第27部分(第8/8頁)

　old　friend　Melinda；　but　about　my　urinary　infection。　She　wanted　to　know　if　it　was　really　gone。　Really　gone；　I　told　her。

〃That's　fine；　then；〃　she　said；　and　kissed　me　over　the　eyebrow；　in　that　shivery　place　of　mine。　〃Maybe　we　ought　to；　you　know；　get　up　to　a　little　something。　If　you　have　the　time　and　the　inclination；　that　is。〃

Having　plenty　of　the　latter　and　just　enough　of　the　former；　I　took　her　by　the　hand　and　led　her　into　the　back　bedroom　and　took　her　clothes　off　as　she　stroked　the　part　of　me　that　swelled　and　throbbed　but　didn't　hurt　anymore。　And　as　I　moved　in　her　sweetness；　slipping　through　it　in　that　slow　way　she　liked　…　that　we　both　liked　…　I　thought　of　John　Coffey；　saying　he'd　helped　it；　he'd　helped　it；　hadn't　he？　Like　a　snatch　of　song　that　won't　leave　your　mind　until　it's　damned　good　and　ready。

Later；　as　I　drove　to　the　prison；　I　got　to　thinking　that　very　soon　we　would　have　to　start　rehearsing　for　Delacroix's　execution。　That　thought　led　to　how　Percy　was　going　to　be　out　front　this　time；　and　I　felt　a　s