第52部分(第1/7 頁)

〃And　the　dragon's　been　vanquished；〃　I　said。　〃This　time　by　the　lady　fair。〃

She　smiled；　bent；　and　kissed　me　over　the　eyebrow　in　the　sensitive　place　that　always　makes　me　shiver。　〃We'll　hope　so；〃　she　said；　〃but　in　my　experience；　dragons　like　Brad　Dolan　are　hard　to　get　rid　of。〃　She　hesitated。　〃Good　luck；　Paul。　I　hope　you　can　vanquish　whatever　it　is　that　has　been　festering　in　you。〃

〃I　hope　so；　too；〃　I　said；　and　thought　of　John　Coffey。　I　couldn't　help　it；　John　had　said。　I　tried；　but　it　was　too　late。

I　ate　the　eggs　she'd　brought；　drank　the　juice；　and　pushed　the　toast　aside　for　later。　Then　I　picked　up　my　pen　and　began　to　write　again；　for　what　I　hoped　would　be　the　last　time。

One　last　mile。

A　green　one。

2。

When　we　brought　John　back　to　E　Block　that　night；　the　gurney　was　a　necessity　instead　of　a　luxury。　I　very　much　doubt　if　he　could　have　made　it　the　length　of　the　tunnel　on　his　own；　it　takes　more　energy　to　walk　at　a　crouch　than　it　does　upright；　and　it　was　a　damned　low　ceiling　for　the　likes　of　John　Coffey。　I　didn't　like　to　think　of　him　collapsing　down

there。　How　would　we　explain　that；　on　top　of　trying　to　explain　why　we　had　dressed　Percy　in　the　madman's　dinner…jacket　and　tossed　him　in　the　restraint　room？

But　we　had　the　gurney　…　thank　God　…　and　John　Coffey　lay　on　it　like　a　beached　whale　as　we　pushed　him　back　to　the　storage…room　stairs。　He　got　down　off　it；　staggered；　then　simply　stood　with　his　head　lowered；　breathing　harshly。　His　skin　was　so　gray　he　looked　as　if　he'd　been　rolled　in　flour。　I　thought　he'd　be　in　the　infirmary　by　noon　。。。　if　he　wasn't　dead　by　noon；　that　was。

Brutal　gave　me　a　grim；　desperate　look。　I　gave　it　right　back。　〃We　can't　carry　him　up；　but　we　can　help　him；〃　I　said。　〃You　under　his　right　arm；　me　un