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ed yet。'
'That's a funny idea for a priest；' Mark said。
'Why？ If I must accept the existence of vampires （and； it seems I must； at least for the time being）； must I also accept them as creatures beyond the bounds of all natural laws？ Some； certainly。 Folklore says they can't be seen in mirrors； that they can transform themselves into bats or wolves or birds…the so…called psychopompos…that they can narrow their bodies and slip through the tiniest cracks。 Yet we know they see； and hear； and speak 。 。 。 and they most certainly taste。 Perhaps they also know disfort； pain…'
'And love？' Ben asked； looking straight ahead。
'No；' Jimmy answered。 'I suspect that love is beyond them。' He pulled into a small parking lot beside an L…shaped flower shop with an attached greenhouse。
A small bell tinkled over the door when they went in； and the heavy aroma of flowers struck them。 Ben felt sickened by the cloying heaviness of their mixed perfumes； and was reminded of funeral parlors。
'Hi there。' A tall man in a canvas apron came toward them； holding an earthen flowerpot in one hand。
Ben had only started to explain what they wanted when the man in the apron shook his head and interrupted。
'You're late； I'm afraid。 A man came in last Friday and bought every rose I had in stock…red； white； and yellow。 I'll have no more until Wednesday at least。 If you'd care to order…'
'What did this man look like？'
'Very striking；' the proprietor said； putting his poi down。 'Tall； totally bald。 Piercing eyes。 Smoked foreign cigarettes； by the smell。 He had to take the flowers out in three armloads。 He put them in the back of a very old car； a Dodge； I think…'
'Packard；' Ben said。 'A black Packard。'
'You know him； then。'
'In a manner of speaking。'
'He paid cash。 Very unusual； considering the size of the order。 But perhaps if you get in touch with him； he would sell you… '
'Perhaps；' Ben said。
In the car again； they talked it over。
'There's a shop in Falmouth…' Father Callahan began doubtfully。
'No！' Ben said。 'No！' And the raw edge of hysteria in his voice made them all look around。 'And when we got to Falmouth and found that Straker had been there； too？ What then？ Portland？ Kittery？ Boston？ Don't you realize what's happening？ He's foreseen us！ He's leading us by the nose！'
'Ben； be reasonable；' Jimmy said。 'Don't you think we ought to at least…'
'Don't you remember what Matt said？ 〃You mustn't go into this feeling that because he can't rise in the daytime he can't harm you。〃 Look at your watch； Jimmy。'
Jimmy did。 'Two…fifteen；' he said slowly； and looked up at the sky as if doubting the truth on the dial。 But it was true； now the shadows were going the other way。
'He's anticipated us；' Ben said。 'He's been four jumps ahead every mile of the way。 Did we…could we…actually think that he would be blissfully unaware of us？ That he never took the possibility of discovery and opposition into account？ We have to go now； before we waste the rest of the day arguing about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin。'
'He's right；' Callahan said quietly。 'I think we had better stop talking and get going。'
'Then drive；' Mark said urgently。
Jimmy pulled out of the flower…shop parking lot fast； screeching the tires on the pavement。 The proprietor stared after them； three men； one of them a priest； and a little boy who sat in a car with MD plates and shouted at each other of total lunacies。
11
Cody came at the Marsten House from the Brooks Road； on the village's blind side； and Donald Callahan； looking at it from this new angle； thought： Why； it actually looms over the town。 Strange I never saw it before。 It must have perfect elevation there； perched on its hill high above the crossroads of Jointner Avenue and Brock Street。 Perfect elevation and a very nearly 360° view of the township itself。 It was a huge and rambling place； and with the shutters closed it took on an unfortable； overlarge configuration in the mind； it became a sarcophagus…like monolith； an evocation of doom。
And it was the site of both suicide and murder； which meant it stood on unhallowed ground。
He opened his mouth to say so； and then thought better of it。
Cody turned off onto the Brooks Road； and for a moment the house was blotted out by trees。 Then they thinned； and Cody was turning into the driveway。 The Packard was parked just outside the garage； and when Jimmy turned off the car； he drew McCaslin's revolver。
Callahan felt the atmosphere of the place seize him at once。 He took a crucifix…his mother's…from his pocket and slipped it around his neck with his own。 No bird sang in these fall…denuded trees。 The long and ragged grass seemed even drier and more dehydrated than the end of the season warranted； the ground itself seemed gray and used up。
The steps leading up to the porch were warped crazily； and there was a brighter square of paint on one of the porch posts where a no…trespassing sign had recently been taken down。 A new Yale lock glittered brassily below the old rusted bolt on the front door。
'A window； maybe； like Mark…' Jimmy began hesitantly。
'No；' Ben said。 'Right through the front door。 We'll break it down if we have to。'
'I don't think that will be necessary；' Callahan said； and his voice did not seem to be his own。 When they got out； he led them without stopping to think about it。 An eagerness…the old eagerness he was sure had gone forever seemed to seize him as he approached the door。 The house seemed to lean around them； to almost ooze its evil from the cracked pores of its paint。 Yet he did not hesitate。 Any thought of temporizing was gone。 In the last moments he did not lead them so much as he was impelled。
'In the name of God the Father！' he cried； and his voice took on a hoarse； manding note that made them all draw closer to him。 'I mand the evil to be gone from this house！ Spirits； depart！' And without being aware he was going to do it； he smote the door with the crucifix in his hand。
There was a flash of light…afterward they all agreed there had been…a pungent whiff of ozone； and a crackling sound； as if the boards themselves had screamed。 The curved fanlight above the door suddenly exploded outward； and the large bay window to the left that overlooked the lawn coughed its glass onto the grass at the same instant。 Jimmy cried out。 The new Yale lock lay on the boards at their feet； welded into an almost unrecognizable mass。 Mark bent to poke it and then yelped。
'Hot；' he said。
Callahan withdrew from the door； trembling。 He looked down at the cross in his hand。 'This is； without a doubt； the most amazing thing that's ever happened to me in my life；' he said。 He glanced up at the sky； as if to see the very face of God； but the sky was indifferent。
Ben pushed at the door and it swung open easily。 But he waited for Callahan to go in first。 In the hall Callahan looked at Mark。
'The cellar；' he said。 'You get to it through the kitchen。 Straker's upstairs。 But…' He paused； frowning。 'Something's different。 I don't know what。 Something's not the same as it was。'
They went upst