ned quick … it was begun and done in less than ten seconds； I'd say。
Harry and I stepped forward； our billies raised。 Dean drew his gun。 But before things could go so much as an inch further； Wharton let go of Perry and stepped back； raising his hands to his shoulders and grinning his dank grin。 〃I let im go； I 'us just playin and I let im go；〃 he said。 〃Never hurt airy single hair on that boy's purty head； so don't you go stickin me down in that goddam soft room again。〃
Percy Wetmore darted across the Green Mile and cringed against the barred door of the empty cell on the other side； breathing so fast and so loud that it sounded almost like sobbing。 He had finally gotten his lesson in keeping to the center of the Green Mile and away from the frumious bandersnatch； the teeth that bite and the claws that catch。 I had an idea it was a lesson that would stick with him longer than all the advice we'd given him after our rehearsals。
There was an expression of utter terror on his face； and his precious hair was seriously mussed up for the first time since I'd met him； all in spikes and tangles。 He looked like someone who has just escaped being raped。
There was a moment of utter stop then； a quiet so thick that the only sound was the sobbing whistle of Percy's breathing。 What broke it was cackling laughter； so sudden and so pletely its own mad thing that it was shocking。 Wharton； was my first thought； but it wasn't him。 It was Delacroix； standing in the o