第3部分(第5/7 頁)

ecause　he　seemed　so　abnormal；　and　not　just　in　his　size。

When　Harry　stood　back　（Coffey　had　remained　motionless　during　the　entire　unlocking　ceremony；　as　placid　as　a　Percheron）；　I　looked　up　at　my　new　charge；　tapping　on　the　clipboard　with　my　thumb；　and　said：　〃Can　you　talk；　big　boy？〃

〃Yes；　sir；　boss；　I　can　talk；〃　he　said。　His　voice　ade　me　think　of　a　freshly　tuned　tractor　engine。　He　had　no　real　Southern　drawl…he　said　I；　not　Ah…but　there　was　a　kind　of　Southern　construction　to　his　speech　that　I　noticed　later。　As　if　he　was　from　the　South；　but　not　of　it。　He　didn't　sound　illiterate；　but　he　didn't　sound　educated。　In　his　speech　as　in　so　many　other　things；　he　was　a　mystery。　Mostly　it　was　his　eyes　that　troubled　me　…　a　kind　of　peaceful　absence　in　them；　as　if　he　were　floating　far；　far　away。

〃Your　name　is　John　Coffey。〃

〃Yes；　sir；　boss；　like　the　drink　only　not　spelled　the　same　way。〃

〃So　you　can　spell；　can　you？　Read　and　write？〃

〃Just　my　name；　boss；〃　said　he；　serenely。

I　sighed；　then　gave　him　a　short　version　of　my　set　speech。　I'd　already　decided　he　wasn't　going　to　be　any　trouble。　In　that　I　was　both　right　and　wrong。

〃My　name　is　Paul　Edgebe；〃　I　said。　〃I'm　the　E　Block　super　…　the　head　screw。　You　want　something　from　me；　ask　for　me　by　name。　If　I'm　not　here；　ask　this　other；　man　…　his　name　is　Harry　Terwilliger。　Or　you　ask　for　Mr。　Stanton　or　Mr。　Howell。　Do　you　understand　that？〃

Coffey　nodded。

〃Just　don't　expect　to　get　what　you　want　unless　we　decide　it's　what　you　need　…　this　isn't　a　hotel。　Still　with　me？〃

He　nodded　again。

〃This　is　a　quiet　place；　big　boy　…　not　like　the　rest　of　the　prison。　It's　just　you　and　Delacroix　over　there。　You　won't　work；　mostly　you'll　just　sit。　Give　you　a　chance　to　think　things　over。〃　Too　much　t