绿里奇迹(英文版)-第54章

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〃Gosh；〃　Brutal　said；　〃from　Billy　the　Kid　to　Willie　the　Weeper　in　less　than　an　hour。　I　wonder　how　many　of　those　morphine　pills　Dean　put　in　that　tonic。〃　
〃Enough；〃　I　said。　There　was　a　little　tremble　in　my　voice。　I　don't　know　if　Brutal　heard　it；　but　I　sure　did。　〃e　on。　We're　going　to　do　it。〃　
〃You　don't　want　to　wait　for　beautiful　there　to　pass　out？〃　
〃He's　passed　out　now；　Brute。　He's　just　too　buzzed　to　close　his　eyes。〃　
〃You're　the　boss。〃　He　looked　around　for　Harry；　but　Harry　was　already　there。　Dean　was　sitting　boltupright　at　the　duty　desk；　shuffling　the　cards　so　hard　and　fast　it　was　a　wonder　they　didn't　catch　fire；　throwing　a　little　glance　to　his　left；　at　my　office；　with　every　flutter…shuffle。　Keeping　an　eye　out　for　Percy。　
〃Is　it　time？〃　Harry　asked。　His　long；　horsey　face　was　very　pale　above　his　blue　uniform　blouse；　but　he　looked　determined。　
〃Yes；〃　I　said。　〃If　we're　going　through　with　it；　it's　time。〃　
Harry　crossed　himself　and　kissed　his　thumb。　Then　he　went　down　to　the　restraint　room；　unlocked　it；　and　came　back　with　the　straitjacket。　He　handed　it　to　Brutal。　The　three　of　us　walked　up　the　Green　Mile。　Coffey　stood　at　his　cell　door；　watching　us　go；　and　said　not　a　word。　When　we　reached　the　duty　desk；　Brutal　put　the　straitjacket　behind　his　back；　which　was　broad　enough　to　conceal　it　easily。　
〃Luck；〃　Dean　said。　He　was　as　pale　as　Harry；　and　looked　just　as　determined。　
Percy　was　behind　my　desk；　all　right；　sitting　in　my　chair　and　frowning　over　the　book　he'd　been　toting　around　with　him　the　last　few　nights　…　not　Argosy　or　Stag　but　Caring　for　the　Mental　Patient　in　Institutions。　You　would　have　thought；　from　the　guilty；　worried　glance　he　threw　our　way　when　we　walked　in；　that　it　had　been　The　Last　Days　of　Sodom　and　Gomorrah。　
〃What？〃　he　asked；　closing　the　book　in　a　hurry。　〃What　do　you　want？〃　
〃To　talk　to　you；　Percy；〃　I　said；　〃that's　all。〃　
But　he　read　a　hell　of　a　lot　more　than　a　desire　to　talk　on　our　faces；　and　was　up　like　a　shot；　hurrying　…　not　quite　running；　but　almost　…　toward　the　open　door　to　the　storeroom。　He　thought　we　had　e　to　give　him　a　ragging　at　the　very　least；　and　more　likely　a　good　roughing　up。　
Harry　cut　around　behind　him　and　blocked　the　doorway；　arms　folded　on　his　chest。　
〃Saaay！〃　Percy　turned　to　me；　alarmed　but　trying　not　to　show　it。　〃What　is　this？〃　
〃Don't　ask；　Percy；〃　I　said。　I　had　thought　I'd　be　okay　…　back　to　normal；　anyway…once　we　actually　got　rolling　on　this　crazy　business；　but　it　wasn't　working　out　that　way。　I　couldn't　believe　what　I　was　doing。　It　was　like　a　bad　dream。　I　kept　expecting　my　wife　to　shake　me　awake　and　tell　me　I'd　been　moaning　in　my　sleep。　〃It'll　be　easier　if　you　just　go　along　with　it。　
〃What's　Howell　got　behind　his　back？〃　Percy　asked　in　a　ragged　voice。　turning　to　get　a　better　look　at　Brutal。　
〃Nothing；〃　Brutal　said。　〃Well　。。。　this；　I　suppose…！〃　
He　whipped　the　straitjacket　out　and　shook　it　beside　one　hip；　like　a　matador　shaking　his　cape　to　make　the　bull　charge。　
Percy's　eyes　widened；　and　he　lunged。　He　meant　to　run；　but　Harry　grabbed　his　arms　and　a　lunge　was　all　he　was　able　to　manage。　
〃Let　go　of　me！〃　Percy　shouted；　trying　to　jerk　out　of　Harry's　grasp。　It　wasn't　going　to　happen；　Harry　outweighed　him　by　almost　a　hundred　pounds　and　had　the　muscles　of　a　man　who　spent　most　of　his　spare　time　plowing　and　chopping；　but　Percy　gave　it　a　good　enough　effort　to　drag　Harry　halfway　across　the　room　and　to　rough　up　the　unpleasant　green　carpet　I　kept　meaning　to　replace。　For　a　moment　I　thought　he　was　even　going　to　get　one　arm　free　panic　can　be　one　hell　of　a　motivator。　
〃Settle　down；　Percy；〃　I　said。　〃It'll　go　easier　if　…　〃　
〃Don't　you　tell　me　to　settle　down；　you　ignoramus！〃　Percy　yelled；　jerking　his　shoulders　and　trying　to　free　his　arms。　〃Just　get　away　from　me！　All　of　you！　I　know　people！　Big　people！　If　you　don't　quit　this；　you'll　have　to　go　all　the　way　to　South　Carolina　just　to　get　a　meal　in　a　soup　kitchen！〃　
He　gave　another　forward　lunge　and　ran　his　upper　thighs　into　my　desk。　The　book　he'd　been　reading；　Caring　for　the　Mental　Patient　in　Institutions；　gave　a　jump；　and　the　smaller；　pamphlet…sized　book　which　had　been　hidden　inside　it　popped　out。　No　wonder　Percy　had　looked　guilty　when　we　came　in。　It　wasn't　The　Last　Days　of　Sodom　and　Gomorrah；　but　it　was　the　one　we　sometimes　gave　to　inmates　who　were　feeling　especially　horny　and　who　had　been　well…behaved　enough　to　deserve　a　treat。　I've　mentioned　it；　I　think　…　the　little　cartoon　book　where　Olive　Oyl　does　everybody　except　Sweet　Pea；　the　kid。　
I　found　it　sad　that　Percy　had　been　in　my　office　and　pursuing　such　pallid　porn；　and　Harry　…　what　I　could　see　of　him　from　over　Percy's　straining　shoulder　…　looked　mildly　disgusted；　but　Brutal　hooted　with　laughter；　and　that　took　the　fight　out　of　Percy；　at　least　for　the　time　being。　
〃Oh　Poicy；〃　he　said。　〃What　would　your　mother　say？　For　that　matter；　what　would　the　governor　say？〃　
Percy　was　blushing　a　dark　red。　〃Just　shut　up。　And　leave　my　mother　out　of　it。〃　
Brutal　tossed　me　the　straitjacket　and　pushed　his　face　up　into　Percy's。　〃Sure　thing。　Just　stick　out　your　arms　like　a　good　boy。〃　
Percy's　lips　were　trembling；　and　his　eyes　were　too　bright。　He　was；　I　realized；　on　the　verge　of　tears。　〃I　won't；〃　he　said　in　a　childish；　trembling　voice；　〃and　you　can't　make　me。〃　Then　he　raised　his　voice　and　began　to　scream　for　help。　Harry　winced　and　so　did　I。　If　we　ever　came　close　to　just　dropping　the　whole　thing；　it　was　then。　We　might　have；　except　for　Brutal。　He　never　hesitated。　He　stepped　behind　Percy　so　he　was　shoulder　to　shoulder　with　Harry；　who　still　had　Percy's　hands　pinned　behind　him。　Brutal　reached　up　and　took　Percy's　ears　in　his　hands。　
〃Stop　that　yelling；〃　Brutal　said。　〃Unless　you　want　to　have　a　pair　of　the　world's　most　unique　teabag　caddies。〃　
Percy　quit　yelling　for　help　and　just　stood　there；　trembling　and　looking　down　at　the　cover　of　the　crude　cartoon　book；　which　showed　Popeye　and　Olive　doing　it　in　a　creative　way　I　had　heard　of　but　never　tried。　〃Oooh；　Popeye！〃　read　the　balloon　over　Olive's　head。　〃Uck…uck…uck…uck！〃　read　the　one　over　Popeye's。　He　was　still　smoking　his　pipe。　
〃Hold　out　your　arms；〃　Brutal　said；　〃and　let's　have　no　more　foolishness　about　it。　Do　it　now。〃　
〃I　won't；〃　Percy　said。　〃I　won't；　and　you　can't　make　me。〃　
〃You're　dead　wrong　about　that；　you　know；〃　Brutal　said；　then　clamped　down　on　Percy's　ears　and　twisted　them　the　way　you　might　twist　the　dials　on　an　oven。　An　oven　that　wasn't　cooking　the　way　you　wanted；　Percy　let　out　a　miserable　shriek　of　pain　and　surprise　that　I　would　have　given　a　great　deal　not　to　have　heard。　It　wasn't　just　pain　and　surprise；　you　see；　it　was　understanding。　For　the　first　time　in　his　life；　Percy　was　realizing　that　awful　things　didn't　just　happen　to　other　people；　those　not　fortunate　enough　to　be　related　to　the　governor。　I　wanted　to　tell　Brutal　to　stop；　but　of　course　I　couldn't。　Things　had　gone　much　too　far　for　that。　All　I　could　do　was　to　remind　myself　that　Percy　had　put　Delacroix　through　God　knew　what　agonies　simply　because　Delacroix　had　laughed　at　him。　The　reminder　didn't　go　very　far　toward　soothing　the　way　I　felt。　Perhaps　it　might　have；　if　I'd　been　built　more　along　the　lines　of　Percy。　
〃Stick　those　arms　out　there；　honey；〃　Brutal　said；　〃or　you　get　another。〃　
Harry　had　already　let　go　of　young　Mr。　Wetmore。　Sobbing　like　a　little　kid；　the　tears　which　had　been　standing　in　his　eyes　now　spilling　down　his　cheeks；　Percy　shot　his　hands　out　straight　in　front　of　him；　like　a　sleepwalker　in　a　movie　edy。　I　had　the　sleeves　of　the　straitjacket　up　his　arms　in　a　trice。　I　hardly　had　it　over　his　shoulders　before　Brutal　had　let　go　of　Percy's　ears　and　grabbed　the　straps　hanging　down　from　the　jacket's　cuffs。　He　yanked　Percy's　hands　around　to　his　sides；　so　that　his　arms　were　crossed　tightly　on　his　chest。　Harry；　meanwhile；　did　up　the　back　and　snapped　the　cross…straps。　Once　Percy　gave　m　and　stuck　out　his　arms；　the　whole　thing　took　less　than　ten　seconds。　
〃Okay；　hon；〃　Brutal　said。　〃Forward　harch。〃　
But　he　wouldn't。　He　looked　at　Brutal；　then　turned　his　terrified；　streaming　eyes　on　me。　Nothing　about　his　connections　now；　or　how　we'd　have　to　go　all　the　way　to　South　Carolina　just　to　get　a　free　meal；　he　was　far　past　that。　
〃Please；〃　he　whispered　in　a　hoarse；　wet　voice。　〃Don't　put　me　in　with　him；　Paul。〃　
Then　I　understood　why　he　had　panicked；　why　he'd　fought　us　so　hard。　He　thought　we　were　going　to　put　him　in　with　Wild　Bill　Wharton；　that　his　punishment　for　the　dry　sponge　was　to　be　a　dry　cornholing　from　the　resident　psychopath。　Instead　of　feeling　sympathy　for　Percy　at　this　realization；　I　felt　disgust　and　a　hardening　of　my　resolve。　He　was；　after　all；　judging　us　by　the　way　he　would　have　behaved；　had　our　positions　been　reversed。　
〃Not　Wharton；〃　I　said。　〃The　restraint　room；　Percy。　You're　going　to　spend　three　or　four　hours　in　there；　all　by　yourself　in　the　dark；　thinking　about　what　you　did　to　Del。　It's　probably　too　late　for　you　to　learn　any　new　lessons　about　how　people　are　supposed　to　behave　…　Brute　thinks　so；　anyway　…　but　I'm　an　optimist。　Now　move。〃　
He　did；　muttering　under　his　breath　that　we'd　be　sorry　for　this；　plenty　sorry；　just　wait　and　see；　but　on　the　whole　he　seemed　relieved　and　reassured。　
When　we　herded　him　out　into　the　hall；　Dean　gave　us　a　look　of　such　wide…eyed　surprise　and　dewy　innocence　that