第13部分(第3/7 頁)

d　him；　were　amused　by　his　funny　accent　…　also　French；　but　Canadian　rather　than　Cajun；　and　softened　into　its　own　thing　by　his　years　of　incarceration　in　the　South。　Even　Brutal　got　a　kick　out　of　Old　Toot。　Not　me；　though。　I　thought　he　was；　in　his　way；　an　older　and　dimmer　version　of　Percy　ish　to　kill　and　cook　his　own　meat　but　who　did；　all　the　same；　just　love　the　smell　of　a　barbecue。

We　were　all　there　for　the　rehearsal；　just　as　we　would　all　be　there　for　the　main　event。　Brutus　Howell　had　been　〃put　out；〃　as　we　said；　which　meant　that　he　would　place　the　cap；　monitor　the　governor's　phoneline；　summon　the　doctor　from　his　place　by　the　wall　if　he　was　needed；　and　give　the　actual　order　to　roll　on　two　when　the　time　came。　If　it　went　well；　there　would　be　no　credit　for　anyone。　If　it　didn't　go　well；　Brutal　would　be　blamed　by　the　witnesses　and　I　would　be　blamed　by　the　warden。　Neither　of　us　plained　about　this；　it　wouldn't　have　done　any　good。　The　world　turns；　that's　all。　You　can　hold　on　and　turn　with　it；　or　stand　up　to　protest　and　be　spun　right　off。

Dean；　Harry　Terwilliger；　and　I　walked　down　to　The　Chief's　cell　for　the　first　rehearsal　not　three　minutes　after　Bill　and　his　troops　had　escorted　Bitterbuck　off　the　block　and　over　to　the　Arcade。　The　cell　door　was　open；　and　Old　Toot…Toot　sat　on　The　Chief's　bunk；　his　wispy　white　hair　flying。

〃There　e…stains　all　over　dis　sheet；〃　Toot…Toot　remarked。　〃He　mus'　be　tryin　to　get　rid　of　it　before　you　fellas　boil　it　off！〃　And　he　cackled。

〃Shut　up；　Toot；〃　Dean　said。　〃Let's　play　this　serious。〃

〃Okay；〃　Toot…Toot　said；　immediately　posing　his　face　into　an　expression　of　thunderous　gravity。　But　his　eyes　twinkled。　Old　Toot　never　looked　so　alive　as　when　he　was　playing　dead。

I　stepped　forward。　〃Arlen　Bitterbuck；　as　an　officer　of　t