第32部分(第2/8 頁)

l　too　human。

Delacroix　screamed　with　horror　and　grief。　He　threw　himself　at　the　door　of　his　cell　and　thrust　his　arms　out　through　the　bars；　reaching　as　far　as　he　could；　crying　the　mouse's　name　over　and　over。

Percy　turned　toward　him；　smiling。　Toward　me　and　Brutal；　as　well。　〃There；〃　he　said。　〃I　knew　I'd　get　him；　sooner　or　later。　just　a　matter　of　time；　really。〃　He　turned　and　walked　back　up　the　Green　Mile；　leaving　Mr。　Jingles　lying　on　the　linoleum；　his　spreading　blood　red　over　green。

Dean　got　up　from　the　duty　desk；　hitting　the　side　of　it　with　his　knee　and　knocking　the　cribbage　board　to　the　floor。　The　pegs　spilled　out　of　their　holes　and　rolled　in　all　directions。　Neither　Dean　nor　Harry；　who　had　been　just　about　to　go　out；　paid　the　slightest　attention　to　the　overturn　of　the　game。　〃What'd　you　do　this　time？〃　Dean　shouted　at　Percy。　〃What　the　hell'd　you　do　this　time；　you　stoopnagel？〃

Percy　didn't　answer。　He　strode　past　the　desk　without　saying　a　word；　patting　his　hair　with　his　fingers。　He　went　through　my　office　and　into　the　storage　shed。　William　Wharton　answered　for　him。　〃Boss　Dean？　I　think　what　he　did　was　teach　a　certain　french…fry　it　ain't　smart　to　laugh　at　him；〃　he　said；　and　then　began　to　laugh　himself。　It　was　a　good　laugh；　a　country　laugh；　cheery　and　deep。　There　were　people　I　met　during　that　period　of　my　life　（very　scary　people；　for　the　most　part）　who　only　sounded　normal　when　they　laughed。　Wild　Bill　Wharton　was　one　of　those。

I　looked　down　at　the　mouse