第19部分(第3/7 頁)

nexistent）。　Neither　of　these　two　voidings　was　as　painful　as　the　one　that　had　taken　me　off　my　feet　on　the　way　to　the　privy；　but　both　times　I　had　to　clutch　the　passenger…side　doorhandle　of　my　little　Ford　coupe　to　hold　myself　up；　and　I　could　feel　sweat　running　down　my　hot　face。　I　was　sick；　all　right；　good　and　sick。

I　made　it；　though；　drove　in　through　the　south　gate；　parked　in　my　usual　place；　and　went　right　up　to　see　the　warden。　It　was　going　on　six　o'clock　by　then。　Miss　Hannah's　office　was　empty　…　she　wouldn't　be　in　until　the　relatively　civilized　hour　of　seven　…　but　the　light　was　on　in　Moores's　office；　I　could　see　it　through　the　pebbled　glass。　I　gave　a　perfunctory　knock　and　opened　the　door。　Moores　looked　up；　startled　to　see　anyone　at　that　unusual　hour；　and　I　would　have　given　a　great　deal　not　to　have　been　the　one　to　see　him　in　that　condition；　with　his　face　naked　and　unguarded。　His　white　hair；　usually　so　neatly　bed；　was　sticking　up　in　tufts　and　tangles；　his　hands　were　in　it；　yanking　and　pulling；　when　I　walked　in。　His　eyes　were　raw；　the　skin　beneath　them　puffy　and　swollen。　His　palsy　was　the　worst　I　had　ever　seen　it；　he　looked　like　a　man　who　had　just　e　inside　after　a　long　walk　on　a　terribly　cold　night。

〃Hal；　I'm　sorry；　I'll　e　back！〃　I　began。

〃No；〃　he　said。　〃Please；　Paul。　e　in。　Shut　the　door　and　e　in。　I　need　someone　now；　if　I　ever　needed　anyone　in　my　whole　life。　Shut　the　door　and　e　in。〃

I　did　as　he　asked；　forgetting　my　own　pain　for　the　first　time　since　I'd　awakened　that　morning。

〃It's　a　brain　tumor；〃　Moores　said。　〃They　got　X…ray　pictures　of　it。　They　seemed　real　pleased　with　their　pictures；　actually。　One　of　them　said　they　may　be　the　best　ones　anyone's　ever　gotten；　at　least　so　far；　said　they're　going　to　publish　them　in　some　biggety　medical　journa