第47部分(第2/7 頁)

d　spread…legged　in　the　middle　of　the　truckbed　head　cocked　up　at　the　stars　again；　smiling　broadly；　unmindful　of　the　boughs　that　whipped　at　him　as　Harry　turned　his　truck　toward　the　highway。　〃Look；　boss！〃　he　cried　in　a　low；　rapturous　voice；　pointing　up　into　the　black　night。　〃It's　Cassie；　the　lady　in　the　rockin　chair！〃

He　was　right；　I　could　see　her　in　the　lane　of　stars　between　the　dark　bulk　of　the　passing　trees。　But　it　wasn't　Cassiopeia　I　thought　of　when　he　spoke　of　the　lady　in　the　rocking　chair；　it　was　Melinda　Moores。

〃I　see　her；　John；〃　I　said；　and　tugged　on　his　arm。　〃But　you　have　to　sit　down　now；　all　right？〃

He　sat　with　his　back　against　the　cab；　never　taking　his　eyes　off　the　night　sky。　On　his　face　was　a　look　of　sublime　unthinking　happiness。　The　Green　Mile　fell　farther　behind　us　with　each　revolution　of　the　Farmall's　bald　tires；　and　for　the　time　being；　at　least；　the　seemingly　endless　flow　of　John　Coffey's　tears　had　stopped。

7。

It　was　twenty…five　miles　to　Hal　Moores's　house　on　Chimney　Ridge；　and　in　Harry　Terwilliger's　slow　and　rattly　farm　truck；　the　trip　took　over　an　hour。　It　was　an　eerie　ride；　and　although　it　seems　to　me　now　that　every　moment　of　it　is　still　etched　in　my　memory　…　every　turn；　every　bump；　every　dip；　the　scary　times　（two　of　them）　when　trucks　passed　us　going　the　other　way　…　I　don't　think　I　could　e　even　close　to　describing　how　I　felt；　sitting　back　there　with　John　Coffey；　both　of　us　bundled　up　like　Indians　in　the　old　blankets　Harry　had　been　thoughtful　enough　to　bring　along。

It　was；　most　of　all；　a　sense　of　lostness　…　the　deep　and　terrible　ache　a　child　feels　when　he　realizes　he　has　gone　wrong　somewhere；　all　the　landmarks　are　strange；　and　he　no　longer　knows　how　to　find　his　way　home。　I　was　out　in　the　night　with　a　prisoner　…　no