第37部分(第4/7 頁)

till　snorting　out　an　occasional　hiccup　of　laughter；　〃what　the　hell　happened？〃

〃An　execution；〃　Brutal　said。　I　think　his　even　tone　surprised　Anderson；　but　it　didn't　surprise　me；　at　least　not　much；　Brutal　had　always　been　good　at　turning　down　his　dials　in　a　hurry。　〃A　successful　one。〃

〃How　in　the　name　of　Christ　can　you　call　a　directcurrent　abortion　like　that　a　success？　We've　got　witnesses　that　won't　sleep　for　a　month！　Hell；　that　fat　old　broad　probably　won't　sleep　for　a　year！〃

Brutal　pointed　at　the　gurney；　and　the　shape　under　the　sheet。　〃He's　dead；　ain't　he？　As　for　your　witnesses；　most　of　them　will　be　telling　their　friends　tomorrow　night　that　it　was　poetic　justice　…　Del　there　burned　a　bunch　of　people　alive；　so　we　turned　around　and　burned　him　alive。　Except　they　won't　say　it　was　us。　They'll　say　it　was　the　will　of　God；　working　through　us。　Maybe　there's　even　some　truth　to　that。　And　you　want　to　know　the　best　part？　The　absolute　cat's　pajamas？　Most　of　their　friends　will　wish　they'd　been　here　to　see　it。〃　He　gave　Percy　a　look　both　distasteful　and　sardonic　as　he　said　this　last。

〃And　if　their　feathers　are　a　little　ruffled；　so　what？〃　Harry　asked。　〃They　volunteered　for　the　damn　job；　nobody　drafted　them。〃

〃I　didn't　know　the　sponge　was　supposed　to　be　wet；〃　Percy　said　in　his　robot's　voice。　〃It's　never　wet　in　rehearsal。〃

Dean　looked　at　him　with　utter　disgust。　〃How　many　years　did　you　spend　pissing　on　the　toilet　seat　before　someone　told　you　to　put　it　up　before　you　start？〃　he　snarled。

Percy　opened　his　mouth　to　reply；　but　I　told　him　to　shut　up。　For　a　wonder；　he　did。　I　turned　to　Anderson。

〃Percy　fucked　up；　Curtis　…　that's　what　happened；　pure　and　simple。〃　I　turned　toward　Percy；　daring　him　to　contradict　me。　He　didn't；　maybe　because　he　read　my　e