第35部分(第6/7 頁)

ure。　All　of　us　have；　but　the　only　time　in　all　my　years　that　I　actually　felt　it　happen　to　me　was　on　that　new　and　thunderstruck　morning　in　October　of　1932；　at　about　ten　seconds　past　midnight。　It　wasn't　the　look　of　poison　triumph　on　Percy　Wetmore's　face　as　he　stepped　away　from　the　capped；　clamped；　and　hooded　figure　sitting　there　in　Old　Sparky；　it　was　what　I　should　have　seen　and　didn't。　There　was　no　water　running　down　Del's　cheeks　from　out　of　the　cap。　That　was　when　I　finally　got　it。

〃Edward　Delacroix；〃　Percy　was　saying；　〃electricity　shall　now　be　passed　through　your　body　until　you　are　dead；　according　to　state　law。〃

I　looked　over　at　Brutal　in　an　agony　that　made　my　urinary　infection　seem　like　a　bumped　finger　The　sponge　is　dry！　I　mouthed　at　him；　but　he　only　shook　his　head；　not　understanding；　and　looked　back　at　the　mask　over　the　Frenchman's　face；　where　the　man's　last　few　breaths　were　pulling　the　black　silk　in　and　then　blousing　it　out　again。

I　reached　for　Percy's　elbow　and　he　stepped　away　from　me；　giving　me　a　flat　look　as　he　did　so。　It　was　only　a　momentary　glance；　but　it　told　me　everything。　Later　he　would　tell　his　lies　and　his　half…truths；　and　most　would　be　believed　by　the　people　who　mattered；　but　I　knew　a　different　story。　Percy　was　a　good　student　when　he　was　doing　something　he　cared　about；　we'd　found　that　out　at　the　rehearsals；　and　he　had　listened　carefully　when　Jack　Van　Hay　explained　how　the　brine…soaked　sponge　conducted　the　juice；　channelling　it；　turning　the　charge　into　a　kind　of　electric　bullet　to　the　brain。　Oh　yes；　Percy　knew　exactly　what　he　was　doing。　I　think　I　believed　him　later　when　he　said　I　didn't　know　how　far　it　would　go；　but　that　doesn't　even　count　in　the　good…intentions　column；　does　it？　I　don't　think　so。　Yet；　short　of　screaming　in　front　of　the　as