第38部分(第1/7 頁)

〃Poor　Del；〃　he　said　in　a　low；　hoarse　voice。　〃Poor　old　Del。〃

〃Yes；〃　I　said。　〃Poor　old　Del。　John；　are　you　okay？〃

〃He's　out　of　it；〃　Coffey　said。　〃Del's　out　of　it。　Isn't　he；　boss？〃

〃Yes。　Answer　my　question；　John。　Are　you　okay？〃

〃Del's　out　of　it；　he's　the　lucky　one。　No　matter　how　it　happened；　he's　the　lucky　one。〃

I　thought　Delacroix　might　have　given　him　an　argument　on　that；　but　didn't　say　so。　I　glanced　around　Coffey's　cell；　instead。　〃Where's　Mr。　Jingles？〃

〃Ran　down　there。〃　He　pointed　through　the　bars；　down　the　hall　to　the　restraint…room　door。

I　nodded。　〃Well；　he'll　be　back。〃

But　he　wasn't；　Mr。　Jingles's　days　on　the　Green　Mile　were　over。　The　only　trace　of　him　we　ever　happened　on　was　what　Brutal　found　that　winter：　a　few　brightly　colored　splinters　of　wood；　and　a　smell　of　peppermint　candy　wafting　out　of　a　hole　in　a　beam。

I　meant　to　walk　away　then；　but　I　didn't。　I　looked　at　John　Coffey；　and　he　back　at　me　as　if　he　knew　everything　I　was　thinking。　I　told　myself　to　get　moving；　to　just　call　it　a　night　and　get　moving；　back　to　the　duty　desk　and　my　report。　Instead　I　said　his　name：　〃John　Coffey。〃

〃Yes；　boss；〃　he　said　at　once。

Sometimes　a　man　is　cursed　with　needing　to　know　a　thing；　and　that　was　how　it　was　with　me　right　then。　I　dropped　down　on　one　knee　and　began　taking　off　one　of　my　shoes。

7。

The　rain　had　quit　by　the　time　I　got　home；　and　a　late　grin　of　moon　had　appeared　over　the　ridges　to　the　north。　My　sleepiness　seemed　to　have　gone　with　the　clouds。　I　was　wide　awake；　and　I　could　smell　Delacroix　on　me。　I　thought　I　might　smell　him　on　my　skin　…　barbecue；　me　and　you；　stinky；　pinky；　phew…phew…phew　…　for　a　long　time　to　e。

Janice　was　waiting　up；　as　she　always　did　on　execution　nights。　I　meant　not　t