第50部分(第2/7 頁)

　do　this？〃　Then　he　shook　his　head；　as　if　realizing　for　himself　that　this　wasn't　the　time。　〃Paul　。。。　thank　you。〃

〃Don't　thank　me；〃　I　said。　〃Thank　John。〃

He　looked　at　John　Coffey；　then　put　out　one　hand　…　just　as　I　had　done　on　the　day　Harry　and　Percy　escorted　John　onto　the　block。　〃Thank　you。　Thank　you　so　much。〃

John　looked　at　the　hand。　Brutal　threw　a　none…too…subtle　elbow　into　his　side。　John　started；　then　took　the　hand　and　gave　it　a　shake。　Up；　down；　back　to　center；　release。　〃Wele；〃　he　said　in　a　hoarse　voice。　It　sounded　to　me　like　Melly's　when　she　had　clapped　her　hands　and　told　John　to　pull　down　his　pants。　〃Wele；〃　he　said　to　the　man　who　would；　in　the　ordinary　course　of　things；　grasp　a　pen　with　that　hand　and　then　sign　John　Coffey's　execution　order　with　it。

Harry　tapped　the　face　of　his　watch；　more　urgently　this　time。

〃Brute？〃　I　said。　〃Ready？〃

〃Hello；　Brutus；〃　Melinda　said　in　a　cheerful　voice；　as　if　noticing　him　for　the　first　time。　〃It's　good　to　see　you。　Would　you　gentlemen　like　tea？　Would　you；　Hal？　I　could　make　it。〃　She　got　up　again。　〃I've　been　ill；　but　I　feel　fine　now。　Better　than　I　have　in　years。〃

〃Thank　you；　Missus　Moores；　but　we　have　to　go；〃　Brutal　said。　〃It's　past　John's　bedtime。〃　He　smiled　to　show　it　was　a　joke；　but　the　look　he　gave　John　was　as　anxious　as　I　felt。

〃Well　。。。　if　you're　sure

〃Yes；　ma'am。　e　on；　John　Coffey。〃　He　tugged　John's　arm　to　get　him　going；　and　John　went。

〃Just　a　minute！〃　Melinda　shook　free　of　Hal's　hand　and　ran　as　lightly　as　a　girl　to　where　John　stood。　She　put　her　arms　around　him　and　gave　him　another　hug。　Then　she　reached　around　to　the　nape　of　her　neck　and　pulled　a　fine…link　chain　out　of　her　bodice。　At　the　end　of　it　was　a　silver　medallion。　She　held　it　out　to　John；　who　looked　at　it　u