按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ple of roses right out of the wallpaper。 〃How did I get here？ We were going to the hospital up in Indianola； weren't we？ A doctor was going to shoot X…rays into my head and take pictures of my brain。〃
〃Shhh；〃 Hal said。 〃Shhh； dearie； none of that matters now。〃
〃But I don't understand！〃 she nearly wailed； 〃We stopped at a roadside stand 。。。 you bought me a dime packet of posies 。。。 and then 。。。 I'm here。 It's dark！ Have you had your supper； Hal？ Why am I in the guest room？ Did I have the X…ray？〃 Her eyes moved across Harry almost without seeing him … that was shock； I imagine … and fixed on me。 〃Paul？ Did I have the X…ray？〃
〃Yes；〃 I said。 〃It was clear。〃
〃They didn't find a tumor？〃
〃No；〃 I said。 〃They say the headaches will likely stop now。〃
Beside her； Hal burst into tears。
She sat forward and kissed his temple。 Then her eyes moved to the er。 〃Who is that Negro man？ Why is he in the corner？〃
I turned and saw John trying to get up on his feet。 Brutal helped him and John made it with a final lunge。 He stood facing the wall； though； like a child who has been bad。 He was still coughing in spasms； but these seemed to be weakening now。
〃John；〃 I said。 〃Turn around； big boy； and see this lady。〃
He slowly turned。 His face was still the color of ashes； and he looked ten years older； like a once powerful man at last losing a long battle with consumption。 His eyes were cast down on his prison slippers； and he looked as if he wished for a hat to wring。
〃Who are you？〃 she asked again。 〃What's your name？〃
〃John Coffey； ma'am；〃 he said； to which she immediately replied； 〃But not spelled like the drink。〃
Hal started beside her。 She felt it； and patted his hand reassuringly without taking her eyes from the black man。
〃I dreamed of you；〃 she said in a soft； wondering voice。 〃I dreamed you were wandering in the dark； and so was I。 We found each other。〃
John Coffey said nothing。
〃We found each other in the dark；〃 she said。 〃Stand up； Hal； you're pinning me in here。〃
He got up and watched with disbelief as she turned back the counterpane。 〃Melly； you can't…〃
〃Don't be silly；〃 she said； and swung her legs out。 〃Of course I can。〃 She smoothed her nightgown； stretched； then got to her feet。
〃My God；〃 Hal whispered。 〃My dear God in heaven； look at her。〃
She went to John Coffey。 Brutal stood away from her； an awed expression on his face。 She limped with the first step； did no more than favor her right leg a bit with the second； and then even that was gone。 I remembered Brutal handing the colored spool to Delacroix and saying； 〃Toss it … I want to see how he runs。〃 Mr。 Jingles had limped then； but on the next night； the night Del walked the Mile； he had been fine。
Melly put her arms around John and hugged him。 Coffey stood there for a moment； letting himself be hugged； and then he raised one hand and stroked the top of her head。 This he did with infinite gentleness。 His face was still gray。 I thought he looked dreadfully sick。
She stood away from him； her face turned up to his。 〃Thank you。〃
〃Right wele； ma'am。〃
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 o'clock。 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 wouldn't 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 wife's cheeks； the natural unstrained curve of his wife's lips； the new black in his wife's 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 we'll talk； but for now that's 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 wasn't the time。 〃Paul 。。。 thank you。〃
〃Don't 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 Melly's 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 Coffey's 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。 〃It's good to see you。 Would you gentlemen like tea？ Would you； Hal？ I could make it。〃 She got up again。 〃I've been ill； but I feel fine now。 Better than I have in years。〃
〃Thank you； Missus Moores； but we have to go；〃 Brutal said。 〃It's past John's bedtime。〃 He smiled to show it was a joke； but the look he gave John was as anxious as I felt。
〃Well 。。。 if you're sure
〃Yes； ma'am。 e on； John Coffey。〃 He tugged John's arm to get him going； and John went。
〃Just a minute！〃 Melinda shook free of Hal's 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。
〃It's St。 Christopher；〃 she said。 〃I want you to have it； Mr。 Coffey； and wear it。 He'll 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。 〃It's 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； ma'am；〃 he said。
〃No；〃 she replied。 〃Thank you。 Thank you； John Coffey。〃
9。
I rode up in the cab with Harry going back； and was damned glad to be there。 The heater was broken； but we were out of the open air； at least。 We had gone about ten miles when Harry spotted a little turnout and veered the truck into it。
〃What is it？〃 I asked。 〃Is it a bearing？〃 To my mind； the problem could have been that or anything； every ponent of the Farmall's engine and transmission sounded on the verge of going cataclysmically wrong or giving up the ghost entirely。
〃Nope；〃 Harry said； sounding apologetic。 〃I got to take a leak； is all。 My back teeth are floatin。〃
It turned out that we all did； except for John。 When Brutal asked if he wouldn't like to step down and help us water the bushes； he just shook his head without looking up。 He was leaning against the back of the cab and wearing one of the Army blankets over his shoulders like a serape。 I couldn't get any kind of read on his plexion； but I could hear his breathing … dry and raspy； like wind blowing through straw。 I didn't like it。
I walked into a clump of willows； unbuttoned； and let go。 I was still dose enough to my urinary infection so that the body's amnesia had not