第33部分(第3/8頁)

　for　yourself；〃　I　said。　〃It's　a　free　country。〃

〃I　will；〃　he　said。　〃I　will。〃

He　stalked　past　us；　mouth　set；　small　hands　（Wharton　was　right；　they　were　pretty）　fiddling　with　his　b。　He　went　up　the　steps　and　ducked　through　into　my　office。　Brutal　and　I　stood　by　Old　Sparky；　waiting　for　him　to　e　back　and　not　talking。　I　don't　know　about　Brutal；　but　I　couldn't　think　of　a　thing　to　say。　I　didn't　even　know　how　to　think　about　what　we　had　just　seen。

Three　minutes　passed。　Brutal　picked　up　Percy's　rag　and　began　to　polish　the　thick　back…slats　of　the　electric　chair。　He　had　time　to　finish　one　and　start　another　before　Percy　came　back。　He　stumbled　and　almost　fell　ing　down　the　steps　from　the　office　to　the　storageroom　floor；　and　when　he　crossed　to　us　he　came　at　an　uneven　strut。　His　face　was　shocked　and　unbelieving。

〃You　switched　them；〃　he　said　in　a　shrill；　accusatory　voice。　〃You　switched　mice　somehow；　you　bastards。　You're　playing　with　me；　and　you're　going　to　be　goddam　sorry　if　you　don't　stop！　I'll　see　you　on　the　goddam　breadlines　if　you　don't　stop！　Who　do　you　think　you　are？〃

He　quit；　panting　for　breath；　his　hands　clenched。

〃I'll　tell　you　who　we　are；〃　I　said。　〃We're　the　people　you　work　with；　Percy　。。。　but　not　for　very　much　longer。〃　I　reached　out　and　clamped　my　hands　on　his　shoulders。　Not　real　hard；　but　it　was　a　clamp；　all　right。　Yes　it　was。

Percy　reached　up　to　break　it。　〃Take　your…〃

Brutal　grabbed　his　right　hand　…　the　whole　thing；　small　and　soft