第59部分(第2/8 頁)

n　…　the　idea　seemed　so　ridiculous　that　I　almost　laughed。　What　I　felt　like　doing　was　maybe　building　myself　a　little　house；　then　shingling　it；　and　plowing　a　garden　in　back；　and　planting　it。　All　before　suppertime。

That's　how　it　is；　I　thought。　Every　day。　All　over　the　world。　That　darkness。　All　over　the　world。

〃I'm　going　to　take　a　turn　over　to　Admin　instead。　Got　a　few　things　to　check　over　there。〃

〃If　you　say　so。〃

I　went　to　the　door　and　opened　it；　then　looked　back。　〃You've　got　it　right〃；　I　said：　〃r…e…c…e…i…v…e；　i　before　e；　except　after　c。　Most　of　the　time；　anyway；　I　guess　there's　exceptions　to　all　the　rules。…〃

I　went　out；　not　needing　to　look　back　at　him　to　know　he　was　staring　with　his　mouth　open。

I　kept　moving　for　the　rest　of　that　shift；　unable　to　sit　down　for　more　than　five　minutes　at　a　stretch　before　jumping　up　again。　I　went　over　to　Admin；　and　then　I　tromped　back　and　forth　across　the　empty　exercise　yard　until　the　guards　in　the　towers　must　have　thought　I　was　crazy。　But　by　the　time　my　shift　was　over；　I　was　starting　to　calm　down　again；　and　that　rustle　of　thoughts　in　my　head　…like　a　stirring　of　leaves；　it　was　…　had　pretty　much　quieted　down。

Still；　halfway　home　that　morning；　it　came　back　strong。　The　way　my　urinary　infection　had。　I　had　to　park　my　Ford　by　the　side　of　the　road；　get　out；　and　sprint　nearly　half　a　mile；　head　down；　arms　pumping；　breath　tearing　in　and　out　of　my　throat　as　warm　as　something　that　you've　carried　in　your　armpit。　Then