sk.carrie-第29章

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ergo　the　test　as　routinely　as　they　now　undergo　the　TB　skin…patch。　Yet　TK　is　not　a　germ；　it　is　as　much　a　part　of　the　afflicted　person　as　the　colour　of　his　eyes。
If　overt　TK　ability　occurs　as　a　part　of　puberty；　and　if　this　hypothetical　TK　test　is　performed　on　children　entering　the　first　grade；　we　shall　certainly　be　forewarned。　But　in　this　case；　is　forewarned　forearmed？　If　the　TB　test　shows　positive　a　child　can　be　treated　or　isolated。　If　the　TK　test　shows　positive；　we　have　no　treatment　except　a　bullet　in　the　head。　And　how　is　it　possible　to　isolate　a　person　who　will　eventually　have　the　power　to　knock　down　all　walls？
And　even　if　isolation　could　be　made　successful；　would　the　American　people　allow　a　small；　pretty　girl…child　to　be　ripped　away　from　her　parents　at　the　first　sign　of　puberty　to　be　locked　in　a　bank　vault　for　the　rest　of　her　life？　I　doubt　it。　Especially　when　The　White　mission　has　worked　so　hard　to　convince　the　public　that　the　nightmare　in　Chamberlain　was　a　plete　fluke。
Indeed；　we　seem　to　have　returned　to　Square　One。
From　the　sworn　testimony　of　Susan　Snell；　taken　before　The　State　Investigatory　Board　of　Maine　（from　The　White　mission　Report）；　pp。　306…472：
Q。　Now；　Miss　Snell；　the　Board　would　like　to　go　through　your　testimony　concerning　your　alleged　meeting　with　Carrie　White　in　The　Cavalier　parking　lot
A。　Why　do　you　keep　asking　the　same　questions　over　and　over？　I've　told　you　twice　already。
Q。　We　want　to　make　sure　the　record　is　correct　in　every
A。　You　want　to　catch　me　in　a　lie；　isn't　that　what　you　really　mean？　You　don't　think　I'm　telling　the　truth；　do　YOU？
Q。　You　say　you　came　upon　Carrie　at
A。　Will　you　answer　me？
Q。　…at　2：00　on　the　morning　of　May　28th。　Is　that　correct？
A　I'm　not　going　to　answer　any　more　questions　until　you　answer　the　one　I　just　asked。
Q。　Miss　Snell；　this　body　is　empowered　to　cite　you　for　contempt　if　you　refuse　to　answer　on　any　other　grounds　than　Constitutional　ones。
A。　I　don't　care　what　you're　empowered　to　do。　I've　lost　someone　I　love。　Go　and　throw　me　in　jail。　I　don't　care。　I　…　go　to　hell。　All　of　you；　go　to　hell。　You're　trying　to　。。。　to　。。。　I　don't　know；　crucify　me　or　something。　Just　lay　off　me！
（A　short　recess）
Q。　Miss　Snell；　are　you　willing　to　continue　your　testimony　at　this　time？
A。　Yes。　But　I　won't　be　badgered。　Mr　Chairman。
Q。　Of　course　not；　young　lady。　No　one　wants　to　badger　you。　Now　you　claim　to　have　e　upon　Carrie　in　the　parking　lot　of　this　tavern　at　2：00。　Is　that　correct？
A。　Yes。
Q。　You　knew　it　was　2：00？
A。　I　was　wearing　the　watch　you　see　on　my　wrist　right　now。
Q。　To　be　sure。　Isn't　The　Cavalier　better　than　six　miles　from　where　you　left　your　mother's　car？
A。　It　is　by　the　road。　It's　close　to　three　as　the　crow　flies。
Q。　You　walked　this　distance？
X　Yes。
Q。　Now　you　testified　earlier　that　you　'knew'　you　were　getting　close　to　Carrie。　Can　you　explain　this？
A。　No。
Q。　Could　you　smell　her？
A。　What？
Q。　Did　you　follow　your　nose？
（Laughter　in　the　galleries）
A。　Are　you　playing　games　with　me？
Q。　Answer　the　question；　please。
A。　No。　I　didn't　follow　my　nose。
Q。　Could　you　see　her？
A。　No。
Q。　Hear　her？
A。　No。
Q。　Then　how　could　you　possibly　know　she　was　there？　A。　How　did　Tom　Quillan　know？　Or　Cora　Simard？　Or　poor　Vic　Mooney？　How　did　any　of　them　know？
Q。　Answer　the　question；　miss。　This　is　hardly　the　place　or　the　time　for　impertinence。
A。　But　they　did　say　they　'just　knew；'　didn't　they？　I　read　Mrs　Simard's　testimony　in　the　paper！　And　what　about　the　fire　hydrants　that　opened　themselves？　And　the　gas　pumps　that　broke　their　own　locks　and　turned　themselves　on？　The　power　lines　that　climbed　down　off　their　poles！　And
Q。　Miss　Snell；　please　
A。　Those　things　are　in　the　record　of　this　mission's　proceedings！
Q。　This　is　not　an　issue　here。
A。　Then　what　is？　Are　you　looking　for　the　truth　or　just　a　scapegoat？
Q。　You　deny　you　had　prior　knowledge　of　Carrie　White's　whereabouts？
A。　Of　course　I　do。　It's　an　absurd　idea。
Q。　Oh？　And　why　is　it　absurd？
A。　Well；　if　you're　suggesting　some　kind　of　conspiracy；　it's　absurd　because　Carrie　was　dying　when　I　found　her。　It　could　not　have　been　an　easy　way　to　die。
Q。　If　you　had　no　prior　knowledge　of　her　whereabouts；　how　could　you　go　directly　to　her　location？
A。　Oh；　you　stupid　man！　Have　you　listened　to　anything　that's　been　said　here？　Everybody　knew　it　was　Carrie！　Anyone　could　have　found　her　if　they　had　put　their　minds　to　it。
Q。　But　not　just　anyone　found　her。　You　did。　Can　you　tell　us　why　people　did　not　show　up　from　all　over；　like　iron　filings　drawn　to　a　magnet？
A。　She　was　weakening　rapidly。　I　think　that　perhaps　the　。。。　the　zone　of　her　influence　was　shrinking。
Q。　I　think　you　will　agree　that　that　is　a　relatively　uninformed　supposition。
A。　Of　course　it　is。　On　the　subject　of　Carrie　White；　we're　all　relatively　uninformed。
Q。　Have　it　your　way；　Miss　Snell。　Now　if　we　could　turn　to　。。。
At　first；　when　she　climbed　up　the　enbankment　between　Henry　Drain's　meadow　and　the　parking　lot　of　The　Cavalier；　she　thought　Carrie　was　dead。　Her　figure　was　halfway　across　the　parking　lot；　and　she　looked　oddly　shrunken　and　crumpled。　Sue　was　reminded　of　dead　animals　she　had　seen　on　495　…　woodchucks；　groundhogs；　skunks　…　that　had　been　crushed　by　speeding　trucks　and　station　wagons。
But　the　presence　was　still　in　her　mind；　vibrating　stubbornly；　repeating　the　call　letters　of　Carrie　White's　personality　over　and　over。　An　essence　of　Carrie；　a　gestalt。　Muted　now；　not　strident；　not　announcing　itself　with　a　clarion；　but　waxing　and　waning　in　steady　oscillations。
Unconscious。
Sue　climbed　over　the　guard　rail　that　bordered　the　parking　lot；　feeling　the　heat　of　the　fire　against　her　face。
The　Cavalier　was　a　wooden　frame　building；　and　it　was　burning　briskly。　The　charred　remains　of　a　car　were　limned　in　flame　to　the　right　of　the　back　door。　Carrie　had　done　that。　She　did　not　go　to　look　and　see　if　anyone　had　been　in　it。　It　didn't　matter；　not　now。
She　walked　over　to　where　Carrie　lay　on　her　side；　unable　to　hear　her　own　footsteps　under　the　hungry　crackle　of　the　fire。　She　looked　down　at　the　curled…up　figure　with　a　bemused　and　bitter　pity。　The　knife　hilt　protruded　cruelly　from　her　shoulder；　and　she　was　lying　in　a　small　pool　of　blood　…　some　of　it　was　trickling　from　her　mouth。　She　looked　as　if　she　had　been　trying　to　turn　herself　over　when　unconsciousness　had　taken　her。　Able　to　start　fires；　pull　down　electric　cables；　able　to　kill　almost　by　thought　alone；　lying　here　unable　to　turn　herself　over。
Sue　knelt；　took　her　by　one　arm　and　the　unhurt　shoulder；　and　gently　turned　her　on　to　her　back。
Carrie　moaned　thickly；　and　her　eyes　fluttered。　The　perception　of　her　in　Sue's　mind　sharpened；　as　if　a　mental　picture　was　ing　into　focus。
（who's　there）
And　Sue；　without　thought；　spoke　in　the　same　fashion：
（me　sue　snell）
Only　there　was　no　need　to　think　of　her　name。　The　thought　of　herself　as　herself　was　neither　words　nor　pictures。　The　realization　suddenly　brought　everything　up　close；　made　it　real；　and　passion　for　Carrie　broke　through　the　dullness　of　her　shock。
And　Carrie　with　faraway；　dumb　reproach：
（you　tricked　me　you　all　tricked　me）
（carrie　i　don't　even　know　what　happened　is　tommy）
（you　tricked　me　that　happened　trick　trick　trick　o　dirty　trick）
The　mixture　of　image　and　emotion　was　staggering；　indescribable。　Blood。　Sadness。　Fear。　The　latest　dirty　trick　in　a　long　series　of　dirty　tricks：　they　flashed　by　in　a　dizzying　shuffle　that　made　Sue's　mind　reel　helplessly；　hopelessly。　They　shared　the　awful　totality　of　perfect　knowledge。
（carrie　don't　don't　don't　hurts　me）
Now　girls　throwing　sanitary　napkins；　chanting；　laughing；　Sue's　face　mirrored　in　her　own　mind：　ugly；　caricatured　all　mouth；　cruelly　beautiful。
（see　the　dirty　tricks　see　my　whole　life　one　long　dirty　trick）
（look　carrie　look　inside　me）
And　Carrie　looked。
The　sensation　was　terrifying。　Her　mind　and　nervous　system　had　bee　a　library。　Someone　in　desperate　need　ran　through　her；　fingers　trailing　lightly　over　shelves　of　books；　lifting　some　out；　scanning　them；　putting　them　back；　letting　some　fall；　leaving　the　pages　to　flutter　wildly
（glimpses　that's　me　as　a　kid　hate　him　daddy　o　mommy　wide　lips　o　teeth　bobby　pushed　me　o　my　knee　car　want　to　ride　in　the　car　we're　going　to　see　aunt　cecily　mommy　e　quick　i　made　pee）
in　the　wind　of　memory；　and　still　on　and　on；　finally　reaching　a　shelf　marked　TOMMY；　subheaded　PROM。　Books　thrown　open；　flashes　of　experience；　marginal　notations　in　all　the　hiergglyphs　of　emotion；　more　plex　than　the　Rosetta　Stone。
Looking。　Finding　more　than　Sue　herself　had　suspected…love　for　Tommy；　jealousy；　selfishness；　a　need　to　subjugate　him　to　her　will　on　the　matter　of　taking　Carrie；　disgust　for　Carrie　herself；
（she　could　take　better　care　of　herself　she　does　look　just　like　a　GODDAM　TOAD）
hate　for　Miss　Desjardin；　hate　for　herself。
But　no　ill　will　for　Carrie　personally；　no　plan　to　get　her　in　front　of　everyone　and　undo　her。
The　feverish　feeling　of　being　raped　in　her　most　secret　corridors　began　to　fade。　She　felt　Carrie　puffing　back；　weak　and　exhausted。
（why　didn't　you　just　leave　me　alone）
（carrie　i）
（momma　would　be　alive　i　killed　my　momma　i　want　her　o　it　hurts　my　chest　my　shoulder　o　o　o　i　want　my　momma）
（carrie　i）
And　there　was　no　way　to　finish　that　thought；　nothing　there　to　plete　it　with。　Sue　was　suddenly　overwhelmed　with　terror；　the　worse　because　she　could　put　no　name　to　it：　The　bleeding　freak　on　this　oil…stained　asphalt　suddenly　seemed　meaningless　and　awful　in　its　pain　and　dying。
（o　momma　i'm　scared　momma　MOMMA）
Sue　tried　to　pull　away；　to　disengage　her　mind；　to　allow　Carrie　at　least　the　privacy　of　her　dying；　and　was　unable　to。　She　felt　that　she　was　dying　herself　and　did　not　want　to　see　this　preview　of　her　own　eventual　end。
（carrie　let　me　GO）
（Momma　Momma　Momma　oooooooooooo　0000000）
The　mental　scream　reached　a　flaring；　unbelievable　crescendo　and　then　suddenly　faded。　For　a　moment　Sue　felt　as　if　she　were　watching　a　candle　flame　disappear　down　a　long；　black　tunnel　at　a　tremendous　speed。
（she's　dying　o　my　god　i'm　feeling　her　die）
And　then　the　fight　was　gone；　and　the　last　conscious　thought　had　been
（momma　i'm　sorry　where）
and　it　broke　up　and　Sue　was　tuned　in　only　on　the　blank；　idiot　frequency　of　the　physical　nerve　endings　that　would　take　hours　to　die。
She　stumbled　away　from　it；　holding　her　arms　out　in　front　of　her　like　a　blind　woman；　toward　the　edge　of　the　parking　lot。　She　tripped　over　the　knee…high　guard　rail　and　tumbled　down　the　embankment。　She　got　to　her　feet　and　stumbled　into　the　field；　which　was　filling　with　mystic　white　pockets　of　ground　mist。　Crickets　chirruped　mindlessly　and　a　whippoorwill
（whippoorwill　somebody's　dying）
called　in　the　great　stillness　of　morning。
She　began　to　run；　breathing　deep　in　her　chest；　running　from　Tommy；　from　the　fires　and　explosions；　from　Carrie；　but　mostly　from　the　final　horror…that　last　lighted　thought　carried　swiftly　down　into　the　black　tunnel　of　eternity；　followed　by　the　blank；　idiot　hum　of　prosaic　electricity。
The　after…image　began　to　fade　reluctantly；　leaving　a　blessed；　cooling　darkness　in　her　mind　that　knew　nothing。　She　slowed；　halted；　and　became　aware　that　something　had　begun　to　happen。　She　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　great　and　misty　field。　waiting　for　realization。
Her　rapid　breathing　slowed；　slowed；　caught　suddenly　as　if　on　a　thorn
And　suddenly　vented　itself　in　one　howling；　cheated　scream。
As　she　felt　the　slow　course　of　dark　menstrual　b