第48部分(第2/8 頁)

whole　life；　and　that　it　works　consciously　to　bring　all　our　decent　impulses　to　ruin。　Not　Satan；　I　don't　mean　Satan　（although　I　believe　he　is　real；　too）；　but　a　kind　of　demon　of　discord；　a　prankish　and　stupid　thing　that　laughs　with　glee　when　an　old　man　sets　himself　on　fire　trying　to　light　his　pipe　or　when　a　much…loved　baby　puts　its　first　Christmas　toy　in　its　mouth　and　chokes　to　death　on　it。　I've　had　a　lot　of　years　to　think　on　this；　all　the　way　from　Cold　Mountain　to　Georgia　Pines；　and　I　believe　that　force　was　actively　at　work　among　us　on　that　morning；　swirling　everywhere　like　a　fog；　trying　to　keep　John　Coffey　away　from　Melinda　Moores。

〃Warden　。。。　Hal　。。。　I　。。。〃　Nothing　I　tried　made　any　sense。

He　raised　the　pistol　again；　pointing　it　between　Brutal　and　me；　not　listening。　His　bloodshot　eyes　had　gotten　very　wide。　And　here　came　Harry　Terwilliger；　being　more　or　less　pulled　along　by　our　big　boy；　who　was　wearing　his　wide　and　daffily　charming　smile。

〃Coffey；〃　Moores　breathed。　〃John　Coffey。〃　He　pulled　in　breath　and　yelled　in　a　voice　that　was　reedy　but　strong：　〃Halt！　Halt　right　there；　or　I　shoot！〃

From　somewhere　behind　him；　a　weak　and　wavery　female　voice　called：　〃Hal？　What　are　you　doing　out　there？　Who　are　you　talking　to；　you　fucking　cocksucker？〃

He　turned　in　that　direction　for　just　a　moment；　his　face　confused　and　despairing。　Just　a　moment；　as　I　say；　but　it　should　have　been　long　enough　for　me　to　snatch　the　long…barrelled　gun　out　of　his　hand。　Except　I　couldn