第14部分(第1/7 頁)

Brutal　stepped　around　the　chair　so　that　Toot　could　see　him。　〃Arlen　Bitterbuck；　you　have　been　condemned　to　die　in　the　electric　chair；　sentence　passed　by　a　jury　of　your　peers　and　imposed　by　a　judge　in　good　standing　in　this　state。　God　save　the　people　of　this　state。　Do　you　have　anything　to　say　before　sentence　is　carried　out？〃

〃Yeah；〃　Toot　said；　eyes　gleaming；　lips　bunched　in　a　toothless　happy　grin。　〃I　want　a　fried　chicken　dinner　with　gravy　on　the　taters；　I　want　to　shit　in　your　hat；　and　I　got　to　have　Mae　West　sit　on　my　face；　because　I　am　one　horny　motherfucker。〃

Brutal　tried　to　hold　onto　his　stem　expression；　but　it　was　impossible。　He　threw　back　his　head　and　began　laughing。　Dean　collapsed　onto　the　edge　of　the　platform　like　he'd　been　gutshot；　head　down　between　his　knees；　howling　like　a　coyote；　with　one　hand　clapped　to　his　brow　as　if　to　keep　his　brains　in　there　where　they　belonged。　Harry　was　knocking　his　own　head　against　the　wall　and　going　huh…huh…huh　as　if　he　had　a　glob　of　food　stuck　in　his　throat。　Even　Jack　Van　Hay；　a　man　not　known　for　his　sense　of　humor；　was　laughing。　I　felt　like　it　myself；　of　course　I　did；　but　controlled　it　somehow。　Tomorrow　night　it　was　going　to　be　for　real；　and　a　man　would　die　there　where　Toot…Toot　was　sitting。

〃Shut　up；　Brutal；〃　I　said。　〃You　too；　Dean。　Harry　and　Toot；　the　next　remark　like　that　to　e　out　of　your　mouth　will　be　your　last。　I'll　have　Van　Hay　roll　on　two　for　real。〃

Toot　gave　me　a　grin　as　if　to　say　that　was　a　good　'un；　Boss　Edgebe；　a　real　good　'un。　It　faltered　into　a　narrow；　puzzled　look　when　he　saw　I　wasn't　answering　it。　〃What's　wrong　witchoo？〃　he　asked。

〃It's　not　funny；〃　I　said。　〃That's　what's　wrong　with　me；　and　if　you're　not　smart　enough　to　get　it；　you　better　just　keep　your　gob　shut。〃　Except　it　was　funny