第22部分(第2/8 頁)

en　you　consider　it。　I　missed　my　chance　to　make　like　James　Cagney　in　White　Heat。

Anyway；　when　we　were　sure　that　Dean　was　going　to　keep　breathing　and　that　he　wasn't　going　to　pass　out　on　the　spot；　Harry　and　Brutal　escorted　him　over　to　the　infirmary。　Delacroix；　who　had　been　absolutely　silent　during　the　scuffle　（he　had　been　in　prison　lots　of　times；　that　one；　and　knew　when　it　was　prudent　to　keep　his　yap　shut　and　when　it　was　relatively　safe　to　open　it　again）；　began　bawling　loudly　down　the　corridor　as　Harry　and　Brutal　helped　Dean　out。　Delacroix　wanted　to　know　what　had　happened。　You　would　have　thought　his　constitutional　rights　had　been　violated。

〃Shut　up；　you　little　queer！〃　Percy　yelled　back；　so　furious　that　the　veins　stood　out　on　the　sides　of　his　neck。　I　put　a　hand　on　his　arm　and　felt　it　quivering　beneath　his　shirt。　Some　of　this　was　residual　fright；　of　course　（every　now　and　then　I　had　to　remind　myself　that　part　of　Percy's　problem　was　that　he　was　only　twenty…one；　not　much　older　than　Wharton）；　but　I　think　most　of　it　was　rage。　He　hated　Delacroix。　I　don't　know　just　why；　but　he　did。

〃Go　see　if　Warden　Moores　is　still　here；〃　I　told　Percy。　〃If　he　is；　give　him　a　plete　verbal　report　on　what　happened。　Tell　him　he'll　have　my　written　report　on　his　desk　tomorrow；　if　I　can　manage　it。〃

Percy　swelled　visibly　at　this　responsibility；　for　a　horrible　moment　or　two；　I　actually　thought　he　might　salute。　〃Yes；　sir。　I　will。〃

〃Begin　by　telling　him　that　the　situation　in　E　Bloc