第47部分(第5/8頁)

the　prison　while　there　was　still　time。

Such　was　my　frame　of　mind　as　we　passed　off　the　highway　and　onto　County　5；　and　from　County　5　onto　Chimney　Ridge　Road。　Some　fifteen　minutes　after　that；　I　saw　the　shape　of　a　roof　blotting　out　the　stars　and　knew　we　had　arrived。

Harry　shifted　down　from　second　to　low　（I　think　he　only　made　it　all　the　way　into　top　gear　once　during　the　whole　trip）。　The　engine　lugged；　sending　a　shudder　through　the　whole　truck；　as　if　it；　too；　dreaded　what　now　lay　directly　ahead　of　us。

Harry　swung　into　Moores's　gravelled　driveway　and　parked　the　grumbling　truck　behind　the　warden's　sensible　black　Buick。　Ahead　and　slightly　to　our　right　was　a　neat…as…a…pin　house　in　the　style　which　I　believe　is　called　Cape　Cod。　That　sort　of　house　should　have　looked　out　of　place　in　our　ridge　country；　perhaps；　but　it　didn't。　The　moon　had　e　up；　its　grin　a　little　fatter　this　morning；　and　by　its　light　I　could　see　that　the　yard；　always　so　beautifully　kept；　now　looked　uncared　for。　It　was　just　leaves；　mostly；　that　hadn't　been　raked　away。　Under　normal　circumstances　that　would　have　been　Melly's　job；　but　Melly　hadn't　been　up　to　any　leaf…raking　this　fall；　and　she　would　never　see　the　leaves　fall　again。　That　was　the　truth　of　the　matter；　and　I　had　been　mad　to　think　this　vacant…eyed　idiot　could　change　it。

Maybe　it　still　wasn't　too　late　to　save　ourselves；　though。　I　made　as　if　to　get　up；　the　blanket　I'd　been　wearing　slipping　off　my　shoulders。　I　would　lean　over；　tap　on　the　drive