第22部分(第6/7 頁)

of　helping　him　through　the　rest　of　it。　When　you　know　what　a　man　needs；　you　know　the　man；　more　often　than　not。　〃Please；　Boss　Edgebe！　You　have　to　e　in！〃

That's　the　nuttiest　thing　I　ever　heard；　I　thought；　and　then　realized　something　even　nuttier：　I　was　going　to　do　it。　I　had　my　keys　off　my　belt　and　I　was　hunting　through　them　for　the　ones　that　opened　John　Coffey's　cell。　He　could　have　picked　me　up　and　broken　me　over　his　knee　like　kindling　on　a　day　when　I　was　well　and　feeling　fine；　and　this　wasn't　that　day。　All　the　same；　I　was　going　to　do　it。　On　my　own；　and　less　than　half　an　hour　after　a　graphic　demonstration　of　where　stupidity　and　laxness　could　get　you　when　you　were　dealing　with　condemned　murderers；　I　was　going　to　open　this　black　giant's　cell；　go　in；　and　sit　with　him。　If　I　was　discovered；　I　might　well　lose　my　job　even　if　he　didn't　do　anything　crazy；　but　I　was　going　to　do　it；　just　the　same。

Stop；　I　said　to　myself；　you　just　stop　now；　Paul。　But　I　didn't。　I　used　one　key　on　the　top　lock；　another　on　the　bottom　lock；　and　then　I　slid　the　door　back　on　its　track。

〃You　know；　boss；　that　maybe　not　such　a　good　idear；〃　Delacroix　said　in　a　voice　so　nervous　and　prissy　it　would　probably　have　made　me　laugh　under　other　circumstances。

〃You　mind　your　business　and　I'll　mind　mine；〃　I　said　without　looking　around。　My　eyes　were　fixed　on　John　Coffey's；　and　fixed　so　hard　they　might　have　been　nailed　there。　It　was　like　being　hypnotized。　My　voice　sounded　to　my　own　ears　like　something　which　had　e　echoing　down　a　long　valley。　Hell；　maybe　I　was　hypnotized。　〃You　just　lie　down　and　take　you　a　rest。〃

〃Christ；　this　place　is　crazy；〃　Delacroix　said　in　a　trembling　voice。　〃Mr。　Jingles；　I　just　about　wish　they'd　fry　me　and　be　done　widdit！〃

I　went　into　Coffey's　cell。　He　stepped　awa