surely　heard。　〃What？　Al；　did　you　say　—　？〃

〃I　said　what　I　said。　How　long　is　far　in　the　future；　Jack？　For　you　it　may　be

two　years；　maybe　five。　For　me　it's　thirty　or　forty；　because　I　expect　to　be

associated　with　the　Overlook　for　a　long　time。　The　thought　of　you　doing　some　sort

of　a　scum…job　on　my　hotel　and　passing　it　off　as　a　great　piece　of　American

writing；　that　makes　me　sick。〃

Jack　was　speechless。

〃I　tried　to　help　you；　Jacky…boy。　We　went　through　the　war　together；　and　I

thought　I　owed　you　some　help。　You　remember　the　war？〃

〃I　remember　it；〃　he　muttered；　but　the　coals　of　resentment　had　begun　to　glow

around　his　heart。　First　Ullman；　then　Wendy；　now　Al。　What　was　this？　National

Let's　Pick　Jack　Torrance　Apart　Week？　He　clamped　his　lips　more　tightly　together；

reached　for　his　cigarettes；　and　knocked　them　off　onto　the　floor。　Had　he　ever

liked　this　cheap　prick　talking　to　him　from　his　mahogany…lined　den　in　Vermont？

Had　he　really？

〃Before　you　hit　that　Hatfield　kid；〃　Al　was　saying；　〃I　had　talked　the　Board　out

of　letting　you　go　and　even　had　them　swung　around　to　considering　tenure。　You　blew

that　one　for　yourself。　I　got　you　this　hotel　thing；　a　nice　quiet　place　for　you　to

get　yourself　together；　finish　your　play；　and　wait　it　out　until　Harry　Effinger

and　I　could　convince　the　rest　of　those　guys　that　they　made　a　big　mistake。　Now　it

looks　like　you　want　to　chew　my　arm　off　on　your　way　to　a　bigger　killing。　Is　that

the　way　you　say　thanks　to　your　friends；　Jack？〃

〃No；〃　he　whispered。

He　didn't　dare　say　more。　His　head　was　throbbing　with　the　hot；　acid…etched

words　that　wanted　to　get　out。　He　tried　desperately　to　think　of　Danny　and　Wendy；