第9部分(第5/7 頁)

nt　over　to　D　Block；　where　we　showered　our　group　after　the　regular　cons　were　locked　down；　Brutal　asked　me　if　we　shouldn't　have　a　look　for　Steamboat　Willy　down　there　in　the　restraint　room。

〃I　guess　we　ought　to；〃　I　said。　We'd　had　a　good　laugh　over　that　mouse　the　night　before；　but　I　knew　that　if　Brutal　and　I　found　it　down　there　in　the　restraint　room　…　particularly　if　we　found　it　had　gnawed　itself　the　beginnings　of　a　nest　in　one　of　the　padded　walls　…　we　would　kill　it。　Better　to　kill　the　scout；　no　matter　how　amusing　it　might　be；　than　have　to　live　with　the　pilgrims。　And；　I　shouldn't　have　to　tell　you；　neither　of　us　ish　about　a　little　mouse…murder。　Killing　rats　was　what　the　state　paid　us　for；　after　all。

But　we　didn't　find　Steamboat　Willy　…　later　to　be　known　as　Mr。　Jingles　…　that　night；　not　nested　in　the　soft　walls；　or　behind　any　of　the　collected　junk　we　hauled　out　into　the　corridor。　There　was　a　great　deal　of　junk；　too；　more　than　I　would　have　expected；　because　we　hadn't　had　to　use　the　restraint　room　in　a　long　time。　That　would　change　with　the　advent　of　William　Wharton；　but　of　course　we　didn't　know　that　at　the　time。　Lucky　us。

〃Where'd　it　go？〃　Brutal　asked　at　last；　wiping　sweat　off　the　back　of　his　neck　with　a　big　blue　bandanna。　〃No　hole；　no　crack　。。。　there's　that；　but　…　〃　He　pointed　to　the　drain　in　the　floor。　Below　the　grate；　which　the　mouse　could　have　gotten　through；　was　a　fine　steel　mesh　that　not　even　a　fly　would　have　passed。　〃How'd　it　get　in？　How'd　it　get　out？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　I　said。

〃He　did　e　in　here；　didn't　he？　I　mean；　the　three　of　us　saw　him。〃

〃Yep；　right　under　the　door。　He　had　to　squeeze　a　little；　but　he　made　it。〃

〃Gosh；〃　Brutal　said　…　a　word　that　sounded　strange；　ing　from　a　man　that　big。　〃It's　a　good　thing　the　cons　can't　make