第50部分(第3/7 頁)

nprehendingly。

〃It's　St。　Christopher；〃　she　said。　〃I　want　you　to　have　it；　Mr。　Coffey；　and　wear　it。　He'll　keep　you　safe。　Please　wear　it。　For　me。〃

John　looked　at　me；　troubled；　and　I　looked　at　Hal；　who　first　spread　his　hands　and　then　nodded。

〃Take　it；　John；〃　I　said。　〃It's　a　present。〃

John　took　it；　slipped　the　chain　around　his　bullneck；　and　dropped　the　St。　Christopher　medallion　into　the　front　of　his　shirt。　He　had　pletely　stopped　coughing　now；　but　I　thought　he　looked　grayer　and　sicker　than　ever。

〃Thank　you；　ma'am；〃　he　said。

〃No；〃　she　replied。　〃Thank　you。　Thank　you；　John　Coffey。〃

9。

I　rode　up　in　the　cab　with　Harry　going　back；　and　was　damned　glad　to　be　there。　The　heater　was　broken；　but　we　were　out　of　the　open　air；　at　least。　We　had　gone　about　ten　miles　when　Harry　spotted　a　little　turnout　and　veered　the　truck　into　it。

〃What　is　it？〃　I　asked。　〃Is　it　a　bearing？〃　To　my　mind；　the　problem　could　have　been　that　or　anything；　every　ponent　of　the　Farmall's　engine　and　transmission　sounded　on　the　verge　of　going　cataclysmically　wrong　or　giving　up　the　ghost　entirely。

〃Nope；〃　Harry　said；　sounding　apologetic。　〃I　got　to　take　a　leak；　is　all。　My　back　teeth　are　floatin。〃

It　turned　out　that　we　all　did；　except　for　John。　When　Brutal　asked　if　he　wouldn't　like　to　step　down　and　help　us　water　the　bushes；　he　just　shook　his　head　without　looking　up。　He　was　leaning　against　the　back　of　the　cab　and　wearing　one　of　the　Army　blankets　over　his　shoulders　like　a　serape。　I　couldn't　get　any　kind　of　read　on　his　plexion；　but　I　could　hear　his　breathing　…　dry　and　raspy；　like　wind　blowing　through　straw。　I　didn't　like　it。

I　walked　into　a　clump　of　willows；　unbuttoned；　and　let　go。　I　was　still　dose　enough　to　my　urinary　infection　so　that　the　body's