乐文小说网

第33部分（第2页）

〃I　want　your　word；〃　I　said。

〃My　word　about　what？〃　His　mouth　was　still　trying　to　sneer；　but　his　eyes　were　terrified。　The　power　in　the　switch　room　was　locked　off；　but　Old　Sparkys　wooden　seat　had　its　own　power；　and　right　then　I　judged　that　Percy　was　feeling　it。

〃Your　word　that　if　we　put　you　out　front　for　it　tomorrow　night；　youll　really　go　on　to　Briar　Ridge　and　leave　us　alone；〃　Brutal　said；　speaking　with　a　vehemence　I　had　never　heard　from　him　before。　〃That　youll　put　in　for　a　transfer　the　very　next　day。〃

〃And　if　I　wont？　If　I　should　just　call　up　certain　people　and　tell　them　youre　harassing　me　and　threatening　me？　Bullying　me？〃

〃We　might　get　the　bums　rush　if　your　connections　are　as　good　as　you　seem　to　think　they　are；〃　I　said；　〃but　wed　make　sure　you　left　your　fair　share　of　blood　on　the　floor；　too；　Percy。〃

〃About　that　mouse？　Huh！　You　think　anyone　is　going　to　care　that　I　stepped　on　a　condemned　murderers　pet　mouse？　Outside　of　this　looneybin；　that　is？〃

〃No。　But　three　men　saw　you　just　standing　there　with　your　thumb　up　your　ass　while　Wild　Bill　Wharton　was　trying　to　strangle　Dean　Stanton　with　his　wrist…chains。　About　that　people　will　care；　Percy；　I　promise　you。　About　that　even　your　offsides　uncle　the　governor　is　going　to　care。〃

Percys　cheeks　and　brow　flushed　a　patchy　red。　〃You　think　theyd　believe　you？〃　he　asked；　but　his　voice　had　lost　a　lot　of　its　angry　force。　Clearly　he　thought　someone　might　believe　us。　And　Percy　didnt　like　being　in　trouble。　Breaking　the　rules　was　okay。　Getting　caught　breaking　them　was　not。

〃Well；　Ive　got　some　photos　of　Deans　neck　before　the　bruising　went　down；〃　Brutal　said　…　I　had　no　idea　if　this　was　true　or　not；　but　it　certainly　sounded　good。　〃You　know　what　those　pix　say？　That　Wharton　got　a　pretty　good　shot　at　it　before　anyone　pulled　him　off；　although　you　were　right　there；　and　on　Whartons　blind　side。　Youd　have　some　hard　questions　to　answer；　wouldnt　you？　And　a　thing　like　that　could　follow　a　man　for　quite　a　spell。　Chances　are　itd　still　be　there　long　after　his　relatives　were　out　of　the　state　capital　and　back　home　drinking　mint　juleps　on　the　front　porch。　A　mans　work…record　can　be　a　mighty　interesting　thing；　and　a　lot　of　people　get　a　chance　to　look　at　it　over　the　course　of　a　lifetime。〃

Percys　eyes　flicked　back　and　forth　mistrustfully　between　us。　His　left　hand　went　to　his　hair　and　smoothed　it。　He　said　nothing；　but　I　thought　we　almost　had　him。

〃e　on；　lets　quit　this；〃　I　said。　〃You　dont　want　to　be　here　any　more　than　we　want　you　here；　isnt　that　so？〃

〃I　hate　it　here！〃　he　burst　out。　〃I　hate　the　way　you　treat　me；　the　way　you　never　gave　me　a　chance！〃

That　last　was　far　from　true；　but　I　judged　this　wasnt　the　time　to　argue　the　matter。

〃But　I　dont　like　to　be　pushed　around；　either。　My　Daddy　taught　me　that　once　you　start　down　that　road　you　most　likely　end　up　letting　people　push　you　around　your　whole　life。〃　His　eyes；　not　as　pretty　as　his　hands　but　almost；　flashed。　〃I　especially　dont　like　being　pushed　around　by　big　apes　like　this　guy。〃　He　glanced　at　my　old　friend　and　grunted。　〃Brutal　…　you　got　the　right　nickname；　at　least。〃

〃You　have　to　understand　something；　Percy；〃　I　said。　〃The　way　we　look　at　it；　youve　been　pushing　us　around。　We　keep　telling　you　the　way　we　do　things　around　here　and　you　keep　doing　things　your　own　way；　then　hiding　behind　your　political　connections　when　things　turn　out　wrong。　Stepping　on　Delacroixs　mouse………〃　Brutal　caught　my　eye　and　I　backtracked　in　a　hurry。　〃Trying　to　step　on　Delacroixs　mouse　is　just　a　case　in　point。　You　push　and　push　and　push；　were　finally　pushing　back；　thats　all。　But　listen；　if　you　do　right；　youll　e　out　of　this　looking　good　…　like　a　young　man　on　his　way　up　…　and　smelling　like　a　rose。　Nobodyll　ever　know　about　this　little　talk　were　having。　So　what　do　you　say？　Act　like　a　grownup。　Promise　youll　leave　after　Del。〃

He　thought　it　over。　And　after　a　moment　or　two；　a　look　came　into　his　eyes；　the　sort　of　look　a　fellow　gets　when　hes　just　had　a　good　idea。　I　didnt　like　it　much；　because　any　idea　which　seemed　good　to　Percy　wouldnt　seem　good　to　us。

〃If　nothing　else；〃　Brutal　said；　〃just　think　how　nice　itd　be　to　get　away　from　that　sack　of　pus　Wharton。〃

Percy　nodded；　and　I　let　him　get　out　of　the　chair。　He　straightened　his　uniform　shirt；　tucked　it　in　at　the　back；　gave　his　hair　a　pass…through　with　his　b。　Then　he　looked　at　us。　〃Okay；　I　agree。　Im　out　front　for　Del　tomorrow　night；　Ill　put　in　for　Briar　Ridge　the　very　next　day。　We　call　it　quits　right　there。　Good　enough？〃　〃Good　enough；〃　I　said。　That　look　was　still　in　his　eyes；　but　right　then　I　was　too　relieved　to　care。　He　stuck　out　his　hand。　〃Shake　on　it？〃　I　did。　So　did　Brutal。　More　fools　us。

4。

The　next　day　was　the　thickest　yet；　and　the　last　of　our　strange　October　heat。　Thunder　was　rumbling　in　the　west　when　I　came　to　work；　and　the　dark　clouds　were　beginning　to　stack　up　there。　They　moved　closer　as　the　night　came　down；　and　we　could　see　blue…white　forks　of　lightning　jabbing　out　of　them。　There　was　a　tornado　in　Trapingus　County　around　ten　that　night　…　it　killed　four　people　and　tore　the　roof　off　the　livery　stable　in　Tefton　…　and　vicious　thunderstorms　and　gale…force　winds　at　Cold　Mountain。　Later　it　seemed　to　me　as　if　the　very　heavens　had　protested　the　bad　death　of　Eduard　Delacroix。

Everything　went　just　fine　to　begin　with。　Del　had　spent　a　quiet　day　in　his　cell；　sometimes　playing　with　Mr。　Jingles　but　mostly　just　lying　on　his　bunk　and　petting　him。　Wharton　tried　to　get　trouble　started　a　couple　of　times　…　once　he　hollered　down　to　Del　about　the　mousieburgers　they　were　going　to　have　after　old　Lucky　Pierre　was　dancing　the　two…step　in　hell　…　but　the　little　Cajun　didnt　respond　and　Wharton；　apparently　deciding　that　was　his　best　shot；　gave　it　up。

At　quarter　past　ten；　Brother　Schuster　showed　up　and　delighted　us　all　by　saying　he　would　recite　the　Lords　Prayer　with　Del　in　Cajun　French。　It　seemed　like　a　good　omen。　In　that　we　were　wrong；　of　course。

The　witnesses　began　to　arrive　around　eleven；　most　talking　in　low　tones　about　the　impending　weather；　and　speculating　about　the　possibility　of　a　power　outage　postponing　the　electrocution。　None　of　them　seemed　to　know　that　Old　Sparky　ran　off　a　generator；　and　unless　that　took　a　direct　lightning…hit；　the　show　would　go　on。　Ha

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