第59部分(第2/7 頁)

r　the　world。

〃I'm　going　to　take　a　turn　over　to　Admin　instead。　Got　a　few　things　to　check　over　there。〃

〃If　you　say　so。〃

I　went　to　the　door　and　opened　it；　then　looked　back。　〃You've　got　it　right〃；　I　said：　〃r…e…c…e…i…v…e；　i　before　e；　except　after　c。　Most　of　the　time；　anyway；　I　guess　there's　exceptions　to　all　the　rules。…〃

I　went　out；　not　needing　to　look　back　at　him　to　know　he　was　staring　with　his　mouth　open。

I　kept　moving　for　the　rest　of　that　shift；　unable　to　sit　down　for　more　than　five　minutes　at　a　stretch　before　jumping　up　again。　I　went　over　to　Admin；　and　then　I　tromped　back　and　forth　across　the　empty　exercise　yard　until　the　guards　in　the　towers　must　have　thought　I　was　crazy。　But　by　the　time　my　shift　was　over；　I　was　starting　to　calm　down　again；　and　that　rustle　of　thoughts　in　my　head　…like　a　stirring　of　leaves；　it　was　…　had　pretty　much　quieted　down。

Still；　halfway　home　that　morning；　it　came　back　strong。　The　way　my　urinary　infection　had。　I　had　to　park　my　Ford　by　the　side　of　the　road；　get　out；　and　sprint　nearly　half　a　mile；　head　down；　arms　pumping；　breath　tearing　in　and　out　of　my　throat　as　warm　as　something　that　you've　carried　in　your　armpit。　Then；　at　last；　I　began　to　feel　really　normal。　I　trotted　halfway　back　to　where　the　Ford　was　parked　and　walked　the　rest　of　the　way；　my　breath　steaming　in　the　chilly　air。　When　I　got　home；　I　told　Janice　that　John　Coffey　had　said　he　was　ready；　that　he　wanted　to　go。　She　nodded；　looking　relieved。　Was　she　really？　I　couldn't　say。　Six　hours　before；　even　three；　I　would　have　known；　but　by　then　I　didn't。　And　that　was　good。　John　had　kept　saying　that　he　was　tired；　and　now　I　could　understand　why。　It　would　have　tired　anyone　out；　what　he　had。　Would　have　made　anyone　long　for　rest　and　for　quiet。

When　Janice　as