　crazy…paved　path　to　the　shoulder　of　the　road　and　had　to　pause　while　yet　another…truck；　this　one　followed　by　a　line　of　five　cars　headed　in　the　direction　of　Bucksport；　passed　by。　Then；　raising　his　hand　in　a　short　salute；　he　crossed　the　street　（road；　he　reminded　himself　again）　and　let　himself　into　his　new　house。
　　It　was　quiet　with　the　sounds　of　sleep。　Ellie　appeared　not　to　have　moved　at　all；　and　Gage　was　still　in　his　crib；　sleeping　in　typical　Gage　fashion；　spread…eagled　on　his　back；　a　bottle　within　easy　reach。　Louis　paused　there　looking　in　at　his　son；　his　heart　abruptly　filling　with　a　love　for　the　boy　so　strong　that　it　seemed　almost　dangerous。　He　supposed　part　of　it　was　simply　homesickness　for　all　the　familiar　Chicago　places　and　Chicago　faces　that　were　now　gone；　erased　so　efficiently　by　the　miles　that　they　might　never　have　been　at　all。　There's　a　lot　more　moving　around　than　there　used　to　be　。　。　。　used　to　be　you　picked　a　place　out　and　stuck　to　it。　There　was　some　truth　in　that。
　　He　went　to　his　son；　and　because　there　was　no　one　there　to　see　him　do　it；　not　even　Rachel；　he　kissed　his　fingers　and　then　pressed　them　lightly　and　briefly　to　Gage's　cheek　through　the　bars　of　the　crib。
　　Gage　clucked　and　turned　over　on　his　side。
　　〃Sleep　well；　baby；〃　Louis　said。
　　He　undressed　quietly　and　slipped　into　his　half　of　the　bed　that　was　for　now　just　two　single　mattresses　pushed　together　on　the　floor。　He　felt　the　strain　of　the　day　beginning　to　pass。　Rachel　didn't　stir。　Unpacked　boxes　bulked　ghostly　in　the　mom。
　　Just　before　sleep；　Louis　hiked　himself　up　on　one　elbow　and　looked　out　the　window。　Their　room　was　at　the　front　of　the　house；　and　he　could　look　across　the　road　at　the　Crandall　place。　It　was　too　dark　to　see　shapes…on　a　moonlit　night　it　would　not　have　been…but　be　could　see　the　cigarette　ember　over　there。　Still　up；　he　thought。　He'll　maybe　be　up　for　a　long　rime。　The　old　sleep　poorly。　Perhaps　they　stand　watch。
　　Against　what？　
　　Louis　was　thinking　about　that　when　he　slipped　into　sleep。　He　dreamed　he　was　in　Disney　World；　driving　a　bright　white　van　with　a　red　cross　on　the　side。　Gage　was　beside　him；　and　in　the　dream　Gage　was　at　least　ten　years　old。　Church　was　on　the　white　van's　dashboard；　looking　at　Louis　with　his　bright　green　eyes；　and　out　on　Main　Street　by　the　l890s　train　station；　Mickey　Mouse　was　shaking　hands　with　the　children　clustered　around　him；　his　big　white　cartoon　gloves　swallowing　their　small；　trusting　hands。
　　　7
　　The　next　two　weeks　were　busy　ones　for　the　family。　Little　by　little　Louis's　new　job　began　to　shake　down　for　him　（how　it　would　be　when　ten　thousand　students；　many　of　them　drug　and　liquor　abusers；　some　afflicted　with　social　diseases；　some　anxious　about　grades　or　depressed　about　leaving　home　for　the　first　time；　a　dozen　of　them…girls；　mostly…anorexic。。。　how　it　would　be　when　all　of　them　converged　on　the　campus　at　once　would　be　something　else　again）。　And　while　Louis　began　getting　a　handle　on　his　job　as　head　of　University　Medical　Services；　Rachel　began　to　get　a　handle　on　the　house。
　　Gage　was　busy　taking　the　bumps　and　spills　that　went　with　getting　used　to　his　new　environment；　and　for　a　while　his　nighttime　schedule　was　badly　out　of　whack；　but　by　the　middle　of　their　second　week　in　Ludlow；　he　had　begun　to　sleep　through　again。　Only　Ellie；　with　the　prospect　of　beginning　kindergarten　in　a　new　place　before　her；　seemed　always　overexcited　and　on　a　hair…trigger。　She　was　apt　to　go　into　prolonged　giggling　fits　or　periods　of　almost　menopausal　depression　or　temper　tantrums　at　the　drop　of　a　word。　Rachel　said　Ellie　would　get　over　it　when　she　saw　that　school　was　not　the　great　red　devil　she　had　made　it　out　to　be　in　her　own　mind；　and　Louis　thought　Rachel　was　right。　Most　of　the　time；　Ellie　was　what　she　had　always　been…a　dear。
　　His　evening　beer　or　two　with　Jud　Crandall　became　something　of　a　habit。　Around　the　time　Gage　began　sleeping　through　again；　Louis　began　bringing　his　own　six…pack　over　every　second　or　third　night。　He　met　Norma　Crandall；　a　sweetly　pleasant　woman　who　had　rheumatoid　arthritis…filthy　old　rheurnatoid　arthritis；　which　kills　so　much　of　what　could　be　good　in　the　old　ages　of　men　and　women　who　are　otherwise　healthy…　but　her　attitude　was　good。　She　would　not　surrender　to　the　pain；　there　would　be　no　white　flags。　Let　it　take　her　if　it　could。　Louis　thought　she　might　have　another　five　to　seven　productive　if　not　terribly　fortable　years　ahead　of　her。
　　Going　pletely　against　his　own　established　customs；　he　examined　her　at　his　own　instigation；　inventoried　the　prescriptions　her　own　doctor　had　given　her；　and　found　them　to　be　pletely　in　order。　He　felt　a　nagging　disappointment　that　there　was　nothing　else　he　could　do　or　suggest　for　her；　but　her　Dr。　Weybridge　had　things　as　under　control　as　they　were　ever　going　to　be　for　Norma　Crandall…barring　some　sudden　breakthrough；　which　was　possible　but　not　to　be　counted　upon。　You　learned　to　accept；　or　you　ended　up　in　a　small　room　writing　letters　home　with　Crayolas。
　　Rachel　liked　her；　and　they　had　sealed　their　friendship　by　exchanging　recipes　the　way　small　boys　trade　baseball　cards；　beginning　with　Norma　Crandall's　deep…dish　apple　pie　for　Rachel's　beef　stroganoff。　Norma　was　taken　with　both　of　the　Creed　children…particularly　with　Ellie；　who；　she　said；　was　going　to