第10部分(第2/7 頁)

as　a　small　mouse；〃　I　said；　〃but　that　small？　Man；　I　don't　think　so。〃

〃But　that's　where　he　went；〃　Brutal　said。　〃I'm　just　as　sure　as　houses。〃

〃I　don't　see　how　you　can　be。〃

〃Lean　closer　…　don't　worry　I　got　you　…　and　take　a　whiff。〃

I　did　as　he　asked；　groping　with　my　left　hand　for　one　of　the　other　beams；　and　feeling　a　little　better　when　I　had　hold　of　it。　The　wind　outside　gusted　again；　air　puffed　out　of　that　hole　and　into　my　face。　I　could　smell　the　keen　breath　of　a　winter　night　in　the　border　South　。。。　and　something　else；　as　well。

The　smell　of　peppermint。

Don't　let　nothing　happen　to　Mr。　Jingles；　I　could　hear　Delacroix　saying　in　a　voice　that　wouldn't　stay　steady　I　could　hear　that；　and　I　could　feel　the　warmth　of　Mr。　Jingles　as　the　Frenchman　handed　it　to　me；　just　a　mouse；　smarter　than　most　of　the　species；　no　doubt；　but　still　just　a　mouse　for　a'　that　and　a'　that。　Don't　let　that　bad　'un　hurt　my　mouse；　he'd　said；　and　I　had　promised；　as　I　always　promised　them　at　the　end　when　walking　the　Green　Mile　was　no　longer　a　myth　or　a　hypothesis　but　something　they　really　had　to　do。　Mail　this　letter　to　my　brother；　who　I　haven't　seen　for　twenty　years？　I　promise。　Say　fifteen　Hail　Marys　for　my　soul？　I　promise。　Let　me　die　under　my　spirit…name　and　see　that　it　goes　on　my　tombstone？　I　promise。　It　was　the　way　you　got　them　to　go　and　be　good　about　it；　the　way　you　saw　them　into　the　chair　sitting　at　the　end　of　the　Green　Mile　with　their　sanity　intact。　I　couldn't　keep　all　of　those　promises；　of　course；　but　I　kept　the　one　I　made　to　Delacroix。　As　for　the　Frenchman　himself；　there　had　been　hell　to　pay。　The　bad　'un　had　hurt　Delacroix；　hurt　him　plenty。　Oh；　I　know　what　he　did；　all　right；　but　no　one　deserved　what　happened　to　Eduard　Delacroix　when　he　fell　into　Old　Sparky's　savage