第5部分(第1/7 頁)

down　in　Estes　Park；　but　that　was　just　about　all。　Pretty　good；　considerin　the

reputation　this　place　has　got。　I　expected　some　reporter　would　dig　it　all　up

again　and　just　sorta　put　Grady　in　it　as　an　excuse　to　rake　over　the　scandals。〃

〃What　scandals？〃

Watson　shrugged。　〃Any　big　hotels　have　got　scandals；〃　he　said。　〃Just　like　every

big　hotel　has　got　a　ghost。　Why？　Hell；　people　e　and　go。　Sometimes　one　of　em

will　pop　off　in　his　room；　heart　attack　or　stroke　or　something　like　that。　Hotels

are　superstitious　places。　No　thirteenth　floor　or　room　thirteen；　no　mirrors　on

the　back　of　the　door　you　e　in　through；　stuff　like　that。　Why；　we　lost　a　lady

just　this　last　July。　Ullman　had　to　take　care　of　that；　and　you　can　bet　your　ass

he　did。　That's　what　they　pay　him　twenty…two　thousand　bucks　a　season　for；　and　as

much　as　I　dislike　the　little　prick；　he　earns　it。　It's　like　some　people　just　e

here　to　throw　up　and　they　hire　a　guy　like　Ullman　to　clean　up　the　messes。　Here's

this　woman；　must　be　sixty　fuckin　years　old　—　my　age！　—　and　her　hair's　dyed　just　as

red　as　a　whore's　stoplight；　tits　saggin　just　about　down　to　her　belly　button　on

account　of　she　ain't　wearin　no　brassy…ear；　big　varycoarse　veins　all　up　and　down

her　legs　so　they　look　like　a　couple　of　goddam　roadmaps；　the　jools　drippin　off

her　neck　and　arms　an　hangin　out　her　ears。　And　she's　got　this　kid　with　her；　he

can't　be　no　more　than　seventeen；　with　hair　down　to　his　asshole　and　his　crotch

bulgin　'like　he　stuffed　it　with　the　funnypages。　So　they're　here　a　week；　ten　days

maybe；　and　every　night　it's　the　same　drill。　Down　in　the　Colorado　Lounge　from

five　to　seven；　her　suckin　up　singapore　slings　like　they're　gon