第35部分(第4/7 頁)

。　God　forgive　me。〃　He　licked　his　lips　again；　and　looked　at　Brutal。　〃Don't　forget　your　promise　about　Mr。　Jingles；〃　he　said　in　a　lower　voice　that　was　meant　just　for　us。

〃We　won't；　don't　worry；〃　I　said；　and　patted　Delacroix's　clay…cold　hand。　〃He's　going　to　Mouseville　…　〃

〃The　hell　he　is'　〃　Percy　said；　speaking　from　the　corner　of　his　mouth　like　a　yardwise　con　as　he　hooked　the　restraining　belt　across　Delacroix's　chest。　〃There's　no　such　place。　It's　a　fairy…tale　these　guys　made　up　to　keep　you　quiet。　Just　thought　you　should　know；　faggot。〃

A　stricken　light　in　Del's　eyes　told　me　that　part　of　him　had　known　。。。　but　would　have　kept　the　knowledge　from　the　rest　of　him；　if　allowed。　I　looked　at　Percy；　dumbfounded　and　furious；　and　he　looked　back　at　me　levelly；　as　if　to　ask　what　I　meant　to　do　about　it。　And　he　had　me；　of　course。　There　was　nothing　I　could　do　about　it；　not　in　front　of　the　witnesses；　not　with　Delacroix　now　sitting　on　the　furthest　edge　of　life。　There　was　nothing　to　do　now　but　go　on　with　it；　finish　it。

Percy　took　the　mask　from　its　hook　and　rolled　it　down　over　Del's　face；　snugging　it　tight　under　the　little　man's　undershot　chin　so　as　to　stretch　the　hole　in　the　top。　Taking　the　sponge　from　the　bucket　and　putting　it　in　the　cap　was　the　next；　and　it　was　here　that　Percy　diverged　from　the　routine　for　the　first　time：　instead　of　just　bending　over　and　fishing　the　sponge　out；　he　took　the　steel　cap　from　the　back　of　the　chair；　and　bent　over　with　it　in　his　hands。　Instead　of　bringing　the　sponge　to　the　cap；　in　other　words…which　would　have　been　the　natural　way　to　do　it　…　he　brought　the　cap　to　the　sponge。　I　should　have　realized　something　was　wrong；　but　I　was　too　upset。　It　was　the　only　execution　I　ever　took　part　in　where　I　felt　totally　out　of　control。　As　for　Brutal；　he　n