第7部分(第1/7 頁)

and　became　a　giant；　grinning　skull　over　two　crossed　bones：

〃Poison；〃　Tony　said　from　the　floating　darkness。　〃Poison。〃

Other　signs　flickered　past　his　eyes；　some　in　green　letters；　some　of　them　on

boards　stuck　at　leaning　angles　into　the　snowdrifts。　NO　SWIMMING。　DANGER！　LIVE

WIRES。　THIS　PROPERTY　CONDEMNED。　HIGH　VOLTAGE。　THIRD　RAIL。　DANGER　OF

DEATH。　KEEP

OFF。　KEEP　OUT。　NO　TRESPASSING。　VIOLATORS　WILL　BE　SHOT　ON　SIGHT。　He

understood

none　of　them　pletely　—　he　couldn't　read！　—　but　got　a　sense　of　all；　and　a　dreamy

terror　floated　into　the　dark　hollows　of　his　body　like　light　brown　spores　that

would　die　in　sunlight。

They　faded。　Now　he　was　in　a　room　filled　with　strange　furniture；　a　room　that

was　dark。　Snow　spattered　against　the　windows　like　thrown　sand。　His　mouth　was

dry；　his　eyes　like　hot　marbles；　his　heart　triphammering　in　his　chest。　Outside

there　was　a　hollow　booming　noise；　like　a　dreadful　door　being　thrown　wide。

Footfalls。　Across　the　room　was　a　mirror；　and　deep　down　in　its　silver　bubble　a

single　word　appeared　in　green　fire　and　that　word　was：　REDRUM。

The　room　faded。　Another　room。　He　knew

（would　know）

this　one。　An　overturned　chair。　A　broken　window　with　snow　swirling　in；　already

it　had　frosted　the　edge　of　the　rug。　The　drapes　had　been　pulled　free　and　hung　on

their　broken　rod　at　an　angle。　A　low　cabinet　lying　on　its　face。

More　hollow　booming　noises；　steady；　rhythmic；　horrible。　Smashing　glass。

Approaching　destruction。　A　hoarse　voice；　the　voice　of　a　madman；　made　the　more

terrible　by　its　familiarity：

e　out！　Came　out；　you　little　shit！　Take　your　medicine！

Crash。　Crash。　Crash。　Splintering　wood。　A　bellow　of　rag