ib.thewaspfactory-第38章
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The dog's head jerked out of the water; splashing down then up; sending the animal away from me; and over on one side。 It floated downstream a little; then bumped; caught by the bank。 Some blood flowed from the hole where that one eye had been。 'Frank'll get you;' I whispered。
I dragged the dog out and dug a hole in the peaty ground upstream with my knife; gagging now and again on the smell of the corpse。 I buried the animal; looked round again; then; after judging the slightly stiffened breeze; walked away a bit and set fire to the grass。 The blaze swept over the last bits of the dog's fiery trail; and over its grave。 It stopped at the stream; where I had thought it would; and I stamped out a few patches of stray fire on the far bank; where a couple of embers had blown。
When it was over; and the dog buried; I turned for home and ran。
I got back to the house without incident; downed two pints of water; and tried to relax in a cool bath with a carton of orange juice balanced on the side。 I was still shaking; and spent a time washing the smell of burning out of my hair。 Vegetarian cooking smells came up from the kitchen; where my father was preparing a meal。
I was sure I had almost seen my brother。 That wasn't where he was camped; I decided; but he had been there; and I had just missed him。 In a way I was relieved; and that was difficult to accept; but it was the truth。
I sank back; let the water wash over me。
I came down to the kitchen with my dressing…gown on。 My father was sitting at the table with a vest and shorts on; elbows on the table; staring at the Inverness Courier。 I put the carton of orange juice back in the fridge and lifted the lid of the pot where a curry was cooling。 Bowls of salad to acpany it lay on the table。 My father turned the pages of the paper; ignoring me。
'Hot; isn't it?' I said; for want of anything else。
'Hnnh。'
I sat down at the other end of the table。 My father turned another page; head down。 I cleared my throat。
'There was a fire; down by the new house。 I saw it。 I went and put it out;' I said; to cover myself。
'It's the weather for it;' my father said; without looking up。 I nodded to myself; scratching my crotch quietly through the towelling of the dressing…gown。
'I saw from the forecast it's supposed to break tomorrow late sometime。' I shrugged。 'So they said。'
'Well; we'll see;' my father said; turning the paper back to the front page as he got up to have a look at the curry。 I nodded to myself again; toying with the end of the belt of the dressing…gown; looking casually at the paper。 My father bent to sniff the mixture in the pot。 I stared。
I looked at him; got up; went round to the chair he had been sitting in; stood as though I was looking out of the door; but in fact with my eyes slanted towards the paper。 MYSTERY BLAZE IN HOLIDAY COTTAGE; said the bottom eighth of the front page on the left…hand side。 A holiday home just south of Inverness had gone up in flames shortly before the paper went to press。 The police were still investigating。
I went back to the other end of the table; sat down。
We eventually had the curry and the salad; and I started sweating again。 I used to think that I was weird because I found that the morning after I had eaten a curry my armpits smelled of the stuff; but I have since found that Jamie has experienced the same effect; so I don't feel so bad。 I ate the curry and had a banana and some yoghurt along with it; but it was still too hot; and my father; who has always had a rather masochistic approach to the dish; left almost half of his。
I was still in my dressing…gown; sitting watching the television in the lounge; when the phone went。 I started for the door; but heard my father go from his study to answe! it; so I stayed by the door to listen。 I couldn't hear much; but then footsteps came down the stairs and I ran back to my chair; flopped into it and put my head over on one side; eyes closed and mouth open。 My father opened the door。
'Frank。 It's for you。'
'H'm?' I said slowly; opening my eyes gummily; looking at the television; then getting up a little unsteadily。 My father left the door open for me and retreated to his study。 I went to the phone。
'M'm? Hello?'
''allah…oh; zet Frenk?' said a very English voice。
'Yes; hello?' I said; puzzled。
'Heh…heh; Frankie boy!' Eric shouted。 'Well; here I am; in your thorax of the woods and still eating the old hot dogs! Ho ho! So how are ye; me young bucko? Stars going OK for you; are they? What sign are you; anyway ? I forget。'
'Canis。'
'Woof! Really?'
'Yeah。 What sign are you?' I asked; dutifully following one of Eric's old routines。
'Cancer! ' came the screamed reply。
'Benign or malignant?' I said tiredly。
'Malignant!' Eric screeched。 'I've got crabs at the moment!'
I took my ear away from the plastic while Eric guffawed。 'Listen; Eric…' I began。
'How're ye doin'? How's things? Howzithingin'? Are you well? Howzitgon? Andyerself? Wotchermait。 Like where's your head at this moment in time ? Where are you in' from? Christ; Frank; do you know why Volvos whistle? Well; neither do I; but who cares? What did Trotsky say ? 〃I need Stalin like I need a hole in the head。〃 Ha ha ha ha ha! Actually I don't like these German cars; their headlights are too close together。 Are ye well; Frankie?'
'Eric…'
'To bed; to sleep; perchance to masturbate。 Ah; there's the rub! Ho ho ho!'
'Eric;' I said; looking round and up the stairs to make sure my father was nowhere in evidence。 'Will you shut up!'
'What?' Eric said; in a small; hurt voice。
'The dog;' I hissed。 'I saw that dog today。 The one down by the new house。 I was there。 I saw it。'
'What dog?' Eric said; sounding perplexed。 I could hear him sigh heavily; and something clattered in the background。
'Don't try to mess me around; Eric; I saw it。 I want you to stop; understand? No more dogs。 Can you hear me? Do you get it? Well?'
'What? What dogs?'
'You heard。 You're too close。 No more dogs。 Leave them alone。 And no kids; either。 No worms。 Just forget about it。 e and see us if you want to…that'd be nice…but no worms; no burning dogs。 I'm serious; Eric。 You'd better believe it。'
'Believe what? What are you talking about?' he said in a plaintive voice。
'You heard;' I said; and put the phone down。 I stood by the telephone; looking upstairs。 In a few seconds it rang again。 I picked it up; heard pips go; and replaced it on the cradle。 I stayed there for a few more minutes; but nothing else happened。
As I started to go back to the lounge my father came along from the study; wiping his hands on a cloth; followed by odd smells; his eyes wide。
'Who was that?'
'Just Jamie;' I said; 'putting on a funny voice。'
'Hnnh;' he said; apparently relieved; and went back。
Apart from his curry repeating on him my father was very quiet。 When the evening started to cool I went out; just once round the island。 Clouds were ing in off the sea; closing the sky like a door and trapping the day's heat over the island。 Thunder rumbled on the other side of the hills; without light。 I slept fitfully; lying sweating and tossing and turning on my bed; until a bloodshot dawn rose over the sands of the island。
11 : The Prodigal
I WOKE from my last bout of restless sleep with the duvet on the floor beside the bed。 Nevertheless; I was sweating。 I got up; had a shower; shaved carefully; and climbed into the loft before the heat up there got too severe。
In the loft it was very stuffy。 I opened the skylights and stuck my head out; surveying the land behind and the sea in front with my binoculars。 It was still overcast; the light seemed tired and the breeze tasted stale。 I tinkered with the Factory a bit; feeding the ants and the spider and the Venus; checking wir