第10部分(第1/7 頁)

adder；　the　one　that　was　usually　kept　in　the　storage　room；　which　also　happened　to　serve　as　the　final　stop　for　the　state's　condemned。　There　was　a　shelf　jutting　out　from　the　back　of　the　ladder　near　the　top；　the　sort　of　thing　a　workman　would　use　to　hold　his　toolkit　or　a　painter　the　bucket　he　was　working　out　of。　There　was　a　flashlight　on　it。　Brutal　handed　it　to　me。

〃Get　on　up　there。　You're　shorter　than　me；　so　you'll　have　to　go　pretty　near　all　the　way；　but　I'll　hold　your　legs！〃

〃I'm　ticklish　down　there；〃　I　said；　starting　up。　〃Especially　my　knees！'

〃I'll　mind　that！〃

〃Good；〃　I　said；　〃because　a　broken　hip's　too　high　a　price　to　pay　in　order　to　discover　the　origins　of　a　single　mouse。〃

〃Huh？〃

〃Never　mind。〃　My　head　was　up　by　the　caged　light　in　the　center　of　the　ceiling　by　then；　and　I　could　feel　the　ladder　wiggling　a　little　under　my　weight。　Outside；　I　could　hear　the　winter　wind　moaning。　〃Just　hold　onto　me。〃

〃I　got　you；　don't　worry。〃　He　gripped　my　calves　firmly；　and　I　went　up　one　more　step。　Now　the　top　of　my　head　was　less　than　a　foot　from　the　ceiling；　and　I　could　see　the　cobwebs　a　few　enterprising　spiders　had　spun　in　the　crotches　where　the　roof　beams　came　together。　I　shone　the　light　around　but　didn't　see　anything　worth　the　risk　of　being　up　here。

'No；〃　Brutal　said。　〃You're　looking　too　far　away；　Paul。　Look　to　your　left；　where　those　two　beams　e　together。　You　see　them？　One's　a　little　discolored！'

〃I　see。〃

〃Shine　the　light　on　the　join！〃

I　did；　and　saw　what　he　wanted　me　to　see　almost　right　away。　The　beams　had　been　pegged　together　with　dowels；　half　a　dozen　of　them；　and　one　was　gone；　leaving　a　black；　circular　hole　the　size　of　a　quarter。　I　looked　at　it；　then　looked　doubtfully　back　over　my　shoulder　at　Brutal。　〃It　w