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第49部分（第1页）

floor。　It　was　here　Hal　had　been　sleeping　…　dozing；　at　least　…　when　we　pulled　in。

As　John　approached；　her　expression　underwent　a　third　change。　Suddenly　I　saw　Melly；　whose　kindness　had　meant　so　much　to　me　over　the　years；　and　even　more　to　Janice　when　the　kids　had　flown　from　the　nest　and　she　had　been　left　feeling　so　alone　and　useless　and　blue。　Melly　was　still　interested；　but　now　her　interest　seemed　sane　and　aware。

〃Who　are　you？〃　she　asked　in　a　clear；　reasonable　voice。　〃And　why　have　you　so　many　scars　on　your　hands　and　arms？　Who　hurt　you　so　badly？〃

〃I　dont　hardly　remember　where　they　all　e　from；　maam；〃　John　Coffey　said　in　a　humble　voice；　and　sat　down　beside　her　on　her　bed。

Melinda　smiled　as　well　as　she　could　…　the　sneering　right　side　of　her　mouth　trembled；　but　e　up。　She　touched　a　white　scar；　curved　like　a　scimitar；　on　the　back　of　his　left　hand。　〃What　a　blessing　that　is！　Do　you　understand　why？〃

〃Reckon　if　you　dont　know　who　hurt　you　or　dog　you　down；　it　dont　keep　you　up　nights；〃　John　Coffey　said　in　his　almost…Southern　voice。

She　laughed　at　that；　the　sound　as　pure　as　silver　in　the　bad…smelling　sickroom。　Hal　was　beside　me　now；　breathing　rapidly　but　not　trying　to　interfere。　When　Melly　laughed；　his　rapid　breathing　paused　for　a　moment；　indrawn；　and　one　of　his　big　hands　gripped　my　shoulder。　He　gripped　it　hard　enough　to　leave　a　bruise　…　I　saw　it　the　next　day　…　but　right　then　I　hardly　felt　it。

〃Whats　your　name？〃　she　asked。

〃John　Coffey；　maam。〃

〃Coffey　like　the　drink。〃

〃Yes；　maam；　only　spelled　different。〃

She　lay　back　against　her　pillows；　propped　up　but　not　quite　sitting　up；　looking　at　him。　He　sat　beside　her；　looking　back；　and　the　light　from　the　lamp　circled　them　like　they　were　actors　on　a　stage　…　the　hulking　black　man　in　the　prison　overall　and　the　small　dying　white　woman。　She　stared　into　Johns　eyes　with　shining　fascination。

〃Maam？〃

〃Yes；　John　Coffey？〃　The　words　barely　breathed；　barely　slipping　to　us　on　the　bad…smelling；　air。　I　felt　the　muscles　bunching　on　my　arms　and　legs　and　back。　Somewhere；　far　away；　I　could　feel　the　warden　clutching　my　arm；　and　to　the　side　of　my　vision　I　could　see　Harry　and　Brutal　with　their　arms　around　each　other；　like　little　kids　lost　in　the　night。　Something　was　going　to　happen。　Something　big。　We　each　felt　it　in　our　own　way。

John　Coffey　bent　closer　to　her。　The　springs　of　the　bed　creaked；　the　bedclothes　rustled；　and　the　coldly　smiling　moon　looked　in　through　an　upper　pane　of　the　bedroom　window。　Coffeys　bloodshot　eyes　searched　her　upturned　haggard　face。

〃O；　I　see　it；〃　he　said。　Speaking　not　to　her　…　I　dont　think　so；　anyway　…　but　to　himself。　〃I　see　it；　and　I　can　help。　Hold　still　。。。　hold　right　still　。。　。〃

Closer　he　bent；　and　closer　still。　For　a　moment　his　huge　face　stopped　less　than　two　inches　from　hers。　He　raised　one　hand　off　to　the　side；　fingers　splayed；　as　if　telling　something　to　wait　。。。　just　wait　。。。　and　then　he　lowered　his　face　again。　His　broad；　smooth　lips　pressed　against　hers　and　forced　them　open。　For　a　moment　I　could　see　one　of　her　eyes；　staring　up　past　Coffey；　filling　with　an　expression　of　what　seemed　to　be　surprise。　Then　his　smooth　bald　head　moved；　and　that　was　gone；　too。

There　was　a　soft　whistling　sound　as　he　inhaled　the　air　which　lay　deep　within　her　lungs。　That　was　all　for　a　second　or　two；　and　then　the　floor　moved　under　us　and　the　whole　house　moved　around　us。　It　wasnt　my　imagination；　they　all　felt　it；　they　all　remarked　on　it　later。　It　was　a　kind　of　rippling　thump。　There　was　a　crash　as　something　very　heavy　fell　over　in　the　parlor　…　the　grandfather　clock；　it　turned　out　to　be。　Hal　Moores　tried　to　have　it　repaired；　but　it　never　kept　time　for　more　than　fifteen　minutes　at　a　stretch　again。

Closer　by　there　was　a　crack　followed　by　a　tinkle　as　the　pane　of　glass　through　which　the　moon　had　been　peeking　broke。　A　picture　on　the　wall　…　a　clipper　ship　cruising　one　of　the　seven　seas　…　fell　off　its　hook　and　crashed　to　the　floor；　the　glass　over　its　front　shattered。

I　smelled　something　hot　and　saw　smoke　rising　from　the　bottom　of　the　white　counterpane　which　covered　her。　A　portion　was　turning　black；　down　by　the　jittering　lump　that　was　her　right　foot。　Feeling　like　a　man　in　a　dream；　I　shook　free　of　Mooress　hand　and　stepped　to　the　night…table。　There　was　a　glass　of　water　there；　surrounded　by　three　or　four　bottles　of　pills　which　had　fallen　over　during　the　shake。　I　picked　up　the　water　and　dumped　it　on　the　place　that　was　smoking。　There　was　a　hiss。

John　Coffey　went　on　kissing　her　in　that　deep　and　intimate　way；　inhaling　and　inhaling；　one　hand　still　held　out；　the　other　on　the　bed；　propping　up　his　immense　weight。　The　fingers　were　splayed；　the　hand　looked　to　me　like　a　brown　starfish。

Suddenly；　her　back　arched。　One　of　her　own　hands　flailed　out　in　the　air；　the　fingers　clenching　and　unclenching　in　a　series　of　spasms。　Her　feet　drummed　against　the　bed。　Then　something　screamed。　Again；　thats　not　just　me；　the　other　men　heard　it；　as　well。　To　Brutal　it　sounded　like　a　wolf　or　coyote　with　its　leg　caught　in　a　trap。　To　me　it　sounded　like　an　eagle；　the　way　youd　sometimes　hear　them　on　still　mornings　back　then；　cruising　down　through　the　misty　cuts　with　their　wings　stiffly　spread。

Outside；　the　wind　gusted　hard　enough　to　give　the　house　a　second　shake　…　and　that　was　strange；　you　know；　because　until　then　there　had　been　no　wind　to　speak　of　at　all。

John　Coffey　pulled　away　from　her；　and　I　saw　that　her　face　had　smoothed　out。　The　right　side　of　her　mouth　no　longer　drooped。　Her　eyes　had　regained　their　normal　shape；　and　she　looked　ten　years　younger。　He　regarded　her　raptly　for　a　moment　or　two；　and　then　he　began　to　cough。　He　turned　his　head　so　as　not　to　cough　in　her　face；　lost　his　balance　（which　wasnt　hard；　big　as　he　was；　hed　been　sitting　with　his　butt　halfway　off　the　side　of　the　bed　to　start　with）；　and　went　down　onto　the　floor。　There　was　enough　of　him　to　give　the　house　a　third　shake。　He　landed　on　his　knees　and　hung　his　head　over；　coughing　like　a　man　in　the　last　stages　of　TB。

I　thought；　Now　the　bugs。　Hes　going　to　cough　them　out；　and　what　a　lot　therell　be　this　time。

But　he　didnt。　He　only　went　on　coughing　in　deep　retching　barks；　hardly　finding　time　between　fits　to　snatch　in　the　next　breath　of　air。　His　dark；　chocolatey　skin　was　graying　out。　Alarmed；　Brutal　went　to　him；　dropped　to　one　knee　beside　him；　and　put　an　arm　across　his　broad；　spasming　back。　As　if　Brutals　moving　had　broken　a　spell；　Moores　went　to　his　wifes　bed　and　sat　where　Coffey　had　sat。　He　hardly　seemed　to　register　the　coughing；　choking　giants　presence　at　all。　Although　Coffey　was　kneeling　at　his　very　feet；　Moores　had　eyes　only　for　his　wife；　who　was　gazing　at　him　with　amazement。　Looking　at　her　was　like　looking　at　a　dirty　mirror　which　has　been　wiped　clean。

〃John！〃　Brutal　shouted。　〃Sick　it　up！　Sick　it　up　like　you　done　before！〃

John　went　on　barking　those　choked　coughs。　His　eyes　were　wet；　not　with　tears　but　with　strain。　Spit　flew　from　his　mouth　in　a　fine　spray；　but　nothing　else　came　out。

Brutal　whammed　him　on　the　back　a　couple　of　times；　then　looked　around　at　me。　〃Hes　choking！　Whatever　he　sucked　out　of　her；　hes　choking　on　it！〃