第45部分(第3/7 页)

replied。　〃All　your　jobs。　You　can't　do　this　to　me！　You　can't！〃

He　was　obviously　prepared　to　go　on　in　that　vein　for　quite　awhile；　but　we　didn't　have　time　to　listen　to　his　sermon。　In　my　pocket　was　a　roll　of　friction…tape；　the　thirties　ancestor　of　the　strapping…tape　folks　use　today。　Percy　saw　it　and　started　to　back　away。　Brutal　grabbed　him　from　behind　and　hugged　him　until　I　had　slapped　the　tape　over　his　mouth；　winding　the　roll　around　to　the　back　of　his　head；　just　to　be　sure。　He　was　going　to　have　a　few　less　swatches　of　hair　when　the　tape　came　off；　and　a　pair　of　seriously　chapped　lips　into　the　bargain；　but　I　no　longer　much　cared；　I'd　had　a　gutful　of　Percy　Wetmore。

We　backed　away　from　him。　He　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　under　the　caged　light；　wearing　the　straitjacket；　breathing　through　flared　nostrils；　and　making　muffled　mmmph！　mmmph！　sounds　from　behind　the　tape。　All　in　all；　he　looked　as　crazy　as　any　other　prisoner　we'd　ever　jugged　in　that　room。

〃The　quieter　you　are；　the　sooner　you　get　out；〃　I　said。　〃Try　to　remember　that；　Percy。…〃

〃And　if　you　get　lonely；　think　about　Olive　Oyl；〃　Harry　advised。　〃Uck…uck…uck…uck。〃

Then　we　went　out。　I　closed　the　door　and　Brutal　locked　it。　Dean　was　standing　a　little　way　up　the　Mile；　just　outside　of　Coffey's　cell。　He　had　already　put　the　master　key　in　the　top　lock。　The　four　of　us　looked　a　each　other；　no　one　saying　anything。　There　was　no　need　to。　We　had　started　the　machinery；　all　we　could　do　now　was　hope　that　it　ran　the　course　we　had　laid　out　instead　of　jumping　the　tracks　somewhere　along　the　line。

〃You　still　want　to　go　for　that　ride；　John？〃　Brutal　asked；

〃Yes；　sir；〃　Coffey　said。　〃I　reckon。〃

〃Good；〃　Dean　said。　He　turned　the　first　lock；　removed　the　key；　and　seated　it　in　the　second。

〃Do