the blank look of someone on the verge of fainting。
She knelt beside him and put steadying hands on his shoulders。 〃Danny；
what's — 〃
Jack was beside her。 〃You okay； doc？〃 He gave Danny a brisk little shake and
his eyes cleared。
〃I'm okay； Daddy。 I'm fine。〃
〃What was it； Danny？〃 she asked。 〃Were you dizzy； honey？〃
〃No； I was just 。。。 thinking。 I'm sorry。 I didn't mean to scare you。〃 He
looked at his parents； kneeling in front of him； and offered them a small
puzzled smile。 〃Maybe it was the sun。 The sun got in my eyes。〃
〃We'll get you up to the hotel and give you a drink of water；〃 Daddy said。
〃Okay。〃
And in the bug； which moved upward more surely on the gentler grade； he kept
looking out between them as the road unwound； affording occasional glimpses of
the Overlook Hotel； its massive bank of westward…looking windows reflecting
back the sun。 It was the place he had seen in the midst of the blizzard； the
dark and booming place where some hideously familiar figure sought him down long
corridors carpeted with jungle。 The place Tony had warned him against。 It was
here。 It was here。 Whatever Redrum was； it was here。
》
CHECKING IT OUT
Ullman was waiting for them just inside the wide； old…fashioned front doors。
He shook hands with Jack and nodded coolly at Wendy； perhaps noticing the way
heads turned when she came through into the lobby； her golden hair spilling
across the shoulders of the simple navy dress。 The hem of the dress stopped a
modest two inches above the knee； but you didn't have to see more to know they
were good legs。
Ullman seemed truly warm toward Danny only； but Wendy had experienced that
before。 Danny seemed to be a child for people who ordinarily held W。 C。 Fields'
sentiments about children。 He bent a little from the waist and offered Danny his
hand。 Danny shook it formally； without a smile。
〃My son Danny；〃 Jack said。 〃And my wife Winnifred。〃
〃I'm happy to meet you both；〃 Ullman said。 〃How old are you； Danny？〃
〃Five； sir。〃
〃Sir； yet。〃 Ullman smiled and glanced at Jack。 〃He's well mannered。〃
〃Of course he is；〃 Jack said。
〃And Mrs。 Torrance。〃 He offered the same little bow； and for a bemused instant
Wendy thought he would kiss her hand。 She half…offered it and he did take it；
but only for a moment； clasped in both of his。 His hands were small and dry and
smooth； and she guessed that he powdered them。
The lobby was a bustle of activity。 Almost every one of the old…fashioned
high…backed chairs was taken。 Bellboys shuttled in and out with suitcases and
there was a line at the desk； which was dominated by a huge brass cash register。
The BankAmericard and Master Charge decals on it seemed jarringly anachronistic。
To their right； down toward a pair of tall double doors that were pulled
closed and roped off； there was an old…fashioned fireplace now blazing with
birch logs。 Three nuns sat on a sofa that was drawn up almost to the hearth
itself。 They were talking and smiling with their bags stacked up to either side；
waiting for the check…out line to thin a little。 As Wendy watched them they
burst into a chord of tinkling； girlish laughter。 She felt a smile touch her own
lips； not one of them could be under sixty。
In the background was the constant hum of conversation； the muted ding！ of the
silver…plated bell beside the cash register as one of the two clerks on duty
struck it； the slightly impatient call of 〃Front； please！〃 It brought back
strong； warm memories of her honeymoon in New York with Jack； at the Beekman
Tower。 For the first time she let herself believe that this might be exactly
what the three of them needed： a season together away from the world； a sort of
family honeymoon。 She smiled affectionately down at Danny； who was goggling
around frankly at everything。 Another limo； as gray as a banker's vest； had
pulled up out front
〃The last day of the season；〃 Ullman was saying。 〃Closing day。 Always hectic。
I had expected you more around three； Mr。 Torrance。〃
〃I wanted to give the Volks time for a nervous breakdown if it decided to have
one；〃 Jack said。 〃It didn't。〃
〃How fortunate；〃 Ullman said。 〃I'd like to take the three of you on a tour of
the place a little later； and of course Dick Hallorann wants to show Mrs。
Torrance the Overlook's kitchen。 But I'm afraid —〃
One of the clerks came over and almost tugged his forelock。
〃Excuse me； Mr。 Ullman — 〃
〃Well？ What is it？〃
〃It's Mrs。 Brant；〃 the clerk said unfortably。 〃She refuses to pay her bill
with anything but her American Express card。 I told her we stopped taking
American Express at the end of the season last year； but she won't 。。。〃 His
eyes shifted to the Torrance family； then back to Ullman。 He shrugged。
〃I'll take care of it。〃
〃Thank you； Mr。 Ullman。〃 The clerk crossed back to the desk； where a
dreadnought of a woman bundled into a long fur coat and what looked like a black
feather boa was remonstrating loudly。
〃I have been ing to the Overlook Hotel since 1955；〃 she was telling the
smiling； shrugging clerk。 〃I continued to e even after my second husband died
of a stroke on that tiresome roque court — I told him the sun was too hot that
day — and I have never 。。。 I repeat： never 。。。 paid with anything but my
American Express credit card。 Call the police if you like！ Have them drag me
away！ I will still refuse to pay with anything but my American Express credit
card。 I repeat： 。。。〃
〃Excuse me；〃 Mr。 Ullman said。
They watched him cross the lobby； touch Mrs。 Brant's elbow deferentially； and
spread his hands and nod when she turned her tirade on him。 He listened
sympathetically； nodded again； and said something in return。 Mrs。 Brant smiled
triumphantly； turned to the unhappy desk clerk； and said loudly： 〃Thank God
there is one employee of this hotel who hasn't bee an utter Philistine！〃
She allowed Ullman； who barely came to the bulky shoulder of her fur coat； to
take her arm and lead her away； presumably to his inner office。
〃Whooo！〃 Wendy said； smiling。 〃There's a dude who earns his money。〃
〃But he didn't like that lady；〃 Danny said immediately。 〃He was just
pretending to like her。〃
Jack grinned down at him。 〃I'm sure that's true； doc。 But flattery is the
stuff that greases the wheels of the world。〃
〃What's flattery？〃
〃Flattery；〃 Wendy told him； 〃is when your daddy says he likes my new yellow
slacks even if he doesn't or when he says I don't need to take off five pounds。〃
〃Oh。 Is it lying for fun？〃
〃Something very like that。〃
He had been looking at her closely and now said： 〃You're pretty； Mommy。〃 He
frowned in confusion when they exchanged a glance and then burst into laughter。
〃Ullman didn't waste much flattery on me；〃 Jack said。 〃e on over by the
window； you guys。 I feel conspicuous standing out here in the middle with my
denim jacket on。 I honest to God didn't think there'd be anybody much here on
closing day。 Guess I was wrong。〃
〃You look very handsome；〃 she said； and then they laughed again； Wendy pu