第54部分(第1/7 頁)

minutes　later　he　was　strapping　them　to　his　feet　on　the　front　porch。　His　daddy

had　told　him　that　he　（Danny）　had　the　hang　of　using　the　snowshoes　—　the　lazy；

shuffling　stride；　the　twist　of　ankle　that　shook　the　powdery　snow　from　the

lacings　just　before　the　boot　came　back　down　—　and　all　that　remained　was　for　him　to

build　up　the　necessary　muscles　in　his　thighs　and　calves　and　ankles。　Danny　found

that　his　ankles　got　tired　the　fastest。　Snowshoeing　was　almost　as　hard　on　your

ankles　as　skating；　because　you　had　to　keep　clearing　the　lacings。　Every　five

minutes　or　so　he　had　to　stop　with　his　legs　spread　and　the　snowshoes　fat　on　the

snow　to　rest　them。

But　he　didn't　have　to　rest　on　his　way　down　to　the　playground　because　it　was

all　downhill。　Less　than　ten　minutes　after　he　struggled　up　and　over　the　monstrous

snow…dune　that　had　drifted　in　on　the　Overlook's　front　porch　he　was　standing　with

his　mittened　hand　on　the　playground　slide。　He　wasn't　even　breathing　hard。

The　playground　seemed　much　nicer　in　the　deep　snow　than　it　ever　had　during　the

autumn。　It　looked　like　a　fairyland　sculpture。　The　swing　chains　had　been　frozen

in　strange　positions；　the　seats　of　the　big　kids'　swings　resting　flush　against

the　snow。　The　jungle　gym　was　an　ice…cave　guarded　by　dripping　icicle　teeth。　Only

the　chimneys　of　the　play…Overlook　stuck　up　over　the　snow

（wish　the　other　one　was　buried　that　way　only　not　with　us　in　it）

and　the　tops　of　the　cement　rings　protruded　in　two　places　like　Eskimo　igloos。

Danny　tramped　over　there；　squatted；　and　began　to　dig。　Before　long　he　had

uncovered　the　dark　mouth　of　one　of　them　and　he　slipped　into　the　cold　tunnel。　In

his　mind　he　was　Patr