第61部分(第2/8 頁)

es　met　mine。　They　were　aware；　I　was　the　last　thing　he　saw　as　we　tilted　him　off　the　edge　of　the　world。　Then　he　fell　against　the　seatback；　the　cap　ing　askew　on　his　head　a　little；　smoke　…　a　sort　of　charry　mist　…　drifting　out　from　beneath　it。　But　on　the　whole；　you　know；　it　was　quick。　I　doubt　if　it　was　painless；　the　way　the　chair's　supporters　always　claim　（it's　not　an　idea　even　the　most　rabid　of　them　ever　seems　to　want　to　investigate　personally）；　but　it　was　quick。　The　hands　were　limp　again；　the　formerly　bluish…white　moons　at　the　base　of　the　fingernails　now　a　deep　eggplant　hue；　a　tendril　of　smoke　rising　off　cheeks　still　wet　with　salt　water　from　the　sponge　。。。　and　his　tears。

John　Coffey's　last　tears。

11。

I　was　all　right　until　I　got　home。　It　was　dawn　by　then；　and　birds　singing。　I　parked　my　flivver；　I　got　out；　I　walked　up　the　back　steps；　and　then　the　second　greatest　grief　I　have　ever　known　washed　over　me。　It　was　thinking　of　how　he'd　been　afraid　of　the　dark　that　did　it。　I　remembered　the　first　time　we'd　met；　how　he'd　asked　if　we　left　a　light　on　at　night；　and　my　legs　gave　out　on　me。　I　sat　on　my　steps　and　hung　my　head　over　my　knees　and　cried。　It　didn't　feel　like　that　weeping　was　just　for　John　；　either；　but　for　all　of　us。

Janice　came　out　and　sat　down　beside　me。　She　put　an　arm　over　my　shoulders。

〃You　didn't　hurt　him　any　more　than　you　could　help；　did　you？〃

I　shook　my　head　no。

〃And　he　wanted　to　go。〃

I　nodded。

〃e　in　the　house；〃　she