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in red。
Annie stuffed the cuffs absently into her skirt pocket； as if police restraints were found in most decent houses； like Kleenex or coathangers。
〃What's a lien？〃 she asked again。 〃Does that mean they own my house？ Is that what it means？〃
〃No；〃 he said。 〃It means that you 。 。 。 He cleared his throat and got another after…taste of that fumey dust…rag。 His chest hitched as he dry…heaved again。 She took no notice of that； simply stood impatiently staring at him until he could talk。 After awhile he could。 〃Just means you can't sell it。〃
〃Just？ Just？ You got a funny idea of just； Mr Paul Sheldon。 But I suppose the troubles of a poor widow like me don't seem very important to a rich Mister Smart Guy like you。〃
〃On the contrary。 I think of your troubles as my troubles； Annie。 I just meant that a lien isn't much pared to what they could do if you got seriously in arrears。 Are you？〃
〃Arrears。 That means in the bucket； doesn't it？〃
〃In the bucket； in the hole； behind。 Yes。〃
〃I'm no shanty…Irish moocher！〃 He saw the thin sheen of her teeth as her upper lip lifted。 〃I pay my bills。 I just 。 。 。 this time I just 。 。 。 〃 You forgot； didn't you？ You forgot； just the way you keep forgetting to change February on that damned calendar。 Forgetting to make the quarterly property…tax payment is a hell of a lot more serious than forgetting to change the calendar page； and you're upset because this is the first time you forgot something that big。 Fact is； you're getting worse； Annie； aren't you？ A little worse every day。 Psychotics can cope in the world … after a fashion … and sometimes； as I think you well know； they get away with some very nasty shit。 But there's a borderline between the lands of manageable and unmanageable psychosis。 You're getting closer to that line every day 。 。 。 and part of you knows it。
〃I just hadn't got around to it yet；〃 Annie said sullenly。 〃Having you here has kept me busier than a one…armed paperhanger。〃 An idea occurred to him … a really fine one。 The potential for brownie…points in this idea seemed almost unlimited。 〃I know；〃 he said with quiet sincerity。 〃I owe you my life and I haven't been anything but a pain in the tail to you。 I've got about four hundred bucks in my wallet。 I want you to pay your arrears with it。〃
〃Oh； Paul … 〃 She was looking at him； both confused and pleased。 〃I couldn't take your money … 〃
〃It's not mine；〃 he said。 He grinned at her； his number…one Who loves ya； baby？ grin。 And inside he thought： What I want； Annie； is for you to do one of your forgetting acts when I've got access to one of your knives and I'm sure I can move well enough to use it。 You'll be frying in hell ten seconds before you know you're dead。 〃It's yours。 Call it a down…payment； if you want。〃 He paused； then took a calculated risk： 〃If you don't think I know I'd be dead if it wasn't for you； you're crazy。〃
〃Paul 。 。 。 I don't know 。 。 。 〃
〃I'm serious。〃 He allowed his smile to melt into an expression of winning （or so he hoped … please； God； let it be winning） sincerity。 〃You did more than save my life； you know。 You saved two lives … because without you； Misery would still be lying in her grave。〃 Now she was looking at him shiningly； the paper in her hand forgotten。
〃And you showed me the error of my ways； got me back on track again。 I owe you a lot more than four hundred bucks just for that。 And if you don't take that money； you're going to make me feel bad。〃
〃Well； I 。 。 。 all right。 I 。 。 。 thank you。〃
〃I should be thanking you。 May I see that paper？〃 She gave it to him with no protest at all。 It was an overdue tax notice。 The lien was little more than a formality。 He scanned it quickly； then handed it back。
〃Have you got money in the bank？〃 Her eyes shifted away from his。 〃I've got a little put aside； but not in the bank。 I don't believe in banks。〃
〃This says they can't execute the lien on you unless the bill remains unpaid by March 25th。 What's today？〃 She frowned at the calendar。 〃Goodness！ That's wrong。〃 She untacked it； and the boy on his sled disappeared Paul watched this happen with an absurd pang of regret。 March showed a white…water stream rushing pell…mell between snowy banks。
She peered myopically at the calendar for a moment and then said： 〃Today is March 25th。〃 Christ； so late； so late； he thought。
〃Sure … that's why he came out。〃 He wasn't telling you they had slapped a lien on your house； Annie … he was telling you they would have to if you didn't cough up by the time the town offices closed tonight。 Guy was actually trying to do you a favor。 〃But if you pay this five hundred and six dollars before … 〃
〃And seventeen cents；〃 she put in fiercely。 〃Don't forget the cockadoodie seventeen cents。〃
〃All right； and seventeen cents。 If you pay it before they close the town offices this afternoon； no lien。 If people in town really feel about you the way you say they do； Annie … 〃
〃They hate me！ They are all against me； Paul！〃
〃 … then your taxes are one of the ways they'll try to pry you out。 Hollering 〃lien〃 at someone who has missed on quarterly property…tax payment is pretty weird。 It smells。 Well … it stinks。 If you missed a couple of quarterly payments； they might try to take your home … sell it at auction。 It's a crazy idea； but I guess they'd technically be within their rights。〃 She laughed； a harsh； barking sound。 〃Let them try！ I'd guthole a few of them！ I'll tell you that much。 Yes； sir！ Yessiree Bob！〃
〃In the end they'd guthole you；〃 he said quietly。 〃But the isn't the point。〃
〃Then what is？〃
〃Annie； there are probably people in Sidewinder who at two and three years behind on their taxes。 No one is taking their homes or auctioning their furnishings down at the town hall。 The worst that happens to people like that most of the time is that they lose their town water。 The Roydmans； now。〃 He looked at her shrewdly。 〃You think they pay their taxes on time？〃
〃That white trash？〃 she nearly shrieked。 〃Hah！〃
〃I think they are on the prod for you； Annie。〃 He did in fact believe this。
〃I'll never go！ I'll stay up here just to spite them！ I'll stay up here and spit in their eye！〃
〃Can you e up with a hundred and six bucks to go with the four hundred in my wallet？〃
〃Yes。〃 She was beginning to look cautiously relieved。
〃Good enough；〃 he said。 〃Then I suggest you pay their crappy tax…bill today。〃 And while you're gone； I'll see what can do about those damned marks on the door。 And when that's done； I believe I'll see if I can do anything about getting the fuck out of here； Annie。 I'm a little tired of your hospitality。
He managed a smile。
〃I think there must be at least seventeen cents there in the night…table；〃 he said。
10
Annie Wilkes had her own interior set of rules； in her way she was strangely prim。 She had made him drink water from a floor…bucket； had withheld his medication until he was in agony； had made him burn the only copy of his new novel； had handcuffed him and stuck a rag reeking of furniture polish in his mouth； but she would not take the money from his wallet。 She brought it to him； the old scuffed Lord Buston he'd had since college； and put it in his hands。
All the ID ha