绿里奇迹(英文版)-第56部分

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untry…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。　I　was　careful　never　to　mention　the　Detterick　twins。　I　don't　think　they　crossed　his　mind；　either。〃　
〃Course　not〃；　Harry　said。　〃Why　would　they　have？　That　case　is　solved；　after　all。〃　
〃I　said　I　guessed　there　was　no　sense　chasing　the　idea；　since　there　was　nothing　in　Wharton's　back　file。　I　mean；　there　was　plenty　in　the　file；　but　none　of　it　about　that　sort　of　thing。　Then　the　Sheriff　…　Catlett；　his　name　is　…　laughed　and　said　not　everything　a　bad　apple　like　Bill　Wharton　did　was　in　the　court　files；　and　what　did　it　matter；　anyway？　He　was　dead；　wasn't　he？　
〃I　said　I　was　doing　it　just　to　satisfy　my　own　curiosity；　nothing　else；　and　that　relaxed　him。　He　took　me　back　to　his　office；　sat　me　down；　gave　me　a　cup　of　coffee　and　a　sinker；　and　told　me　that　sixteen　months　ago；　when　Wharton　was　barely　eighteen；　a　man　in　the　western　part　of　the　county　caught　him　in　the　barn　with　his　daughter。　It　wasn't　rape；　exactly；　the　fellow　described　it　to　Catlett　as　'not　much　more'n　stinkfinger。；　Sorry；　honey。〃　
〃That's　all　right〃；　Janice　said。　She　looked　pale；　though。　
〃How　old　was　the　girl？〃　Brutal　asked。　
〃Nine〃；　I　said。　
He　winced。　
〃The　man　might've　taken　off　after　Wharton　himself；　if　he'd　had　him　some　big　old　brothers　or　cousins　to　give　him　a　help；　but　he　didn't。　So　he　went　to　Catlett；　but　made　it　clear　he　only　wanted　Wharton　warned。　No　one　wants　a　nasty　thing　like　that　right　out　in　public；　if　it　can　be　helped。　Anyway；　Sheriff　C。　had　been　dealing　with　e　…　had　him　in　the　reform　school　up　that　way　for　eight　months　or　so　when　Wharton　was　fifteen　…　and　he　decided　enough　was　enough。　He　got　three　deputies；　they　went　out　to　the　Wharton　place；　set　Missus　Wharton　aside　when　she　started　to　weep　and　wail；　and　then　they　warned　Mr。　William　'Billy　the　Kid；　Wharton　what　happens　to　big　pimple…faced　galoots　who　go　up　in　the　hayloft　with　girls　not　even　old　enough　to　have　heard　about　their　monthly　courses；　let　alone　started　them。　'We　warned　that　little　punk　good〃　Catlett　told　me。　'Warned　him　until　his　head　was　bleedin；　his　shoulder　was　dislocated；　and　his　ass　was　damn　near　broke。〃　
Brutal　was　laughing　in　spite　of　himself。　〃That　sounds　like　Purdom　County；　all　right；〃　he　said。　〃Like　as　not。〃　
〃It　was　three　months　later；　give　or　take；　that　Wharton　broke　out　and　started　the　spree　that　ended　with　the　holdup；〃　I　said。　〃That　and　the　murders　that　got　him　to　us。〃　
〃So　he'd　had　something　to　do　with　an　underage　girl　once；〃　Harry　said。　He　took　off　his　glasses；　huffed　on　them；　polished　them。　〃Way　underage。　Once　isn't　exactly　a　pattern；　is　it？〃　
〃A　man　doesn't　do　a　thing　like　that　just　once；〃　my　wife　said；　then　pressed　her　lips　together　so　tight　they　almost　weren't　there。　
Next　I　told　them　about　my　visit　to　Trapingus　County。　I'd　been　a　lot　more　frank　with　Rob　McGee　…　I'd　had　no　choice；　really。　To　this　day　I　have　no　idea　what　sort　of　story　he　spun　for　Mr。　Detterick；　but　the　McGee　who　sat　down　next　to　me　in　the　diner　seemed　to　have　aged　seven　years。　
In　mid…May；　about　a　month　before　the　holdup　and　the　murders　which　finished　Wharton's　short　career　as　an　outlaw；　Klaus　Detterick　had　painted　his　barn　（and；　incidentally；　Bowser's　doghouse　next　to　it）。　He　hadn't　wanted　his　son　crawling　around　up　on　a　high　scaffolding；　and　the　boy　had　been　in　school；　anyway；　so　he　had　hired　a　fellow。　A　nice　enough　fellow。　Very　quiet。　Three　days；　work　it　had　been。　No；　the　fellow　hadn't　slept　at　the　house；　Detterick　wasn't　foolish　enough　to　believe　that　nice　and　quiet　always　meant　safe；　especially　in　those　days；　when　there　was　so　much　dust…bowl　riffraff　on　the　roads。　A　man　with　a　family　had　to　be　careful。　In　any　case；　the　man　hadn't　needed　lodging；　he　told　Detterick　he　had　taken　a　room　in　town；　at　Eva　Price's。　There　was　a　lady　named　Eva　Price　in　Tefton；　and　she　did　rent　rooms；　but　she　hadn't　had　a　boarder　that　May　who　fit　the　description　of　Detterick's　hired　man；　just　the　usual　fellows　in　checked　suits　and　derby　hats；　hauling　sample　cases　…　drummers；　in　other　words。　McGee　had　been　able　to　tell　me　that　because　he　stopped　at　Mrs。　Price's　and　checked　on　his　way　back　from　the　Detterick　farm　…　that's　how　upset　he　was。　
〃Even　so；〃　he　added；　〃there's　no　law　against　a　man　sleeping　rough　in　the　woods；　Mr。　Edgebe。　I've　done　it　a　time　or　two　myself。〃　
The　hired　man　didn't　sleep　at　the　Dettericks；　house；　but　he　took　dinner　with　them　twice。　He　would　have　met　Howie。　He　would　have　met　the　girls；　Cora　and　Kathe。　He　would　have　listened　to　their　chatter；　some　of　which　might　have　been　about　how　much　they　looked　forward　to　the　ing　summer；　because　if　they　were　good　and　the　weather　was　good；　Mommy　sometimes　let　them　sleep　out　on　the　porch；　where　they　could　pretend　they　were　pioneer　wives　crossing　the　Great　Plains　in　Conestoga　wagons。　
I　can　see　him　sitting　there　at　the　table；　eating　roast　chicken　and　Mrs。　Detterick's　rye　bread；　listening；　keeping　his　wolf's　eyes　well　veiled；　nodding；　smiling　a　little；　storing　it　all　up。　
〃This　doesn't　sound　like　the　wildman　you　told　me　about　when　he　first　came　on　the　Mile；　Paul；〃　Janice　said　doubtfully。　〃Not　a　bit。〃　
〃You　didn't　see　him　up　at　Indianola　Hospital；　ma'am；〃　Harry　said。　〃Just　standin　there　with　his　mouth　open　and　his　bare　butt　h