第17部分(第4/8頁)

Harry　and　I　looked　at　each　other。　〃Is　he　sick；　do　you　think？〃　Harry　asked。　〃Maybe　went　to　his　doctor　and　found　out　he's　only　got　three　months　to　live？〃

I　told　him　I　didn't　have　the　slightest　idea　what　was　up。　It　was　the　truth　then；　and　for　awhile　after；　but　I　found　out　in　time。　And　a　few　years　later；　I　had　an　interesting　supper…table　conversation　with　Hal　Moores。　By　then　we　could　talk　freely；　what　with　him　being　retired　and　me　being　at　the　Boys'　Correctional。　It　was　one　of　those　meals　where　you　drink　too　much　and　eat　too　little；　and　tongues　get　loosened。　Hal　told　me　that　Percy　had　been　in　to　plain　about　me　and　about　life　on　the　Mile　in　general。　This　was　just　after　Delacroix　came　on　the　block；　and　Brutal　and　I　had　kept　Percy　from　beating　him　half　to　death。　What　had　griped　Percy　the　most　was　me　telling　him　to　get　out　of　my　sight。　He　didn't　think　a　man　who　was　related　to　the　governor　should　have　to　put　up　with　talk　like　that。

Well；　Moores　told　me；　he　had　stood　Percy　off　for　as　long　as　he　could；　and　when　it　became　dear　to　him　that　Percy　was　going　to　try　pulling　some　strings　to　get　me　reprimanded　and　moved　to　another　part　of　the　prison　at　the　very　least；　he；　Moores；　had　pulled　Percy　into　his　office　and　told　him　that　if　he　quit　rocking　the　boat；　Moores　would　make　sure　that　Percy　was　out　front　for　Delacroix's　execution。　That　he　would；　in　fact；　be　placed　right　beside　the　chair。　I　would　be　in　charge；　as　always；　but　the　witnesses　wouldn't　know　that；　to　them　it　would