第35部分(第2/8 頁)

de；　and　Brutal　knelt　on　his　right。　I　guarded　my　crotch　and　my　throat　in　the　manner　I　have　already　described；　then　swung　the　clamp　in　so　that　its　open　jaws　encircled　the　skinny　white　flesh　just　above　the　Cajun's　ankle。　Thunder　bellowed　and　I　jumped。　Sweat　ran　in　my　eye；　stinging。　Mouseville；　I　kept　thinking　for　some　reason。　Mouseville；　and　how　it　cost　a　dime　to　get　in。　Two　cents　for　the　kiddies；　who　would　look　at　Mr。　Jingles　through　his　ivy…glass　windows。

The　clamp　was　balky；　wouldn't　shut。　I　could　hear　Del　breathing　in　great　dry　pulls　of　air；　lungs　that　would　be　charred　bags　less　than　four　minutes　from　now　laboring　to　keep　up　with　his　fear…driven　heart。　The　fact　that　he　had　killed　half　a　dozen　people　seemed　at　that　moment　the　least　important　thing　about　him。　I'm　not　trying　to　say　anything　about　right　and　wrong　here；　but　only　to　tell　how　it　was。

Dean　knelt　next　to　me　and　whispered；　〃What's　wrong；　Paul？〃

〃I　can't……〃　I　began；　and　then　the　clamp　closed　with　an　audible　snapping　sound。　It　must　have　also　pinched　a　fold　of　Delacroixs　skin　in　its　jaws；　because　he　flinched　and　made　a　little　hissing　noise。　〃Sorry；〃　I　said。

〃It　okay；　boss；〃　Del　said。　〃It　only　gonna　hurt　for　a　minute。〃

Brutal's　side　had　the　clamp　with　the　electrode　in　it；　which　always　took　a　little　longer；　and　so　we　stood　up；　all　three　of　us；　at　almost　exactly　the　same　time。　Dean　reached　for　the　wrist…clamp　on　Del's　left；　and　Percy　went　to　the　one　on　his　right。　I　was　ready　to　move　forwar