第3部分(第5/8頁)

ld　Sparky　in　a　little　while；　and　Old　Sparky　would　make　an　end　to　him　。。。　but　whatever　it　was　that　had　done　that　awful　thing　was　already　gone；　and　now　he　lay　on　his　bunk；　letting　his　little　panion　run　squeaking　over　his　hands。　In　a　way；　that　was　the　worst；　Old　Sparky　never　burned　what　was　inside　them；　and　the　drugs　they　inject　them　with　today　don't　put　it　to　sleep。　It　vacates；　jumps　to　someone　else；　and　leaves　us　to　kill　husks　that　aren't　really　alive　anyway。

I　turned　my　attention　to　the　giant。

〃If　I　let　Harry　take　those　chains　off　you；　are　you　going　to　be　nice？〃

He　nodded。　It　was　like　his　head…shake：　down　；　up；　back　to　center。　His　strange　eyes　looked　at　me。　There　was　a　kind　of　peace　in　them；　but　not　a　kind　I　was　sure　I　could　trust。　I　crooked　a　finger　to　Harry；　who　came　in　and　unlocked　the　chains。　He　showed　no　fear　now；　even　when　he　knelt　between　Coffey's　treetrunk　legs　to　unlock　the　ankle　irons；　and　that　eased　me　some。　It　was　Percy　who　had　made　Harry　nervous；　and　I　trusted　Harry's　instincts。　I　trusted　the　instincts　of　all　my　day…to…day　E　Block　men；　except　for　Percy。

I　have　a　little　set　speech　I　make　to　men　new　on　the　block；　but　I　hesitated　with　Coffey；　because　he　seemed　so　abnormal；　and　not　just　in　his　size。

When　Harry　stood　back　（Coffey　had　remained　motionless　during　the　entire　unlocking　ceremony；　as　placid　as　a　Percheron）；　I　looked　up　at　my　new　charge；　tapping　on　the　clipboard　with　my　thumb；　and　said：　〃Can　you　talk；　big　boy？〃

〃Yes；