第8部分(第1/7 页)

knowledge　that　if　he　did；　Wendy　would　leave　him　at　last；　and　take　Danny　with

her。　He　would　be　dead　from　the　day　they　left。

Instead　of　going　into　the　bar；　where　dark　shadows　sat　sampling　the　tasty

waters　of　oblivion；　he　had　gone　to　Al　Shockley's　house。　The　Board's　vote　had

been　six　to　one。　Al　had　been　the　one。

Now　he　dialed　the　operator　and　she　told　him　that　for　a　dollar　eighty…five　he

could　be　put　in　touch　with　Al　two　thousand　miles　away　for　three　minutes。　Time　is

relative；　baby；　he　thought；　and　stuck　in　eight　quarters。　Faintly　he　could　hear

the　electronic　boops　and　beeps　of　his　connection　sniffing　its　way　eastward。

Al's　father　had　been　Arthur　Longley　Shockley；　the　steel　baron。　He　had　left　his

only　son；　Albert；　a　fortune　and　a　huge　range　of　investments　and　directorships

and　chairs　on　various　boards。　One　of　these　had　been　on　the　Board　of　Directors

for　Stovington　Preparatory　Academy；　the　old　man's　favorite　charity。　Both　Arthur

and　Albert　Shockley　were　alumni　and　Al　lived　in　Barre；　close　enough　to　take　a

personal　interest　in　the　school's　affairs。　For　several　years　Al　had　been

Stovington's　tennis　coach。

Jack　and　Al　had　bee　friends　in　a　pletely　natural　and　uncoincidental　way：

at　the　many　school　and　faculty　functions　they　attended　together；　they　were

always　the　two　drunkest　people　there。　Shockley　was　separated　from　his　wife；　and

Jack's　own　marriage　was　skidding　slowly　downhill；　although　he　still　loved　Wendy

and　had　promised　sincerely　（and　frequently）　to　reform；　for　her　sake　and　for　baby

Danny's。

The　two　of　them　went　on　from　many　faculty　parties；　hitting　the　bars　until　they

closed；　then　stopping　at　some　mom　'n'　pop