第9部分(第7/8 頁)

　themselves　small　like　that；　isn't　it？〃

〃You　bet；〃　I　said；　running　my　eye　over　the　canvas　walls　one　last　time；　looking　for　a　hole；　a　crack；　anything。　There　was　nothing。　〃e　on。　Let's　go。〃

Steamboat　Willy　showed　up　again　three　nights　later；　when　Harry　Terwilliger　was　on　the　duty　desk。　Percy　was　also　on；　and　chased　the　mouse　back　down　the　Green　Mile　with　the　same　mop　Dean　had　been　thinking　of　using。　The　rodent　avoided　Percy　easily；　slipping　through　the　crack　beneath　the　restraint…room　door　a　hands…down　winner。　Cursing　at　the　top　of　his　voice；　Percy　unlocked　the　door　and　hauled　all　that　shit　out　again。　It　was　funny　and　scary　at　the　same　time；　Harry　said。　Percy　was　vowing　he'd　catch　the　goddam　mouse　and　tear　its　diseased　little　head　right　off；　but　he　didn't；　of　course。　Sweaty　and　disheveled；　the　shirttail　of　his　uniform　hanging　out　in　the　back；　he　returned　to　the　duty　desk　half　an　hour　later；　brushing　his　hair　out　of　his　eyes　and　telling　Harry　（who　had　sat　serenely　reading　through　most　of　the　ruckus）　that　he　was　going　to　put　a　strip　of　insulation　on　the　bottom　of　the　door　down　there；　that　would　solve　the　vermin　problem；　he　declared。

〃Whatever　you　think　is　best；　Percy；〃　Harry　said；　turning　a　page　of　the　oat　opera　he　was　reading。　He　thought　Percy　would　forget　about　blocking　the　crack　at　the　bottom　of　that　door；　and　he　was　right。

8。

Late　that　winter；　long　after　these　events　were　over；　Brutal　came　to　me　one　night　when　it　was　just　the　two　of　us；　E　Blo