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第60部分（第1页）

I　started　to　get　up；　and　John　caught　my　arm。　He　gave　me　a　look　that　was　both　timid　and　hopeful。　〃I　member　a　prayer　someone　taught　me　when　I　us　little〃；　he　said。　〃At　least　I　think　I　do。　Can　I　say　it？〃

〃You　go　right　on　and　do　her〃；　Dean　said。　〃Lots　of　time　yet；　John　。〃

John　closed　his　eyes　and　frowned　with　concentration。　I　expected　now…I…lay…me…down…to…sleep；　or　maybe　a　garbled　version　of　the　Lords　prayer；　but　I　got　neither；　I　had　never　heard　what　he　came　out　with　before；　and　have　never　heard　it　again；　not　that　either　the　sentiments　or　expressions　were　particularly　unusual。　Holding　his　hands　up　in　front　of　his　closed　eyes；　John　Coffey　said：　〃Baby　Jesus；　meek　and　mild；　pray　for　me；　an　orphan　child。　Be　my　strength；　be　my　friend；　be　with　me　until　the　end。　Amen。〃　He　opened　his　eyes；　started　to　get　up；　then　looked　at　me　closely。

I　wipe　my　arm　across　my　eyes。　As　I　listened　to　him；　I　had　been　thinking　about　Del；　he　had　wanted　to　pray　one　more　at　the　end；　too。　Holy　Mary；　mother　of　God；　pray　for　us　sinners　now；　and　at　the　hour　of　our　death。　〃Sorry；　John　。〃

〃Dont　be〃；　he　said。　He　squeezed　my　arm　and　smiled。　And　then；　as　Id　thought　he　might　have　to　do；　he　helped　me　to　my　feet。

10。

There　werent　many　witnesses　…　maybe　fourteen　in　all；　half　the　number　that　had　been　in　the　storage　room　for　the　Delacroix　execution。　Homer　Cribus　was　there；　overflowing　his　chair　as　per　usual；　but　I　didnt　see　Deputy　McGee。　Like　Warden　Moores；　he　had　apparently　decided　to　give　this　one　a　miss。

Sitting　in　the　front　row　was　an　elderly　couple　I　didnt　recognize　at　first；　even　though　I　had　seen　their　pictures　in　a　good　many　newspaper　articles　by　that　day　in　the　third　week　of　November。　Then；　as　we　neared　the　platform　where　Old　Sparky　waited；　the　woman　spat；　〃Die　slow；　you　son　of　a　bitch！〃　and　I　realized　they　were　the　Dettericks；　Klaus　and　Marjorie。　I　hadnt　recognized　them　because　you　dont　often　see　elderly　people　who　havent　yet　climbed　out　of　their　thirties。

John　hunched　his　shoulders　at　the　sound　of　the　womans　voice　and　Sheriff　Cribuss　grunt　of　approval。　Hank　Bitterman；　who　had　the　guard…post　near　the　front　of　the　meager　group　of　spectators；　never　took　his　eyes　off　Klaus　Detterick。　That　was　per　my　orders；　but　Detterick　never　made　a　move　in　John　s　direction　that　night。　Detterick　seemed　to　be　on　some　other　pla。

Brutal；　standing　beside　Old　Sparky；　gave　me　a　small　finger…tilt　as　we　stepped　up　onto　the　platform。　He　holstered　his　sidearm　and　took　John　s　wrist；　escorting　him　toward　the　electric　chair　as　gently　as　a　boy　leading　his　date　out　onto　the　floor　for　their　first　dance　as　a　couple。

〃Everything　all　right；　John　？〃　he　asked　in　a　low　voice。

〃Yes；　boss；　but。　。　。〃　His　eyes　were　moving　from　side　to　side　in　their　sockets；　and　for　the　first　time　he　looked　and　sounded　scared。　〃But　theys　a　lot　of　folks　here　hate　me。　A　lot。　I　can　feel　it。　Hurts。　Bores　in　like　bee…stings　an；　hurts。〃

〃Feel　how　we　feel；　then；〃　Brutal　said　in　that　same　low　voice。　〃We　dont　hate　you　…　can　you　feel　that？〃

〃Yes；　boss。〃　But　his　voice　was　trembling　worse　now；　and　his　eyes　had　begun　to　leak　their　slow　tears　again。

〃Kill　him　twice；　you　boys！〃　Marjorie　Detterick　suddenly　screamed。　Her　ragged；　strident　voice　was　like　a　slap。　John　cringed　against　me　and　moaned。　〃You　go　on　and　kill　that　raping　baby…killer　twice；　thatd　be　just　fine！〃

Klaus；　still　looking　like　a　man　dreaming　awake；　pulled　her　against　his　shoulder。　She　began　to　sob。

I　saw　with　dismay　that　Harry　Terwilliger　was　crying；　too。　So　far　none　of　the　spectators　had　seen　his　tears　…　his　back　was　to　them　…　but　he　was　crying；　all　right。　Still；　what　could　we　do？　Besides　push　on　with　it；　I　mean？

Brutal　and　I　turned　John　around。　Brutal　pressed　on　one　of　the　big　mans　shoulders　and　John　sat。　He　gripped　Sparkys　wide　oak　arms；　his　eyes　moving　from　side　to　side；　his　tongue　darting　out　to　wet　first　one　corner　of　his　mouth；　then　the　other。

Harry　and　I　dropped　to　our　knees。　The　day　before；　wed　had　one　of　the　shop…trusties　weld　temporary　flexible　extensions　to　the　chairs　ankle　clamps；　because　John　Coffeys　ankles　were　nigh　on　the　size　of　an　ordinary　fellows　calves。　Still；　I　had　a　nightmarish　moment　when　I　thought　they　were　still　going　to　e　up　small；　and　wed　have　to　take　him　back　to　his　cell　while　Sam　Broderick；　who　was　head　of　the　shop　guys　in　those　days；　was　found　and　tinkered　some　more。　I　gave　a　final；　extra…hard　shove　with　the　heels　of　my　hands　and　the　clamp　on　my　side　closed。　John　s　leg　jerked　and　he　gasped。　I　had　pinched　him。

〃Sorry；　John　；〃　I　murmured；　and　glanced　at　Harry。　He　had　gotten　his　clamp　fixed　more　easily　（either　the　extension　on　his　side　was　a　little　bigger　or　John　s　right　calf　was　a　little　smaller）；　but　he　was　looking　at　the　result　with　a　doubtful　expression。　I　guessed　I　could　understand　why；　the　modified　clamps　had　a　hungry　look；　their　jaws　seeming　to　gape　like　the　mouths　of　alligators。

〃Itll　be　all　right〃；　I　said；　hoping　that　I　sounded　convincing　。。。　and　that　I　was　telling　the　truth。　〃Wipe　your　face；　Harry。〃