绿里奇迹(英文版)-第41章

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Percy's　eyes　flickered。　He　had　been　planning　to　cover　himself　by　pleading　ignorance；　and　now　he　saw　he　was　hoist　by　his　own　petard。　I　don't　know　what　he　might　have　said　next；　because　Curtis　Anderson　came　lunging　down　the　stairs　just　then。　
We　heard　him　and　drew　back　from　Percy　a　little；　so　as　not　to　look　quite　so　threatening。　
〃What　in　the　blue　fuck　was　that　all　about？　Anderson　roared。　〃Jesus　Christ；　there's　puke　all　over　the　floor　up　there！　And　the　smell！　I　got　Magnusson　and　Old　Toot…Toot　to　open　both　doors；　but　that　smell　won't　e　out　for　five　damn　years；　that's　what　I'm　betting。　And　that　asshole　Wharton　is　singing　about　it！　I　can　hear　him！〃　
〃Can　he　carry　a　tune；　Curt？〃　Brutal　asked。　You　know　how　you　can　bum　off　illuminating　gas　with　a　single　spark　and　not　be　hurt　if　you　do　it　before　the　concentration　gets　too　heavy？　This　was　like　that。　We　took　an　instant　to　gape　at　Brutus；　and　then　we　were　all　howling。　Our　high；　hysterical　laughter　flapped　up　and　down　the　gloomy　tunnel　like　bats。　Our　shadows　bobbed　and　flickered　on　the　walls。　Near　the　end；　even　Percy　joined　in。　At　last　it　died；　and　in　its　aftermath　we　all　felt　a　little　better。　Felt　sane　again。　
〃Okay；　boys；〃　Anderson　said；　mopping　at　his　teary　eyes　with　his　handkerchief　and　still　snorting　out　an　occasional　hiccup　of　laughter；　〃what　the　hell　happened？〃　
〃An　execution；〃　Brutal　said。　I　think　his　even　tone　surprised　Anderson；　but　it　didn't　surprise　me；　at　least　not　much；　Brutal　had　always　been　good　at　turning　down　his　dials　in　a　hurry。　〃A　successful　one。〃　
〃How　in　the　name　of　Christ　can　you　call　a　directcurrent　abortion　like　that　a　success？　We've　got　witnesses　that　won't　sleep　for　a　month！　Hell；　that　fat　old　broad　probably　won't　sleep　for　a　year！〃　
Brutal　pointed　at　the　gurney；　and　the　shape　under　the　sheet。　〃He's　dead；　ain't　he？　As　for　your　witnesses；　most　of　them　will　be　telling　their　friends　tomorrow　night　that　it　was　poetic　justice　…　Del　there　burned　a　bunch　of　people　alive；　so　we　turned　around　and　burned　him　alive。　Except　they　won't　say　it　was　us。　They'll　say　it　was　the　will　of　God；　working　through　us。　Maybe　there's　even　some　truth　to　that。　And　you　want　to　know　the　best　part？　The　absolute　cat's　pajamas？　Most　of　their　friends　will　wish　they'd　been　here　to　see　it。〃　He　gave　Percy　a　look　both　distasteful　and　sardonic　as　he　said　this　last。　
〃And　if　their　feathers　are　a　little　ruffled；　so　what？〃　Harry　asked。　〃They　volunteered　for　the　damn　job；　nobody　drafted　them。〃　
〃I　didn't　know　the　sponge　was　supposed　to　be　wet；〃　Percy　said　in　his　robot's　voice。　〃It's　never　wet　in　rehearsal。〃　
Dean　looked　at　him　with　utter　disgust。　〃How　many　years　did　you　spend　pissing　on　the　toilet　seat　before　someone　told　you　to　put　it　up　before　you　start？〃　he　snarled。　
Percy　opened　his　mouth　to　reply；　but　I　told　him　to　shut　up。　For　a　wonder；　he　did。　I　turned　to　Anderson。　
〃Percy　fucked　up；　Curtis　…　that's　what　happened；　pure　and　simple。〃　I　turned　toward　Percy；　daring　him　to　contradict　me。　He　didn't；　maybe　because　he　read　my　eyes：　better　that　Anderson　hear　stupid　mistake　than　on　purpose。　And　besides；　whatever　was　said　down　here　in　the　tunnel　didn't　matter。　What　mattered；　what　always　matters　to　the　Percy　Wetmores　of　the　world；　is　what　gets　written　down　or　overheard　by　the　big　bugs　…　the　people　who　matter。　What　matters　to　the　Percys　of　the　world　is　how　it　plays　in　the　newspapers。　
Anderson　looked　at　the　five　of　us　uncertainly。　He　even　looked　at　Del；　but　Del　wasn't　talking。　〃I　guess　it　could　be　worse；〃　Anderson　said。　
〃That's　right；〃　I　agreed。　〃He　could　still　be　alive。〃　
Curtis　blinked　…　that　possibility　seemed　not　to　have　crossed　his　mind。　〃I　want　a　plete　report　about　this　on　my　desk　tomorrow；〃　he　said。　〃And　none　of　you　are　going　to　talk　to　Warden　Moores　about　it　until　I've　had　my　chance。　Are　you？〃　
We　shook　our　heads　vehemently。　If　Curtis　Anderson　wanted　to　tell　the　warden；　why；　that　was　fine　by　us。　
〃If　none　of　those　asshole　scribblers　put　it　in　their　papers　…〃　
〃They　won't；〃　I　said。　〃If　they　tried；　their　editors'd　kill　it。　Too　gruesome　for　a　family　audience。　But　they　won't　even　try　…　they　were　all　vets　tonight。　Sometimes　things　go　wrong；　that's　all。　They　know　it　as　well　as　we　do。〃　
Anderson　considered　a　moment　longer；　then　nodded。　He　turned　his　attention　to　Percy；　an　expression　of　disgust　on　his　usually　pleasant　face。　〃You're　a　little　asshole；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　don't　like　you　a　bit。〃　He　nodded　at　Percy's　look　of　flabbergasted　surprise。　〃If　you　tell　any　of　your　candy…ass　friends　I　said　that；　I'll　deny　it　until　Aunt　Rhody's　old　gray　goose　es　back　to　life；　and　these　men　will　back　me　up。　You've　got　a　problem；　son。〃　
He　turned　and　started　up　the　stairs。　I　let　him　get　four　steps　and　then　said：　〃Curtis？〃　
He　turned　back；　eyebrows　raised；　saying　nothing。　
〃You　don't　want　to　worry　too　much　about　Percy；〃　I　said。　〃He's　moving　on　to　Briar　Ridge　soon。　Bigger　and　better　things。　Isn't　that　right；　Percy？〃　
〃As　soon　as　his　transfer　es　through；〃　Brutal　added。　
〃And　until　it　es；　he's　going　to　call　in　sick　every　night；〃　Dean　put　in。　
That　roused　Percy；　who　hadn't　been　working　at　the　prison　long　enough　to　have　accumulated　any　paid　sick…time。　He　looked　at　Dean　with　bright　distaste。　〃Don't　you　wish；〃　he　said。　
6。　
We　were　back　on　the　block　by　one…fifteen　or　so　（except　for　Percy；　who　had　been　ordered　to　clean　up　the　storage　room　and　was　sulking　his　way　through　the　job）；　me　with　a　report　to　write。　I　decided　to　do　it　at　the　duty　desk；　if　I　sat　in　my　more　fortable　office　chair；　I'd　likely　doze　off。　That　probably　sounds　peculiar　to　you；　given　what　had　happened　only　an　hour　before'　but　I　felt　as　if　I'd　lived　three　lifetimes　since　eleven　o'clock　the　previous　night；　all　of　them　without　sleep。　
John　Coffey　was　standing　at　his　cell　door；　tears　streaming　from　his　strange；　distant　eyes　…　it　was　like　watching　blood　run　out　of　some　unhealable　but　strangely　painless　wound。　Closer　to　the　desk；　Wharton　was　sitting　on　his　bunk；　rocking　from　side　to　side；　and　singing　a　song　apparently　of　his　own　invention；　and　not　quite　nonsense。　As　well　as　I　can　remember；　it　went　something　like　this：　
〃Bar…be…cue！　Me　and　you！
Stinky；　pinky；　phew…phew…phew！
It　wasn't　Billy　or　Philadelphia　Philly；　it　wasn't　Jackie　or　Roy！　It　was　a　warm　little　number；　a　hot　cucumber；　by　the　name　of　Delacroix！〃　
〃Shut　up；　you　jerk；〃　I　said。　
Wharton　grinned；　showing　his　mouthful　of　dingy　teeth。　He　wasn't　dying；　at　least　not　yet；　he　was　up；　happy；　practically　tap…dancing。　〃e　on　in　here　and　make　me；　why　don't　you？〃　he　said　happily；　and　then　began　another　verse　of　〃The　Barbecue　Song；〃　making　up　。　There　was　something　going　on　in　there；　all　right。　A　kind　of　green　and　stinking　intelligence　that　was；　in　its　own　way；　almost　brilliant。　
I　went　down　to　John　Coffey。　He　wiped　away　his　tears　with　the　heels　of　his　hands。　His　eyes　were　red　and　sore…looking；　and　it　came　to　me　that　he　was　exhausted；　too。　Why　he　should　have　been；　a　man　who　trudged　around　the　exercise　yard　maybe　two　hours　a　day　and　either　sat　or　laid　down　in　his　cell　the　rest　of　the　time；　I　didn't　know；　but　I　didn't　doubt　what　I　was　seeing。　It　was　too　clear。　
〃Poor　Del；〃　he　said　in　a　low；　hoarse　voice。　〃Poor　old　Del。〃　
〃Yes；〃　I　said。　〃Poor　old　Del。　John；　are　you　okay？〃　
〃He's　out　of　it；〃　Coffey　said。　〃Del's　out　of　it。　Isn't　he；　boss？〃　
〃Yes。　Answer　my　question；　John。　Are　you　okay？〃　
〃Del's　out　of　it；　he's　the　lucky　one。　No　matter　how　it　happened；　he's　the　lucky　one。〃　
I　thought　Delacroix　might　have　given　him　an　argument　on　that；　but　didn't　say　so。　I　glanced　around　Coffey's　cell；　instead。　〃Where's　Mr。　Jingles？〃　
〃Ran　down　there。〃　He　pointed　through　the　bars；　down　the　hall　to　the　restraint…room　door。　
I　nodded。　〃Well；　he'll　be　back。〃　
But　he　wasn't；　Mr。　Jingles's　days　on　the　Green　Mile　were　over。　The　only　trace　of　him　we　ever　happened　on　was　what　Brutal　found　that　winter：　a　few　brightly　colored　splinters　of　wood；　and　a　smell　of　peppermint　candy　wafting　out　of　a　hole　in　a　beam。　
I　meant　to　walk　away　then；　but　I　didn't。　I　looked　at　John　Coffey；　and　he　back　at　me　as　if　he　knew　everything　I　was　thinking。　I　told　myself　to　get　moving；　to　just　call　it　a　night　and　get　moving；　back　to　the　duty　desk　and　my　report。　Instead　I　said　his　name：　〃John　Coffey。〃　
〃Yes；　boss；〃　he　said　at　once。　
Sometimes　a　man　is　cursed　with　needing　to　know　a　thing；　and　that　was　how　it　was　with　me　right　then。　I　dropped　down　on　one　knee　and　began　taking　off　one　of　my　shoes。　
7。　
The　rain　had　quit　by　the　time　I　got　home；　and　a　late　grin　of　moon　had　appeared　over　the　ridges　to　the　north。　My　sleepiness　seemed　to　have　gone　with　the　clouds。　I　was　wide　awake；　and　I　could　smell　Delacroix　on　me。　I　thought　I　might　smell　him　on　my　skin　…　barbecue；　me　and　you；　stinky；　pinky；　phew…phew…phew　…　for　a　long　time　to　e。　
Janice　was　waiting　up；　as　she　always　did　on　execution　nights。　I　meant　not　to　tell　her　the　story；　saw　no　sense　in　harrowing　her　with　it；　but　she　got　a　clear　look　at　my　face　as　I　came　in　the　kitchen　door　and　would　have　it　all。　So　I　sat　down；　took　her　warm　hands　in　my　cold　ones　（the　heater　in　my　old　Ford　barely　worked；　and　the　weather　had　turned　a　hundred　and　eighty　degrees　since　the　storm）；　and　told　her　what　she　thought　she　wanted　to　hear。　About　halfway　through　I　broke　down　crying；　which　I　hadn't　expected。　I　was　a　little　ashamed；　but　only　a　little；　it　was　her；　you　see；　and　she　never　taxed　me　with　the　times　that　I　slipped　from　the　way　I　thought　a　man　should　be　。。。　the　way　I　thought　I　should　be；　at　any　rate。　A　man　with　a　good　wife　is　the　luckiest　of　God's　creatures；　and　one　without　must　be　among　the　most　miserable；　I　think；　the　only　true　blessing　of　their　lives　that　they　don't　know　how　poorly　off　they　are。　I　cried；　and　she　held　my　head　against　her　breast；　and　when　my　own　storm　passed；　I　felt　better　。。。　a　little；　anyway。　And　I　believe　that　was　when　I　had　the　first　conscious　sight　of　my　idea。　Not　the　shoe；　I　don't　mean　that。　The　shoe　was　related；　but　different。　All　my　real　idea　was　right　then；　however；　was　an　odd　realization：　that　John　Coffey　and　Melinda　Moores；　different　as　they　might　have　been　in　size　and　sex　and　skin　color；　had　exactly　the　same　eyes：　woeful；　sad；　and　distant。　Dying　eyes。　
〃e　to　bed；〃　my　wife　said　at　last。　〃e　to　bed　with　me；　Paul。〃　
So　I　did；　and　we　made　love；　and　when　it　was　ov