第6部分(第3/8 頁)

keening。　As　for　Detterick；　all　the　fight　went　out　of　him　when　he　was　finally　pulled　off　…　as　if　some　strange　galvanizing　current　had　been　running　through　the　huge　black　man　（I　still　have　a　tendency　to　think　in　electrical　metaphors；　you'll　have　to　pardon　me）；　and　when　Detterick's　contact　with　that　power　source　was　finally　broken；　he　went　as　limp　as　a　man　flung　back　from　a　live　wire。　He　knelt　wide…legged　on　the　riverbank　with　his　hands　to　his　face；　sobbing。　Howie　joined　him　and　they　hugged　each　other　forehead　to　forehead。

Two　men　watched　them　while　the　rest　formed　a　rifle…toting　ring　around　the　rocking；　wailing　black　man。　He　still　seemed　not　to　realize　that　anyone　but　him　was　there。　McGee　stepped　forward；　shifted　uncertainly　from　foot　to　foot　for　a　bit；　then　hunkered。

〃Mister；〃　he　said　in　a　quiet　voice；　and　Coffey　hushed　at　once。　McGee　looked　at　eyes　that　were　bloodshot　from　crying。　And　still　they　streamed；　as　if　someone　had　left　a　faucet　on　inside　him。　Those　eyes　wept；　and　yet　were　somehow　untouched　。。。　distant　and　serene。　I　thought　them　the　strangest　eyes　I　had　ever　seen　in　my　life；　and　McGee　felt　much　the　same。　〃Like　the　eyes　of　an　animal　that　never　saw　a　man　before；〃　he　told　a　reporter　named　Hammersmith　just　before　the　trial。

〃Mister；　do　you　hear　me？〃　McGee　asked。

Slowly；　Coffey　nodded　his　head。　Still　he　curled　his　arms　around　his　unspeakable　dolls；　their　chins　down　on　their　chests　so　their　faces　could　not　be　clearly　seen；　one　of　the　few　mercies