sk.petsematary-第24章

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the　wind　that　whined　around　the　eaves　outside　it。
　　At　some　point　he　slept　without　even　being　aware　that　he　had　gone　over　the　edge；　it　must　have　been　so；　because　as　he　slipped　away；　it　seemed　to　him　that　he　heard　bare　feet　slowly　climbing　the　stairs　and　that　he　thought；　Let　me　alone；　Pascow；　let　me　alone；　what's　done　is　done　and　what's　dead　is　dead…and　the　steps　faded　away。
　　And　although　a　great　many　other　inexplicable　things　happened　as　that　year　darkened；　Louis　was　never　bothered　by　the　specter　of　Victor　Pascow　again；　either　waking　or　dreaming。
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　　He　awoke　at　nine　the　next　morning。　Bright　sunshine　streamed　in　the　bedroom's　east　windows。　The　telephone　was　ringing。　Louis　reached　up　and　snared　it。　〃Hello？〃
　　〃Hi！〃　Rachel　said。　〃Did　I　wake　you　up？　Hope　so。〃
　　〃You　woke　me　up；　you　bitch；〃　he　said；　smiling。
　　〃Ooooh；　such　nasty　language；　you　bad　old　bear；〃　she　said。　〃I　tried　to　call　you　last　night。　Were　you　over　at　Jud's？〃
　　He　hesitated　for　only　the　tiniest　fraction　of　a　moment。　〃Yes；〃　he　said。　〃Had　a　few　beers。　Norma　was　up　at　some　sort　of　Thanksgiving　supper。　I　thought　about　giving　you　a　ring；　but　you　know。〃
　　They　chatted　awhile。　Rachel　updated　him　on　her　family；　something　he　could　have　done　without；　although　he　took　a　small；　mean　satisfaction　in　the　news　that　her　father's　bald　spot　seemed　to　be　expanding　at　a　faster　rate。
　　〃You　want　to　talk　to　Gage？〃　Rachel　asked。
　　Louis　grinned。　〃Yeah；　I　guess　so；〃　he　said。　〃Don't　let　him　hang　up　the　phone　like　he　did　the　other　time。〃
　　Much　rattling　at　the　other　end。　Dimly　he　heard　Rachel　cajoling　the　kid　to　say　hi；　Daddy。
　　At　last　Gage　said；　〃Hi；　Dayee。〃
　　〃Hi；　Gage；〃　Louis　said　cheerfully。　〃How　you　doing？　How's　your　life？　Did　you　pull　over　your　grandda's　pipe　rack　again？　I　certainly　hope　so。　Maybe　this　time　you　can　trash　his　stamp　collection　as　well。〃
　　Gage　babbled　on　happily　for　thirty　seconds　or　so；　interspersing　his　gobbles　and　grunts　with　a　few　recognizable　words　from　his　growing　vocabulary…mommy；　Ellie；　grandda；　grandma；　car　（pronounced　in　the　best　Yankee　tradition　as　kaaa；　Louis　was　amused　to　note）；　twuck；　and　shit。
　　At　last　Rachel　pried　the　phone　away　from　him　to　Gage's　wail　of　indignation　and　Louis's　measured　relief…he　loved　his　son　and　missed　him　like　mad；　but　holding　a　conversation　with　a　not…quite…two…year…old　was　a　little　bit　like　trying　to　play　cribbage　with　a　lunatic；　the　cards　kept　going　everywhere　and　sometimes　you　found　yourself　pegging　backwards。
　　〃So　how's　everything　there？〃　Rachel　asked。
　　〃Okay；〃　Louis　said；　with　no　hesitation　at　all　this　time…but　he　was　aware　he　had　crossed　a　line；　back　when　Rachel　had　asked　him　if　he　had　gone　over　to　Jud's　last　night　and　he　told　her　he　had。　In　his　mind　he　suddenly　heard　Jud　Crandall　saying；　The　soil　of　a　man's　heart　is　stonier；　Louis。　。　。　a　man　grows　what　he　can　and　he　tends　ft。　〃Well。　。　。　a　little　dull；　if　you　want　to　know　the　God's　honest。　Miss　you。〃
　　〃You　actually　mean　to　tell　me　you're　not　enjoying　your　vacation　from　this　sideshow？〃
　　〃Oh；　I　like　the　quiet；〃　he　admitted；　〃sure。　But　it　gets　strange　after　the　first　twenty…four　hours　or　so。〃
　　〃Can　I　talk　to　Daddy？〃　It　was　Ellie　in　the　background。
　　〃Louis？　Ellie's　here。〃
　　〃Okay；　put　her　on。〃
　　He　talked　to　Ellie　for　almost　five　minutes。　She　prattled　on　about　the　doll　Grandma　had　gotten　her；　about　the　trip　she　and　Grandda　had　taken　to　the　stockyards　（〃Boy；　do　they　stink；　Daddy；〃　Ellie　said；　and　Louis　thought；　Your　grandda's　no　rose；　either；　sweetie）；　about　how　she　had　helped　make　bread；　and　about　how　Gage　had　gotten　away　from　Rachel　while　she　was　changing　him。　Gage　had　run　down　the　hallway　and　pooped　right　in　the　doorway　leading　into　Grandda's　study　（Atta　boy；　Gage！　Louis　thought；　a　big　grin　spreading　over　his　face）。
　　He　actually　thought　he　was　going　to　get　away…at　least　for　this　morning…and　was　getting　ready　to　ask　Ellie　for　her　mother　again　so　he　could　say　goodbye　to　her　when　Ellie　asked；　〃How's　Church；　Daddy？　Does　he　miss　me？〃
　　The　grin　faded　from　Louis's　mouth；　but　he　answered　readily。　and　with　the　perfect　note　of　offhanded　casualness：　〃He's　fine；　I　guess。　I　gave　him　the　leftover　beef　stew　last　night　and　then　put　him　out。　Haven't　seen　him　this　morning；　but　I　just　woke　up。〃
　　Oh　boy；　you　would　have　made　a　great　murderer…cool　as　a　cucumber。　Dr。　Creed；　when　did　you　last　see　the　deceased？　He　came　in　for　supper。　Had　a　plate　of　beef　stew；　in　fact。　I　haven't　seen　him　since　then。
　　〃Well；　give　him　a　kiss　for　me。〃
　　〃Yuck；　kiss　your　own　cat；〃　Louis　said；　and　Ellie　giggled。
　　〃You　want　to　talk　to　Mommy　again；　Daddy？〃
　　〃Sure。　Put　her　on。〃
　　Then　it　was　over。　He　talked　to　Rachel　for　another　couple　of　minutes；　the　subject　of　Church　was　not　touched　upon。　He　and　his　wife　exchanged　love…you's；　and　Louis　hung　up。
　　〃That's　that；〃　he　said　to　the　empty；　sunny　room；　and　maybe　the　worst　thing　about　it　was　that　he　didn't　feel　bad；　didn't　feel　guilty　at　all。
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　　Steve　Masterton　called　around　nine…thirty　and　asked　if　Louis　would　like　to　e　up　to　the　university　and　play　some　racket　ball
　　…the　place　was　deserted；　he　said　gleefully；　and　they　could　play　the　whole　goddam　day　if　they　wanted　to。
　　Louis　could　understand　the　glee…when　the　university　was　in　session；　the　waiting　list　for　a　racket　ball　court　was　sometimes　two　days　long…but　he　declined　all　the　same；　telling　Steve　he　wanted　to　work　on　an　article　he　was　writing　for　The　Magazine　of　College　Medicine。
　　〃You　sure？〃　Steve　asked。　〃All　work　and　no　play　make　Jack　a　dull　boy；　you　know。〃
　　〃Check　me　later；〃　Louis　said。　〃Maybe　I'll　be　up　for　it。〃
　　Steve　said　he　would　and　hung　up。　Louis　had　told　only　a　half…lie　this　time；　he　did　plan　to　work　on　his　article；　which　concerned　itself　with　treating　contagious　ailments　such　as　chicken…pox　and　mononucleosis　in　the　infirmary　environment；　but　the　main　reason　he　had　turned　down　Steve's　offer　was　that　he　was　a　mass　of　aches　and　pains。　He　had　discovered　this　as　soon　as　he　finished　talking　to　Rachel　and　went　into　the　bathroom　to　brush　his　teeth。　His　back　muscles　creaked　and　groaned；　his　shoulders　were　sore　from　lugging　the　cat　in　that　damned　garbage　bag；　and　the　hamstrings　in　back　of　his　knees　felt　like　guitar　strings　tuned　three　octaves　past　their　normal　pitch。　Christ；　he　thought；　and　you　had　the　stupid　idea　you　were　in　some　kind　of　shape。　He　would　have　looked　cute　trying　to　play　racket　ball　with　Steve；　lumbering　around　like　an　arthritic　old　man。
　　And　speaking　of　old　men；　he　hadn't　made　that　hike　into　the　woods　the　night　before　by　himself；　he　had　gone　with　a　guy　who　was　closing　in　on　eighty…five。　He　wondered　if　Jud　was　hurting　as　badly　as　he　was　this　morning。
　　He　spent　an　hour　and　a　half　working　on　his　article；　but　it　did　not　march　very　well。　The　emptiness　and　the　silence　began　to　get　on　his　nerves；　and　at　last　he　stacked　his　yellow　legal　pads　and　the　offprints　he　had　ordered　from　Johns　Hopkins　on　the　shelf　above　his　typewriter；　put　on　his　parka；　and　crossed　the　road。
　　Jud　and　Norma　weren't　there；　but　there　was　an　envelope　tacked　to　the　porch　door　with　his　name　written　across　the　front　of　it。　He　took　it　down　and　opened　the　flap　with　his　thumb。
　　Louis；
　　The　good　wife　and　me　are　off　to　Bucksport　to　do　some　shopping　and　to　look　at　a　welsh　dresser　at　the　Emporium　Galorium　that　Norma's　had　her　eye　on　for　about　a　hundred　years；　it　seems　like。　Probably　we'll　have　a　spot　of　lunch　at　McLeod's　while　we're　there　and　e　back　in　the　late　afternoon。　e　on　over　for　a　beer　or　two　tonight；　if　you　want。
　　Your　family　is　your　family。　I　don't　want　to　be　no　〃buttinsky；〃　but　if　Ellie　were　my　daughter；　I　wouldn't　rush　to　tell　her　that　her　cat　got　killed　on　the　highway…why　not　let　her　enjoy　her　holiday？
　　By　the　way；　Louis；　I　wouldn't　talk　about　what　we　did　last　night　either；　not　around　North　Ludlow。　There　are　other　people　who　know　about　that　old　Micmac　burying　ground；　and　there　are　other　people　in　town　who　have　buried　their　animals　there　you　might　say　it's　another　part　of　the　〃Pet　Sematary。〃　Believe　it　or　not；　there　is　even　a　bull　buried　up　there！　Old　Zack　McGovern；　who　used　to　live　out　on　Stack　pole　Road；　buried　his　prize　bull　Hanratty　in　the　Micmac　burying　ground　back　in　1967　or　'68。　Ha；　ha！　He　told　me　that　he　and　his　two　boys　had　taken　that　bull　out　there　and　1　laughed　until　I　thought　1　would　rupture　myself！　But　people　around　here　don't　like　to　talk　about　it；　and　they　don't　like　people　they　consider　to　be　〃outsiders〃　to　know　about　it；　not　because　some　of　these　old　superstitions　go　back　three　hundred　years　or　more　（although　they　do）；　but　because　they　sort　of　believe　in　those　superstitions；　and　they　think　any　〃outsider〃　who　knows　that　they　do　must　be　laughing　at　them。　Does　that　make　any　sense？　I　suspect　it…doesn't；　but　nevertheless　that's　how　it　is。　So　just　do　me　a　favor　and　keep　shut　on　the　subject；　will　you？
　　We　will　talk　more　about　this；　probably　tonight；　and　by　then　you　will　understand　more；　but　in　the　meantime　I　want　to　tell　you　that　you　did　yourself　proud。　I　knew　you　would。
　　Jud
　　PS…Norma　doesn't　know　what　this　note　says…I　told　her　something　different…and　I　would　just　as　soon　keep　it　that　way　if　it's　all　the　same　to　you。　I've　told　Norma　more　than　one　lie　in　the　fifty…eight　years　we've　been　married；　and　I'd　guess　that　most　men　tell　their　wives　a　smart　of　lies；　but　you　know；　most　of　them　could　stand　before　God　and　confess　them　without　dropping　their　eyes　from　His。
　　Well；　drop　over　tonight　and　we'll　do　a　little　boozing。
　　J。Louis　stood　on　the　top　step　leading　to　Jud　and　Norma's　porch…　now　bare；　its　fortable　rattan　furniture　stored　to　wait　for　another　spring…frowning　over　this　note。　Don't　tell　Ellie　the　cat　had　been　killed…he　hadn't。　Other　animals　buried　there？　Superstitions　going　back　three　hundred　years？　and　by　then　you　will　understand　more。
　　He　touched　this　line　lightly　with　his　finger；　and　for　the　first　time　allowed　his　mind　to　deliberately　turn　back　to　what　they　had　done　the　night　before。　It　was　blurred　in　his　memory；　it　had　the　melting；　cotton…candy　texture　of　dreams　or　of　waking　actions　performed　under　a　light　haze　of　drugs。　He　could　recall　climbing　the　deadfall　and　the　odd；　brighter　quality　of　light　in　the　bog…that　and　the　way　it　had　felt　ten　or　twenty　degrees　warmer　there…but　all　of　it　was　like　the　conversation　you　had　with　the　anesthetist　just　before　he　or　she　put　you　out　like　a　light　and　I'd　guess　most　men　tell　their　wives　a　smart　of　lies。　。　。
　　Wives　and　daughters　as　well；　Louis　thought…but　it　was　eerie；　the　way　Jud　seemed　almost　to　know　what　had　transpired　this　morning；　both　on　the　telephone　and　in　his　own　head。
　　Slowly　he　refolded　the　note；　which　had　been　written　on　a　sheet　of　lined　paper　like　that　in　a　schoolboy's　Blue　Horse　tablet；　and　put　it　back　into　the　envelope。　He　put　the　envelope　into　his　hip　pocket　and　crossed　the　road　again。
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　　It　was　around　one　o'clock　that　afternoon　when　Church　came　back　like　the　cat　in　the　nursery　rhyme。　Louis　was　in　the　garage；　where　he　had　been　working　off　and　on　for　the　last　six　weeks　on　a　fairly　ambitious　set　of　shelves；　he　wanted　to　put　all　of　the　dangerous　garage　stuff　such　as　bottles　of　windshield…wiper　fluid；　antifreeze；　and　sharp　tools　on　these　shelves；　where　they　would　be　out　of　Gage's　reach。　He　was　hammering