sk.theshining-第111章

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　　〃Right　after　Labor　Day。　When　Danny　and　I　leave　here；　we'll　be　going　right　on　to　Maryland　to　look　for　a　place。　It　was　really　the　Chamber　of　merce　brochure　that　convinced　me；　you　know。　It　looks　like　a　nice　town　to　raise　a　kid　in。　And　I'd　like　to　be　working　again　before　we　dig　too　deeply　into　the　insurance　money　Jack　left。　There's　still　over　forty　thousand　dollars。　Enough　to　send　Danny　to　college　with　enough　left　over　to　get　him　a　start；　if　it's　invested　right。〃　Hallorann　nodded。　〃Your　mom？〃　She　looked　at　him　and　smiled　wanly。　〃I　think　Maryland　is　far　enough。〃
　　〃You　won't　forget　old　friends；　will　you？〃
　　〃Danny　wouldn't　let　me。　Go　on　down　and　see　him；　he's　been　waiting　all　day。〃
　　〃Well；　so　have　L〃　He　stood　up　and　hitched　his　cook's　whites　at　the　hips。　〃The　two　of　you　are　going　to　be　okay；〃　he　repeated。　〃Can't　you　feel　it？〃　She　looked　up　at　him　and　this　time　her　smile　was　warmer。　〃Yes；〃　she　said。　She　took　his　hand　and　kissed　it。　〃Sometimes　I　think　I　can。〃
　　〃The　shrimp　creole；〃　he　said；　moving　to　the　steps。　〃Don't　forget。〃
　　〃I　won't。〃　He　walked　down　the　sloping；　graveled　path　that　led　to　the　dock　and　then　out　along　the　weather…beaten　boards　to　the　end；　where　Danny　sat　with　his　feet　in　the　clear　water。　Beyond；　the　lake　widened　out；　mirroring　the　pines　along　its　verge。
　　The　terrain　was　mountainous　around　here；　but　the　mountains　were　old；　rounded　and　humbled　by　time。　Hallorann　liked　them　just　fine。
　　〃Catchin　much？〃　Hallorann　said；　sitting　down　next　to　him。　He　took　off　one　shoe；　then　the　other。　With　a　sigh；　he　let　his　hot　feet　down　into　the　cool　water。
　　〃No。　But　I　had　a　nibble　a　little　while　ago。〃
　　〃We'll　take　a　boat　out　tomorrow　morning。　Got　to　get　out　in　the　middle　if　you　want　to　catch　an　eatin　fish；　my　boy。　Out　yonder　is　where　the　big　ones　lay。〃
　　〃How　big？〃　Hallorann　shrugged。　〃Oh　。　。　。　sharks；　marlin；　whales；　that　sort　of　thing。〃
　　〃There　aren't　any　whales！〃
　　〃No　blue　whales；　no。　Of　course　not。　These　ones　here　run　to　no　more　than　eighty　feet。　Pink　whales。〃
　　〃How　could　they　get　here　from　the　ocean？〃　Hallorann　put　a　hand　on　the　boy's　reddish…gold　hair　and　rumpled　it。　〃They　swim　upstream；　my　boy。　That's　how。〃
　　〃Really？〃
　　〃Really。〃　They　were　silent　for　a　time；　looking　out　over　the　stillness　of　the　lake；　Hallorann　just　thinking。　When　he　looked　back　at　Danny；　he　saw　that　his　eyes　had　filled　with　tears。
　　Putting　an　arm　around　him；　he　said；　〃What's　this？〃
　　〃Nothing；〃　Danny　whispered。
　　〃You're　missin　your　dad；　aren't　you？〃　Danny　nodded。　〃You　always　know。〃　One　of　the　tears　spilled　from　the　corner　of　his　right　eye　and　trickled　slowly　down　his　cheek。
　　〃We　can't　have　any　secrets；〃　Hallorann　agreed。　〃That's　just　how　it　is。〃　Looking　at　his　pole；　Danny　said：　〃Sometimes　I　wish　it　had　been　me。　It　was　my　fault。　All　my　fault。〃　Hallorann　said；　〃You　don't　like　to　talk　about　it　around　your　mom；　do　you？〃
　　〃No。　She　wants　to　forget　it　ever　happened。　So　do　I；　but…〃
　　〃But　you　can't。〃
　　〃No。°。
　　〃Do　you　need　to　cry？〃　The　boy　tried　to　answer；　but　the　words　were　swallowed　in　a　sob。　He　leaned　his　head　against　Hallorann's　shoulder　and　wept；　the　tears　now　flooding　down　his　face。　Hallorann　held　him　and　said　nothing。　The　boy　would　have　to　shed　his　tears　again　and　again；　he　knew；　and　it　was　Danny's　luck　that　he　was　still　young　enough　to　be　able　to　do　that。　The　tears　that　heal　are　also　the　tears　that　scald　and　scourge。
　　When　he　had　quieted　a　little；　Hallorann　said；　〃You're　gonna　get　over　this。　You　don't　think　you　are　right　now；　but　you　will。　You　got　the　shi…〃
　　〃I　wish　I　didn't！〃　Danny　choked；　his　voice　still　thick　with　tears。　〃I　wish　I　didn't　have　it！〃
　　〃But　you　do；〃　Hallorann　said　quietly。　〃For　better　or　worse。　You　didn't　get　no　say；　little　boy。　But　the　worst　is　over。　You　can　use　it　to　talk　to　me　when　things　get　rough。　And　if　they　get　too　rough；　you　just　call　me　and　I'll　e。〃
　　〃Even　if　I'm　down　in　Maryland？〃
　　〃Even　there。〃　They　were　quiet；　watching　Danny's　bobber　drift　around　thirty　feet　out　from　the　end　of　the　dock。　Then　Danny　said；　almost　too　low　to　be　heard；　〃You'll　be　my　friend？〃
　　〃As　long　as　you　want　me。〃　The　boy　held　him　tight　and　Hallorann　hugged　him。
　　〃Danny？　You　listen　to　me。　I'm　going　to　talk　to　you　about　it　this　once　and　never　again　this　same　way。　There's　some　things　no　six…year…old　boy　in　the　world　should　have　to　be　told；　but　the　way　things　should　be　and　the　way　things　are　hardly　ever　get　together。　The　world's　a　hard　place；　Danny。　It　don't　care。　It　don't　hate　you　and　me；　but　it　don't　love　us；　either。　Terrible　things　happen　in　the　world；　and　they're　things　no　one　can　explain。　Good　people　die　in　bad；　painful　ways　and　leave　the　folks　that　love　them　all　alone。　Sometimes　it　seems　like　it's　only　the　bad　people　who　stay　healthy　and　prosper。　The　world　don't　love　you；　but　your　momma　does　and　so　do　I。　You're　a　good　boy。　You　grieve　for　your　daddy；　and　when　you　feel　you　have　to　cry　over　what　happened　to　him；　you　go　into　a　closet　or　under　your　covers　and　cry　until　it's　all　out　of　you　again。　That's　what　a　good　son　has　to　do。　But　see　that　you　get　on。　That's　your　job　in　this　hard　world；　to　keep　your　love　alive　and　see　that　you　get　on；　no　matter　what。　Pull　your　act　together　and　just　go　on。〃
　　〃All　right；〃　Danny　whispered。　〃I'll　e　see　you　again　next　summer　if　you　want　。　。　。　if　you　don't　mind。　Next　summer　I'm　going　to　be　seven。〃
　　〃And　I'll　be　sixty…two。　And　I'm　gonna　hug　your　brains　out　your　ears。　But　let's　finish　one　summer　before　we　get　on　to　the　next。〃
　　〃Okay。〃　He　looked　at　Hallorann。　〃Dick？〃
　　〃Hmm？〃
　　〃You　won't　die　for　a　long　time；　will　you？〃
　　〃I'm　sure　not　studyin　on　it。　Are　you？〃
　　〃No；　sir。　I…〃
　　〃You　got　a　bite；　sonny。〃　He　pointed。　The　red　and　white　bobber　had　ducked　under。　It　came　up　again　glistening；　and　then　went　under　again。
　　〃Hey！〃　Danny　gulped。
　　Wendy　had　e　down　and　now　joined　them；　standing　in　back　of　Danny。　〃What　is　it？〃　she　asked。　〃Pickerel？〃
　　〃No；　ma'am；〃　Hallorann　said；　〃I　believe　that's　a　pink　whale。〃　The　tip　of　the　fishing　rod　bent。　Danny　pulled　it　back　and　a　long　fish；　rainbow…colored；　flashed　up　in　a　sunny；　winking　parabola；　and　disappeared　again。
　　Danny　reeled　frantically；　gulping。
　　〃Help　me；　Dick！　I　got　him！　I　got　him！　Help　me！〃　Hallorann　laughed。　〃You're　doin　fine　all　by　yourself；　little　man。　I　don't　know　if　it's　a　pink　whale　or　a　trout；　but　it'll　do。　It'll　do　just　fine。〃　He　put　an　arm　around　Danny's　shoulders　and　the　boy　reeled　the　fish　in；　little　by　little。　Wendy　sat　down　on　Danny's　other　side　and　the　three　of　them　sat　on　the　end　of　the　dock　in　the　afternoon　sun。



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