第34部分(第4/7 頁)

〃Oui；　monsieur；〃　he　said；　and　looked　at　Mr。　Jingles；　perched　on　John　Coffey's　broad　shoulder；　for　the　last　time。　〃Au　revoir；　mon　ami；〃　he　said；　beginning　to　cry　harder。　〃le　t'aime；　mon　petit。〃　He　blew　the　mouse　a　kiss。　It　should　have　been　funny；　that　blown　kiss；　or　maybe　just　grotesque；　but　it　wasn't。　I　met　Dean's　eye　for　a　moment；　then　had　to　look　away。　Dean　stared　down　the　corridor　toward　the　restraint　room　and　smiled　strangely　I　believe　he　was　on　the　verge　of　tears。　As　for　me；　I　said　what　I　had　to　say；　beginning　with　the　part　about　how　I　was　an　officer　of　the　court；　and　when　I　was　done；　Delacroix　stepped　out　of　his　cell　for　the　last　time。

〃Hold　on　a　second　longer；　hoss；〃　Brutal　said；　and　checked　the　crown　of　Del's　head；　where　the　cap　would　go。　He　nodded　at　me；　then　clapped　Del　on　the　shoulder。　〃Right　with　Eversharp。　We're　on　our　way。〃

So　Eduard　Delacroix　took　his　last　walk　on　the　Green　Mile　with　little　streams　of　mingled　sweat　and　tears　running　down　his　cheeks　and　big　thunder　rolling　in　the　sky　overhead。　Brutal　walked　on　the　condemned　man's　left；　I　was　on　his　right；　Dean　was　to　the　rear。

Schuster　was　in　my　office；　with　guards　Ringgold　and　Battle　standing　in　the　corners　and　keeping　watch。　Schuster　looked　up　at　Del；　smiled；　and　then　addressed　him　in　French。　It　sounded　stilted　to　me；　but　it　worked　wonders。　Del　smiled　back；　then　went　to　Schuster；　put　his　arms　around　him；　hugged　him。　Ringgold　and　Battle　tensed；　but　I　raised　my　hands　to　them　and　shook　my　head。

Schuster　listened　to　Del's　flood　of　tear…choked　French；　nodded　as　if　he　understood　perfectly；　and　patted　him　on　the　back。　He　looked　at　me　over　the　little　man's　shoulder　and　said；　〃I　hardly　understand　a　quarter　of　what　he's　saying。〃

〃Don't　think　it　matters；〃　Brutal　rumbled。

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