ld Sparky ran off a generator； and unless that took a direct lightning…hit； the show would go on。 Harry was in the switch room that night； so he and Bill Dodge and Percy Wetmore acted as ushers； seeing folks into their seats and asking each one if he'd like a cold drink of water。 There were two women present： the sister of the girl Del had raped and murdered； and the mother of one of the fire victims。 The latter lady was large and pale and determined。 She told Harry Terwilliger that she hoped the man she'd e to see was good and scared； that he knew the fires in the furnace were stoked for him； and that Satan's imps； were waiting for him。 Then she burst into tears and buried her face in a lace hanky that was almost the size of a pillowslip。
Thunder； hardly muffled at all by the tin roof； banged harsh and loud。 People glanced up uneasily。 Men who looked unfortable wearing ties this late at night wiped at their florid cheeks。 It was hotter than blue blazes in the storage shed。 And； of course； they kept turning their eyes to Old Sparky。 They might have made jokes about this chore earlier in the week； but the jokes were gone by eleven…thirty or so that night。 I started all this by telling you that the humor went out of the situation in a hurry for the people who had to sit down in that oak chair； but the condemned prisoners weren't the only ones who lost the smiles off their faces when the time actually came。 It just seemed so bald； somehow； squatting up there on its platform； with the clamps on the legs sticking off to either side； looking like the things a person with polio would have to wear。 There wasn't much talk； and when the thunder boomed again； as sharp and personal as a splintering tree； the sister of Delacroix's victim gave a little scream。 The last person to take his seat in the witness's section was Curtis Anderson； Warden Moores's stand…in。
At eleven…thirty； I approached Delacroix's cell with Brutal and Dean walking slightly behind me。 Del was sitting on his bunk； with Mr。 Jingles in his lap。 The mouse's head was stretched forward toward the condemned man； his little oilspot eyes rapt on Del's face。 Del was stroking the top of Mr。 Jingles's head between his ears。 Large silent tears were rolling down Del's face； and it was these the mouse seemed to be peering at。 Del looked up at the sound of our footsteps。 He was very pale。 From behind me； I sensed rather than saw John Coffey standing at his cell door； watching。
Del winced at the sound of my keys clashing against metal； but held steady； continuing to stroke Mr。 Jingles's head； as I turned the locks and ran the door open。
〃Hi dere； Boss Edgebe；〃 he said。 〃Hi dere； boys。 Say hi； Mr。 Jingles。〃 But Mr。 Jingles only continued to look raptly up at the balding little man's face； as if wondering at the source of his tears。 The colored spool had been neatly laid aside in the Corona box … laid aside for the last time； I thought； and felt a pang。
〃Eduard Delacroix； as an officer of the court。。。〃
〃Boss Edgebe？〃
I thought about just running on with the set speech； then thought again。 〃What is it； Del？〃
He held the mouse out to me。 〃Here。 Don't let nothing happen to Mr。 Jingles。〃
〃Del； I don't think he'll e to me。 He's not … 〃
〃Mais oui； he say he will。 He say he know all about you； Boss Edgebe； and you gonna take him down to dat place in Florida where the mousies do their tricks。 He say he trust you。〃 He held his hand out farther； and I'll be damned if the mouse didn't step off his palm and onto my shoulder。 It was so light I couldn't even feel it through my uniform coat； but I sensed it； like a small heat。 〃And boss？ Don't let that bad 'un near him again。 Don't let that bad 'un hurt my mouse。〃
〃No； Del。 I won't。〃 The question was； what was I supposed to do with him right then？ I couldn't very well march Delacroix past the witnesses with a mouse perched on my shoulder。
〃I'll take him； boss；〃 a voice rumbled from behind me。 It was John Coffey's voice； and it was eerie the way it came right then； as though he had read my mind。 〃Just for now。 If Del don't mind。〃
Del nodded； relieved。 〃Yeah； you take im； John； 'til dis foolishment done … bien！ And den after 。。。〃 His gaze shifted back to Brutal and me。 〃You gonna take him down to Florida。 To dat Mouseville Place。〃
〃Yeah； most likely Paul and I will do it together；〃 Brutal said； watching with a troubled and unquiet eye as Mr。 Jingles stepped off my shoulder and into Coffey's huge outstretched palm。 Mr。 Jingles did this with no protest or attempt to run； indeed； he scampered as readily up John Coffey's arm as he had stepped onto my shoulder。 〃We'll take some of our vacation time。 Won't we； Paul？〃
I nodded。 Del nodded； too； eyes bright； just a trace of a smile on his lips。 〃People pay a dime apiece to see him。 Two cents for the kiddies。 Ain't dat right； Boss；Howell？〃
〃That's right； Del。〃
〃You a good man； Boss Howell；〃 Del said。 〃You； too； Boss Edgebe。 You yell at me sometimes； oui； but not 'less you have to。 You all good men except for dat Percy。 I wish I coulda met you someplace else。 Mauvais temps； mauvaise chance。〃
〃I got something to say to you； Del；… I told him。 〃They're just the words I have to say to everyone before we walk。 No big deal； but it's part of my job。 Okay？〃
〃Oui； monsieur；〃 he said； and looked at Mr。 Jingles； perched on John Coffey's broad shoulder； for the last time。 〃Au revoir； mon ami；〃 he said； beginning to cry harder。 〃le t'aime； mon petit。〃 He blew the mouse a kiss。 It should have been funny； that blown kiss； or maybe just grotesque； but it wasn't。 I met Dean's eye for a moment； then had to look away。 Dean stared down the corridor toward the restraint room and smiled strangely I believe he was on the verge of tears。 As for me； I said what I had to say； beginning with the part about how I was an officer of the court； and when I was done； Delacroix stepped out of his cell for the last time。
〃Hold on a second longer； hoss；〃 Brutal said； and checked the crown of Del's head； where the cap would go。 He nodded at me； then clapped Del on the shoulder。 〃Right with Eversharp。 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 som