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第50部分（第1页）

She　stood　away　from　him；　her　face　turned　up　to　his。　〃Thank　you。〃

〃Right　wele；　maam。〃

She　turned　to　Hal　and　walked　back　to　him。　He　put　his　arms　around　her。

〃Paul…〃　It　was　Harry。　He　held　his　right　wrist　out　to　me　and　tapped　the　face　of　his　watch。　It　was　pressing　on　to　three　oclock。　Light　would　start　showing　by　four…thirty。　If　we　wanted　to　get　Coffey　back　to　Cold　Mountain　before　that　happened；　we　would　have　to　go　soon。　And　I　wanted　to　get　him　back。　Partly　because　the　longer　this　went　on　the　worse　our　chances　of　getting　away　with　it　became；　yes；　of　course。　But　I　also　wanted　John　in　a　place　where　I　could　legitimately　call　a　doctor　for　him；　if　the　need　arose。　Looking　at　him；　I　thought　it　might。

The　Mooreses　were　sitting　on　the　edge　of　the　bed；　arms　around　each　other。　I　thought　of　asking　Hal　out　into　the　living　room　for　a　private　word；　then　realized　I　could　ask　until　the　cows　came　home　and　he　wouldnt　budge　from　where　he　was　right　then。　He　might　be　able　to　take　his　eyes　off　her　…　for　a　few　seconds；　at　least　…　by　the　time　the　sun　came　up；　but　not　now。

〃Hal；〃　I　said。　〃We　have　to　go　now。〃

He　nodded；　not　looking　at　me。　He　was　studying　the　color　in　his　wifes　cheeks；　the　natural　unstrained　curve　of　his　wifes　lips；　the　new　black　in　his　wifes　hair。

I　tapped　him　on　the　shoulder；　hard　enough　to　get　his　attention　for　a　moment；　at　least。

〃Hal；　we　never　came　here。〃

〃What　…　？〃

〃We　never　came　here；〃　I　said。　〃Later　on　well　talk；　but　for　now　thats　all　you　need　to　know。　We　were　never　here。…〃

〃Yes；　all　right　He　forced　himself　to　focus　on　me　for　a　moment；　with　what　was　clearly　an　effort。　〃You　got　him　out。　Can　you　get　him　back　in？〃

〃I　think　so。　Maybe。　But　we　need　to　go。〃

〃How　did　you　know　he　could　do　this？〃　Then　he　shook　his　head；　as　if　realizing　for　himself　that　this　wasnt　the　time。　〃Paul　。。。　thank　you。〃

〃Dont　thank　me；〃　I　said。　〃Thank　John。〃

He　looked　at　John　Coffey；　then　put　out　one　hand　…　just　as　I　had　done　on　the　day　Harry　and　Percy　escorted　John　onto　the　block。　〃Thank　you。　Thank　you　so　much。〃

John　looked　at　the　hand。　Brutal　threw　a　none…too…subtle　elbow　into　his　side。　John　started；　then　took　the　hand　and　gave　it　a　shake。　Up；　down；　back　to　center；　release。　〃Wele；〃　he　said　in　a　hoarse　voice。　It　sounded　to　me　like　Mellys　when　she　had　clapped　her　hands　and　told　John　to　pull　down　his　pants。　〃Wele；〃　he　said　to　the　man　who　would；　in　the　ordinary　course　of　things；　grasp　a　pen　with　that　hand　and　then　sign　John　Coffeys　execution　order　with　it。

Harry　tapped　the　face　of　his　watch；　more　urgently　this　time。

〃Brute？〃　I　said。　〃Ready？〃

〃Hello；　Brutus；〃　Melinda　said　in　a　cheerful　voice；　as　if　noticing　him　for　the　first　time。　〃Its　good　to　see　you。　Would　you　gentlemen　like　tea？　Would　you；　Hal？　I　could　make　it。〃　She　got　up　again。　〃Ive　been　ill；　but　I　feel　fine　now。　Better　than　I　have　in　years。〃

〃Thank　you；　Missus　Moores；　but　we　have　to　go；〃　Brutal　said。　〃Its　past　Johns　bedtime。〃　He　smiled　to　show　it　was　a　joke；　but　the　look　he　gave　John　was　as　anxious　as　I　felt。

〃Well　。。。　if　youre　sure

〃Yes；　maam。　e　on；　John　Coffey。〃　He　tugged　Johns　arm　to　get　him　going；　and　John　went。

〃Just　a　minute！〃　Melinda　shook　free　of　Hals　hand　and　ran　as　lightly　as　a　girl　to　where　John　stood。　She　put　her　arms　around　him　and　gave　him　another　hug。　Then　she　reached　around　to　the　nape　of　her　neck　and　pulled　a　fine…link　chain　out　of　her　bodice。　At　the　end　of　it　was　a　silver　medallion。　She　held　it　out　to　John；　who　looked　at　it　unprehendingly。

〃Its　St。　Christopher；〃　she　said。　〃I　want　you　to　have　it；　Mr。　Coffey；　and　wear　it。　Hell　keep　you　safe。　Please　wear　it。　For　me。〃

John　looked　at　me；　troubled；　and　I　looked　at　Hal；　who　first　spread　his　hands　and　then　nodded。

〃Take　it；　John；〃　I　said。　〃Its　a　present。〃

John　took　it；　slipped　the　chain　around　his　bullneck；　and　dropped　the　St。　Christopher　medallion　into　the　front　of　his　shirt。　He　had　pletely　stopped　coughing　now；　but　I　thought　he　looked　grayer　and　sicker　than　ever。

〃Thank　you；　maam；〃　he　said。

〃No；〃　she　replied。　〃Thank　you。　Thank　you；　John　Coffey。〃

9。