第1部分(第6/7 頁)

actually　care　…　a　little…about　the　creatures　of　one's　imagination。

In　any　case；　I've　decided　to　publish　The　Green　Mile　in　a　series　of　small　paperbacks；　in　the　nieenthcentury　manner；　and　I　hope　you'll　write　and　tell　me　（a）　if　you　liked　the　story；　and　（b）　if　you　liked　the　seldom　used　but　rather　amusing　delivery　system。　It　has　certainly　energized　the　writing　of　the　story；　although　at　this　moment　（a　rainy　evening　in　October　of　1995）　it　is　still　far　from　done；　even　in　rough　draft；　and　the　oute　remains　in　some　doubt。　That　is　part　of　the　excitement　of　the　whole　thing；　though…at　this　point　I'm　driving　through　thick　fog　with　the　pedal　all　the　way　to　the　metal。

Most　of　all；　I　want　to　say　that　if　you　have　even　half　as　much　fun　reading　this　as　I　did　writing　it；　we'll　both　be　well　off。　Enjoy　。。。　and　why　not　read　this　aloud；　with　a　friend？　If　nothing　else；　it　will　shorten　the　time　until　the　next　installment　appears　on　your　newsstand　or　in　your　local　bookstore。

In　the　meantime；　take　care；　and　be　good　to　one　another。

Stephen　King

Part　One：

The　Two　Dead　Girls

1。

This　happened　in　1932；　when　the　state　penitentiary　was　still　at　Cold　Mountain。　And　the　electric　chair　was　there；　too；　of　course。

The　inmates　made　jokes　about　the　chair；　the　way　people　always　make　jokes　about　things　that　frighten　them　but　can't　be　gotten　away　from。　They　called　it　Old　Sparky；　or　the　Big　Juicy。　They　made　cracks　about　the　power　bill；　and　how　Warden　Moores　would　cook　his　Thanksgiving　dinner　that　fall；　with　his　wife；　Melinda；　too　sick　to　cook。

But　for　the　ones　who　actually　had　to　sit　down　in　that　chair；　the　humor　went　out　of　the　situation　in　a　hurry。　I　presided　over　seventy…eight　executions　during　my　time　at　Cold　Mountain　（that's　one　figure　I've　nev