绿里奇迹(英文版)-第58章

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I'll　be　okay；　they　ain't　killers；　Percy　would　think。。。　and　then；　maybe；　he'd　think　of　Old　Sparky　and　it　would　cross　his　mind　that　yes；　in　a　way　we　were　killers。　I'd　done　seventy…seven　myself；　more　than　any　of　the　men　I'd　ever　put　the　chest…strap　on；　more　than　Sergeant　York　himself　got　credit　for　in　World　War　I。　Killing　Percy　wouldn't　be　logical；　but　we'd　already　behaved　illogically；　he　would　have　told　himself　as　he　sat　there　with　his　arms　behind　him；　working　with　his　tongue　to　get　the　tape　off　his　mouth。　And　besides；　logic　most　likely　doesn't　have　much　power　over　a　person's　thoughts　when　that　person　is　sitting　on　the　floor　of　a　room　with　soft　walls；　wrapped　up　as　neat　and　tight　as　any　spider　ever　wrapped　a　fly。　
Which　is　to　say；　if　I　didn't　have　him　where　I　wanted　now；　I　never　would。　
〃I'll　take　the　tape　off　your　mouth　if　you　promise　not　to　start　yowling；〃　I　said。　〃I　want　to　have　a　talk　with　you；　not　a　shouting　match。　So　what　do　you　say？　Will　you　be　quiet？〃　
I　saw　relief　e　up　in　his　eyes　as　he　realized　that；　if　I　wanted　to　talk；　he　really　did　stand　a　good　chance　of　getting　out　of　this　with　a　whole　skin。　He　nodded　his　head。　
〃If　you　start　noising　off；　the　tape　goes　back　on；〃　I　said。　〃Do　you　understand　that；　too？〃　
Another　nod；　rather　impatient　this　time。　
I　reached　up；　grabbed　the　end　of　the　runner　he'd　worked　loose；　and　gave　it　a　hard　yank。　It　made　a　loud　peeling　sound。　Brutal　winced。　Percy　yipped　with　pain　and　began　rubbing　his　lips。　He　tried　to　speak；　realized　he　couldn't　do　it　with　a　hand　over　his　mouth；　and　lowered　it。　
〃Get　me　out　of　this　nut…coat；　you　lugoon；〃　he　spat。　
〃In　a　minute；〃　I　said。　
〃Now！　Now！　Right　n…〃　
I　slapped　his　face。　It　was　done　before　I'd　even　known　I　was　going　to　do　it　。。。　but　of　course　I'd　known　it　might　e　to　that。　Even　back　during　the　first　talk　about　Percy　that　I'd　had　with　Warden　Moores；　the　one　where　Hal　advised　me　to　put　Percy　out　for　the　Delacroix　execution；　I'd　known　it　might　e　to　that。　A　man's　hand　is　like　an　animal　that's　only　half…tame；　mostly　it's　good；　but　sometimes　it　escapes　and　bites　the　first　thing　it　sees。　
The　sound　was　a　sharp　snap；　like　a　breaking　branch。　Dean　gasped。　Percy　stared　at　me　in　utter　shock；　his　eyes　so　wide　they　looked　as　if　they　must　fall　out　of　their　sockets。　His　mouth　opened　and　closed；　opened　and　closed；　like　the　mouth　of　a　fish　in　an　aquarium　tank。　
〃Shut　up　and　listen　to　me；〃　I　said。　〃You　deserved　to　be　punished　for　what　you　did　to　Del；　and　we　gave　you　what　you　deserved。　This　was　the　only　way　we　could　do　it。　We　all　agreed；　except　for　Dean；　and　he'll　go　along　with　us；　because　we'll　make　him　sorry　if　he　doesn't。　Isn't　that　so；　Dean？〃　
〃Yes；〃　Dean　whispered。　He　was　milk…pale。　〃Guess　it　is。〃　
〃And　we'll　make　you　sorry　you　were　ever　born；〃　
I　went　on。　〃We'll　see　that　people　know　about　how　you　sabotaged　the　Delacroix　execution　…　〃　
〃Sabotaged…！〃　
〃how　you　almost　got　Dean　killed。　We'll　blab　enough　to　keep　you　out　of　almost　any　job　your　uncle　can　get　you。〃　
Percy　was　shaking　his　head　furiously。　He　didn't　believe　that；　perhaps　couldn't　believe　that。　My　handprint　stood　out　on　his　pale　cheek　like　a　fortune…teller's　sign。　
〃And　no　matter　what；　we'd　see　you　beaten　within　an　inch　of　your　life。　We　wouldn't　have　to　do　it　ourselves。　We　know　people；　too；　Percy；　are　you　so　foolish　you　don't　realize　that？　They　aren't　up　in　the　state　capital；　but　they　still　know　how　to　legislate　certain　matters。　These　are　people　who　have　friends　in　here；　people　who　have　brothers　in　here；　people　who　have　fathers　in　here。　They'd　be　happy　to　amputate　the　nose　or　the　penis　of　a　shitheels　like　you。　They'd　do　it　just　so　someone　they　care　for　could　get　an　extra　three　hours　in　the　exercise　yard　each　week。〃　
Percy　had　stopped　shaking　his　head。　Now　he　was　only　staring。　Tears　stood　in　his　eyes；　but　didn't　fall。　I　think　they　were　tears　of　rage　and　frustration。　Or　maybe　I　just　hoped　they　were。　
〃Okay　…　now　look　on　the　sunny　side；　Percy。　Your　lips　sting　a　little　from　having　the　tape　pulled　off　them；　I　imagine；　but　otherwise　there's　nothing　hurt　but　your　pride　。。。　and　nobody　needs　to　know　about　that　but　the　people　in　this　room　right　now。　And　we'll　never　tell；　will　we；　boys？〃　
They　shook　their　heads。　〃Course　not；〃　Brutal　said。　〃Green　Mile　business　stays　on　the　Green　Mile。　Always　has。〃　
〃You're　going　on　to　Briar　Ridge　and　we're　going　to　leave　you　alone　until　you　go；〃　I　said。　〃Do　you　want　to　leave　it　at　that；　Percy；　or　do　you　want　to　play　hardball　with　us？〃　
There　was　a　long；　long　silence　as　he　considered。　
I　could　almost　see　the　wheels　turning　in　his　head　as　he　tried　out　and　rejected　possible　counters。　And　at　last；　I　think　a　more　basic　truth　must　have　overwhelmed　the　rest　of　his　calculations：　the　tape　was　off　his　mouth；　but　he　was　still　wearing　the　straitjacket　and　probably　he　had　to　piss　like　a　racehorse。　
〃All　right；〃　he　said。　〃We'll　consider　the　matter　closed。　Now　get　me　out　of　this　coat。　It　feels　like　my　shoulders　are　…　〃　
Brutal　stepped　forward；　shouldering　me　aside；　and　grabbed　Percy's　face　with　one　big　hand　…　fingers　denting　in　Percy's　right　cheek；　thumb　making　a　deep　dimple　in　his　left。　
〃In　a　few　seconds；〃　he　said。　〃First；　you　listen　to　me。　Paul　here　is　the　big　boss；　and　so　he　has　to　talk　elegant　sometimes。〃　
I　tried　to　remember　anything　elegant　I　might've　said　to　Percy　and　couldn't　e　up　with　much。　Still；　I　thought　it　might　be　best　to　keep　my　mouth　shut；　Percy　looked　suitably　terrorized；　and　I　didn't　want　to　spoil　the　effect。　
〃People　don't　always　understand　that　being　elegant　isn't　the　same　as　being　soft；　and　that's　where　I　e　in。　I　don't　worry　about　being　elegant。　I　just　say　things　straight　out。　So　here　it　is；　straight　out：　if　you　go　back　on　your　promise；　we'll　most　likely　take　an　ass…fucking。　But　then　we'll　find　you　…　if　we　have　to　go　all　the　way　to　Russia；　we'll　find　you　…　and　we　will　fuck　you；　not　just　up　the　ass　but　in　every　hole　you　own。　We'll　fuck　you　until　you'll　wish　you　were　dead；　and　then　we'll　rub　vinegar　in　the　parts　that　are　bleeding。　Do　you　understand　me？〃　
He　nodded。　With　Brutal's　hand　digging　into　the　soft　sides　of　his　face　the　way　it　was；　Percy　looked　eerily　like　Old　Toot…Toot。　
Brutal　let　go　of　him　and　stepped　back。　I　nodded　to　Harry；　who　went　behind　Percy　and　started　unsnapping　and　unbuckling。　
〃Keep　it　in　mind；　Percy；〃　Harry　said。　〃Keep　it　in　mind　and　let　bygones　be　bygones。〃　
All　of　it　suitably　scary；　three　bogeymen　in　bluesuits　…　but　I　felt　a　kind　of　knowing　despair　sweep　through　me；　all　the　same。　He　might　keep　quiet　for　a　day　or　a　week；　continuing　to　calculate　the　odds　on　various　actions；　but　in　the　end　two　things　…　his　belief　in　his　connections　and　his　inability　to　walk　away　from　a　situation　where　he　saw　himself　as　the　loser　would　bine。　When　that　happened；　he　would　spill　his　guts。　We　had　perhaps　helped　to　save　Melly　Moores's　life　by　taking　John　to　her；　and　I　wouldn't　have　changed　that　（〃not　for　all　the　tea　in　China；〃　as　we　used　to　say　back　in　those　days）；　but　in　the　end　we　were　going　to　hit　the　canvas　and　the　ref　was　going　to　count　us　out。　Short　of　murder；　there　was　no　way　we　could　make　Percy　keep　his　end　of　the　bargain；　not　once　he　was　away　from　us　and　had　started　to　get　back　what　passed　for　his　guts。　
I　took　a　little　sidelong　glance　at　Brutal　and　saw　he　knew　this；　too。　Which　didn't　surprise　me。　There　were　no　flies　on　Mrs。　Howell's　boy　Brutus；　never　had　been。　He　gave　me　a　tiny　shrug；　just　one　shoulder　lifting　an　inch　and　then　dropping；　but　it　was　enough。　So　what？　that　shrug　said。　What　else　is　there；　Paul？　We　did　what　we　had　to　do；　and　we　did　it　the　best　we　could。　
Yes。　Results　hadn't　been　half…bad；　either。　
Harry　undid　the　last　buckle　on　the　straitjacket。　Grimacing　with　disgust　and　rage；　Percy　pawed　it　off　and　let　it　drop　at　his　feet。　He　wouldn't　look　at　any　of　us；　not　directly。　
〃Give　me　my　gun　and　my　baton；〃　he　said。　I　handed　them　over。　He　dropped　the　gun　into　its　holster　and　shoved　the　hickory　stick　into　its　custom　loop。　
〃Percy；　if　you　think　about　it　…　〃　
〃Oh；　I　intend　to；〃　he　said；　brushing　past　me。　〃I　intend　to　think　about　it　very　hard。　Starting　right　now。　On　my　way　home。　One　of　you　boys　can　clock　me　out　at　quitting　time。〃　He　reached　the　door　of　the　restraint　room　and　turned　to　survey　us　with　a　look　of　angry；　embarrassed　contempt　…　a　deadly　bination　for　the　secret　we'd　had　some　fool's　hope　of　keeping。　
〃Unless；　of　course；　you　want　to　try　explaining　why　I　left　early。〃　
He　left　the　room　and　went　striding　up　the　Green　Mile；　forgetting　in　his　agitation　why　that　green　floored　central　corridor　was　so　wide。　He　had　mad　this　mistake　once　before　and　had　gotten　away　with　it。　He　would　not　get　away　with　it　again。　
I　followed　him　out　the　door；　trying　to　think　of　a　way　to　soothe　him　down　…　I　didn't　want　him　leaving　E　Block　the　way　he　was　now；　sweaty　and　dishevelled；　with　the　red　print　of　my　hand　still　on　his　cheek。　The　other　three　followed　me。　
What　happened　then　happened　very　fast　…　it　was　all　over　in　no　more　than　a　minute；　perhaps　even　less。　Yet　I　remember　all　of　it　to　this　day　…　mostly；　I　think；　because　I　told　Janice　everything　when　I　got　home　and　that　set　it　in　my　mind。　What　happened　afterward　…　the　dawn　meeting　with　Curtis　Anderson；　the　inquest；　the　press…meeting　Hal　Moores　set　up　for　us　（he　was　back　by　then；　of　course）；　and　the　eventual　Board　of　Enquiry　in　the　state　capital　…　those　things　have　blurred　over　the　years　like　so　much　else　in　my　memory。　But　as　to　what　actually　happened　next　there　on　the　Green　Mile；　yes；　that　I　remember　perfectly　well。　
Percy　was　walking　up　the　right　side　of　the　Mile　with　his　head　lowered；　and　I'll　say　this　much：　no　ordinary　Prisoner　could　have　reached　him。　John　Coffey　wasn't　an　ordinary　prisoner；　though。　John　Coffey　was　a　giant；　and　he　had　a　giant's　reach。　
I　saw　his　long　brown　arms　shoot　out　from　between　the　bars　and　yelled；　〃Watchit；　Percy；　watch　it！〃　Percy　started　to　turn；　his　left　hand　dropping　to　the　butt　of　his　stick。　Then　he　was　seized　and　yanked　against　the　front　of　John　Coffey's　cell；　the　right　side　of　his　face　smashing　into　the　bars。　
He　grunted　and　turned　toward　Coffey；　raising　the　hickory　club。　John　was　certainly　vulnerable　to　it；　his　own　face　was　pressed　so　strenuously　into　the　space　between　two　of　the　center　bars　that　he　looked　as　if　he　was　trying　to　squeeze　his　enti