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〃Yes； sir；〃 Caleb； said； and dashed inside。
Hammersmith took a handkerchief from his back pocket and wiped at his eyes with it … they were dry； but I suppose he'd gotten used to them being wet。
〃The dog was here when they were born；〃 he said。 〃I brought him in the house to smell them when Cynthia brought them home from the hospital； and Sir Galahad licked their hands。 Their little hands。〃 He nodded； as if confirming this to himself。 〃He played with them； used to lick Arden's face until she giggled。 Caleb used to pull his ears； and when he was first learning to walk； he'd sometimes go around the yard； holding to Galahad's tail。 The dog never so much as growled at him。 Either of them。〃
Now the tears were ing； he wiped at them automatically； as a man does when he's had lots of practice。
〃There was no reason；〃 he said。 〃Caleb didn't hurt him； yell at him； anything。 I know。 I was there。 If I hadn't have been； the boy would almost certainly have been killed。 What happened； Mr。 Edgebe； was nothing。 The boy just got his face set the right way in front of the dog's face； and it came into Sir Galahad's mind … whatever serves a dog for a mind … to lunge and bite。 To kill； if he could。 The boy was there in front of him and the dog bit。 And that's what happened with Coffey。 He was there； he saw them on the porch； he took them； he raped them； he killed them。 You say there should be some hint that he did something like it before； and I know what you mean； but maybe he didn't do it before。 My dog never bit before； just that once。 Maybe； if Coffey was let go； he'd never do it again。 Maybe my dog never would have bit again。 But I didn't concern myself with that； you know。 I went out with my rifle and grabbed his collar and blew his head off。〃
He was breathing hard。
〃I'm as enlightened as the next man； Mr。 Edgebe； went to college in Bowling Green； took history as well as journalism； some philosophy； too。 I like to think of myself as enlightened。 I don't suppose folks up North would； but I like to think of myself as enlightened。 I'd not bring slavery back for all the tea in China。 I think we have to be humane and generous in our efforts to solve the race problem。 But we have to remember that your negro will bite if he gets the chance； just like a mongrel dog will bite if he gets the chance and it crosses his mind to do so。 You want to know if he did it； your weepy Mr。 Coffey with the scars all over him？〃
I nodded。
〃Oh； yes；〃 Hammersmith said。 〃He did it。 Don't you doubt it； and don't you turn your back on him。 You might get away with it once or a hundred times 。。。 even a thousand 。。。 but in the end …〃 He raised a hand before my eyes and snapped the fingers together rapidly against the thumb； turning the hand into a biting mouth。 〃You understand？〃
I nodded again。
〃He raped them； he killed them； and afterward he was sorry … but those little girls stayed raped； those little girls stayed dead。 But you'll fix him； won't you； Edgebe？ In a few weeks you'll fix him so he never does anything like that again。〃 He got up； went to the porch rail； and looked vaguely at the doghouse； standing at the center of its beaten patch； in the middle of those aging turds。 〃Perhaps you'll excuse me；〃 he said。 〃Since I don't have to spend the afternoon in court； I thought I might visit with my family for a little bit。 A man's children are only young once。〃
〃You go ahead；〃 I said。 My lips felt numb and distant。 〃And thank you for your time。〃
〃Don't mention it；〃 he said。
I drove directly from Hammersmith's house to the prison。 It was a long drive； and this time I wasn't able to shorten it by singing songs。 It felt like all the songs had gone out of me； at least for awhile。 I kept seeing that poor little boy's disfigured face。 And Hammersmith's hand； the fingers going up and down against the thumb in a biting motion。
5。
Wild Bill Wharton took his first trip down to the restraint room the very next day。 He spent the morning and afternoon being as quiet and good as Mary's little lamb； a state we soon discovered was not natural to him； and meant trouble。 Then； around seven…thirty that evening； Harry felt something warm splash on the cuffs of uniform pants he had put on clean just that day。 It was piss。 William Wharton was standing at his cell； showing his darkening teeth in a wide grin； and pissing all over Harry Terwilliger's pants and shoes。
〃The dirty sonofabitch must have been saving it up all day；〃 Harry said later； still disgusted and outraged。
Well； that was it。 It was time to show William Wharton who ran the show on E Block。 Harry got Brutal and me； and I alerted Dean and Percy； who were also on。 We had three prisoners by then； remember； and were into what we called full coverage； with my group on from seven in the evening to three in the morning … when trouble was most apt to break out … and two other crews covering the rest of the day。 Those other crews consisted mostly of floaters； with Bill Dodge usually in charge。 It wasn't a bad way to run things； all and all； and I felt that； once I could shift Percy over to days； life would be even better。 I never got around to that； however。 I sometimes wonder if it would have changed things； if I had。
Anyway； there was a big watermain in the storage room； on the side away from Old Sparky； and Dean and Percy hooked up a length of canvas firehose to it。 Then they stood by the valve that would open it； if needed。
Brutal and I hurried down to Wharton's cell； where Wharton still stood； still grinning and still with his tool hanging out of his pants。 I had liberated the straitjacket from the restraint room and tossed it on a shelf in my office last thing before going home the night before； thinking we might be needing it for our new problem child。 Now I had it in one hand； my index finger hooked under one of the canvas straps。 Harry came behind us； hauling the nozzle of the firehose； which ran back through my office； down the storage…room steps； and to the drum where Dean and Percy were paying it out as fast as they could。
〃Hey； d'jall like that？〃 Wild Bill asked。 He was laughing like a kid at a carnival； laughing so hard he could barely talk； big tears went rolling down his cheeks。 〃You e on s'fast I guess you must've。 I'm currently cookin some turds to go with it。 Nice soft ones。 I'll have them out to y'all tomorrow … 〃
He saw that I was unlocking his cell door and his eyes narrowed。 He saw that Brutal was holding his revolver in one hand and his nightstick in the other； and they narrowed even more。
〃You can e in here on your legs； but you'll go out on your backs； Billy the Kid is goan guarantee you that；〃 he told us。 His eyes shifted back to me。 〃And if you think you're gonna put that nut…coat on me； you got another think ing； old hoss。〃
〃You're not the one who says go or jump back around here；〃 I told him。 〃You should know that； but I guess you're too dumb to pick it up without a little teaching。〃
I finished unlocking the door and ran it back on its track。 Wharton retreated to the bunk； his cock still hanging out of his pants； put his hands out to me； palms up； then beckoned with his fingers。 〃e on； you ugly motherfucker；〃 he said。 〃They be schoolin； all right； but this old boy's well set up to be the teacher。〃 He shifted his gaze and his darktoothed grin to Brutal。 〃e on； big fella； you first。 This time you cain't sneak up behind me。 Put down that gun … you ain't gonna shoot it anyway； not you … and we'll go man…to…man。 See who's the better fel…〃
Brutal stepped into the cell； but not toward Wharton。 He moved to the left once he was through the door； and Wharton's narrow eyes widened as he saw the firehose pointed at him。
〃No； you don't；〃 he said。 〃Oh no； you d…〃
〃Dean！〃 I yelled。 〃Turn it on！ All the way！〃
Wharton jumped forward； and Brutal hit him a good smart lick … the kind of lick I'm sure Percy dreamed of … across his forehead； laying his baton right over Wharton's eyebrows。 Wharton； who seemed to think we'd never seen trouble until we'd seen him； went to his knees； his eyes open but blind。 Then the water came； Harry staggering back a step under its power and then holding steady； the nozzle firm in his hands； pointed like a gun。 The stream caught