No； that's not right。 What I actually finished with was the stuff that came out of Percy； the bugs or the whatever…it…was。 That was a hard thing to tell； even to your wife； but I told it。
As I talked； she brought me black coffee by the half…cup at first my hands were shaking too badly to pick up a whole one without spilling it。 By the time I finished； the shaking had eased some； and I felt that I could even take some food an egg； maybe； or some soup。
〃The thing that saved us was that we didn't really have to lie； any of us。〃
〃Just leave a few things out；〃 she said； and nodded。 〃Little things； mostly； like how you took a condemned murderer out of prison； and how he cured a dying woman； and how he drove that Percy Wetmore crazy by … what？ … spitting a pureed brain tumor down his throat？〃
〃I don't know； Jan；〃 I said。 〃I only know that if you keep talking like that； you'll end up either eating that soup yourself； or feeding it to the dog。〃
〃I'm sorry。 But I'm right； aren't I？〃
〃Yeah；〃 I said。 Except we got away with the…〃 The what？ You couldn't call it an escape； and furlough wasn't right； either。 〃the field trip。 Not even Percy can tell them about that； if he ever es back。〃
〃If he es back；〃 she echoed。 〃How likely is that？〃
I shook my head to indicate I had no idea。 But I did； actually； I didn't think he was going to e back； not in 1932； not in '42 or '52； either。 In that I was right。 Percy Wetmore stayed at Briar Ridge until it burned flat in 1944。 Seventeen inmates were killed in that fire； but Percy wasn't one of them。 Still silent and blank in every regard…the word I learned to describe that state is catatonic … he was led out by one of the guards long before the fire reached his wing。 He went on to another