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第53部分（第1页）

The　sound　was　a　sharp　snap；　like　a　breaking　branch。　Dean　gasped。　Percy　stared　at　me　in　utter　shock；　his　eyes　so　wide　they　looked　as　if　they　must　fall　out　of　their　sockets。　His　mouth　opened　and　closed；　opened　and　closed；　like　the　mouth　of　a　fish　in　an　aquarium　tank。

〃Shut　up　and　listen　to　me；〃　I　said。　〃You　deserved　to　be　punished　for　what　you　did　to　Del；　and　we　gave　you　what　you　deserved。　This　was　the　only　way　we　could　do　it。　We　all　agreed；　except　for　Dean；　and　hell　go　along　with　us；　because　well　make　him　sorry　if　he　doesnt。　Isnt　that　so；　Dean？〃

〃Yes；〃　Dean　whispered。　He　was　milk…pale。　〃Guess　it　is。〃

〃And　well　make　you　sorry　you　were　ever　born；〃

I　went　on。　〃Well　see　that　people　know　about　how　you　sabotaged　the　Delacroix　execution　…　〃

〃Sabotaged…！〃

〃how　you　almost　got　Dean　killed。　Well　blab　enough　to　keep　you　out　of　almost　any　job　your　uncle　can　get　you。〃

Percy　was　shaking　his　head　furiously。　He　didnt　believe　that；　perhaps　couldnt　believe　that。　My　handprint　stood　out　on　his　pale　cheek　like　a　fortune…tellers　sign。

〃And　no　matter　what；　wed　see　you　beaten　within　an　inch　of　your　life。　We　wouldnt　have　to　do　it　ourselves。　We　know　people；　too；　Percy；　are　you　so　foolish　you　dont　realize　that？　They　arent　up　in　the　state　capital；　but　they　still　know　how　to　legislate　certain　matters。　These　are　people　who　have　friends　in　here；　people　who　have　brothers　in　here；　people　who　have　fathers　in　here。　Theyd　be　happy　to　amputate　the　nose　or　the　penis　of　a　shitheels　like　you。　Theyd　do　it　just　so　someone　they　care　for　could　get　an　extra　three　hours　in　the　exercise　yard　each　week。〃

Percy　had　stopped　shaking　his　head。　Now　he　was　only　staring。　Tears　stood　in　his　eyes；　but　didnt　fall。　I　think　they　were　tears　of　rage　and　frustration。　Or　maybe　I　just　hoped　they　were。

〃Okay　…　now　look　on　the　sunny　side；　Percy。　Your　lips　sting　a　little　from　having　the　tape　pulled　off　them；　I　imagine；　but　otherwise　theres　nothing　hurt　but　your　pride　。。。　and　nobody　needs　to　know　about　that　but　the　people　in　this　room　right　now。　And　well　never　tell；　will　we；　boys？〃

They　shook　their　heads。　〃Course　not；〃　Brutal　said。　〃Green　Mile　business　stays　on　the　Green　Mile。　Always　has。〃

〃Youre　going　on　to　Briar　Ridge　and　were　going　to　leave　you　alone　until　you　go；〃　I　said。　〃Do　you　want　to　leave　it　at　that；　Percy；　or　do　you　want　to　play　hardball　with　us？〃

There　was　a　long；　long　silence　as　he　considered。

I　could　almost　see　the　wheels　turning　in　his　head　as　he　tried　out　and　rejected　possible　counters。　And　at　last；　I　think　a　more　basic　truth　must　have　overwhelmed　the　rest　of　his　calculations：　the　tape　was　off　his　mouth；　but　he　was　still　wearing　the　straitjacket　and　probably　he　had　to　piss　like　a　racehorse。

〃All　right；〃　he　said。　〃Well　consider　the　matter　closed。　Now　get　me　out　of　this　coat。　It　feels　like　my　shoulders　are　…　〃

Brutal　stepped　forward；　shouldering　me　aside；　and　grabbed　Percys　face　with　one　big　hand　…　fingers　denting　in　Percys　right　cheek；　thumb　making　a　deep　dimple　in　his　left。

〃In　a　few　seconds；〃　he　said。　〃First；　you　listen　to　me。　Paul　here　is　the　big　boss；　and　so　he　has　to　talk　elegant　sometimes。〃

I　tried　to　remember　anything　elegant　I　mightve　said　to　Percy　and　couldnt　e　up　with　much。　Still；　I　thought　it　might　be　best　to　keep　my　mouth　shut；　Percy　looked　suitably　terrorized；　and　I　didnt　want　to　spoil　the　effect。

〃People　dont　always　understand　that　being　elegant　isnt　the　same　as　being　soft；　and　thats　where　I　e　in。　I　dont　worry　about　being　elegant。　I　just　say　things　straight　out。　So　here　it　is；　straight　out：　if　you　go　back　on　your　promise；　well　most　likely　take　an　ass…fucking。　But　then　well　find　you　…　if　we　have　to　go　all　the　way　to　Russia；　well　find　you　…　and　we　will　fuck　you；　not　just　up　the　ass　but　in　every　hole　you　own。　Well　fuck　you　until　youll　wish　you　were　dead；　and　then　well　rub　vinegar　in　the　parts　that　are　bleeding。　Do　you　understand　me？〃

He　nodded。　With　Brutals　hand　digging　into　the　soft　sides　of　his　face　the　way　it　was；　Percy　looked　eerily　like　Old　Toot…Toot。

Brutal　let　go　of　him　and　stepped　back。　I　nodded　to　Harry；　who　went　behind　Percy　and　started　unsnapping　and　unbuckling。

〃Keep　it　in　mind；　Percy；〃　Harry　said。　〃Keep　it　in　mind　and　let　bygones　be　bygones。〃

All　of　it　suitably　scary；　three　bogeymen　in　bluesuits　…　but　I　felt　a　kind　of　knowing　despair　sweep　through　me；　all　the　same。　He　might　keep　quiet　for　a　day　or　a　week；　continuing　to　calculate　the　odds　on　various　actions；　but　in　the　end　two　things　…　his　belief　in　his　connections　and　his　inability　to　walk　away　from　a　situation　where　he　saw　himself　as　the　loser　would　bine。　When　that　happened；　he　would　spill　his　guts。　We　had　perhaps　helped　to　save　Melly　Mooress　life　by　taking　John　to　her；　and　I　wouldnt　have　changed　that　（〃not　for　all　the　tea　in　China；〃　as　we　used　to　say　back　in　those　days）；　but　in　the　end　we　were　going　to　hit　the　canvas　and　the　ref　was　going　to　count　us　out。　Short　of　murder；　there　was　no　way　we　could　make　Percy　keep　his　end　of　the　bargain；　not　once　he　was　away　from　us　and　had　started　to　get　back　what　passed　for　his　guts。

I　took　a　little　sidelong　glance　at　Brutal　and　saw　he　knew　this；　too。　Which　didnt　surprise　me。　There　were　no　flies　on　Mrs。　Howells　boy　Brutus；　never　had　been。　He　gave　me　a　tiny　shrug；　just　one　shoulder　lifting　an　inch　and　then　dropping；　but　it　was　enough。　So　what？　that　shrug　said。　What　else　is　there；　Paul？　We　did　what　we　had　to　do；　and　we　did　it　the　best　we　could。