第44部分(第2/7 页)

t　decision；　to　find　the　alternative；　the

bitter　irony　of　her　thoughts　did　not　occur：　an　hour　ago　she　had　been　asleep；

firmly　convinced　that　things　were　all　right　and　soon　would　be　even　better。　Now

she　was　considering　the　possibility　of　using　a　butcher　knife　on　her　husband　if

he　tried　to　interfere　with　her　and　her　son。

At　last　she　stood　up　with　Danny　in　her　arms；　her　legs　trembling。　There　was　no

other　way。　She　would　have　to　assume　that　Jack　awake　was　Jack　sane；　and　that　he

would　help　her　get　Danny　down　to　Sidewinder　and　Dr。　Edmonds。　And　if　Jack　tried

to　do　anything　but　help；　God　help　him。

She　went　to　the　door　and　unlocked　it。　Shifting　Danny　up　to　her　shoulder；　she

opened　it　and　went　out　into　the　hall。

〃Jack？〃　she　called　nervously；　and　got　no　answer。

With　growing　trepidation　she　walked　down　to　the　stairwell；　but　Jack　was　not

there。　And　as　she　stood　there　on　the　landing；　wondering　what　to　do　next；　the

singing　came　up　from　below；　rich；　angry；　bitterly　satiric：

〃Roll　me　over

In　the　clo…ho…ver；

Roll　me　over；　lay　me　down　and　do　it　again。〃

She　was　frightened　even　more　by　the　sound　of　him　than　she　had　been　by　his

silence；　but　there　was　still　no　alternative。　She　started　down　the　stairs。

》

〃IT　WAS　HER！〃

Jack　had　stood　on　the　stairs；　listening　to　the　crooning；　forting　sounds

ing　muffled　through　the　locked　door；　and　slowly　his　confusion　had　given　way

to　anger。　Things　had　never　really　changed。　Not　to　Wendy。　He　could　be　off　the

juice　for　twenty　years　and　still　when　he　came　home　at　night　and　she　embraced　him

at　the　door；　he　would　see/　sense　that　little　flare　of　her　nostrils　as　she　tried

to　divine　sco