第46部分(第3/8 頁)

rst　he　wouldn't　go；　and　I　might　as　well　have　been　trying　to　pull　a　boulder　out　of　the　ground　with　my　bare　hands。

〃e　on；　John；　we　gotta　go；　'less　you　want　the　coach…and…four　to　turn　back　into　a　pumpkin；〃　Harry　said；　giving　his　nervous　laugh　again。　He　took　John's　other　arm　and　tugged；　but　John　still　wouldn't　e。　And　then　he　said　something　in　a　low　and　dreaming　voice。　It　wasn't　me　he　was　speaking　to；　it　wasn't　any　of　us；　but　I　have　still　never　forgotten　it。

〃They're　still　in　there。　Pieces　of　them；　still　in　there。　I　hear　them　screaming。〃

Harry's　nervous　chuckles　ceased；　leaving　him　with　a　smile　that　hung　on　his　mouth　like　a　crooked　shutter　hangs　on　an　empty　house。　Brutal　gave　me　a　look　that　was　almost　terrified；　and　stepped　away　from　John　Coffey。　For　the　second　time　in　less　than　five　minutes；　I　sensed　the　whole　enterprise　on　the　verge　of　collapse。　This　time　I　was　the　one　who　stepped　in；　when　disaster　threatened　a　third　time；　a　little　later　on；　it　would　be　Harry。　We　all　got　our　chance　that　night；　believe　me。

I　slid　in　between　John　and　his　view　of　the　chair；　standing　on　my　tiptoes　to　make　sure　I　was　pletely　blocking　his　sight…line。　Then　I　snapped　my　fingers　in　front　of　his　eyes；　twice；　sharply。

〃e　on！〃　I　said。　〃Walk！　You　said　you　didn't　need　to　be　chained；　now　prove　it！　Walk；　big　boy！　Walk；　John　Coffey！　Over　there！　That　door！〃

His　eyes　cleared。　〃Yes；　boss。〃　And　praise　God；　he　began　to　walk。

〃Look　at　the　door；　John　Coffey；　just　at　the