乐文小说网

第45部分（第1页）

〃Stick　those　arms　out　there；　honey；〃　Brutal　said；　〃or　you　get　another。〃

Harry　had　already　let　go　of　young　Mr。　Wetmore。　Sobbing　like　a　little　kid；　the　tears　which　had　been　standing　in　his　eyes　now　spilling　down　his　cheeks；　Percy　shot　his　hands　out　straight　in　front　of　him；　like　a　sleepwalker　in　a　movie　edy。　I　had　the　sleeves　of　the　straitjacket　up　his　arms　in　a　trice。　I　hardly　had　it　over　his　shoulders　before　Brutal　had　let　go　of　Percys　ears　and　grabbed　the　straps　hanging　down　from　the　jackets　cuffs。　He　yanked　Percys　hands　around　to　his　sides；　so　that　his　arms　were　crossed　tightly　on　his　chest。　Harry；　meanwhile；　did　up　the　back　and　snapped　the　cross…straps。　Once　Percy　gave　m　and　stuck　out　his　arms；　the　whole　thing　took　less　than　ten　seconds。

〃Okay；　hon；〃　Brutal　said。　〃Forward　harch。〃

But　he　wouldnt。　He　looked　at　Brutal；　then　turned　his　terrified；　streaming　eyes　on　me。　Nothing　about　his　connections　now；　or　how　wed　have　to　go　all　the　way　to　South　Carolina　just　to　get　a　free　meal；　he　was　far　past　that。

〃Please；〃　he　whispered　in　a　hoarse；　wet　voice。　〃Dont　put　me　in　with　him；　Paul。〃

Then　I　understood　why　he　had　panicked；　why　hed　fought　us　so　hard。　He　thought　we　were　going　to　put　him　in　with　Wild　Bill　Wharton；　that　his　punishment　for　the　dry　sponge　was　to　be　a　dry　cornholing　from　the　resident　psychopath。　Instead　of　feeling　sympathy　for　Percy　at　this　realization；　I　felt　disgust　and　a　hardening　of　my　resolve。　He　was；　after　all；　judging　us　by　the　way　he　would　have　behaved；　had　our　positions　been　reversed。

〃Not　Wharton；〃　I　said。　〃The　restraint　room；　Percy。　Youre　going　to　spend　three　or　four　hours　in　there；　all　by　yourself　in　the　dark；　thinking　about　what　you　did　to　Del。　Its　probably　too　late　for　you　to　learn　any　new　lessons　about　how　people　are　supposed　to　behave　…　Brute　thinks　so；　anyway　…　but　Im　an　optimist。　Now　move。〃

He　did；　muttering　under　his　breath　that　wed　be　sorry　for　this；　plenty　sorry；　just　wait　and　see；　but　on　the　whole　he　seemed　relieved　and　reassured。

When　we　herded　him　out　into　the　hall；　Dean　gave　us　a　look　of　such　wide…eyed　surprise　and　dewy　innocence　that　I　could　have　laughed；　if　the　business　hadnt　been　so　serious。　Ive　seen　better　acting　in　backwoods　Grange　revues。

〃Say；　dont　you　think　the　jokes　gone　far　enough？〃　Dean　asked。

〃You　just　shut　up；　if　you　know　whats　good　for　you；〃　Brutal　growled。　These　were　lines　wed　scripted　at　lunch；　and　that　was　just　what　they　sounded　like　to　me；　scripted　lines；　but　if　Percy　was　scared　enough　and　confused　enough；　they　still　might　save　Dean　Stantons　job　in　a　pinch。　I　myself　didnt　think　so；　but　anything　was　possible。　Any　time　Ive　doubted　that；　then　or　since；　I　just　think　about　John　Coffey；　and　Delacroixs　mouse。

We　ran　Percy　down　the　Green　Mile；　him　stumbling　and　gasping　for　us　to　slow　down；　he　was　going　to　go　flat　on　his　face　if　we　didnt　slow　down。　Wharton　was　on　his　bunk；　but　we　went　by　too　fast　for　me　to　see　if　he　was　awake　or　asleep。　John　Coffey　was　standing　at　his　cell　door　and　watching。　〃Youre　a　bad　man　and　you　deserve　to　go　in　that　dark　place；〃　he　said；　but　I　dont　think　Percy　heard　him。

Into　the　restraint　room　we　went；　Percys　cheeks　red　and　wet　with　tears；　his　eyes　rolling　into　their　sockets；　his　pampered　locks　all　flopping　down　on　his　forehead。　Harry　pulled　Percys　gun　with　one　hand　and　his　treasured　hickory；　head…knocker　with　the　other。　〃Youll　get　em　back；　dont　worry；〃　Harry　said。　He　sounded　a　trifle　embarrassed。

〃I　wish　I　could　say　the　same　about　your　job；〃

Percy　replied。　〃All　your　jobs。　You　cant　do　this　to　me！　You　cant！〃

He　was　obviously　prepared　to　go　on　in　that　vein　for　quite　awhile；　but　we　didnt　have　time　to　listen　to　his　sermon。　In　my　pocket　was　a　roll　of　friction…tape；　the　thirties　ancestor　of　the　strapping…tape　folks　use　today。　Percy　saw　it　and　started　to　back　away。　Brutal　grabbed　him　from　behind　and　hugged　him　until　I　had　slapped　the　tape　over　his　mouth；　winding　the　roll　around　to　the　back　of　his　head；　just　to　be　sure。　He　was　going　to　have　a　few　less　swatches　of　hair　when　the　tape　came　off；　and　a　pair　of　seriously　chapped　lips　into　the　bargain；　but　I　no　longer　much　cared；　Id　had　a　gutful　of　Percy　Wetmore。

We　backed　away　from　him。　He　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　under　the　caged　light；　wearing　the　straitjacket；　breathing　through　flared　nostrils；　and　making　muffled　mmmph！　mmmph！　sounds　from　behind　the　tape。　All　in　all；　he　looked　as　crazy　as　any　other　prisoner　wed　ever　jugged　in　that　room。

〃The　quieter　you　are；　the　sooner　you　get　out；〃　I　said。　〃Try　to　remember　that；　Percy。…〃

〃And　if　you　get　lonely；　think　about　Olive　Oyl；〃　Harry　advised。　〃Uck…uck…uck…uck。〃

Then　we　went　out。　I　closed　the　door　and　Brutal　locked　it。　Dean　was　standing　a　little　way　up　the　Mile；　just　outside　of　Coffeys　cell。　He　had　already　put　the　master　key　in　the　top　lock。　The　four　of　us　looked　a　each　other；　no　one　saying　anything。　There　was　no　need　to。　We　had　started　the　machinery；　all　we　could　do　now　was　hope　that　it　ran　the　course　we　had　laid　out　instead　of　jumping　the　tracks　somewhere　along　the　line。

〃You　still　want　to　go　for　that　ride；　John？〃　Brutal　asked；

〃Yes；　sir；〃　Coffey　said。　〃I　reckon。〃

〃Good；〃　Dean　said。　He　turned　the　first　lock；　removed　the　key；　and　seated　it　in　the　second。

〃Do　we　need　to　chain　you　up；　John？〃　I　asked。

Coffey　appeared　to　think　about　this。　〃Can　if　you　want　to；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃Dont　need　to。〃

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