绿里奇迹(英文版)-第36章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


my　gut。　Bill　laughed　with　me；　then　turned　the　rest　of　his　coffee　out　in　the　yard；　which　was　empty　except　for　a　few　shuffling　trusties；　most　of　whom　had　been　there　for　a　thousand　years　or　so。　
Thunder　rumbled　somewhere　far　off；　and　unfocused　heat　lightning　flashed　in　the　darkening　sky　overhead。　Bill　looked　up　uneasily；　his　laughter　dying。　
〃I　tell　you　what；　though；〃　he　said；　〃I　don't　like　this　weather　much。　Feels　like　something's　gonna　happen。　Something　bad。〃　
About　that　he　was　right。　The　bad　thing　happened　right　around　quarter　of　ten　that　night。　That　was　when　Percy　killed　Mr。　Jingles。　
10。　
At　first　it　seemed　like　it　was　going　to　be　a　pretty　good　night　in　spite　of　the　heat　…　John　Coffey　was　being　his　usual　quiet　self；　Wild　Bill　was　making　out　to　be　Mild　Bill；　and　Delacroix　was　in　good　spirits　for　a　man　who　had　a　date　with　Old　Sparky　in　a　little　more　than　twenty…four　hours。　
He　did　understand　what　was　going　to　happen　to　him；　at　least　on　the　most　basic　level；　he　had　ordered　chili　for　his　last　meal　and　gave　me　special　instructions　for　the　kitchen。　〃Tell　em　to　lay　on　dat　hotsauce；〃　he　said。　〃Tell　em　the　kind　dat　really　jump　up　your　t'roat　an'　say　howdy　…　the　green　stuff；　none　of　dat　mild。　Dat　stuff　gripe　me　like　a　motherfucker；　I　can't　get　off　the　toilet　the　nex'　day；　but　I　don't　think　I　gonna　have　a　problem　this　time；　n'est…ce　pas？〃　
Most　of　them　worry　about　their　immortal　souls　with　a　kind　of　moronic　ferocity；　but　Delacroix　pretty　much　dismissed　my　questions　about　what　he　wanted　for　spiritual　fort　in　his　last　hours。　If　〃dat　fella〃　Schuster　had　been　good　enough　for　Big　Chief　Bitterbuck；　Del　reckoned；　Schuster　would　be　good　enough　for　him。　No；　what　he　cared　about　…　you've　guessed　already；　I'm　sure　…　was　what　was　going　to　happen　to　Mr。　Jingles　after　he；　Delacroix；　passed　on。　I　was　used　to　spending　long　hours　with　the　condemned　on　the　night　before　their　last　march；　but　this　was　the　first　time　I'd　spent　those　long　hours　pondering　the　fate　of　a　mouse。　
Del　considered　scenario　after　scenario；　patiently　working　the　possibilities　through　his　dim　mind。　And　while　he　thought　aloud；　wanting　to　provide　for　his　pet　mouse's　future　as　if　it　were　a　child　that　had　to　be　put　through　college；　he　threw　that　colored　spool　against　the　wall。　Each　time　he　did　it；　Mr。　Jingles　would　spring　after　it；　track　it　down；　and　then　roll　it　back　to　Del's　foot。　It　started　to　get　on　my　nerves　after　awhile　…first　the　clack　of　the　spool　against　the　stone　wall；　then　the　minute　clitter　of　Mr。　Jingles's　paws。　Although　it　was　a　cute　trick；　it　palled　after　niy　minutes　or　so。　And　Mr。　Jingles　never　seemed　to　get　tired。　He　paused　every　now　and　then　to　refresh　himself　with　a　drink　of　water　out　of　a　coffee　saucer　Delacroix　kept　for　just　that　purpose；　or　to　munch　a　pink　crumb　of　peppermint　candy；　and　then　back　to　it　he　went。　Several　times　it　was　on　the　tip　of　my　tongue　to　tell　Delacroix　to　give　it　a　rest；　and　each　time　I　reminded　myself　that　he　had　this　night　and　tomorrow　to　play　the　spool…game　with　Mr。　Jingles；　and　that　was　all。　Near　the　end；　though；　it　began　to　be　really　difficult　to　hold　onto　that　thought　…　you　know　how　it　is；　with　a　noise　that's　repeated　over　and　over。　After　a　while　it　shoots　your　nerve。　I　started　to　speak　after　all；　then　something　made　me　look　over　my　shoulder　and　out　the　cell　door。　John　Coffey　was　standing　at　his　cell　door　across　the　way；　and　he　shook　his　head　at　me：　right；　left；　back　to　center。　As　if　he　had　read　my　mind　and　was　telling　me　to　think　again。　
I　would　see　that　Mr。　Jingles　got　to　Delacroix's　maiden　aunt；　I　said；　the　one　who　had　sent　him　the　big　bag　of　candy。　His　colored　spool　could　go　as　well；　even　his　〃house〃　…　we'd　take　up　a　collection　and　see　that　Toot　gave　up　his　claim　on　the　Corona　box。　No；　said　Delacroix　after　some　consideration　（he　had　time　to　throw　the　spool　against　the　wall　at　least　five　times；　with　Mr。　Jingles　either　nosing　it　back　or　pushing　it　with　his　paws）；　that　wouldn't　do。　Aunt　Hermione　was　too　old；　she　wouldn't　understand　Mr。　Jingles's　frisky　ways；　and　suppose　Mr。　Jingles　outlived　her？　What　would　happen　to　him　then？　No；　no；　Aunt　Hermione　just　wouldn't　do。　
Well；　then；　I　asked；　suppose　one　of　us　took　it？　One　of　us　guards？　We　could　keep　him　right　here　on　E　Block。　No；　Delacroix　said；　he　thanked　me　kindly　for　the　thought；　certainement；　but　Mr。　Jingles　was　a　mouse　that　yearned　to　be　free。　He；　Eduard　Delacroix；　knew　this；　because　Mr。　Jingles　had　…　you　guessed　it　…　whispered　the　information　in　his　ear。　
〃All　right；〃　I　said；　〃one　of　us　will　take　him　home；　Del。　Dean；　maybe。　He's　got　a　little　boy　that　would　just　love　a　pet　mouse；　I　bet。〃　
Delacroix　actually　turned　pale　with　horror　at　the　thought。　A　little　kid　in　charge　of　a　rodent　genius　like　Mr。　Jingles？　How　in　the　name　of　le　bon　Dieu　could　a　little　kid　be　expected　to　keep　up　with　his　training；　let　alone　teach　him　new　tricks？　And　suppose　the　kid　lost　interest　and　forgot　to　feed　him　for　two　or　three　days　at　a　stretch？　Delacroix；　who　had　roasted　six　human　beings　alive　in　an　effort　to　cover　up　his　original　crime；　shuddered　with　the　delicate　revulsion　of　an　ardent　anti…vivisectionist。　
All　right；　I　said；　I'd　take　him　myself　（promise　them　anything；　remember；　in　their　last　forty…eight　hours；　promise　them　anything）。　How　would　that　be？　
〃No；　sir；　Boss　Edgebe；〃　Del　said　apologetically。　He　threw　the　spool　again。　It　hit　the　wall；　bounced；　spun；　then　Mr。　Jingles　was　on　it　like　white　on　rice　and　nosing　it　back　to　Delacroix。　〃Thank　you　kindly　…　merci　beaucoup　…　but　you　live　out　in　the　woods；　and　Mr。　Jingles；　he　be　scared　to　live　out　dans　la　foret。　I　know；　because…〃　
〃I　think　I　can　guess　how　you　know；　Del；〃　I　said。　
Delacroix　nodded；　smiling。　〃But　we　gonna　figure　this　out。　You　bet！〃　He　threw　the　spool。　Mr。　Jingles　clittered　after　it。　I　tried　not　to　wince。　
In　the　end　it　was　Brutal　who　saved　the　day。　He　had　been　up　by　the　duty　desk；　watching　Dean　and　Harry　play　cribbage。　Percy　was　there；　too；　and　Brutal　finally　tired　of　trying　to　start　a　conversation　with　him　and　getting　nothing　but　sullen　grunts　in　response。　He　strolled　down　to　where　I　sat　on　a　stool　outside　of　Delacroix's　cell　and　stood　there　listening　to　us　with　his　arms　folded。　
〃How　about　Mouseville？〃　Brutal　asked　into　the　considering　silence　which　followed　Del's　rejection　of　my　spooky　old　house　out　in　the　woods。　He　threw　the　ment　out　in　a　casual　just…an…idea　tone　of　voice。　
〃Mouseville？〃　Delacroix　asked；　giving　Brutal　a　look　both　startled　and　interested。　〃What　Mouseville？〃　
〃It's　this　tourist　attraction　down　in　Florida；〃　he　said。　〃Tallahassee；　I　think。　Is　that　right；　Paul？　Tallahassee？〃　
〃Yep；〃　I　said；　speaking　without　a　moment's　hesitation；　thinking　God　bless　Brutus　Howell。　〃Tallahassee。　Right　down　the　road　apiece　from　the　dog　university。〃　Brutal's　mouth　twitched　at　that；　and　I　thought　he　was　going　to　queer　the　pitch　by　laughing；　but　he　got　it　under　control　and　nodded。　I'd　hear　about　the　dog　university　later；　though；　I　imagined。　
This　time　Del　didn't　throw　the　spool；　although　Mr。　Jingles　stood　on　Del's　slipper　with　his　front　paws　raised；　clearly　lusting　for　another　chance　to　chase。　The　Cajun　looked　from　Brutal　to　me　and　back　to　Brutal　again。　〃What　dey　do　in　Mouseville？〃　he　asked。　
〃You　think　they'd　take　Mr。　Jingles？〃　Brutal　asked　me；　simultaneously　ignoring　Del　and　drawing　him　on。　〃Think　he's　got　the　stuff；　Paul？〃　
I　tried　to　appear　considering。　〃You　know；〃　I　said；　〃the　more　I　think　of　it；　the　more　it　seems　like　a　brilliant　idea。〃　From　the　er　of　my　eye　I　saw　Percy　e　partway　down　the　Green　Mile　（giving　Wharton's　cell　a　very　wide　berth）。　He　stood　with　one　shoulder　leaning　against　an　empty　cell；　listening　with　a　small；　contemptuous　smile　on　his　lips。　
〃What　dis　Mouseville？〃　Del　asked；　now　frantic　to　know。　
〃A　tourist　attraction；　like　I　told　you；〃　Brutal　said。　〃There's；　oh　I　dunno；　a　hundred　or　so　mice　there。　Wouldn't　you　say；　Paul？〃　
〃More　like　a　hundred　and　fifty　these　days；〃　I　said。　〃It's　a　big　success。　I　understand　they're　thinking　of　opening　one　out　in　California　and　calling　it　Mouseville　West；　that's　how　much　business　is　booming。　Trained　mice　are　the　ing　thing　with　the　smart　set；　I　guess　…　I　don't　understand　it；　myself。〃　
Del　sat　with　the　colored　spool　in　his　hand；　looking　at　us；　his　own　situation　forgotten　for　the　time　being。　
〃They　only　take　the　smartest　mice；〃　Brutal　cautioned；　〃the　ones　that　can　do　tricks。　And　they　can't　be　white　mice；　because　those　are　pet…shop　mice。〃　
〃Pet…shop　mice；　yeah；　you　bet！〃　Delacroix　said　fiercely。　〃I　hate　dem　pet…shop　mice！〃　
〃And　what　they　got；〃　Brutal　said；　his　eyes　distant　now　as　he　imagined　it；　〃is　this　tent　you　go　into…〃　
〃Yeah；　yeah；　like　inna　cirque！　Do　you　gotta　pay　to　get　in？〃　
〃You　shittin　me？　Course　you　gotta　pay　to　get　in。　A　dime　apiece；　two　cents　for　the　kiddies。　And　there's；　like；　this　whole　city　made　out　of　Bakelite　boxes　and　toilet…paper　rolls；　with　windows　made　out　of　isinglass　so　you　can　see　what　they're　up　to　in　there…〃　
〃Yeah！　Yeah！〃　Delacroix　was　in　ecstasy　now。　Then　he　turned　to　me。　〃What　ivy…glass？〃　
〃Like　on　the　front　of　a　stove；　where　you　can　see　in；〃　I。　said。　
〃Oh　sure！　Dat　shit！〃　He　cranked　his　hand　at　Brutal；　wanting　him　to　go　on；　and　Mr。　Jingles's　little　oildrop　eyes　practically　spun　in　their　sockets；　trying　to　keep　that　spoo