第19部分(第1/7 页)

〃I'm　pleased；〃　Wendy　said；　and　thought　it　would　sound　absurd。　It　didn't。　She

had　e　out　here　from　New　England；　where　she　had　spent　her　life；　and　it　seemed

to　her　that　in　a　few　short　sentences　this　man　Watson；　with　his　fluffy　fringe　of

hair；　had　epitomized　what　the　West　was　supposed　to　be　all　about。　And　never　mind

the　lecherous　wink　earlier。

〃Young　master　Torrance；〃　Watson　said　gravely；　and　put　out　his　hand。　Danny；　who

had　known　all　about　handshaking　for　almost　a　year　now；　put　his　own　hand　out

gingerly　and　felt　it　swallowed　up。　〃You　take　good　care　of　em；　Dan。〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

Watson　let　go　of　Danny's　hand　and　straightened　up　fully。　He　looked　at　Ullman。

〃Until　next　year；　I　guess；〃　he　said；　and　held　his　hand　out。

Ullman　touched　it　bloodlessly。　His　pinky　ring　caught　the　lobby's　electric

lights　in　a　baleful　sort　of　wink。

〃May　twelfth；　Watson；〃　he　said。　〃Not　a　day　earlier　or　later。〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　Watson　said；　and　Jack　could　almost　read　the　codicil　in　Watson's

mind：　。。。　you　fucking　little　faggot。

〃Have　a　good　winter；　Mr。　Ullman。〃

〃Oh；　I　doubt　it；〃　Ullman　said　remotely。

Watson　opened　one　of　the　two　big　main　doors；　the　wind　whined　louder　and　began

to　flutter　the　collar　of　his　jacket。　〃You　folks　take　care　now；〃　he　said。

It　was　Danny　who　answered。　〃Yes；　sir；　we　will。〃

Watson；　whose　not…so…distant　ancestor　had　owned　this　place；　slipped　humbly

through　the　door。　It　closed　behind　him；　muffling　the　wind。　Together　they　watched

him　clop　down　the　porch's　broad　front　steps　in　his　battered　black　cowboy　boots。

Brittle　yellow　aspen　leaves　tumbled　around　his　heels　as　he　crossed　the　lot　to

his　International　Harvester　pickup　a