第18部分(第3/8 頁)

ath；　in　other　words　…　the　Frenchman　called　me　down　to　his　cell。　I　was　on　my　own　for　the　time　being；　Brutal　over　at　the　missary　for　something；　and　according　to　the　regs；　I　was　not　supposed　to　approach　a　prisoner　in　such　circumstances。　But　since　I　probably　could　have　shot…putted　Delacroix　twenty　yards　one…handed　on　a　good　day；　I　decided　to　break　the　rule　and　see　what　he　wanted。

〃Watch　this；　Boss　Edgebe；〃　he　said。　〃You　gonna　see　what　Mr。　Jingles　can　do！〃　He　reached　behind　the　cigar　box　and　brought　up　a　small　wooden　spool。

〃Where'd　you　get　that？〃　I　asked　him；　although　I　supposed　I　knew。　There　was　really　only　one　person　he　could　have　gotten　it　from。

〃Old　Toot…Toot；〃　he　said。　'Watch　this。〃

I　was　already　watching；　and　could　see　Mr。　Jingles　in　his　box；　standing　up　with　his　small　front　paws　propped　on　the　edge；　his　black　eyes　fixed　on　the　spool　Delacroix　was　holding　between　the　thumb　and　first　finger　of　his　right　hand。　I　felt　a　funny　little　chill　go　up　my　back。　I　had　never　seen　a　mere　mouse　attend　to　something　with　such　sharpness　…　with　such　intelligence。　I　don't　really　believe　that　Mr。　Jingles　was　a　supernatural　visitation；　and　if　I　have　given　you　that　idea；　I'm　sorry；　but　I　have　never　doubted　that　he　was　a　genius　of　his　kind。

Delacroix　bent　over　and　rolled　the　threadless　spool　across　the　floor　of　his　cell。　It　went　easily；　like　a　pair　of　wheels　connected　by　an　axle。　The　mouse　was　out　of　his　box　in　a　flash　and　across　the　floor　after　it；　like　a　dog　ch