第17部分(第4/7 頁)

vernor　should　have　to　put　up　with　talk　like　that。

Well；　Moores　told　me；　he　had　stood　Percy　off　for　as　long　as　he　could；　and　when　it　became　dear　to　him　that　Percy　was　going　to　try　pulling　some　strings　to　get　me　reprimanded　and　moved　to　another　part　of　the　prison　at　the　very　least；　he；　Moores；　had　pulled　Percy　into　his　office　and　told　him　that　if　he　quit　rocking　the　boat；　Moores　would　make　sure　that　Percy　was　out　front　for　Delacroix's　execution。　That　he　would；　in　fact；　be　placed　right　beside　the　chair。　I　would　be　in　charge；　as　always；　but　the　witnesses　wouldn't　know　that；　to　them　it　would　look　as　if　Mr。　Percy　Wetmore　was　boss　of　the　cotillion。　Moores　wasn't　promising　any　more　than　what　we'd　already　discussed　and　I'd　gone　along　with；　but　Percy　didn't　know　that。　He　agreed　to　leave　off　his　threats　to　have　me　reassigned；　and　the　atmosphere　on　E　Block　sweetened。　He　had　even　agreed　that　Delacroix　could　keep　Percy's　old　nemesis　as　a　pet。　It's　amazing　how　some　men　can　change；　given　the　right　incentive；　in　Percy's　case；　all　Warden　Moores　had　to　offer　was　the　chance　to　take　a　bald　little　Frenchman's　life。

9。

Toot…Toot　felt　that　four　cents　was　far　too　little　for　a　prime　Corona　cigar　box；　and　in　that　he　was　probably　right　…　cigar　boxes　were　highly　prized　objects　in　prison。　A　thousand　different　small　items　could　be　stored　in　them；　the　smell　was　pleasant；　and　there　was　something　about　them　that　reminded　our　customers　of　what　it　was　like　to　be　free　men。　Because　cigarettes　were　permitted　in　prison　but　cigars　were　not；　I　imagine。

Dean　Stanton；　who　was　back　on　the　block　by　then；　added　a　penny　to　the　pot；　and　I　kicked　one　in；　as　well。　When　Toot　still　proved　reluctant；　Brutal　went　to　work　on　him；　first　telling　him　he　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　himself　for　behaving　lik