第7部分(第1/7 页)

ine　of　lit　coal…oil。　Yet　I　thought　it　had　been　a　little　worse　that　afternoon；　and　knew　it　had　been　worse　the　two　or　three　days　before。　I　had　hopes　that　maybe　I　had　started　to　mend。　Never　was　a　hope　more　ill…founded。　No　one　had　told　me　that　sometimes　a　bug　that　gets　up　inside　there；　where　it's　warm　and　wet；　can　take　a　day　or　two　off　to　rest　before　ing　on　strong　again。　I　would　have　been　surprised　to　know　it。　I　would　have　been　even　more　surprised　to　know　that；　in　another　fifteen　or　twenty　years；　there　would　be　pills　you　could　take　that　would　smack　that　sort　of　infection　out　of　your　system　in　record　time　。。。　and　while　those　pills　might　make　you　feel　a　little　sick　at　your　stomach　or　loose　in　your　bowels；　they　almost　never　made　you　vomit　the　way　Dr。　Sadler's　sulfa　pills　did。　Back　in　'32；　there　wasn't　much　you　could　do　but　wait；　and　try　to　ignore　that　feeling　that　someone　had　spilled　coal…oil　inside　your　works　and　then　touched　a　match　to　it。

I　finished　my　butt；　went　into　the　bedroom；　and　finally　got　to　sleep。　I　dreamed　of　girls　with　shy　smiles　and　blood　in　their　hair。

6。

The　next　morning　there　was　a　pink　memo　slip　on　my　desk；　asking　me　to　stop　by　the　warden's　office　as　soon　as　I　could。　I　knew　what　that　was　about　…　there　were　unwritten　but　very　important　rules　to　the　game；　and　I　had　stopped　playing　by　them　for　awhile　yesterday　…　and　so　I　put　it　off　as　long　as　possible。　Like　going　to　the　doctor　about　my　waterworks　problem；　I　suppose。　I've　always　thought　this　〃get…it…over…with〃　business　was　overrated。

Anyway；　I　didn't　hurry　to　Warden　Moores's　office。　I　stripped　off　my　wool　uniform　coat　instead；　hung　it　over　the　back　of　my　chair；　and　turned　on　the　fan　in　the　corner　…　it　was　another　hot　one。　Then　I　sat　down　and　went　over　Brutus　Howell's　night…sheet。