第49部分(第2/7 頁)

hulking　black　man　in　the　prison　overall　and　the　small　dying　white　woman。　She　stared　into　John's　eyes　with　shining　fascination。

〃Ma'am？〃

〃Yes；　John　Coffey？〃　The　words　barely　breathed；　barely　slipping　to　us　on　the　bad…smelling；　air。　I　felt　the　muscles　bunching　on　my　arms　and　legs　and　back。　Somewhere；　far　away；　I　could　feel　the　warden　clutching　my　arm；　and　to　the　side　of　my　vision　I　could　see　Harry　and　Brutal　with　their　arms　around　each　other；　like　little　kids　lost　in　the　night。　Something　was　going　to　happen。　Something　big。　We　each　felt　it　in　our　own　way。

John　Coffey　bent　closer　to　her。　The　springs　of　the　bed　creaked；　the　bedclothes　rustled；　and　the　coldly　smiling　moon　looked　in　through　an　upper　pane　of　the　bedroom　window。　Coffey's　bloodshot　eyes　searched　her　upturned　haggard　face。

〃O；　I　see　it；〃　he　said。　Speaking　not　to　her　…　I　don't　think　so；　anyway　…　but　to　himself。　〃I　see　it；　and　I　can　help。　Hold　still　。。。　hold　right　still　。。　。〃

Closer　he　bent；　and　closer　still。　For　a　moment　his　huge　face　stopped　less　than　two　inches　from　hers。　He　raised　one　hand　off　to　the　side；　fingers　splayed；　as　if　telling　something　to　wait　。。。　just　wait　。。。　and　then　he　lowered　his　face　again。　His　broad；　smooth　lips　pressed　against　hers　and　forced　them　open。　For　a　moment　I　could　see　one　of　her　eyes；　staring　up　past　Coffey；　filling　with　an　expression　of　what　seemed　to　be　surprise。　Then　his　smooth　bald　head　moved；　and　that　was　gone；　too。

There　was　a　soft　whistling　sound　as　he　inhaled　the　air　which　lay　deep　within　her　lungs。　That　was　all　for　a　second　or　two；　and　then　the　floor　moved　under　us　and　the　whole　house　moved　around　us。　It　wasn't　my　imagination；　they　all　felt　it；　they　all　remarked　on　it　later。　It　was　a　kind　of　rippling　thump。　There　was　a　crash　as　somet