第38部分(第5/7 頁)

etmore　wants　to　go　to　Briar　Ridge　as　soon　as　possible。　Must　have　filled　out　the　application　even　before　last　night's　shift　was　over；　wouldn't　you　think？〃

〃It　sounds　that　way；〃　I　agreed。

〃Ordinarily　I'd　let　Curtis　handle　it；　but　considering　the　。。。　atmosphere　on　E　Block　just　lately；　I　asked　Hannah　to　run　it　over　to　me　personally　on　her　lunch　hour。　She　has　graciously　agreed　to　do　so。　I'll　approve　it　and　see　it's　forwarded　on　to　the　state　capital　this　afternoon。　I　expect　you'll　get　a　look　at　Percy's　backside　going　out　the　door　in　no　more　than　a　month。　Maybe　less。〃

He　expected　me　to　be　pleased　with　this　news；　and　had　a　right　to　expect　it。　He　had　taken　time　out　from　tending　his　wife　to　expedite　a　matter　that　might　otherwise　have　taken　upwards　of　half　a　year；　even　with　Percy's　vaunted　connections。　Nevertheless；　my　heart　sank。　A　month！　But　maybe　it　didn't　matter　much；　one　way　or　the　other。　It　removed　a　perfectly　natural　desire　to　wait　and　put　off　a　risky　endeavor；　and　what　I　was　now　thinking　about　would　be　very　risky　indeed。　Sometimes；　when　that's　the　case；　it's　better　to　jump　before　you　can　lose　your　nerve。　If　we　were　going　to　have　to　deal　with　Percy　in　any　case　（always　assuming　I　could　get　the　others　to　go　along　with　my　insanity　…　always　assuming　there　was　a　we；　in　other　words）；　it　might　as　well　be　tonight。

〃Paul？　Are　you　there？〃　His　voice　lowered　a　little；　as　if　he　thought　he　was　now　talking　to　himself。　〃Damn；　I　think　I　lost　the　connection。〃

〃No；　I'm　here；　Hal。　That's　great　news。〃

〃Yes；〃　he　agreed；　and　I　was　again　struck　by　how　old　he　sounded。　How　papery；　somehow。　〃Oh；　I　know　what　you're　thinking。〃

No；　you　don't；　Warden；　I　thought。　Never　in　a　million　years　could　you　know　what　I'm　thinking。

〃You're　thinking　that　our　you