dvertising some kind of
ice cream。 Making nature peddle ice cream； that was just wrong。 It was
grotesque。
（You weren't hired to philosophize； Torrance。）
Ah； that was true。 So true。 He clipped along the rabbit's ears； brushing a
small litter of sticks and twigs off onto the grass。 The hedge…clipper hummed in
that low and rather disgustingly metallic way that all battery…powered
appliances seem to have。 The sun was brilliant but it held no warmth； and now it
wasn't so hard to believe that snow was ing。
Working quickly； knowing that to stop and think when you were at this kind of
a task usually meant making a mistake； Jack touched up the rabbit's 〃face〃 （up
this close it didn't look like a face at all； but he knew that at a distance of
twenty paces or so light and shadow would seem to suggest one； that； and the
viewer's imagination） and then zipped the clippers along its belly。
That done； he shut the clippers off； walked down toward the playground； and
then turned back abruptly to get it all at once； the entire rabbit。 Yes； it
looked all right。 Well； he would do the dog next。
〃But if it was my hotel；〃 he said； 〃I'd cut the whole damn bunch of you down。〃
He would； too。 Just cut them down and resod the lawn where they'd been and put
in half a dozen small metal tables with gaily colored umbrellas。 People could
have cocktails on the Overlook's lawn in the summer sun。 Sloe gin fizzes and
margaritas and pink ladies and all those sweet tourist drinks。 A rum and tonic；
maybe。 Jack took his handkerchief out of his back pocket and slowly rubbed his
lips with it。
〃e on； e on；〃 he said softly。 That was nothing to be thi