小说园

第39部分（第1页）

the　family　could　only　hate　and　fear　him。

He　pushed　off　with　his　hands　and　went　to　the　bottom；　but　the　trip　was

unsatisfying。　The　slide；　unused；　had　too　much　friction　and　no　really　pleasant

speed　could　be　built　up。　And　his　ass　was　just　too　big。　His　adult　feet　thumped

into　the　slight　dip　where　thousands　of　childrens　feet　had　landed　before　him。　He

stood　up；　brushed　at　the　seat　of　his　pants；　and　looked　at　the　hedge…clipper。　But

instead　of　going　back　to　it　he　went　to　the　swings；　which　were　also　a

disappointment。　The　chains　had　built　up　rust　since　the　close　of　the　season；　and

they　squealed　like　things　in　pain。　Jack　promised　himself　he　would　oil　them　in

the　spring。

You　better　stop　it；　he　advised　himself。　Youre　not　a　kid　anymore。　You　dont

need　this　place　to　prove　it。

But　he　went　on　to　the　cement　rings　　they　were　too　small　for　him　and　he　passed

them　up　　and　then　to　the　security　fence　which　marked　the　edge　of　the　grounds。　He

curled　his　fingers　through　the　links　and　looked　through；　the　sun　crosshatching

shadow…lines　on　his　face　like　a　man　behind　bars。　He　recognized　the　similarity

himself　and　he　shook　the　chain　link；　put　a　harried　expression　on　his　face；　and

whispered：　〃Lemme　outta　here！　Lemme　outta　here！〃　But　for　the　third　time；　not

funny。　It　was　time　to　get　back　to　work。

That　was　when　he　heard　the　sound　behind　him。

He　turned　around　quickly；　frowning；　embarrassed；　wondering　if　someone　had　seen

him　fooling　around　down　here　in　kiddie　country。　His　eyes　ticked　off　the　slides；

the　opposing　angles　of　the　seesaws；　the　swings　in　which　only　the　wind　sat。

Beyond　all　that　to　the　gate　and　the　low　fence　that　divided　the　playground　from

the　lawn　and　the　topiary　　the　lions　gathered　protectively　around　the　path；　the

rabbit　bent　over　as　if　to　crop　grass；　the　buffalo　ready　to　charge；　the　crouching

dog。　Beyond　them；　the　putting　green　and　the　hotel　itself。　From　here　he　could

even　see　the　raised　lip　of　the　roque　court　on　the　Overlooks　western　side。

Everything　was　just　as　it　had　been。　So　why　had　the　flesh　of　his　face　and　hands

begun　to　creep；　and　why　had　the　hair　along　the　back　of　his　neck　begun　to　stand

up；　as　if　the　flesh　back　there　had　suddenly　tightened？

He　squinted　up　at　the　hotel　again；　but　that　was　no　answer。　It　simply　stood

there；　its　windows　dark；　a　tiny　thread　of　smoke　curling　from　the　chimney；　ing

from　the　banked　fire　in　the　lobby。