第37部分(第3/7 頁)

what？　I'd　get　away　with　it。　Because　you've　already　shown　yourself　to　be　careless　as　hell　around　the　prisoners。　Inpetent；　too。〃

Percy's　fists　bunched　and　his　cheeks　colored　in　a　thin　pink。　〃I　am　not…〃

〃Sure　you　are；〃　Dean　said；　joining　us。　We　formed　a　rough　semicircle　around　Percy　at　the　foot　of　the　stairs；　and　even　a　retreat　up　the　tunnel　was　blocked；　the　gurney　was　behind　him；　with　its　load　of　smoking　flesh　hidden　under　an　old　sheet。　〃You　just　burned　Delacroix　alive。　If　that　ain't　inpetent；　what　is？〃

Percy's　eyes　flickered。　He　had　been　planning　to　cover　himself　by　pleading　ignorance；　and　now　he　saw　he　was　hoist　by　his　own　petard。　I　don't　know　what　he　might　have　said　next；　because　Curtis　Anderson　came　lunging　down　the　stairs　just　then。

We　heard　him　and　drew　back　from　Percy　a　little；　so　as　not　to　look　quite　so　threatening。

〃What　in　the　blue　fuck　was　that　all　about？　Anderson　roared。　〃Jesus　Christ；　there's　puke　all　over　the　floor　up　there！　And　the　smell！　I　got　Magnusson　and　Old　Toot…Toot　to　open　both　doors；　but　that　smell　won't　e　out　for　five　damn　years；　that's　what　I'm　betting。　And　that　asshole　Wharton　is　singing　about　it！　I　can　hear　him！〃

〃Can　he　carry　a　tune；　Curt？〃　Brutal　asked。　You　know　how　you　can　bum　off　illuminating　gas　with　a　single　spark　and　not　be　hurt　if　you　do　it　before　the　concentration　gets　too　heavy？　This　was　like　that。　We　took　an　instant　to　gape　at　Brutus；　and　then　we　were　all　howling。　Our　high；　hysterical　laughter　flapped　up　and　down　the　gloomy　tunnel　like　bats。　Our　shadows　bobbed　and　flickered　on　the　walls。　Near　the　end；　even　Percy　joined　in。　At　last　it　died；　and　in　its　aftermath　we　all　felt　a　little　better。　Felt　sane　again。

〃Okay；　boys；〃　Anderson　said；　mopping　at　his　teary　eyes　with　his　handkerchief　and　s