第24部分(第2/7 頁)

e　of　fuckery　All　right；　then。　So　be　it。　I　would　keep　my　eyes　open　…　and　my　mouth　shut；　especially　about　miracle　cures。

No　one　y　looking　and　sounding　better；　I'd　been　telling　the　world　I　was　getting　better；　and　until　that　very　day　I'd　honestly　believed　it。　I　had　even　told　Warden　Moores　that　I　was　on　the　mend。　Delacroix　had　seen　something；　but　I　thought　he　would　keep　his　mouth　shut；　too　（probably　afraid　John　Coffey　would　throw　a　spell　on　him　if　he　didn't）。　As　for　Coffey　himself；　he'd　probably　already　forgotten　it。　He　was　nothing　but　a　conduit；　after　all；　and　there　isn't　a　culvert　in　the　world　that　remembers　the　water　that　flowed　through　it　once　the　rain　has　stopped。　So　I　resolved　to　keep　my　mouth　pletely　shut　on　the　subject；　with　never　an　idea　of　how　soon　I'd　be　telling　the　story；　or　who　I'd　be　telling　it　to。

But　I　was　curious　about　my　big　boy；　and　there's　no　sense　not　admitting　it。　After　what　had　happened　to　me　there　in　his　cell；　I　was　more　curious　than　ever。

4。

Before　leaving　that　night；　I　arranged　with　Brutal　to　cover　for　me　the　next　day；　should　I　e　in　a　little　late；　and　when　I　got　up　the　following　morning；　I　set　out　for　Tefton；　down　in　Trapingus　County。

〃I'm　not　sure　I　like　you　worrying　so　much　about　this　fellow　Coffey；〃　my　wife　said；　handing　me　the　lunch　she'd　put　up　for　me…Janice　never　believed　in　roadside　hamburger　stands；　she　used　to　say　there　was　a　bellyache　waiting　in　every　one。　〃It's　not　like　you；　Paul。〃

〃I'm　not　worried　about　him；〃　I　said。　〃I'm　curious；　that's　all。〃

〃In　my　experience；　one　leads　to　the　other；〃　Janice　said　tartly；　then　gave　me　a　good；　hearty　kiss　on　the　mouth。　〃You　look　better；　at　least；　I'll　say　that。　For　awhile　there；　you　had　me　nervous。　Waterworks　all　cured　up？〃

〃All　cured　up；〃　I　said；　a