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'Well, why don't you just begin at the beginning?' the warden said, probably in his
sweetest let's-all-turn-to-the-23rd-psalm-and-read-in-unison voice. 'That usually works
上海龙凤shlf最新地址the best.'
And so Andy did. He began by refreshing Norton of the details of the crime he had been
imprisoned for. Then he told the warden exactly what Tommy Williams had told him. He
上海龙凤shlf最新地址also gave out Tommy's name, which you may think wasn't so wise in light of later
上海龙凤shlf最新地址developments, but I'd just ask you what else he could have done, if his story was to have
any credibility at all.
When he had finished, Norton was completely silent for some time. I can just see him,
probably tipped back in his office chair under the picture of Governor Reed hanging on
the wall, his fingers steepled, his liver lips pursed, his brow wrinkled into ladder rungs
halfway to the crown of his head, his thirty-year pin gleaming mellowly.
'Yes,' he said finally. That's the damnedest story I ever heard. But I'll tell you what
上海龙凤shlf最新地址surprises me most about it, Dufresne.'
'What's that, sir?'
'That you were taken in by it.'
上海龙凤shlf最新地址'Sir? I don't understand what you mean.' And Chester said that Andy Dufresne, who had
上海龙凤shlf最新地址faced down Byron Hadley on the plate-shop roof thirteen years before, was almost
上海龙凤shlf最新地址floundering for words.
上海龙凤shlf最新地址'Well now,' Norton said. 'It's pretty obvious to me that this young fellow Williams is
上海龙凤shlf最新地址impressed with you. Quite taken with you, as a matter of fact He hears your tale of woe,
上海龙凤shlf最新地址and it's quite natural of him to want to ... cheer you up, let's say. Quite natural. He's a
young man, not terribly bright Not surprising he didn't realize what a state it would put
上海龙凤shlf最新地址you into. Now what I suggest is -'
'Don't you think I thought of that?' Andy asked. 'But I'd never told Tommy about the man
上海龙凤shlf最新地址working down at the marina. I never told anyone that - it never even crossed my mind!
But Tommy's description of his cellmate and that man ... they're identical!'
上海龙凤shlf最新地址'Well now, you may be indulging in a little selective perception there,' Norton said with a
上海龙凤shlf最新地址chuckle. Phrases like that, selective perception, are required learning for people in the
penalogy and corrections business, and they use them all they can.
"That's not it at all. Sir.'
"That's your slant on it,' Norton said, 'but mine differs. And let's remember that I have
上海龙凤shlf最新地址only your word that there was such a man working at the Falmouth Country Club back
上海龙凤shlf最新地址then.'
上海龙凤shlf最新地址'No, sir,' Andy broke in again. 'No, that isn't true. Because-'
上海龙凤shlf最新地址'Anyway,' Norton overrode him, expansive and loud, 'let's just look at it from the other
上海龙凤shlf最新地址end of the telescope, shall we? Suppose -just suppose, now - that there really was a fellow
named Elwood Blotch.'
上海龙凤shlf最新地址'Blatch,' Andy said tightly.
'Blatch, by all means. And let's say he was Thomas Williams's cellmate in Rhode Island.
The chances are excellent that he has been released by now. Excellent. Why, we don't
even know how much time he might have done there before he ended up with Williams,
上海龙凤shlf最新地址do we? Only that he was doing a six-to-twelve.'