第12部分(第1/7 页)

〃Well；　I　don't　like　to　be　scared；〃　Bill　rumbled；　〃and　I　work　here；　Wetmore；　in　case　you　didn't　notice。　I　ain't　one　of　your　lugoons。〃

Percy　gave　him　a　look　that　was　narrow…eyed　and　a　touch　uncertain。

〃And　we　don't　scare　them　any　more　than　we　have　to；　because　they're　under　a　lot　of　strain；〃　Dean　said。　He　was　still　keeping　his　voice　low。　〃Men　that　are　under　a　lot　of　strain　can　snap。　Hurt　themselves。　Hurt　others。　Sometimes　get　folks　like　us　in　trouble；　too。〃

Percy's　mouth　twitched　at　that。　〃In　trouble〃　was　an　idea　that　had　power　over　him。　Making　trouble　was　okay。　Getting　into　it　was　not。

〃Our　job　is　talking；　not　yelling；〃　Dean　said。　〃A　man　who　is　yelling　at　prisoners　is　a　man　who　has　lost　control。〃

Percy　knew　who　had　written　that　scripture　…　me。

The　boss。　There　was　no　love　lost　between　Percy　Wetmore　and　Paul　Edgebe；　and　this　was　still　summer；　remember　…　long　before　the　real　festivities　started。

〃You'll　do　better；〃　Dean　said；　〃if　you　think　of　this　place　as　like　an　intensive…care　ward　in　a　hospital。　It's　best　to　be　quiet……！〃

〃I　think　of　it　as　a　bucket　of　piss　to　drown　rats　in；〃　Percy　said；　〃and　that's　all。　Now　let　me　go。〃

He　tore　free　of　Dean's　hand；　stepped　between　him　and　Bill；　and　stalked　up　the　corridor　with　his　head　down。　He　walked　a　little　too　close　to　The　President's　side　…　close　enough　so　that　Flanders　could　have　reached　out；　grabbed　him；　and　maybe　headwhipped　him　with　his　own　prized　hickory　baton；　had　Flanders　been　that　sort　of　man。　He　wasn't；　of　course；　but　The　Chief　perhaps　was。　The　Chief；　if　given　a　chance；　might　have　administered　such　a　beating　just　to　teach　Percy　a　lesson。　What　Dean　said　to　me　on　that　subject　when　he　told　me　this　story　the　following　night　has　stuck　with　me　ever　since；　because　it