绿里奇迹(英文版)-第47章

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〃Well　which　is　it？　Yes　or　no？〃　
〃No。　It　wasn't　being　startled。　It　was　like　when　he　wanted　me　to　e　into　his　cell　so　he　could　cure　my　infection。　Or　when　he　wanted　me　to　hand　him　the　mouse。　It　was　being　surprised；　but　not　by　being　touched　。。。　not　exactly；　anyway　。。。　oh　Christ；　Jan；　I　don't　know。〃　
〃All　right；　we'll　leave　it；〃　she　said。　〃I　just　can't　imagine　why　John　did　it；　that's　all。　It's　not　as　if　he's　violent　by　nature。　Which　leads　to　another　question；　Paul：　how　can　you　execute　him　if　you're　right　about　those　girls？　How　can　you　possibly　put　him　in　the　electric　chair　if　someone　else　
I　jerked　in　my　chair。　My　elbow　struck　my　bowl　and　knocked　it　off　onto　the　floor；　where　it　broke。　An　idea　had　e　to　me。　It　was　more　intuition　than　logic　at　that　point；　but　it　had　a　certain　black　elegance。　
〃Paul？〃　Janice　asked；　alarmed。　〃What's　wrong？〃　
〃I　don't　know；〃　I　said。　〃I　don't　know　anything　for　sure；　but　I'm　going　to　find　out　if　I　can。〃　
4。　
The　aftermath　of　the　shooting　was　a　three…ring　circus　with　the　governor　in　one　ring；　the　prison　in　another；　and　poor　brain…blasted　Percy　Wetmore　in　the　third。　And　the　ringmaster？　Well；　the　various　gentlemen　of　the　press　took　turns　at　that　job。　They　weren't　as　bad　then　as　they　are　now　…　they　didn't　allow　themselves　to　be　as　bad　…　but　even　back　then　before　Geraldo　and　Mike　Wallace　and　the　rest　of　them；　they　could　gallop　along　pretty　good　when　they　really　got　the　bit　in　their　teeth。　That　was　what　happened　this　time；　and　while　the　show　lasted；　it　was　a　good　one。　
But　even　the　liveliest　circus；　the　one　with　the　scariest　freaks；　funniest　clowns；　and　wildest　animals；　has　to　leave　town　eventually。　This　one　left　after　the　Board　of　Enquiry；　which　sounds　pretty　special　and　fearsome；　but　actually　turned　out　to　be　pretty　tame　and　perfunctory。　Under　other　circumstances；　the　governor　undoubtedly　would　have　demanded　someone's　head　on　a　platter；　but　not　this　time。　His　nephew　by　marriage　…　his　wife's　own　blood　kin　…　had　gone　crackers　and　killed　a　man。　Had　killed　a　killer　…　there　was　that；　at　least；　and　thank　God　for　it　…　but　Percy　had　still　shot　the　man　as　he　lay　sleeping　in　his　cell；　which　was　not　quite　sporting。　When　you　added　in　the　fact　that　the　young　man　in　question　remained　just　as　mad　as　a　March　hare；　you　could　understand　why　the　governor　only　wanted　it　to　go　away；　and　as　soon　as　possible。　
Our　trip　to　Warden　Moores's　house　in　Harry　Terwilliger's　truck　never　came　out。　The　fact　that　Percy　had　been　straitjacketed　and　locked　in　the　restraint　room　during　the　time　we　were　away　never　came　out。　The　fact　that　William　Wharton　had　been　doped　to　the　gills　when　Percy　shot　him　never　came　out；　either。　Why　would　it？　The　authorities　had　no　reason　to　suspect　anything　in　Wharton's　system　but　half　a　dozen　slugs。　The　coroner　removed　those；　the　mortician　put　him　in　a　pine　box；　and　that　was　the　end　of　the　man　with　Billy　the　Kid　tattooed　on　his　left　forearm。　Good　riddance　to　bad　rubbish；　you　might　say。　
All　in　all；　the　uproar　lasted　about　two　weeks。　During　that　time　I　didn't　dare　fart　sideways；　let　alone　so　take　a　day　off　to　investigate　the　idea　I'd　gotten　at　my　kitchen　table　on　the　morning　after　all　the　upheavals。　I　knew　for　sure　that　the　circus　had　left　town　when　I　got　to　work　on　a　day　just　shy　of　the　middle　of　November　…　the　twelfth；　I　think；　but　don't　hold　me　to　that。　That　was　the　day　I　found　the　piece　of　paper　I'd　been　dreading　on　the　middle　of　my　desk：　the　DOE　on　John　Coffey。　Curtis　Anderson　had　signed　it　instead　of　Hal　Moores；　but　of　course　it　was　just　as　legal　either　way；　and　of　course　it　had　needed　to　go　through　Hal　in　order　to　get　to　me。　I　could　imagine　Hal　sitting　at　his　desk　in　Administration　with　that　piece　of　paper　in　his　hand；　sitting　there　and　thinking　of　his　wife；　who　had　bee　something　of　a　nine　days；　wonder　to　the　doctors　at　Indianola　General　Hospital。　She'd　had　her　own　DOE　papers　handed　to　her　by　those　doctors；　but　John　Coffey　had　tom　them　up。　Now；　however；　it　was　Coffey's　turn　to　walk　the　Green　Mile；　and　who　among　us　could　stop　it？　Who　among　us　would　stop　it？　
The　date　on　the　death　warrant　was　November　20th。　Three　days　after　I　got　it　…　the　fifteenth；　I　think　I　had　Janice　call　me　in　sick。　A　cup　of　coffee　later　I　was　driving　north　in　my　badly　sprung　but　otherwise　reliable　Ford。　Janice　had　kissed　me　on　my　way　and　wished　me　good　luck；　I'd　thanked　her　but　no　longer　had　any　clear　idea　what　good　luck　would　be　…　finding　what　I　was　looking　for　or　not　finding　it。　All　I　knew　for　sure　is　that　I　didn't　feel　much　like　singing　as　I　drove。　Not　that　day。　
By　three　that　afternoon　I　was　well　up　in　the　ridge　country。　I　got　to　the　Purdom　County　Courthouse　just　before　it　closed；　looked　at　some　records；　then　had　a　visit　from　the　Sheriff；　who　had　been　informed　by　the　county　clerk　that　a　stranger　was　poking　in　amongst　the　local　skeletons。　Sheriff　Catlett　wanted　to　know　what　I　thought　I　was　doing。　I　told　him。　Catlett　thought　it　over　and　then　told　me　something　interesting。　He　said　he'd　deny　he'd　ever　said　a　word　if　I　spread　it　around；　and　it　wasn't　conclusive　anyway；　but　it　was　something；　all　right。　It　was　sure　something。　I　thought　about　it　all　the　way　home；　and　that　night　there　was　a　lot　of　thinking　and　precious　little　sleeping　on　my　side　of　the　bed。　
The　next　day　I　got　up　while　the　sun　was　still　just　a　rumor　in　the　east　and　drove　downstate　to　Trapingus　County。　I　skirted　around　Homer　Cribus；　that　great　bag　of　guts　and　waters；　speaking　to　Deputy　Sheriff　Rob　McGee　instead。　McGee　didn't　want　to　hear　what　I　was　telling　him。　Most　vehemently　didn't　want　to　hear　it。　At　one　point　I　was　pretty　sure　he　was　going　to　punch　me　in　the　mouth　so　he　could　stop　hearing　it；　but　in　the　end　he　agreed　to　go　out　and　ask　Klaus　Detterick　a　couple　of　questions。　Mostly；　I　think；　so　he　could　be　sure　I　wouldn't。　〃He's　only　thirty…nine；　but　he　looks　like　an　old　man　these　days；〃　McGee　said；　〃and　he　don't　need　a　smartass　prison　guard　who　thinks　he's　a　detective　to　stir　him　up　just　when　some　of　the　sorrow　has　started　to　settle。　You　stay　right　here　in　town。　I　don't　want　you　within　hailing　distance　of　the　Detterick　farm；　but　I　want　to　be　able　to　find　you　when　I'm　done　talking　to　Klaus。　If　you　start　feeling　restless；　have　a　piece　of　pie　down　there　in　the　diner。　It'll　weight　you　down。〃　I　ended　up　having　two　pieces；　and　it　was　kind　of　heavy。　
When　McGee　came　into　the　diner　and　sat　down　at　the　counter　next　to　me；　I　tried　to　read　his　face　and　failed。　〃Well？〃　I　asked。　
〃e　on　home　with　me；　we'll　talk　there；〃　he　said。　〃This　place　is　a　mite　too　public　for　my　taste。〃　
We　had　our　conference　on　Rob　McGee's　front　porch。　Both。　of　us　were　bundled　up　and　chilly；　but　Mrs。　McGee　didn't　allow　smoking　anywhere　in　her　house。　She　was　a　woman　ahead　of　her　time。　McGee　talked　awhile。　He　did　it　like　a　man　who　doesn't　in　the　least　enjoy　what　he's　hearing　out　of　his　own　mouth。　
〃It　proves　nothing；　you　know　that；　don't　you？〃　he　asked　when　he　was　pretty　well　done。　His　tone　was　belligerent；　and　he　poked　his　home…rolled　cigarette　at　me　in　an　aggressive　way　as　he　spoke；　but　his　face　was　sick。　Not　all　proof　is　what　you　see　and　hear　in　a　court　of　law；　and　we　both　knew　it。　I　have　an　idea　that　was　the　only　time　in　his　life　when　Deputy　McGee　wished　he　was　as　country…dumb　as　his　boss。　
〃I　know；〃　I　said。　
〃And　if　you're　thinking　of　getting　him　a　new　trial　on　the　basis　of　this　one　thing；　you　better　think　again；　senor。　John　Coffey　is　a　Negro；　and　in　Trapingus　County　we're　awful　particular　about　giving　new　trials　to　Negroes。〃　
〃I　know　that；　too。〃　
〃So　what　are　you　going　to　do？〃　
I　pitched　my　cigarette　over　the　porch　rail　and　into　the　street。　Then　I　stood　up。　It　was　going　to　be　a　long；　cold　ride　back　home；　and　the　sooner　I　got　going　the　sooner　the　trip　would　be　done。　〃That　I　wish　I　did　know；　Deputy　McGee；〃　I　said；　〃but　I　don't。　The　only　thing　I　know　tonight　for　a　fact　is　that　second　piece　of　pie　was　a　mistake。〃　
〃I'll　tell　you　something；　smart　guy；〃　he　said；　still　speaking　in　that　tone　of　hollow　belligerence。　〃I　don't　think　you　should　have　opened　Pandora's　Box　in　the　first　place。〃　
〃It　wasn't　me　opened　it；〃　I　said；　and　then　drove　home。　
I　got　there　late　…　after　midnight　…　but　my　wife　was　waiting　up　for　me。　I'd　suspected　she　would　be；　but　it　still　did　my　heart　good　to　see　her；　and　to　have　her　put　her　arms　around　my　neck　and　her　body　nice　and　firm　against　mine。　〃Hello；　stranger；〃　she　said；　and　then　touched　me　down　below。　〃Nothing　wrong　with　this　fellow　now；　is　there？　He's　just　as　healthy　as　can　be。〃　
〃Yes　ma'am；〃　I　said；　and　lifted　her　up　in　my　arms。　I　took　her　into　the　bedroom　and　we　made　love　as　sweet　as　sugar；　and　as　I　came　to　my　climax；　that　delicious　feeling　of　going　out　and　letting　go；　I　thought　of　John　Coffey's　endlessly　weeping　eyes。　And　of　Melinda　Moores　saying　I　dreamed　you　were　wandering　in　the　dark；　and　so　was　I。　
Still　lying　on　top　of　my　wife；　with　her　arms　around　my　neck　and　our　thighs　together；　I　began　to　weep　myself。　
〃Paul！〃　she　said；　shocked　and　afraid。　I　don't　think　she'd　seen　me　in　tears　more　than　half　a　dozen　times　before　in　the　entire　course　of　our　marriage。　I　have　never　been；　in　the　ordinary　course　of　things；　a　crying　man。　〃Paul；　what　is　it？〃　
〃I　know　everything　there　is　to　know；〃　I　said　through　my　tears。　〃I　know　too　goddam　much；　if　you　want　to　know　the　truth。　I'm　supposed　to　electrocute　John　Coffey　in　less　than　a　week's　time；　but　it　was　William　Wharton　who　killed　the　Detterick　girls。　It　was　Wild　Bill。〃　
5。　
The　next　day；　the　same　bunch　of　screws　who　had　eaten　lunch　in　my　kitchen　after　the　botched　Delacroix　execution　ate　lunch　there　again。　This　time　there　was　a　fifth　at　our　council　of　war：　my　wife。　It　was　Jan　who　convinced　me　to　tell　the　others；　my　first　impulse　had　been　not　to。　Wasn't　it　bad　enough；　I　asked　her；　that　we　knew？　
〃You're　not　thinking　clear　about　it；〃　she'd　answered。　〃Probably　because　you're　still　upset。　They　already　know　the　worst　thing；　that　John's　on　the　spot　for　a　crime　he　didn't　mit。　If　anything；　this　makes　it　a　little　better。〃　
I　wasn't　so　sure；　but　I　deferred　to　her　judgement。　I　expected　an　uproar　when　I　told　Brutal；　Dean；　and　Harry　what　I　knew　（I　couldn't　prove　it；　but　I　knew；　all　right）；　but　at　first　there　was　only　thoughtful　silence。　Then；　taking　another　of　Janice's　biscuits　and　beginning　to　put　an　outrageous　amount　of　butter　on　it；　Dean　said：　〃Did　John　see　him；　do　you　think？　Did　he　see　Wharton　drop　the　girls；　maybe　even　rape　them？〃　
〃I　think　if　he'd　seen　that；　he　would　have　tried　to　stop　it；〃　I　said。　〃As　for　seeing　Wharton；　maybe　as　he　ran　off；　I　suppose　he　might　have。　If　he　did；　he　forgot　it　later。〃　
〃Sure；〃　Dean　said。　〃He's　special；　but　that　doesn't　make　him　bright。　He　only　found　out　it　was　Wharton　when　Wharton　reached　through　the　bars　of　his　cell　and　touched　him。〃　
Brutal　was　nodding。　〃That's　why　John　looked　so　surprised　。。。　so　shocked。　Remember　the　way　his　eyes　opened？〃　
I　nodded。　〃He　used　Percy　on　Wharton　like　a　gun；　that　was　what　Janice　said；　and　it　was　what　I　kept　thinking　about。　Why　would　John　Coffey　want　to　kill　Wild　Bill？　Percy；　maybe　…Percy　stamped　on　Delacroix's　mouse　right　in　front　of　him；　Percy　burned　Delacroix　alive　and　John　knew　it　…　but　Wharton？　Wharton　messed　with　most　of　us　in　one　way　or　another；　but　he　didn't　mess　with　John　at　all；　so　far　as　I　know　…hardly　passed　four　dozen　words　with　him　the　whole　time　they　were　on　the　Mile　together；　and　half　of　those　were　that　last　night。　Why　would　he　want　to？　He　was　from　Purdom　County；　and　as　far　as　white　boys　from　up　there　are　concerned；　you　don't　even　see　a　Negro　unless　he　happens　to　step　into　your　road。　So　why　did　he　do　it？　What　could　he've　seen　or　felt　when　Wharton　touched　him　that　was　so　bad　that　he　saved　back　the　poison　he　took　out　of　Melly's　body？〃　
〃And　half…killed　himself　doing　it；　too；〃　Brutal　said。　
〃More　like　three…quarters。　And　the　Detterick　twins　were　all　I　could　think　of　that　was　bad　enough　to　explain　what　he　did。　I　told　myself　the　idea　was　nuts；　too　much　of　a　coincidence；　it　just　couldn't　be。　Then　I　remembered　something　Curtis　Anderson　wrote　in　the　first　memo　I　ever　got　about　Wharton　…that　Wharton　was　crazy…wild；　and　that　he'd　rambled　all　over　the　state　before　the　holdup　where　he　killed　all　those　people。　Rambled　all　over　the　state。　That　stuck　with　me。　Then　there　was　the　way　he　tried　to　choke　Dean　when　he　came　in。　That　got　me　thinking　about　…　〃　
〃The　dog；〃　Dean　said。　He　was　rubbing　his　neck　where　Wharton　had　wrapped　the　chain。　I　don't　think　he　even　knew　he　was　doing　it。　〃How　the　dog's　neck　was　broken。〃　
〃Anyway；　I　went　on　up　to　Purdom　County　to　check　Wharton's　court　records　…　all　we　had　here　were　the　reports　on　the　murders　that　got　him　to　the　Green　Mile。　The　end　of　his　career；　in　other　words。　I　wanted　the　beginning。〃　
〃Lot　of　trouble？〃　Brutal　asked。　
〃Yeah。　Vandalism；　petty　theft；　setting　haystack　fires；　even　theft　of　an　explosive　…　he　and　a　friend　swiped　a　stick　of　dynamite　and　set　it　off　down　by　a　creek。　He　got　going　early；　ten　years　old；　but　what　I　wanted　wasn't　there。　Then　the　Sheriff　turned　up　to　see　who　I　was　and　what　I　was　doing；　and　that　was　actually　lucky。　I　fibbed；　told　him　that　a　cell…search　had　turned　up　a　bunch　of　pictures　in　Wharton's　mattress　…　little　girls　with　no　clothes　on。　I　said　I'd　wanted　to　see　if　Wharton　had　any　kind　of　history　as　a　pederast；　because　there　were　a　couple　of　unsolved　cases　up　in　Tennessee　that　I'd　heard　about