第37部分(第3/8 頁)

e；　you　might　get　to　know　Wild　Bill　Wharton　a　whole　lot　better　than　you　want　to。〃　A　slight　pause。　〃We　could　see　to　it。〃

Percy　was　afraid　of　us；　and　he　was　probably　afraid　of　what　we　might　do　if　he　was　still　around　when　we　found　out　he'd　been　talking　to　Jack　Van　Hay　about　what　the　sponge　was　for　and　why　we　always　soaked　it　in　brine；　but　Harry's　mention　of　Wharton　woke　real　terror　in　his　eyes。　I　could　see　him　remembering　how　Wharton　had　held　him；　ruffling　his　hair　and　crooning　to　him。

〃You　wouldn't　dare；〃　Percy　whispered。

〃Yes　I　would；〃　Harry　replied　calmly。　〃And　do　you　know　what？　I'd　get　away　with　it。　Because　you've　already　shown　yourself　to　be　careless　as　hell　around　the　prisoners。　Inpetent；　too。〃

Percy's　fists　bunched　and　his　cheeks　colored　in　a　thin　pink。　〃I　am　not…〃

〃Sure　you　are；〃　Dean　said；　joining　us。　We　formed　a　rough　semicircle　around　Percy　at　the　foot　of　the　stairs；　and　even　a　retreat　up　the　tunnel　was　blocked；　the　gurney　was　behind　him；　with　its　load　of　smoking　flesh　hidden　under　an　old　sheet。　〃You　just　burned　Delacroix　alive。　If　that　ain't　inpetent；　what　is？〃

Percy's　eyes　flickered。　He　had　been　planning　to　cover　himself　by　pleading　ignorance；　and　now　he　saw　he　was　hoist　by　his　own　petard。　I　don't　know　what　he　might　have　said　next；　because　Curtis　Anderson　came　lunging　down　the　stairs　just　then。

We　heard　him　and　drew　back　from　Percy　a　little；　so　as　not　to　look　quite　so　threatening。

〃What　in　the　blue　fuck　was　that