〃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 said。 〃Famous women keep their same
names even after they get married because their names are their bread and
butter。〃
〃Bread and butter；〃 Danny said； pletely mystified。
〃What Daddy means is that people used to like to go to the movies and see
Marilyn Monroe；〃 Wendy said； 〃but they might not like to go to see Marilyn
Miller。〃
〃Why not？ She'd still be the same lady。 Wouldn't everyone know that？〃
〃Yes； but — 〃 She looked at Jack helplessly。
〃Truman Capote once stayed in this room；〃 Ullman interrupted impatiently。 He
opened the door。 〃That was in my time。 An awfully nice man。 Continental
manners。〃
There was nothing remarkable in any of these rooms （except for the absence of
sweets； which Mr。 Ullman kept calling them）； nothing that Danny was afraid of。
In fact； there was only one other thing on the third floor that bothered Danny；
and he could not have said why。 It was the fire extinguisher on the wall just
before they turned the corner and went back to the elevator； which stood open
and waiting like a mouthful of gold teeth。
It was an old…fashioned extinguisher； a flat hose folded back a dozen times
upon itself； one end attached to a large red valve； the other ending in a brass
nozzle。 The folds of the hose were secured with a red steel slat on a hinge。 In
case of a fire you could knock the steel slat up and out of the way with one
hard push and the hose was yours。 Danny could see that much； he was good at
seeing how things worked。 By the time he was two and a half he had been
unlocking the protective gate his father had installed at the top of the stairs
in the Stovington house。 He had seen how the lock worked。 His daddy said it was
a NACK。 Some people had the NACK and some people didn't。
This fire extinguisher was a little older than others he had seen — the one in
the nursery school； for instance — but that was not so unusual。 Nonetheless it
filled him with faint unease； curled up there against the light blue wallpaper
like a sleeping snake。 And he was glad when it was out of sight around the
corner。
〃Of course all the windows have to be shuttered；〃 Mr。 Ullman said as they
stepped back into the elevator。 Once again the car sank queasily beneath their
feet。 〃But I'm particularly concerned about the one in the Presidential Suite。
The original bill on that window was four hundred and twenty dollars； and that
was over thirty years ago。 It would cost eight times that to replace today。〃
〃I'll shutter it；〃 Jack said。
They went down to the second floor where there were more rooms and even more
twists and turns in the corridor。 The light from the windows had begun to fade
appreciably now as the sun went behind the mountains。 Mr。 Ullman showed them one
or two rooms and that was all。 He walked past 217； the one Dick Hallorann had
warned him about； without slowing。 Danny looked at the bland number…plate on the
door with uneasy fascination。
Then down to the first floor。 Mr。 Ullman didn't show them into any rooms here
until they had almost reached the thickly carpeted staircase that led down into
the lobby again。 〃Here are your quarters；〃 he said。 〃I think you'll find them
adequate。〃
They went in。 Danny was braced for whatever might be there。 There was nothing。
Wendy Torrance felt a strong surge of relief。 The Presidential Suite； with its
cold elegance； had made her feel awkward and clumsy — it was all very well to
visit some restored historical building with a bedroom plaque that announced
Abraham Lincoln or Franklin D。 Roosevelt had slept there； but another thing
entirely to imagine you and your husband lying beneath acreages of linen and
perhaps making love where the greatest men in the world had once lain （the most
powerful； anyway； she amended）。 But this apartment was simpler； homier； almost
inviting。 She thought she could abide this place for a season with no great
difficulty。
〃It's very pleasant；〃 she said to Ullman； and heard the gratitude in her
voice。
Ullman nodded。 〃Simple but adequate。 During the season； this suite quarters
the cook and his wife； or the cook and his apprentice。〃
〃Mr。 Hallorann lived here？〃 Danny broke in。
Mr。 Ullman inclined his head to Danny condescendingly。 〃Quite so。 He and Mr。
Nevers。〃 He turned back to Jack and Wendy。 〃This is the sitting room。〃
There were several chairs that looked fortable but not expensive； a coffee
table that had once been expensive but now had a long chip gone from the side；
two bookcases （stuffed full of Reader's Digest Condensed Books and Detective
Book Club trilogies from the forties； Wendy saw with some amusement）； and an
anonymous hotel TV that looked much less elegant than the buffed wood consoles
in the rooms。
〃No kitchen； of course；〃 Ullman said； 〃but there is a dumb…waiter。 This
apartment is directly over the kitchen。〃 He slid aside a square of paneling and
disclosed a wide； squarer tray。 He gave it a push and it disappeared； trailing
rope behind it。
〃It's a secret passage！〃 Danny said excitedly to his mother； momentarily
forgetting all fears in favor of that intoxicating shaft behind the wall。 〃Just
like in Abbott and Costello Meet the Monsters！〃
Mr。 Ullman frowned but Wendy smiled indulgently。 Danny ran over to the dumb…
waiter and peered down the shaft。；
〃This way； please。〃
He opened the door on the far side of the living room。 It gave on the bedroom；
which was spacious and airy。 There were twin beds。 Wendy looked at her husband；
smiled； shrugged。
〃No problem；〃 Jack said。 〃We'll push them together。〃
Mr。 Ullman looked over his shoulder； honestly puzzled。 〃Beg pardon？〃
〃The beds；〃 Jack said pleasantly。 〃We can push them together。〃
〃Oh； quite；〃 Ullman said； momentarily confused。 Then his face cleared and a
red flush began to creep up from the collar of his shirt。 〃Whatever you like。〃
He led them back into the sitting room； where a second door opened on a second
bedroom； this one equipped with bunk beds。 A radiator clanked in one corner； and
the rug on the floor was a hideous embroidery of western sage and cactus — Danny
bad already fallen in love with it； Wendy saw。 The walls of this smaller room
were paneled in real pine。
〃Think you can stand it in here； doc？〃 Jack asked。
〃Sure I can。 I'm going to sleep in the top bunk。 Okay？〃
〃If that's what you want。〃
〃I like the rug； too。 Mr。 Ullman； why don't you have all the rugs like that？〃
Mr。 Ullman looked for a moment as if he had sunk his teeth into a lemon。 Then
he smiled and patted Danny's head。 〃Those are your quarters；〃 he said； 〃except
for the bath； which opens off the main bedroom。 It's not a huge apartment； but
of course you'll have the rest of the hotel to spread out in。 The lobby
fireplace is in good working order； or so Watson tells me； and you must feel
free to eat in the dining room if the spirit moves you to do so。〃 He spoke in
the tone of a man conferring a great favor。
〃All right；〃 Jack said。
〃Shall we go down？〃 Mr。 Ullman asked。
〃Fine；〃 Wendy said。
They went downstairs in the elevator； and now the lobby was wholly deserted
except for Watson； who was leaning against the main doors in a rawhide jacket； a
toothpick between his lips。
〃I would have thought you'd be miles from here by now；〃 Mr。 Ullman said； his
voice slightly chill。
〃Just stuck around to remind Mr。 Torrance here about the boiler；〃 Watson said；
straightening up。 〃Keep your good weather eye on her； fella； and she'll be fine。
Knock the press down a couple of times a day。 She creeps。〃
She creeps； Danny thought； and the words echoed down a long and silent
corridor in his mind； a corridor lined with mirrors where people seldom looked。
〃I will；〃 his daddy said。
〃You'll be fine；〃 Watson said； and offered Jack his hand。 Jack shook it。
Watson turned to Wendy and inclined his head。 〃Ma'am；〃 he said。
〃I'm pleased；〃 Wendy said； and thought it would sound absurd。 It didn't。 She
had e out here from New England； where she had spent her life； and it seemed
to her that in a few short sentences this man Watson； with his fluffy fringe of
hair； had epitomized what the West was supposed to be all about。 And never mind
the lecherous wink earlier。
〃Young master Torrance；〃 Watson said gravely； and put out his hand。 Danny； who
had known all about handshaking for almost a year now； put his own hand out
gingerly and felt it swallowed up。 〃You take good care of em； Dan。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
Watson let go of Danny's hand and straightened up fully。 He looked at Ullman。
〃Until next year； I guess；〃 he said； and held his hand out。
Ullman touched it bloodlessly。 His pinky ring caught the lobby's electric
lights in a baleful sort of wink。
〃May twelfth； Watson；〃 he said。 〃Not a day earlier or later。〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 Watson said； and Jack could almost read the codicil in Watson's
mind： 。。。 you fucking little faggot。
〃Have a good winter； Mr。 Ullman。〃
〃Oh； I doubt it；〃 Ullman said remotely。
Watson opened one of the two big main doors； the wind whined louder and began
to flutter the collar of his jacket。 〃You folks take care now；〃 he said。
It was Danny who answered。 〃Yes； sir； we will。〃
Watson； whose not…so…distant ancestor had owned this place； slipped humbly
through the door。 It closed behind him； muffling the wind。 Together they watched
him clop down the porch's broad front steps in his battered black cowboy boots。
Brittle yellow aspen leaves tumbled around his heels as he crossed the lot to
his International Harvester pickup and climbed in。 Blue smoke jetted from the
rusted exhaust pipe as he started it up。 The spell of silence held among them as
he backed； then pulled out of the parking lot。 His truck disappeared over the
brow of the hill and then reappeared； smaller； on the main road； heading west。
For a moment Danny felt more lonely than he ever had in his life。
》
THE FRONT PORCH