第49部分(第3/8 頁)

ed　his　face　again。　His　broad；　smooth　lips　pressed　against　hers　and　forced　them　open。　For　a　moment　I　could　see　one　of　her　eyes；　staring　up　past　Coffey；　filling　with　an　expression　of　what　seemed　to　be　surprise。　Then　his　smooth　bald　head　moved；　and　that　was　gone；　too。

There　was　a　soft　whistling　sound　as　he　inhaled　the　air　which　lay　deep　within　her　lungs。　That　was　all　for　a　second　or　two；　and　then　the　floor　moved　under　us　and　the　whole　house　moved　around　us。　It　wasn't　my　imagination；　they　all　felt　it；　they　all　remarked　on　it　later。　It　was　a　kind　of　rippling　thump。　There　was　a　crash　as　something　very　heavy　fell　over　in　the　parlor　…　the　grandfather　clock；　it　turned　out　to　be。　Hal　Moores　tried　to　have　it　repaired；　but　it　never　kept　time　for　more　than　fifteen　minutes　at　a　stretch　again。

Closer　by　there　was　a　crack　followed　by　a　tinkle　as　the　pane　of　glass　through　which　the　moon　had　been　peeking　broke。　A　picture　on　the　wall　…　a　clipper　ship　cruising　one　of　the　seven　seas　…　fell　off　its　hook　and　crashed　to　the　floor；　the　glass　over　its　front　shattered。

I　smelled　something　hot　and　saw　smoke　rising　from　the　bottom　of　the　white　counterpane　which　covered　her。　A　portion　was　turning　black；　down　by　the　jittering　lump　that　was　her　right　foot。　Feeling　like　a　man　in　a　dream；　I　shook　free　of　Moores's　hand　and　stepped　to　the　night…table。　There　was　a　glass　of　water　there；　surrounded　by　three　or　four　bottles　of　pills　which　had　fallen　over　during　the　shake。　I　picked　up　the　water