第42部分(第3/7 頁)

I　examined　my　heart　as　well　as　I　could　one　final　time；　then　nodded　my　head。　Not　only　did　I　know　it　now；　there　was　an　intuitive　part　of　me　that　had　known　something　wasn't　right　with　John　Coffey's　situation　from　the　very　beginning；　when　Percy　had　e　onto　the　block　hauling　on　Coffey's　arm　and　blaring　〃Dead　man　walking！　…　at　the　top　of　his　lungs。　I　had　shaken　hands　with　him；　hadn't　I？　I　had　never　shaken　the　hand　of　a　man　ing　on　the　Green　Mile　before；　but　I　had　shaken　Coffey's。

〃Jesus；〃　Dean　said。　〃Good　Jesus　Christ。〃

〃Your　shoe's　one　thing；〃　Harry　said。　〃What's　the　other？〃

〃Not　long　before　the　posse　found　Coffey　and　the　girls；　the　men　came　out　of　the　woods　near　the　south　bank　of　the　Trapingus　River。　They　found　a　patch　of　flattened…down　grass　there；　a　lot　of　blood；　and　the　rest　of　Cora　Detterick's　nightie。　The　dogs　got　confused　for　a　bit。　Most　wanted　to　go　southeast；　downstream　along　the　bank。　But　two　of　them…the　coon…dogs　…　wanted　to　go　upstream。　〃Bobo　Marchant　was　running　the　dogs；　and　when　he　save　the　coonies　a　sniff　of　the　nightgown；　they　turned　with　the　others。〃

〃The　coonies　got　mixed　up；　didn't　they？〃　Brutal　asked。　A　strange；　sickened　little　smile　was　playing　around　the　corners　of　his　mouth。　〃They　ain't　built　to　be　trackers；　strictly　speaking　；　and　they　got　mixed　up　on　what　their　job　was。〃

'Yes。

〃I　don't　get　it；〃　Dean　said。

〃The　coonies　forgot　whatever　it　was　Bobo　ran　under　their　noses　to　get　them　started；〃　Brutal　said。　〃By　the　time　they　came　out　on　the　riverbank；　the　coonies　were　tracking　the　killer；　not　the　girls。　That　wasn't　a　problem　as　long　as　the　killer　and　the　girls　were　together；　but　。。。〃

The　light　was　dawning　in　Dean's　eyes。　Harry　had　already　gotten　it。

〃When　you　think　about　it；〃　I　said；　〃yo