第53部分(第1/7 頁)

The　sound　was　a　sharp　snap；　like　a　breaking　branch。　Dean　gasped。　Percy　stared　at　me　in　utter　shock；　his　eyes　so　wide　they　looked　as　if　they　must　fall　out　of　their　sockets。　His　mouth　opened　and　closed；　opened　and　closed；　like　the　mouth　of　a　fish　in　an　aquarium　tank。

〃Shut　up　and　listen　to　me；〃　I　said。　〃You　deserved　to　be　punished　for　what　you　did　to　Del；　and　we　gave　you　what　you　deserved。　This　was　the　only　way　we　could　do　it。　We　all　agreed；　except　for　Dean；　and　he'll　go　along　with　us；　because　we'll　make　him　sorry　if　he　doesn't。　Isn't　that　so；　Dean？〃

〃Yes；〃　Dean　whispered。　He　was　milk…pale。　〃Guess　it　is。〃

〃And　we'll　make　you　sorry　you　were　ever　born；〃

I　went　on。　〃We'll　see　that　people　know　about　how　you　sabotaged　the　Delacroix　execution　…　〃

〃Sabotaged…！〃

〃how　you　almost　got　Dean　killed。　We'll　blab　enough　to　keep　you　out　of　almost　any　job　your　uncle　can　get　you。〃

Percy　was　shaking　his　head　furiously。　He　didn't　believe　that；　perhaps　couldn't　believe　that。　My　handprint　stood　out　on　his　pale　cheek　like　a　fortune…teller's　sign。

〃And　no　matter　what；　we'd　see　you　beaten　within　an　inch　of　your　life。　We　wouldn't　have　to　do　it　ourselves。　We　know　people；　too；　Percy；　are　you　so　foolish　you　don't　realize　that？　They　aren't　up　in　the　state　capital；　but　they　still　know　how　to　legislate　certain　matters。　These　are　people　who　have　friends　in　here；　people　who　have　brothers　in　here；　people　who　have　fathers　in　here。　They'd　be　happy　to　amputate　the　nose　or　the　penis　of　a　shitheels　like　you。　They'd　do　it　just　so　someone　they　care　for　could　get　an　extra　three　hours　in　the　exercise　yard　each　week。〃

Percy　had　stopped　shaking　his　head。　Now　he　was　only　staring。　Tears　stood　in　his　eyes；　but　didn't　fall。　I　think　they　were　tears　of　rage