第33部分(第3/7 頁)

　and　start　another　before　Percy　came　back。　He　stumbled　and　almost　fell　ing　down　the　steps　from　the　office　to　the　storageroom　floor；　and　when　he　crossed　to　us　he　came　at　an　uneven　strut。　His　face　was　shocked　and　unbelieving。

〃You　switched　them；〃　he　said　in　a　shrill；　accusatory　voice。　〃You　switched　mice　somehow；　you　bastards。　You're　playing　with　me；　and　you're　going　to　be　goddam　sorry　if　you　don't　stop！　I'll　see　you　on　the　goddam　breadlines　if　you　don't　stop！　Who　do　you　think　you　are？〃

He　quit；　panting　for　breath；　his　hands　clenched。

〃I'll　tell　you　who　we　are；〃　I　said。　〃We're　the　people　you　work　with；　Percy　。。。　but　not　for　very　much　longer。〃　I　reached　out　and　clamped　my　hands　on　his　shoulders。　Not　real　hard；　but　it　was　a　clamp；　all　right。　Yes　it　was。

Percy　reached　up　to　break　it。　〃Take　your…〃

Brutal　grabbed　his　right　hand　…　the　whole　thing；　small　and　soft　and　white；　disappeared　into　Brutal's　tanned　fist。　〃Shut　up　your　cakehole；　sonny。　If　you　know　what's　good　for　you；　you'll　take　this　one　last　opportunity　to　dig　the　wax　out　of　your　ears。〃

I　turned　him　around；　lifted　him　onto　the　platform；　then　backed　him　up　until　the　backs　of　his　knees　struck　the　seat　of　the　electric　chair　and　he　had　to　sit　down。　His　calm　was　gone；　the　meanness　and　the　arrogance；　too。　Those　things　were　real　enough；　but　you　have　to　remember　that　Percy　was　very　young。　At　his　age　they　were　still　only　a　thin　veneer；　like　an　ugly　shade　of　enamel　paint。　You　could　still　chip　through。　And　I　judged　that　Percy　was　now　ready　to　listen。

〃I　want　your　word；〃　I　said。

〃My　word　about　what？〃　His　mouth　was　still　trying　to　sneer；　but　his　eyes　were　terrified。　The　power　in　the　switch　room　was　locked　off；　but　Old　Sparky's　wooden　seat　had　its　own　power；　and　right　then　I　judg