第38部分(第6/7 頁)

ng　friend　will　still　be　around　for　the　Coffey　execution。　That's　probably　true　…　Coffey　will　go　well　before　Thanksgiving；　I　imagine　…　but　you　can　put　him　back　in　the　switch　room。　No　one　will　object。　Including　him；　I　should　think。〃

〃I'll　do　that；〃　I　said。　〃Hal；　how's　Melinda？〃

There　was　a　long　pause　so　long　I　might　have　thought　I'd　lost　him；　except　for　the　sound　of　his　breathing。　When　he　spoke　this　time；　it　was　in　a　much　lower　tone　of　voice。　〃She's　sinking；〃　he　said。

Sinking。　That　chilly　word　the　old…timers　used　not　to　describe　a　person　who　was　dying；　exactly；　but　one　who　had　begun　to　uncouple　from　living。

〃The　headaches　seem　a　little　better　。。。　for　now；　anyway　。。。　but　she　can't　walk　without　help；　she　can't　pick　things　up；　she　loses　control　of　her　water　while　she　sleeps　。　。　。〃　There　was　another　pause；　and　then；　in　an　even　lower　voice；　Hal　said　something　that　sounded　like　〃She　wears。〃

〃Wears　what；　Hal？〃　I　asked；　frowning。　My　wife　had　e　into　the　parlor　doorway。　She　stood　there　wiping　her　hands　on　a　dishtowel　and　looking　at　me。

〃No；〃　he　said　in　a　voice　that　seemed　to　waver　between　anger　and　tears。　〃She　swears。〃

〃Oh。〃　I　still　didn't　know　what　he　meant；　but　had　no　intention　of　pursuing　it。　I　didn't　have　to；　he　did　it　for　me。

〃She'll　be　all　right；　perfectly　normal；　talking　about　her　flower…garden　or　a　dress　she　saw　in　the　catalogue；　or　maybe　about　how　she　heard　Roosevelt　on　the　radio　and　how　wonderful　he　sounds；　and　then；　all　at　once；　she'll　start　to　say　the　most　awful　things；　the　most　awful　。。。　words。　She　doesn't　raise　her　voice。　It　would　almost　be　better　if　she　did；　I　think；　because　then　。。。　you　see；　then　。　。　。〃

〃She　wouldn't　sound　so　much　like　herself。〃

〃That's　it；〃　he　said　gratefully。　〃But　to　hear　her　say