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第40部分（第1页）

her　head？　Like　it　was　a　。。。　a　peach…pit？〃

〃I　think　he　could。　Its　not　for　sure；　of　course；　but　after　what　he　did　to　me　。。。　and　to　Mr。　Jingles　。　。　。〃

〃That　mouse　was　seriously　busted　up；　all　right；〃　Brutal　said。

〃But　would　he　do　it？〃　Harry　mused。　〃Would　he？〃

〃If　he　can；　he　will；〃　I　said。

〃Why？　Coffey　doesnt　even　know　her！〃

〃Because　its　what　he　does。　Its　what　God　made　him　for。〃

Brutal　made　a　show　of　looking　around；　reminding　us　all　that　someone　was　missing。　〃What　about　Percy？　You　think　hes　just　gonna　let　this　go　down？〃　he　asked；　and　so　I　told　them　what　I　had　in　mind　for　Percy　By　the　time　I　finished；　Harry　and　Dean　were　looking　at　me　in　amazement；　and　a　reluctant　grin　of　admiration　had　dawned　on　Brutals　face。

〃Pretty　audacious；　Brother　Paul！〃　he　said。　〃Fair　takes　my　breath　away！〃

〃But　wouldnt　it　be　the　bees　knees！〃　Dean　almost　whispered；　then　laughed　aloud　and　clapped　his　hands　like　a　child。　〃I　mean；　voh…doh…dee…oh…doh　and　twenty…three…skidoo！〃　You　want　to　remember　that　Dean　had　a　special　interest　in　the　part　of　my　plan　that　involved　Percy　…　Percy　…　Percy　could　have　gotten　Dean　killed；　after　all；　freezing　up　the　way　he　had。

〃Yeah；　but　what　about　after？〃　Harry　said。　He　sounded　gloomy；　but　his　eyes　gave　him　away；　they　were　sparkling；　the　eyes　of　a　man　who　wants　to　be　convinced。　〃What　then？〃

〃They　say　dead　men　tell　no　tales；〃　Brutal　rumbled；　and　I　took　a　quick　look　at　him　to　make　sure　he　was　joking。

〃I　think　hell　keep　his　mouth　shut；〃　I　said。

〃Really？〃　Dean　looked　skeptical。　He　took　off　his　glasses　and　began　to　polish　them。　〃Convince　me。〃

〃First；　he　wont　know　what　really　happened　…　hes　going　to　judge　us　by　himself　and　think　it　was　just　a　prank。　Second　…　and　more　important　…　hell　be　afraid　to　say　anything。　Thats　what　Im　really　counting　on。　We　tell　him　that　if　he　starts　writing　letters　and　making　phone　calls；　we　start　writing　letters　and　making　phone　calls。〃

〃About　the　execution；〃　Harry　said。

〃And　about　the　way　he　froze　when　Wharton　attacked　Dean；〃　Brutal　said。　〃I　think　people　finding　out　about　that　is　what　Percy　Wetmores　really　afraid　of。〃　He　nodded　slowly　and　thoughtfully。　〃It　could　work。　But　Paul。。。　wouldnt　it　make　more　sense　to　bring　Mrs。　Moores　to　Coffey　than　Coffey　to　Mrs。　Moores？　We　could　take　care　of　Percy　pretty　much　the　way　you　laid　it　out；　then　bring　her　in　through　the　tunnel　instead　of　taking　Coffey　out　that　way。〃

I　shook　my　head。　〃Never　happen。　Not　in　a　million　years。〃

〃Because　of　Warden　Moores？〃

〃Mats　right。　Hes　so　hardheaded　he　makes　old　Doubting　Thomas　look　like　Joan　of　Arc。　If　we　bring　Coffey　to　his　house；　I　think　we　can　surprise　him　into　at　least　letting　Coffey　make　the　try。　Otherwise。。。〃

〃What　were　you　thinking　about　using　for　a　vehicle？〃　Brutal　asked。

〃My　first　thought　was　the　stagecoach；〃　I　said；　〃but　wed　never　get　it　out　of　the　yard　without　being　noticed；　and　everyone　within　a　twenty…mile　radius　knows　what　it　looks　like；　anyway。　I　guess　maybe　we　can　use　my　Ford。〃

〃Guess　again；〃　Dean　said；　popping　his　specs　back　onto　his　nose。　〃You　couldnt　get　John　Coffey　into　your　car　if　you　stripped　him　naked；　covered　him　with　lard；　and　used　a　shoehorn。　Youre　so　used　to　looking　at　him　that　youve　forgotten　how　big　he　is。〃

I　had　no　reply　to　that。　Most　of　my　attention　that　morning　had　been　focused　on　the　problem　of　Percy　…　and　the　lesser　but　not　inconsiderable　problem　of　Wild　Bill　Wharton。　Now　I　realized　that　transportation　wasnt　going　to　be　as　simple　as　I　had　hoped。

Harry　Terwilliger　picked　up　the　remains　of　his　second　sandwich；　looked　at　it　for　a　second；　then　put　it　down　again。　〃If　we　was　to　actually　do　this　crazy　thing；〃　he　said；　〃I　guess　we　could　use　my　pickup　truck。　Sit　him　in　the　back　of　that。　Wouldnt　be　nobody　much　on　the　roads　at　that　hour。　Were　talking　about　well　after　midnight；　aint　we？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　said。