绿里奇迹(英文版)-第34章

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roix's　execution。　That　thought　led　to　how　Percy　was　going　to　be　out　front　this　time；　and　I　felt　a　shiver　of　dread。　I　told　myself　to　just　go　with　it；　one　execution　and　we'd　very　likely　be　shut　of　Percy　Wetmore　for　good　。。。　but　still　I　felt　that　shiver；　as　if　the　infection　I'd　been　suffering　with　wasn't　gone　at　all；　but　had　only　switched　locations；　from　boiling　my　groin　to　freezing　my　backbone。　
7。　
〃e　on；〃　Brutal　told　Delacroix　the　following　evening。　〃We're　going　for　a　little　walk。　You　and　me　and　Mr。　Jingles。〃　
Delacroix　looked　at　him　distrustfully；　then　reached　down　into　the　cigar　box　for　the　mouse。　He　cupped　it　m　the　palm　of　one　hand　and　looked　at　Brutal　with　narrowed　eyes。　
〃Whatchoo　talking　about？〃　he　asked。　
〃It's　a　big　night　for　you　and　Mr。　Jingles；〃　Dean　said；　as　he　and　Harry　joined　Brutal。　The　chain　of　bruises　around　Dean's　neck　had　gone　an　unpleasant　yellow　color；　but　at　least　he　could　talk　again　without　sounding　like　a　dog　barking　at　a　cat。　He　looked　at　Brutal。　〃Think　we　ought　to　put　the　shackles　on　him；　Brute？〃　
Brutal　appeared　to　consider。　〃Naw；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃He's　gonna　be　good；　ain't　you；　Del？　You　and　the　mouse；　both。　After　all；　you're　gonna　be　showin　off　for　some　high　muck…a…mucks　tonight。〃　
Percy　and　I　were　standing　up　by　the　duty　desk；　watching　this；　Percy　with　his　arms　folded　and　a　small；　contemptuous　smile　on　his　lips。　After　a　bit；　he　took　out　his　horn　b　and　went　to　work　on　his　hair　with　it。　John　Coffey　was　watching；　too；　standing　silently　at　the　bars　of　his　cell。　Wharton　was　lying　on　his　bunk；　staring　up　at　the　ceiling　and　ignoring　the　whole　show。　He　was　still　〃being　good；〃　although　what　he　called　good　was　what　the　docs　at　Briar　Ridge　called　catatonic。　And　there　was　one　other　person　there；　as　well。　He　was　tucked　out　of　sight　in　my　office；　but　his　skinny　shadow　fell　out　the　door　and　onto　the　Green　Mile。　
〃What　dis　about；　you　gran'　'fou？〃　Del　asked　querulously；　drawing　his　feet　up　on　the　bunk　as　Brutal　undid　the　double　locks　on　his　cell　door　and　ran　it　open。　His　eyes　flicked　back　and　forth　among　the　three　of　them。　
〃Well；　I　tell　you；〃　Brutal　said。　〃Mr。　Moores　is　gone　for　awhile　…　his　wife　is　under　the　weather；　as　you　may　have　heard。　So　Mr。　Anderson　is　in　charge；　Mr。　Curtis　Anderson。〃　
〃Yeah？　What　that。　got　to　do　with　me？〃　
〃Well；〃　Harry　said；　〃Boss　Anderson's　heard　about　your　mouse；　Del；　and　wants　to　see　him　perform。　He　and　about　six　other　fellows　are　over　in　Admin；　just　waiting　for　you　to　show　up。　Not　just　plain　old　bluesuit　guards；　either。　These　are　pretty　big　bugs；　just　like　Brute　said。　One　of　them；　I　believe；　is　a　politician　all　the　way　from　the　state　capital。〃　
Delacroix　swelled　visibly　at　this；　and　I　saw　not　so　much　as　a　single　shred　of　doubt　on　his　face。　Of　course　they　wanted　to　see　Mr。　Jingles；　who　would　not？　
He　scrummed　around；　first　under　his　bunk　and　then　under　his　pillow。　He　eventually　found　one　of　those　big　pink　peppermints　and　the　wildly　colored　spool。　He　looked　at　Brutal　questioningly；　and　Brutal　nodded。　
〃Yep。　It's　the　spool　trick　they're　really　wild　to　see；　I　guess；　but　the　way　he　eats　those　mints　is　pretty　damned　cute；　too。　And　don't　forget　the　cigar　box。　You'll　want　it　to　carry　him　in；　right？〃　
Delacroix　got　the　box　and　put　Mr。　Jingles's　props　in　it；　but　mouse　he　settled　on　the　shoulder　of　his　shirt。　Then　he　stepped　out　of　his　cell；　his　puffed…out　chest　leading　the　way；　and　regarded　Dean　and　Harry。　〃You　boys　ing？〃　
〃Naw；〃　Dean　said。　〃Got　other　fish　to　fry。　But　you　knock　em　for　a　loop；　Del　…　show　em　what　happens　when　a　Louisiana　boy　puts　the　hammer　down　and　really　goes　to　work。〃　
〃You　bet。〃　A　smile　shone　out　of　his　face；　so　sudden　and　so　simple　in　its　happiness　that　I　felt　my　heart　break　for　him　a　little；　in　spite　of　the　terrible　thing　he　had　done。　What　a　world　we　live　in　…　what　a　world！　
Delacroix　turned　to　John　Coffey；　with　whom　he　had　struck　up　a　diffident　friendship　not　much　different　from　a　hundred　other　deathhouse　acquaintances　I'd　seen。　
〃You　knock　em　for　a　loop；　Del；〃　Coffey　said　in　a　serious　voice。　〃You　show　em　all　his　tricks。〃　
Delacroix　nodded　and　held　his　hand　up　by　his　shoulder。　Mr。　Jingles　stepped　onto　it　like　it　was　a　platform；　and　Delacroix　held　the　hand　out　toward　Coffey's　cell。　John　Coffey　stuck　out　a　huge　finger；　and　I'll　be　damned　if　that　mouse　didn't　stretch　out　his　neck　and　lick　the　end　of　it；　just　like　a　dog。　
〃e　on；　Del；　quit　lingerin；〃　Brutal　said。　〃These　folks're　settin　back　a　hot　dinner　at　home　to　watch　your　mouse　cut　his　capers。〃　Not　true；　of　course　Anderson　would　have　been　there　until　eight　o'clock　on　any　night；　and　the　guards　he'd　dragged　in　to　watch　Delacroix's　〃show〃　would　be　there　until　eleven　or　twelve；　depending　on　when　their　shifts　were　scheduled　to　end。　The　politician　from　the　state　capital　would　most　likely　turn　out　to　be　an　office　janitor　in　a　borrowed　tie。　But　Delacroix　had　no　way　of　knowing　any　of　that。　
〃I'm　ready；〃　Delacroix　said；　speaking　with　the　simplicity　of　a　great　star　who　has　somehow　managed　to　retain　the　mon　touch。　〃Let's　go。〃　And　as　Brutal　led　him　up　the　Green　Mile　with　Mr。　Jingles　perched　there　on　the　little　man's　shoulder；　Delacroix　once　more　began　to　bugle；　〃Messieurs　et　mesdames！　Bienvenue　au　cirque　de　mousie！〃　Yet；　even　lost　as　deeply　in　his　own　fantasy　world　as　he　was；　he　gave　Percy　a　wide　berth　and　a　mistrustful　glance。　
Harry　and　Dean　stopped　in　front　of　the　empty　cell　across　from　Wharton's　（that　worthy　had　still　not　so　much　as　stirred）。　They　watched　as　Brutal　unlocked　the　door　to　the　exercise　yard；　where　another　two　guards　were　waiting　to　join　him；　and　led　Delacroix　out；　bound　for　his　mand　performance　before　the　grand　high　poohbahs　of　Cold　Mountain　Penitentiary。　We　waited　until　the　door　was　locked　again；　and　then　I　looked　toward　my　office。　That　shadow　was　still　lying　on　the　floor；　thin　as　famine；　and　I　was　glad　Delacroix　had　been　too　excited　to　see　it。　
〃e　on　out；〃　I　said。　〃And　let's　move　along　brisk；　folks。　I　want　to　get　two　run…throughs　in；　and　we　don't　have　much　time。〃　
Old　Toot…Toot；　looking　as　bright…eyed　and　bushytailed　as　ever；　came　out；　walked　to　Delacroix's　cell；　and　strolled　in　through　the　open　door。　〃Sittin　down；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　sittin　down；　I'm　sittin　down；　I'm　sittin　down。〃　
This　is　the　real　circus；　I　thought；　closing　my　eyes　for　a　second。　This　is　the　real　circus　right　here；　and　we're　all　just　a　bunch　of　trained　mice。　Then　I　put　the　thought　out　of　my　mind；　and　we　started　to　rehearse。　
8。　
The　first　rehearsal　went　well；　and　so　did　the　second。　Percy　performed　better　than　I　could　have　hoped　for　in　my　wildest　dreams。　That　didn't　mean　things　would　go　right　when　the　time　really　came　for　the　Cajun　to　walk　the　Mile；　but　it　was　a　big　step　in　the　right　direction。　It　occurred　to　me　that　it　had　gone　well　because　Percy　was　at　long　last　doing　something　he　cared　about。　I　felt　a　surge　of　contempt　at　that；　and　pushed　it　away。　What　did　it　matter？　He　would　cap　Delacroix　and　roll　him；　and　then　both　of　them　would　be　gone。　If　that　wasn't　a　happy　ending；　what　was？　And；　as　Moores　had　pointed　out；　Delacroix's　nuts　were　going　to　fry　no　matter　who　was　out　front。　
Still；　Percy　had　shown　to　good　advantage　in　his　new　role　and　he　knew　it。　We　all　did。　As　for　me；　I　was　too　relieved　to　dislike　him　much；　at　east　or　the　time　being。　It　looked　as　if　things　were　going　to　go　all　right。　I　was　further　relieved　to　find　that　Percy　actually　listened　when　we　suggested　some　things　he　could　do　that　might　improve　his　performance　even　more；　or　at　least　cut　down　the　possibility　of　something　going　wrong。　If　you　want　to　know　the　truth；　we　got　pretty　enthusiastic　about　it　…　even　Dean；　who　ordinarily　stood　well　back　from　Percy　…　physically　as　well　as　mentally；　if　he　could。　None　of　it　that　surprising；　either；　I　suppose　…　for　most　men；　nothing　is　more　flattering　than　having　a　young　person　actually　pay　attention　to　his　advice；　and　we　were　no　different　in　that　regard。　As　a　result；　not　a　one　of　us　noticed　that　Wild　Bill　Wharton　was　no　longer　looking　up　at　the　ceiling。　That　includes　me；　but　I　know　he　wasn't。　He　was　looking　at　us　as　we　stood　there　by　the　duty　desk；　gassing　and　giving　Percy　advice。　Giving　him　advice！　And　him　pretending　to　listen！　Quite　a　laugh；　considering　how　things　turned　out！　
The　sound　of　a　key　rattling　into　the　lock　of　the　door　to　the　exercise　yard　put　an　end　to　our　little　postrehearsal　critique。　Dean　gave　Percy　a　warning　glance。　〃Not　a　word　or　a　wrong　look；〃　he　said。　〃We　don't　want　him　to　know　what　we've　been　doing。　It's　not　good　for　them。　Upsets　them。〃　
Percy　nodded　and　ran　a　finger　across　his　lips　in　a　mum's…the…word　gesture　that　was　supposed　to　be　funny　and　wasn't。　The　exercise…yard　door　opened　and　Delacroix　came　in；　escorted　by　Brutal；　who　was　carrying　the　cigar　box　with　the　colored　spool　in　it；　the　way　the　magician's　assistant　in　a　vaudeville　show　might　carry　the　boss's　props　offstage　at　the　end　of　the　act。　Mr。　Jingles　was　perched　on　Delacroix's　shoulder。　And　Delacroix　himself？　I　…tell　you　what　…　Lillie　Langtry　couldn't　have　looked　any　glowier　after　performing　at　the　White　House。　〃They　love　Mr。　Jingles！〃　
Delacroix　proclaimed。　〃They　laugh　and　cheer　and　clap　they　hands！〃　
〃Well；　that's　aces；〃　Percy　said。　He　spoke　in　an　indulgent；　proprietary　way　that　didn't　sound　like　the　old　Percy　at　all。　〃Pop　on