小说园

第34部分（第1页）

ld　Sparky　ran　off　a　generator；　and　unless　that　took　a　direct　lightning…hit；　the　show　would　go　on。　Harry　was　in　the　switch　room　that　night；　so　he　and　Bill　Dodge　and　Percy　Wetmore　acted　as　ushers；　seeing　folks　into　their　seats　and　asking　each　one　if　hed　like　a　cold　drink　of　water。　There　were　two　women　present：　the　sister　of　the　girl　Del　had　raped　and　murdered；　and　the　mother　of　one　of　the　fire　victims。　The　latter　lady　was　large　and　pale　and　determined。　She　told　Harry　Terwilliger　that　she　hoped　the　man　shed　e　to　see　was　good　and　scared；　that　he　knew　the　fires　in　the　furnace　were　stoked　for　him；　and　that　Satans　imps；　were　waiting　for　him。　Then　she　burst　into　tears　and　buried　her　face　in　a　lace　hanky　that　was　almost　the　size　of　a　pillowslip。

Thunder；　hardly　muffled　at　all　by　the　tin　roof；　banged　harsh　and　loud。　People　glanced　up　uneasily。　Men　who　looked　unfortable　wearing　ties　this　late　at　night　wiped　at　their　florid　cheeks。　It　was　hotter　than　blue　blazes　in　the　storage　shed。　And；　of　course；　they　kept　turning　their　eyes　to　Old　Sparky。　They　might　have　made　jokes　about　this　chore　earlier　in　the　week；　but　the　jokes　were　gone　by　eleven…thirty　or　so　that　night。　I　started　all　this　by　telling　you　that　the　humor　went　out　of　the　situation　in　a　hurry　for　the　people　who　had　to　sit　down　in　that　oak　chair；　but　the　condemned　prisoners　werent　the　only　ones　who　lost　the　smiles　off　their　faces　when　the　time　actually　came。　It　just　seemed　so　bald；　somehow；　squatting　up　there　on　its　platform；　with　the　clamps　on　the　legs　sticking　off　to　either　side；　looking　like　the　things　a　person　with　polio　would　have　to　wear。　There　wasnt　much　talk；　and　when　the　thunder　boomed　again；　as　sharp　and　personal　as　a　splintering　tree；　the　sister　of　Delacroixs　victim　gave　a　little　scream。　The　last　person　to　take　his　seat　in　the　witnesss　section　was　Curtis　Anderson；　Warden　Mooress　stand…in。

At　eleven…thirty；　I　approached　Delacroixs　cell　with　Brutal　and　Dean　walking　slightly　behind　me。　Del　was　sitting　on　his　bunk；　with　Mr。　Jingles　in　his　lap。　The　mouses　head　was　stretched　forward　toward　the　condemned　man；　his　little　oilspot　eyes　rapt　on　Dels　face。　Del　was　stroking　the　top　of　Mr。　Jingless　head　between　his　ears。　Large　silent　tears　were　rolling　down　Dels　face；　and　it　was　these　the　mouse　seemed　to　be　peering　at。　Del　looked　up　at　the　sound　of　our　footsteps。　He　was　very　pale。　From　behind　me；　I　sensed　rather　than　saw　John　Coffey　standing　at　his　cell　door；　watching。

Del　winced　at　the　sound　of　my　keys　clashing　against　metal；　but　held　steady；　continuing　to　stroke　Mr。　Jingless　head；　as　I　turned　the　locks　and　ran　the　door　open。

〃Hi　dere；　Boss　Edgebe；〃　he　said。　〃Hi　dere；　boys。　Say　hi；　Mr。　Jingles。〃　But　Mr。　Jingles　only　continued　to　look　raptly　up　at　the　balding　little　mans　face；　as　if　wondering　at　the　source　of　his　tears。　The　colored　spool　had　been　neatly　laid　aside　in　the　Corona　box　…　laid　aside　for　the　last　time；　I　thought；　and　felt　a　pang。

〃Eduard　Delacroix；　as　an　officer　of　the　court。。。〃

〃Boss　Edgebe？〃

I　thought　about　just　running　on　with　the　set　speech；　then　thought　again。　〃What　is　it；　Del？〃

He　held　the　mouse　out　to　me。　〃Here。　Dont　let　nothing　happen　to　Mr。　Jingles。〃

〃Del；　I　dont　think　hell　e　to　me。　Hes　not　…　〃

〃Mais　oui；　he　say　he　will。　He　say　he　know　all　about　you；　Boss　Edgebe；　and　you　gonna　take　him　down　to　dat　place　in　Florida　where　the　mousies　do　their　tricks。　He　say　he　trust　you。〃　He　held　his　hand　out　farther；　and　Ill　be　damned　if　the　mouse　didnt　step　off　his　palm　and　onto　my　shoulder。　It　was　so　light　I　couldnt　even　feel　it　through　my　uniform　coat；　but　I　sensed　it；　like　a　small　heat。　〃And　boss？　Dont　let　that　bad　un　near　him　again。　Dont　let　that　bad　un　hurt　my　mouse。〃

〃No；　Del。　I　wont。〃　The　question　was；　what　was　I　supposed　to　do　with　him　right　then？　I　couldnt　very　well　march　Delacroix　past　the　witnesses　with　a　mouse　perched　on　my　shoulder。

〃Ill　take　him；　boss；〃　a　voice　rumbled　from　behind　me。　It　was　John　Coffeys　voice；　and　it　was　eerie　the　way　it　came　right　then；　as　though　he　had　read　my　mind。　〃Just　for　now。　If　Del　dont　mind。〃

Del　nodded；　relieved。　〃Yeah；　you　take　im；　John；　til　dis　foolishment　done　…　bien！　And　den　after　。。。〃　His　gaze　shifted　back　to　Brutal　and　me。　〃You　gonna　take　him　down　to　Florida。　To　dat　Mouseville　Place。〃

〃Yeah；　most　likely　Paul　and　I　will　do　it　together；〃　Brutal　said；　watching　with　a　troubled　and　unquiet　eye　as　Mr。　Jingles　stepped　off　my　shoulder　and　into　Coffeys　huge　outstretched　palm。　Mr。　Jingles　did　this　with　no　protest　or　attempt　to　run；　indeed；　he　scampered　as　readily　up　John　Coffeys　arm　as　he　had　stepped　onto　my　shoulder。　〃Well　take　some　of　our　vacation　time。　Wont　we；　Paul？〃

I　nodded。　Del　nodded；　too；　eyes　bright；　just　a　trace　of　a　smile　on　his　lips。　〃People　pay　a　dime　apiece　to　see　him。　Two　cents　for　the　kiddies。　Aint　dat　right；　Boss；Howell？〃

〃Thats　right；　Del。〃

〃You　a　good　man；　Boss　Howell；〃　Del　said。　〃You；　too；　Boss　Edgebe。　You　yell　at　me　sometimes；　oui；　but　not　less　you　have　to。　You　all　good　men　except　for　dat　Percy。　I　wish　I　coulda　met　you　someplace　else。　Mauvais　temps；　mauvaise　chance。〃

〃I　got　something　to　say　to　you；　Del；…　I　told　him。　〃Theyre　just　the　words　I　have　to　say　to　everyone　before　we　walk。　No　big　deal；　but　its　part　of　my　job。　Okay？〃

〃Oui；　monsieur；〃　he　said；　and　looked　at　Mr。　Jingles；　perched　on　John　Coffeys　broad　shoulder；　for　the　last　time。　〃Au　revoir；　mon　ami；〃　he　said；　beginning　to　cry　harder。　〃le　taime；　mon　petit。〃　He　blew　the　mouse　a　kiss。　It　should　have　been　funny；　that　blown　kiss；　or　maybe　just　grotesque；　but　it　wasnt。　I　met　Deans　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　Dels　head；　where　the　cap　would　go。　He　nodded　at　me；　then　clapped　Del　on　the　shoulder。　〃Right　with　Eversharp。　Were　on　our　way。〃