第37部分(第5/7 頁)

yes：　better　that　Anderson　hear　stupid　mistake　than　on　purpose。　And　besides；　whatever　was　said　down　here　in　the　tunnel　didn't　matter。　What　mattered；　what　always　matters　to　the　Percy　Wetmores　of　the　world；　is　what　gets　written　down　or　overheard　by　the　big　bugs　…　the　people　who　matter。　What　matters　to　the　Percys　of　the　world　is　how　it　plays　in　the　newspapers。

Anderson　looked　at　the　five　of　us　uncertainly。　He　even　looked　at　Del；　but　Del　wasn't　talking。　〃I　guess　it　could　be　worse；〃　Anderson　said。

〃That's　right；〃　I　agreed。　〃He　could　still　be　alive。〃

Curtis　blinked　…　that　possibility　seemed　not　to　have　crossed　his　mind。　〃I　want　a　plete　report　about　this　on　my　desk　tomorrow；〃　he　said。　〃And　none　of　you　are　going　to　talk　to　Warden　Moores　about　it　until　I've　had　my　chance。　Are　you？〃

We　shook　our　heads　vehemently。　If　Curtis　Anderson　wanted　to　tell　the　warden；　why；　that　was　fine　by　us。

〃If　none　of　those　asshole　scribblers　put　it　in　their　papers　…〃

〃They　won't；〃　I　said。　〃If　they　tried；　their　editors'd　kill　it。　Too　gruesome　for　a　family　audience。　But　they　won't　even　try　…　they　were　all　vets　tonight。　Sometimes　things　go　wrong；　that's　all。　They　know　it　as　well　as　we　do。〃

Anderson　considered　a　moment　longer；　then　nodded。　He　turned　his　attention　to　Percy；　an　expression　of　disgust　on　his　usually　pleasant　face。　〃You're　a　little　asshole；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　don't　like　you　a　bit。〃　He　nodded　at　Percy's　look　of　flabbergasted　surprise。　〃If　you　tell　any　of　your　candy…ass　friends　I　said　that；　I'll　deny　it　until　Aunt　Rhody's　old　gray　goose　es　back　to　life；　and　these　men　will　back　me　up。　You've　got　a　problem；　son。〃

He　turned　and　started　up　the　stairs。　I　let　him　get　four　steps　and　then　said：　〃Curtis？〃

He　turned　back；　eyebrows　raised；　saying