第46部分(第6/8頁)

　WIRE　on　the　outside。

I　opened　the　gate　and　Harry　swung　it　back。　We　went　up；　John　Coffey　once　more　in　the　lead；　shoulders　slumped　and　head　bent。　At　the　top；　Harry　got　around　him　（not　without　some　difficulty；　either；　although　he　was　the　smallest　of　the　three　of　us）　and　unlocked　the　bulkhead。　It　was　heavy。　He　could　move　it；　but　wasn't　able　to　flip　it　up。

〃Here；　boss；〃　John　said。　He　pushed　to　the　front　again　…bumping　Harry　into　the　wall　with　one　hip　as　he　did　so　…　and　raised　the　bulkhead　with　one　hand。

You　would　have　thought　it　was　painted　cardboard　instead　of　sheet　steel。

Cold　night　air；　moving　with　the　ridge…running　wind　we　would　now　get　most　of　the　time　until　March　or　April；　blew　down　into　our　faces。　A　swirl　of　dead　leaves　came　with　it；　and　John　Coffey　caught　one　of　them　with　his　free　hand。　I　will　never　forget　the　way　he　looked　at　it；　or　how　he　crumpled　it　beneath　his　broad；　handsome　nose　so　it　would　release　its　smell。

〃e　on；〃　Brutal　said。　〃Let's　go；　forward　harch。〃

We　climbed　out。　John　lowered　the　bulkhead　and　Brutal　locked　it　…　no　need　for　the　Aladdin　key　on　this　door；　but　it　was　needed　to　unlock　the　gate　in　the　pole…and…wire　cage　which　surrounded　the　bulkhead。

〃Hands　to　your　sides　while　you　go　through；　big　fella；〃　Harry　murmured。　〃Don't　touch　the　wire；　if　you　don't　want　a　nasty　bum。〃

Then　we　were　clear；　standing　on　the　shoulder　of　the　road　in　a　little　cluster　（three　foothills　around　a　mountain　is　what　I　imagine　we　loo