第23部分(第3/8頁)

　climb　down　out　of　that…ere　apple　tree。　〃You　ain't　suppose　to　be　in　there　wit　no　one　else　on　the　block。〃

I　looked　at　John　Coffey；　who　sat　on　the　bunk　with　his　huge　hands　on　the　tree　stumps　of　his　knees。　John　Coffey　looked　back　at　me。　He　had　to　tilt　his　head　up　a　little；　but　not　much。

〃What　did　you　do；　big　boy？〃　I　asked　in　a　low　voice。　〃What　did　you　do　to　me？〃

〃Helped；〃　he　said。　〃I　helped　it；　didn't　I？〃

〃Yeah；　I　guess；　but　how？　How　did　you　help　it？〃

He　shook　his　head　…　right；　left；　back　to　dead　center。　He　didn't　know　how　he'd　helped　it　（how　he'd　cured　it）　and　his　placid　face　suggested　that　he　didn't　give　a　rat's　ass　…　any　more　than　I'd　give　a　rat's　ass　about　the　mechanics　of　running　when　I　was　leading　in　the　last　fifty　yards　of　a　Fourth　of　July　Two…Miler。　I　thought　about　asking　him　how　he'd　known　I　was　sick　in　the　first　place；　except　that　would　undoubtedly　have　gotten　the　same　headshake。　There's　a　phrase　I　read　somewhere　and　never　forgot；　something　about　〃an　enigma　wrapped　in　a　mystery。〃　That's　what　John　Coffey　was；　and　I　suppose　the　only　reason　he　could　sleep　at　night　was　because　he　didn't　care。　Percy　called　him　the　ijit；　which　was　cruel　but　not　too　far　off　the　mark。　Our　big　boy　knew　his　name；　and　knew　it　wasn't　spelled　like　the　drink；　and　that　was　just　about　all　he　cared　to　know。

As　if　to　emphasize　this　for　me；　he　shook　his　head　m　that　deliberate　way　one　more　time；　then　lay　down　on　his　bunk　with　his　hands　clasped　under　his　left　cheek