hurriedly。 Jack was over by the window just outside the restaurant； studying the
view。 He looked rapt and dreamy。
The cash register apparently checked out； because now Ullman ran it shut with
an authoritative snap。 He initialed the tape and put it in a small zipper case。
Wendy silently applauded the head clerk； who looked greatly relieved。 Ullman
looked like the type of man who might take any shortage out of the head clerk's
hide 。。。 without ever spilling a drop of blood。 Wendy didn't much care for
Ullman or his officious； ostentatiously bustling manner。 He was like every boss
she'd ever had； male or female。 He would be saccharin sweet with the guests； a
petty tyrant when he was backstage with the help。 But now school was out and the
head clerk's pleasure was written large on his face。 It was out for everyone but
she and Jack and Danny； anyway。
〃Mr。 Torrance；〃 Ullman called peremptorily。 〃Would you e over here； please？〃
Jack walked over； nodding to Wendy and Danny that they were to e too。
The clerk； who had gone into the back； now came out again wearing an overcoat。
〃Have a pleasant winter； Mr。 Ullman。〃
〃I doubt it；〃 Ullman said distantly。 〃May twelfth； Braddock。 Not a day
earlier。 Not a day later。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
Braddock walked around the desk； his face sober and dignified； as befitted his
position； but when his back was entirely to Ullman； he grinned like a schoolboy。
He spoke briefly to the two girls still waiting by the door for their ride； and
he was followed out by a brief burst of stifled laughter。
Now Wendy began to notice the silence of the place。 It had fallen over the
hotel like a heavy blanket muting everything but the faint pulse of the
afternoon wind outside。 From where she stood she could look through the inner
office； now neat to the point of sterility with its two bare desks and two sets
of gray filing cabinets。 Beyond that she could see Hallorann's spotless kitchen；
the big portholed double doors propped open by rubber wedges。
〃I thought I would take a few extra minutes and show you through the Hotel；〃
Ullman said； and Wendy reflected that you could always hear that capital H in
Ullman's voice。 You were supposed to hear it。 〃I'm sure your husband will get to
know the ins and outs of the Overlook quite well； Mrs。 Torrance； but you and
your son will doubtless keep more to the lobby level and the first floor； where
your quarters are。〃
〃Doubtless；〃 Wendy murmured demurely； and Jack shot her a private glance。
〃It's a beautiful place；〃 Ullman said expansively。 〃I rather enjoy showing it
off。〃
I'll bet you do； Wendy thought。
〃Let's go up to third and work our way down；〃 Ullman said。 He sounded
positively enthused。
〃If we're keeping you — 〃 Jack began。
〃Not at all；〃 Ullman said： 〃The shop is shut。 Tout fins； for this season； at
least。 And I plan to overnight in Boulder — at the Boulderado； of course。 Only
decent hotel this side of Denver 。。。 except for the Overlook itself； of
course。 This way。〃
They stepped into the elevator together。 It was ornately scrolled in copper
and brass； but it settled appreciably before Ullman pulled the gate across。
Danny stirred a little uneasily； and Ullman smiled down at him。 Danny tried to
smile back without notable success。
〃Don't you worry； little man；〃 Ullman said。 〃Safe as houses。〃
〃So was the Titanic；〃 Jack said； looking up at the cut…glass globe in the
center of the elevator ceiling。 Wendy bit the inside of her cheek to keep the
smile away。
Ullman was not amused。 He slid the inner gate across with a rattle and a bang。
〃The Titanic made only one voyage； Mr。 Torrance。 This elevator has made
thousands of them since it was installed in 1926。〃
〃That's reassuring；〃 Jack said。 He ruffed Danny's hair。 〃The plane ain't gonna
crash； doc。〃
Ullman threw the lever over； and for a moment there was nothing but a
shuddering beneath their feet and the tortured whine of the motor below them。
Wendy had a vision of the four of them being trapped between floors like flies
in a bottle and found in the spring 。。。 with little bits and pieces gone 。。。
like the Donner Party 。。。
（Stop it！）
The elevator began to rise； with some vibration and clashing and banging from
below at first。 Then the ride smoothed out。 At the third floor Ullman brought
them to a bumpy stop； retracted the gate； and opened the door。 The elevator car
was still six inches below floor level。 Danny gazed at the difference in height
between the third…floor hall and the elevator floor as if he had just sensed the
universe was not as sane as he had been told。 Ullman cleared his throat and
raised the car a little； brought it to a stop with a jerk （still two inches
low）； and they all climbed out。 With their weight gone the car rebounded almost
to floor level； something Wendy did not find reassuring at all。 Safe as houses
or not； she resolved to take the stairs when she had to go up or down in this
place。 And under no conditions would she allow the three of them to get into the
rickety thing together。
〃What are you looking at； doc？〃 Jack inquired humorously。 〃See any spots
there？〃
〃Of course not；〃 Ullman said； nettled。 〃All the rugs were shampooed just two
days ago。〃
Wendy glanced down at the hall runner herself。 Pretty； but definitely not
anything she would choose for her own home； if the day ever came when she had
one。 Deep blue pile； it was entwined with what seemed to be a surrealistic
jungle scene full of ropes and vines and trees filled with exotic birds。 It was
hard to tell just what sort of birds； because all the interweaving was done in
unshaded black； giving only silhouettes。
〃Do you like the rug？〃 Wendy asked Danny。
〃Yes； Mom；〃 he said colorlessly。
They walked down the hall； which was fortably wide。 The wallpaper was silk；
a lighter blue to go against the rug。 Electric flambeaux stood at ten…foot
intervals at a height of about seven feet。 Fashioned to look like London gas
lamps； the bulbs were masked behind cloudy； cream…hued glass that was bound with
crisscrossing iron strips。
〃I like those very much；〃 she said。
Ullman nodded； pleased。 〃Mr。 Derwent had those installed throughout the Hotel
after the war — number Two； I mean。 In fact most — although not all — of the third…
floor decorating scheme was his idea。 This is 300； the Presidential Suite。〃
He twisted his key in the lock of the mahogany double doors and swung them
wide。 The sitting room's wide western exposure made them all gasp； which had
probably been Ullman's intention。 He smiled。 〃Quite a view； isn't it？〃
〃It sure is；〃 Jack said。
The window ran nearly the length of the sitting room； and beyond it the sun
was poised directly between two sawtoothed peaks； casting golden light across
the rock faces and the sugared snow on the high tips。 The clouds around and
behind this picture…postcard view were also tinted gold； and a sunbeam glinted
duskily down into the darkly pooled firs below the timberline。
Jack and Wendy were so absorbed in the view that they didn't look down at
Danny； who was staring not out the window but at the red…and…white…striped silk
wallpaper to the left； where a door opened into an interior bedroom。 And his
gasp； which had been mingled with theirs； had nothing to do with beauty。
Great splashes of dried blood； flecked with tiny bits of grayish…white tissue；
clotted the wallpaper。 It made Danny feel sick。 It was like a crazy picture
drawn in blood； a surrealistic etching of a man's face drawn back in terror and
pain； the mouth yawning and half the head pulverized —
（So if you should see something 。。。 just look the other way and when you
look back； it'll be gone。 Are you diggin me？）
He deliberately looked out the window； being careful to show no expression on
his face； and when his mommy's hand closed over his own he took it； being
careful not to squeeze it or give her a signal of any kind。
The manager was saying something to his daddy about making sure to shutter
that big window so a strong wind wouldn't blow it in。 Jack was nodding。 Danny
looked cautiously back at the wall。 The big dried bloodstain was gone。 Those
little gray…white flecks that had been scattered all through it； they were gone；
too。
Then Ullman was leading them out。 Mommy asked him if he thought the mountains
were pretty。 Danny said he did； although he didn't really care for the
mountains； one way or the other。 As Ullman was closing the door behind them；
Danny looked back over his shoulder。 The bloodstain had returned； only now it
was fresh。 It was running。 Ullman； looking directly at it； went on with his
running mentary about the famous men who had stayed here。 Danny discovered
that he had bitten his lip hard enough to make it bleed； and he had never even
felt it。 As they walked on down the corridor； he fell a little bit behind the
others and wiped the blood away with the back of his hand and thought about
（blood）
（Did Mr。 Hallorann see blood or was it something worse？）
（I don't think those things can hurt you。）
There was an iron scream behind his lips； but he would not let it out。 His
mommy and daddy could not see such things； they never had。 He would keep quiet。
His mommy and daddy were loving each other； and that was a real thing。 The other
things were just like pictures in a book。 Some pictures were scary； but they
couldn't hurt you。 They 。。。 couldn't 。。。 hurt you。
Mr。 Ullman showed them some other rooms on the third floor； leading them
through corridors that twisted and turned like a maze。 They were all sweets up
here； Mr。 Ullman said； although Danny didn't see any candy。 He showed them some
rooms where a lady named Marilyn Monroe once stayed when she was married to a
man named Arthur Miller （Danny got a vague understanding that Marilyn and Arthur
had gotten a DIVORCE not long after they were in the Overlook Hotel）。
〃Mommy？〃
〃What； honey？〃
〃If they were married； why did they have different names？ You and Daddy have
the same names。〃
〃Yes； but we're not famous； Danny；〃 Jack s