子浪小说

第33部分（第1页）

he　prison　laundry　didnt　care　what　it　washed）；　and　was　polishing　the　oak　arms　and　legs　of　the　electric　chair。　This　probably　sounds　bizarre　to　you；　perhaps　even　macabre；　but　to　Brutal　and　me；　it　seemed　the　most　normal　thing　Percy　had　done　all　night。　Old　Sparky　would　be　meeting　his　public　tomorrow；　and。　Percy　would　at　least　appear　to　be　in　charge。

〃Percy；〃　I　said　quietly。

He　turned　the　little　tune　hed　been　humming　dying　in　his　throat；　and　looked　at　us。　I　didnt　see　the　fear　Id　expected；　at　least　not　at　first。　I　realized　that　Percy　looked　older；　somehow。　And；　I　thought；　John　Coffey　was　right。　He　looked　mean。　Meanness　is　like　an　addicting　drug　…　no　one　on　earth　is　more　qualified　to　say　that　than　me　…　and　I　thought　that；　after　a　certain　amount　of　experimentation；　Percy　had　gotten　hooked　on　it。　He　liked　what　he　had　done　to　Delacroixs　mouse。　What　he　liked　even　more　was　Delacroixs　dismayed　screams。

〃Dont　start　in　on　me；〃　he　said　in　a　tone　of　voice　that　was　almost　pleasant。　〃I　mean；　hey；　it　was　just　a　mouse。　It　never　belonged　here　in　the　first　place；　as　you　boys　well　know。〃

〃The　mouse　is　fine；〃　I　said。　My　heart　was　thumping　hard　in　my　chest　but　I　made　my　voice　e　out　mild；　almost　disinterested。　〃Just　fine。　Running　and　squeaking　and　chasing　its　spool　again。　Youre　no　better　at　mouse…killing　than　you　are　at　most　of　the　other　things　you　do　around　here。〃

He　was　looking　at　me；　amazed　and　disbelieving。　〃You　expect　me　to　believe　that？　The　goddam　thing　crunched！　I　heard　it！　So　you　can　just………！〃

〃Shut　up。〃

He　stared　at　me；　his　eyes　wide。　〃What？　What　did　you　say　to　me？〃

I　took　a　step　closer　to　him。　I　could　feel　a　vein　throbbing　in　the　middle　of　my　forehead。　I　couldnt　remember　the　last　time　Id　felt　so　angry。　〃Arent　you　glad　Mr。　Jingles　is　okay？　After　all　the　talks　weve　had　about　how　our　job　is　to　keep　the　prisoners　calm；　especially　when　it　gets　near　the　end　for　them；　I　thought　youd　be　glad。　Relieved。　With　Del　having　to　take　the　walk　tomorrow；　and　all。〃

Percy　looked　from　me　to　Brutal；　his　studied　calmness　dissolving　into　uncertainty。　〃What　the　hell　game　do　you　boys　think　youre　playing？〃　he　asked。

〃None　of　this　is　a　game；　my　friend；〃　Brutal　said。　〃You　thinking　it　is　。。。　well；　thats　just　one　of　the　reasons　you　cant　be　trusted。　You　want　to　know　the　absolute　truth？　I　think　youre　a　pretty　sad　case。〃

〃You　want　to　watch　it；〃　Percy　said。　Now　there　was　a　rawness　in　his　voice。　Fear　creeping　back　in；　after　all　…　fear　of　what　we　might　want　with　him；　fear　of　what　we　might　be　up　to。　I　was　glad　to　hear　it。　It　would　make　him　easier　to　deal　with。　〃I　know　people。　Important　people。〃

〃So　you　say；　but　youre　such　a　dreamer；〃　Brutal　said。　He　sounded　as　if　he　was　on　the　verge　of　laughter。

Percy　dropped　the　polishing　rag　onto　the　seat　of　the　chair　with　the　clamps　attached　to　the　arms　and　legs。　〃I　killed　that　mouse；〃　he　said　in　a　voice　that　was　not　quite　steady。

〃Go　on　and　check　for　yourself；〃　I　said。　〃Its　a　free　country。〃

〃I　will；〃　he　said。　〃I　will。〃

He　stalked　past　us；　mouth　set；　small　hands　（Wharton　was　right；　they　were　pretty）　fiddling　with　his　b。　He　went　up　the　steps　and　ducked　through　into　my　office。　Brutal　and　I　stood　by　Old　Sparky；　waiting　for　him　to　e　back　and　not　talking。　I　dont　know　about　Brutal；　but　I　couldnt　think　of　a　thing　to　say。　I　didnt　even　know　how　to　think　about　what　we　had　just　seen。

Three　minutes　passed。　Brutal　picked　up　Percys　rag　and　began　to　polish　the　thick　back…slats　of　the　electric　chair。　He　had　time　to　finish　one　and　start　another　before　Percy　came　back。　He　stumbled　and　almost　fell　ing　down　the　steps　from　the　office　to　the　storageroom　floor；　and　when　he　crossed　to　us　he　came　at　an　uneven　strut。　His　face　was　shocked　and　unbelieving。

〃You　switched　them；〃　he　said　in　a　shrill；　accusatory　voice。　〃You　switched　mice　somehow；　you　bastards。　Youre　playing　with　me；　and　youre　going　to　be　goddam　sorry　if　you　dont　stop！　Ill　see　you　on　the　goddam　breadlines　if　you　dont　stop！　Who　do　you　think　you　are？〃

He　quit；　panting　for　breath；　his　hands　clenched。

〃Ill　tell　you　who　we　are；〃　I　said。　〃Were　the　people　you　work　with；　Percy　。。。　but　not　for　very　much　longer。〃　I　reached　out　and　clamped　my　hands　on　his　shoulders。　Not　real　hard；　but　it　was　a　clamp；　all　right。　Yes　it　was。

Percy　reached　up　to　break　it。　〃Take　your…〃

Brutal　grabbed　his　right　hand　…　the　whole　thing；　small　and　soft　and　white；　disappeared　into　Brutals　tanned　fist。　〃Shut　up　your　cakehole；　sonny。　If　you　know　whats　good　for　you；　youll　take　this　one　last　opportunity　to　dig　the　wax　out　of　your　ears。〃

I　turned　him　around；　lifted　him　onto　the　platform；　then　backed　him　up　until　the　backs　of　his　knees　struck　the　seat　of　the　electric　chair　and　he　had　to　sit　down。　His　calm　was　gone；　the　meanness　and　the　arrogance；　too。　Those　things　were　real　enough；　but　you　have　to　remember　that　Percy　was　very　young。　At　his　age　they　were　still　only　a　thin　veneer；　like　an　ugly　shade　of　enamel　paint。　You　could　still　chip　through。　And　I　judged　that　Percy　was　now　ready　to　listen。

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