第9部分(第4/7 頁)

　headed　TIME　ON　BLOCK。

〃Sure；　why　not；　the　big　bosses　probably　make　exceptions　for　mice；〃　I　said。

〃Course　they　do；〃　Brutal　agreed。　〃Lack　of　pockets。〃　He　turned　to　look　at　the　wall…clock　behind　the　desk；　then　printed　10：01　in　the　column　headed　TIME　OFF　BLOCK。　The　longer　space　between　these　two　numbers　was　headed　NAME　OF　VISITOR。　After　a　moment's　hard　thought　…　probably　to　muster　his　limited　spelling　skills；　as　I'm　sure　the　idea　was　in　his　head　already　…　Brutus　Howell　carefully　wrote　STEAMBOAT　WILLY；　which　was　what　most　people　called　Mickey　Mouse　back　in　those　days。　It　was　because　of　that　first　talkie　cartoon；　where　he　rolled　his　eyes　and　bumped　his　hips　around　and　pulled　the　whistle　cord　in　the　pilothouse　of　the　steamboat。

〃There；〃　Brutal　said；　slamming　the　book　closed　and　returning　it　to　its　drawer；　〃all　done　and　buttoned　up。〃

I　laughed；　but　Dean；　who　couldn't　help　being　serious　about　things　even　when　he　saw　the　joke；　was　frowning　and　polishing　his　glasses　furiously。　〃You'll　be　in　trouble　if　someone　sees　that。〃　He　hesitated　and　added；　〃The　wrong　someone。〃　He　hesitated　again；　looking　nearsightedly　around　almost　as　if　he　expected　to　see　that　the　walls　had　grown　ears；　before　finishing：　〃Someone　like　Percy　Kiss…My…Ass…and…Go…to…Heaven　Wetmore。〃

〃Huh；〃　Brutal　said。　…　The　day　Percy　Wetmore　sits　his　narrow　shanks　down　here　at　this　desk　will　be　the　day　I　resign。〃

〃You　won't　have　to；〃　Dean　said。　〃They'll　fire　you　for　making　jokes　in　the　visitors'　book　if　Percy　puts　the　right　word　in　the　right　ear。　And　he　can。　You　know　he　can！'

Brutal　glowered　but　said　nothing。　I　reckoned　that　later　on　that　night　he　would　erase　what　he　had　written。　And　if　he　didn't；　I　would。

The　next　night；　after　getting　first　Bitterbuck　and　then　The　Preside