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I shook my head。 When I spoke； I also kept my voice low…pitched。 There were now almost a dozen screws milling around at the head of the aisle。 Another was photographing Wharton in his cell。 Curtis Anderson had turned to watch that； and for the time being； only Brutal was watching us。 〃No； sir。 We got John back into his cell just like you see； then let Percy out of the restraint room； where we'd stashed him for safekeeping。 I thought he'd be hot under the collar； but he wasn't。 Just asked for his sidearm and baton。 He didn't say anything else； just walked off up the corridor。 Then； when he got to Wharton's cell he pulled his gun and started shooting。〃
〃Do You think being in the restraint room 。。。 something to his mind？〃
〃No； sir。〃
〃Did you put him in the straitjacket？〃
〃No； sir。 There was no need。〃
〃He was quiet？ Didn't struggle？〃
〃No struggle。〃
〃Even when he saw you meant to put him in restraint room； he was quiet and didn't struggle。〃
〃That's right。〃 I felt an urge to embroider on this to give Percy at least a line or tpler would be better； and I knew it。 〃There； was no fuss。 He just went over into one of the far corners and sat down。〃 〃Didn't speak of Wharton then？〃 〃No； sir。 〃
〃Didn't speak of Coffey； either？〃 I shook my head。 〃Could Percy have been laying for Wharton？ Did he have something against the man？〃
〃That might be；〃 I said； lowering my voice even more。 〃Percy was careless about where he walked； Hal。 One time Wharton reached out； grabbed him up against the bars； and messed him over some。〃 I paused。 〃Felt him up； you could say。〃
〃No worse than that？ just 。。。 'messed him over； 。。。 and that was all？〃
〃Yes； but it was pretty bad for Percy； just the same。 Wharton said something about how he'd rather screw Percy than Percy's sister。〃
〃Urn。〃 Moores kept looking sideways at John Coffey； as if he needed constant reassurance that Coffey was a real person； actually in the world。 〃It doesn't explain what's happened to him； but it goes a good piece toward explaining why it was Wharton he turned on and not Coffey or one of you men。 And speaking of your men； Paul； will they all tell the same story？〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 I told him。 〃And they will；〃 I said to Jan； starting in on the soup she brought to the table。 〃I'll see to it。〃
〃You did lie；〃 she said。 〃You lied to Hal。〃
Well； that's a wife for you； isn't it？ Always poking around for moth…holes in your best suit； and finding one more often than not。
〃I guess； if you want to look at it that way。 I didn't tell him anything we both won't be able to live with； though。 Hal's in the clear； I think。 He wasn't even there； after all。 He was home tending his wife until Curtis called him。〃
〃Did he say how Melinda was？〃
〃Not then； there wasn't time； but we spoke again just as Brutal and I were leaving。 Melly doesn't remember much； but she's fine。 Up and walking。 Talking about next year's flower beds。〃
My wife sat watching me eat for some little time。 Then she asked； 〃Does Hal know it's a miracle； Paul？ Does he understand that？〃
〃Yes。 We all do； all of us that were there。〃
〃Part of me wishes I'd been there； too；〃 she said； 〃but I think most of me is glad I wasn't。 If I'd seen the scales fall from Saul's eyes on the road to Damascus。 I probably would have died of a heart attack。〃
〃Naw；〃 I said； tilting my bowl to capture the last spoonful； 〃probably would have cooked him some soup。 This is pretty fine； hon。〃
〃Good。〃 But she wasn't really thinking about soup or cooking or Saul's conversion on the Damascus road。 She was looking out the window toward the ridges； her chin propped on her hand； her eyes as hazy as those ridges look on summer mornings when it's going to be hot。 Summer mornings like the one when the Detterick girls had been found； I thought for no reason。 I wondered why they hadn't screamed。
Their killer had hurt them； there had been blood on the porch； and on the steps。 So why hadn't they screamed？
〃You think John Coffey really killed that man Wharton； don't you？〃 Janice asked； looking back from the window at last。 〃Not that it was an accident； or anything like that； you think he used Percy Wetmore on Wharton like a gun。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Why？〃
〃I don't know。'
〃Tell me again about what happened when you took Coffey off the Mile； would you？ Just that part。〃
So I did。 I told her how the skinny arm shooting out from between the bars and grabbing John 's bicep had reminded me of a snake…one of the water moccasins we were all scared of when we were kids swimming in the river … and how Coffey had said Wharton was a bad man。 Almost whispering it。
〃And Wharton said 。。。 ？〃 My wife was looking out the window again； but she was listening； all right。
〃Wharton said； 'That's right； nigger； bad as you'd want。； 〃
〃And that's all。〃
〃Yes。 I had a feeling that something was going to happen right then； but nothing did。 Brutal took Wharton's hand off John and told him to lie down； which Wharton did。 He was out on his feet to start with。 Said something about how niggers should have their own electric chair； and that was all。 We went about our business。〃
〃John Coffey called him a bad man。〃
〃Yep。 Said the same thing about Percy once； too。 Maybe more than once。 I can't remember exactly when； but I know he did。〃
〃But Wharton never did anything to John Coffey personally； did he？ Like he did to Percy； I mean。〃
〃No。 The way their cells were … Wharton up by the duty desk on one side； John down a ways on the other … they could hardly see each other。〃
〃Tell me again how Coffey looked when Wharton grabbed him。〃
〃Janice； this isn't getting us anywhere。〃
〃Maybe it isn't and maybe it is。 Tell me again how he looked。〃
I sighed。 〃I guess you'd have to say shocked。 He gasped。 Like you would if you were sunning at the beach and I snuck up and trickled a little cold water down your back。 Or like he'd been slapped。〃
〃Well； sure；〃 she said。 〃Being grabbed out of nowhere like that startled him； woke him up for a second。〃
〃Yes；〃 I said。 And then； 〃No。〃
〃Well which is it？ Yes or no？〃
〃No。 It wasn't being startled。 It was like when he wanted me to e into his cell so he could cure my infection。 Or when he wanted me to hand him the mouse。 It was being surprised； but not by being touched 。。。 not exactly； anyway 。。。 oh Christ； Jan； I don't know。〃
〃All right； we'll leave it；〃 she said。 〃I just can't imagine why John did it； that's all。 It's not as if he's violent by nature。 Which leads to another question； Paul： how can you execute him if you're right about those girls？ How can you possibly put him in the electric chair if someone else
I jerked in my chair。 My elbow struck my bowl and knocked it off onto the floor； where it broke。 An idea had e to me。 It was more intuition than logic at that point； but it had a certain black elegance。
〃Paul？〃 Janice asked； alarmed。 〃What's wrong？〃
〃I don't know；〃 I said。 〃I don't know anything for sure； but I'm going to find out if I can。〃
4。
The aftermath of the shooting was a three…ring circus with the governor in one ring； the prison in another； and poor brain…blasted Percy Wetmore in the third。 And the ringmaster？ Well； the various gentlemen of the press took turns at that job。 They weren't as bad then as they are now … they didn't allow themselves to be as bad … but even back then before Geraldo and Mike Wallace and the rest of them； they could gallop along pretty good when they really got the bit in their teeth。 That was what happened this time； and while the show lasted； it was a good one。
But even the liveliest circus； the one with the scariest freaks； funniest clowns； and wildest animals； has to leave town eventually。 This one left after the Board of Enquiry； which sounds pretty special and fearsome； but actually turned out to be pretty tame and perfunctory。 Under other circumstances； the governor undoubtedly would have demanded someone's head on a platter； but not this time。 His nephew by marriage … his wife's own blood kin … had gone crackers and killed a man。 Had killed a killer … there was that； at least； and thank God for it … but Percy had still shot the man as he lay sleeping in his cell； which was not quite sporting。 When you added in the fact that