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第16部分（第2页）

〃Did　Percy　know　that；　do　you　think？〃　I　asked。　〃Was　he　maybe　using　it　as　an　excuse　just　because　he　felt　like　whaling　on　Delacroix　a　little　bit？　Showing　him　who　bosses　the　shooting　match　around　here？〃

Brutal　nodded　slowly。　〃Yeah。　I　think　that　was　probably　it。〃

〃We　have　to　watch　him；　then；〃　I　said；　and　ran　my　hands；　through　my　hair。　As　if　the　job　wasnt　hard　enough。　〃God；　I　hate　this。　I　hate　him。〃

〃Me；　too。　And　you　want　to　know　something　else；　Paul？　I　dont　understand　him。　Hes　got　connections；　I　understand　that；　all　right；　but　why　would　he　use　them　to　get　a　job　on　the　Green　fucking　Mile？　Anywhere　in　the　state　pen；　for　that　matter？　Why　not　as　a　page　in　the　state　senate；　or　the　guy　who　makes　the　lieutenant　governors　appointments？　Surely　his　people　couldve　gotten　him　something　better　if　hed　asked　them；　so　why　here？〃

I　shook　my　head。　I　didnt　know。　There　were　a　lot　of　things　I　didnt　know　then。　I　suppose　I　was　naive。

8。

After　that；　things　went　back　to　normal　again　。。。　for　awhile；　at　least。　Down　in　the　county　seat；　the　state　was　preparing　to　bring　John　Coffey　to　trial；　and　Trapingus　County　Sheriff　Homer　Cribus　was　pooh…poohing　the　idea　that　a　lynch…mob　might　hurry　justice　along　a　little　bit。　None　of　that　mattered　to　us；　on　E　Block；　no　one　paid　much　attention　to　the　news。　Life　on　the　Green　Mile　was；　in　a　way；　like　life　in　a　soundproof　room。　From　time　to　time　you　heard　mutterings　that　were　probably　explosions　in　the　outside　world；　but　that　was　about　all。　They　wouldnt　hurry　with　John　Coffey；　theyd　want　to　make　damned　sure　of　him。

On　a　couple　of　occasions　Percy　got　to　ragging　Delacroix；　and　the　second　time　I　pulled　him　aside　and　told　him　to　e　up　to　my　office。　It　wasnt　my　first　interview　with　Percy　on　the　subject　of　his　behavior；　and　it　wouldnt　be　the　last；　but　it　was　prompted　by　what；　was　probably　the　clearest　understanding　of　what　he　was。　He　had　the　heart　of　a　cruel　boy　who　goes　to　the　zoo　not　so　he　can　study　the　animals　but　so　he　can　throw　stones　at　them　in　their　cages。

〃You　stay　away　from　him；　now；　you　hear？〃　I　said。　〃Unless　I　give　you　a　specific　order；　just　stay　the　hell　away　from　him。〃

Percy　bed　his　hair　back；　then　patted　at　it　with　his　sweet　little　hands。　That　boy　just　loved　touching　his　hair。　〃I　wasnt　doing　nothing　to　him；〃　he　said。　〃Only　asking　how　it　felt　to　know　you　had　burned　up　some　babies；　is　all。〃　Percy　gave　me　a　round…eyed；　innocent　stare。

〃You　quit　with　it；　or　therell　be　a　report；〃　I　said。

He　laughed。　〃Make　any　report　you　want；〃　he　said。　〃Then　Ill　turn　around　and　make　my　own。　Just　like　I　told　you　when　he　came　in。　Well　see　who　es　off　the　best。〃

I　leaned　forward；　hands　folded　on　my　desk；　and　spoke　in　a　tone　I　hoped　would　sound　like　a　friend　being　confidential。　〃Brutus　Howell　doesnt　like　you　much；〃　I　said。　〃And　when　Brutal　doesnt　like　someone；　hes　been　known　to　make　his　own　report。　He　isnt　much　shakes　with　a　pen；　and　he　cant　quit　from　licking　that　pencil；　so　hes　apt　to　report　with　his　fists。　If　you　know　what　I　mean。〃

Percys　placent　little　smile　faltered。　〃What　are　you　trying　to　say〃

〃Im　not　trying　to　say　anything。　I　have　said　it。　And　if　you　tell　any　of　your　。。。friends　。。。　about　this　discussion；　Ill　say　you　made　the　whole　thing　up。〃　I　looked　at　him　all　wide…eyed　and　earnest。　〃Besides；　Im　trying　to　be　your　friend；　Percy。　A　word　to　the　wise　is　sufficient；　they　say。　And　why　would　you　want　to　get　into　it　with　Delacroix　in　the　first　place？　Hes　not　worth　it。〃

And　for　awhile　that　worked。　There　was　peace。　A　couple　of　times　I　was　even　able　to　send　Percy　with　Dean　or　Harry　when　Delacroixs　time　to　shower　had　rolled　around。　We　had　the　radio　at　night；　Delacroix　began　to　relax　a　little　into　the　scant　routine　of　E　Block；　and　there　was　peace。

Then；　one　night；　I　heard　him　laughing。

Harry　Terwilliger　was　on　the　desk；　and　soon　he　was　laughing；　too。　I　got　up　and　went　on　down　to　Delacroixs　cell　to　see　what　he　possibly　had　to　laugh　about。

〃Look；　Capn〃　he　said　when　he　saw　me。　〃I　done　tame　me　a　mouse！〃

It　was　Steamboat　Willy。　He　was　in　Delacroixs　cell。　More：　he　was　sitting　on　Delacroixs　shoulder　and　looking　calmly　out　through　the　bars　at　us　with　his　little　oildrop　eyes。　His　tail　was　curled　around　his　paws；　and　he　looked　pletely　at　peace。　As　for　Delacroix　…　friend；　you　wouldnt　have　known　it　was　the　same　man　whod　sat　cringing　and　shuddering　at　the　foot　of　his　bunk　not　a　week　before。　He　looked　like　my　daughter　used　to　on　Christmas　morning；　when　she　came　down　the　stairs　and　saw　the　presents。

〃Watch　dis！〃　Delacroix　said。　The　mouse　was　sitting　on　his　right　shoulder。　Delacroix　stretched　out　his　left　arm。　The　mouse　scampered　up　to　the　top　of　Delacroixs　head；　using　the　mans　hair　（which　was　thick　enough　in　back；　at　least）　to　climb　up。　Then　he　scampered　down　the　other　side；　Delacroix　giggling　as　his　tail　tickled　the　side　of　his　neck。　The　mouse　ran　all　the　way　down　his　arm　to　his　wrist；　then　turned；　scampered　back　up　to　Delacroixs　left　shoulder；　and　curled　his　tail　around　his　feet　again。

〃Ill　be　damned；〃　Harry　said。

〃I　train　him　to　do　that；〃　Delacroix　said　proudly。　I　thought；　In　a　pigs　ass　you　did；　but　kept　my　mouth　shut。　〃His　name　is　Mr。　Jingles。〃

〃Nah；〃　Harry　said　goodnaturedly。　〃Its　Steamboat　Willy；　like　in　the　pitcher…show。　Boss　Howell　named　him。〃

〃Its　Mr。　Jingles；〃　Delacroix　said。　On　any　other　subject　he　would　have　told　you　that　shit　was　Shinola；　if　you　wanted　him　to；　but　on　the　subject　of　the　mouses　name　he　was　perfectly　adamant。　〃He　whisper　it　in　my　ear。　Capn；　can　I　have　a　box　for　him？　Can　I　have　a　box　for　my　mous；　so