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第21部分（第1页）

fection　which　had　so　troubled　my　life　in　the　fall　of　1932　…　the　fall　of　John　Coffey；　Percy　Wetmore；　and　Mr。　Jingles；　the　trained　mouse。

The　fall　of　William　Wharton；　it　had　been；　too。

〃Paul！〃　Elaine　cried；　and　hurried　over　to　me　hurried　as　fast　as　the　rusty　nails　and　ground　glass　in　her　hips　would　allow；　anyway。　〃Paul；　whats　wrong？〃

〃Ill　be　all　right；〃　I　said；　but　the　words　didnt　sound　very　convincing　…　they　came　out　all　uneven；　through　teeth　that　wanted　to　chatter。　〃Just　give　me　a　minute　or　two；　Ill　be　right　as　rain。〃

She　sat　next　to　me　and　put　her　arm　around　my　shoulders。　〃Im　sure；〃　she　said。　〃But　what　happened？　For　heavens　sake；　Paul；　you　look　like　you　saw　a　ghost。〃

I　did；　I　thought；　and　didnt　realize　until　her　eyes　widened　that　Id　said　it　out　loud。

〃Not　really。〃　I　said；　and　patted　her　hand　（gently　…　so　gently！）。　〃But　for　a　minute。　Elaine　God！〃

〃Was　it　from　the　time　when　you　were　a　guard　at　the　prison？〃　she　asked。　〃The　time　that　youve　been　writing　about　in　the　solarium？〃

I　nodded。　〃I　worked　on　our　version　of　Death　Row　…　〃

〃I　know　…　〃

〃Only　we　called　it　the　Green　Mile。　Because　of　the　linoleum　on　the　floor。　In　the　fall　of　32；　we　got　this　fellow　…　we　got　this　wildman　…　named　William　Wharton。　Liked　to　think　of　himself　as　Billy　the　Kid；　even　had　it　tattooed　on　his　arm。　Just　a　kid；　but　dangerous。　I　can　still　remember　what　Curtis　Anderson　…　he　was　the　assistant　warden　back　in　those　days　…　wrote　about　him。　Crazy…wild　and　proud　of　it。　Wharton　is　nieen　years　old；　and　he　just　doesnt　care。　Hed　underlined　that　part。〃

The　hand　which　had　gone　around　my　shoulders　was　now　rubbing　my　back。　I　was　beginning　to　calm。　In　that　moment　I　loved　Elaine　Connelly；　and　could　have　kissed　her　all　over　her　face　as　I　told　her　so。　Maybe　I　should　have。　Its　terrible　to　be　alone　and　frightened　at　any　age；　but　I　think　its　worst　when　youre　old。　But　I　had　this　other　thing　on　my　mind；　this　load　of　old　and　still　unfinished　business。

〃Anyway；〃　I　said；　〃youre　right…Ive　been　scribbling　about　how　Wharton　came　on　the　block　and　almost　killed　Dean　Stanton　…　One　of　the　guys　I　worked　with　back　then　…　when　he　did。〃

〃How　could　he　do　that？〃　Elaine　asked。

〃Meanness　and　carelessness；〃　I　said　grimly。　〃Wharton　supplied　the　meanness；　and　the　guards　who　brought　him　in　supplied　the　carelessness。　The　real　mistake　was　Whartons　wrist…chain　…　it　was　a　little　too　long。　When　Dean　unlocked　the　door　to　E　Block；　Wharton　was　behind　him。　There　were　guards　on　either　side　of　him；　but　Anderson　was　right　…　Wild　Billy　just　didnt　care　about　such　things。　He　dropped　that　wrist…chain　down　over　Deans　head　and　started　choking　him　with　it。〃

Elaine　shuddered。

〃Anyway；　I　got　thinking　about　all　that　and　couldnt　sleep；　so　I　came　down　here。　I　turned　on　AMC；　thinking　you　might　e　down　and　wed　have　us　a　little　date…〃

She　laughed　and　kissed　my　forehead　just　above　the　eyebrow。　It　used　to　make　me　prickle　all　over　when　Janice　did　that；　and　it　still　made　me　prickle　all　over　when　Elaine　did　it　early　this　morning。　I　guess　some　things　dont　ever　change。

〃…and　what　came　on　was　this　old　black…and…white　gangster　movie　from　the　forties。　Kiss　of　Death；　its　called。〃

I　could　feel　myself　wanting　to　start　shaking　again　and　tried　to　suppress　it。

〃Richard　Widmarks　in　it；〃　I　said。　〃It　was　his　first　big　part；　I　think。　I　never　went　to　see　it　with　Jan　…　we　gave　the　cops　and　robbers　a　miss；　usually　…　but　I　remember　reading　somewhere　that　Widmark　gave　one　hell　of　a　performance　as　the　punk。　He　sure　did。　Hes　pale　。。。　doesnt　seem　to　walk　so　much　as　go　gliding　around　。。。　hes　always　calling　people　squirt　。　。　。　talking　about　squealers　how　much　he　hates　the　squealers　。　。　！〃

I　was　starting　to　shiver　again　in　spite　of　my　best　efforts。　I　just　couldnt　help　it。

〃Blond　hair；〃　I　whispered。　〃Lank　blond　hair。　I　watched　until　the　part　where　he　pushed　this　old　woman　in　a　wheelchair　down　a　flight　of　stairs；　then　I　turned　it　off。〃

〃He　reminded　you　of　Wharton？〃

〃He　was　Wharton；〃　I　said。　〃To　the　life！〃

〃Paul！　she　began；　and　stopped。　She　looked　at　the　blank　screen　of　the　TV　（the　cable　box　on　top　of　it　was　still　on；　the　red　numerals　still　showing　10；　the　number　of　the　AMC　channel）；　then　back　at　me。

〃What？〃　I　asked。　What；　Elaine？〃　Thinking；　Shes　going　to　tell；　me　I　ought　to　quit　writing　about　it。　That　I　ought　to　tear　up　the　pages　Ive　written　so　far　and　just　quit　on　it。

What　she　said　was　〃Dont　let　this　stop　you！〃

I　gawped　at　her。