白噪音(White Noise) (英文版)作者:唐·德里罗(Don DeLillo)-第11部分

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doors。　It　was　sheer　luck　that　their　stay　at　the　mall　coincided　with　a　spell　of　mild　weather。　No　one　knew　at　this　point　why　they　didn't　ask　for　help。　It　was　probably　just　the　vastness　and　strangeness　of　the　place　and　their　own　advanced　age　that　made　them　feel　helpless　and　adrift　in　a　landscape　of　remote　and　menacing　figures。　The　Treadwells　didn't　get　out　much。　In　fact　no　one　yet　knew　how　they'd　managed　to　get　to　the　mall。　Possibly　their　grandniece　had　dropped　them　off　in　her　car　and　then　forgotten　to　pick　them　up。　The　grandniece　could　not　be　reached；　Babette　said；　for　ment。
　　The　day　before　the　happy　discovery；　the　police　had　called　in　a　psychic　to　help　them　determine　the　Treadwells'　whereabouts　and　fate。　It　was　all　over　the　local　paper。　The　psychic　was　a　woman　who　lived　in　a　mobile　home　in　a　wooded　area　outside　town。　She　wished　to　be　known　only　as　Adele　T。　According　to　the　paper；　she　and　the　police　chief；　Hollis　Wright；　sat　in　the　mobile　home　while　she　looked　at　photos　of　the　Treadwells　and　smelled　articles　from　their　wardrobe。　Then　she　asked　the　chief　to　leave　her　alone　for　an　hour。　She　did　exercises；　ate　some　rice　and　dahl；　proceeded　to　trance　in。　During　this　altered　state；　the　report　went　on；　she　attempted　to　put　a　data　trace　on　whatever　distant　physical　systems　she　wished　to　locate；　in　this　case　Old　Man　Treadwell　and　his　sister。　When　chief　Wright　re…entered　the　trailer；　Adele　T。　told　him　to　forget　the　river　and　to　concentrate　on　dry　land　with　a　moonscape　look　about　it；　within　a　fifteen…mile　radius　of　the　Treadwell　home。　The　police　went　at　once　to　a　gypsum　processing　operation　ten　miles　down　river；　where　they　found　an　airline　bag　that　contained　a　handgun　and　two　kilos　of　uncut　heroin。
　　The　police　had　consulted　Adele　T。　on　a　number　of　occasions　and　she　had　led　them　to　two　bludgeoned　bodies；　a　Syrian　in　a　refrigerator　and　a　cache　of　marked　bills　totaling　six　hundred　thousand　dollars；　although　in　each　instance；　the　report　concluded；　the　police　had　been　looking　for　something　else。
　　The　American　mystery　deepens。
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　　We　crowded　before　the　window　in　Steffie's　small　room；　watching　the　spectacular　sunset。　Only　Heinrich　stayed　away；　either　because　he　distrusted　wholesome　munal　pleasures　or　because　he　believed　there　was　something　ominous　in　the　modern　sunset。
　　Later　I　sat　up　in　bed　in　my　bathrobe　studying　German。　I　muttered　words　to　myself　and　wondered　whether　I'd　be　able　to　restrict　my　German…speaking　at　the　spring　conference　to　brief　opening　remarks　or　whether　the　other　participants　would　expect　the　language　to　be　used　throughout；　in　lectures；　at　meals；　in　small　talk；　as　a　mark　of　our　seriousness；　our　uniqueness　in　world　scholarship。
　　The　TV　said：　〃And　other　trends　that　could　dramatically　impact　your　portfolio。〃
　　Denise　came　in　and　sprawled　across　the　foot　of　the　bed；　her　head　resting　on　her　folded　arms；　facing　away　from　me。　How　many　codes；　countercodes；　social　histories　were　contained　in　this　simple　posture？　A　full　minute　passed。
　　〃What　are　we　going　to　do　about　Baba？〃　she　said。
　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　　〃She　can't　remember　anything。〃
　　〃Did　she　ask　you　whether　she's　taking　medication？〃
　　〃No。〃
　　〃No　she's　not　or　no　she　didn't　ask？〃
　　〃She　didn't　ask。〃
　　〃She　was　supposed　to；〃　I　said。
　　〃Well　she　didn't。〃
　　〃How　do　you　know　she's　taking　something？〃
　　〃I　saw　the　bottle　buried　in　the　trash　under　the　kitchen　sink。　A　prescription　bottle。　It　had　her　name　and　the　name　of　the　medication。〃
　　〃What　is　the　name　of　the　medication？〃
　　〃Dylar。　One　every　three　days。　Which　sounds　like　it's　dangerous　or　habit…forming　or　whatever。〃
　　〃What　does　your　drug　reference　say　about　Dylar？〃
　　〃It's　not　in　there。　I　spent　hours。　There　are　four　indexes。〃
　　〃It　must　be　recently　marketed。　Do　you　want　me　to　double…check　the　book？〃
　　〃I　already　looked。　I　looked〃
　　〃We　could　always　call　her　doctor。　But　I　don't　want　to　make　too　much　of　this。　Everybody　takes　some　kind　of　medication；　everybody　forgets　things　occasionally。〃
　　〃Not　like　my　mother。〃
　　〃I　forget　things　all　the　time。〃
　　〃What　do　you　take？〃
　　〃Blood　pressure　pills；　stress　pills；　allergy　pills；　eye　drops；　aspirin。　Run　of　the　mill。〃
　　〃I　looked　in　the　medicine　chest　in　your　bathroom。〃
　　〃No　Dylar？〃
　　〃I　thought　there　might　be　a　new　bottle。〃
　　〃The　doctor　prescribed　thirty　pills。　That　was　it。　Run　of　the　mill。　Everybody　takes　something。〃
　　〃I　still　want　to　know；〃　she　said。
　　All　this　time　she'd　been　turned　away　from　me。　There　were　plot　potentials　in　this　situation；　chances　for　people　to　make　devious　maneuvers；　secret　plans。　But　now　she　shifted　position；　used　an　elbow　to　prop　her　upper　body　and　watched　me　speculatively　from　the　foot　of　the　bed。
　　〃Can　I　ask　you　something？〃
　　〃Sure；〃　I　said。
　　〃You　won't　get　mad？〃
　　〃You　know　what's　in　my　medicine　chest。　What　secrets　are　left？〃
　　〃Why　did　you　name　Heinrich　Heinrich？〃
　　〃Fair　question。〃
　　〃You　don't　have　to　answer。〃
　　〃Good　question。　No　reason　why　you　shouldn't　ask。〃
　　〃So　why　did　you？〃
　　〃I　thought　it　was　a　forceful　name；　a　strong　name。　It　has　a　kind　of　authority。〃
　　〃Is　he　named　after　anyone？〃
　　〃No。　He　was　born　shortly　after　I　started　the　department　and　I　guess　I　wanted　to　acknowledge　my　good　fortune。　I　wanted　to　do　something　German。　I　felt　a　gesture　was　called　for。〃
　　〃Heinrich　Gerhardt　Gladney？〃
　　〃I　thought　it　had　an　authority　that　might　cling　to　him。　I　thought　it　was　forceful　and　impressive　and　I　still　do。　I　wanted　to　shield　him；　make　him　unafraid。　People　were　naming　their　children　Kim；　Kelly　and　Tracy。〃
　　There　was　a　long　silence。　She　kept　watching　me。　Her　features；　crowded　somewhat　in　the　center　of　her　face；　gave　to　her　moments　of　concentration　a　puggish　and　half…belligerent　look。
　　〃Do　you　think　I　miscalculated？〃
　　〃It's　not　for　me　to　say。〃
　　〃There's　something　about　German　names；　the　German　language；　German　things。　I　don't　know　what　it　is　exactly。　It's　just　there。　In　the　middle　of　it　all　is　Hitler；　of　course。〃
　　〃He　was　on　again　last　night。〃
　　〃He's　always　on。　We　couldn't　have　television　without　him。〃
　　〃They　lost　the　war；〃　she　said。　〃How　great　could　they　be？〃
　　〃A　valid　point。　But　it's　not　a　question　of　greatness。　It's　not　a　question　of　good　and　evil。　I　don't　know　what　it　is。　Look　at　it　this　way。　Some　people　always　wear　a　favorite　color。　Some　people　carry　a　gun。　Some　people　put　on　a　uniform　and　feel　bigger；　stronger；　safer。　It's　in　this　area　that　my　obsessions　dwell。〃
　　Steffie　came　in　wearing　Denise's　green　visor。　I　didn't　know　what　this　meant。　She　climbed　up　on　the　bed　and　all　three　of　us　went　through　my　German…English　dictionary；　looking　for　words　that　sound　about　the　same　in　both　languages；　like　orgy　and　shoe。
　　Heinrich　came　running　down　the　hall；　burst　into　the　room。
　　〃e　on；　hurry　up；　plane　crash　footage。〃　Then　he　was　out　the　door；　the　girls　were　off　the　bed；　all　three　of　them　running　along　the　hall　to　the　TV　set。
　　I　sat　in　bed　a　little　stunned。　The　swiftness　and　noise　of　their　leaving　had　put　the　room　in　a　state　of　molecular　agitation。　In　the　debris　of　invisible　matter；　the　question　seemed　to　be；　What　is　happening　here？　By　the　time　I　got　to　the　room　at　the　end　of　the　hall；　there　was　only　a　puff　of　black　smoke　at　the　edge　of　the　screen。　But　the　crash　was　shown　two　more　times；　once　in　stop…action　replay；　as　an　analyst　attempted　to　explain　the　reason　for　the　plunge。　A　jet　trainer　in　an　air　show　in　New　Zealand。
　　We　had　two　closet　doors　that　opened　by　themselves。
　　That　night；　a　Friday；　we　gathered　in　front　of　the　set；　as　was　the　custom　and　the　rule；　with　take…out　Chinese。　There　were　flopds；　earthquakes；　mud　slides；　erupting　volcanoes。　We'd　never　before　been　so　attentive　to　our　duty；　our　Friday　assembly。　Heinrich　was　not　sullen；　I　was　not　bored。　Steffie；　brought　close　to　tears　by　a　sit　husband　arguing　with　his　wife；　appeared　totally　absorbed　in　these　documentary　clips　of　calamity　and　death。　Babette　tried　to　switch　to　a　edy　series　about　a　group　of　racially　mixed　kids　who　build　their　own　munications　satellite。　She　was　startled　by　the　force　of　our　objection。　We　were　otherwise　silent；　watching　houses　slide　into　the　ocean；　whole　villages　crackle　and　ignite　in　a　mass　of　advancing　lava。　Every　disaster　made　us　wish　for　more；　for　something　bigger；　grander；　more　sweeping。
　　I　walked　into　my　office　on　Monday　to　find　Murray　sitting　in　the　chair　adjacent　to　the　desk；　like　someone　waiting　for　a　nurse　to　arrive　with　a　blood…pressure　gauge。　He'd　been　having　trouble；　he　said；　establishing　an　Elvis　Presley　power　base　in　the　department　of　American　environments。　The　chairman；　Alfonse　Stompanato；　seemed　to　feel　that　one　of　the　other　instructors；　a　three…hundred…pound　former　rock　'n'　roll　bodyguard　named　Dimitrios　Cotsakis；　had　established　prior　right　by　having　flown　to　Memphis　when　the　King　died；　interviewed　members　of　the　King's　entourage　and　family；　been　interviewed　himself　on　local　television　as　an　Interpreter　of　the　Phenomenon。
　　A　more　than　middling　coup；　Murray　conceded。　I　suggested　that　I　might　drop　by　his　next　lecture；　informally；　unannounced；　simply　to　lend　a　note　of　consequence　to　the　proceedings；　to　give　him　the　benefit　of　whatever　influence　and　prestige　might　reside　in　my　office；　my　subject；　my　physical　person。　He　nodded　slowly；　fingering　the　ends　of　his　beard。
　　Later　at　lunch　I　spotted　only　one　empty　chair；　at　a　table　occupied　by　the　New　York　émigrés。　Alfonse　sat　at　the　head　of　the　table；　a　manding　presence　even　in　a　campus　lunchroom。　He　was　large；　sardonic；　dark…staring；　with　scarred　brows　and　a　furious　beard　fringed　in　gray。　It　was　the　very　beard　I　would　have　grown　in　1969　if　Janet　Savory；　my　second　wife；　Heinrich's　mother；　hadn't　argued　against　it。　〃Let　them　see　that　bland　expanse；〃　she　said；　in　her　tiny　dry　voice。　〃It　is　more　effective　than　you　think。〃
　　Alfonse　invested　everything　he　did　with　a　sense　of　all…consuming　purpose。　He　knew　four　languages；　had　a　photographic　memory；　did　plex　mathematics　in　his　head。　He'd　once　told　me　that　the　art　of　getting　ahead　in　New　York　was　based　on　learning　how　to　express　dissatisfaction　in　an　interesting　way。　The　air　was　full　of　rage　and　plaint。　People　had　no　tolerance　for　your　particular　hardship　unless　you　knew　how　to　ent