第33部分(第1/7 頁)

of　the　snake；　slipping　swiftly　over　the　carpet's　dry　hackles。　At　his　heels　now；

perhaps　rising　up　with　the　clear　poison　dribbling　from　its　brass　snout。

Danny　reached　the　stairs　and　had　to　pinwheel　his　arms　crazily　for　balance。　For

one　moment　it　seemed　sure　that　he　would　cartwheel　over　and　go　head…for…heels　to

the　bottom。

He　threw　a　glance　back　over　his　shoulder。

The　hose　had　not　moved。　It　lay　as　it　had　lain；　one　loop　off　the　frame；　the

brass　nozzle　on　the　hall　floor；　the　nozzle　pointing　disinterestedly　away　from

him。　You　see；　stupid？　he　berated　himself。　You　made　it　all　up；　scaredy…cat。　It

was　all　your　imagination；　scaredy…cat；　scaredy…cat。

He　clung　to　the　stairway　railing；　his　legs　trembling　in　reaction。

（It　never　chased　you）

his　mind　told　him；　and　seized　on　that　thought；　and　played　it　back。

（never　chased　you；　never　chased　you；　never　did；　never　did）

It　was　nothing　to　be　afraid　of。　Why；　he　could　go　back　and　put　that　hose　right

into　its　frame；　if　he　wanted　to。　He　could；　but　he　didn't　think　he　would。　Because

what　if　it　had　chased　him　and　had　gone　back　when　it　saw　that　it　couldn't　。。。

quite　。。。　catch　him？

The　hose　lay　on　the　carpet；　almost　seeming　to　ask　him　if　he　would　like　to　e

back　and　try　again。

Panting；　Danny　ran　downstairs。

》

TALKING　TO　MR。　ULLMAN

The　Sidewinder　Public　Library　was　a　small；　retiring　building　one　block　down

from　the　town's　business　area。　It　was　a　modest；　vine…covered　building；　and　the

wide　concrete　walk　up　to　the　door　was　lined　with　the　corpses　of　last　summer's

flowers。　On　the　lawn　was　a　large　bronze　statue　of　a　Civil　War　general　Jack　had

never　heard　of；　although