第36部分(第1/7 頁)

nd　selfeffacing　as　ever。　〃Roll　on　two！〃

At　first　it　was　the　same　as　always　…　the　humming　that　was　a　little　louder　than　the　original　cycle…up；　but　not　much；　and　the　mindless　forward　surge　of　Del's　body　as　his　muscles　spasmed。

Then　things　started　going　wrong。

The　humming　lost　its　steadiness　and　began　to　waver。　It　was　joined　by　a　crackling　sound；　like　cellophane　being　crinkled。　I　could　smell　something　horrible　that　I　didn't　identify　as　a　mixture　of　burning　hair　and　organic　sponge　until　I　saw　blue　tendrils　of　smoke　curling　out　from　beneath　the　edges　of　the　cap。　More　smoke　was　streaming　out　of　the　hole　in　the　top　of　the　cap　that　the　wire　came　in　through；　it　looked　like　smoke　ing　out　of　the　hole　in　an　Indian's　teepee。

Delacroix　began　to　jitter　and　twist　in…the　chair；　his　mask…covered　face　snapping　from　side　to　side　as　if　in　some　vehement　refusal。　His　legs　began　to　piston　up　and　down　in　short　strokes　that　were　hampered　by　the　clamps　on　his　ankles。　Thunder　banged　overhead；　and　now　the　rain　began　to　pour　down　harder。

I　looked　at　Dean　Stanton；　he　stared　wildly　back。　There　was　a　muffled　pop　from　under　the　cap；　like　a　pine　knot　exploding　in　a　hot　fire；　and　now　I　could　see　smoke　ing　through　the　mask；　as　well；　seeping　out　in　little　curls。

I　lunged　toward　the　mesh　between　us　and　the　switch　room；　but　before　I　could　open　my　mouth；　Brutus　Howell　seized　my　elbow。　His　grip　was　hard　enough　to　make　the　nerves　in　there　tingle。　He　was　as　white　as　tallow　but　not　in　a　panic　…　not　even　close　to　being　in　a　panic。　〃Don't　you　tell　Jack　to　stop；〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice。　〃Whatever　you　do；　don't　tell　him　that。　It's　too　late　to　stop。〃

At　first；　when　Del　began　to　scream；　the　witnesses　didn't　hear　him。　The　rain　on　the　tin　roof　had　swelled　to　a　roar；　and