第58部分(第3/8 頁)

ctric　chair；　sentence　passed　by　a　jury　of　your　peers。　。。〃

John　Coffey's　peers？　What　a　joke。　So　far　as　I　knew；　there　was　no　one　like　him　on　the　pla。　Then　I　thought　of　what　John　had　said　while　he　stood　looking　at　Sparky　from　the　foot　of　the　stairs　leading　down　from　my　office：　They're　still　in　there。　I　hear　them　screaming。

〃Get　me　out　of　it〃；　I　said　hoarsely。　〃Undo　these　clamps　and　let　me　up。〃

They　did　it；　but　for　a　moment　I　felt　frozen　there；　as　if　Old　Sparky　did　not　want　to　let　me　go。

As　we　walked　back　to　the　block；　Brutal　spoke　to　me　in　a　low　voice；　so　not　even　Dean　and　Harry；　who　were　setting　up　the　last　of　the　chairs　behind　us；　would　overhear。　〃I　done　a　few　things　in　my　life　that　I'm　not　proud　of；　but　this　is　the　first　time　I　ever　felt　really　actually　in　danger　of　hell。〃

I　looked　at　him　to　make　sure　he　wasn't　joking。　I　didn't　think　he　was。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃I　mean　we're　fixing　to　kill　a　gift　of　God〃；　he　said。　〃One　that　never　did　ary　harm　to　us；　or　to　anyone　else。　What　am　I　going　to　say　if　I　end　up　standing　in　front　of　God　the　Father　Almighty　and　He　asks　me　to　explain　why　I　did　it？　That　it　was　my　job？　My　job？〃

8。

When　John　got　back　from　his　shower　and　the　floaters　had　left；　I　unlocked　his　cell；　went　in；　and　sat　down　on　the　bunk　beside　him。　Brutal　was　on　the　desk。　He　looked　up；　saw　me　in　there　on　my　own；　but　said　nothing。　He　just　went　back　to　whatever　paperwork　he　was　currently　mangling；　licking　away　at　the　tip　of　his