Coffey； ma'am。〃
〃Coffey like the drink。〃
〃Yes； ma'am； only spelled different。〃
She lay back against her pillows； propped up but not quite sitting up； looking at him。 He sat beside her； looking back； and the light from the lamp circled them like they were actors on a 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 lower