第27部分

請關閉瀏覽器的閱讀/暢讀/小說模式並且關閉廣告遮蔽過濾功能，避免出現內容無法顯示或者段落錯亂。

do。　She　went　to　Melinda；　dropped　on　one　knee　beside　the　rocking　chair　in　which　the　warden's　wife　sat；　and　took　one　of　her　hands。　As　she　did；　my　eye　happened　on　the　blue　hearthrug　by　the　fireplace。　It　occurred　to　me　that　it　should　have　been　the　shade　of　tired　old　limes；　because　now　this　room　was　just　another　version　of　the　Green　Mile。

〃I　brought　you　some　tea；〃　Jan　said；　〃the　kind　I　put　up　myself。　It's　a　nice　sleepy　tea。　I've　left　it　in　the　kitchen。〃

〃Thank　you　so　much；　darlin；〃　Melinda　said。　Her　voice　sounded　old　and　rusty

〃How　you　feeling；　dear？〃　my　wife　asked。

〃Better；〃　Melinda　said　in　her　rusty；　grating　voice。　〃Not　so's　I　want　to　go　out　to　a　barn　dance；　but　at　least　there's　no　pain　today。　They　give　me　some　pills　for　the　headaches。　Sometimes　they　even　work。〃

〃That's　good；　isn't　it？〃

〃But　I　can't　grip　so　well。　Something's　happened　。。。　to　my　hand。〃　She　raised　it；　looked　at　it　as　if　she　had　never　seen　it　before；　then　lowered　it　back　into　her　lap。　〃Something's　happened　。。。　all　over　me。〃　She　began　to　cry　in　a　soundless　way　that　made　me　think　of　John　Coffey。　It　started　to　chime　in　my　head　again；　that　thing　he'd　said：　I　helped　it；　didn't　I？　I　helped　it；　didn't　I？　Like　a　rhyme　you　can't　get　rid　of。

Hal　came　in　then。　He　collared　me；　and　you　can　believe　me　when　I　say　I　was　glad　to　be　collared。　We　went　into　the　kitchen；　and　he　poured　me　half　a　shot　of　white　whiskey；　hot　stuff　fresh　out　of　some　countryman's　still。　We　clinked　our　glasses　together　and　drank。　The　shine　went　down　like　coal…oil；　but　the　bloom　in　the　belly　was　heaven。　Still；　when　Moores　tipped　the　mason　jar　at　me；　wordlessly　asking　if　I　wanted　the　other　half；　I　shook　my　head　and　waved　it　off。　Wild　Bill　Wharton　was　out　of　restraints　…　for　the　time　being；　anyway　…　and　it　wo