第35部分(第1/7 頁)

Why？　If　it　wasn't　an　effort　to　get　himself　thrown　out　of　the　good　job　Al　had

snagged　for　him；　then　what　was　it？

He　deposited　the　rest　of　the　money　in　the　slots　and　hung　up　the　phone。　It

really　was　the　senseless　kind　of　thing　he　might　have　done　if　he　had　been　drunk。

But　he　had　been　sober；　dead　cold　sober。

Walking　out　of　the　drugstore　be　crunched　another　Excedrin　into　his　mouth；

grimacing　yet　relishing　the　bitter　taste。

On　the　walk　outside　he　met　Wendy　and　Danny。

〃Hey；　we　were　just　ing　after　you；〃　Wendy　said。　〃Snowing；　don't　you　know。〃

Jack　blinked　up。　〃So　it　is。〃　It　was　snowing　hard。　Sidewinder's　main　street　was

already　heavily　powdered；　the　center　line　obscured。　Danny　had　his　head　tilted　up

to　the　white　sky；　his　mouth　open　and　his　tongue　out　to　catch　some　of　the　fat

flakes　drifting　down。

〃Do　you　think　this　is　it？〃　Wendy　asked。

Jack　shrugged。　〃I　don't　know。　I　was　hoping　for　another　week　or　two　of　grace。

We　still　might　get　it。〃

Grace；　that　was　it。

（I'm　sorry；　Al。　Grace；　your　mercy。　For　your　mercy。　One　more　chance。　I　am

heartily　sorry　—　）

How　many　times；　over　how　many　years；　had　he　—　a　grown　man　—　asked　for　the　mercy

of　another　chance？　He　was　suddenly　so　sick　of　himself；　so　revolted；　that　he

could　have　groaned　aloud。

〃How's　your　headache？〃　she　asked；　studying　him　closely。

He　put　an　arm　around　her　and　hugged　her　tight。　〃Better。　e　on；　you　two；

let's　go　home　while　we　still　can。〃

They　walked　back　to　where　the　hotel　truck　was　slantparked　against　the　curb；

Jack　in　the　middle；　his　left　arm　around　Wendy's　shoulders；　his　right　hand

holding　Danny's　hand。　He　had　called　it　home　for　the　first　tim