第26部分(第1/8 頁)

ed　vaguely　at　the　doghouse；　standing　at　the　center　of　its　beaten　patch；　in　the　middle　of　those　aging　turds。　〃Perhaps　you'll　excuse　me；〃　he　said。　〃Since　I　don't　have　to　spend　the　afternoon　in　court；　I　thought　I　might　visit　with　my　family　for　a　little　bit。　A　man's　children　are　only　young　once。〃

〃You　go　ahead；〃　I　said。　My　lips　felt　numb　and　distant。　〃And　thank　you　for　your　time。〃

〃Don't　mention　it；〃　he　said。

I　drove　directly　from　Hammersmith's　house　to　the　prison。　It　was　a　long　drive；　and　this　time　I　wasn't　able　to　shorten　it　by　singing　songs。　It　felt　like　all　the　songs　had　gone　out　of　me；　at　least　for　awhile。　I　kept　seeing　that　poor　little　boy's　disfigured　face。　And　Hammersmith's　hand；　the　fingers　going　up　and　down　against　the　thumb　in　a　biting　motion。

5。

Wild　Bill　Wharton　took　his　first　trip　down　to　the　restraint　room　the　very　next　day。　He　spent　the　morning　and　afternoon　being　as　quiet　and　good　as　Mary's　little　lamb；　a　state　we　soon　discovered　was　not　natural　to　him；　and　meant　trouble。　Then；　around　seven…thirty　that　evening；　Harry　felt　something　warm　splash　on　the　cuffs　of　uniform　pants　he　had　put　on　clean　just　that　day。　It　was　piss。　William　Wharton　was　standing　at　his　cell；　showing　his　darkening　teeth　in　a　wide　grin；　and　pissing　all　over　Harry　Terwilliger's　pants　and　shoes。

〃The　dirty　sonofabitch　must　have　been　saving　it　up　all　day；〃　Harry　said　later；　still　disgusted　and　outraged。

Well；　that　was　it。　It　was　time　to　show　Will