第51部分(第2/8 页)

roubled　sleep；　I　heard　Mickey　…　maybe　not　the　best　orderly　in　the　place；　but　certainly　the　kindest　…　singing　〃Red　River　Valley〃　in　his　good　tenor　as　he　went　around　dispensing　the　evening　meds：　〃From　this　valley　they　say　you　are　going　。。。　We　will　miss　your　bright　eyes　and　sweet　smile　。。。〃　The　song　made　me　think　of　Melinda　again；　and　what　she　had　said　to　John　after　the　miracle　had　happened。　I　dreamed　of　you。　I　dreamed　you　were　wandering　in　the　dark；　and　so　was　I。　We　found　each　other。

Georgia　Pines　gree　and　passed；　and　still　I　wrote。　I　got　to　Harry　reminding　us　that；　even　though　we　had　gotten　John　back　to　the　prison　without　being　discovered；　we　still　had　Percy　waiting　for　us。　〃The　evening　ain't　over　as　long　as　we　got　him　to　contend　with〃　is　more　or　less　what　Harry　said。

That's　where　my　long　day　of　driving　my　father's　pen　at　last　caught　up　with　me。　I　put　it　down　…　just　for　a　few　seconds；　I　thought；　so　I　could　flex　some　life　back　into　the　fingers　…　and　then　I　put　my　forehead　down　on　my　arm　and　closed　my　eyes　to　rest　them。　When　I　opened　them　again　and　raised　my　head；　morning　sun　glared　in　at　me　through　the　windows。　I　looked　at　my　watch　and　saw　it　was　past　eight。　I　had　slept；　head　on　arms　like　an　old　drunk；　for　what　must　have　been　six　hours。　I　got　up；　wincing；　trying　to　stretch　some　life　into　my　back。　I　thought　about　going　down　to　the　kitchen；　getting　some　toast；　and　going　for　my　morning　walk；　then　looked　down　at　the　sheafs　of　scribbled　pages　scattered　across　the　desk。