第38部分(第3/8 頁)

；　different　as　they　might　have　been　in　size　and　sex　and　skin　color；　had　exactly　the　same　eyes：　woeful；　sad；　and　distant。　Dying　eyes。

〃e　to　bed；〃　my　wife　said　at　last。　〃e　to　bed　with　me；　Paul。〃

So　I　did；　and　we　made　love；　and　when　it　was　over　she　went　to　sleep。　As　I　lay　there　watching　the　moon　grin　and　listening　to　the　walls　tick　…　they　were　at　last　pulling　in；　exchanging　summer　for　fall　…　I　thought　about　John　Coffey　saying　he　had　helped　it。　I　helped　Del's　mouse。　I　helped　Mr。　Jingles。　He's　a　circus　mouse。　Sure。　And　maybe；　I　thought；　we　were　all　circus　mice；　running　around　with　only　the　dimmest　awareness　that　God　and　all　His　heavenly　host　were　watching　us　in　our　Bakelite　houses　through　our　ivy…glass　windows。

I　slept　a　little　as　the　day　began　to　lighten　…　two　hours；　I　guess；　maybe　three；　and　I　slept　the　way　I　always　sleep　these　days　here　in　Georgia　Pines　and　hardly　ever　did　then；　in　thin　little　licks。　What　I　went　to　sleep　thinking　about　was　the　churches　youth。　The　names　changed；　depending　on　the　whims　of　my　mother　and　her　sisters；　but　they　were　all　really　the　same；　all　The　First　Backwoods　Church　of　Praise　Jesus；　The　Lord　Is　Mighty。　In　the　shadow　of　those　blunt；　square　steeples；　the　concept　of　atonement　came　up　as　regularly　as　the　toll　of　the　bell　which　called　the　faithful　to　worship。　Only　God　could　forgive　sins；　could　and　did；　washing　them　away　in　the　agonal　blood　of　His　crucified　Son；　but　that　did　not　change　the　responsibility　of　His　children　to　atone　for　t