绿里奇迹(英文版)-第42部分

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ack　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　hangin　out　the　back　of　his　Johnny。　Lettin　us　dress　him。　We　thought　he　was　either　drugged　or　foolish。　Didn't　we；　Dean？〃　
Dean　nodded。　
〃The　day　after　he　finished　the　barn　and　left；　a　man　wearing　a　bandanna　mask　robbed　Hampey's　Freight　Office　in　Jarvis；〃　I　told　them。　〃Cot　away　with　seventy　dollars。　He　also　took　an　1892　silver　dollar　the　freight　agent　carried　as　a　lucky　piece。　That　silver　dollar　was　on　Wharton　when　he　was　captured；　and　Jarvis　is　only　thirty　miles　from　Tefton。〃　
〃So　this　robber　this　wildman　you　think　he　stopped　for　three　days　to　help　Klaus　Detterick　pain　his　barn；〃　my　wife　said。　〃Ate　dinner　with　them　and　said　please　pass　the　peas　just　like　folks。〃　
〃The　scariest　thing　about　men　like　him　is　how　unpredictable　they　are〃；　Brutal　said。　〃He　might've　been　planning　to　kill　the　Dettericks　and　rifle　their　house；　then　changed　his　mind　because　a　cloud　came　over　the　sun　at　the　wrong　time；　or　something　like。　Maybe　he　just　wanted　to　cool　off　a　little。　But　most　likely　he　already　had　his　eye　on　those　two　girls　and　was　planning　to　e　back。　Do　you　think；　Paul？〃　
I　nodded。　Of　course　I　thought　it。　〃And　then　there's　the　name　he　gave　Detterick。〃　
〃What　name？〃　Jan　asked。　
〃Will　Bonney。〃　
〃Bonney？　I　don't　…　〃　
〃It　was　Billy　the　Kid's　real　name。〃　
〃Oh。〃　Then　her　eyes　widened。　〃Oh！　So　you　can　get　John　Coffey　off！　Thank　God！　All　you　have　to　do　is　show　Mr。　Detterick　a　picture　of　William　Wharton　。。。　his　mug…shot　should　do。。。〃　
Brutal　and　I　exchanged　an　unfortable　look。　Dean　was　looking　a　bit　hopeful；　but　Harry　was　staring　down　at　his　hands；　as　if　all　at　once　fabulously　interested　in　his　fingernails。　
〃What's　wrong？〃　Janice　asked。　〃Why　are　you　looking　at　each　other　that　way？　Surely　this　man　McGee　will　have　to…〃　
〃Rob　McGee　struck　me　as　a　good　man；　and　I　think　he's　a　hell　of　a　law　officer〃；　I　said；　〃but　he　swings　no　weight　in　Trapingus　County。　The　power　there　is　Sheriff　Cribus；　and　the　day　he　reopens　the　Detterick　case　on　the　basis　of　what　I　was　able　to　find　out　would　be　the　day　it　snows　in　hell。〃　
〃But　。。。　if　Wharton　was　there　。。。　if　Detterick　can　identify　a　picture　of　him　and　they　know　he　was　there。　。　。　〃　
〃Him　being　there　in　May　doesn't　mean　he　came　back　and　killed　those　girls　in　June〃；　Brutal　said。　He　spoke　in　a　low；　gentle　voice；　the　way　you　speak　when　you're　telling　someone　there's　been　a　death　in　the　family。　〃On　one　hand　you've　got　this　fellow　who　helped　Klaus　Detterick　paint　a　barn　and　then　went　away。　Turns　out　he　was　mitting　crimes　all　over　the　place；　but　there's　nothing　against　him　for　the　three　days　in　May　he　was　around　Tefton。　On　the　other　hand；　you've　got　this　big　Negro；　this　huge　Negro；　that　you　found　on　the　riverbank；　holding　two　little　dead　girls；　both　of　them　naked；　in　his　arms。〃　
He　shook　his　head。　
〃Paul's　right；　Jan。　McGee　may　have　his　doubts；　but　McGee　doesn't　matter。　Cribus　is　the　only　one　who　can　reopen　the　case；　and　Cribus　doesn't　want　to　mess　with　what　he　thinks　of　as　a　happy　ending　…　'it　was　a　nigger〃　thinks　he；　'and　not　one　of　our'n　in　any　case。　Beautiful。　I'll　go　up　there　to　Cold　Mountain；　have　me　a　steak　and　a　draft　beer　at　Ma's；　then　watch　him　fry；　and　there's　an　end　to　it；　〃　
Janice　listened　to　all　this　with　a　mounting　expression　of　horror　on　her　face；　then　turned　to　me。　〃But　McGee　believes　it；　doesn't　he；　Paul？　I　could　see　it　on　your　face。　Deputy　McGee　knows　he　arrested　the　wrong　man。　Won't　he　stand　up　to　the　Sheriff？〃　
〃All　he　can　do　by　standing　up　to　him　is　lose　his　job〃；　I　said。　〃Yes；　I　think　that　in　his　heart　he　knows　it　was　Wharton。　But　what　he　says　to　himself　is　that；　if　he　keeps　his　mouth　shut　and　plays　the　game　until　Cribus　either　retires　or　eats　himself　to　death；　he　gets　the　job。　And　things　will　be　different　then。　That's　what　he　tells　himself　to　get　to　sleep；　I　imagine。　And　he's　probably　not　so　much　different　than　Homer　about　one　thing。　He'll　tell　himself；　'After　all；　it's　only　a　Negro。　It's　not　like　they're　going　to　burn　a　white　man　for　it。；　〃　
〃Then　you'll　have　to　go　to　them〃；　Janice　said；　and　my　heart　turned　cold　at　the　decisive；　no…doubt…about…it　tone　of　her　voice。　〃Go　and　tell　them　what　you　found　out。〃　
〃And　how　should　we　tell　them　we　found　it　out；　Jan？〃　Brutal　asked　her　in　that　same　low　voice。　
〃Should　we　tell　them　about　how　Wharton　grabbed　John　while　we　were　taking　him　out　of　the　prison　to　work　a　miracle　on　the　Warden's　wife？〃　
〃No　。。。　of　course　not；　but。。。〃　She　saw　how　thin　the　ice　was　in　that　direction　and　skated　in　another　one。　〃Lie；　then；〃　she　said。　She　looked　defiantly　at　Brutal；　then　turned　that　look　on　me。　It　was　hot　enough　to　smoke　a　hole　in　newspaper；　you'd　have　said。　
〃Lie；〃　I　repeated。　〃Lie　about　what？〃　
〃About　what　got　you　going；　first　up　to　Purdom　County　and　then　down　to　Trapingus。　Go　down　there　to　that　fat　old　Sheriff　Cribus　and　say　that　Wharton　told　you　he　raped　and　murdered　the　Detterick　girls。　That　he　confessed。〃　She　switched　her　hot　gaze　to　Brutal　for　a　moment。　〃You　can　back　him　up；　Brutus。　You　can　say　you　were　there　when　he　confessed；　you　heard　it；　too。　Why；　Percy　probably　heard　it　as　well；　and　that　was　probably　what　set　him　off。　He　shot　Wharton　because　he　couldn't　stand　thinking　of　what　Wharton　had　done　to　those　children。　It　snapped　his　mind。　Just　。。。　What？　What　now；　in　the　name　of　God？〃　
It　wasn't　just　me　and　Brutal；　Harry　and　Dean　were　looking　at　her；　too；　with　a　kind　of　horror。　
〃We　never　reported　anything　like　that；　ma'am；〃　Harry　said。　He　spoke　as　if　talking　to　a　child。　〃The　first　thing　people'd　ask　is　why　we　didn't。　We're　supposed　to　report　anything　our　cell…babies　say　about　prior　crimes。　Theirs　or　anyone　else's。〃　
〃Not　that　we　would've　believed　him；〃　Brutal　put　in。　〃A　man　like　Wild　Bill　Wharton　lies　about　anything；　Jan。　Crimes　he's　mitted；　bigshots　he's　known；　women　he's　gone　to　bed　with；　touchdowns　he　scored　in　high　school；　even　the　damn　weather。〃　
〃But　。。。　but。。　〃　Her　face　was　agonized。　I　went　to　put　my　arm　around　her　and　she　pushed　it　violently　away。　〃But　he　was　there！　He　painted　their　goddamned　barn！　HE　ATE　DINNER　WITH　THEM！〃　
〃All　the　more　reason　why　he　might　take　credit　for　the　crime；〃　Brutal　said。〃　After　all；　what　harm？　Why　not　boast？　You　can't　fry　a　man　twice；　after　all。〃　
〃Let　me　see　if　I've　got　this　right。　We　here　at　this　table　know　that　not　only　did　John　Coffey　not　kill　those　girls；　he　was　trying　to　save　their　lives。　Deputy　McGee　doesn't　know　all　that；　of　course；　but　he　does　have　a　pretty　good　idea　that　the　man　condemned　to　die　for　the　murders　didn't　do　them。　And　still　。。。　still　I　。　。　you　can't　get　him　a　new　trial。　Can't　even　reopen　the　case。〃　
〃Yessum；〃　Dean　said。　He　was　polishing　his　glasses　furiously。　〃That's　about　the　size　of　it。〃　
She　sat　with　her　head　lowered；　thinking。　Brutal　started　to　say　something　and　I　raised　a　hand；　shushing　him。　I　didn't　believe　Janice　could　think　of　a　way　to　get　John　out　of　the　killing　box　he　was　in；　but　I　didn't　believe　it　was　impossible；　either。　She　was　a　fearsomely　smart　lady；　my　wife。　Fearsomely　determined；　as　well。　That's　a　bination　that　sometimes　turns　mountains　into　valleys。　
〃All　right〃；　she　said　at　last。　〃Then　you've　got　to　get　him　out　on　your　own。〃　
〃Ma'am？〃　Harry　looked　flabbergasted。　Frightened；　too。　
〃You　can　do　it。　You　did　it　once；　didn't　you？　You　can　do　it　again。　Only　this　time　you　won't　bring　him　back。〃　
〃Would　you　want　to　be　the　one　to　explain　to　my　kids　why　their　daddy　is　in　prison；　Missus　Edgebe？〃　Dean　asked。　〃Charged　with　helping　a　murderer　escape　jail？〃　
〃There　won't　be　any　of　that；　Dean；　we'll　work　out　a　plan。　Make　it　look　like　a　real　escape。〃　
〃Make　sure　it's　a　plan　that　could　be　worked　out　by　a　fellow　who　can't　even　remember　how　to　tie　his　own　shoes；　then〃；　Harry　said。　〃They'll　have　to　believe　that。〃　
She　looked　at　him　uncertainly。　
〃It　wouldn't　do　any　good；〃　Brutal　said。　〃Even　if　we　could　think　of　a　way；　it　wouldn't　do　any　good。〃　
〃Why　not？〃　She　sounded　as　if　she　might　be　going　to　cry。　〃Just　why　the　damn　hell　not？〃　
〃Because　he's　a　six…foot…eight…inch　baldheaded　black　man　with　barely　enough　brains　to　feed　himself〃；　I　said。　〃How　long　do　you　think　it　would　be　before　he　was　recaptured？　Two　hours？　Six？〃　
〃He　got　along　without　attracting　much　attention　before〃；　she　said。　A　tear　trickled　down　her　cheek。　She　slapped　it　away　with　the　heel　of　her　hand。　
That　much　was　true。　I　had　written　letters　to　some　friends　and　relatives　of　mine　farther　down　south；　asking　if　they'd　seen　anything　in　the　papers　about　a　man　fitting　John　Coffey's　description。　Anything　at　all。　Janice　had　done　the　same。　We　had　e　up　with　just　one　possible　sighting　so　far；　in　the　town　of　Muscle　Shoals；　Alabama。　A　twister　had　struck　a　church　there　during　choir　practice　…　in　1929；　this　had　been　…and　a　large　black　man　had　hauled　two　fellows　out　of　the　rubble。　Both　had　looked　dead　to　onlookers　at　first；　but　as　it　turned　out；　neither　had　been　even　seriously　hurt。　It　was　like　a　miracle；　one　of　the　witnesses　was　quoted　as　saying。　The　black　man；　a　drifter　who　had　been　hired　by　the　church　pastor　to　do　a　day's　worth　of　chores；　had　disappeared　in　the　excitement。　
〃You're　right；　he　got　along；〃　Brutal　said。　〃But　you　have　to　remember　that　he　did　most　of　his　getting　along　before　he　was　convicted　of　raping　and　murdering　two　little　girls。〃　
She　sat　without　answering。　She　sat　that　way　for　almost　a　full　minute；　and　then　she　did　something　which　shocked　me　as　badly　as　my　sudden　flow　of　tears　must　have　shocked　her。　She　reached　out　and　shoved　everything　off　the　table　with　one　wide　sweep　of　her　arm…plates；　glasses；　cups；　silverware；　the　he　bowl　of　collards；　the　bowl　of　squash；　the　platter　with　the　carved　ham　on　it；　the　milk；　the　pitcher　of　cold　tea。　All　off　the　table　and　onto　the　floor；　ker…smash。　
〃Holy　shit！〃　Dean　cried；　rocking　back　from　the　table　so　hard　he　damned　near　went　over　on　his　back。　
Janice　ignored　him。　It　was　Brutal　and　me　she　was　looking　at；　mostly　me。　〃Do　you　mean　to　kill　him；　you　cowards？〃　she　asked。　〃Do　you　mean　to　kill　the　man　who　saved　Melinda　Moores's　life；　who　tried　to　save　those　little　girls；　lives？　Well；　at　least　there　will　be　one　less　black　man　in　the　world　won't　there？　You　can　console　yourselves　with　that。　One　less　nigger。〃　
She　got　up；　looked　at　her　chair；　and　kicked　it　into　the　wall。　It　rebounded　and　fell　into　the　spilled　squash。　I　took　her　wrist　and　she　yanked　it　free。　
〃Don't　touch　me〃；　she　said。　〃Next　week　this　time　you'll　be　a　murderer；　no　better　than　that　man　Wharton；　so　don't　touch　me。〃　
She　went　out　onto　the　back　stoop；　put　her　apron　up　to　her　face；　and　began　to　sob　into　it。　The　four　of　us　looked　at　each　other。　After　a　little　bit　I　got　on　my　feet　and　set　about　cleaning　up　the　mess。　Brutal　joined　me　first；　then　Harry　and　Dean。　When　the　place　looked　more　or　less　shipshape　again；　they　left。　None　of　us　said　a　word　the　whole　time。　There　was　really　nothing　left　to　say。　
6。　
That　was　my　night　off。　I　sat　in　the　living　room　of　our　little　house；　smoking　cigarettes；　listening　to　the　radio；　and　watching　the　dark　e　up　out　of　the　ground　to　swallow　the　sky。　Television　is　all　right；　I've　nothing　against　it；　but　I　don't　like　how　it　turns　you　away　from　the　rest　of　the　world　and　toward　nothing　but　its　own　glassy　self。　In　that　one　way；　at　least；　radio　was　better。　
Janice　came　in；　knelt　beside　the　arm　of　my　chair；　and　took　my　hand。　For　a　little　while　neither　of　us　said　anything；　just　stayed　that　way；　listening　to　Kay　Kyser's　Kollege　of　Musical　Knowledge　and　watching　the　stars　e　out。　It　was　all　right　with　me。　
〃I'm　so　sorry　I　called　you　a　coward〃；　she　said。　〃I　feel　worse　about　that　than　anything　I've　ever　said　to　you　in　our　whole　marriage。〃　
〃Even　the　time　when　we　went　camping　and　you　called　me　Old　Stinky　Sam？〃　I　asked；　and　then　we　laughed　and　had　a　kiss　or　two　and　it　was　better　again　between　us。　She　was　so　beautiful；　my　Janice；　and　I　still　dream　of　her。　Old　and　tired　of　living　as　I　am；　I'll　dream　that　she　walks　into　my　room　in　this　lonely；　forgotten　place　where　the　hallways　all　smell　of　piss　and　old　boiled　cabbage；　I　dream　she's　young　and　beautiful　with　her　blue　eyes　and　her　fine　high　breasts　that　I　couldn't　hardly　keep　my　hands　off　of；　and　she'll　say；　Why；　honey；　I　wasn't　in　that　bus　crash。　You　made　a　mistake；　that's　all。　Even　now　I　dream　that；　and　sometimes　when　I　wake　up　and　know　it　was　a　dream；　I　cry。　I；　who　hardly　ever　cried　at　all　when　I　was　young。　
〃Does　Hal　know？〃　she　asked　at　last。　
〃That　John　's　innocent？　I　don't　see　how　he　can。〃　
〃Can　he　help？　Does　he　have　any　influence　with　Cribus？〃　
〃Not　a　bit；　honey　
She　nodded；　as　if　she　had　expected　this。　〃Then　don't　tell　him。　If　he　can't　help；　for　God's　sake　don't　tell　him。〃　
〃No。〃　
She　looked　up　at　me　with　steady　eyes。　〃And　you　won't　call　in　sick　that　night。　None　of　you　will。　You　can't。〃　
〃No；　we　can't。　If　we're　there；　we　can　at　least　make　it　quick　for　him。　We　can　do　that　much。　It　won't　be　like　Delacroix。〃　For　a　moment；　mercifully　brief；　I　saw　the　black　silk　mask　burning　away　from　Del's　face　and　revealing　the　cooked　blobs　of　jelly　which　had　been　his　eyes。　
〃There's　no　way　out　for　you；　is　there？〃　She　took　my　hand；　rubbed　it　down　the　soft　velvet　of　her　cheek。　〃Poor　Paul。　Poor　old　guy。〃　
I　said　nothing。　Never　before　or　after　in　my　life　did　I　feel　so　much　like　running　from　a　thing。　Just　taking　Jan　with　me；　the　two　of　us　with　a　single　packed　carpetbag　between　us；　running　to　anywhere。　
〃My　poor　old　guy〃；　she　repeated；　and　then：　〃Talk　to　him。〃　
〃Who？　John　？〃　
〃Yes。　Talk　to　him。　Find　out　what　he　wants。〃　
I　thought　about　it；　then　nodded。　She　was　right。　She　usually　was。　
7。　
Two　days　later；　on　the　eighteenth；　Bill　Dodge；　Hank　Bitterman；　and　someone　else　…　I　don't　remember　who；　some　floater　…　took　John　Coffey　over　to　D　Block　for　his　shower；　and　we　rehearsed　his　execution　while　he　was　gone。　We　didn't　let　Toot…Toot　stand　in　for　John　；　all　of　us　knew；　even　without　talking　about　it；　that　it　would　have　been　an　obscenity。　
I　did　it。　
〃John　Coffey〃；　Brutal　said　in　a　not…quite…steady　voice　as　I　sat　clamped　into　Old　Sparky；　〃you　have　been　condemned　to　die　in　the　electric　chair；　sentence　passed　by　a　jury　of　your　peers。　。。〃　
John　Coffey's　peers？　What　a　joke。　So　far　as　I　knew；　there　was　no　one　like　him　on　the　pla。　Then　I　thought　of　what　John　had　said　while　he　stood　looking　at　Sparky　from　the　foot　of　the　stairs　leading　dow