第33部分(第1/7 頁)

he　prison　laundry　didn't　care　what　it　washed）；　and　was　polishing　the　oak　arms　and　legs　of　the　electric　chair。　This　probably　sounds　bizarre　to　you；　perhaps　even　macabre；　but　to　Brutal　and　me；　it　seemed　the　most　normal　thing　Percy　had　done　all　night。　Old　Sparky　would　be　meeting　his　public　tomorrow；　and。　Percy　would　at　least　appear　to　be　in　charge。

〃Percy；〃　I　said　quietly。

He　turned　the　little　tune　he'd　been　humming　dying　in　his　throat；　and　looked　at　us。　I　didn't　see　the　fear　I'd　expected；　at　least　not　at　first。　I　realized　that　Percy　looked　older；　somehow。　And；　I　thought；　John　Coffey　was　right。　He　looked　mean。　Meanness　is　like　an　addicting　drug　…　no　one　on　earth　is　more　qualified　to　say　that　than　me　…　and　I　thought　that；　after　a　certain　amount　of　experimentation；　Percy　had　gotten　hooked　on　it。　He　liked　what　he　had　done　to　Delacroix's　mouse。　What　he　liked　even　more　was　Delacroix's　dismayed　screams。

〃Don't　start　in　on　me；〃　he　said　in　a　tone　of　voice　that　was　almost　pleasant。　〃I　mean；　hey；　it　was　just　a　mouse。　It　never　belonged　here　in　the　first　place；　as　you　boys　well　know。〃

〃The　mouse　is　fine；〃　I　said。　My　heart　was　thumping　hard　in　my　chest　but　I　made　my　voice　e　out　mild；　almost　disinterested。　〃Just　fine。　Running　and　squeaking　and　chasing　its　spool　again。　You're　no　better　at　mouse…killing　than　you　are　at　most　of　the　other　things　you　do　around　here。〃

He　was　looking　at　me；　amazed　and　disbelieving。　〃You　expect　me　to　believe　that？　The　goddam　thing　crunched！　I　heard　it！　So　you　can　just………！〃

〃Shut　up。〃

He　stared　at　me；　his　eyes　wide。　〃What？　What　did　you　say　to　me？〃

I　took　a　step　closer　to　him。　I　could　feel　a　vein　throbbing　in　the　middle　of　my　forehead。　I　couldn't　remember　the　last　time　I'd　felt　so　angry。　〃Aren't　you　glad