第56部分(第1/7 頁)

untry…dumb　as　his　boss。

〃I　know；〃　I　said。

〃And　if　you're　thinking　of　getting　him　a　new　trial　on　the　basis　of　this　one　thing；　you　better　think　again；　senor。　John　Coffey　is　a　Negro；　and　in　Trapingus　County　we're　awful　particular　about　giving　new　trials　to　Negroes。〃

〃I　know　that；　too。〃

〃So　what　are　you　going　to　do？〃

I　pitched　my　cigarette　over　the　porch　rail　and　into　the　street。　Then　I　stood　up。　It　was　going　to　be　a　long；　cold　ride　back　home；　and　the　sooner　I　got　going　the　sooner　the　trip　would　be　done。　〃That　I　wish　I　did　know；　Deputy　McGee；〃　I　said；　〃but　I　don't。　The　only　thing　I　know　tonight　for　a　fact　is　that　second　piece　of　pie　was　a　mistake。〃

〃I'll　tell　you　something；　smart　guy；〃　he　said；　still　speaking　in　that　tone　of　hollow　belligerence。　〃I　don't　think　you　should　have　opened　Pandora's　Box　in　the　first　place。〃

〃It　wasn't　me　opened　it；〃　I　said；　and　then　drove　home。

I　got　there　late　…　after　midnight　…　but　my　wife　was　waiting　up　for　me。　I'd　suspected　she　would　be；　but　it　still　did　my　heart　good　to　see　her；　and　to　have　her　put　her　arms　around　my　neck　and　her　body　nice　and　firm　against　mine。　〃Hello；　stranger；〃　she　said；　and　then　touched　me　down　below。　〃Nothing　wrong　with　this　fellow　now；　is　there？　He's　just　as　healthy　as　can　be。〃

〃Yes　ma'am；〃　I　said；　and　lifted　her　up　in　my　arms。　I　took　her　into　the　bedroom　and　we　made　love　as　sweet　as　sugar；　and　as　I　came　to　my　climax；　that　delicious　feeling　of　going　out　and　letting　go；　I　thought　of　John　Coffey's　endlessly　weeping　eyes。　And　of　Melinda　Moores　saying　I　dreamed　you　were　wandering　in　the　dark；　and　so　was　I。

Still　lying　on　top　of　my　wife；　with　her　arms　around　my　neck　and　our　thighs　together；　I　began　to　weep　myself。

〃Paul！〃　she　said；　shocked　and　a