第31部分(第2/7 頁)

s　the　remains　of　a　Danish　he'd　hooked　out　of　the　kitchen。　He'd　been　standing　under　the　leave；　eating　it　where　he　wouldn't　get　wet。　And　where　he　could　watch　for　me；　I'm　pretty　sure　of　that　now。　I'm　pretty　sure　of　something　else；　as　well：　I'll　have　to　watch　out　for　Mr。　Brad　Dolan。　He　doesn't　like　me　much。　I　don't　know　why；　but　I　never　knew　why　Percy　Wetmore　didn't　like　Delacroix；　either。　And　dislike　is　really　too　weak　a　word。　Percy　hated　Del's　guts　from　the　very　first　moment　the　little　Frenchman　came　onto　the　Green　Mile。

'〃What's　with　this　poncho　you　got　on；　Paulie？〃　he　asked；　flicking　the　collar。　〃This　isn't　yours。〃

〃I　got　it　in　the　hall　outside　the　kitchen；〃　I　said。　I　hate　it　when　he　calls　me　Paulie；　and　I　think　he　knows　it；　but　I　was　damned　if　I'd　give　him　the　satisfaction　of　seeing　it。　〃There's　a　whole　row　of　them。　I'm　not　hurting　it　any；　would　you　say？　Rain's　what　it's　made　for；　after　all。〃

〃But　it　wasn't　made　for　you；　Paulie；〃　he　said；　giving　it　another　little　flick。　〃That's　the　thing。　Those　slickers're　for　the　employees；　not　the　residents。〃

〃I　still　don't　see　what　harm　it　does。〃

He　gave　me　a　thin　little　smile。　〃It's　not　about　harm；　it's　about　the　rules。　What　would　life　be　without　rules？　Paulie；　Paulie；　Paulie。〃　He　shook　his　head；　as　if　just　looking　at　me　made　him　feel　sorry　to　be　alive。　〃You　probably　think　an　old　fart　like　you　doesn't　have　to　mind　about　the　rules　anymore；　but　that's　just　not　true。　Paulie。〃

Smiling　at　me。　Disliking　me。　Maybe　even　hating　me。　And　why？　I　don't　know。　Sometimes　there　is　no　why。　That's　the　scary　part。

〃Well；　I'm　sorry　if　I　broke　the　rules；〃　I　said。　It　came　out　sounding　whiney；　a　little　shrill；　and　I　hated　myself　for　sounding　that　way；　but　I'm　old；　and　old　people　whine　easily。　Old　people　sca