e　winters　are　fantastically　cruel。　In　order

to　cope　with　the　problem；　I've　installed　a　full…time　winter　caretaker　to　run　the

boiler　and　to　heat　different　parts　of　the　hotel　on　a　daily　rotating　basis。　To

repair　breakage　as　it　occurs　and　to　do　repairs；　so　the　elements　can't　get　a

foothold。　To　be　constantly　alert　to　any　and　every　contingency。　During　our　first

winter　I　hired　a　family　instead　of　a　single　man。　There　was　a　tragedy。　A　horrible

tragedy。〃

Ullman　looked　at　Jack　coolly　and　appraisingly。

〃I　made　a　mistake。　I　admit　it　freely。　The　man　was　a　drunk。〃

Jack　felt　a　slow；　hot　grin　—　the　total　antithesis　of　the　toothy　PR　grin　—

stretch　across　his　mouth。　〃Is　that　it？　I'm　surprised　Al　didn't　tell　you。　I've

retired。〃

〃Yes；　Mr。　Shockley　told　me　you　no　longer　drink。　He　also　told　me　about　your

last　job　。。。　your　last　position　of　trust；　shall　we　say？　You　were　teaching

English　in　a　Vermont　prep　school。　You　lost　your　temper；　I　don't　believe　I　need

to　be　any　more　specific　than　that。　But　I　do　happen　to　believe　that　Grady's　case

has　a　bearing；　and　that　is　why　I　have　brought　the　matter　of　your　。。。　uh；

previous　history　into　the　conversation。　During　the　winter　of　1970…71；　after　we

had　refurbished　the　Overlook　but　before　our　first　season；　I　hired　this。。。　this

unfortunate　named　Delbert　Grady。　He　moved　into　the　quarters　you　and　your　wife

and　son　will　be　sharing。　He　had　a　wife　and　two　daughters。　I　had　reservations；

the　main　ones　being　the　harshness　of　the　winter　season　and　the　fact　that　the

Gradys　would　be　cut　off　from　the　outside　world　for　five　to　six　months。〃

〃But　that's　not　really　true；　is　it？　There　are　telephones　here；　and　probably