第7部分(第3/7 页)

　an　accident　waiting　to　happen。　As　for　the　rest　of　us；　we　would　have　scoffed　at　the　idea　that　we　functioned　most　usefully　not　as　the　guards　of　the　condemned　but　as　their　psychiatrists　part　of　me　still　wants　to　scoff　at　that　idea　today　…　but　we　knew　about　getting　the　talk　started　。　。　。　and　without　the　talk；　men　facing　Old　Sparky　had　a　nasty　habit　of　going　insane。

I　made　a　note　at　the　bottom　of　Brutal's　report　to　talk　to　John　Coffey　…　to　try；　at　least　…　and　then　passed　on　to　a　note　from　Curtis　Anderson；　the　warden's　chief　assistant。　It　said　that　he；　Anderson；　expected　a　DOE　order　for　Edward　Delacrois　（Anderson's　misspelling；　the　man's　name　was　actually　Eduard　Delacroix）　very　soon。　DOE　stood　for　date　of　execution；　and　according　to　the　note；　Curtis　had　been　told　on　good　authority　that　the　little　Frenchman　would　take　the　walk　shortly　before　Halloween　…　October　27th　was　his　best　guess；　and　Curtis　Anderson's　guesses　were　very　informed。　But　before　then　we　could　expect　a　new　resident；　name　of　William　Wharton。　〃He's　what　you　like　to　call　'a　problem　child；'　〃　Curtis　had　written　'　in　his　backslanting　and　somehow　prissy　script。　〃Crazy…wild　and　proud　of　it。　Has　rambled　all　over　the　state　for　the　last　year　or　so；　and　has　hit　the　big　time　at　last。　Killed　three　people　in　a　holdup；　one　a　pregnant　woman；　killed　a　fourth　in　the　getaway。　State　Patrolman。　All　he　missed　was　a　nun　and　a　blind　man！'　I　smiled　a　little　at　that。　〃Wharton　is　19　years　old；　has　Billy　the　Kid　tattooed　on　upper　l。　forearm。　You　will　have　to　slap　his　nose　a　time　or　two；　I　guarantee　you　that；　but　be　careful　when　you　do　it。　This　man　just　doesn't　care。〃　He　had　underlined　this　last　sentiment　twice；　then　finished：　〃Also；　he　may　be　a　hang…arounder。　He's　working　appeals；　and　there's　the　fact　that　he　is　a　minor。〃

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