第57部分(第4/7 頁)

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。　Sh