第39部分(第7/7 頁)

t　his　damned　face　on　fire。　And　why？　Because　Del　was　a　murderer　half　a　dozen　times　over？　No。　Because　Percy　had　wet　his　pants　and　the　little　Cajun　had　had　the　temerity　to　laugh　at　him。　We'd　been　part　of　a　monstrous　act；　and　Percy　was　going　to　get　away　with　it。　Off　to　Briar　Ridge　he　would　go；　happy　as　a　clam　at　high　tide；　and　there　he　would　have　a　whole　asylum　filled　with　lunatics　to　practice　his　cruelties　upon。　There　was　nothing　we　could　do　about　that；　but　perhaps　it　was　not　too　late　to　wash　some　of　the　muck　off　our　own　hands。

〃In　my　church　they　call　it　atonement　instead　of　balancing；〃　I　said；　〃but　I　guess　it　es　to　the　same　thing。〃

〃Do　you　really　think　Coffey　could　save　her？〃　Dean　asked　in　a　soft；　awed　voice。　'〃Just　。。。　what？　。。。　suck　that　brain　tumor　out　of　her　head？　Like　it　was　a　。。。　a　peach…pi