第7部分(第2/8 頁)

get…it…over…with〃　business　was　overrated。

Anyway；　I　didn't　hurry　to　Warden　Moores's　office。　I　stripped　off　my　wool　uniform　coat　instead；　hung　it　over　the　back　of　my　chair；　and　turned　on　the　fan　in　the　corner　…　it　was　another　hot　one。　Then　I　sat　down　and　went　over　Brutus　Howell's　night…sheet。　There　was　nothing　there　to　get　alarmed　about。　Delacroix　had　wept　briefly　after　turning　in　…　he　did　most　nights；　and　more　for　himself　than　for　the　folks　he　had　roasted　alive；　I　am　quite　sure　…　and　then　had　take　Mr。　Jingles；　the　mouse；　out　of　the　cigar　box　he　slept　in。　That　had　calmed　Del；　and　he　had　slept　like　a　baby　the　rest　of　the　night。　Mr。　Jingles　had　most　likely　spent　it　on　Delacroix's　stomach；　with　his　tail　curled　over　his　paws；　eyes　unblinking。　It　was　as　if　God　had　decided　Delacroix　needed　a　guardian　angel；　but　had　decreed　in　His　wisdom　that　only　a　mouse　would　do　for　a　rat　like　our　homicidal　friend　from　Louisiana。　Not　all　that　was　in　Brutal's　report；　of　course；　but　I　had　done　enough　night　watches　myself　to　fill　in　the　stuff　between　the　lines。　There　was　a　brief　note　about　Coffey：　〃Laid　aay　have　cried　some。　I　tried　to　get　some　talk　started；　but　after　a　few　grunted　replies　from　Coffey；　gave　up。　Paul　or　Harry　may　have　better　luck。〃

〃Getting　the　talk　started〃　was　at　the　center　of　our　job；　really。　I　didn't　know　it　then；　but　looking　back　from　the　vantage　point　of　this　strange　old　age　（I　think　all　old　ages　seem　strange　to　the　folk　who　must　endure　them）；　I　understand　that　it　wa