绿里奇迹(英文版)-第32章

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you　ugly　motherfucker；〃　he　said。　〃They　be　schoolin；　all　right；　but　this　old　boy's　well　set　up　to　be　the　teacher。〃　He　shifted　his　gaze　and　his　darktoothed　grin　to　Brutal。　〃e　on；　big　fella；　you　first。　This　time　you　cain't　sneak　up　behind　me。　Put　down　that　gun　…　you　ain't　gonna　shoot　it　anyway；　not　you　…　and　we'll　go　man…to…man。　See　who's　the　better　fel…〃　
Brutal　stepped　into　the　cell；　but　not　toward　Wharton。　He　moved　to　the　left　once　he　was　through　the　door；　and　Wharton's　narrow　eyes　widened　as　he　saw　the　firehose　pointed　at　him。　
〃No；　you　don't；〃　he　said。　〃Oh　no；　you　d…〃　
〃Dean！〃　I　yelled。　〃Turn　it　on！　All　the　way！〃　
Wharton　jumped　forward；　and　Brutal　hit　him　a　good　smart　lick　…　the　kind　of　lick　I'm　sure　Percy　dreamed　of　…　across　his　forehead；　laying　his　baton　right　over　Wharton's　eyebrows。　Wharton；　who　seemed　to　think　we'd　never　seen　trouble　until　we'd　seen　him；　went　to　his　knees；　his　eyes　open　but　blind。　Then　the　water　came；　Harry　staggering　back　a　step　under　its　power　and　then　holding　steady；　the　nozzle　firm　in　his　hands；　pointed　like　a　gun。　The　stream　caught　iddle　of　his　chest；　spun　him　halfway　around；　and　drove　him　back　under　his　bunk。　Down　the　hall；　Delacroix　was　jumping　from　foot　to　foot；　cackling　shrilly；　and　cursing　at　John　Coffey；　demanding　that　Coffey　tell　him　what　was　going　on；　who　was　winning；　and　how　dat　gran'　fou　new　boy　like　dat　Chinee　water　treatment。　John　said　nothing；　just　stood　there　quietly　in　his　too…short　pants　and　his　prison　slippers。　I　only　had　one　quick　glance　at　him；　but　that　was　enough　to　observe　his　same　old　expression；　both　sad　and　serene。　It　was　as　if　he'd　seen　the　whole　thing　before；　not　just　once　or　twice　but　a　thousand　times。　
〃Kill　the　water！〃　Brutal　shouted　back　over　his　shoulder；　then　raced　forward　into　the　cell。　He　sank　his　hands　into　the　semi…conscious　Wharton's　armpits　and　dragged　him　out　from　under　his　bunk。　Wharton　was　coughing　and　making　a　glub…glub　sound。　Blood　was　dribbling　into　his　dazed　eyes　from　above　his　brows；　where　Brutal's　stick　had　popped　the　skin　open　in　a　line。　
We　had　the　straitjacket　business　down　to　a　science；　did　Brutus　Howell　and　me；　we'd　practiced　it　like　a　couple　of　vaudeville　hoofers　working　up　a　new　dance　routine。　Every　now　and　then；　that　practice　paid　off。　Now；　for　instance。　Brutal　sat　Wharton　up　and　held　out　his　arms　toward　me　the　way　a　kid　might　hold　out　the　arms　of　a　Raggedy　Andy　doll。　Awareness　was　just　starting　to　seep　back　into　Wharton's　eyes；　the　knowledge　that　if　he　didn't　start　fighting　right　away；　it　was　going　to　be　too　late；　but　the　lines　were　still　down　between　his　brain　and　his　muscles；　and　before　he　could　repair　them；　I　had　rammed　the　sleeves　of　the　coat　up　his　arms　and　Brutal　was　doing　the　buckles　up　the　back。　While　he　took　care　of　that；　I　grabbed　the　cuff…straps；　pulled　Wharton's　arms　around　his　sides；　and　linked　his　wrists　together　with　another　canvas　strap。　He　ended　up　looking　like　he　was　hugging　himself。　
〃Goddam　you；　big　dummy；　how　dey　doin　widdim？〃　Delacroix　screamed。　I　heard　Mr。　Jingles　squeaking；　as　if　he　wanted　to　know；　too。　
Percy　arrived；　his　shirt　wet　and　sticking　to　him　from　his　struggles　with　the　watermain；　his　face　glowing　with　excitement。　Dean　came　along　behind　him；　wearing　a　bracelet　of　purplish　bruise　around　his　throat　and　looking　a　lot　less　thrilled。　
〃e　on；　now；　Wild　Bill；〃　I　said；　and　yanked　Wharton　to　his　feet。　〃Little　walky…walky。〃　
〃Don't　you　call　me　that！〃　Wharton　screamed　shrilly；　and　I　think　that　for　the　first　time　we　were　seeing　real　feelings；　and　not　just　a　clever　animal's　camouflage　spots。　〃Wild　Bill　Hickok　wasn't　no　range…rider！　He　never　fought　him　no　bear　with　a　Bowie　knife；　either！　He　was　just　another　bushwhackin　John　Law！　Dumb　sonofabitch　sat　with　his　back　to　the　door　and　got　kilt　by　a　drunk！〃　
〃Oh　my　suds　and　body；　a　history　lesson！〃　Brutal　exclaimed；　and　shoved　Wharton　out　of　his　cell。　〃A　feller　just　never　knows　what　he's　going　to　get　when　he　clocks　in　here；　only　that　it's　apt　to　be　nice。　But　with　so　many　nice　people　like　you　around；　I　guess　that　kind　of　stands　to　reason；　don't　it？　And　you　know　what？　Pretty　soon　you'll　be　history　yourself；　Wild　Bill。　Meantime；　you　get　on　down　the　hall。　We　got　a　room　for　you。　Kind　of　a　cooling…off　room。〃　
Wharton　gave　a　furious；　inarticulate　scream　and　threw　himself　at　Brutal；　even　though　he　was　snugly　buckled　into　the　coat　now；　and　his　arms　were　wrapped　around　behind　him。　Percy　made　to　draw　his　baton　…　the　Wetmore　Solution　for　all　of　life's　problems　…　and　Dean　put　a　hand　on　his　wrist。　Percy　gave　him　a　puzzled；　half…indignant　look；　as　if　to　say　that　after　what　Wharton　had　done　to　Dean；　Dean　should　be　the　last　person　in　the　world　to　want　to　hold　him　back。　
Brutal　pushed　Wharton　backward。　I　caught　him　and　pushed　him　to　Harry。　And　Harry　propelled　him　on　down　the　Green　Mile；　past　the　gleeful　Delacroix　and　the　impassive　Coffey。　Wharton　ran　to　keep　from　falling　on　his　face；　spitting　curses　the　whole　way。　Spitting　them　the　way　a　welder's　torch　spits　sparks。　We　banged　him　into　the　last　cell　on　the　right　while　Dean；　Harry；　and　Percy　（who　for　once　wasn't　plaining　about　being　unfairly　overworked）　yanked　all　of　the　crap　out　of　the　restraint　room。　While　they　did　that；　I　had　a　brief　conversation　with　Wharton。　
〃You　think　you're　tough；〃　I　said；　〃and　maybe　you　are；　sonny；　but　in　here　tough　don't　matter。　Your　stampeding　days　are　over。　If　you　take　it　easy　on　us；　we'll　take　it　easy　on　you。　If　you　make　it　hard；　you'll　die　in　the　end　just　the　same；　only　we'll　sharpen　you　like　a　pencil　before　you　go。〃　
〃You're　gonna　be　so　happy　to　see　the　end　of　me；〃　Wharton　said　in　a　hoarse　voice。　He　was　struggling　against　the　straitjacket　even　though　he　must　have　known　it　would　do　no　good；　and　his　face　was　as　red　as　a　tomato。　〃And　until　I'm　gone；　I'll　make　your　lives　miserable。〃　He　bared　his　teeth　at　me　like　an　angry　baboon。　
〃If　that's　all　you　want；　to　make　our　lives　miserable；　you　can　quit　now；　because　you've　already　succeeded；〃　Brutal　said。　〃But　as　far　as　your　time　on　the　Mile　goes；　Wharton；　we　don't　care　if　you　spend　all　of　it　in　the　room　with　the　soft　walls。　And　you　can　wear　that　damned　nut…coat　until　your　arms　gangrene　from　lack　of　circulation　and　fall　right　off。〃　He　paused。　〃No　one　much　es　down　here；　you　know。　And　if　you　think　anyone　gives　much　of　a　shit　what　happens　to　you；　one　way　or　another；　you　best　reconsider。　To　the　world　in　general；　you're　already　one　dead　outlaw。〃　
Wharton　was　studying　Brutal　carefully；　and　the　color　was　fading　out　of　his　face。　〃Lemme　out　of　it〃；　he　said　in　a　placatory　voice　…　a　voice　too　sane　and　too　reasonable　to　trust。　〃I'll　be　good。　Honest　Injun。〃　
Harry　appeared　in　the　cell　doorway。　The　end　of　the　corridor　looked　like　a　rummage　sale；　but　we'd　set　things　to　rights　with　good　speed　once　we　got　started。　We　had　before；　we　knew　the　drill。　〃All　ready；〃　Harry　said。　
Brutal　grabbed　the　bulge　in　the　canvas　where　Wharton's　right　elbow　was　and　yanked　him　to　his　feet。　〃e　on；　Wild　Billy。　And　look　on　the　good　side。　You're　gonna　have　at　least　twenty…four　hours　to　remind　yourself　never　to　sit　with　your　back　to　the　door；　and　to　never　hold　onto　no　aces　and　eights。〃　
〃Lemme　out　of　it；〃　Wharton　said。　He　looked　from　Brutal　to　Harry　to　me；　the　red　creeping　back　into　his　face。　〃I'll　be　good　…　I　tell　you　I've　learned　my　lesson。　I　。。。　I　。。。　ummmmmahhhhhhh…！〃　
He　suddenly　collapsed；　half　of　him　in　the　cell；　half　of　him　on　the　played…out　lino　of　the　Green　Mile；　kicking　his　feet　and　bucking　his　body。　
〃Holy　Christ；　he's　pitchin　a　fit；〃　Percy　whispered。　
〃Sure；　and　my　sister's　the　Whore　of　Babylon；〃　Brutal　said。　〃She　dances　the　hootchie…kootchie　for　Moses　on　Saturday　nights　in　a　long　white　veil。〃　He　bent　down　and　hooked　a　hand　into　one　of　Wharton's　armpits。　I　got　the　other　one。　Wharton　threshed　between　us　like　a　hooked　fish。　Carrying　his　jerking　body；　listening　to　him　grunt　from　one　end　and　fart　from　the　other　was　one　of　my　life's　less　pleasant　experiences。　
I　looked　up　and　met　John　Coffey's　eyes　for　a　second。　They　were　bloodshot；　and　his　dark　cheeks　were　wet。　He　had　been　crying　again。　I　thought　of　Hammersmith　making　that　biting　gesture　with　his　hand　and　shivered　a　little。　Then　I　turned　my　attention　back　to　Wharton。　
We　threw　him　into　the　restraint　room　like　he　was　cargo；　and　watched　him　lie　on　the　floor；　bucking　hard　in　the　straitjacket　next　to　the　drain　we　had　once　checked　for　the　mouse　which　had　started　its　E　Block　life　as　Steamboat　Willy。　
〃I　don't　much　care　if　he　swallows　his　tongue　or　something　and　dies；〃　Dean　said　in　his　hoarse　and　raspy　voice；　〃but　think　of　the　paperwork；　boys！　It'd　never　end。〃　
〃Never　mind　the　paperwork；　think　of　the　hearing；〃　Harry　said　gloomily。　〃We'd　lose　our　damned　jobs。　End　up　picking　peas　down　Mississippi。　You　know　what　Mississippi　is；　don't　you？　It's　the　Indian　word　for　asshole。〃　
〃He　ain't　gonna　die；　and　he　ain't　gonna　swallow　his　tongue；　either；〃　Brutal　said。　〃When　we　open　this　door　tomorrow；　he's　gonna　be　just　fine。　Take　my　word　for　it。〃　
That's　the　way　it　was；　too。　The　man　we　took　back　to　his　cell　the　next　night　at　nine　was　quiet；　pallid；　and　seemingly　chastened。　He　walked　with　his　head　down；　made　no　effort　to　attack　anyone　when　the　straitjacket　came　off；　and　only　stared　listlessly　at　me　when　I　told　him　it　would　go　just　the　same