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第62部分（第2页）

〃John　Coffey　touched　the　mouse　the　way　he　touched　you。　He　didnt　just　make　you　better　of　what　was　wrong　with　you　then；　he　made　you　。。。　what；　resistant？〃

〃Thats　as　good　a　word　as　any；　I　think。〃

〃Resistant　to　the　things　that　eventually　bring　the　rest　of　us　down　like　trees　with　termites　in　them。　You　。。。　and　him。　Mr。　Jingles。　When　he　cupped　Mr。　Jingles　in　his　hands。〃

〃Thats　right。　Whatever　power　worked　through　John　did　that　…　thats　what　I　think；　anyway　…　and　now　its　finally　wearing　off。　The　termites　have　chewed　their　way　through　our　bark。　It　took　a　little　longer　than　it　does　ordinarily；　but　they　got　there。　I　may　have　a　few　more　years；　men　still　live　longer　than　mice；　I　guess；　but　Mr。　Jingless　time　is　just　about　up。〃

He　reached　the　spool；　limped　around　it；　fell　over　on　his　side；　breathing　rapidly　（we　could　see　his　respiration　moving　through　his　gray　fur　like　ripples）；　then　got　up　and　began　to　push　it　gamely　back　with　his　nose。　His　fur　was　gray；　his　gait　was　unsteady；　but　the　oilspots　that　were　his　eyes　gleamed　as　brightly　as　ever。

〃You　think　he　wanted　you　to　write　what　you　have　written；。；　she　said。　〃Is　that　so；　Paul？〃

〃Not　Mr。　Jingles；〃　I　said。　〃Not　him　but　the　force　that　…　〃

〃Why；　Paulie！　And　Elaine　Connelly；　too！〃　a　voice　cried　from　the　open　door。　It　was　loaded　with　a　kind　of　satiric　horror。　〃As　I　live　and　breathe！　What　in　the　goodness　can　you　two　be　doing　here？〃

I　turned；　not　at　all　surprised　to　see　Brad　Dolan　there　in　the　doorway。　He　was　grinning　as　a　man　only　does　when　he　feels　hes　fooled　you　right　good　and　proper。　How　far　down　the　road　had　he　driven　after　his　shift　was　over？　Maybe　only　as　far　as　The　Wrangler　for　a　beer　or　two　and　maybe　a　lap…dance　before　ing　back。

〃Get　out；〃　Elaine　said　coldly。　〃Get　out　right　now。

〃Dont　you　tell　me　to　get　out；　you　wrinkledy　old　bitch；〃　he　said；　still　smiling。　〃Maybe　you　can　tell　me　that　up　the　hill；　but　you　aint　tip　the　hill　now。　This　aint　where　youre　supposed　to　be。　This　is　off…limits。　Little　love…nest；　Paulie？　Is　that　what　you　got　here？　Kind　of　a　Playboy　pad　for　the　geriatric。。。〃　His　eyes　widened　as　he　at　last　saw　the　sheds　tenant。　〃What　the　fuck？〃

I　didnt　turn　to　look。　I　knew　what　was　there；　for　one　thing；　for　another；　the　past　had　suddenly　doubled　over　the　present；　making　one　terrible　image；　three…dimensional　in　its　reality。　It　wasnt　Brad　Dolan　standing　there　in　the　doorway　but　Percy　Wetmore。　In　another　moment　he　would　rush　into　the　shed　and　crush　Mr。　Jingles　（who　no　longer　had　a　hope　of　outrunning　him）　under　his　shoe；　and　this　time　there　was　no　John　Coffey　to　bring　him　back　from　the　edge　of　death。　Any　more　than　there　had　been　a　John　Coffey　when　I　needed　him　on　that　rainy　day　in　Alabama。

I　got　to　my　feet；　not　feeling　any　ache　in　my　joints　or　muscles　this　time；　and　rushed　toward　Dolan。　〃Leave　him　alone！〃　I　yelled。　〃You　leave　him　alone；　Percy；　or　by　God　Ill　〃

〃Who　you　callin　Percy？〃　he　asked；　and　pushed　me　back　so　hard　I　almost　fell　over。　Elaine　grabbed　me；　although　it　must　have　hurt　her　to　do　so；　and　steadied　me。　〃Aint　the　first　time　you　done　it；　either。　And　stop　peein　in　your　pants。　I　aint　gonna　touch　im。　Dont　need　to。　Thats　one　dead　rodent。〃

I　turned；　thinking　that　Mr。　Jingles　was　only　lying　on　his　side　to　catch　his　breath；　the　way　he　sometimes　did。　He　was　on　his　side；　all　right；　but　that　rippling　motion　through　his　fur　had　stopped。　I　tried　to　convince　myself　that　I　could　still　see　it；　and　then　Elaine　burst　into　loud　sobs。　She　bent　painfully；　and　picked　up　the　mouse　I　had　first　seen　on　the　Green　Mile；　ing　up　to　the　duty　desk　as　fearlessly　as　a　man　approaching　his　peers　。。　。　or　his　friends。　He　lay　limp　on　her　hand。　His　eyes　were　dull　and　still。　He　was　dead。

Dolan　grinned　unpleasantly；　revealing　teeth　which　had　had　very　little　acquaintance　with　a　dentist。　〃Aw；　sakes；　now！〃　he　said。　〃Did　we　just　lose　the　family　pet？　Should　we　have　a　little　funeral；　with　paper　flowers　and　…　〃

〃SHUT　up！〃　Elaine　screamed　at　him；　so…loudly　and　so　powerfully　that　he　backed　away　a　step；　the　smile　slipping　off　his　face。　〃GETOUT　OF　HERE！　GET　OUT　OR　YOULL　NEVER　WORK　ANOTHER　DAY　HERE！　NOT　ANOTHER　HOUR！　I　SWEAR　IT！〃

〃You　wont　be　able　to　get　so　much　as　a　slice　of　bread　on　a　breadline；〃　I　said；　but　so　low　neither　of　them　heard　me。　I　couldnt　take　my　eyes　off　Mr。　Jingles；　lying　on　Elaines　palm　like　the　worlds　smallest　bearskin　rug。

Brad　thought　about　ing　back　at　her；　calling　her　bluff　he　was　right；　the　shed　wasnt　exactly　approved　territory　for　the　Georgia　Pines　inmates；　even　I　knew　that　much　…　and　then　didnt。　He　was；　at　heart；　a　coward；　just　like　Percy。　And　he　might　have　checked　on　her　claim　that　her　grandson　was　Somebody　Important　and　had　discovered　it　was　a　true　claim。　Most　of　all；　perhaps；　his　curiosity　had　been　satisfied；　his　thirst　to　know　slaked。　And　after　all　his　wondering；　the　mystery　had　turned　out　not　to　be　such　of　a　much。　An　old　mans　pet　mouse　had　apparently　been　living　in　the　shed。　Now　it　had　croaked；　had　a　heart　attack　or　something　while　pushing　a　colored　spool。

〃Dont　know　why　youre　getting　so　het　up；〃　he　said。　〃Either　of　you。　You　act　like　it　was　a　dog；　or　something。〃

〃Get　out；〃　she　spat。　〃Get　out；　you　ignorant　man。　What　little　mind　you　have　is　ugly　and　misdirected。〃

He　flushed　dully；　the　spots　where　his　high　school　pimples　had　been　filling　in　a　darker　red。　There　had　been　a　lot　of　them；　by　the　look。　〃Ill　go；〃　he　said；　〃but　when　you　e　down　here　tomorrow。。。　Paulie　。。。　youre　going　to　find　a　new　lock　on　this　door。　This　place　is　off…limits　to　the　residents；　no　matter　what　bad…tempered　things　old　Mrs。　My　Shit　Dont　Stink　has　to　say　about　me。　Look　at　the　floor！　Boards　all　warped　and　rotted！　If　you　was　to　go　through；　your　scrawny　old　legd　be　apt　to　snap　like　a　piece　of　kindling。　So　just　take　that　dead　mouse；　if　you　want　it；　and　get　gone。　The　Love　Shack　is　hereby　closed。〃

He　turned　and　strode　away；　looking　like　a　man　who　believes　hes　earned　at　least　a　draw。　I　waited　until　he　was　gone；　and　then　gently　took　Mr。　Jingle