sk.petsematary-第75部分

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ries　which　men　hold　inside　for　years　like　the　junk　treasures　boys　store　under　their　beds；　the　stories　they　store　up　for　nights　such　as　this。　Like　the　glow　of　the　Defiant；　these　were　dark　stories　with　a　glow　of　red　at　the　center　of　each　and　the　wind　to　wrap　them　around。　He　was　twenty…three；　and　Norma　was　very　much　alive　（although　in　bed　now；　he　had　no　doubt；　she　would　not　expect　him　home　this　wild　night）；　and
　　René　Michaud　was　telling　a　story　about　a　Jew　peddler　in　Bucks…port　who…　That　was　when　the　phone　began　to　ring　and　he　jerked　up　in　his　chair；　wincing　at　the　stiffness　in　his　neck；　feeling　a　sour　heaviness　drop　into　him　like　a　stone…it　was；　he　thought；　all　those　years　between　twenty…three　and　eighty…three；　all　sixty　of　them；　dropping　into　him　at　once。　And　on　the　heels　of　that　thought：　You　been　sleepin；　boyo。　That's　no　way　to　run　this　railroad。　。　。　not　tonight。
　　He　got　up；　holding　himself　straight　against　the　stiffness　that　had　also　settled　into　his　back；　and　crossed　to　the　phone。
　　It　was　Rachel。
　　〃Jud？　Has　he　e　home？〃
　　〃No；〃　Jud　said。　〃Rachel；　where　are　you？　You　sound　closer。〃
　　〃I　am　closer；〃　Rachel　said。　And　although　she　did　sound　closer　somehow；　there　was　a　distant　humming　on　the　wire。　It　was　the　sound　of　the　wind；　somewhere　between　here　and　wherever　she　was。　The　wind　was　high　tonight。　That　sound　that　always　made　Jud　think　of　dead　voices；　sighing　in　chorus；　maybe　singing　something　just　a　little　too　far　away　to　be　made　out。　〃I'm　at　the　rest　area　at　Biddeford　on　the　Maine　Turnpike。〃
　　〃Biddeford！〃
　　〃I　couldn't　stay　in　Chicago。　It　was　getting　to　me；　too　whatever　it　was　that　got　Ellie；　it　was　getting　me　too。　And　you　feel　it。　It's　in　your　voice。〃
　　〃Ayuh。〃　He　picked　a　Chesterfield　out　of　his　pack　and　slipped　it　into　the　corner　of　his　mouth。　He　popped　a　wooden　match　alight　and　watched　it　flicker　as　his　hand　trembled。　His　hands　hadn't　trembled…not　before　this　nightmare　had　menced　anyway。　Outside；　he　heard　that　dark　wind　gust。　It　took　the　house　in　its　hand　and　shook　it。
　　Power's　growing。　I　can　feel　it。
　　Dim　terror　in　his　old　bones。　It　was　like　spun　glass；　fine　and　fragile。
　　〃Jud；　please　tell　me　what's　going　on！〃
　　He　supposed　she　had　a　right　to　know…a　need　to　know。　And　he　supposed　he　would　tell　her。　Eventually　he　would　tell　her　the　whole　story。　He　would　show　her　the　chain　that　had　been　forged　link　by　link。　Norma's　heart　attack；　the　death　of　the　cat；　Louis's　question…has　anyone　ever　buried　a　person　up　there？…Cage's　death。　。　。　and　God　alone　knew　what　further　link　Louis　might　be　forging　right　now。　Eventually　he　would　tell　her。　But　not　over　the　phone。
　　〃Rachel；　how　e　you　to　be　on　the　turnpike　instead　of　in　a　plane？〃
　　She　explained　how　she　had　missed　her　connecting　flight　at　Boston。　〃I　got　an　Avis　car；　but　I'm　not　making　the　time　I　thought　I　would。　I　got　a　little　bit　lost　corning　from　Logan　to　the　turnpike；　and　I've　only　got　into　Maine。　I　don't　think　I　can　get　there　until　dawn。　But　Jud。　。　。　please。　Please　tell　me　what's　happening。　I'm　so　scared；　and　I　don't　even　know　why。〃
　　〃Rachel；　listen　to　me；〃　Jud　said；　〃you　drive　on　up　to　Portland　and　lay　over；　do　you　hear　me？　Check　into　a　motel　there　and　get　some…〃
　　〃Jud；　I　can't　do　th…。〃
　　〃…and　get　some　sleep。　Feel　no　fret；　Rachel。　Something　may　be　happening　here　tonight；　or　something　may　not。　If　something　is…if　it's　what　I　think…then　you　wouldn't　want　to　be　here　anyway。　I　can　take　care　of　it；　I　think。　I　better　be　able　to　take　care　of　it　because　what's　happening　is　my　fault。　If　nothing's　happening；　then　you　get　here　this　afternoon；　and　that　will　be　fine。　I　imagine　Louis　will　be　real　glad　to　see　you。〃
　　〃I　couldn't　sleep　tonight；　Jud。〃
　　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　reflecting　that　he　had　believed　the　same　thing…　hell；　Peter　had　probably　believed　the　same　thing　on　the　night　Jesus　had　been　taken　into　custody。　Sleeping　on　sentry　duty。　〃Yes；　you　can。　Rachel；　if　you　doze　off　behind　the　wheel　of　that　damn　rent…a…car　and　go　off　the　road　and　get　yourself　killed；　what's　going　to　happen　to　Louis　then？　And　Ellie？〃
　　〃Tell　me　what's　going　on！　If　you　tell　me　that；　Jud；　maybe　I'll　take　your　advice。　But　I　have　to　know！〃
　　〃When　you　get　to　Ludlow；　I　want　you　to　e　here；〃　Jud　said。　〃Not　over　to　your　house。　e　here　first。　I'll　tell　you　everything　I　know；　Rachel。　And　I　am　watching　for　Louis。〃
　　〃Tell　me；〃　she　said。
　　〃No；　ma'am。　Not　over　the　phone。　I　won't。　Rachel；　I　can't。　You　go　on　now。　Drive　up　to　Portland　and　lay　over。〃
　　There　was　a　long；　considering　pause。
　　〃All　right；〃　she　said　at　last。　〃Maybe　you're　right。　Jud；　tell　me　one　thing。　Tell　me　how　bad　it　is。〃
　　〃I　can　handle　it；〃　Jud　said　calmly。　〃Things　have　got　as　bad　as　they're　going　to　get。〃
　　Outside　the　headlights　of　a　car　appeared；　moving　slowly。　Jud　hall…stood；　watching　it；　and　then　sat　down　again　when　it　accelerated　past　the　Creed　house　and　out　of　sight。
　　〃All　right；〃　she　said。　〃I　guess。　The　rest　of　this　drive　has　seemed　like　a　stone　on　my　head。〃
　　〃Let　the　stone　roll　off；　my　dear；〃　Jud　said。　〃Please。　Save　yourself　for　tomorrow。　Things　here　will　be　all　right。〃
　　〃You　promise　you'll　tell　me　the　whole　story？〃
　　〃Yes。　We'll　have　us　a　beer；　and　I'll　tell　you　the　whole　thing。〃
　　〃Goodbye；　then；〃　Rachel　said；　〃for　now。〃
　　〃For　now；〃　Jud　agreed。　〃I'll　see　you　tomorrow；　Rachel。〃
　　Before　she　could　say　anything　else；　Jud　hung　up　the　telephone。
　　He　thought　there　were　caffeine　pills　in　the　medicine　cabinet；　but　he　could　not　find　them。　He　put　the　rest　of　the　beer　back　in　the　refrigerator…not　without　regret…and　settled　for　a　cup　of　black　coffee。　He　took　it　back　to　the　bow　window　and　sat　down　again；　sipping　and　watching。
　　The　coffee…and　the　conversation　with　Rachel…kept　him　awake　and　alert　for　three　quarters　of　an　hour；　but　then　he　began　to　nod　once　more。
　　No　sleeping　on　sentry　duty；　old　man。　You　let　it　get　hold　of　you；　you　bought　something；　and　now　you　have　to　pay　for　it。　So　no　sleeping　on　sentry　duty。
　　He　lit　a　fresh　cigarette；　drew　deep；　and　coughed　an　old　man's　rasping　cough。　He　put　the　cigarette　on　the　groove　of　the　ashtray　and　rubbed　his　eyes　with　both　hands。　Outside　a　ten…wheeler　blasted　by；　running　lights　glaring；　cutting　through　the　windy；　uneasy　night。
　　He　caught　himself　dozing　off　again；　snapped　awake；　and　abruptly　slapped　himself　across　the　face；　forehand　and　backhand；　causing　his　ears　to　ring。　Now　terror　awakened　in　his　heart；　a　stealthy　visitor　who　had　broken　into　that　secret　place。
　　It's　puttin　me　to　sleep　。　。　。　hypnotizin　me　。　。　。　somethin。　It　doesn't　want　me　awake。　Because　he'll　be　in　back　pretty　soon。　Yeah；　I　feel　that。　And　it　wants　me　out　of　the　way。
　　〃No；〃　he　said　grimly。　〃No　way　at　all。　You　hear　me？　I'm　puttin　a　stop　to　this。　This　has　gone　far　enough。〃
　　The　wind　whined　around　the　eaves；　and　the　trees　on　the　other　side　of　the　road　shook　their　leaves　in　hypnotic　patterns。　His　mind　went　back　to　that　night　around　the　Defiant　stove　in　the　coupling　shed；　which　had　stood　right　where　the　Evarts　Furniture　Mart　stood　in　Brewer　now。　They　had　talked　the　night　away；　he　and　George　and　René　Michaud；　and　now　he　was　the　only　one　left…　René　crushed　between　two　boxcars　on　a　stormy　night　in　March　of　1939；　George　Chapin　dead　of　a　heart　attack　just　last　year。　Of　so　many；　he　was　the　only　one　left；　and　the　old　get　stupid。　Sometimes　the　stupidity　masquerades　as　kindness；　and　sometimes　it　masquerades　as　pride…a　need　to　tell　old　secrets；　to　pass　things　on；　to　pour　from　the　old　glass　to　the　new　one；　to。
　　So　dis　Jew　peddler　e　in　and　he　say　〃I　got　sumpin　you　never　seen　before。　These　pos'cards；　dey　jus　look　like　wimmin　in　bathin　suits　until　you　rub　dem　wit　a　wet　cloth；　and　den…〃
　　Jud's　head　nodded。　His　chin　settled　slowly；　gently；　against　his　chest。
　　〃…dey's　as　nakid　as　the　day　dey　was　born！　But　when　dey　dry；　the　clo'es；　dey　e　back　on！　And　dat　ain't　all！　I　got…〃
　　René　telling　this　story　in　the　coupling　shed；　leaning　forward；　smiling；　and　Jud　holds　the　bottle…he　feels　the　bottle　and　his　hand　closes　around　it　on　thin　air。
　　In　the　ashtray；　the　cigarette　ash　on　the　end　of　the　cigarette　grew　longer。　At　last　it　tipped　forward　into　the　ashtray　and　burned　out；　its　shape　recalled　in　the　neat　roll　of　ash　like　a　rune。
　　Jud　slept。
　　And　when　the　taillights　flashed　outside　and　Louis　turned　the　Honda　Civic　into　his　driveway　some　forty　minutes　later　and　drove　it　into　the　garage；　Jud　did　not　hear；　stir；　or　awaken；　any　more　than　Peter　awoke　when　the　Roman　soldiers　came　to　take　a　tramp　named　Jesus　into　their　custody。
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　　Louis　found　a　fresh　dispenser　of　strapping　tape　in　one　of　the　kitchen　drawers；　and　there　was　a　coil　of　rope　in　the　corner　of　the　garage　near　last　winter's　snow　tires。　He　used　the　tape　to　bind　the　pick　and　shovel　together　in　a　single　neat　bundle　and　the　rope　to　fashion　a　rough　sling。
　　Tools　in　the　sling。　Gage　in　his　arms。
　　He　looped　the　sling　over　his　back；　then　opened　the　passenger　door　of　the　Civic；　pulling　the　bundle　out。　Gage　was　much　heavier　than　Church　had　been。　He　might　well　be　crawling　by　the　time　he　got　his　boy　up　to　the　Micmac　burying　ground…and　he　would　still　have　the　grave　to　dig；　lighting　his　way　through　that　stony；　unforgiving　soil。
　　Well；　he　would　manage。　Somehow。
　　Louis　Creed　stepped