第28部分(第4/8頁)

lingerin；〃　Brutal　said。　〃These　folks're　settin　back　a　hot　dinner　at　home　to　watch　your　mouse　cut　his　capers。〃　Not　true；　of　course　Anderson　would　have　been　there　until　eight　o'clock　on　any　night；　and　the　guards　he'd　dragged　in　to　watch　Delacroix's　〃show〃　would　be　there　until　eleven　or　twelve；　depending　on　when　their　shifts　were　scheduled　to　end。　The　politician　from　the　state　capital　would　most　likely　turn　out　to　be　an　office　janitor　in　a　borrowed　tie。　But　Delacroix　had　no　way　of　knowing　any　of　that。

〃I'm　ready；〃　Delacroix　said；　speaking　with　the　simplicity　of　a　great　star　who　has　somehow　managed　to　retain　the　mon　touch。　〃Let's　go。〃　And　as　Brutal　led　him　up　the　Green　Mile　with　Mr。　Jingles　perched　there　on　the　little　man's　shoulder；　Delacroix　once　more　began　to　bugle；　〃Messieurs　et　mesdames！　Bienvenue　au　cirque　de　mousie！〃　Yet；　even　lost　as　deeply　in　his　own　fantasy　world　as　he　was；　he　gave　Percy　a　wide　berth　and　a　mistrustful　glance。

Harry　and　Dean　stopped　in　front　of　the　empty　cell　across　from　Wharton's　（that　worthy　had　still　not　so　much　as　stirred）。　They　watched　as　Brutal　unlocked　the　door　to　the　exercise　yard；　where　another　two　guards　were　waiting　to　join　him；　and　led　Delacroix　out；　bound　for　his　mand　performance　before　the　grand　high　poohbahs　of　Cold　Mountain　Penitentiary。　We　waited　until　the　door　was　locked　again；　and　then　I　looked　toward　my　office。　That　shadow　was　still　lying　on　the　floor；　thin　as　famine；　and　I　was　glad　Delacroix　had　been　too　excited　to　see