绿里奇迹(英文版)-第37部分

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〃You　have　to　understand　something；　Percy；〃　I　said。　〃The　way　we　look　at　it；　you've　been　pushing　us　around。　We　keep　telling　you　the　way　we　do　things　around　here　and　you　keep　doing　things　your　own　way；　then　hiding　behind　your　political　connections　when　things　turn　out　wrong。　Stepping　on　Delacroix's　mouse………〃　Brutal　caught　my　eye　and　I　backtracked　in　a　hurry。　〃Trying　to　step　on　Delacroix's　mouse　is　just　a　case　in　point。　You　push　and　push　and　push；　we're　finally　pushing　back；　that's　all。　But　listen；　if　you　do　right；　you'll　e　out　of　this　looking　good　…　like　a　young　man　on　his　way　up　…　and　smelling　like　a　rose。　Nobody'll　ever　know　about　this　little　talk　we're　having。　So　what　do　you　say？　Act　like　a　grownup。　Promise　you'll　leave　after　Del。〃　
He　thought　it　over。　And　after　a　moment　or　two；　a　look　came　into　his　eyes；　the　sort　of　look　a　fellow　gets　when　he's　just　had　a　good　idea。　I　didn't　like　it　much；　because　any　idea　which　seemed　good　to　Percy　wouldn't　seem　good　to　us。　
〃If　nothing　else；〃　Brutal　said；　〃just　think　how　nice　it'd　be　to　get　away　from　that　sack　of　pus　Wharton。〃　
Percy　nodded；　and　I　let　him　get　out　of　the　chair。　He　straightened　his　uniform　shirt；　tucked　it　in　at　the　back；　gave　his　hair　a　pass…through　with　his　b。　Then　he　looked　at　us。　〃Okay；　I　agree。　I'm　out　front　for　Del　tomorrow　night；　I'll　put　in　for　Briar　Ridge　the　very　next　day。　We　call　it　quits　right　there。　Good　enough？〃　〃Good　enough；〃　I　said。　That　look　was　still　in　his　eyes；　but　right　then　I　was　too　relieved　to　care。　He　stuck　out　his　hand。　〃Shake　on　it？〃　I　did。　So　did　Brutal。　More　fools　us。　
4。　
The　next　day　was　the　thickest　yet；　and　the　last　of　our　strange　October　heat。　Thunder　was　rumbling　in　the　west　when　I　came　to　work；　and　the　dark　clouds　were　beginning　to　stack　up　there。　They　moved　closer　as　the　night　came　down；　and　we　could　see　blue…white　forks　of　lightning　jabbing　out　of　them。　There　was　a　tornado　in　Trapingus　County　around　ten　that　night　…　it　killed　four　people　and　tore　the　roof　off　the　livery　stable　in　Tefton　…　and　vicious　thunderstorms　and　gale…force　winds　at　Cold　Mountain。　Later　it　seemed　to　me　as　if　the　very　heavens　had　protested　the　bad　death　of　Eduard　Delacroix。　
Everything　went　just　fine　to　begin　with。　Del　had　spent　a　quiet　day　in　his　cell；　sometimes　playing　with　Mr。　Jingles　but　mostly　just　lying　on　his　bunk　and　petting　him。　Wharton　tried　to　get　trouble　started　a　couple　of　times　…　once　he　hollered　down　to　Del　about　the　mousieburgers　they　were　going　to　have　after　old　Lucky　Pierre　was　dancing　the　two…step　in　hell　…　but　the　little　Cajun　didn't　respond　and　Wharton；　apparently　deciding　that　was　his　best　shot；　gave　it　up。　
At　quarter　past　ten；　Brother　Schuster　showed　up　and　delighted　us　all　by　saying　he　would　recite　the　Lord's　Prayer　with　Del　in　Cajun　French。　It　seemed　like　a　good　omen。　In　that　we　were　wrong；　of　course。　
The　witnesses　began　to　arrive　around　eleven；　most　talking　in　low　tones　about　the　impending　weather；　and　speculating　about　the　possibility　of　a　power　outage　postponing　the　electrocution。　None　of　them　seemed　to　know　that　Old　Sparky　ran　off　a　generator；　and　unless　that　took　a　direct　lightning…hit；　the　show　would　go　on。　Harry　was　in　the　switch　room　that　night；　so　he　and　Bill　Dodge　and　Percy　Wetmore　acted　as　ushers；　seeing　folks　into　their　seats　and　asking　each　one　if　he'd　like　a　cold　drink　of　water。　There　were　two　women　present：　the　sister　of　the　girl　Del　had　raped　and　murdered；　and　the　mother　of　one　of　the　fire　victims。　The　latter　lady　was　large　and　pale　and　determined。　She　told　Harry　Terwilliger　that　she　hoped　the　man　she'd　e　to　see　was　good　and　scared；　that　he　knew　the　fires　in　the　furnace　were　stoked　for　him；　and　that　Satan's　imps；　were　waiting　for　him。　Then　she　burst　into　tears　and　buried　her　face　in　a　lace　hanky　that　was　almost　the　size　of　a　pillowslip。　
Thunder；　hardly　muffled　at　all　by　the　tin　roof；　banged　harsh　and　loud。　People　glanced　up　uneasily。　Men　who　looked　unfortable　wearing　ties　this　late　at　night　wiped　at　their　florid　cheeks。　It　was　hotter　than　blue　blazes　in　the　storage　shed。　And；　of　course；　they　kept　turning　their　eyes　to　Old　Sparky。　They　might　have　made　jokes　about　this　chore　earlier　in　the　week；　but　the　jokes　were　gone　by　eleven…thirty　or　so　that　night。　I　started　all　this　by　telling　you　that　the　humor　went　out　of　the　situation　in　a　hurry　for　the　people　who　had　to　sit　down　in　that　oak　chair；　but　the　condemned　prisoners　weren't　the　only　ones　who　lost　the　smiles　off　their　faces　when　the　time　actually　came。　It　just　seemed　so　bald；　somehow；　squatting　up　there　on　its　platform；　with　the　clamps　on　the　legs　sticking　off　to　either　side；　looking　like　the　things　a　person　with　polio　would　have　to　wear。　There　wasn't　much　talk；　and　when　the　thunder　boomed　again；　as　sharp　and　personal　as　a　splintering　tree；　the　sister　of　Delacroix's　victim　gave　a　little　scream。　The　last　person　to　take　his　seat　in　the　witness's　section　was　Curtis　Anderson；　Warden　Moores's　stand…in。　
At　eleven…thirty；　I　approached　Delacroix's　cell　with　Brutal　and　Dean　walking　slightly　behind　me。　Del　was　sitting　on　his　bunk；　with　Mr。　Jingles　in　his　lap。　The　mouse's　head　was　stretched　forward　toward　the　condemned　man；　his　little　oilspot　eyes　rapt　on　Del's　face。　Del　was　stroking　the　top　of　Mr。　Jingles's　head　between　his　ears。　Large　silent　tears　were　rolling　down　Del's　face；　and　it　was　these　the　mouse　seemed　to　be　peering　at。　Del　looked　up　at　the　sound　of　our　footsteps。　He　was　very　pale。　From　behind　me；　I　sensed　rather　than　saw　John　Coffey　standing　at　his　cell　door；　watching。　
Del　winced　at　the　sound　of　my　keys　clashing　against　metal；　but　held　steady；　continuing　to　stroke　Mr。　Jingles's　head；　as　I　turned　the　locks　and　ran　the　door　open。　
〃Hi　dere；　Boss　Edgebe；〃　he　said。　〃Hi　dere；　boys。　Say　hi；　Mr。　Jingles。〃　But　Mr。　Jingles　only　continued　to　look　raptly　up　at　the　balding　little　man's　face；　as　if　wondering　at　the　source　of　his　tears。　The　colored　spool　had　been　neatly　laid　aside　in　the　Corona　box　…　laid　aside　for　the　last　time；　I　thought；　and　felt　a　pang。　
〃Eduard　Delacroix；　as　an　officer　of　the　court。。。〃　
〃Boss　Edgebe？〃　
I　thought　about　just　running　on　with　the　set　speech；　then　thought　again。　〃What　is　it；　Del？〃　
He　held　the　mouse　out　to　me。　〃Here。　Don't　let　nothing　happen　to　Mr。　Jingles。〃　
〃Del；　I　don't　think　he'll　e　to　me。　He's　not　…　〃　
〃Mais　oui；　he　say　he　will。　He　say　he　know　all　about　you；　Boss　Edgebe；　and　you　gonna　take　him　down　to　dat　place　in　Florida　where　the　mousies　do　their　tricks。　He　say　he　trust　you。〃　He　held　his　hand　out　farther；　and　I'll　be　damned　if　the　mouse　didn't　step　off　his　palm　and　onto　my　shoulder。　It　was　so　light　I　couldn't　even　feel　it　through　my　uniform　coat；　but　I　sensed　it；　like　a　small　heat。　〃And　boss？　Don't　let　that　bad　'un　near　him　again。　Don't　let　that　bad　'un　hurt　my　mouse。〃　
〃No；　Del。　I　won't。〃　The　question　was；　what　was　I　supposed　to　do　with　him　right　then？　I　couldn't　very　well　march　Delacroix　past　the　witnesses　with　a　mouse　perched　on　my　shoulder。　
〃I'll　take　him；　boss；〃　a　voice　rumbled　from　behind　me。　It　was　John　Coffey's　voice；　and　it　was　eerie　the　way　it　came　right　then；　as　though　he　had　read　my　mind。　〃Just　for　now。　If　Del　don't　mind。〃　
Del　nodded；　relieved。　〃Yeah；　you　take　im；　John；　'til　dis　foolishment　done　…　bien！　And　den　after　。。。〃　His　gaze　shifted　back　to　Brutal　and　me。　〃You　gonna　take　him　down　to　Florida。　To　dat　Mouseville　Place。〃　
〃Yeah；　most　likely　Paul　and　I　will　do　it　together；〃　Brutal　said；　watching　with　a　troubled　and　unquiet　eye　as　Mr。　Jingles　stepped　off　my　shoulder　and　into　Coffey's　huge　outstretched　palm。　Mr。　Jingles　did　this　with　no　protest　or　attempt　to　run；　indeed；　he　scampered　as　readily　up　John　Coffey's　arm　as　he　had　stepped　onto　my　shoulder。　〃We'll　take　some　of　our　vacation　time。　Won't　we；　Paul？〃　
I　nodded。　Del　nodded；　too；　eyes　bright；　just　a　trace　of　a　smile　on　his　lips。　〃People　pay　a　dime　apiece　to　see　him。　Two　cents　for　the　kiddies。　Ain't　dat　right；　Boss；Howell？〃　
〃That's　right；　Del。〃　
〃You　a　good　man；　Boss　Howell；〃　Del　said。　〃You；　too；　Boss　Edgebe。　You　yell　at　me　sometimes；　oui；　but　not　'less　you　have　to。　You　all　good　men　except　for　dat　Percy。　I　wish　I　coulda　met　you　someplace　else。　Mauvais　temps；　mauvaise　chance。〃　
〃I　got　something　to　say　to　you；　Del；…　I　told　him。　〃They're　just　the　words　I　have　to　say　to　everyone　before　we　walk。　No　big　deal；　but　it's　part　of　my　job。　Okay？〃　
〃Oui；　monsieur；〃　he　said；　and　looked　at　Mr。　Jingles；　perched　on　John　Coffey's　broad　shoulder；　for　the　last　time。　〃Au　revoir；　mon　ami；〃　he　said；　beginning　to　cry　harder。　〃le　t'aime；　mon　petit。〃　He　blew　the　mouse　a　kiss。　It　should　have　been　funny；　that　blown　kiss；　or　maybe　just　grotesque；　but　it　wasn't。　I　met　Dean's　eye　for　a　moment；　then　had　to　look　away。　Dean　stared　down　the　corridor　toward　the　restraint　room　and　smiled　strangely　I　believe　he　was　on　the　verge　of　tears。　As　for　me；　I　said　what　I　had　to　say；　beginning　with　the　part　about　how　I　was　an　officer　of　the　court；　and　when　I　was　done；　Delacroix　stepped　out　of　his　cell　for　the　last　time。　
〃Hold　on　a　second　longer；　hoss；〃　Brutal　said；　and　checked　the　crown　of　Del's　head；　where　the　cap　would　go。　He　nodded　at　me；　then　clapped　Del　on　the　shoulder。　〃Right　with　Eversharp。　We're　on　our　way。〃　
So　Eduard　Delacroix　took　his　last　walk　on　the　Green　Mile　with　little　streams　of　mingled　sweat　and　tears　running　down　his　cheeks　and　big　thunder　rolling　in　the　sky　overhead。　Brutal　walked　on　the　condemned　man's　left；　I　was　on　his　right；　Dean　was　to　the　rear。　
Schuster　was　in　my　office；　with　guards　Ringgold　and　Battle　standing　in　the　corners　and　keeping　watch。　Schuster　looked　up　at　Del；　smiled；　and　then　addressed　him　in　French。　It　sounded　stilted　to　me；　but　it　worked　wonders。　Del　smiled　back；　then　went　to　Schuster；　put　his　arms　around　him；　hugged　him。　Ringgold　and　Battle　tensed；　but　I　raised　my　hands　to　them　and　shook　my　head。　
Schuster　listened　to　Del's　flood　of　tear…choked　French；　nodded　as　if　he　understood　perfectly；　and　patted　him　on　the　back。　He　looked　at　me　over　the　little　man's　shoulder　and　said；　〃I　hardly　understand　a　quarter　of　what　he's　saying。〃　
〃Don't　think　it　matters；〃　Brutal　rumbled。　
〃Neither　do　I；　son；〃　Schuster　said　with　a　grin。　He　was　the　best　of　them；　and　now　I　realize　I　have　no　idea　what　became　of　him。　I　hope　he　kept　his　faith；　whatever　else　befell