第53部分(第4/7 頁)

en。　He　gave　me　a　tiny　shrug；　just　one　shoulder　lifting　an　inch　and　then　dropping；　but　it　was　enough。　So　what？　that　shrug　said。　What　else　is　there；　Paul？　We　did　what　we　had　to　do；　and　we　did　it　the　best　we　could。

Yes。　Results　hadn't　been　half…bad；　either。

Harry　undid　the　last　buckle　on　the　straitjacket。　Grimacing　with　disgust　and　rage；　Percy　pawed　it　off　and　let　it　drop　at　his　feet。　He　wouldn't　look　at　any　of　us；　not　directly。

〃Give　me　my　gun　and　my　baton；〃　he　said。　I　handed　them　over。　He　dropped　the　gun　into　its　holster　and　shoved　the　hickory　stick　into　its　custom　loop。

〃Percy；　if　you　think　about　it　…　〃

〃Oh；　I　intend　to；〃　he　said；　brushing　past　me。　〃I　intend　to　think　about　it　very　hard。　Starting　right　now。　On　my　way　home。　One　of　you　boys　can　clock　me　out　at　quitting　time。〃　He　reached　the　door　of　the　restraint　room　and　turned　to　survey　us　with　a　look　of　angry；　embarrassed　contempt　…　a　deadly　bination　for　the　secret　we'd　had　some　fool's　hope　of　keeping。

〃Unless；　of　course；　you　want　to　try　explaining　why　I　left　early。〃

He　left　the　room　and　went　striding　up　the　Green　Mile；　forgetting　in　his　agitation　why　that　green　floored　central　corridor　was　so　wide。　He　had　mad　this　mistake　once　before　and　had　gotten　away　with　it。　He　would　not　get　away　with　it　again。

I　followed　him　out　the　door；　trying　to　think　of　a　way　to　soothe　him　down　…　I　didn't　want　him　leaving　E　Block　the　way　he　was　now；　sweaty　and　dishevelled；　with　the　red　print　of　my　hand　still　on　his　cheek。　The　other　three　followed　me。

What　happened　then　happened　very　fast　…　it　was　all　over　in　no　more　than　a　minute；　perhaps　even　less。　Yet　I　remember　all　of　it　to　this　day　…　mostly；　I　think；　because　I　told　Janice　everything　when　I　got　home　and　that　set　it　in　my　mind。　Wh