ibed the picture。〃
〃Mr。 Hallorann said he saw some other stuff；〃 Danny told them。 〃Once about the
playground。 And once it was something bad in that room。 217。 A maid saw it and
lost her job because she talked about it。 So Mr。 Hallorann went up and he saw it
too。 But he didn't talk about it because he didn't want to lose his job。 Except
he told me never to go in there。 But I did。 Because I believed him when he said
the things you saw here couldn't hurt you。〃 This last was nearly whispered in a
low； husky voice； and Danny touched the puffed circle of bruises on his neck。
〃What about the playground？〃 Jack asked in a strange； casual voice。
〃I don't know。 The playground； he said。 And the hedge animals。〃
Jack jumped a little； and Wendy looked at him curiously。
〃Have you seen anything down there； Jack？〃
〃No；〃 he said。 〃Nothing。〃
Danny was looking at him。
〃Nothing；〃 he said again； more calmly。 And that was true。 He had been the
victim of an hallucination。 And that was all。
〃Danny； we have to hear about the woman；〃 Wendy said gently。
So Danny told them； but his words came in cyclic bursts； sometimes almost
verging on inprehensible garble in his hurry to spit it out and be free of
it。 He pushed tighter and tighter against his mother's breasts as he talked。
〃I went in；〃 he said。 〃I stole the passkey and went in。 It was like I couldn't
help myself。 I had to know。 And she 。。。 the lady 。。。 was in the tub。 She was
dead。 All swelled up。 She was nuh…nuh 。。。 didn't have no clothes on。〃 He
looked miserably at his mother。 〃And she started to get up and she wanted me。 I
know she did because I could feel it。 She wasn't even th