乐文小说网

第61部分（第2页）

I　held　out　the　rest　of　the　manuscript；　remembering　again　how　John　had　touched　me；　there　in　his　cell。

You　wont　splode；　hed　said；　smiling　a　bit　at　the　very　idea；　and　I　hadnt　。。。　but　something　had　happened　to　me；　all　the　same。　Something　lasting。

〃Read　the　rest　of　it〃；　I　said。　〃What　answers　I　have　are　in　there。〃

〃All　right〃；　she　almost　whispered。　〃Im　a　little　afraid　to；　I　cant　lie　about　that；　but　。。。　all　right。　Where　will　you　be？〃

I　stood　up；　stretched；　listened　to　my　spine　crackle　in　my　back。　One　thing　that　I　knew　for　sure　was　that　I　was　sick　to　death　of　the　sunroom。　〃Out　on　the　croquet　course。　Theres　still　something　I　want　to　show　you；　and　its　in　that　direction。〃

〃Is　it　。。。　scary？〃　In　her　timid　look　I　saw　the　little　girl　she　had　been　back　when　men　wore　straw　boaters　in　the　summer　and　raccoon　coats　in　the　winter。

〃No〃；　I　said；　smiling。　〃Not　scary。〃

〃All　right。〃　She　took　the　pages。　〃Im　going　to　take　these　down　to　my　room。　Ill　see　you　out　on　the　croquet　course　around。。。〃　She　riffled　the　manuscript；　estimating。　〃Four？　Is　that　all　right？〃

〃Perfect；〃　I　said；　thinking　of　the　too…curious　Brad　Dolan。　He　would　be　gone　by　then。

She　reached　out；　gave　my　arm　a　little　squeeze；　and　left　the　room。　I　stood　where　I　was　for　a　moment；　looking　down　at　the　table；　taking　in　the　fact　that　it　was　bare　again　except　for　the　breakfast　tray　Elaine　had　brought　me　that　morning；　my　scattered　papers　at　last　gone。　I　somehow　couldnt　believe　I　was　done　。。。　and　as　you　can　see；　since　all　this　was　written　after　I　recorded　John　Coffeys　execution　and　gave　the　last　batch　of　pages　to　Elaine；　I　was　not。　And　even　then；　part　of　me　knew　why。

Alabama。

I　filched　the　last　piece　of　cold　toast　off　the　tray；　went　downstairs；　and　out　onto　the　croquet　course。　There　I　sat　in　the　sun；　watching　half　a　dozen　pairs　and　one　slow　but　cheerful　foursome　pass　by　waving　their　mallets；　thinking　my　old　mans　thoughts　and　letting　the　sun　warm　my　old　mans　bones。

Around　two…forty…five；　the　three…to…eleven　shift　started　to　trickle　in　from　the　parking　lot；　and　at　three；　the　day…shift　folks　left。　Most　were　in　groups；　but　Brad　Dolan；　I　saw；　was　walking　alone。　That　was　sort　of　a　happy　sight；　maybe　the　world　hasnt　gone　entirely　to　hell；　after　all。　One　of　his　joke…books　was　sticking　out　of　his　back　pocket。　The　path　to　the　parking　lot　goes　by　the　croquet　course；　so　he　saw　me　there；　but　he　didnt　give　me　either　a　wave　or　a　scowl。　That　was　fine　by　me。　He　got　into　his　old　Chevrolet　with　the　bumper　sticker　reading　I　HAVE　SEEN　GOD　AND　HIS　NAME　IS　NEWT。　Then　he　was　gone　to　wherever　he　goes　when　he　isnt　here；　laying　a　thin　trail　of　discount　motor　oil　behind。

Around　four　oclock；　Elaine　joined　me；　just　as　she　had　promised。　From　the　look　of　her　eyes；　shed　done　a　little　more　crying。　She　put　her　arms　around　me　and　hugged　me　tight。　〃Poor　John　Coffey〃；　she　said。　〃And　poor　Paul　Edgebe；　too。〃

Poor　Paul；　I　heard　Jan　saying。　Poor　old　guy。

Elaine　began　to　cry　again。　I　held　her；　there　on　the　croquet　course　in　the　late　sunshine。　Our　shadows　looked　as　if　they　were　dancing。　Perhaps　in　the　Make　Believe　Ballroom　we　used　to　listen　to　on　the　radio　back　in　those　days。

At　last　she　got　herself　under　control　and　drew　back　from　me。　She　found　a　Kleenex　in　her　blouse　pocket　and　wiped　her　streaming　eyes　with　it。　〃What　happened　to　the　Wardens　wife；　Paul？　What　happened　with　Melly？〃

〃She　was　considered　the　marvel　of　the　age；　at　least　by　the　doctors　at　Indianola　Hospital；〃　I　said。　I　took　her　arm　and　we　began　to　walk　toward　the　path　which　led　away　from　the　employees；　parking　lot　and　into　the　woods。　Toward　the　shed　down　by　the　wall　between　Georgia　Pines　and　the　world　of　younger　people。　〃She　died　…　of　a　heart　attack；　not　a　brain　tumor　…　ten　or　eleven　years　later。　In　forty…three；　I　think。　Hal　died　of　a　stroke　right　around　Pearl　Harbor　Day…could　have　been　on　Pearl　Harbor　Day；　for　all　I　remember　…　so　she　outlived　him　by　two　years。　Sort　of　ironic。〃

〃And　Janice？〃

〃Im　not　quite　prepared　for　that　today〃；　I　said。　〃Ill　tell　you　another　time。〃

〃Promise？〃

〃Promise。〃　But　that　was　one　I　never　kept。　Three　months　after　the　day　we　walked　down　into　the　woods　together　（I　would　have　held　her　hand；　if　I　hadnt　been　afraid　of　hurting　her　bunched　and　swollen　fingers）；　Elaine　Connelly　died　quietly　in　her　bed。　As　with　Melinda　Moores；　death　came　as　the　result　of　a　heart　attack。　The　orderly　who　found　her　said　she　looked　peaceful；　as　if　it　had　e　suddenly　and　without　much　pain。　I　hope　he　was　right　about　that。　I　loved　Elaine。　And　I　miss　her。　Her　and　Janice　and　Brutal　and　just　all　of　them。

We　reached　the　second　shed　on　the　path；　the　one　down　by　the　wall。　It　stood　back　in　a　bower　of　scrub　pines；　its　sagging　roof　and　boarded…over　windows　laced　and　dappled　with　shadows。　I　started　toward　it。　Elaine　hung　back　a　moment；　looking　fearful。

〃Its　all　right；〃　I　said。　〃Really。　e　on。〃

There　was　no　latch　on　the　door　…　there　had　been　once；　but　it　had　been　torn　away　…　and　so　I　used　a　folded…over　square　of　cardboard　to　wedge　it　shut。　I　pulled　it　free　now；　and　stepped　into　the　shed。　I　left　the　door　as　wide　open　as　it　would　go；　because　it　was　dark　inside。

〃Paul；　what？　。。。　Oh。　Oh！〃　That　second　〃oh〃　was　just　shy　of　a　scream。

There　was　a　table　pushed　off　to　one　side。　On　it　was　a　flashlight　and　a　brown　paper　bag。　On　the　dirty　floor　was　a　Hav…A…Tampa　cigar　box　Id　gotten　from　the　concession　man　who　refills　the　homes　soft…drink　and　candy　machines。　Id　asked　him　for　it　special；　and　since　his　pany　also　sells　tobacco　products；　it　was　easy　for　him　to　get。　I　offered　to　pay　him　for　it　…　they　were　valuable　modities　when　I　worked　at　Cold　Mountain；　as　I　may　have　told　you　…　but　he　just　laughed　me　off。

Peering　over　the　edge　of　it　were　a　pair　of　bright　little　oilspot　eyes。

〃Mr。　Jingles；〃　I　said　in　a　low　voice。　〃e　over　here。　e　on

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