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第52部分（第2页）

〃No　trouble　from　that　guy！　Hasnt　moved　since　he　laid　back　down　on　his　bunk。　Dead　to　the　world。　As　for　Percy　kicking　the　door　every　now　and　then；　I　never　minded　that　a　bit。　Was　glad　of　it；　tell　you　the　truth。　If　he　didnt　make　any　noise　at　all；　Id　start　wonderin　if　he　hadnt　choked　to　death　on　that　gag　you　slapped　over　his　cakehole。　But　thats　not　the　best。　You　know　the　best？　Its　been　as　quiet　as　Ash　Wednesday　morning　in　New　Orleans！　Nobodys　been　down　all　night！〃　He　said　this　last　in　a　triumphant；　gloating　voice。　〃We　got　away　with　it；　boys！　We　did！〃

That　made　him　think　of　why　wed　gone　through　the　whole　edy　in　the　first　place；　and　he　asked　about　Melinda。

〃Shes　fine；〃　I　said。　We　had　reached　John　s　cell。　What　Dean　had　said　was　just　starting　to　sink　in：　We　got　away　with　it；　boys　。。。　we　did。

〃Was　it　like　。。。　you　know　。。。　the　mouse？〃　Dear　asked。　He　glanced　briefly　at　the　empty　cell　when　Delacroix　had　lived　with　Mr。　Jingles；　then　down　a　the　restraint　room；　which　had　been　the　mouses　seeming　point　of　origin。　His　voice　dropped；　the　way　peoples　voices　do　when　they　enter　a　big　church　where　even　the　silence　seems　to　whisper。　〃Was　it　a。。。〃　He　gulped。　〃Shoot；　you　know　what　I　mean　…　was　it　a　miracle？〃

The　three　of　us　looked　at　each　other　briefly；　confirming　what　we　already　knew。　〃Brought　her　back　from　her　damn　grave　is　what　he　did；〃　Harry　said。　〃Yeah；　it　was　a　miracle；　all　right。〃

Brutal　opened　the　double　locks　on　the　cell；　and　gave　John　a　gentle　push　inside。　〃Go　on；　now；　big　boy。　Rest　awhile。　You　earned　it。　Well　just　settle　Percys　hash〃

〃Hes　a　bad　man；〃　John　said　in　a　low；　mechanical　voice。

〃Thats　right；　no　doubt；　wicked　as　a　warlock；〃　Brutal　agreed　in　his　most　soothing　voice；　〃but　dont　you　worry　a　smidge　about　him；　were　not　going　to　let　him　near　you。　You　just　ease　down　on　that　bunk　of　yours　and　Ill　have　that　cup　of　coffee　to　you　in　no　time。　Hot　and　strong。　Youll　feel　like　a　new　man。〃

John　sat　heavily　on　his　bunk。　I　thought　hed　fall　back　on　it　and　roll　to　the　wall　as　he　usually　did；　but　he　just　sat　there　for　the　time　being；　hands　clasped　loosely　between　his　knees；　head　lowered；　breathing　hard　through　his　mouth。　The　St。　Christophers　medal　Melinda　had　given　him　had　fallen　out　of　the　top　of　his　shirt　and　swung　back　and　forth　in　the　air。　Hell　keep　you　safe；　thats　what　shed　told　him；　but　John　Coffey　didnt　look　a　bit　safe。　He　looked　like　he　had　taken　Melindas　place　on　the　lip　of　that　grave　Harry　had　spoken　of。

But　I　couldnt　think　about　John　Coffey　just　then　I　turned　around　to　the　others。　〃Dean；　get　Percys　pistol　and　hickory　stick。〃

〃Okay。〃　He　went　back　up　to　the　desk；　unlocked　the　drawer　with　the　gun　and　the　stick　in　it；　and　brought　them　back。

〃Ready？〃　I　asked　them。　My　men　…　good　men；　and　was　never　prouder　of　them　than　I　was　that　night；　nodded。　Harry　and　Dean　both　looked　nervous；　Brutal　as　stolid　as　ever。　〃Okay。　Im　going　to　do　the　talking。　The　less　the　rest　of　you　open　your　mouths；　the　better　itll　probably　be　and　the　quicker　itll　probably　wrap　up　。。。　for　better　or　worse。　Okay？〃

They　nodded　again。　I　took　a　deep　breath　and　walked　down　to　the　Green　Mile　restraint　room。

Percy　looked　up；　squinting；　when　the　light　fell　on　him。　He　was　sitting　on　the　floor　and　licking　at　the　tape　I　had　slapped　across　his　mouth。　The　part　Id　wound　around　to　the　back　of　his　head　had　e　free　（probably　the　sweat　and　brilliantine　in　his　hair　had　loosened　it）；　and　hed　gotten　a　ways　toward　getting　the　rest　off；　as　well。　Another　hour　and　he　wouldve　been　bawling　for　help　at　the　top　of　his　lungs。

He　used　his　feet　to　shove　himself　a　little　way　backward　when　we　came　in；　then　stopped；　no　doubt　realizing　that　there　was　nowhere　to　go　except　for　the　southeast　corner　of　the　room。

I　took　his　gun　and　stick　from　Dean　and　held　them　out　in　Percys　direction。　〃Want　these　back？〃　I　asked。

He　looked　at　me　warily；　then　nodded　his　head。

〃Brutal；〃　I　said。　〃Harry。　Get　him　on　his　feet。〃

They　bent；　hooked　him　under　the　canvas　arms　of　the　straitjacket；　and　up　he　came。　I　moved　toward　him　until　we　were　almost　nose　to　nose。　I　could　smell　the　sour　sweat　in　which　hed　been　basting。　Some　of　it　probably　came　from　his　efforts　to　get　free　of　the　quiet…down　coat；　or　to　administer　the　occasional　kicks　to　the　door　Dean　had　heard；　but　I　thought　most　of　his　sweat　had　e　as　a　result　of　plain　old　fear：　fear　of　what　we　might　do　to　him　when　we　came　back。

Ill　be　okay；　they　aint　killers；　Percy　would　think。。。　and　then；　maybe；　hed　think　of　Old　Sparky　and　it　would　cross　his　mind　that　yes；　in　a　way　we　were　killers。　Id　done　seventy…seven　myself；　more　than　any　of　the　men　Id　ever　put　the　chest…strap　on；　more　than　Sergeant　York　himself　got　credit　for　in　World　War　I。　Killing　Percy　wouldnt　be　logical；　but　wed　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　doesnt　have　much　power　over　a　persons　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　didnt　have　him　where　I　wanted　now；　I　never　would。

〃Ill　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　hed　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　couldnt　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　Id　even　known　I　was　going　to　do　it　。。。　but　of　course　Id　known　it　might　e　to　that。　Even　back　during　the　first　talk　about　Percy　that　Id　had　with　Warden　Moores；　the　one　where　Hal　advised　me　to　put　Percy　out　for　the　Delacroix　execution；　Id　known　it　might　e　to　that。　A　mans　hand　is　like　an　animal　thats　only　half…tame；　mostly　its　good；　but　sometimes　it　escapes　and　bites　the　first　thing　it　sees。

The　sound　was　a　sharp　snap；　like　a　breaking　branch。　Dea