uggle； they had
agonized over it the way you agonize when the Class Night speaker forgets some
of his lines。 If he had set the timer ahead； it would have been just to 。。。 to
put George out of his misery。
But he hadn't set the timer ahead。 He was quite sure of it。
A week later he had cut him； and that time he had kept his temper。 The shouts
and the threats had all been on George's side。 A week after that he had gone out
to the parking lot halfway through practice to get a pile of sourcebooks that he
had left in the trunk of the VW and there had been George； down on one knee with
his long blond hair swinging in his face； a hunting knife in one hand。 He was
sawing through the VW's right front tire。 The back tires were already shredded；
and the bug sat on the flats like a small； tired dog。
Jack had seen red； and remembered very little of the encounter that followed。
He remembered a thick growl that seemed to issue from his own throat： 〃All
right； George。 If that's how you want it； just e here and take your
medicine。〃
He remembered George looking up； startled and fearful。 He had said： 〃Mr。
Torrance — 〃 as if to explain how all this was just a mistake； the tires had been
flat when he got there and he was just cleaning dirt out of the front treads
with the tip of this gutting knife he just happened to have with him and —
Jack had waded in； his fists held up in front of him； and it seemed that he
had been grinning。 But he wasn't sure of that。
The last thing be remembered was George holding up the knife and saying： 〃You
better not e any closer — 〃
And the next thing was Miss Strong； the French teacher； holding Jac