第46部分(第1/7 頁)

d　under　the　hollows　of　his　eyes　and　the　tip　of　his　tongue　lolling　out。

〃Christ；　how'd　he　get　up　with　so　much　dope　in　him？〃　Dean　whispered。

〃It　doesn't　matter；　he's　out　now；〃　I　said。　〃If　he　starts　to　e　around；　give　him　another　pill　dissolved　in　a　glass　of　water。　No　more　than　one；　though。　We　don't　want　to　kill　him。〃

〃Speak　for　yourself；〃　Brutal　rumbled；　and　gave　Wharton　a　contemptuous　look。　〃You　can't　kill　a　monkey　like　him　with　dope；　anyway。　They　thrive　on　it。〃

〃He's　a　bad　man；〃　Coffey　said；　but　in　a　lower　voice　this　time；　as　if　he　was　not　quite　sure　of　what　he　was　saying；　or　what　it　meant。

〃That's　right；〃。　Brutal　said。　〃Most　wicked。　But　that's　not　a　problem　now；　because　we　ain't　going　to　tango　with　him　anymore。〃　We　started　walking　again；　the　four　of　us　surrounding　Coffey　like　worshippers　circling　an　idol　that's　e　to　some　stumbling　kind　of　half　life。　〃Tell　me　something；　John　…　do　you　know　where　we're　taking　you？〃

〃To　help；〃　he　said。　〃I　think　。。。　to　help　。。。　a　lady？〃　He　looked　at　Brutal　with　hopeful　anxiety。

Brutal　nodded。　〃That's　right。　But　how　do　you　know　that？　How　do　you　know？〃

John　Coffey　considered　the　question　carefully；　then　shook　his　head。　〃I　don't　know；〃　he　told　Brutal。　〃To　tell　you　the　truth；　boss；　I　don't　know　much　of　anything。　Never　have。〃

And　with　that　we　had　to　be　content。

6。

I　had　known　the　little　door　between　the　office　and　the　steps　down　to　the　storage　room　hadn't　been　built　with　the　likes　of　Coffey　in　mind；　but　I　hadn't　realized　how　great　the　disparity　was　until　he　stood　before　it；　looking　at　it　thoughtfully。

Harry　laughed；　but　John　himself　seemed　to　see　no　humor　in　the　big　man　standing　in　front　of　the　little　door。　He　wouldn't　have；　of　course；　even　if　he'd　been　quite