第12部分(第2/8 頁)

ers　been　that　sort　of　man。　He　wasn't；　of　course；　but　The　Chief　perhaps　was。　The　Chief；　if　given　a　chance；　might　have　administered　such　a　beating　just　to　teach　Percy　a　lesson。　What　Dean　said　to　me　on　that　subject　when　he　told　me　this　story　the　following　night　has　stuck　with　me　ever　since；　because　it　turned　out　to　be　a　kind　of　prophecy。　〃Wetmore　don't　understand　that　he　hasn't　got　any　power　over　them；〃　Dean　said。　〃That　nothing　he　does　can　really　make　things　worse　for　them；　that　they　can　only　be　electrocuted　once。　Until　he　gets　his　head　around　that；　he's　going　to　be　a　danger　to　himself　and　to　everyone　else　down　here。〃

Percy　went　into　my　office　and　slammed　the　door　behind　him。

〃My；　my；〃　Bill　Dodge　said。　〃Ain't　he　the　swollen　and　badly　infected　testicle。〃

〃You　don't　know　the　half　of　it；〃　Dean　said。

〃Oh；　look　on　the　bright　side；〃　Bill　said。　He　was　always　telling　people　to　look　on　the　bright　side；　it　got　so　you　wanted　to　punch　his　nose　every　time　it　came　out　of　his　mouth。　〃Your　trick　mouse　got　away；　at　least。〃

〃Yeah；　but　we　won't　see　him　no　more；〃　Dean　said。　〃I　imagine　this　time　goddam　Percy　Wetmore's　scared　him　off　for　good。〃

3。

That　was　logical　but　wrong。　The　mouse　was　back　the　very　next　evening；　which　just　happened　to　be　the　first　of　Percy　Wetmore's　two　nights　off　before　he　slid　over　to　the　graveyard　shift。

Steamboat　Willy　showed　up　around　seven　o'clock。　I　was　there　to　see　his　reappearance；　so　was　Dean。　Harry　Terwilliger；　to