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第22部分（第2页）

〃Aint　you　looking　right　at　me；　John　Coffey？〃

He　said　nothing　to　this；　only　went　on　studying　me　with　his　strange；　leaky　gaze。　I　sighed。

〃In　a　second；　big　boy。〃

I　looked　over　at　Delacroix；　who　was　standing　at　the　bars　of　his　cell。　Mr。　Jingles；　his　pet　mouse　（Delacroix　would　tell　you　hed　trained　Mr。　Jingles　to　do　tricks；　but　us　folks　who　worked　on　the　Green　Mile　were　pretty　much　unanimous　in　the　opinion　that　Mr。　Jingles　had　trained　himself）；　was　jumping　restlessly　back　and　forth　from　one　of　Dels　outstretched　hands　to　the　other；　like　an　acrobat　doing　leaps　from　platforms　high　above　the　center　ring。　His　eyes　were　huge；　his　ears　laid　back　against　his　sleek　brown　skull。　I　hadnt　any　doubt　that　the　mouse　was　reacting　to　Delacroixs　nerves。　As　I　watched；　he　ran　down　Delacroixs　pants　leg　and　across　the　cell　to　where　the　brightly　colored　spool　lay　against　one　wall。　He　pushed　the　spool　back　to　Delacroixs　foot　and　then　looked　up　at　him　eagerly；　but　the　little　Cajun　took　no　notice　of　his　friend；　at　least　for　the　time　being。

〃What　happen；　boss？〃　Delacroix　asked。　〃Who　been　hurt？〃

〃Everythings　jake；〃　I　said。　〃Our　new　boy　came　in　like　a　lion；　but　now　hes　passed　out　like　a　lamb。　Alls　well　that　ends　well。〃

〃It　aint　over　yet；〃　Delacroix　said；　looking　up　the　Mile　toward　the　cell　where　Wharton　was　jugged。　〃Lhomme　mauvais；　cest〃

〃Well；〃　I　said；　〃dont　let　it　get　you　down；　Del。　Nobodys　going　to　make　you　play　skiprope　with　him　out　in　the　yard。〃

There　was　a　creaking　sound　from　behind　me　as　Coffey　got　off　his　bunk。　〃Boss　Edgebe！〃　he　said　again。　This　time　he　sounded　urgent。　〃I　need　to　talk　to　you！〃

I　turned　to　him；　thinking；　all　right；　no　problem；　talking　was　my　business。　All　the　time　trying　not　to　shiver；　because　the　fever　had　turned　cold；　as　they　sometimes　will。　Except　for　my　groin；　which　still　felt　as　if　it　had　been　slit　open；　filled　with　hot　coals；　and　then　sewed　back　up　again。

〃So　talk；　John　Coffey；〃　I　said；　trying　to　keep　my　voice　light　and　calm。　For　the　first　time　since　hed　e　onto　E　Block；　Coffey　looked　as　though　he　was　really　here；　really　among　us。　The　almost　ceaseless　trickle　of　tears　from　the　corners　of　his　eyes　had　ceased；　at　least　for　the　time　being；　and　I　knew　he　was　seeing　what　he　was　looking　at　…　Mr。　Paul　Edgebe；　E　Blocks　bull…goose　screw；　and　not　some　place　he　wished　he　could　return　to；　and　take　back　the　terrible　thing　hed　done。

〃No；〃　he　said。　〃You　got　to　e　in　here。〃

〃Now；　you　know　I　cant　do　that；〃　I　said；　still　trying　for　the　light　tone；　〃at　least　not　right　this　minute。　Im　on　my　own　here　for　the　time　being；　and　you　outweigh　me　by　just　about　a　ton　and　a　half。　Weve　had　us　one　hooraw　this　afternoon；　and　thats　enough。　So　well　just　have　us　a　chat　through　the　bars；　if　its　all　the　same　to　you；　and　…　〃

〃Please！〃　He　was　holding　the　bars　so　tightly　that　his　knuckles　were　pale　and　his　fingernails　were　white。　His　face　was　long　with　distress；　those　strange　eyes　sharp　with　some　need　I　could　not　understand。　I　remember　thinking　that　maybe　I　couldve　understood　it　if　I　hadnt　been　so　sick；　and　knowing　that　would　have　given　me　a　way　of　helping　him　through　the　rest　of　it。　When　you　know　what　a　man　needs；　you　know　the　man；　more　often　than　not。　〃Please；　Boss　Edgebe！　You　have　to　e　in！〃

Thats　the　nuttiest　thing　I　ever　heard；　I　thought；　and　then　realized　something　even　nuttier：　I　was　going　to　do　it。　I　had　my　keys　off　my　belt　and　I　was　hunting　through　them　for　the　ones　that　opened　John　Coffeys　cell。　He　could　have　picked　me　up　and　broken　me　over　his　knee　like　kindling　on　a　day　when　I　was　well　and　feeling　fine；　and　this　wasnt　that　day。　All　the　same；　I　was　going　to　do　it。　On　my　own；　and　less　than　half　an　hour　after　a　graphic　demonstration　of　where　stupidity　and　laxness　could　get　you　when　you　were　dealing　with　condemned　murderers；　I　was　going　to　open　this　black　giants　cell；　go　in；　and　sit　with　him。　If　I　was　discovered；　I　might　well　lose　my　job　even　if　he　didnt　do　anything　crazy；　but　I　was　going　to　do　it；　just　the　same。

Stop；　I　said　to　myself；　you　just　stop　now；　Paul。　But　I　didnt。　I　used　one　key　on　the　top　lock；　another　on　the　bottom　lock；　and　then　I　slid　the　door　back　on　its　track。

〃You　know；　boss；　that　maybe　not　such　a　good　idear；〃　Delacroix　said　in　a　voice　so　nervous　and　prissy　it　would　probably　have　made　me　laugh　under　other　circumstances。

〃You　mind　your　business　and　Ill　mind　mine；〃　I　said　without　looking　around。　My　eyes　were　fixed　on　John　Coffeys；　and　fixed　so　hard　they　might　have　been　nailed　there。　It　was　like　being　hypnotized。　My　voice　sounded　to　my　own　ears　like　something　which　had　e　echoing　down　a　long　valley。　Hell；　maybe　I　was　hypnotized。　〃You　just　lie　down　and　take　you　a　rest。〃

〃Christ；　this　place　is　crazy；〃　Delacroix　said　in　a　trembling　voice。　〃Mr。　Jingles；　I　just　about　wish　theyd　fry　me　and　be　done　widdit！〃

I　went　into　Coffeys　cell。　He　stepped　away　as　I　stepped　forward。　When　he　was　backed　up　against　his　bunk　…　it　hit　him　in　the　calves；　thats　how　tall　he　was　…　he　sat　down　on　it。　He　patted　the　mattress　beside　him；　his　eyes　never　once　leaving　mine。　I　sat　down　there　next　to　him；　and　he　put　his　arm　around　my　shoulders；　as　if　we　were　at　the　movies　and　I　was　his　girl。

〃What　do　you　want；　John　Coffey？〃　I　asked；　still　looking　into　his　eyes　…　those　sad；　serene　eyes。

〃Just　to　help；〃　he　said。　He　sighed　like　a　man　will　when　hes　faced　with　a　job　he　doesnt　much　want　to　do；　and　then　he　put　his　hand　down　in　my　crotch；　on　that　shelf　of　bone　a　foot　or　so　below　the　navel。

〃Hey！〃　I　cried。　〃Get　your　goddam　hand………〃

A　jolt　slammed　through　me　then；　a　big　painless　whack　of　something。