第61部分(第7/8頁)

　eyes　with　it。　〃What　happened　to　the　Warden's　wife；　Paul？　What　happened　with　Melly？〃

〃She　was　considered　the　marvel　of　the　age；　at　least　by　the　doctors　at　Indianola　Hospital；〃　I　said。　I　took　her　arm　and　we　began　to　walk　toward　the　path　which　led　away　from　the　employees；　parking　lot　and　into　the　woods。　Toward　the　shed　down　by　the　wall　between　Georgia　Pines　and　the　world　of　younger　people。　〃She　died　…　of　a　heart　attack；　not　a　brain　tumor　…　ten　or　eleven　years　later。　In　forty…three；　I　think。　Hal　died　of　a　stroke　right　around　Pearl　Harbor　Day…could　have　been　on　Pearl　Harbor　Day；　for　all　I　remember　…　so　she　outlived　him　by　two　years。　Sort　of　ironic。〃

〃And　Janice？〃

〃I'm　not　quite　prepared　for　that　today〃；　I　said。　〃I'll　tell　you　another　time。〃

〃Promise？〃

〃Promise。〃　But　that　was　one　I　never　kept。　Three　months　after　the　day　we　walked　down　into　the　woods　together　（I　would　have　held　her　hand；　if　I　hadn't　been　afraid　of　hurting　her　bunched　and　swollen　fingers）；　Elaine　Connelly　died　quietly　in　her　bed。　As　with　Melinda　Moores；　death　came　as　the　result　of　a　heart　attack。　The　orderly　who　found　her　said　she　looked　peaceful；　as　if　it　had　e　suddenly　and　without　much　pain。　I　hope　he　was　right　about　that。　I　loved　Elaine。　And　I　miss　her。　Her　and　Janice　and　Brutal　and　just　all　of　them。

We　reached　the　second　shed　on　the　path；　the　one　down　by　the　wall。　It　stood　back　in　a　bower　of　scrub　pines；　its　sagging　roof　and　boarded…over　windows　laced　and　dappled　with　sh