第18部分(第5/8 頁)

e　same　as　I　had　been。

Three　or　four　days　after　Mr。　Jingles　started　doing　the　trick　with　the　spool；　Harry　Terwilliger　rummaged　through　the　arts　and　crafts　stuff　we　kept　in　the　restraint　room；　found　the　Crayolas；　and　brought　them　to　Delacroix　with　a　smile　that　was　almost　embarrassed。　〃I　thought　you　might　like　to　make　that　spool　different　colors；〃　he　said。　〃Then　your　little　pal'd　be　like　a　circus　mouse；　or　something。〃

〃A　circus　mouse！〃　Delacroix　said；　looking　pletely；　rapturously　happy。　I　suppose　he　was　pletely　happy；　maybe　for　the　first　time　in　his　whole　miserable　life。　〃That　just　what　he　is；　too！　A　circus　mouse！　When　I　get　outta　here；　he　gonna　make　me　rich；　like　inna　circus！　You　see　if　he　don't。〃

Percy　Wetmore　would　no　doubt　have　pointed　out　to　Delacroix　that　when　he　left　Cold　Mountain；　he'd　be　riding　in　an　ambulance　that　didn't　need　to　run　its　light　or　siren；　but　Harry　knew　better。　He　just　told　Delacroix　to　make　the　spool　as　colorful　as　he　could　as　quick　as　he　could；　because　he'd　have　to　take　the　crayons　back　after　dinner。

Del　made　it　colorful；　all　right。　When　he　was　done；　one　end　of　the　spool　was　yellow；　the　other　end　was　green；　and　the　drum　in　the　middle　was　firehouse　red。　We　got　used　to　hearing　Delacroix　trumpet；　〃Maintenant；　m'sieurs　et　mesdames！　Le　cirque　presentement　le　mous'　amusant　et　amazeant！〃　That　wasn't　exactly　it；　but　it　gives　you　an　idea　of　that　stewpot　French　of　his。　Then　he'd　make　this　sound　way　down　in　his　throat　…　I　think　it　was　s