神鸟电子书 > 科幻恐怖电子书 > The Shining 原版小说 >

第48部分

The Shining 原版小说-第48部分

小说: The Shining 原版小说 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



  He backed the truck out of its parking space and headed them out of town and 
up into the mountains。 
 
 
 
 
   》 
 
 
NIGHT THOUGHTS 
 
 
  It was ten o'clock。 Their quarters were filled with counterfeit sleep。 
  Jack lay on his side facing the wall; eyes open; listening to Wendy's slow and 
regular breathing。 The taste of dissolved aspirin was still on his tongue; 
making it feel rough and slightly numb。 Al Shockley had called at quarter of 
six; quarter of eight back East。 Wendy had been downstairs with Danny; sitting 
in front of the lobby fireplace and reading。 
  〃Person to person;〃 the operator said; 〃for Mr。 Jack Torrance。〃 
  〃Speaking。〃 He had switched the phone to his right hand; had dug his 
handkerchief out of his back pocket with his left; and had wiped his tender lips 
with it。 Then he lit a cigarette。 


 
 
  Al's voice then; strong in his ear: 〃Jacky…boy; what in the name of God are 
you up to?〃 
  〃Hi; Al。〃 He snuffed the cigarette and groped for the Excedrin bottle。 
  〃What's going on; Jack? I got this weird phone call from Stuart Ullman this 
afternoon。 And when Stu Ullman calls long…distance out of his own pocket; you 
know the shit has hit the fan。〃 
  〃Ullman has nothing to worry about; Al。 Neither do you。〃 
  〃What exactly is the nothing we don't have to worry about? Stu made it sound 
like a cross between blackmail and a National Enquirer feature on the Overlook。 
Talk to me; boy。〃 
  〃I wanted to poke him a little;〃 Jack said。 〃When I came up here to be 
interviewed; he had to drag out all my dirty laundry。 Drinking problem。 Lost 
your last job for racking over a student。 Wonder if you're the right man for 
this。 Et cetera。 The thing that bugged me was that he was bringing all this up 
because he loved the goddamn hotel so much。 The beautiful Overlook。 The 
traditional Overlook。 The bloody sacred Overlook。 Well; I found a scrapbook in 
the basement。 Somebody had put together all the less savory aspects of Ullman's 
cathedral; and it looked to me like a little black mass had been going on after 
hours。〃 
  〃I hope that's metaphorical; Jack。〃 Al's voice sounded frighteningly cold。 
  〃It is。 But I did find out — 〃 
  〃I know the hotel's history。〃 
  Jack ran a hand through his hair。 〃So I called him up and poked him with it。 I 
admit it wasn't very bright; and I sure wouldn't do it again。 End of story。〃 
  〃Stu says you're planning to do a little dirty…laundry…airing yourself。〃 
  〃Stu is an asshole!〃 he barked into the phone。 〃I told him I had an idea of 
writing about the Overlook; yes。 I do。 I think this place forms an index of the 
whole post…World War II American character。 That sounds like an inflated claim; 
stated so baldly 。。。 I know it does 。。。 but it's all here; Al! My God; it 
could be a great book。 But it's far in the future; I can promise you that; I've 
got more on my plate right now than I can eat; and — 〃 
  〃Jack; that's not good enough。〃 
  He found himself gaping at the black receiver of the phone; unable to believe 
what he had surely heard。 〃What? Al; did you say — ?〃 
  〃I said what I said。 How long is far in the future; Jack? For you it may be 
two years; maybe five。 For me it's thirty or forty; because I expect to be 
associated with the Overlook for a long time。 The thought of you doing some sort 
of a scum…job on my hotel and passing it off as a great piece of American 
writing; that makes me sick。〃 
  Jack was speechless。 
  〃I tried to help you; Jacky…boy。 We went through the war together; and I 
thought I owed you some help。 You remember the war?〃 
  〃I remember it;〃 he muttered; but the coals of resentment had begun to glow 
around his heart。 First Ullman; then Wendy; now Al。 What was this? National 
Let's Pick Jack Torrance Apart Week? He clamped his lips more tightly together; 
reached for his cigarettes; and knocked them off onto the floor。 Had he ever 
liked this cheap prick talking to him from his mahogany…lined den in Vermont? 
Had he really? 


 
 
  〃Before you hit that Hatfield kid;〃 Al was saying; 〃I had talked the Board out 
of letting you go and even had them swung around to considering tenure。 You blew 
that one for yourself。 I got you this hotel thing; a nice quiet place for you to 
get yourself together; finish your play; and wait it out until Harry Effinger 
and I could convince the rest of those guys that they made a big mistake。 Now it 
looks like you want to chew my arm off on your way to a bigger killing。 Is that 
the way you say thanks to your friends; Jack?〃 
  〃No;〃 he whispered。 
  He didn't dare say more。 His head was throbbing with the hot; acid…etched 
words that wanted to get out。 He tried desperately to think of Danny and Wendy; 
depending on him; Danny and Wendy sitting peacefully downstairs in front of the 
fire and working on the first of the second…grade reading primers; thinking 
everything was A…OK。 If he lost this job; what then? Off to California in that 
tired old VW with the distintegrating fuel pump like a family of dustbowl Okies? 
He told himself he would get down on his knees and beg Al before he let that 
happen; but still the words struggled to pour out; and the hand holding the hot 
wires of his rage felt greased。 
  〃What?〃 Al said sharply。 
  〃No;〃 he said。 〃That is not the way I treat my friends。 And you know it。〃 
  〃How do I know it? At the worst; you're planning to smear my hotel by digging 
up bodies that were decently buried years ago。 At the best; you call up my 
temperamental but extremely petent hotel manager and work him into a frenzy 
as part of some 。。。 some stupid kid's game。〃 
  〃It was more than a game; Al。 It's easier for you。 You don't have to take some 
rich friend's charity。 You don't need a friend in court because you are the 
court。 The fact that you were one step from a brown…bag lush goes pretty much 
unmentioned; doesn't it?〃 
  〃I suppose it does;〃 Al said。 His voice had dropped a notch and he sounded 
tired of the whole thing。 〃But Jack; Jack 。。。 I can't help that。 I can't 
change that。〃 
  〃I know;〃 Jack said emptily。 〃Am I fired? I guess you better tell me if I am。〃 
  〃Not if you'll do two things for me。〃 
  〃All right。〃 
  〃Hadn't you better hear the conditions before you accept them?〃 
  〃No。 Give me your deal and I'll take it。 There's Wendy and Danny to think 
about。 If you want my balls; I'll send them airmail。〃 
  〃Are you sure selfpity is a luxury you can afford; Jack?〃 
  He had closed his eyes and slid an Excedrin between his dry lips。 〃At this 
point I feel it's the only one I can afford。 Fire away 。。。 no pun intended。〃 
  Al was silent for a moment。 Then he said: 〃First; no more calls to Ullman。 Not 
even if the place burns down。 If that happens; call the maintenance man; that 
guy who swears all the time; you know who I mean 。。。〃 
  〃Watson。〃 
  〃Yes。〃 
  〃Okay。 Done。〃 
  〃Second; you promise me; Jack。 Word of honor。 No book about a famous Colorado 
mountain hotel with a history。〃 
  For a moment his rage was so great that be literally could not speak。 The 


 
 
blood beat loudly in his ears。 It was like getting a call from some twentieth… 
century Medici prince 。。。 no portraits of my family with their warts showing; 
please; or back to the rabble you'll go。 I subsidize no pictures but pretty 
pictures。 When you paint the daughter of my good friend and business partner; 
please omit birthmark or back to the rabble you'll go。 Of course we're friends。。。 
we are both civilized men aren't we? We've shared bed and board and bottle。 
We'll always be friends; and the dog collar I have on you will always be ignored 
by mutual consent; and I'll take good and benevolent care of you。 All I ask in 
return is your soul。 Small item。 We can even ignore the fact that you've handed 
it over; the way we ignore the dog collar。 Remember; my talented friend; there 
are Michelangelos begging everywhere in the streets of Rome 。。。 
  〃Jack? You there?〃 
  He made a strangled noise that was intended to be the word yes。 
  Al's voice was firm and very sure of itself。 〃I really don't think I'm asking 
so much; Jack。 And there will be other books。 You just can'

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 1 1

你可能喜欢的