第38部分(第4/7 頁)

hands。　His　fists　relaxed　and　gave　up　their　secrets。　In　one　was　a　spool　colored　green　and　red　and　yellow。　In　the　other　was　a　prison　guard's　shoe。

〃I　couldn't　help　it；〃　John　Coffey　said。　〃I　tried　to　take　it　back；　but　it　was　too　late。〃

And　this　time；　in　my　dream；　I　understood　him。

8。

At　nine　o'clock　the　next　morning；　while　I　was　having　a　third　cup　of　coffee　in　the　kitchen　（my　wife　said　nothing；　but　I　could　see　disapproval　large　on　her　face　when　she　brought　it　to　me）；　the　telephone　rang。　I　went　into　the　parlor　to　take　it；　and　Central　told　someone　that　their　party　was　holding　the　line。　She　then　told　me　to　have　a　birdlarky　day　and　rang　off　。。。　presumably。　With　Central；　you　could　never　quite　tell　for　sure。

Hal　Moores's　voice　shocked　me。　Wavery　and　hoarse；　it　sounded　like　the　voice　of　an　octogenarian。　It　occurred　to　me　that　it　was　good　that　things　had　gone　all　right　with　Curtis　Anderson　in　the　tunnel　last　night；　good　that　he　felt　about　the　same　as　we　did　about　Percy；　because　this　man　I　was　talking　to　would　very　likely　never　work　another　day　at　Cold　Mountain。

〃Paul；　I　understand　there　was　trouble　last　night。　I　also　understand　that　our　friend　Mr。　Wetmore　war；　involved。〃

〃A　spot　of　trouble；〃　I　admitted；　holding　the　receiver　tight　to　my　ear　and　leaning　in　toward　the　horn；　〃but　the　job　got　done。　That's　the　important　thing。〃

〃Yes。　Of　course。〃

〃Can　I　ask　who　told　you？〃　So　I　can　tie　a　can　to　his　tail？　I　didn't　add。

〃You　can　ask；　but　since　it's　really　none　of　your　beeswax；　I　think　I'll　keep　my　mouth　shut　on　that　score。　But　when　I　called　my　office　to　see　if　there　were　any　messages　or　urgent　business；　I　was　told　an　interesting　thing。〃

〃Oh？〃

〃Yes。　Seems　a　transferral　application　landed　in　my　basket。　Percy　W