第34部分(第5/7 頁)

either　do　I；　son；〃　Schuster　said　with　a　grin。　He　was　the　best　of　them；　and　now　I　realize　I　have　no　idea　what　became　of　him。　I　hope　he　kept　his　faith；　whatever　else　befell。

He　urged　Delacroix　onto　his　knees；　then　folded　his　hands。　Delacroix　did　the　same。

〃Not'　Pere；　qui　etes　aux　cieux；〃　Schuster　began；　and　Delacroix　joined　him。　They　spoke　the　Lord's　Prayer　together　in　that　liquid…sounding　Cajun　French；　all　the　way　to　〃mais　deliverez…nous　du　mal；　ainsi　soit…il。〃　By　then；　Del's　tears　had　mostly　stopped　and　he　looked　calm。　Some　Bible　verses　（in　English）　followed；　not　neglecting　the　old　standby　about　the　still　waters。　When　that　was　done；　Schuster　started　to　get　up；　but　Del　held　onto　the　sleeve　of　his　shirt　and　said　something　in　French。　Schuster　listened　carefully；　frowning。　He　responded。　Del　said　something　else；　then　just　looked　at　him　hopefully。

Schuster　turned　to　me　and　said：　〃He's　got　something　else；　Mr。　Edgebe。　A　prayer　I　can't　help　him　with；　because　of　my　faith。　Is　it　all　right？〃

I　looked　at　the　clock　on　the　wall　and　saw　it　was　seventeen　minutes　to　midnight。　〃Yes；〃　I　said；　〃but　it'll　have　to　be　quick。　We've　got　a　schedule　to　keep　here；　you　know。〃

〃Yes。　I　do。〃　He　turned　to　Delacroix　and　gave　him　a　nod。

Del　closed　his　eyes　as　if　to　pray；　but　for　a　moment　said　nothing。　A　frown　creased　his　forehead　and　I　had　a　sense　of　him　reaching　far　back　in　his　mind；　as　a　man　may　search　a　small　attic　room　for　an　object　which　hasn't　been　used　（or　needed）　for　a　long；　long　time。　I　glanced　at　the　clock　again　and　almost　said　something　…　would　have；　if　Brutal　hadn't　twitched　my　sleeve　and　shaken　his　head。

Then　Del　began；　speaking　softly　but　quickly　in　that　Cajun　which　was　as　round　and　soft　and　sensual　as　a　young　woman's　breast：　〃Marie！　le　vous　s