第58部分(第4/7 頁)

like　that　night　for　dinner；　John　？　We　can　rustle　you　up　most　anything。　Even　bring　you　a　beer；　if　you　want。　just　have　to　put　her　in　a　coffee　cup；　that's　all。〃

〃Never　got　the　taste〃；　he　said。

〃Something　special　to　eat；　then？〃

His　brow　creased　below　that　expanse　of　clean　brown　skull。　Then　the　lines　smoothed　out　and　he　smiled。　〃Meatloaf'd　be　good。〃

〃Meatloaf　it　is。　With　gravy　and　mashed。〃　I　felt　a　tingle　like　you　get　in　your　arm　when　you've　slept　on　it；　except　this　one　was　all　over　my　body。　In　my　body。　〃What　else　to　go　with　it？〃

〃Dunno；　boss。　Whatever　you　got；　I　guess。　Okra；　maybe；　but　I's　not　picky。〃

〃All　right〃；　I　said；　and　thought　he　would　also　have　Mrs。　Janice　Edgebe's　peach　cobbler　for　dessert。　〃Now；　what　about　a　preacher？　Someone　you　could　say　a　little　prayer　with；　night　after　next？　It　forts　a　man；　so　I've　seen　that　many　times。　I　could　get　in　touch　with　Reverend　Schuster；　he's　the　man　who　came　when　Del　…　〃

〃Don't　want　no　preacher〃；　John　said。　〃You　been　good　to　me；　boss。　You　can　say　a　prayer；　if　you　want。　That'd　be　all　right。　I　could　get　kneebound　with　you　a　bit；　I　guess。〃

〃Me！　John　；　I　couldn't　…　〃

He　pressed　down　on　my　hands　a　little；　and　that　feeling　got　stronger。　〃You　could；〃　he　said。　〃Couldn't　you；　boss？〃

〃I　suppose　so〃；　I　heard　myself　say。　My　voice　seemed　to　have　developed　an　echo。　〃I　suppose　I　could；　if　it　came　to　that。〃

The　feeling　was　strong　inside　me　by　then；　and　it　was　like　before；　when　he'd　cured　my　waterworks；　but　it　was　different；　too。　And　not　just　because　there　was　nothing　wrong　with　me　this　time。　It　was　different　because　this　time　he　didn't　know　he　was　doing　it。　Suddenly　I　was　terrified；　almost　choked　with　a　need　to　get　out　of　there。　Lights　were　going　on　inside　me　where　there　h