第21部分(第4/8 頁)

tten　so　far　and　just　quit　on　it。

What　she　said　was　〃Don't　let　this　stop　you！〃

I　gawped　at　her。

〃Close　your　mouth；　Paul　…　you'll　catch　a　fly。〃

〃Sorry。　It's　just　that　。。。　well　。　。　。〃

〃You　thought　I　was　going　to　tell　you　just　the　opposite；　didn't　you？〃

〃Yes。　〃

She　took　my　hands　in　hers　（gently；　so　gently　…　her　long　and　beautiful　fingers；　her　bunched　and　ugly　knuckles）　and　leaned　forward；　fixing　my　blue　eyes　with　her　hazel　ones；　the　left　slightly　dimmed　by　the　mist　of　a　coalescing　cataract。　〃I　may　be　too　old　and　brittle　to　live；〃　she　said；　〃but　I'm　not　too　old　to　think。　What's　a　few　sleepless　nights　at　our　age？　What's　seeing　a　ghost　on　the　TV；　for　that　matter？　Are　you　going　to　tell　me　it's　the　only　one　you've　ever　seen？〃

I　thought　about　Warden　Moores；　and　Harry　Terwilliger；　and　Brutus　Howell；　I　thought　about　MY　mother；　and　about　Jan；　my　wife；　who　died　in　Alabama。　I　knew　about　ghosts；　all　right。

〃No；〃　I　said。　〃It　wasn't　the　first　ghost　I've　ever　seen。　But　Elaine　…　it　was　a　shock。　Because　it　was　him。〃

She　kissed　me　again；　then　stood　up；　wincing　as　she　did　so　and　pressing　the　heels　of　her　hands　to　the　tops　of　her　hips；　as　if　she　were　afraid　they　might　actually　explode　out　through　her　skin　if　she　wasn't　very　careful。

〃I　think　I've　changed　my　mind　about　the　television；〃　she　said。　〃I've　got　an　extra　pill　that　I've　been　keeping　for　a　rainy　day　。。。　or　night。　I　think　I'll　take　it　and　go　back　to　bed。　Maybe　you　sho