绿里奇迹(英文版)-第59章

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　powerful　fingers　sifting　through　sand　or　grains　of　rice；　was　gone。　I　thought　I　also　understood　why　Harry　had　been　able　to　act　when　Brutal　and　I　could　only　stand；　hopeless　and　indecisive；　in　front　of　our　boss。　Harry　had　been　with　John。。。　and　whatever　spirit　it　is　that　opposes　that　other；　demonic　one；　it　was　in　John　Coffey　that　night。　And；　when　John　stepped　forward　to　face　Warden　Moores；　it　was　that　other　spirit　…　something　white；　that's　how　I　think　of　it；　as　something　white　…　which　took　control　of　the　situation。　The　other　thing　didn't　leave；　but　I　could　see　it　drawing　back　like　a　shadow　in　a　sudden　strong　light。　
〃I　want　to　help；〃　John　Coffey　said。　Moores　looked　up　at　him；　eyes　fascinated；　mouth　hanging　open。　When　Coffey　plucked　the　Buntline　Special　from　his　hand　and　passed　it　to　me；　I　don't　think　Hal　even　knew　it　was　gone。　I　carefully　lowered　the　hammer。　Later；　when　I　checked　the　cylinder；　I　would　find　it　had　been　empty　all　along。　Sometimes　I　wonder　if　Hal　knew　that。　Meanwhile；　John　was　still　murmuring。　〃I　came　to　help　her。　Just　to　help。　That's　all　I　want。〃　
〃Hal！〃　she　cried　from　the　back　bedroom。　Her　voice　sounded　a　little　stronger　now；　but　it　also　sounded　afraid；　as　if　the　thing　which　had　so　confused　and　unmanned　us　had　now　retreated　to　her。　〃Make　them　go　away；　whoever　they　are！　We　don't　need　no　sales　men　in　the　middle　of　the　night！　No　Electrolux！　No　Hoover！　No　French　knickers　with　e　in　the　crotch！　Get　them　out！　Tell　them　to　take　a　flying　fuck　at　a　rolling　d　。。。　d　。。。〃　Something　broke　…　it　could　have　been　a　waterglass　…　and　then　she　began　to　sob。　
〃Just　to　help；〃　John　Coffey　said　in　a　voice　so　low　it　was　hardly　more　than　a　whisper。　He　ignored　the　woman's　sobbing　and　profanity　equally。　〃Just　to　help；　boss；　that's　all。〃　
〃You　can't；〃　Moores　said。　〃No　one　can。〃　It　was　a　tone　I'd　heard　before；　and　after　a　moment　I　realized　it　was　how　I'd　sounded　myself　when　I'd　gone　into　Coffey's　cell　the　night　he　cured　my　urinary　infection。　Hypnotized。　You　mind　your　business　and　I'll　mind　mine　was　what　I'd　told　Delacroix　。。。　except　it　had　been　Coffey　who'd　been　minding　my　business；　just　as　he　was　minding　Hal　Moores's　now。　
〃We　think　he　can；〃　Brutal　said。　〃And　we　didn't　risk　our　jobs　…　plus　a　stretch　in　the　can　ourselves；　maybe　…　just　to　get　here　and　turn　around　and　go　back　without　giving　it　the　old　college　try。〃　
Only　I　had　been　ready　to　do　just　that　three　minutes　before。　Brutal；　too。　
John　Coffey　took　the　play　out　of　our　hands。　He　pushed　into　the　entry　and　past　Moores；　who　raised　a　single　strengthless　hand　to　stop　him　（it　trailed　across　Coffey's　hip　and　fell　off；　I'm　sure　the　big　man　never　even　felt　it）；　and　then　shuffled　down　the　hall　toward　the　living　room；　the　kitchen　beyond　it；　and　the　back　bedroom　beyond　that　where　that　shrill　unrecognizable　voice　raised　itself　again：　〃You　stay　out　of　here！　
〃Whoever　you　are；　just　stay　out！　I'm　not　dressed；　my　tits　are　out　and　my　bitchbox　is　taking　the　breeze！〃　
John　paid　no　attention；　just　went　stolidly　along；　head　bent　so　he　wouldn't　smash　any　of　the　light　fixtures；　his　round　brown　skull　gleaming；　his　hands　swinging　at　his　sides。　After　a　moment　we　followed　him；　me　first；　Brutal　and　Hal　side　by　side；　and　Harry　bringing　up　the　rear。　I　understood　one　thing　perfectly　well：　it　was　all　out　of　our　hands　now；　and　in　John's。　
8。　
The　woman　in　the　back　bedroom；　propped　up　against　the　headboard　and　staring　wall…eyed　at　the　giant　who　had　e　into　her　muddled　sight；　didn't　look　at　all　like　the　Melly　Moores　I　had　known　for　twenty　years；　she　didn't　even　look　like　the　Melly　Moores　Janice　and　I　had　visited　shortly　before　Delacroix's　execution。　The　woman　propped　up　in　that　bed　looked　like　a　sick　child　got　up　as　a　Halloween　witch。　Her　livid　skin　was　a　hanging　dough　of　wrinkles。　It　was　puckered　up　around　the　eye　on　the　right　side；　as　if　she　were　trying　to　wink。　That　same　side　of　her　mouth　turned　down；　one　old　yellow　eyetooth　hung　out　over　her　liverish　lower　lip。　Her　hair　was　a　wild　thin　fog　around　her　skull。　The　room　stank　of　the　stuff　our　bodies　dispose　of　with　such　decorum　when　things　are　running　right。　The　chamberpot　by　her　bed　was　half　full　of　some　vile　yellowish　goo。　We　had　e　too　late　anyway；　I　thought；　horrified。　It　had　only　been　a　matter　of　days　since　she　had　been　recognizable　…　sick　but　still　herself　Since　then；　the　thing　in　her　head　must　have　moved　with　horrifying　speed　to　consolidate　its　position。　I　didn't　think　even　John　Coffey　could　help　her　now。　
Her　expression　when　Coffey　entered　was　one　of　fear　and　horror　…　as　if　something　inside　her　had　recognized　a　doctor　that　might　be　able　to　get　at　it　and　pry　it　loose；　after　all　。。。　to　sprinkle　salt　on　it　the　way　you　do　on　a　leech　to　make　it　let　go　its　grip。　Hear　me　carefully：　I'm　not　saying　that　Melly　Moores　was　possessed；　and　I'm　aware　that；　wrought　up　as　I　was；　all　my　perceptions　of　that　night　must　be　suspect。　But　I　have　never　pletely　discounted　the　possibility　of　demonic　possession；　either。　There　was　something　in　her　eyes；　I　tell　you；　something　that　looked　like　fear。　On　that　I　think　you　can　trust　me；　it's　an　emotion　I've　seen　too　much　of　to　mistake。　
Whatever　it　was；　it　was　gone　in　a　hurry；　replaced　by　a　look　of　lively；　irrational　interest。　That　unspeakable　mouth　trembled　in　what　might　have　been　a　smile。　
〃Oh；　so　big！〃　she　cried。　She　sounded　like　a　little　girl　just　ing　down　with　a　bad　throat　infection。　She　took　her　hands　…as　spongy…white　as　her　face　…　out　from　under　the　counterpane　and　patted　them　together。　〃Pull　down　your　pants！　I've　heard　about　nigger…cocks　my　whole　life　but　never　seen　one！〃　
Behind　me；　Moores　made　a　soft　groaning　sound；　full　of　despair。　
John　Coffey　paid　no　attention　to　any　of　it。　After　standing　still　for　a　moment；　as　if　to　observe　her　from　a　little　distance；　he　crossed　to　the　bed；　which　was　illuminated　by　a　single　bedside　lamp。　It　threw　a　bright　circle　of　light　on　the　white　counterpane　drawn　up　to　the　lace　at　the　throat　of　her　nightgown。　Beyond　the　bed；　in　shadow；　I　saw　the　chaise　longue　which　belonged　in　the　parlor。　An　afghan　Melly　had　knitted　with　her　own　hands　in　happier　days　lay　half　on　the　chaise　and　half　on　the　floor。　It　was　here　Hal　had　been　sleeping　…　dozing；　at　least　…　when　we　pulled　in。　
As　John　approached；　her　expression　underwent　a　third　change。　Suddenly　I　saw　Melly；　whose　kindness　had　meant　so　much　to　me　over　the　years；　and　even　more　to　Janice　when　the　kids　had　flown　from　the　nest　and　she　had　been　left　feeling　so　alone　and　useless　and　blue。　Melly　was　still　interested；　but　now　her　interest　seemed　sane　and　aware。　
〃Who　are　you？〃　she　asked　in　a　clear；　reasonable　voice。　〃And　why　have　you　so　many　scars　on　your　hands　and　arms？　Who　hurt　you　so　badly？〃　
〃I　don't　hardly　remember　where　they　all　e　from；　ma'am；〃　John　Coffey　said　in　a　humble　voice；　and　sat　down　beside　her　on　her　bed。　
Melinda　smiled　as　well　as　she　could　…　the　sneering　right　side　of　her　mouth　trembled；　but　e　up。　She　touched　a　white　scar；　curved　like　a　scimitar；　on　the　back　of　his　left　hand。　〃What　a　blessing　that　is！　Do　you　understand　why？〃　
〃Reckon　if　you　don't　know　who　hurt　you　or　dog　you　down；　it　don't　keep　you　up　nights；〃　John　Coffey　said　in　his　almost…Southern　voice。　
She　laughed　at　that；　the　sound　as　pure　as　silver　in　the　bad…smelling　sickroom。　Hal　was　beside　me　now；　breathing　rapidly　but　not　trying　to　interfere。　When　Melly　laughed；　his　rapid　breathing　paused　for　a　moment；　indrawn；　and　one　of　his　big　hands　gripped　my　shoulder。　He　gripped　it　hard　enough　to　leave　a　bruise　…　I　saw　it　the　next　day　…　but　right　then　I　hardly　felt　it。　
〃What's　your　name？〃　she　asked。　
〃John　Coffey；　ma'am。〃　
〃Coffey　like　the　drink。〃　
〃Yes；　ma'am；　only　spelled　different。〃　
She　lay　back　against　her　pillows；　propped　up　but　not　quite　sitting　up；　looking　at　him。　He　sat　beside　her；　looking　back；　and　the　light　from　the　lamp　circled　them　like　they　were　actors　on　a　stage　…　the　hulking　black　man　in　the　prison　overall　and　the　small　dying　white　woman。　She　stared　into　John's　eyes　with　shining　fascination。　
〃Ma'am？〃　
〃Yes；　John　Coffey？〃　The　words　barely　breathed；　barely　slipping　to　us　on　the　bad…smelling；　air。　I　felt　the　muscles　bunching　on　my　arms　and　legs　and　back。　Somewhere；　far　away；　I　could　feel　the　warden　clutching　my　arm；　and　to　the　side　of　my　vision　I　could　see　Harry　and　Brutal　with　their　arms　around　each　other；　like　little　kids　lost　in　the　night。　Something　was　going　to　happen。　Something　big。　We　each　felt　it　in　our　own　way。　
John　Coffey　bent　closer　to　her。　The　springs　of　the　bed　creaked；　the　bedclothes　rustled；　and　the　coldly　smiling　moon　looked　in　through　an　upper　pane　of　the　bedroom　window。　Coffey's　bloodshot　eyes　searched　her　upturned　haggard　face。　
〃O；　I　see　it；〃　he　said。　Speaking　not　to　her　…　I　don't　think　so；　anyway　…　but　to　himself。　〃I　see　it；　and　I　can　help。　Hold　still　。。。　hold　right　still　。。　。〃　
Closer　he　bent；　and　closer　still。　For　a　moment　his　huge　face　stopped　less　than　two　inches　from　hers。　He　raised　one　hand　off　to　the　side；　fingers　splayed；　as　if　telling　something　to　wait　。。。　just　wait　。。。　and　then　he　lowered　his　face　again。　His　broad；　smooth　lips　pressed　against　hers　and　forced　them　open。　For　a　moment　I　could　see　one　of　her　eyes；　staring　up　past　Coffey；　filling　with　an　expression　of　what　seemed　to　be　surprise。　Then　his　smooth　bald　head　moved