第23部分(第1/7 页)

〃Hey！〃　I　cried。　〃Get　your　goddam　hand………〃

A　jolt　slammed　through　me　then；　a　big　painless　whack　of　something。　It　made　me　jerk　on　the　cot　and　bow　my　back；　made　me　think　of　Old　Toot　shouting　that　he　was　frying；　he　was　frying；　he　was　a　done　tom　turkey。　There　was　no　heat；　no　feeling　of　electricity；　but　for　a　moment　the　color　seemed　to　jump　out　of　everything；　as　if　the　world　had　been　somehoade　to　sweat。　I　could　see　every　pore　on　john　Coffey's　face；　I　could　see　every　bloodshot　snap　in　his　haunted　eyes；　I　could　see　a　tiny　healing　scrape　on　his　chin。　I　was　aware　that　my　fingers　were　hooked　down　into　claws　on　thin　air；　and　that　my　feet　were　drumming　on　the　floor　of　Coffey's　cell。

Then　it　was　over。　So　was　my　urinary　infection。　Both　the　heat　and　the　miserable　throbbing　pain　were　gone　from　my　crotch；　and　the　fever　was　likewise　gone　from　my　head。　I　could　still　feel　the　sweat　it　had　drawn　out　of　my　skin；　and　I　could　smell　it；　but　it　was　gone；　all　right。

〃What's　going　on？〃　Delacroix　called　shrilly。　His　voice　still　came　from　far　away；　but　when　John　Coffey　bent　forward；　breaking　eye…contact　with　me；　the　little　Cajun's　voice　suddenly　came　clear。　It　was　as　if　someone　had　pulled　wads　of　cotton　or　a　pair　of　shooters'　plugs　out　of　my　ears。　〃What's　he　doing　to　you？〃

I　didn't　answer。　Coffey　was　bent　forward　over　his　own　lap　with　his　face　working　and　his　throat　bulging。　His　eyes　were　bulging；　too。　He　looked　like　a　man　with　a　chicken　bone　caught　in　his　throat。

〃John！〃　I　said。　I　clapped　him　on　the　back；　it　was　all　I　could　think　of　to　do。　〃John；　what's　wrong？〃

He　hitched　under　my　hand；　then　made　an　unpleasant　gagging；　retching　sound。　His　mouth　opened　the　way　horses　sometimes　open　their　mouths　to　allow　the　bit　…　reluctantly；　with　the　lips　peeling　back　fr