绿里奇迹(英文版)-第15部分

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Toot…Toot　went　down　the　steps　and　stopped。　The　folding　wooden　chairs；　about　forty　of　them；　were　already　in　place。　Bitterbuck　would　cross　to　the　platform　on　an　angle　that　would　keep　him　safely　away　from　the　seated　spectators；　and　half　a　dozen　guards　would　be　added　for　insurance。　Bill　Dodge　would　be　in　charge　of　those。　We　had　never　had　a　witness　menaced　by　a　condemned　prisoner　in　spite　of　what　was；　admittedly；　a　raw　set…up；　and　that　was　how　I　meant　to　keep　it。　
〃Ready；　boys？〃　Toot　asked　when　we　were　back　in　our　original　formation　at　the　foot　of　the　stairs　leading　down　from　my　office。　I　nodded；　and　we　walked　to　the　platform。　What　we　looked　like　more　than　anything；　I　often　thought；　was　a　color…guard　that　had　forgotten　its　flag。　
〃What　am　I　supposed　to　do？〃　Percy　called　from　behind　the　wire　mesh　between　the　storage　room　and　the　switch　room。　
〃Watch　and　learn；〃　I　called　back。　
〃And　keep　yer　hands　off　yer　wiener；〃　Harry　muttered。　Toot…Toot　heard　him；　though；　and　cackled。　
We　escorted　him　up　onto　the　platform　and　Toot　turned　around　on　his　own　…　the　old　vet　in　action。　〃Sittin　down；〃　he　said；　〃sittin　down。　sittin　down；　takin　a　seat　in　Old　Sparky's　lap。〃　
I　dropped　to　my　right　knee　before　his　right　leg。　Dean　dropped　to　his　left　knee　before　his　left　leg。　It　was　at　this　point　we　ourselves　would　be　most　vulnerable　to　physical　attack；　should　the　condemned　man　go　berserk；　which；　every　now　and　then；　they　did。　We　both　turned　the　cocked　knee　slightly　inward；　to　protect　the　crotch　area。　We　dropped　our　chins　to　protect　our　throats。　And；　of　course；　we　moved　to　secure　the　ankles　and　neutralize　the　danger　as　fast　as　we　could。　The　Chief　would　be　wearing　slippers　when　he　took　his　final　promenade；　but　〃it　could　have　been　worse〃　isn't　much　fort　to　a　man　with　a　ruptured　larynx。　Or　writhing　on　the　floor　with　his　balls　swelling　up　to　the　size　of　Mason　jars；　for　that　matter；　while　forty　or　so　spectators　…　many　of　them　gentlemen　of　the　press　…　sit　in　those　Grange…hall　chairs；　watching　the　whole　thing。　
We　clamped　Toot…Toot's　ankles。　The　clamp　on　Dean's　side　was　slightly　bigger；　because　it　carried　the　juice。　When　Bitterbuck　sat　down　tomorrow　night；　he　would　do　so　with　a　shaved　left　calf。　Indians　have　very　little　body…hair　as　a　rule；　but　we　would　take　no　chances。　
While　we　were　clamping　Toot…Toots　ankles；　Brutal　secured　his　right　wrist。　Harry　stepped　smoothly　forward　and　clamped　the　left。　When　they　were　done；　Harry　nodded　to　Brutal；　and　Brutal　called　back　to　Van　Hay：　〃Roll　on　one！〃　
I　heard　Percy　asking　Jack　Van　Hay　what　that　meant　（it　was　hard　to　believe　how　little　he　knew；　how　little　he'd　picked　up　during　his　time　on　E　Block）　and　Van　Hay's　murmur　of　explanation。　Today　Roll　on　one　meant　nothing；　but　when　he　heard　Brutal　say　it　tomorrow　night；　Van　Hay　would　turn　the　knob　that　goosed　the　prison　generator　behind　B　Block。　The　witnesses　would　hear　the　genny　as　a　steady　low　humming；　and　the　lights　all　over　the　prison　would　brighten。　In　the　other　cellblocks；　prisoners　would　observe　those　overbright　lights　and　think　it　had　happened；　the　execution　was　over；　when　in　fact　it　was　just　beginning。　
Brutal　stepped　around　the　chair　so　that　Toot　could　see　him。　〃Arlen　Bitterbuck；　you　have　been　condemned　to　die　in　the　electric　chair；　sentence　passed　by　a　jury　of　your　peers　and　imposed　by　a　judge　in　good　standing　in　this　state。　God　save　the　people　of　this　state。　Do　you　have　anything　to　say　before　sentence　is　carried　out？〃　
〃Yeah；〃　Toot　said；　eyes　gleaming；　lips　bunched　in　a　toothless　happy　grin。　〃I　want　a　fried　chicken　dinner　with　gravy　on　the　taters；　I　want　to　shit　in　your　hat；　and　I　got　to　have　Mae　West　sit　on　my　face；　because　I　am　one　horny　motherfucker。〃　
Brutal　tried　to　hold　onto　his　stem　expression；　but　it　was　impossible。　He　threw　back　his　head　and　began　laughing。　Dean　collapsed　onto　the　edge　of　the　platform　like　he'd　been　gutshot；　head　down　between　his　knees；　howling　like　a　coyote；　with　one　hand　clapped　to　his　brow　as　if　to　keep　his　brains　in　there　where　they　belonged。　Harry　was　knocking　his　own　head　against　the　wall　and　going　huh…huh…huh　as　if　he　had　a　glob　of　food　stuck　in　his　throat。　Even　Jack　Van　Hay；　a　man　not　known　for　his　sense　of　humor；　was　laughing。　I　felt　like　it　myself；　of　course　I　did；　but　controlled　it　somehow。　Tomorrow　night　it　was　going　to　be　for　real；　and　a　man　would　die　there　where　Toot…Toot　was　sitting。　
〃Shut　up；　Brutal；〃　I　said。　〃You　too；　Dean。　Harry　and　Toot；　the　next　remark　like　that　to　e　out　of　your　mouth　will　be　your　last。　I'll　have　Van　Hay　roll　on　two　for　real。〃　
Toot　gave　me　a　grin　as　if　to　say　that　was　a　good　'un；　Boss　Edgebe；　a　real　good　'un。　It　faltered　into　a　narrow；　puzzled　look　when　he　saw　I　wasn't　answering　it。　〃What's　wrong　witchoo？〃　he　asked。　
〃It's　not　funny；〃　I　said。　〃That's　what's　wrong　with　me；　and　if　you're　not　smart　enough　to　get　it；　you　better　just　keep　your　gob　shut。〃　Except　it　was　funny；　in　its　way；　and　I　suppose　that　was　what　had　really　made　me　mad。　
I　looked　around；　saw　Brutal　staring　at　me；　still　grinning　a　little。　
〃Shit；〃　I　said；　〃I'm　getting　too　old　for　this　job。〃　
〃Nah；〃　Brutal　said。　〃You're　in　your　prime；　Paul。〃　But　I　wasn't；　neither　was　he；　not　as　far　as　this　goddam　job　went；　and　both　of　us　knew　it。　Still；　the　important　thing　was　that　the　laughing　fit　had　passed。　That　was　good；　because　the　last　thing　I　wanted　was　somebody　remembering　Toot's　smart…aleck　remark　tomorrow　night　and　getting　going　again。　You'd　say　such　a　thing　would　be　impossible；　a　guard　laughing　his　ass　off　as　he　escorted　a　condemned　man　past　the　witnesses　to　the　electric　chair；　but　when　men　are　under　stress；　anything　can　happen。　And　a　thing　like　that；　people　would　have　talked　about　it　for　twenty　years。　
〃Are　you　going　to　be　quiet；　Toot？〃　I　asked。　
〃Yes；〃　he　said；　his　averted　face　that　of　the　world's　oldest；　poutiest　child。　
I　nodded　to　Brutal　that　he　should　get　on　with　the　rehearsal。　He　took　the　mask　from　the　brass　hook　on　the　back　of　the　chair　and　rolled　it　down　over　Toot　Toot's　head；　pulling　it　snug　under　his　chin；　which　opened　the　hole　at　the　top　to　its　widest　diameter。　Then　Brutal　leaned　over；　picked　the　wet　circle　of　sponge　out　of　the　bucket；　pressed　one　finger　against　it；　then　licked　the　tip　of　the　finger。　That　done；　he　put　the　sponge　back　in　the　bucket。　Tomorrow　he　wouldn't。　Tomorrow　he　would　tuck　it　into　the　cap　perched　on　the　back　of　the　chair。　Not　today；　though；　there　was　no　need　to　get　Toot's　old　head　wet。　
The　cap　was　steel；　and　with　the　straps　dangling　down　on　either　side；　it　looked　sort　of　like　a　dough　boy's　helmet。　Brutal　put　it　on　Old　Toot…Toot's　head；　snugging　it　down　over　the　hole　in　the　black　headcovering。　
〃Gettin　the　cap。　gettin　the　cap；　gettin　the　cap；〃　Toot　said；　and　nouffled。　The　straps　held　his　jaw　almost　closed；　and　I　suspected　Brutal　had　snugged　it　down　a　little　tighter　than　he　strictly　had　to　for　purposes　of　rehearsal。　He　stepped　back；　faced　the　empty　seats；　and　said：　〃Arlen　Bitterbuck；　electricity　shall　now　be　passed　through　your　body　until　you　are　dead；　in　accordance　with　state　law。　May　God　have　mercy　on　your　soul。〃　
Brutal　turned　to　the　mesh…covered　rectangle。　〃Roll　on　two。〃　
Old　Toot；　perhaps　trying　to　recapture　his　earlier　flare　of　ic　genius；　began　to　buck　and　flail　in　the　chair；　as　Old　Sparky's　actual　customers　almost　never　did。　〃Now　I'm　fryin！〃　he　cried。　〃Fryin！　Fryyyin！　Geeeaah！　I'm　a　done　tom　turkey！〃　
Harry　and　Dean；　I　saw；　were　not　watching　this　at　all。　They　had　turned　away　from　Sparky　and　were　looking　across　the　empty　storage　room　at　the　door　leading　back　into　my　office。　〃Well；　I'll　be　goddamned；〃　Harry　said。　〃One　of　the　witnesses　came　a　day　early。〃　
Sitting　in　the　doorway　with　its　tail　curled　neatly　around　its　paws；　watching　with　its　beady　black　oilspot　eyes；　was　the　mouse。　
5。　
The　execution　went　well　…　if　there　was　ever　such　a　thing　as　〃a　good　one〃　（a　proposition　I　strongly　doubt）；　then　the　execution　of　Arlen　Bitterbuck；　council　elder　of　the　Washita　Cherokee；　was　it。　He　got　his　braids　wrong　…　his　hands　were　shaking　too　badly　to　make　a　good　job　of　it　…　and　his　eldest　daughter；　a　woman　of　thirty…odd；　was　allowed　to　plait　them　nice　and　even。　She　wanted　to　weave　feathers　in　at　the　tips；　the　pinfeathers　of　a　hawk；　his　bird；　but　I　couldn't　allow　it。　They　might　catch　fire　and　burn。　I　didn't　tell　her　that；　of　course；　just　said　it　was　against　regulations。　She　made　no　protest；　only　bowed　her　head　and　put　her　hands　to　her　temples　to　show　her　disappointment　and　her　disapproval。　She　conducted　herself　with　great　dignity；　that　woman；　and　by　doing　so　practically　guaranteed　that　her　father　would　do　the　same。　
The　Chief　left　his　cell　with　no　protest　or　holding　back　when　the　time　came。　Sometimes　we　had　to　pry　their　fingers　off　the　bars　…　I　broke　one　or　two　in　my　time　and　have　never　forgotten　the　muffled　snapping　sound　…　but　The　Chief　wasn't　one　of　those；　thank　God。　He　walked　strong　up　the　Green　Mile　to　my　office；　and　there　he　dropped　to　his　knees　to　pray　with　Brother　Schuster；　who　had　driven　down　from　the　Heavenly　Light　Baptist　Church　in　his　flivver。　Schuster　gave　The　Chief　a　few　psalms；　and　The　Chief　started　to　cry　when　Schuster　got　to　the　one　about　lying　down　beside　the　still　waters。　It　wasn't　bad；　though；　no　hysteria；　nothing　like　that。　I　had　an　idea　he　was　thinking　about　still　water　so　pure　and　so　cold　it　felt　like　it　was　cutting　your　mouth　every　time　you　drank　some。　
Actually；　I　like　to　see　them　cry　a　little。　It's　when　they　don't　that　I　get　worried。　
A　lot　of　men　can't　get　up　from　their　knees　again　without　help；　but　The　Chief　did　okay　in　that　department。　He　swayed　a　little　at　first；　like　he　was　lightheaded；　and　Dean　put　out　a　hand　to　steady　him；　but　Bitterbuck　had　already　found　his　balance　again　on　his　own；　so　out　we　went。　
Almost　all　the　chairs　were　occupied；　with　the　people　in　them　murmuring　quietly　among　themselves；　like　folks　do　when　they're　waiting　for　a　wedding　or　a　funeral　to　get　started。　That　was　the　only　time　Bitterbuck　faltered。　I　don't　know　if　it　was　any　one　person　in　particular　that　bothered　him；　or　all　of　them　together；　but　I　could　hear　a　low　moaning　start　up　in　his　throat；　and　all　at　once　the　arm　I　was　holding　had　a　drag　in　it　that　hadn't　been　there　before。　Out　of　the　corner　of　my　eye　I　could　see　Harry　Terwilliger　moving　up　to　cut　off　The　Chief's　retreat　if　Bitterb