第39部分(第5/7 頁)

se。　The　hurt。　The　。。。　you　know。　The　death。〃

〃No；〃　I　said。　〃He　just　touched　me。　And　I　felt　it。　A　kind　of　jolt；　like　electricity　only　not　painful。　But　I　wasn't　dying；　only　hurting。〃

Brutal　nodded。　〃The　touch　and　the　breath。　Just　like　you　hear　those　backwoods　gospel…shouters　going　on　about。〃

〃Praise　Jesus；　the　Lord　is　mighty；〃　I　said。

〃I　dunno　if　Jesus　es　into　it；〃　Brutal　said；　〃but　it　seems　to　me　like　John　Coffey　is　one　mighty　man。〃

〃All　right；〃　Dean　said。　〃If　you　say　all　this　happened；　I　guess　I　believe　it。　God　works　in　mysterious　ways　His　wonders　to　perform。　But　what's　it　got　to　do　with　us？〃

Well；　that　was　the　big　question；　wasn't　it？　I　took　in　a　deep　breath　and　told　them　what　I　wanted　to　do。　They　listened；　dumbfounded。　Even　Brutal；　who　liked　to　read　those　magazines　with　the　stories　about　little　green　men　from　space；　looked　dumbfounded。　There　was　a　longer　silence　when　I　finished　this　time；　and　no　one　chewing　any　sandwiches。

At　last；　in　a　gentle　and　reasonable　voice；　Brutus　Howell　said：　〃We'd　lose　our　jobs　if　we　were　caught；　Paul；　and　we'd　be　very　goddam　lucky　if　that　was　all　that　happened。　We'd　probably　end　up　over　in　A　Block　as　guests　of　the　state；　making　wallets　and　showering　in　pairs。〃

〃Yes；〃　I　said。　〃That　could　happen。〃

〃I　can　understand　how　you　feel；　a　little；〃　he　went　on。　〃You　know　Moores　better　than　us　…　he's　your　friend　as　well　as　the　big　boss　…　and　I　know　you　think　a　lot　of　his　wife。。。〃

〃She's　the　sweetest　woman　you　could　ever　hope　to　meet；〃　I　said；　〃and　she　means　the　world　to　him。〃

〃But　we　don't　know　her　the　way　you　and　Janice　do；〃　Brutal　said。　〃Do　we；　Paul？〃

〃You'd　like　her　if　you　did；〃　I　said。　〃At　least；　you'd　like　her　if　you'd　met　her　before　this　thing　got　its　claws　into　her