绿里奇迹(英文版)-第47章

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〃It　sounds　that　way；〃　I　agreed。　
〃Ordinarily　I'd　let　Curtis　handle　it；　but　considering　the　。。。　atmosphere　on　E　Block　just　lately；　I　asked　Hannah　to　run　it　over　to　me　personally　on　her　lunch　hour。　She　has　graciously　agreed　to　do　so。　I'll　approve　it　and　see　it's　forwarded　on　to　the　state　capital　this　afternoon。　I　expect　you'll　get　a　look　at　Percy's　backside　going　out　the　door　in　no　more　than　a　month。　Maybe　less。〃　
He　expected　me　to　be　pleased　with　this　news；　and　had　a　right　to　expect　it。　He　had　taken　time　out　from　tending　his　wife　to　expedite　a　matter　that　might　otherwise　have　taken　upwards　of　half　a　year；　even　with　Percy's　vaunted　connections。　Nevertheless；　my　heart　sank。　A　month！　But　maybe　it　didn't　matter　much；　one　way　or　the　other。　It　removed　a　perfectly　natural　desire　to　wait　and　put　off　a　risky　endeavor；　and　what　I　was　now　thinking　about　would　be　very　risky　indeed。　Sometimes；　when　that's　the　case；　it's　better　to　jump　before　you　can　lose　your　nerve。　If　we　were　going　to　have　to　deal　with　Percy　in　any　case　（always　assuming　I　could　get　the　others　to　go　along　with　my　insanity　…　always　assuming　there　was　a　we；　in　other　words）；　it　might　as　well　be　tonight。　
〃Paul？　Are　you　there？〃　His　voice　lowered　a　little；　as　if　he　thought　he　was　now　talking　to　himself。　〃Damn；　I　think　I　lost　the　connection。〃　
〃No；　I'm　here；　Hal。　That's　great　news。〃　
〃Yes；〃　he　agreed；　and　I　was　again　struck　by　how　old　he　sounded。　How　papery；　somehow。　〃Oh；　I　know　what　you're　thinking。〃　
No；　you　don't；　Warden；　I　thought。　Never　in　a　million　years　could　you　know　what　I'm　thinking。　
〃You're　thinking　that　our　young　friend　will　still　be　around　for　the　Coffey　execution。　That's　probably　true　…　Coffey　will　go　well　before　Thanksgiving；　I　imagine　…　but　you　can　put　him　back　in　the　switch　room。　No　one　will　object。　Including　him；　I　should　think。〃　
〃I'll　do　that；〃　I　said。　〃Hal；　how's　Melinda？〃　
There　was　a　long　pause　so　long　I　might　have　thought　I'd　lost　him；　except　for　the　sound　of　his　breathing。　When　he　spoke　this　time；　it　was　in　a　much　lower　tone　of　voice。　〃She's　sinking；〃　he　said。　
Sinking。　That　chilly　word　the　old…timers　used　not　to　describe　a　person　who　was　dying；　exactly；　but　one　who　had　begun　to　uncouple　from　living。　
〃The　headaches　seem　a　little　better　。。。　for　now；　anyway　。。。　but　she　can't　walk　without　help；　she　can't　pick　things　up；　she　loses　control　of　her　water　while　she　sleeps　。　。　。〃　There　was　another　pause；　and　then；　in　an　even　lower　voice；　Hal　said　something　that　sounded　like　〃She　wears。〃　
〃Wears　what；　Hal？〃　I　asked；　frowning。　My　wife　had　e　into　the　parlor　doorway。　She　stood　there　wiping　her　hands　on　a　dishtowel　and　looking　at　me。　
〃No；〃　he　said　in　a　voice　that　seemed　to　waver　between　anger　and　tears。　〃She　swears。〃　
〃Oh。〃　I　still　didn't　know　what　he　meant；　but　had　no　intention　of　pursuing　it。　I　didn't　have　to；　he　did　it　for　me。　
〃She'll　be　all　right；　perfectly　normal；　talking　about　her　flower…garden　or　a　dress　she　saw　in　the　catalogue；　or　maybe　about　how　she　heard　Roosevelt　on　the　radio　and　how　wonderful　he　sounds；　and　then；　all　at　once；　she'll　start　to　say　the　most　awful　things；　the　most　awful　。。。　words。　She　doesn't　raise　her　voice。　It　would　almost　be　better　if　she　did；　I　think；　because　then　。。。　you　see；　then　。　。　。〃　
〃She　wouldn't　sound　so　much　like　herself。〃　
〃That's　it；〃　he　said　gratefully。　〃But　to　hear　her　saying　those　awful　gutter…language　things　in　her　sweet　voice　。。。　pardon　me；　Paul。〃　His　voice　trailed　away　and　I　heard　him　noisily　clearing　his　throat。　Then　he　came　back；　sounding　a　little　stronger　but　just　as　distressed。　〃She　wants　to　have　Pastor　Donaldson　over；　and　I　know　he's　a　fort　to　her；　but　how　can　I　ask　him？　Suppose　that　he's　sitting　there；　reading　Scripture　with　her；　and　she　calls　him　a　foul　name？　She　could；　she　called　me　one　last　night。　She　said；　'Hand　me　that　Liberty　magazine；　you　cocksucker；　would　you？'　Paul；　where　could　she　have　ever　heard　such　language？　How　could　she　know　those　words？〃　
〃I　don't　know。　Hal；　are　you　going　to　be　home　this　evening？〃　
When　he　was　well　and　in　charge　of　himself；　not　distracted　by　worry　or　grief；　Hal　Moores　had　a　cutting　and　sarcastic　facet　to　his　personality；　his　subordinates　feared　that　side　of　him　even　more　than　his　anger　or　his　contempt；　I　think。　His　sarcasm；　usually　impatient　and　often　harsh；　could　sting　like　acid。　A　little　of　that　now　splashed　on　me。　It　was　unexpected；　but　on　the　whole　I　was　glad　to　hear　it。　All　the　fight　hadn't　gone　out　of　him　after　all；　it　seemed。　
〃No；〃　he　said；　〃I'm　taking　Melinda　out　squaredancing。　We're　going　to　do…si…do；　allemand　left；　and　then　tell　the　fiddler　he's　a　rooster…dick　motherfucker。〃　
I　clapped　my　hand　over　my　mouth　to　keep　from　laughing。　Mercifully；　it　was　an　urge　that　passed　in　a　hurry。　
〃I'm　sorry；〃　he　said。　〃I　haven't　been　getting　much　sleep　lately。　It's　made　me　grouchy。　Of　course　we're　going　to　be　home。　Why　do　you　ask？〃　
〃It　doesn't　matter；　I　guess；〃　I　said。　
〃You　weren't　thinking　of　ing　by；　were　you？　
Because　if　you　were　on　last　night；　you'll　be　on　tonight。　Unless　you've　switched　with　somebody？〃　
〃No；　I　haven't　switched；〃　I　said。　〃I'm　on　tonight。〃　
〃It　wouldn't　be　a　good　idea；　anyway。　Not　the　way　she　is　right　now。〃　
〃Maybe　not。　Thanks　for　your　news。〃　
〃You're　wele。　Pray　for　my　Melinda；　Paul。〃　
I　said　I　would；　thinking　that　I　might　do　quite　a　bit　more　than　pray。　God　helps　those　who　help　themselves；　as　they　say　in　The　Church　of　Praise　Jesus；　The　Lord　Is　Mighty。　I　hung　up　and　looked　at　Janice。　
〃How's　Melly？〃　she　asked。　
〃Not　good。〃　I　told　her　what　Hal　had　told　me；　including　the　part　about　the　swearing；　although　I　left　out　cocksucker　and　rooster…dick　motherfucker。　I　finished　with　Hal's　word；　sinking；　and　Jan　nodded　sadly。　Then　she　took　a　closer　look　at　me。　
〃What　are　you　thinking　about？　You're　thinking　about　something；　probably　no　good。　It's　in　your　face。〃　
Lying　was　out　of　the　question；　it　wasn't　the　way　we　were　with　each　other。　I　just　told　her　it　was　best　she　not　know；　at　least　for　the　time　being。　
〃Is　it　。。。　could　it　get　you　in　trouble？〃　She　didn't　sound　particularly　alarmed　at　the　idea　…　more　interested　than　anything　…　which　is　one　of　the　things　I　have　always　loved　about　her。　
〃Maybe；〃　I　said。　
〃Is　it　a　good　thing？〃　
〃Maybe；〃　I　repeated。　I　was　standing　there；　still　turning　the　phone's　crank　idly　with　one　finger；　while　I　held　down　the　connecting　points　with　a　finger　of　my　other　hand。　
〃Would　you　like　me　to　leave　you　alone　while　you　use　the　telephone？〃　she　asked。　〃Be　a　good　little　woman　and　butt　out？　Do　some　dishes？　Knit　some　booties？〃　
I　nodded。　〃That's　not　the　way　I'd　put　it；　but…〃　
〃Are　we　having　extras　for　lunch；　Paul？〃　
〃I　hope　so；〃　I　said。　
9。　
I　got　Brutal　and　Dean　right　away；　because　both　of　them　were　on　the　exchange。　Harry　wasn't；　not　then；　at　least；　but　I　had　the　number　of　his　closest　neighbor　who　was。　Harry　called　me　back　about　twenty　minutes　later；　highly　embarrassed　at　having　to　reverse　the　charges　and　sputtering　promises　to　〃pay　his　share〃　when　our　next　bill　came。　I　told　him　we'd　count　those　chickens　when　they　hatched；　in　the　meantime；　could　he　e　over　to　my　place　for　lunch？　Brutal　and　Dean　would　be　here；　and　Janice　had　promised　to　put　out　some　of　her　famous　slaw　。。。　not　to　mention　her　even　more　famous　apple　pie。　
〃Lunch　just　for　the　hell　of　it？〃　Harry　sounded　skeptical。　
I　admitted　I　had　something　I　wanted　to　talk　to　them　about；　but　it　was　best　not　gone　into；　even　lightly；　over　the　phone。　Harry　agreed　to　e。　I　dropped　the　receiver　onto　the　prongs；　went　to　the　window；　and　looked　out　thoughtfully。　Although　we'd　had　the　late　shift；　I　hadn't　wakened　either　Brutal　or　Dean；　and　Harry　hadn't　sounded　like　a　fellow　freshly　turned　out　of　dreamland；　either。　It　seemed　that　I　wasn't　the　only　one　having　problems　with　what　had　happened　last　night；　and　considering　the　craziness　I　had　in　mind；　that　was　probably　good。　
Brutal；　who　lived　closest　to　me；　arrived　at　quarter　past　eleven。　Dean　showed　up　fifteen　minutes　later；　and　Harry　…　already　dressed　for　work　…　about　fifteen　minutes　after　Dean。　Janice　served　us　cold　beef　sandwiches；　slaw；　and　iced　tea　in　the　kitchen。　Only　a　day　before；　we　would　have　had　it　out　on　the　side　porch　and　been　glad　of　a　breeze；　but　the　temperature　had　dropped　a　good　fifteen　degrees　since　the　thunderstorm；　and　a　keen…edged　wind　was　snuffling　down　from　the　ridges。　
〃You're　wele　to　sit　down　with　us；〃　I　told　my　wife。　
She　shook　her　head。　〃I　don't　think　I　want　to　know　what　you're　up　to　…　I'll　worry　less　if　I'm　in　the　dark。　I'll　have　a　bite　in　the　parlor。　I'm　visiting　with　Miss　Jane　Austen　this　week；　and　she's　very　good　pany。〃　
〃Who's　Jane　Austen？〃　Harry　asked　when　she　had　left。　〃Your　side　or　Janices's；　Paul？　A　cousin？　Is　she　pretty？〃　
〃She's　a　writer；　you　nit；〃　Brutal　told　him。　〃Been　dead　practically　since　Betsy　Ross　basted　the　stars　on　the　first　flag。〃　
〃Oh。〃　Harry　looked　embarrassed。　〃I'm　not　much　of　a　reader。　Radio　manuals；　mostly。〃　
〃What's　on　your　mind；　Paul？〃　Dean　asked。　
〃John　Coffey　and　Mr。　Jingles；　to　start　with。〃　They　looked　surprised；　which　I　had　expected　…　they'd　been　thinking　I　wanted　to　discuss　either　Delacroix　or　Percy。　Maybe　both。　I　looked　at　Dean　and　Harry　〃The　thing　with　Mr。　Jingles　…　what　Coffey　did　…　happened　pretty　fast。　I　don't　know　if　you　got