sk.petsematary-第47章

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her　name　was。　She　was　no　more　than　twenty…four　when　they　married。　And　there　had　been　some　talk　about　her；　you　know。　If　you　were　a　man；　you　might　have　called　her　ways　sort　of　free　and　easy　and　let　it　go　at　that。　But　the　women　thought　she　might　be　loose。　And　maybe　Alan　had　had　a　few　thoughts　in　that　direction　too　because　he　says；　'Shut　up！　Shut　up　or　I'll　knock　you　down；　whatever　you　are！'
　　〃Shush　now；　Timmy；'　Bill　says；　and　he　looks　worse　than　ever；　you　know；　like　maybe　he's　going　to　puke　or　faint　dead　away；　or　do　both。　'You　shush；　Timmy。'
　　〃But　Timmy　didn't　take　no　notice。　He　looks　around　at　George　Anderson　and　he　says；　'That　grandson　you　set　such　a　store　by　is　just　waiting　for　you　to　die；　old　man。　The　money　is　all　he　wants；　the　money　he　thinks　you　got　socked　away　in　your　lockbox　at　the　Bangor　Eastern　Bank。　That's　why　he　makes　up　to　you；　but　behind　your　back　he　makes　fun　of　you；　him　and　his　sister。　Old　wooden…leg；　that's　what　they　call　you；'　Timmy　says；　and　Louis；　his　voice…it　changed。　It　got　mean。　It　sounded　like　the　way　that　grandson　of　George's　would　have　sounded　if。　。　。　you　know；　if　the　things　Timmy　was　saying　was　true。
　　〃Old　wooden…leg；'　Timmy　says；　'and　won't　they　shit　when　they　find　out　you're　poor　as　a　church　mouse　because　you　lost　it　all　in　1938？　Won't　they　shit；　George？　Won't　they　just　shit？'
　　〃George；　he　backed　away　then；　and　his　wooden　leg　buckled　under　him；　and　he　fell　back　on　Bill's　porch　and　upsat　his　pitcher　of　beer；　and　he　was　as　white　as　your　undershirt；　Louis。
　　〃Bill；　he　gets　him　back　on　his　feet　somehow；　and　he's　roarin　at　his　boy；　'Timmy；　you　stop　it！　You　stop　it！'　But　Timmy　wouldn't。　He　said　somethin　bad　about　Hannibal；　and　then　he　said　something　bad　about　me　too；　and　by　then　he　was　。　。　。　ravin；　I'd　say。　Yeah；　he　was　ravin；　all　right。　Screamin。　And　we　started　to　back　away；　and　then　we　started　to　run；　draggin　George　along　the　best　we　could　by　the　arms　because　he'd　gotten　the　straps　and　harnesses　on　that　fake　leg　twisted　somehow；　and　it　was　all　off　to　one　side　with　the　shoe　turned　around　backward　and　draggin　on　the　grass。
　　〃The　last　I　seen　of　Timmy　Baterman；　he　was　on　the　back　lawn　by　the　clothesline；　his　face　all　red　in　the　settin　sun；　those　marks　standin　out　on　his　face；　his　hair　all　crazy　and　dusty　somehow　and　he　was　laughin　and　screechin　over　and　over　again　'Old　wooden…leg！　Old　wooden…leg！　And　the　cuckold！　And　the　whoremaster！　Goodbye；　gentlemen！　Goodbye！　Goodbye！'　And　then　he　laughed；　but　it　was　screaming；　really。　。　。　something　inside　him　screaming。　。　。　and　screaming。　。　。　and　screaming。〃
　　Jud　stopped。　His　chest　moved　up　and　down　rapidly。
　　〃Jud；〃　Louis　said。　〃The　thing　this　Timmy　Baterman　told　you　was　it　truer'
　　〃It　was　true；〃　Jud　muttered。　〃Christ！　It　was　true。　I　used　to　go　to　a　whorehouse　in　Bangor　betimes。　Nothing　many　a　man　hasn't　done；　although　I　s'pose　there　are　plenty　that　walk　the　straight　and　narrow。　I　just　would　get　the　urge…the　pulsion；　maybe…　to　sink　it　into　strange　flesh　now　and　then。　Or　pay　some　woman　to　do　the　things　a　man　can't　bring　himself　to　ask　his　wife　to　do。　Men　keep　their　gardens　too；　Louis。　It　wasn't　a　terrible　thing；　what　I　done；　and　all　of　that　has　been　behind　me　for　the　last　eight　or　nine　years；　and　Norma　would　not　have　left　me　if　she　had　known。　But　something　in　her　would　have　died　forever。　Something　dear　and　sweet。〃
　　Jud's　eyes　were　red　and　swollen　and　bleary。　The　tears　of　the　old　are　singularly　unlovely；　Louis　thought。　But　when　Jud　groped　across　the　table　for　Louis's　hand；　Louis　took　it　firmly。
　　〃He　told　us　only　the　bad；〃　he　said　after　a　moment。　〃Only　the　bad。　God　knows　there　is　enough　of　that　in　any　human　being's　life；　isn't　there？　Two　or　three　days　later；　Laurine　Purinton　left　Ludlow　for　good；　and　folks　in　town　who　saw　her　before　she　got　on　the　train　said　she　was　sporting　two　shiners　and　had　cotton　stuffed　up　both　bores　of　her　pump。　Alan；　he　would　never　talk　about　it。　George　died　in　1950；　and　if　he　left　anything　to　that　grandson　and　granddaughter　of　his；　I　never　heard　about　it。　Hannibal　got　kicked　out　of　office　because　of　something　that　was　just　like　what　Timmy　Baterman　accused　him　of。　I　won't　tell　you　exactly　what　it　was…you　don't　need　to　know…but　misappropriation　of　town　funds　for　his　own　use　es　close　enough　to　cover　it；　I　reckon。　There　was　even　talk　of　trying　him　on　embezzlement　charges；　but　it　never　came　to　much。　Losing　the　post　was　enough　punishment　for　him　anyway；　his　whole　life　was　playing　the　big　cheese。
　　〃But　there　was　good　in　those　men　too。　That's　what　I　mean；　that's　what　folks　always　find　it　so　hard　to　remember。　It　was　Hannibal　got　the　fund　started　for　the　Eastern　General　Hospital；　right　before　the　war。　Alan　Purinton　was　one　of　the　most　generous；　open…handed　men　I　ever　knew。　And　old　George　Anderson　only　wanted　to　go　on　running　the　post　office　forever。
　　〃It　was　only　the　bad　it　wanted　to　talk　about　though。　It　was　only　the　bad　it　wanted　us　to　remember　because　it　was　bad　。　。　and　because　it　knew　we　meant　danger　for　it。　The　Timmy　Baterman　that　went　off　to　fight　the　war　was　a　nice；　ordinary　kid；　Louis；　maybe　a　little　dull　but　goodhearted。　The　thing　we　saw　that　night；　lookin　up　into　that　red　sun。　。　。　that　was　a　monster。　Maybe　it　was　a　zombie　or　a　dybbuk　or　a　demon。　Maybe　there's　no　name　for　such　a　thing　as　that；　but　the　Micmacs　would　have　known　what　it　was；　name　or　no。〃
　　〃What？〃　Louis　said　numbly。
　　〃Something　that　had　been　touched　by　the　Wendigo；〃　Jud　said　evenly。　He　took　a　deep　breath；　held　it　for　a　moment；　let　it　out；　and　looked　at　his　watch。
　　〃Welladay。　The　hour's　late；　Louis。　I've　talked　nine　times　as　much　as　I　meant　to。〃
　　〃I　doubt　that；〃　Louis　said。　〃You've　been　very　eloquent。　Tell　me　how　it　came　out。〃
　　〃There　was　a　fire　at　the　Baterman　place　two　nights　later；〃　Jud　said。　〃The　house　burned　flat。　Alan　Purinton　said　there　was　no　doubt　about　the　fire　being　set。　Range　oil　had　been　splashed　from　one　end　of　that　little　house　to　the　other。　You　could　smell　the　reek　of　it　for　three　days　after　the　fire　was　out。〃
　　〃So　they　both　burned　up。〃
　　〃Oh；　ayuh；　they　burned。　But　they　was　dead　beforehand。　Timmy　was　shot　twice　in　the　chest　with　a　pistol　Bill　Baterman　kept　handy；　an　old　Colt's。　They　found　it　in　Bill's　hand。　What　he'd　done；　or　so　it　looked　like；　was　to　kill　his　boy；　lay　him　on　the　bed；　and　then　spill　out　that　range　oil。　Then　he　sat　down　in　his　easy　chair　by　the　radio；　flicked　a　match；　and　ate　the　barrel　of　that　Colt
　　。45。〃
　　〃Jesus；〃　Louis　said。
　　〃They　were　pretty　well　charred；　but　the　county　medical　examiner　said　it　looked　to　him　like　Timmy　Baterman　had　been　dead　two　or　three　weeks。〃
　　Silence；　ticking　out。
　　Jud　got　up。　〃I　wasn't　exaggerating　when　I　said　I　might　have　killed　your　boy；　Louis；　or　had　a　hand　in　it。　The　Micmacs　knew　that　place；　but　that　doesn't　necessarily　mean　they　made　it　what　it　was。　The　Micmacs　weren't　always　here。　They　came　maybe　from　Canada；　maybe　from　Russia；　maybe　from　Asia　way　back　in　the　beginning。　They　stayed　here　in　Maine　for　a　thousand　years；　or　maybe　it　was　two　thousand…it's　hard　to　tell；　because　they　did　not　leave　their　mark　deep　on　the　land。　And　now　they　are　gone　again
　　。　。　same　way　we'll　be　gone；　someday；　although　I　guess　our　mark　　will　go　deeper；　for　better　or　worse。　But　the　place　will　stay　no　matter　who's　here；　Louis。　It　isn't　as　though　someone　owned　it　and　could　take　its　secret　when　they　moved　on。　It's　an　evil；　curdled　place；　and　I　had　no　business　taking　you　up　there　to　bury　that　cat。　I　know　that　now。　It　has　a　power　you'll　beware　of　if　you　know　what's　good　for　your　family　and　what's　good　for　you。　I　wasn't　strong　enough　to　fight　it。　You　saved　Norma's　life；　and　I　wanted　to　do　something　for　you；　and　that　place　turned　my　good　wish　to　its　own　evil　purpose。　It　has　a　power。　。　。　and　I　think　that　power　goes　through　phases；　same　as　the　moon。　It's　been　full　of　power　before；　and　I'm　ascared　it's　ing　around　to　full　again。　I'm　ascared　it　used　me　to　get　at　you　through　your　son。　Do　you　see；　Louis；　what　I'm　getting　at？〃　His　eyes　pleaded　with　Louis。
　　〃You're　saying　the　place　knew　Gage　was　going　to　die；　I　think；〃　Louis　said。
　　〃No；　I　am　saying　the　place　might　have　made　Gage　die　because　I　introduced　you　to　the　power　in　the　place。　I　am　saying　I　may　have　murdered　your　son　with　good　intentions；　Louis。〃
　　〃I　don't　believe　it；〃　Louis　said　at　last；　shakily。　Didn't；　wouldn't。　Couldn't。
　　He　held　Jud's　hand　tightly。　〃We're　burying　Gage　tomorrow。　In　Bangor。　And　in　Bangor　he　will　stay。　I　don't　plan　to　go　up　there　to　the　Pet　Sematary　or　beyond　it　ever　again。〃
　　〃Promise　me！〃　Jud　said　harshly。　〃Promise。〃
　　〃I　promise；〃　Louis　said。
　　But　in　the　back　of　his　mind；　contemplation　remained…a　dancing　flicker　of　promise　that　would　not　quite　go　away。
　　　40
　　But　none　of　those　things　happened。
　　All　of　them…the　droning　Orinco　truck；　the　fingers　that　just　touched　the　back　of　Cage's　jumper　and　then　slid　off；　Rachel　preparing　to　go　to　the　viewing　in　her　housecoat；　Ellie　carrying　Gage's　picture　and　putting　his　chair　next　to　her　bed；　Steve　Masterton's　tears；　the　fight　with　Irwin　Goldman；　Jud　Crandall's　terrible　story　of　Timmy　Baterman…all　of　them　existed　only　in　Louis　Creed's　mind　during　the　few　seconds　that　passed　while　he　raced　his　laughing　son　to　the　road。　Behind　him；　Rachel　screamed　again
　　…Gage；　e　back；　don't　RUN！…but　Louis　did　not　waste　his　breath。　It　was　going　to　be　close；　very　close；　and　yes；　one　of　those　things　really　happened：　from　somewhere　up　the　road　he　could　hear　the　drone　of　the　oning　truck　and　somewhere　inside　a　memory　circuit　opened　and　he　could　hear　Jud　Crandall　speaking　to　Rachel　on　that　very　first　day　in　Ludlow：　You　want　to　watch　em　around　the　road；　Missus　Greed。　It's　a　bad　road　for　kids　and　pets。
　　Now　Gage　was　running　down　the　gentle　slope　of　lawn　that　merged　with　the　soft　shoulder　of　Route　15；　his　husky　little　legs　pumping；　and　by　all　the　rights　of　the　world　he　should　have　fallen　over　sprawling　but　he　just　kept　going　and　now　the　sound　of　the　truck　was　very　loud　indeed；　it　was　that　low；　snoring　sound　that　Louis　sometimes　heard　from　his　bed　as　he　floated　just　beyond　the　rim　of　sleep。　Then　it　seemed　a　forting　sound；　but　now　it　terrified　him。
　　Oh　my　dear　God　oh　my　dear　Jesus　let　me　catch　him　don't　let　him　get　into　the　road！
　　Louis　put　on　a　final　burst　of　speed　and　leaped；　throwing　himself　out　straight　and　parallel　to　the　ground　like　a　football　player　about　to　make　a　tackle；　he　could　see　his　shadow　tracking　along　on　the　grass　below　him　in　the　lowest　periphery　of　his　vision；　and　he　thought　of　the　kite；　the　Vulture；　printing　its　shadow　all　the　way　across　Mrs。　Vinton's　field；　and　just　as　Gage's　forward　motion　carried　him　into　the　road；　Louis's　fingers　brushed　the　back　of　his　jacket。　。　。　and　then　snagged　it。
　　He　yanked　Gage　backward　and　landed　on　the　ground　at　the　same　instant；　crashing　his　face　into　the　rough　gravel　of　the　shoulder；　giving　himself　a　bloody　nose。　His　balls　signaled　a　much　more　serious　flash　of　pain…Ohhh；　if　l'd'a　known　I　was　gonna　be　playing　football；　I　woulda　worn　my　jock…but　both　the　pain　in　his　nose　and　the　driving　agony　in　his　testes　were　lost　in　the　swelling　relief　of　hearing　Gage's　wail　of　pain　and　outrage　as　his　bottom　landed　on　the　shoulder　and　he　fell　over　backward　onto　the　edge　of　the　lawn；　thumping　his　head。　A　moment　la