r onto the prongs; went to the window; and looked out thoughtfully。 Although we'd had the late shift; I hadn't wakened either Brutal or Dean; and Harry hadn't sounded like a fellow freshly turned out of dreamland; either。 It seemed that I wasn't the only one having problems with what had happened last night; and considering the craziness I had in mind; that was probably good。
Brutal; who lived closest to me; arrived at quarter past eleven。 Dean showed up fifteen minutes later; and Harry … already dressed for work … about fifteen minutes after Dean。 Janice served us cold beef sandwiches; slaw; and iced tea in the kitchen。 Only a day before; we would have had it out on the side porch and been glad of a breeze; but the temperature had dropped a good fifteen degrees since the thunderstorm; and a keen…edged wind was snuffling down from the ridges。
〃You're wele to sit down with us;〃 I told my wife。
She shook her head。 〃I don't think I want to know what you're up to … I'll worry less if I'm in the dark。 I'll have a bite in the parlor。 I'm visiting with Miss Jane Austen this week; and she's very good pany。〃
〃Who's Jane Austen?〃 Harry asked when she had left。 〃Your side or Janices's; Paul? A cousin? Is she pretty?〃
〃She's a writer; you nit;〃 Brutal told him。 〃Been dead practically since Betsy Ross basted the stars on the first flag。〃
〃Oh。〃 Harry looked embarrassed。 〃I'm not much of a reader。 Radio manuals; mostly。〃
〃What's on your mind; Paul?〃 Dean asked。
〃John Coffey and Mr。 Jingles; to start with。〃 They looked surprised; which I had expected … they'd been thinking I wanted to discuss either Delacroix or Percy。 Maybe both。 I looked at Dean and Harry 〃The thing with Mr。 Jingles … what Coffey did … happened pretty fast。 I do