第6部分(第5/7 頁)

　river　and　didn't　move　as　McGee　gently　reached　into　the　chest　pocket　of　those　biballs　and　pulled　out　something　wrapped　in　newspaper　and　tied　with　a　hank　of　butcher's　twine。　MeGee　snapped　the　string　and　opened　the　paper；　although　he　was　pretty　sure　it　was　just　what　Coffey　said　it　was；　a　little　lunch。　There　was　a　bacon…tomato　sandwich　and　a　jelly　fold…over。　There　was　also　a　pickle；　wrapped　in　its　own　piece　of　a　funny　page　John　Coffey　would　never　be　able　to　puzzle　out。　There　were　no　sausages。　Bowser　had　gotten　the　sausages　out　of　John　Coffey's　little　lunch。

McGee　handed　the　lunch　back　over　his　shoulder　to　one　of　the　other　men　without　taking　his　eyes　off　Coffey。　Hunkered　down　like　that；　he　was　too　close　to　want　to　let　his　attention　stray　for　even　a　second。　The　lunch；　wrapped　up　again　and　tied　for　good　measure；　finally　ended　up　with　Bobo　Marchant；　who　put　it　in　his　knapsack；　where　he　kept　treats　for　his　dogs　（and　a　few　fishing　lures；　I　shouldn't　wonder）。　It　wasn't　introduced　into　evidence　at　the　trial　…　justice　in　this　part　of　the　world　is　swift；　but　not　as　swift　as　a　bacon…tomato　sandwich　goes　over　…　though　photographs　of　it　were。

'What　happened　here；　John　Coffey？〃　McGee　asked　in　his　low；　earnest　voice。　〃You　want　to　tell　me　that？〃

And　Coffey　said　to　McGee　and　the　others　almost　exactly　the　same　thing　he　said　to　me；　they　were　also　the　last　words　the　prosecutor　said　to　the　jury　at　Coffey's　trial。　〃I　couldn't　help　it；〃　John　Coffey　said；　holding　the　murdered；　violated　girls　naked　in　his　arms。　The　tears　began　to　pour　down　his　cheeks　again。　〃I　tried　to　take　it　back；　but　it　was　too　late！'

〃Boy；　you　are　under　arrest　for　murder；〃　McGee　said；　and　then　he　spit　in　John　Coffey's　face。

The　jury　was　out　forty…five　minutes。　Just　about　time　enough　to　eat　a