绿里奇迹(英文版)-第55章

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〃Hal；〃　I　said。　〃We　have　to　go　now。〃　
He　nodded；　not　looking　at　me。　He　was　studying　the　color　in　his　wife's　cheeks；　the　natural　unstrained　curve　of　his　wife's　lips；　the　new　black　in　his　wife's　hair。　
I　tapped　him　on　the　shoulder；　hard　enough　to　get　his　attention　for　a　moment；　at　least。　
〃Hal；　we　never　came　here。〃　
〃What　…　？〃　
〃We　never　came　here；〃　I　said。　〃Later　on　we'll　talk；　but　for　now　that's　all　you　need　to　know。　We　were　never　here。…〃　
〃Yes；　all　right　He　forced　himself　to　focus　on　me　for　a　moment；　with　what　was　clearly　an　effort。　〃You　got　him　out。　Can　you　get　him　back　in？〃　
〃I　think　so。　Maybe。　But　we　need　to　go。〃　
〃How　did　you　know　he　could　do　this？〃　Then　he　shook　his　head；　as　if　realizing　for　himself　that　this　wasn't　the　time。　〃Paul　。。。　thank　you。〃　
〃Don't　thank　me；〃　I　said。　〃Thank　John。〃　
He　looked　at　John　Coffey；　then　put　out　one　hand　…　just　as　I　had　done　on　the　day　Harry　and　Percy　escorted　John　onto　the　block。　〃Thank　you。　Thank　you　so　much。〃　
John　looked　at　the　hand。　Brutal　threw　a　none…too…subtle　elbow　into　his　side。　John　started；　then　took　the　hand　and　gave　it　a　shake。　Up；　down；　back　to　center；　release。　〃Wele；〃　he　said　in　a　hoarse　voice。　It　sounded　to　me　like　Melly's　when　she　had　clapped　her　hands　and　told　John　to　pull　down　his　pants。　〃Wele；〃　he　said　to　the　man　who　would；　in　the　ordinary　course　of　things；　grasp　a　pen　with　that　hand　and　then　sign　John　Coffey's　execution　order　with　it。　
Harry　tapped　the　face　of　his　watch；　more　urgently　this　time。　
〃Brute？〃　I　said。　〃Ready？〃　
〃Hello；　Brutus；〃　Melinda　said　in　a　cheerful　voice；　as　if　noticing　him　for　the　first　time。　〃It's　good　to　see　you。　Would　you　gentlemen　like　tea？　Would　you；　Hal？　I　could　make　it。〃　She　got　up　again。　〃I've　been　ill；　but　I　feel　fine　now。　Better　than　I　have　in　years。〃　
〃Thank　you；　Missus　Moores；　but　we　have　to　go；〃　Brutal　said。　〃It's　past　John's　bedtime。〃　He　smiled　to　show　it　was　a　joke；　but　the　look　he　gave　John　was　as　anxious　as　I　felt。　
〃Well　。。。　if　you're　sure　
〃Yes；　ma'am。　e　on；　John　Coffey。〃　He　tugged　John's　arm　to　get　him　going；　and　John　went。　
〃Just　a　minute！〃　Melinda　shook　free　of　Hal's　hand　and　ran　as　lightly　as　a　girl　to　where　John　stood。　She　put　her　arms　around　him　and　gave　him　another　hug。　Then　she　reached　around　to　the　nape　of　her　neck　and　pulled　a　fine…link　chain　out　of　her　bodice。　At　the　end　of　it　was　a　silver　medallion。　She　held　it　out　to　John；　who　looked　at　it　unprehendingly。　
〃It's　St。　Christopher；〃　she　said。　〃I　want　you　to　have　it；　Mr。　Coffey；　and　wear　it。　He'll　keep　you　safe。　Please　wear　it。　For　me。〃　
John　looked　at　me；　troubled；　and　I　looked　at　Hal；　who　first　spread　his　hands　and　then　nodded。　
〃Take　it；　John；〃　I　said。　〃It's　a　present。〃　
John　took　it；　slipped　the　chain　around　his　bullneck；　and　dropped　the　St。　Christopher　medallion　into　the　front　of　his　shirt。　He　had　pletely　stopped　coughing　now；　but　I　thought　he　looked　grayer　and　sicker　than　ever。　
〃Thank　you；　ma'am；〃　he　said。　
〃No；〃　she　replied。　〃Thank　you。　Thank　you；　John　Coffey。〃　
9。　
I　rode　up　in　the　cab　with　Harry　going　back；　and　was　damned　glad　to　be　there。　The　heater　was　broken；　but　we　were　out　of　the　open　air；　at　least。　We　had　gone　about　ten　miles　when　Harry　spotted　a　little　turnout　and　veered　the　truck　into　it。　
〃What　is　it？〃　I　asked。　〃Is　it　a　bearing？〃　To　my　mind；　the　problem　could　have　been　that　or　anything；　every　ponent　of　the　Farmall's　engine　and　transmission　sounded　on　the　verge　of　going　cataclysmically　wrong　or　giving　up　the　ghost　entirely。　
〃Nope；〃　Harry　said；　sounding　apologetic。　〃I　got　to　take　a　leak；　is　all。　My　back　teeth　are　floatin。〃　
It　turned　out　that　we　all　did；　except　for　John。　When　Brutal　asked　if　he　wouldn't　like　to　step　down　and　help　us　water　the　bushes；　he　just　shook　his　head　without　looking　up。　He　was　leaning　against　the　back　of　the　cab　and　wearing　one　of　the　Army　blankets　over　his　shoulders　like　a　serape。　I　couldn't　get　any　kind　of　read　on　his　plexion；　but　I　could　hear　his　breathing　…　dry　and　raspy；　like　wind　blowing　through　straw。　I　didn't　like　it。　
I　walked　into　a　clump　of　willows；　unbuttoned；　and　let　go。　I　was　still　dose　enough　to　my　urinary　infection　so　that　the　body's　amnesia　had　not　taken　full　hold；　and　I　could　be　grateful　simply　to　be　able　to　pee　without　needing　to　scream。　I　stood　there；　emptying　out　and　looking　up　at　the　moon；　I　was　hardly　aware　of　Brutal　standing　next　to　me　and　doing　the　same　thing　until　he　said　in　a　low　voice；　〃Hell　never　sit　in　Old　Sparky。〃　
I　looked　around　at　him；　surprised　and　a　little　frightened　by　the　low　certainty　in　his　tone。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　
〃I　mean　he　swallered　that　stuff　instead　of　spitting　out　like　he　done　before　for　a　reason。　It　might　take　a　week…he's　awful　big　and　strong　…　but　I　bet　it's　quicker。　One　of　us'll　do　a　check…tour　and　there　he'll　be；　lying　dead　as　stone　on　his　bunk。〃　
I'd　thought　I　was　done　peeing；　but　at　that　a　little　shiver　twisted　up　my　back　and　a　little　more　squirted　out。　As　I　rebuttoned　my　fly；　I　thought　that　what　Brutal　was　saying　made　perfect　sense。　And　I　hoped；　all　in　all；　that　he　was　right。　John　Coffey　didn't　deserve　to　die　at　all；　if　I　was　right　in　my　reasoning　about　the　Detterick　girls；　but　if　he　did　die；　I　didn't　want　it　to　be　by　my　hand。　I　wasn't　sure　I　could　lift　my　hand　to　do　it；　if　it　came　to　that。　
〃e　on；〃　Harry　murmured　out　of　the　dark。　〃It's　gettin　late。　Let's　get　this　done。〃　
As　we　walked　back　to　the　truck；　I　realized　we　had　left　John　entirely　alone　…　stupidity　on　the　Percy　Wetmore　level。　I　thought　that　he　would　be　gone；　that　he'd　spat　out　the　bugs　as　soon　as　he　saw　he　was　unguarded；　and　had　then　just　lit　out　for　the　territories；　like　Huck　and　Jim　on　the　Big　Muddy。　All　we　would　find　was　the　blanket　he　had　been　wearing　around　his　shoulders。　
But　he　was　there；　still　sitting　with　his　back　against　the　cab　and　his　forearms　propped　on　his　knees。　He　looked　up　at　the　sound　of　our　approach　and　tried　to　give　us　a　smile。　It　hung　there　for　a　moment　on　his　haggard　face　and　then　slipped　off。　
〃How　you　doing；　Big　John？〃　Brutal　asked；　climbing　into　the　back　of　the　truck　again　and　retrieving　his　own　blanket。　
〃Fine；　boss；〃　John　said　listlessly。　〃I's　fine。〃　
Brutal　patted　his　knee。　〃We'll　be　back　soon。　And　when　we　get　squared　away；　you　know　what？　I'm　going　to　see　you　get　a　great　big　cup　of　hot　coffee。　Sugar　and　cream；　too。〃　
You　bet；　I　thought；　going　around　to　the　passenger　side　of　the　cab　and　climbing　in。　If　we　don't　get　arrested　and　thrown　in　jail　ourselves　first。　
But　I'd　been　living　with　that　idea　ever　since　we'd　thrown　Percy　into　the　restraint　room；　and　it　didn't　worry　me　enough　to　keep　me　awake。　I　dozed　off　and　dreamed　of　Calvary　Hill。　Thunder　in　the　west　and　a　smell　that　might　have　been　juniper　berries。　Brutal　and　Harry　and　Dean　and　I　were　standing　around　in　robes　and　tin　hats　like　in　a　Cecil　B。　DeMille　movie。　We　were　Centurions；　I　guess。　There　were　three　crosses；　Percy　Wetmore　and　Eduard　Delacroix　flanking　John　Coffey。　I　looked　down　at　my　hand　and　saw　I　was　holding　a　bloody　hammer。　
We　got　to　get　him　down　from　there；　Paul！　Brutal　screamed。　We　got　to　get　him　down！　
Except　we　couldn't；　they'd　taken　away　the　stepladder。　I　started　to　tell　Brutal　this；　and　then　an　extra…hard　bounce　of　the　truck　woke　me　up。　We　were　backing　into　the　place　where　Harry　had　hidden　the　truck　earlier　on　a　day　that　already　seemed　to　stretch　back　to　the　beginning　of　time。　
The　two　of　us　got　out　and　went　around　to　the　back。　Brutal　hopped　down　all　right；　but　John　Coffey's　knees　buckled　and　he　almost　fell。　It　took　all　three　of　us　to　catch　him；　and　he　was　no　more　than　set　solid　on　his　feet　again　before　he　went　off　into　another　of　those　coughing　fits；　this　one　the　worst　yet。　He　bent　over；　the　coughing　sounds　muffled　by　the　heels　of　his　palms；　which　he　held　pressed　against　his　mouth。　
When　his　coughing　eased；　we　covered　the　front　of　the　Farmall　with　the　pine　boughs　again　and　walked　back　the　way　we　had　e。　The　worst　part　of　that　whole　surreal　furlough　was　…　for　me；　at　least　…　the　last　two　hundred　yards；　with　us　scurrying　back　south　along　the　shoulder　of　the　highway。　I　could　see　（or　thought　I　could）　the　first　faint　lightening　of　the　sky　in　the　east；　and　felt　sure　some　early　farmer；　out　to　harvest　his　pumpkins　or　dig　his　last　few　rows　of　yams；　would　e　along　and　see　us。　And　even　if　that　didn't　happen；　we　would　hear　someone　（in　my　imagination　it　sounded　like　Curtis　Anderson）　shout　〃Holdit　right　there！〃　as　I　used　the　Aladdin　key　to　unlock　the　enclosure　around　the　bulkhead　leading　to　the　tunnel。　Then　two　dozen　carbine…toting　guards　would　step　out　of　the　woods　and　our　little　adventure　would　be　over。　
By　the　time　we　actually　got　to　the　enclosure；　my　heart　was　whamming　so　hard　that　I　could　see　little　white　dots　exploding　in　front　of　my　eyes　with　each　pulse　it　made。　My　hands　felt　cold　and　numb　and　faraway；　and　for　the　longest　time　I　couldn't　get　the　key　to　go　into　the　lock。　
〃Oh　Christ；　headlights！〃　Harry　moaned。　
I　looked　up　and　saw　brightening　fans　of　light　on　the　road。　My　keyring　almost　fell　out　of　my　hand；　I　managed　to　clutch　it　at　the　last　second。　
〃Give　them　to　me；〃　Brutal　said。　〃I'll　do　it。〃　
〃No；　I've　got　it；〃　I　said。　The　key　at　last　slipped　into　its　slot　and　turned。　A　moment　later　we　were　in。　We　crouched　behind　the　bulkhead　and　watched　as　a　Sunshine　Bread　truck　went　pottering　past　the　prison。　Beside　me　I　could　hear　John　Coffey's　tortured　breathing。　He　sounded　like　an　engine　which　has　almost　run　out　of　oil。　He　had　held　the　bulkhead　door　up　effortlessly　for　us　on　our　way　out；　but　we　didn't　even　ask　him　to　help　this　time；　it　would　have　been　out　of　the　question。　Brutal　and　I　got　the　door　up；　and　Harry　led　john　down　the　steps。　The　big　man　tottered　as　he　went；　but　he　got　down。　Brutal　and　I　followed　him　as　fast　as　we　could；　then　lowered　the　bulkhead　behind　us　and　locked　it　again。　
〃Christ；　I　think　we're　gonna　…　〃　Brutal　began；　but　I　cut　him　off　with　a　sharp　elbow　to　the　ribs。　
〃Don't　say　it；〃　I　said。　〃Don't　even　think　it；　until　he's　safe　back　in　his　cell。〃　
〃And　there's　Percy　to　think　about；〃　Harry　said。　Our　voices　had　a　flat；　echoey　quality　in　the　brick　tunnel。　〃The　evening　ain't　over　as　long　as　we　got　him　to　contend　with。…〃　
As　it　turned　out；　our　evening　was　far　from　over。　


Part　Six：
Coffey　on　the　Mile　
1。　
I　sat　in　the　Georgia　Pin