第29部分(第3/7 頁)

ed　down　at　the　dark　splotch　on　the　front　of　Percy's　trousers　…　it　was　small　but　it　was　there；　and　no　question　about　what　it　was　…　and　grinned。　〃Somebody　ought　to　buy　the　tough　boy　a　didy；〃　he　said；　and　went　back　to　his　bunk；　chuffing　laughter。

Brutal　went　down　to　Delacroix's　cell；　but　the　Cajun　had　ducked　inside　and　thrown　himself　on　his　bunk　before　Brutal　could　get　there。

I　reached　out　and　grasped　Percy's　shoulder。　〃Percy…〃　I　began；　but　that　was　as　far　as　I　got。　He　came　to　life；　shaking　my　hand　off。　He　looked　down　at　the　front　of　his　pants；　saw　the　spot　spreading　there；　and　blushed　a　dark；　fiery　red。　He　looked　up　at　me　again；　then　at　Harry　and　Dean。　I　remember　being　glad　that　Old　Toot…Toot　was　gone。　If　he'd　been　around；　the　story　would　have　been　all　over　the　prison　in　a　single　day。　And；　given　Percy's　last　name…an　unfortunate　one；　in　this　context　…　it　was　a　story　that　would　have　been　told　with　the　relish　of　high　glee　for　years　to　e。

〃You　talk　about　this　to　anyone；　and　you'll　all　be　on　the　breadlines　in　a　week；〃　he　whispered　fiercely。　It　was　the　sort　of　crack　that　would　have　made　me　want　to　swat　him　under　other　circumstances；　but　under　these；　I　only　pitied　him。　I　think　he　saw　that　pity；　and　it　made　it　worse　with　him　…　like　having　an　open　wound　scoured　with　tles。

'〃What　goes　on　here　stays　here；〃　Dean　said　quietly。　〃You　don't　have　to　worry　about　that。〃

Percy　looked　back　over　his　shoulder；　toward　Delacroix's　cell。　Brutal　was　just　locking　the　door；　and　from　inside；　deadly　clear；　we　could　still　hear　Delacroix　giggling。　Percy's　look　was　as　black　as　thunder。　I　thought　of　telling　him　that　you　reaped　what　you　sowed　in　this　life；　and　then　decided　this　might　not　be　the　right　time　for　a　scripture　lesson。

〃As　for　him　…　〃　he　began；　but　never　f