第28部分(第3/7 頁)

em　what　happens　when　a　Louisiana　boy　puts　the　hammer　down　and　really　goes　to　work。〃

〃You　bet。〃　A　smile　shone　out　of　his　face；　so　sudden　and　so　simple　in　its　happiness　that　I　felt　my　heart　break　for　him　a　little；　in　spite　of　the　terrible　thing　he　had　done。　What　a　world　we　live　in　…　what　a　world！

Delacroix　turned　to　John　Coffey；　with　whom　he　had　struck　up　a　diffident　friendship　not　much　different　from　a　hundred　other　deathhouse　acquaintances　I'd　seen。

〃You　knock　em　for　a　loop；　Del；〃　Coffey　said　in　a　serious　voice。　〃You　show　em　all　his　tricks。〃

Delacroix　nodded　and　held　his　hand　up　by　his　shoulder。　Mr。　Jingles　stepped　onto　it　like　it　was　a　platform；　and　Delacroix　held　the　hand　out　toward　Coffey's　cell。　John　Coffey　stuck　out　a　huge　finger；　and　I'll　be　damned　if　that　mouse　didn't　stretch　out　his　neck　and　lick　the　end　of　it；　just　like　a　dog。

〃e　on；　Del；　quit　lingerin；〃　Brutal　said。　〃These　folks're　settin　back　a　hot　dinner　at　home　to　watch　your　mouse　cut　his　capers。〃　Not　true；　of　course　Anderson　would　have　been　there　until　eight　o'clock　on　any　night；　and　the　guards　he'd　dragged　in　to　watch　Delacroix's　〃show〃　would　be　there　until　eleven　or　twelve；　depending　on　when　their　shifts　were　scheduled　to　end。　The　politician　from　the　state　capital　would　most　likely　turn　out　to　be　an　office　janitor　in　a　borrowed　tie。　But　Delacroix　had　no　way　of　knowing　any　of　that。

〃I'm　ready；〃　Delacroix　said；　speaking　with　the　simplicity　of　a　great　star　who　has　somehow　managed　to　retain　the　mon　touch。　〃Let's　go。〃　And　as　Brutal　led　him　up　the　Green　Mile　with　Mr。　Jingles　perched　there　on　the　little　man's　shoulder；　Delacroix　once　more　began　to　bugle；　〃Messieurs　et　mesdames！　Bienvenue　au　cirque　de　mousie！〃　Yet；　even　lost　as　deeply　in　his　own　fantasy　world　as　he　was；