第25部分(第3/8 頁)

hastly；　just　the　same。　Notice　anything　about　them；　Edgebe？〃

I　had　seen　the　man　naked　in　the　shower；　and　I'd　noticed；　all　right；　I　knew　just　what　he　was　talking　about。　〃They're　all　broken　up。　Latticed；　almost。〃

〃You　know　what　that　means？〃

〃Somebody　whopped　the　living　hell　out　of　him　when　he　was　a　kid；〃　I　said。　〃Before　he　grew。〃

〃But　they　didn't　manage　to　whop　the　devil　out　of　him；　did　they；　Edgebe？　Should　have　spared　the　rod　and　just　drowned　him　in　the　river　like　a　stray　kitten；　don't　you　think？〃

I　suppose　it　would　have　been　politic　to　simply　agree　and　get　out　of　there；　but　I　couldn't。　I'd　seen　him。　And　I'd　felt　him；　as　well。　Felt　the　touch　of　his　hands。

〃He's　。。。　strange；〃　I　said。　〃But　there　doesn't　seem　to　be　any　real　violence　in　him。　I　know　how　he　was　found；　and　it's　hard　to　jibe　that　with　what　I　see；　day　in　and　day　out；　on　the　block。　I　know　violent　men；　Mr。　Hammersmith。〃　It　was　Wharton　I　was　thinking　about；　of　course；　Wharton　strangling　Dean　Stanton　with　his　wrist…chain　and　bellowing　Whoooee；　boys！　Ain't　this　a　party；　now？

He　was　looking　at　me　closely　now；　and　smiling　a　little；　incredulous　smile　that　I　didn't　care　for　very　much。　〃You　didn't　e　up　here　to　get　an　idea　about　whether　or　not　he　might　have　killed　some　other　little　girls　somewhere　else；〃　he　said。　〃You　came　up　here　to　see　if　I　think　he　did　it　at　all。　That's　it；　isn't　it？　'Fess　up；　Edgebe。〃

I　swallowed　the　last　of　my　cold　drink；　put　the　bottle　down　on　the　littl