第11部分(第6/7 頁)

our　mouth；　Four…Eyes。　I'm　riled。　Don't　make　it　worse！〃

〃So　it's　moving　day　again；　is　it？〃　Dean　said；　not　quite　laughing　。。。　but　laughing　with　his　eyes。　〃Well；　when　you　get　everything　out　this　time；　would　you　mind　mopping　the　floor？〃

Percy　looked　at　the　door。　Looked　at　his　keys。　Thought　about　another　long；　hot；　fruitless　rummage　in　the　room　with　the　soft　walls　while　they　all　stood　around　and　watched　him　。。。　The　Chief　and　The　Pres；　too。

〃I'll　be　damned　if　I　understand　what's　so　funny；〃　he　said。　〃We　don't　need　mice　in　the　cellblock　…　we　got　enough　vermin　in　here　already；　without　adding　mice。〃

〃Whatever　you　say；　Percy；〃　Dean　said；　holding　up　his　hands。　He　had　a　moment　right　there；　he　told　me　the　next　night；　when　he　believed　Percy　might　just　take　after　him。

Bill　Dodge　strolled　up　then　and　smoothed　it　over。　〃Think　you　dropped　this；〃　he　said；　and　handed　Percy　his　baton。　〃An　inch　lower；　you　woulda　broken　the　little　barstid's　back。〃

Percy's　chest　expanded　at　that。　〃Yeah；　it　wasn't　a　bad　shot　；　〃　he　said；　carefully　re…seating　his　headknocker　in　its　foolish　holster。　〃I　used　to　be　a　pitcher　in　high　school。　Threw　two　no…hitters。〃

〃Is　that　right；　now？〃　Bill　said；　and　the　respectful　tone　of　voice　（although　he　winked　at　Dean　when　Percy　turned　away）　was　enough　to　finish　defusing　the　situation。

〃Yep；〃　Percy　said。　〃Threw　one　down　in　Knoxville。　Those　city　boys　didn't　know　what　hit　em。　Walked　two。　Could　have　had　a　perfect　game　if　the　ump　hadn't　been　such　a　lugoon。〃

Dean　could　have　left　it　at　that；　but　he　had　seniority　on　Percy　and　part　of　a　senior's　job　is　to　instruct；　and　at　that　time　…　before　Coffey；　before　Delacroix　…　he　still　thought　Percy　might　be　teachable。　So　he　reached　out　and　grasped　the　younger　man's　wrist。　〃You　want　t