第22部分(第1/7 頁)

surprise　down　inside；　raking　over　old　coals？　He　looked　at　his　watch。　Almost　half

an　hour。

He　let　himself　down　to　the　edge　of　the　roof；　dropped　one　leg　over；　and　felt

around　until　his　foot　found　the　top　rung　of　the　ladder　just　below　the　overhang。

He　would　go　down　to　the　equipment　shed　where　he　had　stored　the　bug　bomb　on　a

high　shelf　out　of　Danny's　reach。　He　would　get　it；　e　back　up；　and　then　they

would　be　the　ones　surprised。　You　could　be　stung；　but　you　could　also　sting　back。

He　believed　that　sincerely。　Two　hours　from　now　the　nest　would　be　just　so　much

chewed　paper　and　Danny　could　have　it　in　his　room　if　he　wanted　to　—　Jack　had　had

one　in　his　room　when　he　was　just　a　kid；　it　had　always　smelled　faintly　of

woodsmoke　and　gasoline。　He　could　have　it　right　by　the　head　of　his　bed。　It

wouldn't　hurt　him。

〃I'm　getting　better。〃

The　sound　of　his　own　voice；　confident　in　the　silent　afternoon；　reassured　him

even　though　he　hadn't　meant　to　speak　aloud。　He　was　getting　better。　It　was

possible　to　graduate　from　passive　to　active；　to　take　the　thing　that　had　once

driven　you　nearly　to　madness　as　a　neutral　prize　of　no　more　than　occasional

academic　interest。　And　if　there　was　a　place　where　the　thing　could　be　done；　this

was　surely　it。

He　went　down　the　ladder　to　get　the　bug　bomb。　They　would　pay。　They　would　pay

for　stinging　him。

》

DOWN　IN　THE　FRONT　YARD

Jack　had　found　a　huge　white…painted　wicker　chair　in　the　back　of　the　equipment

shed　two　weeks　ago；　and　had　dragged　it　around　to　the　porch　over　Wendy's

objections　that　it　was　really　the　ugliest　thing　she　had　ever　seen　in　her　whole

life。　He　was　sitting　in　it　now；　amusing　hims