by the way he would have behaved； had our positions been reversed。
〃Not Wharton；〃 I said。 〃The restraint room； Percy。 You're going to spend three or four hours in there； all by yourself in the dark； thinking about what you did to Del。 It's probably too late for you to learn any new lessons about how people are supposed to behave … Brute thinks so； anyway … but I'm an optimist。 Now move。〃
He did； muttering under his breath that we'd be sorry for this； plenty sorry； just wait and see； but on the whole he seemed relieved and reassured。
When we herded him out into the hall； Dean gave us a look of such wide…eyed surprise and dewy innocence that I could have laughed； if the business hadn't been so serious。 I've seen better acting in backwoods Grange revues。
〃Say； don't you think the joke's gone far enough？〃 Dean asked。
〃You just shut up； if you know what's good for you；〃 Brutal growled。 These were lines we'd scripted at lunch； and that was just what they sounded like to me； scripted lines； but if Percy was scared enough and confused enough； they still might save Dean Stanton's job in a pinch。 I myself didn't think so； but anything was possible。 Any time I've doubted that； then or since； I just think about John Coffey； and Delacroix's mouse。
We ran Percy down the Green Mile； him stumbling and gasping for us to slow down； he was going to go flat on his face if we didn't slow down。 Wharton was on his bunk； but we went by too fast for me to see