第52部分(第3/8 頁)

eps　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　Melinda's　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；　I'd　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；　what's　wrong　with　him？　He　looks　like　he's　dying！〃

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

〃Course　not；　I　didn't　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；　j