第34部分(第3/8 頁)

roix；　as　an　officer　of　the　court。。。〃

〃Boss　Edgebe？〃

I　thought　about　just　running　on　with　the　set　speech；　then　thought　again。　〃What　is　it；　Del？〃

He　held　the　mouse　out　to　me。　〃Here。　Don't　let　nothing　happen　to　Mr。　Jingles。〃

〃Del；　I　don't　think　he'll　e　to　me。　He's　not　…　〃

〃Mais　oui；　he　say　he　will。　He　say　he　know　all　about　you；　Boss　Edgebe；　and　you　gonna　take　him　down　to　dat　place　in　Florida　where　the　mousies　do　their　tricks。　He　say　he　trust　you。〃　He　held　his　hand　out　farther；　and　I'll　be　damned　if　the　mouse　didn't　step　off　his　palm　and　onto　my　shoulder。　It　was　so　light　I　couldn't　even　feel　it　through　my　uniform　coat；　but　I　sensed　it；　like　a　small　heat。　〃And　boss？　Don't　let　that　bad　'un　near　him　again。　Don't　let　that　bad　'un　hurt　my　mouse。〃

〃No；　Del。　I　won't。〃　The　question　was；　what　was　I　supposed　to　do　with　him　right　then？　I　couldn't　very　well　march　Delacroix　past　the　witnesses　with　a　mouse　perched　on　my　shoulder。

〃I'll　take　him；　boss；〃　a　voice　rumbled　from　behind　me。　It　was　John　Coffey's　voice；　and　it　was　eerie　the　way　it　came　right　then；　as　though　he　had　read　my　mind。　〃Just　for　now。　If　Del　don't　mind。〃

Del　nodded；　relieved。　〃Yeah；　you　take　im；　John；　'til　dis　foolishment　done　…　bien！　And　den　after　。。。〃　His　gaze　shifted　back　to　Brutal　and　me。　〃You　gonna　take　him　down　to　Florida。　To　dat　Mouseville　Place。〃

〃Yeah；　most　likely　Paul　and　I　will　do　it　together；〃　Brutal　said；　watching　with　a　troubled　and　unquiet　eye　as　Mr。