第28部分(第5/7 頁)

　nuts　were　going　to　fry　no　matter　who　was　out　front。

Still；　Percy　had　shown　to　good　advantage　in　his　new　role　and　he　knew　it。　We　all　did。　As　for　me；　I　was　too　relieved　to　dislike　him　much；　at　east　or　the　time　being。　It　looked　as　if　things　were　going　to　go　all　right。　I　was　further　relieved　to　find　that　Percy　actually　listened　when　we　suggested　some　things　he　could　do　that　might　improve　his　performance　even　more；　or　at　least　cut　down　the　possibility　of　something　going　wrong。　If　you　want　to　know　the　truth；　we　got　pretty　enthusiastic　about　it　…　even　Dean；　who　ordinarily　stood　well　back　from　Percy　…　physically　as　well　as　mentally；　if　he　could。　None　of　it　that　surprising；　either；　I　suppose　…　for　most　men；　nothing　is　more　flattering　than　having　a　young　person　actually　pay　attention　to　his　advice；　and　we　were　no　different　in　that　regard。　As　a　result；　not　a　one　of　us　noticed　that　Wild　Bill　Wharton　was　no　longer　looking　up　at　the　ceiling。　That　includes　me；　but　I　know　he　wasn't。　He　was　looking　at　us　as　we　stood　there　by　the　duty　desk；　gassing　and　giving　Percy　advice。　Giving　him　advice！　And　him　pretending　to　listen！　Quite　a　laugh；　considering　how　things　turned　out！

The　sound　of　a　key　rattling　into　the　lock　of　the　door　to　the　exercise　yard　put　an　end　to　our　little　postrehearsal　critique。　Dean　gave　Percy　a　warning　glance。　〃Not　a　word　or　a　wrong　look；〃　he　said。　〃We　don't　want　him　to　know　what　we've　been　doing。　It's　not　good　for　them。　Upsets　them。〃

Percy　nodded　and　ran　a　finger　across　his　lips　in　a　mum's…the…word　gesture　that　was　supposed　to　be　funny　and　wasn't。　The　exercise…yard　door　opened　and　Delacroix　came　in；　escorted　by　Brutal；　who　was　carrying　the　cigar　box　with　the　colored　spool　in　it；　the　way　the　magician's　assistant　in　a　vaudeville　show　might　carry　the　bo