on layer 。。。）
Who was that？ Some poet he had read as an undergraduate？ Some undergraduate
poet who was now selling washers in Wausau or insurance in Indianapolis？ Perhaps
an original thought？ Didn't matter。
（The night is dark/ the stars are high/ a disembodied custard pie/ is floating
in the sky 。。。）
He giggled helplessly。
〃What's funny； honey？〃
And here he was again； in the ballroom。 The chandelier was lit and couples
were circling all around them； some in costume and some not； to the smooth
sounds of some postwar band — but which war？ Can you be certain？
No； of course not。 He was certain of only one thing： he was dancing with a
beautiful woman。
She was tall and auburn…haired； dressed in clinging white satin； and she was
dancing close to him； her breasts pressed softly and sweetly against his chest。
Her white hand was entwined in his。 She was wearing a small and sparkly cat's…
eye mask and her hair had been brushed over to one side in a soft and gleaming
fall that seemed to pool in the valley between their touching shoulders。 Her
dress was full…skirted but be could feel her thighs against his legs from time
to time and had bee more and more sure that she was smooth…and…powdered naked
under her dress；
（the better to feet your erection with； my dear）
and he was sporting a regular railspike。 If it offended her she concealed it
well； she snuggled even closer to him。
〃Nothing funny； honey；〃 he said； and giggled again。
〃I like you；〃 she whispered； and he thought that her scent was like lilies；
secret and hidden in cracks furred with green moss — places where sunshine is
short and shadows long。
〃I like you； too。〃
〃We could go upstairs； if you want。 I'm supposed to be with Harry； but he'll
never notice。 He's too busy teasing poor Roger。〃
The number ended。 There was a spatter of applause and then the band swung into
〃Mood Indigo〃 with scarcely a pause。
Jack looked over her bare shoulder and saw Derwent standing by the refreshment
table。 The girl in the sarong was with him。 There were bottles of champagne in
ice buckets ranged along the white lawn covering the table； and Derwent held a
foaming bottle in his hand。 A knot of people had gathered； laughing。 In front of
Derwent and the girl in the sarong； Roger capered grotesquely on all fours； his
tail dragging limply behind him。 He was barking。
〃Speak； boy； speak！〃 Harry Derwent cried。
〃Rowf！ Rowf！〃 Roger responded。 Everyone clapped； a few of the men whistled。
〃Now sit up。 Sit up； doggy！〃
Roger clambered up on his haunches。 The muzzle of his mask was frozen in its
eternal snarl。 Inside the eyeholes； Roger's eyes rolled with frantic； sweaty
hilarity。 He held his arms out； dangling the paws。
〃Rowf！ Rowf！〃
Derwent upended the bottle of champagne and it fell in a foamy Niagara onto
the upturned mask。 Roger made frantic slurping sounds； and everyone applauded
again。 Some of the women screamed with laughter。
〃Isn't Harry a card？〃 his partner asked him； pressing close again。 〃Everyone
says so。 He's AC/DC； you know。 Poor Roger's only DC。 He spent a weekend with
Harry in Cuba once 。。。 oh； months ago。 Now he follows Harry everywhere；
wagging his little tail behind him。〃
She giggled。 The shy scent of lilies drifted up。
〃But of course Harry never goes back for seconds 。。。 not on his DC side；
anyway 。。。 and Roger is just wild。 Harry told him if he came to the masked
ball as a doggy； a cute little doggy； he might reconsider； and Roger is such a
silly that he 。。。〃
The number ended。 There was more applause。 The band members were filing down
for a break。
〃Excuse me； sweetness；〃 she said。 〃There's someone I just roust 。。。 Darla！
Darla； you dear girl； where have you been？〃
She wove her way into the eating； drinking throng and he gazed after her
stupidly； wondering how they had happened to be dancing together in the first
place。 He didn't remember。 Incidents seemed to have occurred with no
connections。 First here； then there； then everywhere。 His head was spinning。 He
smelled lilies and juniper berries。 Up by the refreshment table Derwent was now
holding a tiny triangular sandwich over Roger's head and urging him； to the
general merriment of the onlookers； to do a somersault。 The dogmask was turned
upward。 The silver sides of the dog costume bellowsed in and out。 Roger suddenly
leaped； tucking his head under； and tried to roll in mid…air。 His leap was too
low and too exhausted； he landed awkwardly on his back； rapping his head smartly
on the tiles。 A hollow groan drifted out of the dogmask。
Derwent led the applause。 〃Try again； doggy！ Try again！〃 The onlookers took up
the chant — try again； try again — and Jack staggered off the other way； feeling
vaguely ill。
He almost fell over the drinks cart that was being wheeled along by a low…
browed man in a white mess jacket。 His foot rapped the lower chromed shelf of
the cart； the bottles and siphons on top chattered together musically。
〃Sorry；〃 Jack said thickly。 He suddenly felt closed in and claustrophobic； he
wanted to get out。 He wanted the Overlook back the way it had been 。。。 free of
these unwanted guests。 His place was not honored； as the true opener of the way；
he was only another of the ten thousand cheering extras； a doggy rolling over
and sitting up on mand。
〃Quite all right；〃 the man in the white mess jacket said。 The polite； clipped
English ing from that thug's face was surreal。 〃A drink？〃
〃Martini。〃
From behind him； another ber of laughter broke； Roger was howling to the
tune of 〃Home on the Range。〃 Someone was picking out acpaniment on the
Steinway baby grand。
〃Here you are。〃
The frosty cold glass was pressed into his hand。 Jack drank gratefully；
feeling the gin hit and crumble away the first inroads of sobriety。
〃Is it all right； sir？〃
〃Fine。〃
〃Thank you； sir。〃 The cart began to roll again。
Jack suddenly reached out and touched the man's shoulder。
〃Yes； sir？〃
〃Pardon me； but。。。 what's your name？〃
The other showed no surprise。 〃Grady； sir。 Delbert Grady。〃
〃But you 。。。 I mean that。。。〃
The bartender was looking at him politely。 Jack tried again； although his
mouth was mushed by gin and unreality； each word felt as large as an ice cube。
〃Weren't you once the caretaker here？ When you 。。。 when。。。〃 But he
couldn't finish。 He couldn't say it。
〃Why no； sir。 I don't believe so。〃
〃But your wife 。。。 your daughters。 。
〃My wife is helping in the kitchen； sir。 The girls are asleep； of course。 It's
much too late for them。〃
〃You were the caretaker。 You — 〃 Oh say it！ 〃You killed them。〃
Grady's face remained blankly polite。 〃I don't have any recollection of that
at all； sir。〃 His glass was empty。 Grady plucked it from Jack's unresisting
fingers and set about making another drink for him。 There was a small white
plastic bucket on his cart that was filled with olives。 For some reason
they reminded Jack of tiny severed heads。 Grady speared one deftly； dropped it
into the glass； and handed it to him。
〃But you — 〃