第27部分(第3/7 页)

om　New　England。　Tony　has　only　bee　a　threatening　figure

since　that　move。　The　pleasant　interludes　have　bee　nightmarish；　even　more

frightening　to　your　son　because　he　can't　remember　exactly　what　the　nightmares

are　about。　That's　mon　enough。　We　all　remember　our　pleasant　dreams　more

clearly　than　the　scary　ones。　There　seems　to　be　a　buffer　somewhere　between　the

conscious　and　the　subconscious；　and　one　hell　of　a　bluenose　lives　in　there。　This

censor　only　lets　through　a　small　amount；　and　often　what　does　e　through　is

only　symbolic。　That's　oversimplified　Freud；　but　it　does　pretty　much　describe

what　we　know　of　the　mind's　interaction　with　itself。〃

〃You　think　moving　has　upset　Danny　that　badly？〃　Wendy　asked。

〃It　may　have；　if　the　move　took　place　under　traumatic　circumstances；〃　Edmonds

said。　〃Did　it？〃

Wendy　and　Jack　exchanged　a　glance。

〃I　was　teaching　at　a　prep　school；〃　Jack　said　slowly。　〃I　lost　my　job。〃

〃I　see；〃　Edmonds　said。　He　put　the　pen　he　bad　been　playing　with　firmly　back　in

its　holder。　〃There's　more　here；　I'm　afraid。　It　may　be　painful　to　you。　Your　son

seems　to　believe　you　two　have　seriously　contemplated　divorce。　He　spoke　of　it　in

an　offhand　way；　but　only　because　he　believes　you　are　no　longer　considering　it。〃

Jack's　mouth　dropped　open；　and　Wendy　recoiled　as　if　slapped。　The　blood　drained

from　her　face。

〃We　never　even　discussed　it！〃　she　said。　〃Not　in　front　of　him；　not　even　in

front　of　each　other！　We　—　〃

〃I　think　it's　best　if　you　understand　everything；　Doctor；〃　Jack　said。　〃Shortly

after　Danny　was　born；　I　became　an　alcoholic。　I'd　had　a　drinking　problem　all　the

way　through　college；　it　subsided　a　little　after　Wendy　and　I　met；