小说园

第4部分（第1页）

Coffey　was　smiling　a　trifle　uneasily；　as　if　he　knew　we　would　think　him　foolish　but　couldnt　help　himself。　〃Because　I　get　a　little　scared　in　the　dark　sometimes；〃　he　said。　〃If　its　a　strange　place。〃

I　looked　at　him　…　the　pure　size　of　him　…　and　felt　strangely　touched。　They　did　touch　you；　you　know；　you　didnt　see　them　at　their　worst；　hammering　out　their　horrors　like　demons　at　a　forge。

〃Yes；　its　pretty　bright　in　here　all　night　long；〃　I　said。　〃Half　the　lights　along　the　Mile　burn　from　nine　until　five　every　morning。〃　Then　I　realized　he　wouldnt　have　any　idea　of　what　I　was　talking　about　…　he　didnt　know　the　Green　Mile　from　Mississippi　mud　…　and　so　I　pointed。　〃In　the　corridor。〃

He　nodded；　relieved。　Im　not　sure　he　knew　what　a　corridor　was；　either；　but　he　could　see　the　200…watt　bulbs　in　their　wire　cages。

I　did　something　Id　never　done　to　a　prisoner　before；　then　…　I　offered　him　my　hand。　Even　now　I　dont　know　why。　Him　asking　about　the　lights；　maybe。　It　made　Harry　Terwilliger　blink；　I　can　tell　you　that。　Coffey　took　my　hand　with　surprising　gentleness；　my　hand　all　but　disappearing　into　his；　and　that　was　all　of　it。　I　had　another　moth　in　my　killing　bottle。　We　were　done。

I　stepped　out　of　the　cell。　Harry　pulled　the　door　shut　on　its　track　and　ran　both　locks。　Coffey　stood　where　he　was　a　moment　or　two　longer；　as　if　he　didnt　know　what　to　do　next；　and　then　he　sat　down　on　his　bunk；　clasped　his　giants　hands　between　his　knees；　and　lowered　his　head　like　a　man　who　grieves　or　prays。　He　said　something　then　in　his　strange；　almost　Southern　voice。　I　heard　it　with　perfect　clarity；　and　although　I　didnt　know　much　about　what　hed　done　then　…　you　dont　need　to　know　about　what　a　mans　done　in　order　to　feed　him　and　groom　him　until　its　time　for　him　to　pay　off　what　he　owes　…　it　still　gave　me　a　chill。

〃I　couldnt　help…it；　boss；〃　he　said。　〃I　tried　to　take　it　back；　but　it　was　too　late！

3。

〃Youre　going　to　have　you　some　trouble　with　Percy；〃　Harry　said　as　we　walked　back　up　the　hall　and　into　my　office。　Dean　Stanton；　sort　of　my　third　in　mand　…　we　didnt　actually　have　such　things；　a　situation　Percy　Wetmore　would　have　fixed　up　in　a　flash　…　was　sitting　behind　my　desk；　updating　the　files；　a　job　I　never　seemed　to　get　around　to。　He　barely　looked　up　as　we　came　in；　just　gave　his　little　glasses　a　shove　with　the　ball　of　his　thumb　and　dived　back　into　his　paperwork。

〃I　been　having　trouble　with　that　peckerwood　since　the　day　he　came　here；〃　I　said；　gingerly；　pulling　my　pants　away　from　my　crotch　and　wincing。　〃Did　you　hear　what　he　was　shouting　when　he　brought　that　big　galoot　down？〃

〃Couldnt　very　well　not；〃　Harry　said。　〃I　was　there；　you　know。〃

〃I　was　in　the　john　and　heard　it　just　fine；〃　Dean　said。　He　drew　a　sheet　of　paper　to　him；　held　it　up　into　the　light　so　I　could　see　there　was　a　coffee…ring　as　well　as　typing　on　it；　and　then　tossed　it　into　the　waste　basket。　Dead　man　walking。　Must　have　read　that　in　one　of　those　magazines　he　likes　so　much！〃

And　he　probably　had。　Percy　Wetmore　was　a　great　reader　of　Argosy　and　Stag　and　Mens　Adventure。　There　was　a　prison　tale　in　every　issue；　it　seemed；　and　Percy　read　them　avidly；　like　a　man　doing　research。　It　was　like　he　was　trying　to　find　out　how　to　act；　and　thought　the　information　was　in　those　magazines。　Hed　e　just　after　we　did　Anthony　Ray；　the　hatchet…killer　…　and　he　hadnt　actually　participated　in　an　execution　yet；　although　hed　witnessed　one　from　the　switch…room。

〃He　knows　people；〃　Harry　said。　〃Hes　connected。　Youll　have　to　answer　for　sending　him　off　the　block；　and　youll　have　to　answer　even　harder　for　expecting　him　to　do　some　real　work。〃

〃I　dont　expect　it；〃　I　said；　and　I　didnt　。。。　but　I　had　hopes。　Bill　Dodge　wasnt　the　sort　to　let　a　man　just　stand　around　and　do　the　heavy　looking…on。　〃Im　more　interested　in　the　big　boy；　for　the　time　being。　Are　we　going　to　have　trouble　with　him？〃

Harry　shook　his　head　with　decision。

〃He　b　at　court　down　there　in　Trapingus　County；〃　Dean　said。　He　took　his　little　rimless　glasses　off　and　began　to　polish　them　on　his　vest。　〃Of　course　they　had　more　chains　on　him　than　Scrooge　saw　on　Marleys　ghost；　but　he　could　have　kicked　up　dickens　if　hed　wanted。　Thats　a　pun；　son。〃

〃I　know；〃　I　said；　although　I　didnt。　I　just　hate　letting　Dean　Stanton　get　the　better　of　me。

〃Big　one；　aint　he？〃　Dean　said。

〃He　is；〃　I　agreed。　〃Monstrous　big。〃

〃Probably　have　to　crank　Old　Sparky　up　to　Super　Bake　to　fry　his　ass！

〃Dont　worry　about　Old　Sparky；〃　I　said　absently。　〃He　makes　the　big　uns　little。〃

Dean　pinched　the　sides　of　his　nose；　where　there　were　a　couple　of　angry　red　patches　from　his　glasses；　and　nodded。　〃Yep；〃　he　said。　〃Some　truth　to　that；　all　right。〃

I　asked；　〃Do　either　of　you　know　where　he　came　from　before　he　showed　up　in　。。。　Tefton？　It　was　Tefton；　wasnt　it？〃

〃Yep；〃　Dean　said。　〃Tefton；　down　in　Trapingus　County。　Before　he　showed　up　there　and　did　what　he　did；　no　one　seems　to　know。　He　just　drifted　around；　I　guess。　You　might　be　able　to　find　out　a　little　more　from　the　newspapers　in　the　prison　library；　if　youre　really　interested。　They　probably　wont　get　around　to　moving　those　until　next　week。〃　He　grinned。　〃You　might　have　to　listen　to　your　little　buddy　bitching　and　moaning　upstairs；　though。〃

〃I　might　just　go　have　a　peek；　anyway；〃　I　said；　and　later　on　that　afternoon　I　did。

The　prison　library　was　in　back　of　the　building　that　was　going　to　bee　the　prison　auto　shop　…　at　least　that　was　the　plan。　More　pork　in　someones　pocket　was　what　I　thought；　but　the　Depression　was　on；　and　I　kept　my　opinions　to　myself　…　the　way　I　should　have　kept　my　mouth　shut　about　Percy；　but　sometimes　a　man　just　cant　keep　it　clapped　tight。　A　mans　mouth　gets　him　in　more　trouble　than　his　pecker　ever　could；　most　of　the　time。　And　the　auto　shop　never　happened；　anyway　…　the　next　spring；　the　prison　moved　sixty　miles　down　the　road　to　Brighton。　More　backroom　deals；　I　reckon。　More　barrels　of　pork。　Wasnt　nothing　to　me。

Administration　had　gone　to　a　new　building　on　the　east　side　of　the　yard；　the　infirmary　was　being　moved　（whose　country…bumpkin　idea　it　had　been　to　put　an　infirmary　on　the　second　floor　in　the　first　place　was　just　another　of　lifes　mysteries）；　the　library　was　still　partly　stocked　…　not　that　it　ever　had　much　in　it　…　and　standing　empty。　The　old　building　was　a　hot　clapboard　box　kind　of　shouldered　in　between　A　and　B　Blocks。　Their　bathrooms　backed　up　on　it　and　the　whole　building　was　always　swimming　with　this　vague　pissy　smell；　which　was　probably　the　only　good　reason　for　the　move。　The　library　was　L…shaped；　and　not　much　bigger　than　my　office。　I　looked　for　a　fan；　but　they　were　all　gone。　It　must　have　been　a　hundred　degrees　in　there；　and　I　could　feel　that　hot　throb　in　my　groin　when　I　sat　down。　Sort　of　like　an　infected　tooth。　I　know　thats　absurd；　considering　the　region　were　talking　about　here；　but　its　the　only　thing　I　could　pare　it　to。　It　got　a　lot　worse　during　and　just　after　taking　a　leak；　which　I　had　done　just　before　walking　over。

There　was　one　other　fellow　there　after　all　…　a　scrawny　old　trusty　named　Gibbons　dozing　away　in　the　corner　with　a　Wild　West　novel　in　his　lap　and　his　hat　pulled　down　over　his　eyes。　The　heat　wasnt　bothering　him；　nor　were　the　grunts；　thumps；　and　occasional　curses　from　the　infirmary　upstairs　（where　it　had　to　be　at　least　ten　degrees　hotter；　and　I　hoped　Percy　Wetmore　was　enjoying　it）。　I　didnt　bother　him；　either；　but　went　around　to　the　short　side　of　the　L；　where　the　newspapers　were　kept。　I　thought　they　might　be　gone　along　with　the　fans；　in　spite　of　what　Dean　had　said。　They　werent；　though；　and　the　business　about　the　Detterick　twins　was　easily　enough　looked　out；　it　had　been　front…page　news　from　the　mission　of　the　crime　in　June　right　through　the　trial　in　late　August　and　September。

Soon　I　had　forgotten　the　heat　and　the　thumps　from　upstairs　and　old　Gibbonss　wheezy　snores。　The　thought　of　those　little　nine…year…old　girls　…　their　fluffy　heads　of　blonde　hair　and　their　engaging　Bobbsey　Twins　smiles　…　in　connection　with　Coffeys　hulking　darkness　was　unpleasant　but　impossible　to　ignore。　Given　his　size；　it　was　easy　to　imagine　him　actually　eating　them；　like　a　giant　in　a　fairy　tale。　What　he　had　done　was　even　worse；　and　it　was　a　lucky　thing　for　him　that　he　hadnt　just　been　lynched　right　there　on　the　riverbank。　If；　that　was；　you　considered　waiting　to　walk　the　Green　Mile　and　sit　in　Old　Sparkys　lap　lucky。

4。

King　Cotton　had　been　deposed　in　the　South　seventy　years　before　all　these　things　happened　and　would　never　be　king　again；　but　in　those　years　of　the　thirties　it　had　a　little　revival。　There　were　no　more　cotton　plantations；　but　there　were　forty　or　fifty　prosperous　cotton　farms　in　the　southern　part　of　our　state。　Klaus　Detterick　owned　one　of　them。　By　the　standards　of　the　nieen…fifties　he　would　have　been　considered　only　a　rung　above　shirttail　poor；　but　by　those　of　the　thirties　he　was　considered　well…to…do　because　he　actually　paid　his　store　bill　in　cash　at　the　end　of　most　months；　and　he　could　meet　the　bank　presidents　eyes　if　they　happened　to　pass　on　the　street。　The　farmhouse　was　clean　and　modious。　In　addition　to　the　cotton；　there　were　the　other　two　cs：　chickens　and　a　few　cows。　He　and　his　wife　had　three　children：　Howard。　who　was　twelve　or　thereabouts；　and　the　twin　girls。　Cora　and　Kathe。

On　a　warm　night　in　June　of　that　year；　the　girls　asked　for　and　were　given　permission　to　sleep　on　the　screen…enclosed　side　porch；　which　ran　the　length　of　the　house。　This　was　a　great　treat　for　them。　Their　mother　kissed　them　goodnight　just　shy　of　nine；　when　the　last　light　had　gone　out　of　the　sky。　It　was　the　final　time　she　saw　either　of　them　until　they　were　in　their　coffins　and　the　undertaker　had　repaired　the　worst　of　the　damage。

Country　families　went　to　bed　early　in　those　days　…　〃soon　as　twas　dark　under　the　table；〃　my　own　mother　sometimes　said　…　and　slept　soundly。　Certainly　Klaus；　Marjorie；　and　Howie　Detterick　did　on　the　night　the　twins　were　taken。　Klaus　would　almost　certainly　have　been　wakened　by　Bowser；　the　familys　big　old　half…breed　collie；　if　he　had　barked；　but　Bowser　didnt。　Not　that　night；　not　ever　again。

Klaus　was　up　at　first　light　to　do　the　milking。　The　porch　was　on　the　side　of　the　house　away　from　the　barn；　and　Klaus　never　thought　to　look　in　on　the　girls。　Bowsers　failure　to　join　him　was　no　cause　for　alarm；　either。　The　dog　held　the　cows　and　the　chickens　alike　in　great　disdain；　and　usually　hid　in　his　doghouse　behind　the　barn　when　the　chores　were　being　performed；　unless　called　。。。　and　called　energetically；　at　that。

Marjorie　came　downstairs　fifteen　minutes　or　so　after　her　husband　had　pulled　on　his　boots　in　the　mudroom　and　tromped　out　to　the　barn。　She　started　the　coffee；　then　put　bacon　on　to　fry。　The　bined　smells　brought　Howie　down　from　his　room　under　the　eaves；　but　not　the　girls　from　the　porch。　She　sent　Howie　out　to　fetch　them　as　she　cracked　eggs　into　the　bacon　grease。　Klaus　would　want　the　girls　out　to　get　fresh　ones　as　soon　as　breakfast　was　over。　Except　no　breakfast　was　eaten　in　the　Detterick　house　that　morning。　Howie　came　back　from　the　porch；　white　around　the　gills　and　with　his　formerly　sleep…puffy　eyes　now　wide　open。

〃Theyre　gone；〃　he　said。

Marjorie　went　out　onto　the　porch；　at　first　more　annoyed　than　alarmed。　She　said　later　that　she　had　supposed；　if　she　had　supposed　anything；　that　the　girls　had　decided　t