第28部分(第4/7 頁)

he　gave　Percy　a　wide　berth　and　a　mistrustful　glance。

Harry　and　Dean　stopped　in　front　of　the　empty　cell　across　from　Wharton's　（that　worthy　had　still　not　so　much　as　stirred）。　They　watched　as　Brutal　unlocked　the　door　to　the　exercise　yard；　where　another　two　guards　were　waiting　to　join　him；　and　led　Delacroix　out；　bound　for　his　mand　performance　before　the　grand　high　poohbahs　of　Cold　Mountain　Penitentiary。　We　waited　until　the　door　was　locked　again；　and　then　I　looked　toward　my　office。　That　shadow　was　still　lying　on　the　floor；　thin　as　famine；　and　I　was　glad　Delacroix　had　been　too　excited　to　see　it。

〃e　on　out；〃　I　said。　〃And　let's　move　along　brisk；　folks。　I　want　to　get　two　run…throughs　in；　and　we　don't　have　much　time。〃

Old　Toot…Toot；　looking　as　bright…eyed　and　bushytailed　as　ever；　came　out；　walked　to　Delacroix's　cell；　and　strolled　in　through　the　open　door。　〃Sittin　down；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　sittin　down；　I'm　sittin　down；　I'm　sittin　down。〃

This　is　the　real　circus；　I　thought；　closing　my　eyes　for　a　second。　This　is　the　real　circus　right　here；　and　we're　all　just　a　bunch　of　trained　mice。　Then　I　put　the　thought　out　of　my　mind；　and　we　started　to　rehearse。

8。

The　first　rehearsal　went　well；　and　so　did　the　second。　Percy　performed　better　than　I　could　have　hoped　for　in　my　wildest　dreams。　That　didn't　mean　things　would　go　right　when　the　time　really　came　for　the　Cajun　to　walk　the　Mile；　but　it　was　a　big　step　in　the　right　direction。　It　occurred　to　me　that　it　had　gone　well　because　Percy　was　at　long　last　doing　something　he　cared　about。　I　felt　a　surge　of　contempt　at　that；　and　pushed　it　away。　What　did　it　matter？　He　would　cap　Delacroix　and　roll　him；　and　then　both　of　them　would　be　gone。　If　that　wasn't　a　happy　ending；　what　was？　And；　as　Moores　had　pointed　out；　Delacroix's