gns.snakes-第21章

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ing　eventually。
　　
　　The　lawn　was　virtually　a　patch　of　uncut　hay；　it　really　did　not　need　cutting。　An　excuse　really；　the　need　to　be　doing　something。　Anything。　But　whatever　he　did　he　could　not　get　Kirsten　off　his　mind。　He　had　to　know　today　what　had　bee　of　her；　whether　their　relationship　had　finally　tottered　over　the　brink。　He　could　not　stand　not　knowing　any　longer。
　　
　　Up　and　down　that　lawn；　cutting　dead　brown　swathes　that　would　need　weeks　of　rain　to　recover。　Emptying　the　grass…box　on　the　pile　behind　the　flowering　cherry　tree；　mowing　again；　now　hurrying　because　he　wanted　to　get　finished。　Then　he　would　go　up　to　the　Davis　household。　If　they　were　not　at　home　then　perhaps　the　neighbours　might　have　some　idea　where　they　had　gone。
　　
　　In　the　midst　of　his　thoughts　the　engine　stuttered；　cut　out　in　a　final　puff　of　two…stroke　smoke；　an　ageing　monster　that　had　finally　given　up　its　battle　with　life。
　　
　　Silence；　plete　and　utter。　You　could　not　even　hear　the　cars　on　the　distant　motorway。　It　was　like　standing　in　the　middle　of　a　ghost　village　that　stank　of　lawn　mower　fumes　and　burned　barley。　The　smell　of　death。
　　
　　'Hi；　there。'
　　
　　Keith　Doyle　turned　slowly；　saw　the　dark…bearded　young　man；　roughly　his　own　age；　ing　up　the　drive　towards　him。　He　nodded；　remembered　having　seen　him　around　the　village　but　could　not　quite　place　him。　A　visitor；　one　who　had　been　before。
　　
　　'You're　Keith　Doyle。'　The　stranger　extended　a　hand；　'My　name's　John　Price。　I'm　staying　down　at　Mrs　Harrison's。'
　　
　　'Of　course。'　Keith　just　checked　himself　from　blurting　out；　'The　old　lady　who　had　a　heart　attack　when　a　grass　snake　got　in　the　house？'　'You're　the　zoologist　who　is　helping　them　hunt　the　snakes。'　It　all　clicked　into　place。
　　
　　'That's　right。　And　not　having　much　luck；　I'm　afraid。　I　heard　about　your　own　experience；　it　must　have　been　absolutely　terrifying。'
　　
　　'I　had　a　near　scrape。'　Keith's　legs　felt　wobbly　just　recalling　that　flight　from　the　border　with　the　fattier　hard　after　him；　once　he　reached　the　garage；　though；　he　wasn't　in　much　danger。　He　had　to　keep　consoling　himself　with　that　fact。　'I　had　to　e　out　and　do　some　work　today；　not　just　for　the　money　but　because　I'd　go　bloody　crazy　if　I　stayed　indoors。'
　　
　　'Me；　too。'　John　Price　began　rolling　himself　a　cigarette。　'They　don't　need　me　at　present。'　He　waved　his　free　hand　vaguely　in　the　direction　of　the　moors。　'We've　scoured　the　moors；　acres　of　barley　have　been　devastated　by　fire；　and　yesterday　they　hunted　the　remaining　fields。　Nothing　at　all。　The　snakes　seem　to　have　disappeared　totally。'
　　
　　'You　think　they　might've　moved　on？'
　　
　　'If　so　there　have　been　no　reports　of　their　having　been　sighted。　I　have　my　doubts。'
　　
　　'Meaning　they're　still　in　Stainforth？'
　　
　　'。'　reckon　so；　right　under　our　bloody　noses。　But　where？　I　was　hoping　that　as　a　jobbing　gardener；　knowing　the　village　and　the　gardens；　you　might　have　some　idea。'
　　
　　Keith　puckered　his　lips；　scratched　his　shock　of　unruly　copper　hair。　'Couldn't　rightly　say；　there　are　so　many　patches　of　wilderness。　I　could　name　several　gardens　that　I　go　to　that　could　hide　a　hundred　snakes；　and　a　lot　more　that　I　don't　work　in。'
　　
　　'The　authorities　are　worried　now　that　the　reptiles　might　actually　be　in　the　village。'　Price　drew　deeply　on　a　crumpled　cigarette；　inhaled　the　strong　smoke。　'They're　going　to　search　every　garden；　hedgerow　and　patch　of　wasteland　in　Stainforth　today。　They　just　asked　me　to　stand　by　in　case　they　need　me　for　identifying　any　species　they　might　be　lucky　enough　to　shoot。　The　inhabitants　arc　scared　already　but　that's　nothing　to　what　they're　going　to　be　when　gangs　of　armed　searchers　and　dogs　start　invading　their　gardens。　The　media　doesn't　help。　Every　morning　there's　a　blown…up　picture　of　some　deadly　snake　on　the　front　page　of　just　about　every　paper。　The　police　have　booted　out　the　sightseers；　sent　'em　packing　in　no　uncertain　terms；　and　sealed　off　the　road。　I'm　half　expecting　them　to　evacuate　the　village。　It　would　certainly　be　the　safest　thing　to　do。'
　　
　　'I'll　keep　my　eyes　peeled。'　Suddenly　Keith　felt　very　cold　standing　there　in　the　hot　sunshine。　The　last　thing　he　wanted　to　see　right　now　was　another　snake。　'Well；　I　reckon　this　mower　has　finally　had　it；　so　that's　as　good　an　excuse　as　any　to　pack　it　in　for　today。'
　　
　　'Fancy　a　pint？　The　Rising　Sun　is　remaining　open；　regardless。'
　　
　　'I'd　like　to；'　Keith　shuffled　his　feet　awkwardly。　'In　fact；　there's　nothing　I'd　like　better；　but　I　haven't　seen　my　girlfriend　for　three　days。　She's　not　at　work　and　maybe　her　parents　have　left　the　village　for　a　time。　I've　got　to　go　and　see　what's　happened。'
　　
　　John　Price　nodded。　'I'll　see　you　around　then。'　He　dropped　his　gaze；　added　with　a　hint　of　embarrassment；　'I　think　that　maybe　two　fellers　moving　quietly　and　knowing　what　they're　about　might　stand　more　chance　of　finding　these　snakes　than　a　whole　army　of　searchers　beating　hell　out　of　the　vegetation。'
　　
　　'Is　that　an　invitation　to　join　you　in　a　snake　hunt？'
　　
　　'Yeah；　I　guess　it　is。'
　　
　　There　was　a　long　pause；　an　uneasy　silence　before　Keith　replied。　'Maybe；　I　can't　rightly　say　at　this　moment；　it　all　depends　on　my　girl。　I　got　problems；　you　see。　Tell　you　what；　I'll　try　and　get　'em　sorted　out　today　and　if　everything's　OK　you　and　me'll　take　a　look　around　tomorrow；　I　can't　mit　myself　further　then　that　at　this　moment。'
　　
　　'Fair　enough；'　John　Price　dropped　the　butt　of　his　cigarette　on　to　the　tarmac；　ground　it　to　shreds　with　his　heel。　'You　e　down　to　my　place；　Mrs　Harrison's　bungalow；　early　in　the　morning　and　we'll　see　what's　doing　then。'
　　
　　Keith　watched　the　other　walk　back　down　the　drive；　slow　loping　steps；　another　man　who　had　to　be　doing　something　or　else　he　would　go　crazy。
　　
　　And　as　he　pulled　the　clapped…out　Atco　back　up　the　drive　to　the　garage　the　gardener　was　praying　that　the　search　parties　might　find　the　reptiles　today　and　destroy　them。　If　they　did　not　then　he　would　be　as　scared　as　the　rest　of　the　villagers。　He　hadn't　promised　to　go　on　a　snake　hunt；　though。
　　
　　But　he　knew　that　he　would　help　John　Price　to　seek　the　killers　out　all　the　same。
　　
　　As　he　drove　out　of　the　Yardleys'　gateway　he　had　to　wait　for　a　convoy　of　army　Land　Rovers　to　pass；　open…backed　vehicles　packed　with　men　in　camouflage　clothing；　armed　with　shotguns。　Slowing；　pulling　into　the　side　of　the　road；　beginning　to　disembark。　So　sinister　in　the　main　street　of　an　English　village。
　　
　　Keith's　flesh　crept　and　his　mouth　was　dry；　the　kind　of　dryness　that　even　a　lager　at　the　Rising　Sun　would　not　alleviate。　Basic　fear；　terror　because　there　was　no　doubt　in　his　mind　that　the　snakes　were　right　here　in　Stainforth　village。　Hiding　out　somewhere。
　　
　　And　nobody　would　sleep　easily　in　their　beds　again　until　every　one　of　those　killers　was　dead。
　　
　　
　　
　　　Chapter　11
　　
　　'I'M　GOING　to　see　Kirsten；　Mother。'
　　
　　Not　wholly　a　lie。　I'm　going　to　try　and　see　Kirsten；　Mother；　do　my　damnedest。　She　wasn't　at　home　earlier　and　the　car　wasn't　in　the　garage；　and　in　all　probability　my　guess　was　correct　that　they've　left　Stainforth　for　the　present。　Except　I've　got　a　feeling　that　they'll　be　back　soon。　Maybe　I'm　clinging　to　vain　hopes　but　at　least　if　I　go　down　there　and　hang　around　I'm　actually　doing　something。　I　can't　stay　here　and　be　interrogated　all　evening。
　　
　　'Are　you　sure　it's　all　right　to　go　out？'
　　
　　'Well；　I've　been　out　most　of　the　day　gardening；　haven't　I；　and　I'm　OK。'　Liar；　you　changed　your　mind　and　went　for　a　pint　in　the　Rising　Sun　after　you'd　been　to　the　Davis　house。　A　pity　you　didn't　go　with　that　Price　feller　in　the　first　place。　Still；　it　had　helped　to　fill　the　day　in。
　　
　　'Like　I　told　you　earlier；　Keith；　the　soldiers　have　been　all　through　the　gardens　in　the　village　today。　Gave　me　quite　a　turn；　I　can　tell　you；　men　with　guns　on　the　lawns；　poking　in　the　shrubs。'
　　
　　'But　they　didn't　find　anything；　did　they；　Mother？'
　　
　　'No…oo…oo　。　。　。　but　they　might　have。'
　　
　　Jesus　Christ；　there　might　be　a　nuclear　war　tonight　and　we'll　al！　be　blown　to　blazes！　'Don't　you　worry；　these　snakes　have　probably　high…tailed　it　out　of　the　area　and　in　a　couple　of　d