绿里奇迹(英文版)-第4章

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stood。　〃Just　be　so　still　and　so　quiet。〃　In　Delacroix's　lilting　Cajun　accent；　quiet　came　out　sounding　exotic　and　foreign　…　kwaht。　
〃You　go　lie　down；　Del；〃　I　said　curtly。　〃Take　you　a　rest。　This　is　none　of　your　business；　either！'　
He　did　as　I　said。　He　had　raped　a　young　girl　and　killed　her；　and　had　then　dropped　her　body　behind　the　apartment　house　where　she　lived；　doused　it　with　coal…oil；　and　then　set　it　on　fire；　hoping　in　some　muddled　way　to　dispose　of　the　evidence　of　his　crime。　The　fire　had　spread　to　the　building　itself；　had　engulfed　it；　and　six　more　people　had　died；　two　of　them　children。　It　was　the　only　crime　he　had　in　him；　and　now　he　was　just　a　mild…mannered　man　with　a　worried　face；　a　bald　pate；　and　long　hair　straggling　over　the　back　of　his　shirt…collar。　He　would　sit　down　with　Old　Sparky　in　a　little　while；　and　Old　Sparky　would　make　an　end　to　him　。。。　but　whatever　it　was　that　had　done　that　awful　thing　was　already　gone；　and　now　he　lay　on　his　bunk；　letting　his　little　panion　run　squeaking　over　his　hands。　In　a　way；　that　was　the　worst；　Old　Sparky　never　burned　what　was　inside　them；　and　the　drugs　they　inject　them　with　today　don't　put　it　to　sleep。　It　vacates；　jumps　to　someone　else；　and　leaves　us　to　kill　husks　that　aren't　really　alive　anyway。　
I　turned　my　attention　to　the　giant。　
〃If　I　let　Harry　take　those　chains　off　you；　are　you　going　to　be　nice？〃　
He　nodded。　It　was　like　his　head…shake：　down　；　up；　back　to　center。　His　strange　eyes　looked　at　me。　There　was　a　kind　of　peace　in　them；　but　not　a　kind　I　was　sure　I　could　trust。　I　crooked　a　finger　to　Harry；　who　came　in　and　unlocked　the　chains。　He　showed　no　fear　now；　even　when　he　knelt　between　Coffey's　treetrunk　legs　to　unlock　the　ankle　irons；　and　that　eased　me　some。　It　was　Percy　who　had　made　Harry　nervous；　and　I　trusted　Harry's　instincts。　I　trusted　the　instincts　of　all　my　day…to…day　E　Block　men；　except　for　Percy。　
I　have　a　little　set　speech　I　make　to　men　new　on　the　block；　but　I　hesitated　with　Coffey；　because　he　seemed　so　abnormal；　and　not　just　in　his　size。　
When　Harry　stood　back　（Coffey　had　remained　motionless　during　the　entire　unlocking　ceremony；　as　placid　as　a　Percheron）；　I　looked　up　at　my　new　charge；　tapping　on　the　clipboard　with　my　thumb；　and　said：　〃Can　you　talk；　big　boy？〃　
〃Yes；　sir；　boss；　I　can　talk；〃　he　said。　His　voice　ade　me　think　of　a　freshly　tuned　tractor　engine。　He　had　no　real　Southern　drawl…he　said　I；　not　Ah…but　there　was　a　kind　of　Southern　construction　to　his　speech　that　I　noticed　later。　As　if　he　was　from　the　South；　but　not　of　it。　He　didn't　sound　illiterate；　but　he　didn't　sound　educated。　In　his　speech　as　in　so　many　other　things；　he　was　a　mystery。　Mostly　it　was　his　eyes　that　troubled　me　…　a　kind　of　peaceful　absence　in　them；　as　if　he　were　floating　far；　far　away。　
〃Your　name　is　John　Coffey。〃　
〃Yes；　sir；　boss；　like　the　drink　only　not　spelled　the　same　way。〃　
〃So　you　can　spell；　can　you？　Read　and　write？〃　
〃Just　my　name；　boss；〃　said　he；　serenely。　
I　sighed；　then　gave　him　a　short　version　of　my　set　speech。　I'd　already　decided　he　wasn't　going　to　be　any　trouble。　In　that　I　was　both　right　and　wrong。　
〃My　name　is　Paul　Edgebe；〃　I　said。　〃I'm　the　E　Block　super　…　the　head　screw。　You　want　something　from　me；　ask　for　me　by　name。　If　I'm　not　here；　ask　this　other；　man　…　his　name　is　Harry　Terwilliger。　Or　you　ask　for　Mr。　Stanton　or　Mr。　Howell。　Do　you　understand　that？〃　
Coffey　nodded。　
〃Just　don't　expect　to　get　what　you　want　unless　we　decide　it's　what　you　need　…　this　isn't　a　hotel。　Still　with　me？〃　
He　nodded　again。　
〃This　is　a　quiet　place；　big　boy　…　not　like　the　rest　of　the　prison。　It's　just　you　and　Delacroix　over　there。　You　won't　work；　mostly　you'll　just　sit。　Give　you　a　chance　to　think　things　over。〃　Too　much　time　for　most　of　them；　but　I　didn't　say　that。　〃Sometimes　we　play　the　radio；　if　all's　in　order。　You　like　the　radio？〃　
He　nodded；　but　doubtfully；　as　if　he　wasn't　sure　what　the　radio　was。　I　later　found　out　that　was　true；　in　a　way；　Coffey　knew　things　when　he　encountered　them　again；　but　in　between　he　forgot。　He　knew　the　characters　on　Our　Gal　Sunday；　but　had　only　the　haziest　memory　of　what　they'd　been　up　to　the　last　time。　
〃If　you　behave；　you'll　eat　on　time；　you'll　never　see　the　solitary　cell　down　at　the　far　end；　or　have　to　wear　one　of　those　canvas　coats　that　buttons　up　the　back。　You'll　have　two　hours　in　the　yard　afternoons　from　four　until　six；　except　on　Saturdays　when　the　rest　of　the　prison　population　has　their　flag　football　games。　You'll　have　your　visitors　on　Sunday　afternoons；　if　you　have　someone　who　wants　to　visit　you。　Do　you；　Coffey？〃　
He　shook　his　head。　〃Got　none；　boss；〃　he　said。　
'Well；　your　lawyer；　then！'　
〃I　believe　I've　seen　the　back　end　of　him；〃　he　said。　〃He　was　give　to　me　on　loan。　Don't　believe　he　could　find　his　way　up　here　in　the　mountains！'　
I　looked　at　him　closely　to　see　if　he　might　be　trying　a　little　joke；　but　he　didn't　seem　to　be。　And　I　really　hadn't　expected　any　different。　Appeals　weren't　for　the　likes　of　John　Coffey；　not　back　then；　they　had　their　day　in　court　and　then　the　world　forgot　them　until　they　saw　a　squib　in　the　paper　saying　a　certain　fellow　had　taken　a　little　electricity　along　about　midnight。　But　a　man　with　a　wife；　children；　or　friends　to　look　forward　to　on　Sunday　afternoons　was　easier　to　control；　if　control　looked　to　be　a　problem。　Here　it　didn't；　and　that　was　good。　Because　he　was　so　damned　big。　
I　shifted　a　little　on　the　bunk；　then　decided　I　might　feel　a　little　more　fortable　in　my　her　parts　if　I　stood　up；　and　so　I　did。　He　backed　away　from　me　respectfully；　and　clasped　his　hands　in　front　of　him。　
〃Your　time　here　can　be　easy　or　hard；　big　boy；　it　all　depends　on　you。　I'm　here　to　say　you　might　as　well　make　it　easy　on　all　of　us；　because　it　es　to　the　same　in　the　end。　We'll　treat　you　as　right　as　you　deserve。　Do　you　have　any　questions？〃　
〃Do　you　leave　a　light　on　after　bedtime？〃　he　asked　right　away；　as　if　he　had　only　been　waiting　for　the　chance。　
I　blinked　at　him。　I　had　been　asked　a　lot　of　strange　questions　by　newers　to　E　Block　…　once　about　the　size　of　my　wife's　tits…but　never　that　one。　
Coffey　was　smiling　a　trifle　uneasily；　as　if　he　knew　we　would　think　him　foolish　but　couldn't　help　himself。　〃Because　I　get　a　little　scared　in　the　dark　sometimes；〃　he　said。　〃If　it's　a　strange　place。〃　
I　looked　at　him　…　the　pure　size　of　him　…　and　felt　strangely　touched。　They　did　touch　you；　you　know；　you　didn't　see　them　at　their　worst；　hammering　out　their　horrors　like　demons　at　a　forge。　
〃Yes；　it's　pretty　bright　in　here　all　night　long；〃　I　said。　〃Half　the　lights　along　the　Mile　burn　from　nine　until　five　every　morning。〃　Then　I　realized　he　wouldn't　have　any　idea　of　what　I　was　talking　about　…　he　didn't　know　the　Green　Mile　from　Mississippi　mud　…　and　so　I　pointed。　〃In　the　corridor。〃　
He　nodded；　relieved。　I'm　not　sure　he　knew　what　a　corridor　was；　either；　but　he　could　see　the　200…watt　bulbs　in　their　wire　cages。　
I　did　something　I'd　never　done　to　a　prisoner　before；　then　…　I　offered　him　my　hand。　Even　now　I　don't　know　why。　Him　asking　about　the　lights；　maybe。　It　made　Harry　Terwilliger　blink；　I　can　tell　you　that。　Coffey　took　my　hand　with　surprising　gentleness；　my　hand　all　but　disappearing　into　his；　and　that　was　all　of　it。　I　had　another　moth　in　my　killing　bottle。　We　were　done。　
I　stepped　out　of　the　cell。　Harry　pulled　the　door　shut　on　its　track　and　ran　both　locks。　Coffey　stood　where　he　was　a　moment　or　two　longer；　as　if　he　didn't　know　what　to　do　next；　and　then　he　sat　down　on　his　bunk；　clasped　his　giant's　hands　between　his　knees；　and　lowered　his　head　like　a　man　who　grieves　or　prays。　He　said　something　then　in　his　strange；　almost　Southern　voice。　I　heard　it　with　perfect　clarity；　and　although　I　didn't　know　much　about　what　he'd　done　then　…　you　don't　need　to　know　about　what　a　man's　done　in　order　to　feed　him　and　groom　him　until　it's　time　for　him　to　pay　off　what　he　owes　…　it　still　gave　me　a　chill。　
〃I　couldn't　help…it；　boss；〃　he　said。　〃I　tried　to　take　it　back；　but　it　was　too　late！'　
3。　
〃You're　going　to　have　you　some　trouble　with　Percy；〃　Harry　said　as　we　walked　back　up　the　hall　and　into　my　office。　Dean　Stanton；　sort　of　my　third　in　mand　…　we　didn't　actually　have　such　things；　a　situation　Percy　Wetmore　would　have　fixed　up　in　a　flash　…　was　sitting　behind　my　desk；　updating　the　files；　a　job　I　never　seemed　to　get　around　to。　He　barely　looked　up　as　we　came　in；　just　gave　his　little　glasses　a　shove　with　the　ball　of　his　thumb　and　dived　back　into　his　paperwork。　
〃I　been　having　trouble　with　that　peckerwood　since　the　day　he　came　here；〃　I　said；　gingerly；　pulling　my　pants　away　from　my　crotch　and　wincing。　〃Did　you　hear　what　he　was　shouting　when　he　brought　that　big　galoot　down？〃　
〃Couldn't　very　well　not；〃　Harry　said。　〃I　was　there；　you　know。〃　
〃I　was　in　the　john　and　heard　it　just　fine；〃　Dean　said。　He　drew　a　sheet　of　paper　to　him；　held　it　up　into　the　light　so　I　could　see　there　was　a　coffee…ring　as　well　as　typing　on　it；　and　then　tossed　it　into　the　waste　basket。　'Dead　man　walking。'　Must　have　read　that　in　one　of　those　magazines　he　likes　so　much！〃　
And　he　probably　had。　Percy　Wetmore　was　a　great　reader　of　Argosy　and　Stag　and　Men's　Adventure。　There　was　a　prison　tale　in　every　issue；　it　seemed；　and　Percy　read　them　avidly；　like　a　man　doing　research。　It　was　like　he　was　trying　to　find　out　how　to　act；　and　th