第23部分(第4/7 頁)

eace　so　remarkable　it　was　almost　eestasy　…　anyone　who's　suffered　bad　pain　and　then　recovered　will　know　what　I'm　talking　about。

〃Everything's　all　right；　Del；〃　I　insisted。　〃John　Coffey　had　a　nightmare；　that's　all。〃

〃He　a　gris…gris　man！〃　Delacroix　said　vehemently。　There　was　a　nestle　of　sweat…beads　on　his　upper　lip。　He　hadn't　seen　much；　just　enough　to　scare　him　half　to　death。　〃He　a　hoodoo　man！〃

〃What　makes　you　say　that？〃

Delacroix　reached　up　and　took　the　mouse　in　one　hand。　He　cupped　it　in　his　palm　and　lifted　it　to　his　face。　From　his　pocket；　Delacroix　took　out　a　pink　fragment　…　one　of　those　peppermint　candies。　He　held　it　out；　but　at　first　the　mouse　ignored　it；　stretching　out　its　neck　toward　the　man　instead；　sniffing　at　his　breath　the　way　a　person　might　sniff　at　a　bouquet　of　flowers。　Its　little　oildrop　eyes　slitted　most　of　the　way　closed　in　an　expression　that　looked　like　ecstasy。　Delacroix　kissed　its　nose；　and　the　mouse　allowed　its　nose　to　be　kissed。　Then　it　took　the　offered　piece　of　candy　and　began　to　munch　it。　Delacroix　looked　at　it　a　moment　longer；　then　looked　at　me。　All　at　once　I　got　it。

〃The　mouse　told　you；〃　I　said。　〃Am　I　right？〃

〃Oui。〃

〃Like　he　whispered　his　name　to　you。〃

〃Oui；　in　my　ear　he　whisper　it。〃

〃Lie　down；　Del；〃　I　said。　〃Have　you　a　little　rest。　All　that　whispering　back　and　forth　must　wear　you　out。〃

He　said　something　else…accused　me　of　not　believing　him；　I　suppose。　His　voice　seemed　to　be　ing　from　a　long　way　off　again。　And　when　I　went　back　up　to　the　duty　desk；　I　hardly　seemed　to　be　walking　at　all　…　it　was　more　like　I　was　floating；　or　maybe　not　even　moving；　the　cells　just　rolling　past　me　on　either　side；　movie　props　on　hidden　wheels。

I　started　to　sit　like　normal；　but　halfway　into　it　my　knee