第17部分(第3/8 頁)

surprise。　〃What　do　you　think　about　that？〃

〃I　think　it'll　probably　shit　up　his　nose　some　night　while　he's　sleeping　and　then　run　away；〃　Percy　said　evenly；　〃but　I　guess　that's　the　French　boy's　lookout。　I　seen　a　pretty　nice　cigar　box　on　Toot…Toot's　cart　the　other　night。　I　don't　know　if　he'd　give　it　away；　though。　Probably　want　a　nickel　for　it；　maybe　even　a　dime。〃

Now　I　did　risk　a　glance　at　Harry；　and　saw　his　mouth　hanging　open。　This　wasn't　quite　like　the　change　in　Ebenezer　Scrooge　on　Christmas　morning；　after　the　ghosts　had　had　their　way　with　him；　but　it　was　damned　close。

Percy　leaned　closer　to　Delacroix；　putting　his　face　between　the　bars。　Delacroix　shrank　back　even　farther。　I　swear　to　God　that　he　would　have　melted　into　that　wall　if　he'd　been　able。

〃You　got　a　nickel　or　maybe　as　much　as　a　dime　to　pay　for　a　cigar　box；　you　lugoon？〃　he　asked。

〃I　got　four　pennies；〃；　Delacroix　said。　〃I　give　them　for　a　box；　if　it　a　good　one；　s'il　est　bon。〃

〃I'll　tell　you　what；〃　Percy　said。　〃If　that　toothless　old　whoremaster　will　sell　you　that　Corona　box　for　four　cents；　I'll　sneak　some　cotton　batting　out　of　the　dispensary　to　line　it　with。　We'll　make　us　a　regular　Mousie　Hilton；　before　we're　through。〃　He　shifted　his　eyes　to　me。　〃I'm　supposed　to　write　a　switch…room　report　about　Bitterbuck；〃　he　said。　〃Is　there　some　pens　in　your　office；　Paul？〃

〃Yes；　indeed；〃　I　said。　〃Forms；　too。　Lefthand　top　drawer。〃

〃Well；　that's　aces；〃　he　said；　and　went　swaggering　off。