cb.booksofblood-第15部分

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　decided；　this　time　he'd　have　to　let　the　issue　drop。
　　Leverthal　seemed　unmoved　by　the　whole　thing。
　　〃Lacey；〃　she　said　quietly；　〃it's　always　Lacey。〃
　　〃He　asks　for　it；〃　said　one　of　the　boys　with　the　stretcher；　brushing　a　sheaf　of　blond…white　hair　from　his　eyes；　〃he　doesn't　know　no　better。〃　Ignoring　the　observation；　Leverthal　supervised　Lacey's　transfer　to　the　stretcher；　and　started　to　walk　back　to　the　main　building；　with　Redman　in　tow。　It　was　all　so　casual。
　　〃Not　exactly　wholesome；　Lacey；〃　she　said　cryptically；　almost　by　way　of　explanation；　and　that　was　all。　So　much　for　passion。
　　Redman　glanced　back　as　they　tucked　the　red　blanket　around　Lacey's　still　form。　Two　things　happened；　almost　simultaneously。
　　The　first：　Somebody　in　the　group　said；　〃That's　the　pig〃。　The　second：　Lacey's　eyes　opened　and　looked　straight　into　Redman's；　wide；　clear　and　true。
　　
　　Redman　spent　a　good　deal　of　the　next　day　putting　his　workshop　in　order。　Many　of　the　tools　had　been　broken　or　rendered　useless　by　untrained　handling：　saws　without　teeth；　chisels　that　were　chipped　and　edgeless；　broken　vices。　He'd　need　money　to　re…supply　the　shop　with　the　basics　of　the　trade；　but　now　wasn't　the　time　to　start　asking。　Wiser　to　wait；　and　be　seen　to　do　a　decent　job。　He　was　quite　used　to　the　politics　of　institutions；　the　force　was　full　of　it。
　　About　four…thirty　a　bell　started　to　ring；　a　good　way　from　the　workshop。　He　ignored　it；　but　after　a　time　his　instincts　got　the　better　of　him。　Bells　were　alarms；　and　alarms　were　sounded　to　alert　people。　He　left　his　tidying；　locked　the　workshop　door　behind　him；　and　followed　his　ears。
　　The　bell　was　ringing　in　what　was　laughingly　called　the　Hospital　Unit；　two　or　three　rooms　closed　off　from　the　main　block　and　prettied　up　with　a　few　pictures　and　curtains　at　the　windows。　There　was　no　sign　of　smoke　in　the　air；　so　it　clearly　wasn't　a　fire。　There　was　shouting　though。　More　than　shouting。　A　howl。
　　He　quickened　his　pace　along　the　interminable　corridors；　and　as　he　turned　a　corner　towards　the　Unit　a　small　figure　ran　straight　into　him。　The　impact　winded　both　of　them；　but　Redman　grabbed　the　lad　by　the　arm　before　he　could　make　off　again。　The　captive　was　quick　to　respond；　lashing　out　with　his　shoeless　feet　against　Redman's　shin。　But　he　had　him　fast。
　　〃Let　me　go　you　fucking…〃
　　〃Calm　down！　Calm　down！〃　His　pursuers　were　almost　there。　〃Hold　him！〃
　　〃Fucker！　Fucker！　Fucker！　Fucker！〃
　　〃Hold　him！〃　It　was　like　wrestling　a　crocodile：　the　kid　had　all　the　strength　of　fear。　But　the　best　of　his　fury　was　spent。
　　Tears　were　springing　into　his　bruised　eyes　as　he　spat　in　Redman's　face。　It　was　Lacey　in　his　arms；　unwholesome　Lacey。
　　〃OK。　We　got　him。〃　Redman　stepped　back　as　the　warder　took　over；　putting　Lacey　in　a　hold　that　looked　fit　to　break　the　boy's　arm。　Two　or　three　others　were　appearing　round　the　corner。　Two　boys；　and　a　nurse；　a　very　unlovely　creature。
　　〃Let　me　go　。　。　。　Let　me　go　。　。　。〃　Lacey　was　yelling；　but　any　stomach　for　the　fight　had　gone　out　of　him。　A　pout　came　to　his　face　in　defeat；　and　still　the　cow…like　eyes　turned　up　accusingly　at　Redman；　big　and　brown。　He　looked　younger　than　his　sixteen　years；　almost　prepubescent。　There　was　a　whisper　of　bum…fluff　on　his　cheek　and　a　few　spots　amongst　the　bruises　and　a　badly…applied　dressing　across　his　nose。　But　quite　a　girlish　face；　a　virgin's　face；　from　an　age　when　there　were　still　virgins。　And　still　the　eyes。
　　Leverthal　had　appeared；　too　late　to　be　of　use。
　　〃What's　going　on？〃　The　warder　piped　up。　The　chase　had　taken　his　breath；　and　his　temper。
　　〃He　locked　himself　in　the　lavatories。　Tried　to　get　out　through　the　window。〃
　　〃Why？〃　The　question　was　addressed　to　the　warder；　not　to　the　child。　A　telling　confusion。　The　warder；　confounded；　shrugged。
　　〃Why？〃　Redman　repeated　the　question　to　Lacey。　The　boy　just　stared；　as　though　he'd　never　been　asked　a　question　before。
　　〃You　the　pig？〃　he　said　suddenly；　snot　running　from　his　nose。
　　〃Pig？〃
　　〃He　means　policeman；〃　said　one　of　the　boys。　The　noun　was　spoken　with　a　mocking　precision；　as　though　he　was　addressing　an　imbecile。
　　〃I　know　what　he　means；　lad；〃　said　Redman；　still　determined　to　out…stare　Lacey；　〃I　know　very　well　what　he　means。〃
　　〃Are　you？〃
　　〃Be　quiet；　Lacey；〃　said　Leverthal；　〃you're　in　enough　trouble　as　it　is。〃
　　〃Yes；　son。　I'm　the　pig。〃　The　war　of　looks　went　on；　a　private　battle　between　boy　and　man。
　　〃You　don't　know　nothing；〃　said　Lacey。　It　wasn't　a　snide　remark；　the　boy　was　simply　telling　his　version　of　the　truth；　his　gaze　didn't　flicker。
　　〃All　right；　Lacey；　that's　enough。〃　The　warder　was　trying　to　haul　him　away；　his　belly　stuck　out　between　pyjama　top　and　bottom；　a　smooth　dome　of　milk　skin。
　　〃Let　him　speak；〃　said　Redman。　〃What　don't　I　know？〃
　　〃He　can　give　his　side　of　the　story　to　the　Governor；〃　said　Leverthal　before　Lacey　could　reply。　〃It's　not　your　concern。〃　But　it　was　very　much　his　concern。　The　stare　made　it　his　concern；　so　cutting；　so　damned。　The　stare　demanded　that　it　bee　his　concern。
　　〃Let　him　speak；〃　said　Redman；　the　authority　in　his　voice　overriding　Leverthal。　The　warder　loosened　his　hold　just　a　little。
　　〃Why　did　you　try　and　escape；　Lacey？〃　〃Cause　he　came　back。〃
　　〃Who　came　back？　A　name；　Lacey。　Who　are　you　talking　about？〃　For　several　seconds　Redman　sensed　the　boy　fighting　a　pact　with　silence；　then　Lacey　shook　his　head；　breaking　the　electric　exchange　between　them。　He　seemed　to　lose　his　way　somewhere；　a　kind　of　puzzlement　gagged　him。
　　〃No　harm's　going　to　e　to　you。〃　Lacey　stared　at　his　feet；　frowning。　〃I　want　to　go　back　to　bed　now；〃　he　said。　A　virgin's　request。
　　〃No　harm；　Lacey。　I　promise。〃　The　promise　seemed　to　have　precious　little　effect；　Lacey　was　struck　dumb。　But　it　was　a　promise　nevertheless；　and　he　hoped　Lacey　realised　that。　The　kid　looked　exhausted　by　the　effort　of　his　failed　escape；　of　the　pursuit；　of　staring。　His　face　was　ashen。　He　let　the　warder　turn　him　and　take　him　back。　Before　he　rounded　the　corner　again；　he　seemed　to　change　his　mind；　he　struggled　to　loose　himself；　failed；　but　managed　to　twist　himself　round　to　face　his　interrogator。
　　〃Henessey；〃　he　said；　meeting　Redman's　eyes　once　more。　That　was　all。　He　was　shunted　out　of　sight　before　he　could　say　anything　more。
　　〃Henessey？〃　said　Redman；　feeling　like　a　stranger　suddenly。
　　〃Who's　Henessey？〃　Leverthal　was　lighting　a　cigarette。　Her　hands　were　shaking　ever　so　slightly　as　she　did　it。　He　hadn't　noticed　that　yesterday；　but　he　wasn't　surprised。　He'd　yet　to　meet　a　head　shrinker　who　didn't　have　problems　of　their　own。
　　〃The　boy's　lying；〃　she　said；　〃Henessey's　no　longer　with　us。〃　A　little　pause。　Redman　didn't　prompt；　it　would　only　make　her　jumpy。
　　〃Lacey's　clever；〃　she　went　on；　putting　the　cigarette　to　her　colourless　lips。　〃He　knows　just　the　spot。〃
　　〃Eh？〃
　　〃You're　new　here；　and　he　wants　to　give　you　the　impression　that　he's　got　a　mystery　all　of　his　own。〃
　　〃It　isn't　a　mystery　then？〃
　　〃Henessey？〃　she　snorted。　〃Good　God　no。　He　escaped　custody　in　early　May。　He　and　Lacey　。　。　。〃　She　hesitated；　without　wanting　to。　〃He　and　Lacey　had　something　between　them。　Drugs　perhaps；　we　never　found　out。　Glue…sniffing；　mutual　masturbation；　God　knows　what。〃　She　really　did　find　the　whole　subject　unpleasant。　Distaste　was　written　over　her　face　in　a　dozen　tight　places。
　　〃How　did　Henessey　escape？〃
　　〃We　still　don't　know；〃　she　said。　〃He　just　didn't　turn　up　for　roll…call　one　morning。　The　place　was　searched　from　top　to　bottom。　But　he'd　gone。〃
　　〃Is　it　possible　he'd　e　back？〃　A　genuine　laugh。
　　〃Jesus　no。　He　hated　the　place。　Besides；　how　could　he　get　in？〃
　　〃He　got　out。〃　Leverthal　conceded　the　point　with　a　murmur。　〃He　wasn't　especially　bright；　but　he　was　cunning。　I　wasn't　altogether　surprised　when　he　went　missing。　The　few　weeks　before　his　escape　he'd　really　sunk　into　himself。　I　couldn't　get　anything　out　of　him；　and　up　until　then　he'd　been　quite　talkative。〃
　　〃And　Lacey？〃
　　〃Under　his　thumb。　It　often　happens。　Younger　boy　idolizes　an　older；　more　experienced　individual。　Lacey　had　a　very　unsettled　family　background。〃　Neat；　thought　Redman。　So　neat　he　didn't　believe　a　word　of　it。　Minds　weren't　pictures　at　an　exhibition；　all　numbered；　and　hung　in　order　of　influence；　one　marked　〃Cunning〃；　the　next；　〃Impressionable〃。　They　were　scrawls；　they　were　sprawling　splashes　of　graffiti；　unpredictable；　unconfinable。
　　And　little　boy　Lacey？　He　was　written　on　water。
　　
　　Classes　began　the　next　day；　in　a　heat　so　oppressive　it　turned　the　workshop　into　an　oven　by　eleven。　But　the　boys　responded　quickly　to　Redman's　straight　dealing。　They　recognized　in　him　a　man　they　could　respect　without　liking。　They　expected　no　favours；　and　received　none。　It　was　a　stable　arrangement。
　　Redman　found　the　staff　on　the　whole　less　municative　than　the　boys。　An　odd…ball　bunch；　all　in　all。　Not　a　strong　heart　amongst　them　he　decided。　The　routine　of　Tetherdowne；　its　rituals　of　classification；　of　humiliation；　seemed　to　grind　them　into　a　mon　gravel。　Increasingly　he　found　himself　avoiding　conversation　with　his　peers。　The　workshop　became　a　sanctuary；　a　home　from　home；　smelling　of　newly　cut　wood　and　bodies。
　　It　was　not　until　the　following　Monday　that　one　of　the　boys　mentioned　the　farm。
　　Nobody　had　told　him　there　was　a　farm　in　the　grounds　of　the　Centre；　and　the　idea　struck　Redman　as　absurd。
　　〃Nobody　much　goes　down　there；〃　said　Creeley；　one　of　the　worst　woodworkers　on　God's　earth。　〃It　stinks。〃　General　laughter。
　　〃All　right；　lads；　settle　down。〃　The　laughter　subsided；　laced　with　a　few　whispered　jibes。
　　〃Where　is　this　farm；　Creeley？〃
　　〃It's　not　even　a　farm　really；　sir；〃　said　Creeley；　chewing　his　tongue　（an　incessant　routine）。　〃It's　just　a　few　huts。　Stink；　they　do　sir。　Especially　now。〃　He　pointed　out　of　the　window　to　the　wilderness　beyond　the　playing　field。　Since　he'd　last　looked　out　at　the　sight；　that　first　day　with　Leverthal；　the　wasteland　had　ripened　in　the　sweaty　heat；　ranker　with　weeds　than　ever。　Creeley　pointed　out　a　distant　brick　wall；　all　but　hidden　behind　a　shield　of　shrubs。
　　〃See　it；　sir？〃
　　〃Yes；　I　see　it。〃
　　〃That's　the　sty；　sir。〃　Another　round　of　sniggers。
　　〃What's　so　funny？〃　he　wheeled　on　the　class。　A　dozen　heads　snapped　down　to　their　work。
　　〃I　wouldn't　go　down　there　si