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第32部分（第2页）

〃The　tail！　Dont　you　see　it？　The　tail！〃

Mr。　Jingless　tail　was　no　longer　a　dying　pendulum；　it　was　snapping　briskly　from　side　to　side；　like　the　tail　of　a　cat　in　a　bird…catching　mood。　And　then；　from　inside　Coffeys　cupped　hands；　came　a　perfectly　familiar　squeak。

Coffey　made　that　choking；　gagging　sound　again；　then　turned　his　head　to　one　side　like　a　man　that　has　coughed　up　a　wad　of　phlegm　and　means　to　spit　it　out。　Instead；　he　exhaled　a　cloud　of　black　insects　…　I　think　they　were　insects；　and　the　others　said　the　same；　but　to　this　day　I　am　not　sure　…　from　his　mouth　and　nose。　They　boiled　around　him　in　a　dark　cloud　that　temporarily　obscured　his　features。

〃Christ；　whatre　those？〃　Dean　asked　in　a　shrill；　scared　voice。

〃Its　all　right；〃　I　heard　myself　say。　〃Dont　panic；　its　all　right；　in　a　few　seconds　theyll　be　gone。〃

As　when　Coffey　had　cured　my　urinary　infection　for　me；　the　〃bugs〃　turned　white　and　then　disappeared。

〃Holy　shit；〃　Harry　whispered。

〃Paul？〃　Brutal　asked　in　an　unsteady　voice。　〃Paul？〃

Coffey　looked　okay　again　…　like　a　fellow　who　has　successfully　coughed　up　a　wad　of　meat　that　has　been　choking　him。　He　bent　down；　put　his　cupped　hands　on　the　floor；　peeked　through　his　fingers；　then　opened　them。　Mr。　Jingles；　absolutely　all　right…not　a　single　twist　to　his　backbone；　not　a　single　lump　poking　at　his　hide　…　ran　out。　He　paused　for　a　moment　at　the　door　of　Coffeys　cell；　then　ran　across　the　Green　Mile　to　Delacroixs　cell。　As　he　went；　I　noticed　there　were　still　beads　of　blood　in　his　whiskers。

Delacroix　gathered　him　up；　laughing　and　crying　at　the　same　time；　covering　the　mouse　with　shameless；　smacking　kisses。　Dean　and　Harry　and　Brutal　watched　with　silent　wonder。　Then　Brutal　stepped　forward　and　handed　the　colored　spool　through　the　bars。　Delacroix　didnt　see　it　at　first；　he　was　too　taken　up　with　Mr。　Jingles。　He　was　like　a　father　whose　son　has　been　saved　from　drowning。　Brutal　tapped　him　on　the　shoulder　with　the　spool。　Delacroix　looked；　saw　it；　took　it；　and　went　back　to　Mr。　Jingles　again；　stroking　his　fur　and　devouring　him　with　his　eyes；　needing　to　constantly　refresh　his　perception　that　yes；　the　mouse　was　all　right；　the　mouse　was　whole　and　fine　and　all　right。

〃Toss　it；〃　Brutal　said。　〃I　want　to　see　how　he　runs。〃

〃He　all　right；　Boss　Howell；　he　all　right；　praise　God……！〃

〃Toss　it；〃　Brutal　repeated。　〃Mind　me；　Del。〃

Delacroix　bent；　clearly　reluctant；　clearly　not　wanting　to　let　Mr。　Jingles　out　of　his　hands　again；　at　least　not　yet。　Then；　very　gently；　he　tossed　the　spool。　It　rolled　across　the　cell；　past　the　Corona　cigar　box；　and　to　the　wall。　Mr。　Jingles　was　after　it；　but　not　quite　with　the　speed　he　had　shown　previously。　He　appeared　to　be　limping　just　a　bit　on　his　left　rear　leg；　and　that　was　what　struck　me　the　hardest　…　it　was；　I　suppose；　what　made　it　real。　That　little　limp。

He　got　to　the　spool；　though；　got　to　it　just　fine　and　nosed　it　back　to　Delacroix　with　all　his　old　enthusiasm。　I　turned　to　John　Coffey；　who　was　standing　at　his　cell　door　and　smiling。　It　was　a　tired　smile；　and　not　what　Id　call　really　happy；　but　the　sharp　urgency　Id　seen　in　his　face　as　he　begged　for　the　mouse　to　be　given　to　him　was　gone；　and　so　was　the　look　of　pain　and　fear；　as　if　he　were　choking。　It　was　our　john　Coffey　again；　with　his　not…quite…there　face　and　strange；　far…looking　eyes。

〃You　helped　it；〃　I　said。　〃Didnt　you；　big　boy？〃

〃Thats　right；〃　Coffey　said。　The　smile　widened　a　little；　and　for　a　moment　or　two　it　was　happy。　〃I　helped　it。　I　helped　Dels　mouse。　I　helped　。。。〃　He　trailed　off；　unable　to　remember　the　name。

〃Mr。　Jingles；〃　Dean　said。　He　was　looking　at　John　with　careful；　wondering　eyes；　as　if　he　expected　Coffey　to　burst　into　flames　or　maybe　begin　to　float　in　his　cell。

〃Thats　right；〃　Coffey　said。　〃Mr。　Jingles。　Hes　a　circus　mouse。　Goan　live　in　ivy…glass。〃

〃You　bet　your　bobcat；〃　Harry　said；　joining　us　in　looking　at　John　Coffey。　Behind　us；　Delacroix　lay　down　on　his　bunk　with　Mr。　Jingles　on　his　chest。　Del　was　crooning　to　him；　singing　him　some　French　song　that　sounded　like　a　lullaby。

Coffey　looked　up　the　Green　Mile　toward　the　duty　desk　and　the　door　which　led　into　my　office　and　the　storage　room　beyond。　〃Boss　Percys　bad；〃　he　said。　〃Boss　Percys　mean。　He　stepped　on　Dels　mouse。　He　stepped　on　Mr。　Jingles。〃

And　then；　before　we　could　say　anything　else　to　him　…　if　we　could　have　thought　of　anything　to　say　…　John　Coffey　went　back　to　his　bunk；　lay　down；　and　rolled　on　his　side　to　face　the　wall。

3。

Percy　was　standing　with　his　back　to　us　when　Brutal　and　I　came　into　the　storage　room　about　twenty　minutes　later。　He　had　found　a　can　of　paste　furniture　polish　on　a　shelf　above　the　hamper　where　we　put　our　dirty　uniforms　（and；　sometimes；　our　civilian　clothes；　the　prison　laundry　didnt　care　what　it　washed）；　and　was　polishing　the　oak　arms　and　legs　of　the　electr