第22部分(第4/7 頁)

　cell；　half…expecting　to　discover　he'd　mitted　suicide　in　one　of　the　two　mon　Death　Row　ways　either　hanging　himself　with　his　pants；　or　gnawing　into　his　wrists。　No　such　thing；　it　turned　out。　Coffey　merely　sat　on　the　end　of　his　bunk　with　his　hands　in　his　lap；　the　largest　man　I'd　ever　seen　in　my　life；　looking　at　me　with　his　strange；　wet　eyes。

〃Cap'n？〃　he　said。

〃What's　up；　big　boy？〃

〃I　need　to　see　you。〃

〃Ain't　you　looking　right　at　me；　John　Coffey？〃

He　said　nothing　to　this；　only　went　on　studying　me　with　his　strange；　leaky　gaze。　I　sighed。

〃In　a　second；　big　boy。〃

I　looked　over　at　Delacroix；　who　was　standing　at　the　bars　of　his　cell。　Mr。　Jingles；　his　pet　mouse　（Delacroix　would　tell　you　he'd　trained　Mr。　Jingles　to　do　tricks；　but　us　folks　who　worked　on　the　Green　Mile　were　pretty　much　unanimous　in　the　opinion　that　Mr。　Jingles　had　trained　himself）；　was　jumping　restlessly　back　and　forth　from　one　of　Del's　outstretched　hands　to　the　other；　like　an　acrobat　doing　leaps　from　platforms　high　above　the　center　ring。　His　eyes　were　huge；　his　ears　laid　back　against　his　sleek　brown　skull。　I　hadn't　any　doubt　that　the　mouse　was　reacting　to　Delacroix's　nerves。　As　I　watched；　he　ran　down　Delacroix's　pants　leg　and　across　the　cell　to　where　the　brightly　colored　spool　lay　against　one　wall。　He　pushed　the　spool　back　to　Delacroix's　foot　and　then　looked　up　at　him　eagerly；　but　the　little　Cajun　took　no　notice　of　his　friend；　at　least　for　the　time　being。

〃What　happen；　boss？〃　Delacroix　asked。　〃Who　been　hurt？〃

〃Everything's　jake；〃　I　said。　〃Our　new　boy　came　in　like　a　lion；　but　now　he's　passed　out　like　a　lamb。　All's　well　that　ends　well。〃

〃It　ain't　over　yet；〃　Delacroix　said；　looking　up　the　Mile　toward　the　cell　where　Wharton　was　jugged。　〃L'homme　mauvais