〃No；〃 he whimpered； hardly aware that he had been reduced to this； whimpering
with his eyes shut like a child。 〃Oh no； God。 Please； God； no。〃
But below the tumble of his chaotic thoughts； below the triphammer beat of his
heart； he could hear the soft and futile sound of the doorknob being turned to
and fro as something locked in tried helplessly to get out； something that
wanted to meet him； something that would like to be introduced to his family as
the storm shrieked around them and white daylight became black night。 If he
opened his eyes and saw that doorknob moving he would go mad。 So he kept them
shut； and after an unknowable time； there was stillness。
Jack forced himself to open his eyes； half…convinced that when he did； she
would be standing before him。 But the hall was empty。
He felt watched just the same。
He looked at the peephole in the center of the door and wondered what would
happen if he approached it； stared into it。 What would he be eyeball to eyeball
with？
His feet were moving
（feets don't fail me now）
before he realized it。 He turned them away from the door and walked down to
the main hall； his feet whispering on the blue…black jungle carpet。 He stopped
halfway to the stairs and looked at the fire extinguisher。 He thought that the
folds of canvas were arranged in a slightly different manner。 And he was quite
sure that the brass nozzle had been pointing toward the elevator when he came up
the hall。 Now it was pointing the other way。
〃I didn't see that at all；〃 Jack Torrance said quite clearly。 His face was
white and haggard and his mouth kept trying to grin。
But he didn't take