第54部分(第2/8 頁)

ut　he　didn't　have　to。　Percy　just　let　go；　and　the　gun　fell　to　the　floor。　His　eyes　went　across　us　like　they　were　skates　and　we　were　ice。　There　was　a　low　hissing　sound　and　a　sharp　ammoniac　smell　as　Percy's　bladder　let　go；　then　a　brrrap　sound　and　a　thicker　stink　as　he　filled　the　other　side　of　his　pants；　as　well。　His　eyes　had　settled　on　a　far　corner　of　the　corridor。　They　were　eyes　that　never　saw　anything　in　this　real　world　of　ours　again；　so　far　as　I　know。　Back　near　the　beginning　of　this　I　wrote　that　Percy　was　at　Briar　Ridge　by　the　time　that　Brutal　found　the　colored　slivers　of　Mr。　Jingles's　spool　a　couple　of　months　later；　and　I　didn't　lie　about　that。　He　never　got　the　office　with　the　fan　in　the　er；　though；　never　got　a　bunch　of　lunatic　patients　to　push　around；　either。　But　I　imagine　he　at　least　got　his　own　private　room。

He　had　connections；　after　all。

Wharton　was　lying　on　his　side　with　his　back　against　the　wall　of　his　cell。　I　couldn't　see　much　then　but　a　lot　of　blood　soaking　into　the　sheet　and　splattered　across　the　cement；　but　the　coroner　said　Percy　had　shot　like　Annie　Oakley。　Remembering　Dean's　story　of　how　Percy　had　thrown　his　hickory　baton　at　the　mouse　that　time　and　barely　missed；　I　wasn't　too　surprised。　This　time　the　range　had　been　shorter　and　the　target　not　moving。　One　in　the　groin；　one　in　the　gut；　one　in　the　chest；　three　in　the　head。

Brutal　was　coughing　and　waving　at　the　haze　of　gunsmoke。　I　was　coughing　myself；　but　hadn't　noticed　it　until　then。

〃End　of