第37部分(第6/7 頁)

nothing。

〃You　don't　want　to　worry　too　much　about　Percy；〃　I　said。　〃He's　moving　on　to　Briar　Ridge　soon。　Bigger　and　better　things。　Isn't　that　right；　Percy？〃

〃As　soon　as　his　transfer　es　through；〃　Brutal　added。

〃And　until　it　es；　he's　going　to　call　in　sick　every　night；〃　Dean　put　in。

That　roused　Percy；　who　hadn't　been　working　at　the　prison　long　enough　to　have　accumulated　any　paid　sick…time。　He　looked　at　Dean　with　bright　distaste。　〃Don't　you　wish；〃　he　said。

6。

We　were　back　on　the　block　by　one…fifteen　or　so　（except　for　Percy；　who　had　been　ordered　to　clean　up　the　storage　room　and　was　sulking　his　way　through　the　job）；　me　with　a　report　to　write。　I　decided　to　do　it　at　the　duty　desk；　if　I　sat　in　my　more　fortable　office　chair；　I'd　likely　doze　off。　That　probably　sounds　peculiar　to　you；　given　what　had　happened　only　an　hour　before'　but　I　felt　as　if　I'd　lived　three　lifetimes　since　eleven　o'clock　the　previous　night；　all　of　them　without　sleep。

John　Coffey　was　standing　at　his　cell　door；　tears　streaming　from　his　strange；　distant　eyes　…　it　was　like　watching　blood　run　out　of　some　unhealable　but　strangely　painless　wound。　Closer　to　the　desk；　Wharton　was　sitting　on　his　bunk；　rocking　from　side　to　side；　and　singing　a　song　apparently　of　his　own　invention；　and　not　quite　nonsense。　As　well　as　I　can　remember；　it　went　something　like　this：

〃Bar…be…cue！　Me　and　you！

Stinky；　pinky；　phew…phew…phew！

It　wasn't　Billy　or　Philadelphia　Philly；　it　wasn't　Jackie　or　Roy！　It　was　a　warm　little　number；　a　hot　cucumber；　by　the　name　of　Delacroix！〃

〃Shut　up；　you　jerk；〃　I　said。

Wharton　grinned；　showing　his　mouthful　of　dingy　teeth。　He　wasn't　dying；　at　least　not　yet；　he　was　up；　happy；　practically　tap…dancing。　〃e　on　in　here　and　make　me；　why　don't