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第46部分（第1页）

d　under　the　hollows　of　his　eyes　and　the　tip　of　his　tongue　lolling　out。

〃Christ；　howd　he　get　up　with　so　much　dope　in　him？〃　Dean　whispered。

〃It　doesnt　matter；　hes　out　now；〃　I　said。　〃If　he　starts　to　e　around；　give　him　another　pill　dissolved　in　a　glass　of　water。　No　more　than　one；　though。　We　dont　want　to　kill　him。〃

〃Speak　for　yourself；〃　Brutal　rumbled；　and　gave　Wharton　a　contemptuous　look。　〃You　cant　kill　a　monkey　like　him　with　dope；　anyway。　They　thrive　on　it。〃

〃Hes　a　bad　man；〃　Coffey　said；　but　in　a　lower　voice　this　time；　as　if　he　was　not　quite　sure　of　what　he　was　saying；　or　what　it　meant。

〃Thats　right；〃。　Brutal　said。　〃Most　wicked。　But　thats　not　a　problem　now；　because　we　aint　going　to　tango　with　him　anymore。〃　We　started　walking　again；　the　four　of　us　surrounding　Coffey　like　worshippers　circling　an　idol　thats　e　to　some　stumbling　kind　of　half　life。　〃Tell　me　something；　John　…　do　you　know　where　were　taking　you？〃

〃To　help；〃　he　said。　〃I　think　。。。　to　help　。。。　a　lady？〃　He　looked　at　Brutal　with　hopeful　anxiety。

Brutal　nodded。　〃Thats　right。　But　how　do　you　know　that？　How　do　you　know？〃

John　Coffey　considered　the　question　carefully；　then　shook　his　head。　〃I　dont　know；〃　he　told　Brutal。　〃To　tell　you　the　truth；　boss；　I　dont　know　much　of　anything。　Never　have。〃

And　with　that　we　had　to　be　content。

6。

I　had　known　the　little　door　between　the　office　and　the　steps　down　to　the　storage　room　hadnt　been　built　with　the　likes　of　Coffey　in　mind；　but　I　hadnt　realized　how　great　the　disparity　was　until　he　stood　before　it；　looking　at　it　thoughtfully。

Harry　laughed；　but　John　himself　seemed　to　see　no　humor　in　the　big　man　standing　in　front　of　the　little　door。　He　wouldnt　have；　of　course；　even　if　hed　been　quite　a　few　degrees　brighter　than　he　was；　he　wouldnt　have。　Hed　been　that　big　man　for　most　of　his　life；　and　this　door　was　just　a　scrap　littler　than　most。

He　sat　down；　scooted　through　it　that　way；　stood　up　again；　and　went　down　the　stairs　to　where　Brutal　was　waiting　for　him。　There　he　stopped；　looking　across　the　empty　room　at　the　platform　where　Old　Sparky　waited；　as　silent　…　and　as　eerie　…　as　the　throne　m　the　castle　of　a　dead　king。　The　cap　hung　with　hollow　jauntiness　from　one　of　the　back…posts；　looking　less　like　a　kings　crown　than　a　jesters　cap；　however；　something　a　fool　would　wear；　or　shake　to　make　his　high…born　audience　laugh　harder　at　his　jokes。　The　chairs　shadow；　elongated　and　spidery；　climbed　one　wall　like　a　threat。　And　yes；　I　thought　I　could　still　smell　burned　flesh　in　the　air。　It　was　faint；　but　I　thought　it　was　more　than　just　my　imagination。

Harry　ducked　through　the　door；　then　me。　I　didnt　like　the　frozen；　wide…eyed　way　John　was　looking　at　Old　Sparky。　Even　less　did　I　like　what　I　saw　on　his　arms　when　I　got　close　to　him：　goosebumps。

〃e　on；　big　boy；〃　I　said。　I　took　his　wrist　and　attempted　to　pull　him　in　the　direction　of　the　door　leading　down　to　the　tunnel。　At　first　he　wouldnt　go；　and　I　might　as　well　have　been　trying　to　pull　a　boulder　out　of　the　ground　with　my　bare　hands。

〃e　on；　John；　we　gotta　go；　less　you　want　the　coach…and…four　to　turn　back　into　a　pumpkin；〃　Harry　said；　giving　his　nervous　laugh　again。　He　took　Johns　other　arm　and　tugged；　but　John　still　wouldnt　e。　And　then　he　said　something　in　a　low　and　dreaming　voice。　It　wasnt　me　he　was　speaking　to；　it　wasnt　any　of　us；　but　I　have　still　never　forgotten　it。

〃Theyre　still　in　there。　Pieces　of　them；　still　in　there。　I　hear　them　screaming。〃

Harrys　nervous　chuckles　ceased；　leaving　him　with　a　smile　that　hung　on　his　mouth　like　a　crooked　shutter　hangs　on　an　empty　house。　Brutal　gave　me　a　look　that　was　almost　terrified；　and　stepped　away　from　John　Coffey。　For　the　second　time　in　less　than　five　minutes；　I　sensed　the　whole　enterprise　on　the　verge　of　collapse。　This　time　I　was　the　one　who　stepped　in；　when　disaster　threatened　a　third　time；　a　little　later　on；　it　would　be　Harry。　We　all　got　our　chance　that　night；　believe　me。

I　slid　in　between　John　and　his　view　of　the　chair；　standing　on　my　tiptoes　to　make　sure　I　was　pletely　blocking　his　sight…line。　Then　I　snapped　my　fingers　in　front　of　his　eyes；　twice；　sharply。

〃e　on！〃　I　said。　〃Walk！　You　said　you　didnt　need　to　be　chained；　now　prove　it！　Walk；　big　boy！　Walk；　John　Coffey！　Over　there！　That　door！〃

His　eyes　cleared。　〃Yes；　boss。〃　And　praise　God；　he　began　to　walk。

〃Look　at　the　door；　John　Coffey；　just　at　the　door　and　nowhere　else。〃

〃Yes；　boss。〃　John　fixed　his　eyes　obediently　on　the　door。

〃Brutal；〃　I　said；　and　pointed。

He　hurried　in　advance；　shaking　out　his　keyring；　finding　the　right　one。　John　kept　his　gaze　fixed　on　the　door　to　the　tunnel　and　I　kept　my　gaze　fixed　on　John；　but　from　the　er　of　one　eye　I　could　see　Harry　throwing　nervous　glances　at　the　chair；　as　if　he　had　never　seen　it　before　in　his　life。

There　are　pieces　of　them　still　in　there　。。。　I　hear　them　screaming。