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第52部分（第1页）

〃And　the　dragons　been　vanquished；〃　I　said。　〃This　time　by　the　lady　fair。〃

She　smiled；　bent；　and　kissed　me　over　the　eyebrow　in　the　sensitive　place　that　always　makes　me　shiver。　〃Well　hope　so；〃　she　said；　〃but　in　my　experience；　dragons　like　Brad　Dolan　are　hard　to　get　rid　of。〃　She　hesitated。　〃Good　luck；　Paul。　I　hope　you　can　vanquish　whatever　it　is　that　has　been　festering　in　you。〃

〃I　hope　so；　too；〃　I　said；　and　thought　of　John　Coffey。　I　couldnt　help　it；　John　had　said。　I　tried；　but　it　was　too　late。

I　ate　the　eggs　shed　brought；　drank　the　juice；　and　pushed　the　toast　aside　for　later。　Then　I　picked　up　my　pen　and　began　to　write　again；　for　what　I　hoped　would　be　the　last　time。

One　last　mile。

A　green　one。

2。

When　we　brought　John　back　to　E　Block　that　night；　the　gurney　was　a　necessity　instead　of　a　luxury。　I　very　much　doubt　if　he　could　have　made　it　the　length　of　the　tunnel　on　his　own；　it　takes　more　energy　to　walk　at　a　crouch　than　it　does　upright；　and　it　was　a　damned　low　ceiling　for　the　likes　of　John　Coffey。　I　didnt　like　to　think　of　him　collapsing　down

there。　How　would　we　explain　that；　on　top　of　trying　to　explain　why　we　had　dressed　Percy　in　the　madmans　dinner…jacket　and　tossed　him　in　the　restraint　room？

But　we　had　the　gurney　…　thank　God　…　and　John　Coffey　lay　on　it　like　a　beached　whale　as　we　pushed　him　back　to　the　storage…room　stairs。　He　got　down　off　it；　staggered；　then　simply　stood　with　his　head　lowered；　breathing　harshly。　His　skin　was　so　gray　he　looked　as　if　hed　been　rolled　in　flour。　I　thought　hed　be　in　the　infirmary　by　noon　。。。　if　he　wasnt　dead　by　noon；　that　was。

Brutal　gave　me　a　grim；　desperate　look。　I　gave　it　right　back。　〃We　cant　carry　him　up；　but　we　can　help　him；〃　I　said。　〃You　under　his　right　arm；　me　under　his　left。〃

〃What　about　me？〃　Harry　asked。

〃Walk　behind　us。　If　he　looks　like　going　over　backward；　shove　him　forward　again。〃

〃And　if　that　dont　work；　kinda　crouch　down　where　you　think　hes　gonna　land　and　soften　the　blow；〃　Brutal　said。

〃Gosh；〃　Harry　said　thinly；　〃you　oughta　go　on　the　Orpheum　Circuit；　Brute；　thats　how　funny　you　are。〃

〃I　got　a　sense　of　humor；　all　right；〃　Brutal　admitted。

In　the　end；　we　did　manage　to　get　John　up　the　stairs。　My　biggest　worry　was　that　he　might　faint；　but　he　didnt。　〃Go　around　me　and　check　to　make　sure　the　storage　rooms　empty；〃　I　gasped　to　Harry。

〃What　should　I　say　if　its　not？〃　Harry　asked；　squeezing　under　my　arm。　〃Avon　calling；；　and　then　pop　back　in　here？〃

〃Dont　be　a　Wisenheimer；〃　Brutal　said。

Harry　eased　the　door　open　a　little　way　and　poked　his　head　through。　It　seemed　to　me　that　he　stayed　that　way　for　a　very　long　time。　At　last　he　pulled　back；　looking　almost　cheerful。　〃Coasts　clear。　And　its　quiet。〃

〃Lets　hope　it　stays　that　way；〃　Brutal　said。　〃e　on；　John　Coffey；　almost　home。〃

He　was　able　to　cross　the　storage　room　under　his　own　power；　but　we　had　to　help　him　up　the　three　steps　to　my　office　and　then　almost　push　him　through　the　little　door。　When　he　got　to　his　feet　again；　he　was　breathing　stertorously；　and　his　eyes　had　a　glassy　sheen。　Also　…　I　noticed　this　with　real　horror　…　the　right　side　of　his　mouth　had　pulled　down；　making　it　look　like　Melindas　had；　when　we　walked　into　her　room　and　saw　her　propped　up　on　her　pillows。

Dean　heard　us　and　came　in　from　the　desk　at　the　head　of　the　Green　Mile。　〃Thank　God！　I　thought　you　were　never　ing　back；　Id　half　made　up　my　mind　you　were　caught；　or　the　Warden　plugged　you；　or…〃　He　broke　off；　really　seeing　John　for　the　first　time。　〃Holy　cats；　whats　wrong　with　him？　He　looks　like　hes　dying！〃

〃Hes　not　dying　。。。　are　you；　John　？〃　Brutal　said。　His　eyes　flashed　Dean　a　warning。

〃Course　not；　I　didnt　mean　actually　dyin〃　…　Dean　gave　a　nervous　little　laugh　…　〃but；　jeepers　。　。〃

〃Never　mind；〃　I　said。　〃Help　us　get　him　back　to　his　cell。〃

Once　again　we　were　foothills　surrounding　a　mountain；　but　now　it　was　a　mountain　that　had　suffered　a　few　million　years；　worth　of　erosion；　one　that　was　blunted　and　sad。　John　Coffey　moved　slowly；　breathing　through　his　mouth　like　an　old　man　who　smoked　too　much；　but　at　least　he　moved。

〃What　about　Percy？〃　I　asked。　〃Has　he　been　kicking　up　a　ruckus？〃

〃Some　at　the　start；〃　Dean　said。　〃Trying　to　yell　through　the　tape　you　put　over　his　mouth。　Cursing；　I　believe。〃

〃Mercy　me；〃　Brutal　said。　〃A　good　thing　our　tender　ears　were　elsewhere。〃

〃Since　then；　just　a　mulekick　at　the　door　every　once　in　awhile；　you　know。〃　Dean　was　so　relieved　to　see　us　that　he　was　babbling。　His　glasses　slipped　down　to　the　end　of　his　nose；　which　was　shiny　with　sweat；　and　he　pushed　them　back　up。　We　passed　Whartons　cell。　That　worthless　young　man　was　flat　on　his　back；　snoring　like　a　sousaphone。　His　eyes　were　shut　this　time；　all　right。

Dean　saw　me　looking　and　laughed。