第10部分

請關閉瀏覽器的閱讀/暢讀/小說模式並且關閉廣告遮蔽過濾功能，避免出現內容無法顯示或者段落錯亂。

athery　drafts；　like　rotted　lace。　Never　had　I　been　in　a　place　that　felt　so　nakedly　haunted；　and　it　was　right　then；　as　we　stood　there　looking　down　at　the　splintered　remains　of　the　spool　which　had　caused　so　much　trouble；　that　my　head　began　to　know　what　my　heart　had　understood　ever　since　John　Coffey　had　walked　the　Green　Mile：　I　couldn't　do　this　job　much　longer。　Depression；　or　no　Depression；　I　couldn't　watch　many　more　men　walk　through　my　office　to　their　deaths。　Even　one　more　might　be　too　many。

〃I　asked　my　mother　for　one　of　her　hankies；〃　Brutal　said。　〃So　when　I　felt　weepy　and　small；　I　could　sneak　it　out　and　smell　her　perfume　and　not　feel　so　bad。〃

〃You　think　…　what？　…　that　mouse　chewed　off　some　of　that　colored　spool　to　remember　Delacroix　by？　That　a　mouse　…〃

He　looked　up。　I　thought　for　a　moment　I　saw　tears　in　his　eyes；　but　I　guess　I　was　probably　wrong　about　that。　〃I　ain't　saying　nothing；　Paul。　But　I　found　them　up　there；　and　I　smelled　peppermint；　same　as　you　…　you　know　you　did。　And　I　can't　do　this　no　more。　I　won't　do　this　no　more。　Seeing　one　more　man　in　that　chair'd　just　about　kill　me。　I'm　going　to　put　in　for　a　transfer　to　Boys'　Correctional　on　Monday。　If　I　get　it　before　the　next　one；　that's　fine。　If　I　don't；　I'll　resign　and　go　back　to　farming。〃

〃What　did　you　ever　farm；　besides　rocks？〃

〃It　don't　matter。〃

〃I　know　it　doesn't；〃　I　said。　〃I　think　I'll　put　in　with　you。…〃

He　looked　at　me　close；　making　sure　I　wasn't　just　having　some　sport　with　him；　then　nodded　as　if　it　was　a　settled　thing。　The　wind　gusted　again；　strong　enough　this　time　to　make　the　beams　creak　and　settle；　and　we　both　looked　around　uneasily　at　the　padded　walls。　I　think　for　a　moment　we　could　hear　William　Wharton　…　not　Billy　the　Kid；　not　him；　he　had　been　〃Wild　Bill〃　to　us　fro