alk　the　Green　Mile；　waiting　for　William　Wharton　to　arrive　with　his　curled　lip　and　Billy　the　Kid　tattoo；　and；　most　of　all；　waiting　for　Percy　Wetmore　to　be　gone　out　of　my　life。

7。

Delacroix's　mouse　was　one　of　God's　mysteries。　I　never　saw　one　in　E　Block　before　that　summer；　and　never　saw　one　after　that　fall；　when　Delacroix　passed　from　our　pany　on　a　hot　and　thundery　night　in　October　…　passed　from　it　in　a　manner　so　unspeakable　I　can　barely　bring　myself　to　recall　it。　Delacroix　claimed　that　he　trained　that　mouse；　which　started　its　life　among　us　as　Steamboat　Willy；　but　I　really　think　it　was　the　other　way　around。　Dean　Stanton　felt　the　same　way；　and　so　did　Brutal。　Both　of　them　were　there　the　night　the　mouse　put　in　its　first　appearance；　and　as　Brutal　said；　〃The　thing　'us　half…tame　already；　and　twice　as　smart　as　that　Cajun　what　thought　he　owned　it。〃

Dean　and　I　were　in　my　office；　going　over　the　record…box　for　the　last　year；　getting　ready　to　write　follow…up　letters　to　witnesses　of　five　executions；　and　to　write　follow…ups　to　follow…ups　in　another　six　stretching　all　the　way　back　to　'29。　Basically；　we　wanted　to　know　just　one　thing：　were　they　pleased　with　the　service？　I　knoportant　consideration。　As　taxpayers　they　were　our　customers；　but　very　special　ones。　A　man　or　a　woman　who　will　turn　out　at　midnight　to　watch　a　man　die　has　got　a　special；　pressing　reason　to　be　there；　a　special　need；　and　if　execution　is　a　proper　punishment；　then　that　need　ought　to　be　satisfied。　They've　had　a　nightmare。　The　purpose　of　the　execution　is　to　show　them　that　the　nightmare　is　over。　Maybe　it　even　works　that　way。　Sometimes。

〃Hey！〃　Brutal　called　from　outside　the　door；　where　he　was　manning　the　desk　at　the　head　of　the　hall。　〃Hey；　you　two！　Get　out　here！〃

Dean　and　I　gazed　at　each　other