第39部分(第5/8頁)

the　morning　the　pain　drove　me　to　my　knees）；　and　how　it　had　gone　away　pletely　after　Coffey　touched　me。　And　stayed　away。

It　didn't　take　long　to　tell。　When　I　was　done；　they　sat　and　thought　about　it　awhile；　chewing　on　their　sandwiches　as　they　did。　Then　Dean　said；　〃Black　things　came　out　of　his　mouth。　Like　bugs。〃

〃That's　right；〃　Harry　agreed。　〃They　were　black　to　start　with；　anyway。　Then　they　turned　white　and　disappeared。〃　He　looked　around；　considering。　〃It's　like　I　damned　near　forgot　the　whole　thing　until　you　brought　it　up；　Paul。　Ain't　that　funny？〃

〃Nothing　funny　or　strange　about　it；〃　Brutal　said。　〃I　think　that's　what　people　most　always　do　with　the　stuff　they　can't　make　out　…　just　forget　it。　Doesn't　do　a　person　much　good　to　remember　stuff　that　doesn't　make　any　sense。　What　about　it；　Paul？　Were　there　bugs　when　he　fixed　you？〃

〃Yes。　I　think　they're　the　sickness　。。。　the　pain　。。。　the　hurt。　He　takes　it　in；　then　lets　it　out　into　the　open　air　again。〃

〃Where　it　dies；〃　Harry　said。

I　shrugged。　I　didn't　know　if　it　died　or　not；　wasn't　sure　it　even　mattered。

〃Did　he　suck　it　out　of　you？〃　Brutal　asked。　〃He　looked　like　he　was　sucking　it　right　out　of　the　mouse。　The　hurt。　The　。。。　you　know。　The　death。〃

〃No；〃　I　said。　〃He　just　touched　me。　And　I　felt　it。　A　kind　of　jolt；　like　electricity　only　not　painful。　But　I　wasn't　dying；　only　hurting。〃

Brutal　nodded。　〃The　touch　and　the　breath。　Just　like　you　hear　those　backwoods　gospel…shouters　going　on　abou