第34部分(第2/7 页)

k　you　are？　And　how　could　those　old　stories　possibly　affect　you

anyway？　Or　do　you　think　there　are　ghosts　parading　up　and　down　the　halls　of　the

west　wing　wearing　bedsheets　and　crying　'Woe！'？〃

〃No；　I　don't　think　there　are　any　ghosts。　But　you　raked　up　a　lot　of　my　personal

history　before　you　gave　me　the　job。　You　had　me　on　the　carpet；　quizzing　me　about

my　ability　to　take　care　of　your　hotel　like　a　little　boy　in　front　of　the

teacher's　desk　for　peeing　in　the　coatroom。　You　embarrassed　me。〃

〃I　just　do　not　believe　your　cheek；　your　bloody　damned　impertinence；〃　Ullman

said。　He　sounded　as　if　he　might　be　choking。　〃I'd　like　to　sack　you。　And　perhaps　I

will。〃

〃I　think　Al　Shockley　might　object。　Strenuously。〃

〃And　I　think　you　may　have　finally　overestimated　Mr。　Shockley's　mitment　to

you；　Mr。　Torrance。〃

For　a　moment　Jack's　headache　came　back　in　all　its　thudding　glory；　and　he

closed　his　eyes　against　the　pain。　As　if　from　a　distance　away　he　heard　himself

ask：　〃Who　owns　the　Overlook　now？　Is　it　still　Derwent　Enterprises？　Or　are　you　too

smallfry　to　know？〃

〃I　think　that　will　do；　Mr。　Torrance。　You　are　an　employee　of　the　hotel；　no

different　from　a　busboy　or　a　kitchen　pot　scrubber。　I　have　no　intention　of　—　〃

〃Okay；　I'll　write　Al；〃　Jack　said。　〃He'll　know；　after　all；　he's　on　the　Board　of

Directors。　And　I　might　just　add　a　little　P。S。　to　the　effect　that　—　〃

〃Derwent　doesn't　own　it。〃

〃What？　I　couldn't　quite　make　that　out。〃

〃I　said　Derwent　doesn't　own　it。　The　stockholders　are　all　Easterners。　Your

friend　Mr。　Shockley　owns　the　largest　block　of　stock　himself；　better　than　thirty…

five　per　cent。　You　would　know　better　than　I　if　he　has　any　tie