第21部分(第4/7 頁)

　wife；　who　died　in　Alabama。　I　knew　about　ghosts；　all　right。

〃No；〃　I　said。　〃It　wasn't　the　first　ghost　I've　ever　seen。　But　Elaine　…　it　was　a　shock。　Because　it　was　him。〃

She　kissed　me　again；　then　stood　up；　wincing　as　she　did　so　and　pressing　the　heels　of　her　hands　to　the　tops　of　her　hips；　as　if　she　were　afraid　they　might　actually　explode　out　through　her　skin　if　she　wasn't　very　careful。

〃I　think　I've　changed　my　mind　about　the　television；〃　she　said。　〃I've　got　an　extra　pill　that　I've　been　keeping　for　a　rainy　day　。。。　or　night。　I　think　I'll　take　it　and　go　back　to　bed。　Maybe　you　should　do　the　same。〃

〃Yes；〃　I　said。　〃I　suppose　I　should！〃　For　one　wild　moment　I　thought　of　suggesting　that　we　go　back　to　bed　together；　and　then　I　saw　the　dull　pain　in　her　eyes　and　thought　better　of　it。　Because　she　might　have　said　yes；　and　she　would　only　have　said　that　for　me。　Not　so　good。

We　left　the　TV　room　（I　won't　dignify　it　with　that　other　name；　not　even　to　be　ironic）　side　by　side；　me　matching　my　steps　to　hers；　which　were　slow　and　painfully　careful。　The　building　eone　moaning　in　the　grip　of　a　bad　dream　behind　some　closed　door。

〃Will　you　be　able　to　sleep；　do　you　think？〃　she　asked。

〃Yes；　I　think　so；〃　I　said；　but　of　course　I　wasn't　able　to；　I　lay　in　my　bed　until　sunup；　thinking　about　Kiss　of　Death。　I'd　see　Richard　Widmark；　giggling　madly；　tying　the　old　lady　into　her　wheelchair　and　then　pushing　her　down　the　stairs　…〃This　is　what　we　do　to　squealers；〃　he　told　her…and　then　his　face　would　merge　into　the　face　of　William　Wharton　as　he'd　looked　on　the　day　when　he　came　to　E　Block　and　the　Green　Mile　…　Wharton　giggling　like　Widmark；　Wharton　screaming；　Ain't　this　a　pa〃；　now？　Is　it；　or　what？　I　didn't　bother　with　breakfast；　not　after　that；　I　just　came　down　here　to　the　so