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第3部分（第2页）

I　have　a　little　set　speech　I　make　to　men　new　on　the　block；　but　I　hesitated　with　Coffey；　because　he　seemed　so　abnormal；　and　not　just　in　his　size。

When　Harry　stood　back　（Coffey　had　remained　motionless　during　the　entire　unlocking　ceremony；　as　placid　as　a　Percheron）；　I　looked　up　at　my　new　charge；　tapping　on　the　clipboard　with　my　thumb；　and　said：　〃Can　you　talk；　big　boy？〃

〃Yes；　sir；　boss；　I　can　talk；〃　he　said。　His　voice　ade　me　think　of　a　freshly　tuned　tractor　engine。　He　had　no　real　Southern　drawl…he　said　I；　not　Ah…but　there　was　a　kind　of　Southern　construction　to　his　speech　that　I　noticed　later。　As　if　he　was　from　the　South；　but　not　of　it。　He　didnt　sound　illiterate；　but　he　didnt　sound　educated。　In　his　speech　as　in　so　many　other　things；　he　was　a　mystery。　Mostly　it　was　his　eyes　that　troubled　me　…　a　kind　of　peaceful　absence　in　them；　as　if　he　were　floating　far；　far　away。

〃Your　name　is　John　Coffey。〃

〃Yes；　sir；　boss；　like　the　drink　only　not　spelled　the　same　way。〃

〃So　you　can　spell；　can　you？　Read　and　write？〃

〃Just　my　name；　boss；〃　said　he；　serenely。

I　sighed；　then　gave　him　a　short　version　of　my　set　speech。　Id　already　decided　he　wasnt　going　to　be　any　trouble。　In　that　I　was　both　right　and　wrong。

〃My　name　is　Paul　Edgebe；〃　I　said。　〃Im　the　E　Block　super　…　the　head　screw。　You　want　something　from　me；　ask　for　me　by　name。　If　Im　not　here；　ask　this　other；　man　…　his　name　is　Harry　Terwilliger。　Or　you　ask　for　Mr。　Stanton　or　Mr。　Howell。　Do　you　understand　that？〃

Coffey　nodded。

〃Just　dont　expect　to　get　what　you　want　unless　we　decide　its　what　you　need　…　this　isnt　a　hotel。　Still　with　me？〃

He　nodded　again。

〃This　is　a　quiet　place；　big　boy　…　not　like　the　rest　of　the　prison。　Its　just　you　and　Delacroix　over　there。　You　wont　work；　mostly　youll　just　sit。　Give　you　a　chance　to　think　things　over。〃　Too　much　time　for　most　of　them；　but　I　didnt　say　that。　〃Sometimes　we　play　the　radio；　if　alls　in　order。　You　like　the　radio？〃

He　nodded；　but　doubtfully；　as　if　he　wasnt　sure　what　the　radio　was。　I　later　found　out　that　was　true；　in　a　way；　Coffey　knew　things　when　he　encountered　them　again；　but　in　between　he　forgot。　He　knew　the　characters　on　Our　Gal　Sunday；　but　had　only　the　haziest　memory　of　what　theyd　been　up　to　the　last　time。

〃If　you　behave；　youll　eat　on　time；　youll　never　see　the　solitary　cell　down　at　the　far　end；　or　have　to　wear　one　of　those　canvas　coats　that　buttons　up　the　back。　Youll　have　two　hours　in　the　yard　afternoons　from　four　until　six；　except　on　Saturdays　when　the　rest　of　the　prison　population　has　their　flag　football　games。　Youll　have　your　visitors　on　Sunday　afternoons；　if　you　have　someone　who　wants　to　visit　you。　Do　you；　Coffey？〃

He　shook　his　head。　〃Got　none；　boss；〃　he　said。

Well；　your　lawyer；　then！

〃I　believe　Ive　seen　the　back　end　of　him；〃　he　said。　〃He　was　give　to　me　on　loan。　Dont　believe　he　could　find　his　way　up　here　in　the　mountains！

I　looked　at　him　closely　to　see　if　he　might　be　trying　a　little　joke；　but　he　didnt　seem　to　be。　And　I　really　hadnt　expected　any　different。　Appeals　werent　for　the　likes　of　John　Coffey；　not　back　then；　they　had　their　day　in　court　and　then　the　world　forgot　them　until　they　saw　a　squib　in　the　paper　saying　a　certain　fellow　had　taken　a　little　electricity　along　about　midnight。　But　a　man　with　a　wife；　children；　or　friends　to　look　forward　to　on　Sunday　afternoons　was　easier　to　control；　if　control　looked　to　be　a　problem。　Here　it　didnt；　and　that　was　good。　Because　he　was　so　damned　big。

I　shifted　a　little　on　the　bunk；　then　decided　I　might　feel　a　little　more　fortable　in　my　her　parts　if　I　stood　up；　and　so　I　did。　He　backed　away　from　me　respectfully；　and　clasped　his　hands　in　front　of　him。

〃Your　time　here　can　be　easy　or　hard；　big　boy；　it　all　depends　on　you。　Im　here　to　say　you　might　as　well　make　it　easy　on　all　of　us；　because　it　es　to　the　same　in　the　end。　Well　treat　you　as　right　as　you　deserve。　Do　you　have　any　questions？〃

〃Do　you　leave　a　light　on　after　bedtime？〃　he　asked　right　away；　as　if　he　had　only　been　waiting　for　the　chance。

I　blinked　at　him。　I　had　been　asked　a　lot　of　strange　questions　by　newers　to　E　Block　…　once　about　the　size　of　my　wifes　tits…but　never　that　one。

Coffey　was　smiling　a　trifle　uneasily；　as　if　he　knew　we　would　think　him　foolish　but　couldnt　help　himself。　〃Because　I　get　a　little　scared　in　the　dark　someti