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stage … the hulking black man in the prison overall and the small dying white woman。 She stared into John's eyes with shining fascination。
〃Ma'am？〃
〃Yes； John Coffey？〃 The words barely breathed； barely slipping to us on the bad…smelling； air。 I felt the muscles bunching on my arms and legs and back。 Somewhere； far away； I could feel the warden clutching my arm； and to the side of my vision I could see Harry and Brutal with their arms around each other； like little kids lost in the night。 Something was going to happen。 Something big。 We each felt it in our own way。
John Coffey bent closer to her。 The springs of the bed creaked； the bedclothes rustled； and the coldly smiling moon looked in through an upper pane of the bedroom window。 Coffey's bloodshot eyes searched her upturned haggard face。
〃O； I see it；〃 he said。 Speaking not to her … I don't think so； anyway … but to himself。 〃I see it； and I can help。 Hold still 。。。 hold right still 。。 。〃
Closer he bent； and closer still。 For a moment his huge face stopped less than two inches from hers。 He raised one hand off to the side； fingers splayed； as if telling something to wait 。。。 just wait 。。。 and then he lowered his face again。 His broad； smooth lips pressed against hers and forced them open。 For a moment I could see one of her eyes； staring up past Coffey； filling with an expression of what seemed to be surprise。 Then his smooth bald head moved； and that was gone； too。
There was a soft whistling sound as he inhaled the air which lay deep within her lungs。 That was all for a second or two； and then the floor moved under us and the whole house moved around us。 It wasn't my imagination； they all felt it； they all remarked on it later。 It was a kind of rippling thump。 There was a crash as something very heavy fell over in the parlor … the grandfather clock； it turned out to be。 Hal Moores tried to have it repaired； but it never kept time for more than fifteen minutes at a stretch again。
Closer by there was a crack followed by a tinkle as the pane of glass through which the moon had been peeking broke。 A picture on the wall … a clipper ship cruising one of the seven seas … fell off its hook and crashed to the floor； the glass over its front shattered。
I smelled something hot and saw smoke rising from the bottom of the white counterpane which covered her。 A portion was turning black； down by the jittering lump that was her right foot。 Feeling like a man in a dream； I shook free of Moores's hand and stepped to the night…table。 There was a glass of water there； surrounded by three or four bottles of pills which had fallen over during the shake。 I picked up the water and dumped it on the place that was smoking。 There was a hiss。
John Coffey went on kissing her in that deep and intimate way； inhaling and inhaling； one hand still held out； the other on the bed； propping up his immense weight。 The fingers were splayed； the hand looked to me like a brown starfish。
Suddenly； her back arched。 One of her own hands flailed out in the air； the fingers clenching and unclenching in a series of spasms。 Her feet drummed against the bed。 Then something screamed。 Again； that's not just me； the other men heard it； as well。 To Brutal it sounded like a wolf or coyote with its leg caught in a trap。 To me it sounded like an eagle； the way you'd sometimes hear them on still mornings back then； cruising down through the misty cuts with their wings stiffly spread。
Outside； the wind gusted hard enough to give the house a second shake … and that was strange； you know； because until then there had been no wind to speak of at all。
John Coffey pulled away from her； and I saw that her face had smoothed out。 The right side of her mouth no longer drooped。 Her eyes had regained their normal shape； and she looked ten years younger。 He regarded her raptly for a moment or two； and then he began to cough。 He turned his head so as not to cough in her face； lost his balance （which wasn't hard； big as he was； he'd been sitting with his butt halfway off the side of the bed to start with）； and went down onto the floor。 There was enough of him to give the house a third shake。 He landed on his knees and hung his head over； coughing like a man in the last stages of TB。
I thought； Now the bugs。 He's going to cough them out； and what a lot there'll be this time。
But he didn't。 He only went on coughing in deep retching barks； hardly finding time between fits to snatch in the next breath of air。 His dark； chocolatey skin was graying out。 Alarmed； Brutal went to him； dropped to one knee beside him； and put an arm across his broad； spasming back。 As if Brutal's moving had broken a spell； Moores went to his wife's bed and sat where Coffey had sat。 He hardly seemed to register the coughing； choking giant's presence at all。 Although Coffey was kneeling at his very feet； Moores had eyes only for his wife； who was gazing at him with amazement。 Looking at her was like looking at a dirty mirror which has been wiped clean。
〃John！〃 Brutal shouted。 〃Sick it up！ Sick it up like you done before！〃
John went on barking those choked coughs。 His eyes were wet； not with tears but with strain。 Spit flew from his mouth in a fine spray； but nothing else came out。
Brutal whammed him on the back a couple of times； then looked around at me。 〃He's choking！ Whatever he sucked out of her； he's choking on it！〃
I started forward。 Before I got two steps； John knee…walked away from me and into the corner of the room； still coughing harshly and dragging for each breath。 He laid his forehead against the wallpaper … wild red roses overspreading a garden wall … and made a gruesome deep hacking sound； as if he were trying to vomit up the lining of his own throat。 That'll bring the bugs if anything can； I remember thinking； but there was no sign of them。 All the same； his coughing fit seemed to ease a little。
〃I'm all right； boss；〃 he said； still leaning with his forehead against the wild roses。 His eyes remained closed。 I'm not sure how he knew I was there； but he clearly did。 〃Honest I am。 See to the lady。〃
I looked at him doubtfully； then turned to the bed。 Hal was stroking Melly's brow； and I saw an amazing thing above it： some of her hair … not very much； but some … had gone back to black。
〃What's happened？〃 she asked him。 As I watched； color began to blush into her cheeks。 It was as if she had stolen a couple of roses right out of the wallpaper。 〃How did I get here？ We were going to the hospital up in Indianola； weren't we？ A doctor was going to shoot X…rays into my head and take pictures of my brain。〃
〃Shhh；〃 Hal said。 〃Shhh； dearie； none of that matters now。〃
〃But I don't understand！〃 she nearly wailed； 〃We stopped at a roadside stand 。。。 you bought me a dime packet of posies 。。。 and then 。。。 I'm here。 It's dark！ Have you had your supper； Hal？ Why am I in the guest room？ Did I have the X…ray？〃 Her eyes moved across Harry almost without seeing him … that was shock； I imagine … and fixed on me。 〃Paul？ Did I have the X…ray？〃
〃Yes；〃 I said。 〃It was clear。〃
〃They didn't find a tumor？〃
〃No；〃 I said。 〃They say the headaches will likely stop now。〃
Beside her； Hal bur