第16部分(第6/7 頁)

ing　to　say〃

〃I'm　not　trying　to　say　anything。　I　have　said　it。　And　if　you　tell　any　of　your　。。。friends　。。。　about　this　discussion；　I'll　say　you　made　the　whole　thing　up。〃　I　looked　at　him　all　wide…eyed　and　earnest。　〃Besides；　I'm　trying　to　be　your　friend；　Percy。　A　word　to　the　wise　is　sufficient；　they　say。　And　why　would　you　want　to　get　into　it　with　Delacroix　in　the　first　place？　He's　not　worth　it。〃

And　for　awhile　that　worked。　There　was　peace。　A　couple　of　times　I　was　even　able　to　send　Percy　with　Dean　or　Harry　when　Delacroix's　time　to　shower　had　rolled　around。　We　had　the　radio　at　night；　Delacroix　began　to　relax　a　little　into　the　scant　routine　of　E　Block；　and　there　was　peace。

Then；　one　night；　I　heard　him　laughing。

Harry　Terwilliger　was　on　the　desk；　and　soon　he　was　laughing；　too。　I　got　up　and　went　on　down　to　Delacroix's　cell　to　see　what　he　possibly　had　to　laugh　about。

〃Look；　Cap'n〃　he　said　when　he　saw　me。　〃I　done　tame　me　a　mouse！〃

It　was　Steamboat　Willy。　He　was　in　Delacroix's　cell。　More：　he　was　sitting　on　Delacroix's　shoulder　and　looking　calmly　out　through　the　bars　at　us　with　his　little　oildrop　eyes。　His　tail　was　curled　around　his　paws；　and　he　looked　pletely　at　peace。　As　for　Delacroix　…　friend；　you　wouldn't　have　known　it　was　the　same　man　who'd　sat　cringing　and　shuddering　at　the　foot　of　his　bunk　not　a　week　before。　He　looked　like　my　daughter　used　to　on　Christmas　morning；　when　she　came　down　the　stairs　and　saw　the　presents。

〃Watch　dis！〃　Delacroix　said。　The　mouse　was　sitting　on　his　right　shoulder。　Delacroix　stretched　out　his　left　arm。　The　mouse　scampered　up　to　the　top　of　Delacroix's　head；　using　the　man's　hair　（which　was　thick　enough　in　back；　at　least）　to　climb　up。　Then　he　scampered　down　the　other　side；　Delacroix　giggling　as　his　tail　tickle