綠裡奇蹟(英文版)

第26部分 (第4/7頁)

ng　shrilly；　and　cursing　at　John　Coffey；　demanding　that　Coffey　tell　him　what　was　going　on；　who　was　winning；　and　how　dat　gran'　fou　new　boy　like　dat　Chinee　water　treatment。　John　said　nothing；　just　stood　there　quietly　in　his　too…short　pants　and　his　prison　slippers。　I　only　had　one　quick　glance　at　him；　but　that　was　enough　to　observe　his　same　old　expression；　both　sad　and　serene。　It　was　as　if　he'd　seen　the　whole　thing　before；　not　just　once　or　twice　but　a　thousand　times。

〃Kill　the　water！〃　Brutal　shouted　back　over　his　shoulder；　then　raced　forward　into　the　cell。　He　sank　his　hands　into　the　semi…conscious　Wharton's　armpits　and　dragged　him　out　from　under　his　bunk。　Wharton　was　coughing　and　making　a　glub…glub　sound。　Blood　was　dribbling　into　his　dazed　eyes　from　above　his　brows；　where　Brutal's　stick　had　popped　the　skin　open　in　a　line。

We　had　the　straitjacket　business　down　to　a　science；　did　Brutus　Howell　and　me；　we'd　practiced　it　like　a　couple　of　vaudeville　hoofers　working　up　a　new　dance　routine。　Every　now　and　then；　that　practice　paid　off。　Now；　for　instance。　Brutal　sat　Wharton　up　and　held　out　his　arms　toward　me　the　way　a　kid　might　hold　out　the　arms　of　a　Raggedy　Andy　doll。　Awareness　was　just　starting　to　seep　back　into　Wharton's　eyes；　the　knowledge　that　if　he　didn't　start　fighting　right　away；　it　was　going　to　be　too　late；　but　the　lines　were　still　down　between　his　brain　and　his　muscles；　and　before　he　could　repair　them；　I　had　rammed　the　sleeves　of　the　coat　up　his　arms　and　Brutal　was　doing　the　buckles　up　the　back。　While　he　took　care　of　that；　I　grabbed　the　cuff…straps；　pulled　Wharton's　arms　around　his　sides；　and　linked　his　wrists　together　with　another　canvas　strap。　He　ended　up　looking　like　he　was　hugging　himself。

〃Goddam　you；　big　dummy；　how　dey　doin　widdim？〃　Delacroix　scream