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paper down there； but I didn't see any shredded； as if they'd been using it to
make nests。〃
〃That Watson；〃 Hallorann said； shaking his head in mock sorrow。 〃Ain't he the
foulest…talking man you ever ran on？〃
〃He's quite a character；〃 Jack agreed。 His own father had been the foulest…
talking man Jack had ever run on。
〃It's sort of a pity；〃 Hallorann said； leading them back toward the wide
swinging doors that gave on the Overlook dining room。 〃There was money in that
family； long ago。 It was Watson's granddad or great…granddad — I can't remember
which — that built this place。〃
〃So I was told；〃 Jack said。
〃What happened？〃 Wendy asked。
〃Well； they couldn't make it go；〃 Hallorann said。 〃Watson will tell you the
whole story — twice a day； if you let him。 The old man got a bee in his bonnet
about the place。 He let it drag him down； I guess。 He had two boys and one of
them was killed in a riding accident on the grounds while the hotel was still a…
building。 That would have been 1908 or '09。 The old man's wife died of the flu；
and then it was just the old man and his youngest son。 They ended up getting
took back on as caretakers in the same hotel the old man had built。〃
〃It is sort of a pity；〃 Wendy said。
〃What happened to him？ The old man？〃 Jack asked。
〃He plugged his finger into a light socket by mistake and that was the end of
him；〃 Hallorann said。 〃Sometime in the early thirties before the Depression
closed this place down for ten years。
〃Anyway； Jack； I'd appreciate it if you and your wife would keep an eye out
for rats in the kitchen； as well。 If you should see them 。。。 traps； not
poison。〃
Jack blinked。 〃Of course。 Who'd want to put rat poison in the kitchen？〃
Hallorann laughed derisively。 〃Mr。 Ullman； that's who。 That was his bright
idea last fall。 I put it to him； I said： ‘What if we all get up here next May；
Mr。 Ullman； and I serve the traditional opening night dinner' — which just
happens to be salmon in a very nice sauce — 'and everybody gits sick and the
doctor es and says to you； 〃Ullman； what have you been doing up here？ You've
got eighty of the richest folks in America suffering from rat poisoning！〃 〃'
Jack threw his head back and bellowed laughter。 〃What did Ullman say？〃
Hallorann tucked his tongue into his cheek as if feeling for a bit of food in
there。 〃He said： ‘Get some traps； Hallorann。' 〃
This time they all laughed； even Danny； although he was not pletely sure
what the joke was； except it had something to do with Mr。 Ullman； who didn't
know everything after all。
The four of them passed through the dining room； empty and silent now； with
its fabulous western exposure on the snow…dusted peaks。 Each of the white linen
tablecloths had been covered with a sheet of tough clear plastic。 The rug； now
rolled up for the season； stood in one corner like a sentinel on guard duty。
Across the wide room was a double set of batwing doors； and over them an old…
fashioned sign lettered in gilt script： The Colorado Lounge。
Following his gaze； Hallorann said； 〃If you're a drinkin man； I hope you
brought your own supplies。 That place is picked clean。 Employee's party last
night； you know。 Every maid and bellhop in the place is goin around with a
headache today； me included。〃
〃I don't drink；〃 Jack said shortly。 They went back to the lobby。
It had cleared greatly during the half hour they'd spent in the kitchen。 The
long main room was beginning to take on the quiet； deserted look that Jack
supposed they would bee familiar with soon enough。 The high…backed chairs
were empty。 The nuns who had been sitting by the fire were gone； and the fire
itself was down to a bed of fortably glowing coals。 Wendy glanced out into
the parking lot and saw that all but a dozen cars had disappeared。
She found herself wishing they could get back in the VW and go back to
Boulder。。。 or anywhere else。
Jack was looking around for Ullman； but he wasn't in the lobby。
A young maid with her ash…blond hair pinned up on her neck came over。 〃Your
luggage is out on the porch； Dick。〃
〃Thank you； Sally。〃 He gave her a peck on the forehead。 〃You have yourself a
good winter。 Getting married； I hear。〃
He turned to the Torrances as she strolled away； backside twitching pertly。
〃I've got to hurry along if I'm going to make that plane。 I want to wish you all
the best。 Know you'll have it。〃
〃Thanks；〃 Jack said。 〃You've been very kind。〃
〃I'll take good care of your kitchen；〃 Wendy promised again。 〃Enjoy Florida。〃
〃I always do；〃 Hallorann said。 He put his hands on his knees and bent down to
Danny。 〃Last chance； guy。 Want to e to Florida？〃
〃I guess not；〃 Danny said； smiling。
〃Okay。 Like to give me a hand out to my car with my bags？〃
〃If my mommy says I can。〃
〃You can；〃 Wendy said； 〃but you'll have to have that jacket buttoned。〃 She
leaned forward to do it but Hallorann was ahead of her； his large brown fingers
moving with smooth dexterity。
〃I'll send him right back in；〃 Hallorann said。
〃Fine；〃 Wendy said； and followed them to the door。 Jack was still looking
around for Ullman。 The last of the Overlooks guests were checking out at the
desk。
》
THE SHINING
There were four bags in a pile just outside the door。 Three of them were
giant； battered old suitcases covered with black imitation alligator hide。 The
last was an oversized zipper bag with a faded tartan skin。
〃Guess you can handle that one； can't you？〃 Hallorann asked him。 He picked up
two of the big cases in one hand and hoisted the other under his arm。
〃Sure；〃 Danny said。 He got a grip on it with both hands and followed the cook
down the porch steps； trying manfully not to grunt and give away how heavy it
was。
A sharp and cutting fall wind had e up since they had arrived； it whistled
across the parking lot； making Danny wince his eyes down to slits as he carried
the zipper bag in front of him； bumping on his knees。 A few errant aspen leaves
rattled and turned across the now mostly deserted asphalt； making Danny think
momentarily of that night last week when he had wakened out of his nightmare and
had heard — or thought he heard； at least — Tony telling him not to go。
Hallorann set his bags down by the trunk of a beige Plymouth Fury。 〃This ain't
much car；〃 he confided to Danny； 〃just a rental job。 My Bessie's on the other
end。 She's a car。 1950 Cadillac； and does she run sweet？ I'll tell the world。 I
keep her in Florida because she's too old for all this mountain climbing。 You
need a hand with that？〃
〃No； sir；〃 Danny said。 He managed to carry it the last ten or twelve steps
without grunting and set it down with a large sigh of relief。
〃Good boy；〃 Hallorann said。 He produced a large key ring from the pocket of
his blue serge jacket and unlocked the trunk。 As he lifted the bags in he said：
〃You shine on； boy。 Harder than anyone I ever met in my life。 And I'm sixty
years old this January。〃
〃Huh？〃
〃You got a knack；〃 Hallorann said； turning to him。 〃Me； I've always called it
shining。 That's what my grandmother called it； too。 She had it。 We used to sit
in the kitchen when I was a boy no older than you and have long talks without
even openin our mouths。〃
〃Really？〃
Hallorann smiled at Danny's openmouthed； almost hungry expression and said；
〃e on up and sit in the car with me for a few minutes。 Want to talk to you。〃
He slammed the trunk。
In the lobby of the Overlook； Wendy Torrance saw her son get into the
passenger side of Hallorann's car as the big black cook slid in behind the
wheel。 A sharp pang of fear struck her and she opened her mouth to tell Jack
that Hallorann had not been lying about taking their son to Florida — there was a
kidnaping afoot。 But they were only sitting there。 She could barely see the
small silhouette of her son's head； turned attentively toward Hallorann's big
one。 Even at this distance that small head had a set to it that she recognized —
it was the way her son looked when there was something on the TV that