EVERY TIME THEY GOT A CALL from the leper hospital to pick up a body Jack Delaney would feel himself coming down with the flu or something. Leo Mullen, his boss, was finally calling it to Jack's at¬tention. "You notice that? They phone, usually it's one of the sisters, and a while later you get kind of a moan in your voice. 'Oh, man, I don't know what's the matter with me. I feel kind of punk.'"
每当接到麻风病院令其接受死尸的来电,杰德来就觉得自己不是偶感风寒就是撞邪的浑身不着劲。而他的老板花狮也总算发觉到德来的不着调。“你发现没?这种电话,一般都是个修女打来的;而你转背就开始在那嘟哝些‘老天,我浑身不对劲。我就像个废物点心’……这些有的没的。”
Jack said, "Punk, I never used the word punk in my life. When was the last time? I mean they called. Wait a minute. How many times since I've been here have they called, twice?"
德来说道:“废物?我这辈子从没用这个字眼形容过自己。上次是什么时候?我是说来电吖。等一下,我来这儿以后她们一共来过几次电话?两次?”
Leo Mullen looked up from the body on the prep table. "You want me to tell you exactly? This is the fourth time I've asked you in the past almost three years now." Leo wore latex gloves and a plastic-coated disposable apron over his vest, shirt, and tie. He looked like a man all dressed up doing the dishes.
花狮戴着橡胶手套,一副套头的塑胶围裙罩着下边穿戴着的汗衫、衬衣及领带——这身打扮看着就像个洗碗工。他从摊着死尸的工作台那抬起头来道:“你要知道确切数目?连这次一起,这是近三年来我第四次叫你去领尸。”