第42部分(第3/8 頁)

　what　he　was　saying　in　a　way　that　would　agree　with　what　they　were　seeing；　and　what　they　were　seeing　was　black。　They　thought　he　was　confessing；　that　he　was　saying　he'd　had　a　pulsion　to　take　those　girls；　rape　them；　and　kill　them。　That　he'd　e　to　his　senses　and　tried　to　stop。

〃But　by　then　it　was　too　late；〃　Brutal　murmured

〃Yes。　Except　what　he　was　really　trying　to　tell　them　was　that　he'd　found　them；　tried　to　heal　them　…　to　bring　them　back　…　and　had　no　success。　They　were　too　far　gone　in　death。〃

〃Paul；　do　you　believe　that？〃　Dean　asked。　〃Do　you　really；　honest…to…God　believe　that？〃

I　examined　my　heart　as　well　as　I　could　one　final　time；　then　nodded　my　head。　Not　only　did　I　know　it　now；　there　was　an　intuitive　part　of　me　that　had　known　something　wasn't　right　with　John　Coffey's　situation　from　the　very　beginning；　when　Percy　had　e　onto　the　block　hauling　on　Coffey's　arm　and　blaring　〃Dead　man　walking！　…　at　the　top　of　his　lungs。　I　had　shaken　hands　with　him；　hadn't　I？　I　had　never　shaken　the　hand　of　a　man　ing　on　the　Green　Mile　before；　but　I　had　shaken　Coffey's。

〃Jesus；〃　Dean　said。　〃Good　Jesus　Christ。〃

〃Your　shoe's　one　thing；〃　Harry　said。　〃What's　the　other？〃

〃Not　long　before　the　posse　found　Coffey　and　the　girls；　the　men　came　out　of　the　woods　near　the　south　bank　of　the　Trapingus　River。　They　found　a　patch　of　flattened…down　grass　there；　a　lot　of　blood；　and　the　rest　of　Cora　Detterick's　nightie。　The　dogs　got　confused　for　a　bit。　Most　wanted　to　go　southeas