第51部分

請關閉瀏覽器的閱讀/暢讀/小說模式並且關閉廣告遮蔽過濾功能，避免出現內容無法顯示或者段落錯亂。

　saw　not　a　speck　…　only　rage。　〃And　what　you're　going　to　do　is　get　out　of　here　before　you　go　beyond　the　cockroach　level　of　nuisance　to　that　of　slightly　larger　vermin　…　Rattus　Americanus；　let　us　say！〃

He　took　a　step　toward　her；　looking　both　unsure　of　himself　and　absolutely　furious。　I　thought　it　a　dangerous　bination；　but　Elaine　didn't　flinch　as　he　approached。　〃I　bet　I　know　who　set　off　that　goddam　smoke　alarm；〃　Dolan　said。　〃Might　could　have　been　a　certain　old　bitch　with　claws　for　hands。　Now　get　out　of　here。　Me　and　Paulie　haven't　finished　our　little　talk；　yet！〃

〃His　name　is　Mr。　Edgebe；〃　she　said；　〃and　if　I　ever　hear　you　call　him　Paulie　again；　I　think　I　can　promise　you　that　your　days　of　employment　here　at　Georgia　Pines　will　end；　Mr。　Dolan。〃

〃Just　who　do　you　think　you　are？〃　he　asked　her。　He　was　hulking　over　her；　now；　trying　to　laugh　and　not　quite　making　it。

〃I　think；〃　she　said　calmly；　〃that　I　am　the　grandmother　of　the　man　who　is　currently　Speaker　of　the　Georgia　House　of　Representatives。　A　man　who　loves　his　relatives；　Mr。　Dolan。　Especially　his　older　relatives。〃

The　effortful　smile　dropped　off　his　face　the　way　that　writing　es　off　a　blackboard　swiped　with　a　wet　sponge。　I　saw　uncertainty；　the　possibility　that　he　was　being　bluffed；　the　fear　that　he　was　not；　and　a　certain　dawning　logical　assumption：　it　would　be　easy　enough　to　check；　she　must　know　that；　ergo　she　was　telling　the　truth。

Suddenly　I　began　to　laugh；　and　although　the　sound　was　rusty；　it　was　right。　I　was　remembering　how　many　times　Percy　Wetmore　had　threatened　us　with　his　connections；　back　in　the　bad　old　days。　Now；　for　the　first　time　in　my　long；　long　life；　such　a　threat　was　being　made　again　。。。　but　this　time　it　was　being　made　on　my　behalf。

Brad　Dolan　looked　at　me；　glaring；　the