第27部分(第2/8 頁)

〃Never　mind　the　paperwork；　think　of　the　hearing；〃　Harry　said　gloomily。　〃We'd　lose　our　damned　jobs。　End　up　picking　peas　down　Mississippi。　You　know　what　Mississippi　is；　don't　you？　It's　the　Indian　word　for　asshole。〃

〃He　ain't　gonna　die；　and　he　ain't　gonna　swallow　his　tongue；　either；〃　Brutal　said。　〃When　we　open　this　door　tomorrow；　he's　gonna　be　just　fine。　Take　my　word　for　it。〃

That's　the　way　it　was；　too。　The　man　we　took　back　to　his　cell　the　next　night　at　nine　was　quiet；　pallid；　and　seemingly　chastened。　He　walked　with　his　head　down；　made　no　effort　to　attack　anyone　when　the　straitjacket　came　off；　and　only　stared　listlessly　at　me　when　I　told　him　it　would　go　just　the　same　the　next　time；　and　he　just　had　to　ask　himself　how　much　time　he　wanted　to　spend　pissing　in　his　pants　and　eating　baby…food　a　spoonful　at　a　time。

〃I'll　be　good；　boss；　I　learnt　my　lesson；〃　he　whispered　in　a　humble　little　voice　as　we　put　him　back　in　his　cell。　Brutal　looked　at　me　and　winked。

Late　the　next　day；　William　Wharton；　who　was　Billy　the　Kid　to　himself　and　never　that　bushwhacking　John　Law　Wild　Bill　Hickok；　bought　a　moon…pie　from　Old　Toot…Toot。　Wharton　had　been　expressly　forbidden　any　such　merce；　but　the　afternoon　crew　was　posed　of　floaters；　as　I　think　I　have　said；　and　the　deal　went　down。　Toot　himself　undoubtedly　knew　better；　but　to　him　the　snack…wagon　was　always　a　case　of　a　nickel　is　a　nickel；　a　dime　is　a　dime；　I'd　sing　another　chorus　but　I　don't　have　the　time。

That　night；　when　B