if.thespywholovedme-第2章
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face had cleared； he said softly； 〃All right； sex…box。 Just see that you mind camp good until the boss es to take over the keys tomorrow noon。 Happy dreams tonight。〃 Then he had grinned a grin I hadn't understood； and had gone over to the station…wagon； where his wife had been watching from the driver's seat。 〃e on； Jed；〃 she had said sharply。 〃You can work off those urges on West Street tonight。〃 She put the car in gear and called over to me sweetly； 〃 'By now； cutie…pie。 Write us every day。〃 Then she had wiped the crooked smile off her face and I caught a last glimpse of her withered hatchet profile as the car turned out onto the road。 Phew！ What a couple！ Right out of a book…and what a book！ Dear Diary！ Well； people couldn't e much Worse； and now they'd gone。 From now on； on my travels； the human race must improve！
I had been standing there； looking down the way the Phanceys had gone； remembering them。 Now I turned and looked to the north to see after the weather。 It had been a beautiful day； Swiss clear and hot for the middle of October； but now high fretful clouds； black with jagged pink hair from the setting sun； were piling down the sky。 Fast little winds were zigzagging among the forest tops and every now and then they hit the single yellow light above the deserted gas station down the road at the tail of the lake and set it swaying。 When a longer gust reached me； cold and buffeting； it brought with it the whisper of a metallic squeak from the dancing light； and the first time this happened I shivered deliciously at the little ghostly noise。 On the lake shore； beyond the last of the cabins； small waves were lapping fast against the stones； and the gunmetal surface of the lake was fretted with sudden cat's…paws that sometimes showed a fleck of white。 But； in between the angry gusts； the air was still； and the sentinel trees across the road and behind the motel seemed to be pressing silently closer to huddle round the campfire of the brightly lit building at my back。
I suddenly wanted to go to the john； and I smiled to myself。 It was the piercing tickle that es to children during hide…and…seek…in…the…dark and Sardines； when； in your cupboard under the stairs； you heard the soft creak of a floorboard； the approaching whisper of the searchers。 Then you clutched yourself in thrilling anguish and squeezed your legs together and waited for the ecstasy of discovery； the crack of light from the opening door and then…the supreme moment…your urgent 〃Ssh！ e in with me！〃 the softly closing door and the giggling warm body pressed tight against your own。
Standing there； a 〃big girl〃 now； I remembered it all and recognized the sensual itch brought on by a fleeting apprehension…the shiver down the spine； the intuitive gooseflesh that e from the primitive fear…signals of animal ancestors。 1 was amused and I hugged the moment to me。 Soon the thunderheads would burst and I would step back from the howl and chaos of the storm into my well…lighted fortable cave； make myself a drink； listen to the radio； and feel safe and cosseted。
It was getting dark。 Tonight there would be no evening chorus from the birds。 They had long ago read the signs and disappeared into their own shelters in the forest； as had the animals…the squirrels and the chipmunks and the deer。 In all this huge wild area there was now only me out in the open。 I took a last few deep breaths of the soft； moist air。 The humidity had strengthened the scent of pine and moss； and now there was also a strong underlying armpit smell of earth。 It was almost as if the forest was sweating with the same pleasurable excitement I was feeling。 Somewhere； from quite close； a nervous owl asked loudly 〃Who？〃 and then was silent。 I took a few steps away from the lighted doorway and stood in the middle of the dusty road； looking north。 A strong gust of wind hit me and blew back my hair。 Lightning threw a quick blue…white hand across the horizon。 Seconds later thunder growled softly like a wakening guard dog； and then the big wind came and the tops of the trees began to dance and thrash and the yellow light over the gas station jigged and blinked down the road as if to warn me。 It was warning me。 Suddenly the dancing light was blurred with rain； its luminosity fogged by an advancing gray sheet of water。 The first heavy drops hit me； and 1 turned and ran。
I banged the door behind me； locked it； and put up the chain。 I was only just in time。 Then the avalanche crashed down and settled into a steady roar of water whose patterns of sound varied from a heavy drumming on the slanting timbers of the roof to a higher； more precise slashing at the windows。 In a moment these sounds were joined by the busy violence of the overflow drainpipes。 And the noisy background pattern of the storm was set。
I was still standing there； cozily listening； when the thunder that had been creeping quietly up behind my back sprang its ambush。 Suddenly lightning blazed in the room； and at the same instant there came a blockbusting crash that shook the building and made the air twang like piano wire。 It was just one single colossal explosion that might have been a huge bomb falling only yards away。 There was a sharp tinkle as a piece of glass fell out of one of the windows onto the floor； and then the noise of water pattering in onto the linoleum。
I didn't move。 I couldn't。 I stood and cringed； my hands over my ears。 I hadn't meant it to be like this！ The silence； that had been deafening； resolved itself back into the roar of the rain； the roar that had been so forting but that now said； 〃You hadn't thought it could be so bad。 You had never seen a storm in these mountains。 Pretty flimsy this little shelter of yours； really。 How'd you like to have the lights put out as a start？ Then the crash of a thunderbolt through that matchwood ceiling of yours？ Then； just to finish you off； lightning to set fire to the place…perhaps electrocute you？ Or shall we just frighten you so much that you dash out in the rain and try and make those ten miles to Lake George。 Like to be alone； do you？ Well； just try this for size！〃 Again the room turned blue…white； again； just overhead； there came the ear…splitting crack of the explosion； but this time the crack widened and racketed to and fro in a furious cannonade that set the cups and glasses rattling behind the bar and made the woodwork creak with the pressure of the sound…waves。
My legs felt weak； and I faltered to the nearest chair and sat down； my head in my hands。 How could I have been so foolish； so…so impudent？ If only someone would e； someone to stay with me； someone to tell me that this was only a storm！ But it wasn't！ It was catastrophe； the end of the world！ And all aimed at me！ Now！ It would be ing again！ Any minute now！ I must do something； get help！ But the Phanceys had paid off the telephone pany； and the service had been disconnected。 There was only one hope！ I got up and ran to the door； reaching up for the big switch that controlled the VACANCY/NO VACANCY sign in red neon above the threshold。 If I put it to VACANCY； there might be someone driving down the road。 Someone who would be glad of shelter。 But； as I pulled the switch； the lightning that had been watching me crackled viciously in the room； and； as the thunder crashed； I was seized by a giant hand and hurled to the floor。
Two： Dear Dead Days
WHEN I came to； I at once knew where I was and what had happened and I cringed closer to the floor； waiting to be hit again。 I stayed like that for about ten minutes； listening to the roar of the rain； wondering if the electric shock had done me permanent damage； burned me； inside perhaps； making me unable to have babies； or turned my hair white。 Perhaps all my hair had been burned off！ I moved a hand to it。 It felt all right； though there was a bump at the back of my head。 Gingerly I moved。 Nothing was broken。 There was no harm。 And then the big General Electric icebox in the corner burst into life and began its cheerful domestic throbbing； and I realized that the world was still going on and that the thunder had gone away； and I got rather weakly to my feet and looked about me； expecting I don't know what scene of chaos and destruction。 But there it all w
