第37部分(第2/8 頁)

eks　were　paper…white　and　his　lips　were　purplish；　as　if　he'd　been　eating　blackberry　cobbler。

I　switched　my　attention　back　to　Brutal。　〃For　God's　sake；　Brutal；　Delacroix's　dead；　nothing　can　change　that；　and　Percy's　not　worth　it。〃　Was　the　plan；　or　the　beginnings　of　it；　in　my　head　even　then？　I've　wondered　about　that　since；　let　me　tell　you。　I've　wondered　over　the　course　of　a　lot　of　years；　and　have　never　been　able　to　e　up　with　a　satisfactory　answer。　I　suppose　it　doesn't　matter　much。　A　lot　of　things　don't　matter；　but　it　doesn't　keep　a　man　from　wondering　about　them；　I've　noticed。

〃You　guys　talk　about　me　like　I　was　a　chump；〃　Percy　said。　He　still　sounded　dazed　and　winded　…　as　if　someone　had　punched　him　deep　in　the　gut　…　but　he　was　ing　back　a　little。

〃You　are　a　chump；　Percy；〃　I　said。

〃Hey；　you　can't…〃

I　controlled　my　own　urge　to　hit　him　only　with　the　greatest　effort。　Water　dripped　hollowly　from　the　bricks　down　in　the　tunnel；　our　shadows　danced　huge　and　misshapen　on　the　walls；　like　shadows　in　that　Poe　story　about　the　big　ape　in　the　Rue　Morgue。　Thunder　bashed；　but　down　here　it　was　muffled。

〃I　only　want　to　hear　one　thing　from　you；　Percy；　and　that's　you　repeating　your　promise　to　put　in　for　Briar　Ridge　tomorrow。〃

〃Don't　worry　about　that；〃　he　said　sullenly。　He　looked　at　the　sheeted　figure　on　the　gurney；　looked　away；　flicked　his　eyes　up　toward　my　face　for　a　moment；　then　looked　away　again。

〃That　would　be　for　the　best；〃　Harry　said。　〃Otherwis