绿里奇迹(英文版)-第42章

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versharp。　We're　on　our　way。〃　
So　Eduard　Delacroix　took　his　last　walk　on　the　Green　Mile　with　little　streams　of　mingled　sweat　and　tears　running　down　his　cheeks　and　big　thunder　rolling　in　the　sky　overhead。　Brutal　walked　on　the　condemned　man's　left；　I　was　on　his　right；　Dean　was　to　the　rear。　
Schuster　was　in　my　office；　with　guards　Ringgold　and　Battle　standing　in　the　corners　and　keeping　watch。　Schuster　looked　up　at　Del；　smiled；　and　then　addressed　him　in　French。　It　sounded　stilted　to　me；　but　it　worked　wonders。　Del　smiled　back；　then　went　to　Schuster；　put　his　arms　around　him；　hugged　him。　Ringgold　and　Battle　tensed；　but　I　raised　my　hands　to　them　and　shook　my　head。　
Schuster　listened　to　Del's　flood　of　tear…choked　French；　nodded　as　if　he　understood　perfectly；　and　patted　him　on　the　back。　He　looked　at　me　over　the　little　man's　shoulder　and　said；　〃I　hardly　understand　a　quarter　of　what　he's　saying。〃　
〃Don't　think　it　matters；〃　Brutal　rumbled。　
〃Neither　do　I；　son；〃　Schuster　said　with　a　grin。　He　was　the　best　of　them；　and　now　I　realize　I　have　no　idea　what　became　of　him。　I　hope　he　kept　his　faith；　whatever　else　befell。　
He　urged　Delacroix　onto　his　knees；　then　folded　his　hands。　Delacroix　did　the　same。　
〃Not'　Pere；　qui　etes　aux　cieux；〃　Schuster　began；　and　Delacroix　joined　him。　They　spoke　the　Lord's　Prayer　together　in　that　liquid…sounding　Cajun　French；　all　the　way　to　〃mais　deliverez…nous　du　mal；　ainsi　soit…il。〃　By　then；　Del's　tears　had　mostly　stopped　and　he　looked　calm。　Some　Bible　verses　（in　English）　followed；　not　neglecting　the　old　standby　about　the　still　waters。　When　that　was　done；　Schuster　started　to　get　up；　but　Del　held　onto　the　sleeve　of　his　shirt　and　said　something　in　French。　Schuster　listened　carefully；　frowning。　He　responded。　Del　said　something　else；　then　just　looked　at　him　hopefully。　
Schuster　turned　to　me　and　said：　〃He's　got　something　else；　Mr。　Edgebe。　A　prayer　I　can't　help　him　with；　because　of　my　faith。　Is　it　all　right？〃　
I　looked　at　the　clock　on　the　wall　and　saw　it　was　seventeen　minutes　to　midnight。　〃Yes；〃　I　said；　〃but　it'll　have　to　be　quick。　We've　got　a　schedule　to　keep　here；　you　know。〃　
〃Yes。　I　do。〃　He　turned　to　Delacroix　and　gave　him　a　nod。　
Del　closed　his　eyes　as　if　to　pray；　but　for　a　moment　said　nothing。　A　frown　creased　his　forehead　and　I　had　a　sense　of　him　reaching　far　back　in　his　mind；　as　a　man　may　search　a　small　attic　room　for　an　object　which　hasn't　been　used　（or　needed）　for　a　long；　long　time。　I　glanced　at　the　clock　again　and　almost　said　something　…　would　have；　if　Brutal　hadn't　twitched　my　sleeve　and　shaken　his　head。　
Then　Del　began；　speaking　softly　but　quickly　in　that　Cajun　which　was　as　round　and　soft　and　sensual　as　a　young　woman's　breast：　〃Marie！　le　vous　salue；　Marie；　oui；　pleine　de　grace；　le　Seigneur　est　avec　vous；　vous　etes　benie　entre　toutes　les　femmes；　et　mon　cher　Jesus；　le　fruit　de　vos　entrailles；　est　beni。〃　He　was　crying　again；　but　I　don't　think　he　knew　it。　〃Sainte　Marie；6　ma　mere；　Mere　de　Dieu；　priez　pour　moi；　priez　pour　nous；　pauv'　pecheurs；　maint'ant　et　l'heure　。。。　l'heure　de　notre　mort。　L'heure　de　mon　mort。〃　He　took　a　deep；　shuddering　breath。　〃Ainsi　soit…il。〃　
Lightning　spilled　through　the　room's　one　window　in　a　brief　blue…white　glare　as　Delacroix　got　to　his　feet。　Everyone　jumped　and　cringed　except　for　Del　himself；　he　still　seemed　lost　in　the　old　prayer。　He　reached　out　with　one　hand；　not　looking　to　see　where　it　went。　Brutal　took　it　and　squeezed　it　briefly。　Delacroix　looked　at　him　and　smiled　a　little。　〃Nous　voyons　…　〃　he　began；　then　stopped。　With　a　conscious　effort；　he　switched　back　to　English。　〃We　can　go　now；　Boss　Howell；　Boss　Edgebe。　I'm　right　wit　God；〃　
〃That's　good；〃　I　said；　wondering　how　right　with　God　Del　was　going　to　feel　twenty　minutes　from　now；　when　he　stood　on　the　other　side　of　the　electricity。　I　hoped　his　last　prayer　had　been　heard；　and　that　Mother　Mary　was　praying　for　him　with　all　her　heart　and　soul；　because　Eduard　Delacroix；　rapist　and　murderer；　right　then　needed　all　the　praying　he　could　get　his　hands　on。　Outside；　thunder　bashed　across　the　sky　again。　〃e　on；　Del。　Not　far　now。〃　
〃Fine；　boss；　dat　fine。　Because　I　ain't　ascairt　no　more。〃　So　he　said；　but　I　saw　in　his　eyes　that　…　Our　Father　or　no　Our　Father；　Hail　Mary　or　no　Hail　Mary　…　he　lied。　By　the　time　they　cross　the　rest　of　the　green　carpet　and　duck　through　the　little　door；　almost　all　of　them　are　scared。　
〃Stop　at　the　bottom；　Del；〃　I　told　him　in　a　low　voice　as　he　went　through；　but　it　was　advice　I　needn't　have　given　him。　He　stopped　at　the　foot　of　the　stairs；　all　right；　stopped　cold；　and　what　did　it　was　the　sight　of　Percy　Wetmore　standing　there　on　the　platform；　with　the　sponge…bucket　by　one　foot　and　the　phone　that　went　to　the　governor　just　visible　beyond　his　right　hip。　
〃Non；〃　Del　said　in　a　low；　horrified　voice。　〃Non；　non；　not　him！〃　
〃Walk　on；〃　Brutal　said。　〃You　just　keep　your　eyes　on　me　and　Paul。　Forget　he's　there　at　all。〃　
〃But…〃　
People　had　turned　to　look　at　us；　but　by　moving　my　body　a　bit；　I　could　still　grip　Delacroix's　left　elbow　without　being　seen。　〃Steady；〃　I　said　in　a　voice　only　Del　…　and　perhaps　Brutal　…　could　hear。　〃The　only　thing　most　of　these　people　will　remember　about　you　is　how　you　go　out；　so　give　them　something　good。〃　
The　loudest　crack　of　thunder　yet　broke　overhead　at　that　moment；　loud　enough　to　make　the　storage　room's　tin　roof　vibrate。　Percy　jumped　as　if　someone　had　goosed　him；　and　Del　gave　a　small；　contemptuous　snort　of　laughter。　〃It　get　much　louder　dan　dat；　he　gonna　piddle　in　his　pants　again；〃　he　said；　and　then　squared　his　shoulders　…　not　that　he　had　much　to　square。　〃e　on。　Let's　get　it　over。〃　
We　walked　to　the　platform。　Delacroix　ran　a　nervous　eye　over　the　witnesses　…　about　twenty…five　of　them　this　time　…　as　we　went；　but　Brutal；　Dean；　and　I　kept　our　own　eyes　trained　on　the　chair。　All　looked　in　order　to　me。　I　raised　one　thumb　and　a　questioning　eyebrow　to　Percy；　who　gave　a　little　one…sided　grimace；　as　if　to　say　What　do　you　mean；　is　everything　all　right？　Of　course　it　is。　
I　hoped　he　was　right。　
Brutal　and　I　reached　automatically　for　Delacroix's　elbows　as　he　stepped　up　onto　the　platform。　It's　only　eight　or　so　inches　up　from　the　floor；　but　you'd　be　surprised　how　many　of　them；　even　the　toughest　of　tough　babies；　need　help　to　make　that　last　step　up　of　their　lives。　
Del　did　okay；　though。　He　stood　in　front　of　the　chair　for　a　moment　（resolutely　not　looking　at　Percy）；　then　actually　spoke　to　it；　as　if　introducing　himself：　〃C'est　moi；〃　he　said。　Percy　reached　for　him；　but　Delacroix　turned　around　on　his　own　and　sat　down。　I　knelt　on　what　was　now　his　left　side；　and　Brutal　knelt　on　his　right。　I　guarded　my　crotch　and　my　throat　in　the　manner　I　have　already　described；　then　swung　the　clamp　in　so　that　its　open　jaws　encircled　the　skinny　white　flesh　just　above　the　Cajun's　ankle。　Thunder　bellowed　and　I　jumped。　Sweat　ran　in　my　eye；　stinging。　Mouseville；　I　kept　thinking　for　some　reason。　Mouseville；　and　how　it　cost　a　dime　to　get　in。　Two　cents　for　the　kiddies；　who　would　look　at　Mr。　Jingles　through　his　ivy…glass　windows。　
The　clamp　was　balky；　wouldn't　shut。　I　could　hear　Del　breathing　in　great　dry　pulls　of　air；　lungs　that　would　be　charred　bags　less　than　four　minutes　from　now　laboring　to　keep　up　with　his　fear…driven　heart。　The　fact　that　he　had　killed　half　a　dozen　people　seemed　at　that　moment　the　least　important　thing　about　him。　I'm　not　trying　to　say　anything　about　right　and　wrong　here；　but　only　to　tell　how　it　was。　
Dean　knelt　next　to　me　and　whispered；　〃What's　wrong；　Paul？〃　
〃I　can't……〃　I　began；　and　then　the　clamp　closed　with　an　audible　snapping　sound。　It　must　have　also　pinched　a　fold　of　Delacroixs　skin　in　its　jaws；　because　he　flinched　and　made　a　little　hissing　noise。　〃Sorry；〃　I　said。　
〃It　okay；　boss；〃　Del　said。　〃It　only　gonna　hurt　for　a　minute。〃　
Brutal's　side　had　the　clamp　with　the　electrode　in　it；　which　always　took　a　little　longer；　and　so　we　stood　up；　all　three　of　us；　at　almost　exactly　the　same　time。　Dean　reached　for　the　wrist…clamp　on　Del's　left；　and　Percy　went　to　the　one　on　his　right。　I　was　ready　to　move　forward　if　Percy　should　need　help；　but　he　did　better　with　his　wrist…clamp　than　I'd　done　with　my　ankle…clamp。　I　could　see　Del　trembling　all　over　now；　as　if　a　low　current　were　already　passing　through　him。　I　could　smell　his　sweat；　too。　It　was　sour　and　strong　and　reminded　me　of　weak　pickle　juice。　
Dean　nodded　to　Percy。　Percy　turned　back　over　his　shoulder　…　I　could　see　a　place　just　under　the　angle　of　his　jaw　where　he'd　cut　himself　shaving　that　day　…　and　said　in　a　low；　firm　voice：　〃Roll　on　one！〃　
There　was　a　hum；　sort　of　like　the　sound　an　old　refrigerator　makes　when　it　kicks　on；　and　the　hanging　lights　in　the　storage　room　brightened。　There　were　a　few　low　gasps　and　murmurs　from　the　audience。　Del　jerked　in　the　chair；　his　hands　gripping　the　ends　of　the　oak　arms　hard　enough　to　turn　the　knuckles　white。　His　eyes　rolled　rapidly　from　side　to　side　in　their　sockets；　and　his　dry　breathing　quickened　even　more。　He　was　almost　panting　now。　
〃Steady；〃　Brutal　murmured。　〃Steady；　Del；　you're　doing　just　fine。　Hang　on；　you're　doing　just　fine。〃　
Hey　you　guys！　I　thought。　e　and　see　what　Mr。　Jingles　can　do！　And　overhead；　the　thunder　banged　again。　
Percy　stepped　grandly　around　to　the　front　of　the　electric　chain　This　was　his　big　moment；　he　was　at　cen