第27部分(第1/7 頁)

〃Lemme　out　of　it；〃　Wharton　said。　He　looked　from　Brutal　to　Harry　to　me；　the　red　creeping　back　into　his　face。　〃I'll　be　good　…　I　tell　you　I've　learned　my　lesson。　I　。。。　I　。。。　ummmmmahhhhhhh…！〃

He　suddenly　collapsed；　half　of　him　in　the　cell；　half　of　him　on　the　played…out　lino　of　the　Green　Mile；　kicking　his　feet　and　bucking　his　body。

〃Holy　Christ；　he's　pitchin　a　fit；〃　Percy　whispered。

〃Sure；　and　my　sister's　the　Whore　of　Babylon；〃　Brutal　said。　〃She　dances　the　hootchie…kootchie　for　Moses　on　Saturday　nights　in　a　long　white　veil。〃　He　bent　down　and　hooked　a　hand　into　one　of　Wharton's　armpits。　I　got　the　other　one。　Wharton　threshed　between　us　like　a　hooked　fish。　Carrying　his　jerking　body；　listening　to　him　grunt　from　one　end　and　fart　from　the　other　was　one　of　my　life's　less　pleasant　experiences。

I　looked　up　and　met　John　Coffey's　eyes　for　a　second。　They　were　bloodshot；　and　his　dark　cheeks　were　wet。　He　had　been　crying　again。　I　thought　of　Hammersmith　making　that　biting　gesture　with　his　hand　and　shivered　a　little。　Then　I　turned　my　attention　back　to　Wharton。

We　threw　him　into　the　restraint　room　like　he　was　cargo；　and　watched　him　lie　on　the　floor；　bucking　hard　in　the　straitjacket　next　to　the　drain　we　had　once　checked　for　the　mouse　which　had　started　its　E　Block　life　as　Steamboat　Willy。

〃I　don't　much　care　if　he　swallows　his　tongue　or　something　and　dies；〃　Dean　said　in　his　hoarse　and　raspy　voice；　〃but　think　of　the　paperwork；　boys！　It'd　never　end。〃

〃Never　mind　the　paperwork；　think　of　the　hearing；〃　Harry　said　gloomily。　〃We'd　lose　our　damned　jobs。　End　up　picking　peas　down　Mississippi。　You　know　what　Mississippi　is；　don't　you？　It's　the　Indian　word　for　asshole。〃

〃He　ain't　gonna　die；　and　he　ain't　gonna　swallow　his　tongue；　either；〃　Brutal　sai