第14部分(第2/7 頁)

；　in　its　way；　and　I　suppose　that　was　what　had　really　made　me　mad。

I　looked　around；　saw　Brutal　staring　at　me；　still　grinning　a　little。

〃Shit；〃　I　said；　〃I'm　getting　too　old　for　this　job。〃

〃Nah；〃　Brutal　said。　〃You're　in　your　prime；　Paul。〃　But　I　wasn't；　neither　was　he；　not　as　far　as　this　goddam　job　went；　and　both　of　us　knew　it。　Still；　the　important　thing　was　that　the　laughing　fit　had　passed。　That　was　good；　because　the　last　thing　I　wanted　was　somebody　remembering　Toot's　smart…aleck　remark　tomorrow　night　and　getting　going　again。　You'd　say　such　a　thing　would　be　impossible；　a　guard　laughing　his　ass　off　as　he　escorted　a　condemned　man　past　the　witnesses　to　the　electric　chair；　but　when　men　are　under　stress；　anything　can　happen。　And　a　thing　like　that；　people　would　have　talked　about　it　for　twenty　years。

〃Are　you　going　to　be　quiet；　Toot？〃　I　asked。

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　his　averted　face　that　of　the　world's　oldest；　poutiest　child。

I　nodded　to　Brutal　that　he　should　get　on　with　the　rehearsal。　He　took　the　mask　from　the　brass　hook　on　the　back　of　the　chair　and　rolled　it　down　over　Toot　Toot's　head；　pulling　it　snug　under　his　chin；　which　opened　the　hole　at　the　top　to　its　widest　diameter。　Then　Brutal　leaned　over；　picked　the　wet　circle　of　sponge　out　of　the　bucket；　pressed　one　finger　against　it；　then　licked　the　tip　of　the　finger。　That　done；　he　put　the　sponge　back　in　the　bucket。　Tomorrow　he　wouldn't。　Tomorrow　he　would　tuck　it　into　the　cap　perched　on　the　back　of　the　chair。　Not　today；　though；　there　was　no　need　to　get　Toot's　old　head　wet。

The　cap　was　steel；　and　with　the　straps　dangling　down　on　either　side；　it　looked　sort　of　like　a　dough　boy's　helmet。　Brutal　put　it　on　Old　Toot…Toot's　head；　snugging　it　down　over　the　hole　in　the　black　headcovering。

〃Gett