第39部分(第3/7 頁)

r　onto　the　prongs；　went　to　the　window；　and　looked　out　thoughtfully。　Although　we'd　had　the　late　shift；　I　hadn't　wakened　either　Brutal　or　Dean；　and　Harry　hadn't　sounded　like　a　fellow　freshly　turned　out　of　dreamland；　either。　It　seemed　that　I　wasn't　the　only　one　having　problems　with　what　had　happened　last　night；　and　considering　the　craziness　I　had　in　mind；　that　was　probably　good。

Brutal；　who　lived　closest　to　me；　arrived　at　quarter　past　eleven。　Dean　showed　up　fifteen　minutes　later；　and　Harry　…　already　dressed　for　work　…　about　fifteen　minutes　after　Dean。　Janice　served　us　cold　beef　sandwiches；　slaw；　and　iced　tea　in　the　kitchen。　Only　a　day　before；　we　would　have　had　it　out　on　the　side　porch　and　been　glad　of　a　breeze；　but　the　temperature　had　dropped　a　good　fifteen　degrees　since　the　thunderstorm；　and　a　keen…edged　wind　was　snuffling　down　from　the　ridges。

〃You're　wele　to　sit　down　with　us；〃　I　told　my　wife。

She　shook　her　head。　〃I　don't　think　I　want　to　know　what　you're　up　to　…　I'll　worry　less　if　I'm　in　the　dark。　I'll　have　a　bite　in　the　parlor。　I'm　visiting　with　Miss　Jane　Austen　this　week；　and　she's　very　good　pany。〃

〃Who's　Jane　Austen？〃　Harry　asked　when　she　had　left。　〃Your　side　or　Janices's；　Paul？　A　cousin？　Is　she　pretty？〃

〃She's　a　writer；　you　nit；〃　Brutal　told　him。　〃Been　dead　practically　since　Betsy　Ross　basted　the　stars　on　the　first　flag。〃

〃Oh。〃　Harry　looked　embarrassed。　〃I'm　not　much　of　a　reader。　Radio　manuals；　mostly。〃

〃What's　on　your　mind；　Paul？〃　Dean　asked。

〃John　Coffey　and　Mr。　Jingles；　to　start　with。〃　They　looked　surprised；　which　I　had　expected　…　they'd　been　thinking　I　wanted　to　discuss　either　Delacroix　or　Percy。　Maybe　both。　I　looked　at　Dean　and　Harry　〃The　thing　with　Mr。　Jingles　…　what　Coffey　did　…　happened　pretty　fast。　I　do