第48部分(第3/7 頁)

　why　we　should　have　been　brought　to　his　house；　but　revenge　seemed　the　most　likely　possibility。

Before　he　could　shoot；　Harry　Terwilliger　stepped　up　ahead　of　Coffey　and　then　moved　in　front　of　him；　shielding　most　of　his　body。　Coffey　didn't　make　him　do　it；　Harry　did　it　on　his　own。

〃No；　Warden　Moores！〃　he　said。　〃It's　all　right！　No　one's　armed；　no　one's　going　to　get　hurt；　we're　here　to　help！〃

〃Help？〃　Moores's　tangled；　tufted　eyebrows　drew　together。　His　eyes　blazed。　I　couldn't　take　my　eyes　off　the　cocked　hammer　of　the　Buntline。　〃Help　what？　Help　who？〃

As　if　in　answer；　the　old　woman's　voice　rose　again；　querulous　and　certain　and　utterly　lost：　〃e　in　here　and　poke　my　mudhole；　you　son　of　a　bitch！　Bring　your　asshole　friends；　too！　Let　them　all　have　a　turn！〃

I　looked　at　Brutal；　shaken　to　my　soul。　I'd　understood　that　she　swore　…　that　the　tumor　was　somehow　making　her　swear　…　but　this　was　more　than　swearing。　A　lot　more。

〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃　Moores　asked　us　again。　A　lot　of　the　determination　had　gone　out　of　his　voice　…　his　wife's　wavering　cries　had　done　that。　〃I　don't　understand。　Is　it　a　prison　break；　or。。。〃

John　set　Harry　aside　…　just　picked　him　up　and　moved　him　over　…　and　then　climbed　to　the　stoop。　He　stood　between　Brutal　and　me；　so　big　he　almost　pushed　us　off　either　side　and　into　Melly's　holly　bushes。　Moores's　eyes　turned　up　to　follow　him；　the　way　a　person's　eyes　do　when　he's　trying　to　see　the　top　of　a　tall　tree。　And　suddenly　the　world　fell　back　into　place　for　me。　That　spirit　of　discord；　which　had　jumbled　my　thoughts　like　powerful　fingers　sifting　through　sand　or　grains　of　rice；　was　gone。　I　thought　I　also　understood　why　Harry　had　been　able　to　act　when　Brutal　and　I　could　only　stand；　hopeless　and　indecisive；　in　front　of　our　boss。　Harry