第57部分(第5/7 頁)

e　was　a　fearsomely　smart　lady；　my　wife。　Fearsomely　determined；　as　well。　That's　a　bination　that　sometimes　turns　mountains　into　valleys。

〃All　right〃；　she　said　at　last。　〃Then　you've　got　to　get　him　out　on　your　own。〃

〃Ma'am？〃　Harry　looked　flabbergasted。　Frightened；　too。

〃You　can　do　it。　You　did　it　once；　didn't　you？　You　can　do　it　again。　Only　this　time　you　won't　bring　him　back。〃

〃Would　you　want　to　be　the　one　to　explain　to　my　kids　why　their　daddy　is　in　prison；　Missus　Edgebe？〃　Dean　asked。　〃Charged　with　helping　a　murderer　escape　jail？〃

〃There　won't　be　any　of　that；　Dean；　we'll　work　out　a　plan。　Make　it　look　like　a　real　escape。〃

〃Make　sure　it's　a　plan　that　could　be　worked　out　by　a　fellow　who　can't　even　remember　how　to　tie　his　own　shoes；　then〃；　Harry　said。　〃They'll　have　to　believe　that。〃

She　looked　at　him　uncertainly。

〃It　wouldn't　do　any　good；〃　Brutal　said。　〃Even　if　we　could　think　of　a　way；　it　wouldn't　do　any　good。〃

〃Why　not？〃　She　sounded　as　if　she　might　be　going　to　cry。　〃Just　why　the　damn　hell　not？〃

〃Because　he's　a　six…foot…eight…inch　baldheaded　black　man　with　barely　enough　brains　to　feed　himself〃；　I　said。　〃How　long　do　you　think　it　would　be　before　he　was　recaptured？　Two　hours？　Six？〃

〃He　got　along　without　attracting　much　attention　before〃；　she　said。　A　tear　trickled　down　her　cheek。　She　slapped　it　away　with　the　heel　of　her　hand。

That　much　was　true。　I　had　written　letters　to　some　friends　and　relatives　of　mine　farther　down　south；　asking　if　they'd　seen　anything　in　the　papers　about　a　man　fitting　John　Coffey's　description。　Anything　at　all。　Janice　had　done　the　same。　We　had　e　up　with　just　one　possible　sighting　so　far；　in　the　town　of　Muscle　Shoals；　Alabama。　A　twister　had　struck　a　church　there　during　choir　practic