第16部分(第3/7 頁)

of　you。〃　But　we　did。　You　could　see　that　in　his　eyes　as　clear　as　day；　and　it　made　him　even　more　dangerous。　A　guy　like　Percy　doesn't　even　know　himself　what　he　means　to　do　from　minute　to　minute　and　second　to　second。

What　he　did　right　then　was　turn　away　from　us　and　go　walking　up　the　corridor　in　long；　arrogant　strides。　He　had　shown　the　world　what　happened　when　scrawny；　half…bald　little　Frenchmen　tried　to　cop　his　joint；　by　God；　and　he　was　leaving　the　field　a　victor。

I　went　through　my　set　speech；　all　about　how　we　had　the　radio　…　Make　Believe　Ballroom　and　Our　Gal　Sunday；　and　how　we'd　treat　him　jake　if　he　did　the　same　for　us。　That　little　homily　was　not　what　you'd　call　one　of　my　great　successes。　He　cried　all　the　way　through　it；　sitting　huddled　up　at　the　foot　of　his　bunk；　as　far　from　me　as　he　could　get　without　actually　fading　into　the　corner。　He　cringed　every　time　I　moved；　and　I　don't　think　he　heard　one　word　in　six。　Probably　just　as　well。　I　don't　think　that　particular　homily　made　a　whole　lot　of　sense；　anyway。

Fifteen　minutes　later　I　was　back　at　the　desk；　where　a　shaken…looking　Brutus　Howell　was　sitting　and　licking　the　tip　of　the　pencil　we　kept　with　the　visitors'　book。　〃Will　you　stop　that　before　you　poison　yourself；　for　God's　sake？〃　I　asked。

〃Christ　almighty　Jesus；〃　he　said；　putting　the　pencil　down。　〃I　never　want　to　have　another　hooraw　like　that　with　a　prisoner　ing　on　the　block。〃

〃My　Daddy　always　used　to　say　things　e　in　threes；〃　I　said。

〃Well；　I　hope　your　Daddy　was　full　of　shit　on　that　subject；〃　Brutal　said；　but　of　course　he　wasn't。　There　was　a　squall　when　John　Coffey　came　in；　and　a　fullblown　storm　when　〃Wild　Bill〃　joined　us　…　it's　funny；　but　things　really　do　seem　to　e　in　threes。　The　story　of　our　introduction　to　Wild　Bill；　how　he　came　onto