第59部分(第5/7 頁)

ubted　it　…　but　there　were　no　tears　this　time；　because　he　had　a　wife　to　go　home　to；　his　panion　to　go　home　to；　and　she　was　fine。　Thanks　to　John　Coffey；　she　was　well　and　fine　and　the　man　who　had　signed　John　's　death　warrant　could　leave　and　go　to　her。　He　didn't　have　to　watch　what　came　next。　He　would　be　able　to　sleep　that　night　in　his　wife's　warmth　while　John　Coffey　lay　on　a　slab　in　the　basement　of　County　Hospital；　growing　cool　as　the　friendless；　speechless　hours　moved　toward　dawn。　And　I　hated　Hal　for　those　things。　Just　a　little；　and　I'd　get　over　it；　but　it　was　hate；　all　right。　The　genuine　article。

Now　I　stepped　into　the　cell；　followed　by　Dean　and　Harry；　both　of　them　pale　and　downcast。　〃Are　you　ready；　John　？〃　I　asked。

He　nodded。　〃Yes；　boss。　Guess　so。〃

〃All　right；　then。　I　got　a　piece　to　say　before　we　go　out。〃

〃You　say　what　you　need　to；　boss。〃

〃John　Coffey；　as　an　officer　of　the　court。。。〃

I　said　it　right　to　the　end；　and　when　I'd　finished；　Harry　Terwilliger　stepped　up　beside　me　and　held　out　his　hand。　John　looked　surprised　for　a　moment；　then　smiled　and　shook　it。　Dean；　looking　paler　than　ever；　offered　his　next。　〃You　deserve　better　than　this；　Johnny〃　he　said　hoarsely。　〃I'm　sorry。〃

〃I　be　all　right〃；　John　said。　〃This　the　hard　part；　I　be　all　right　in　a　little　while。〃　He　got　up；　and　the　St。　Christopher's　medal　Melly　had　given　him　swung　free　of　his　shirt。

〃John；　I　ought　to　have　that〃；　I　said。　〃I　can　put　it　back　on　you　after　the。。。　after；　if　you　want；　but　I　should　take　it　for　now。〃　It　was　silver；　and　if　it　was　lying　against　his　skin　when　Jack　Van　Hay　switched　on　the　juice；　it　might　fuse　itself　into　his　skin。　Even　if　it　didn't　do　that；　it　was　apt　to　electroplate；　leaving　a　kind　of　charred　photograph　of　itself　on　the　skin　of　his　chest