第10部分(第3/7 頁)

　embrace。

A　smell　of　peppermint。

And　something　else。　Something　back　inside　that　hole。

I　took　a　pen　out　of　my　breast　pocket　with　my　right　hand；　still　holding　onto　the　beam　with　my　left；　not　worried　anymore　about　Brutal　inadvertently　tickling　my　sensitive　knees。　I　unscrewed　the　pen's　cap　onehanded；　then　poked　the　nib　in　and　teased　something　out。　It　was　a　tiny　splinter　of　wood　which　had　been　tinted　a　bright　yellow；　and　I　heard　Delacroix's　voice　again；　so　clearly　this　time　that　his　ghost　might　have　been　lurking　in　that　room　with　us　…　the　one　where　William　Wharton　spent　so　much　of　his　time。

Hey；　you　guys！　the　voice　said　this　time…the　laughing；　amazed　voice　of　a　man　who　has　forgotten；　at　least　for　a　little　while；　where　he　is　and　what　awaits　him。　e　and　see　what　Mr。　Jingles　can　do！

〃Christ；〃　I　whispered。　I　felt　as　if　the　wind　had　been　knocked　out　of　me。

〃You　found　another　one；　didn't　you？〃　Brutal　asked。　〃I　found　three　or　four。〃

I　came　down　and　shone　the　light　on　his　big；　outstretched　palm。　Several　splinters　of　wood　were　scattered　there；　like　jackstraws　for　elves。　Two　were　yellow；　like　the　one　I　had　found。　One　was　green　and　one　was　red。　They　hadn't　been　painted　but　colored；　with　wax　Crayola　crayons。

〃Oh；　boy；〃　I　said　in　a　low；　shaky　voice。　〃Oh；　hey。　It's　pieces　of　that　spool；　isn't　it？　But　why？　Why　up　there？〃

〃When　I　was　a　kid　I　wasn't　big　like　I　am　now；〃　Brutal　said。　〃I　got　most　of　my　growth　between　fifteen　and　seventeen。　Until　then　I　was　a　shrimp。　And　when　I　went　off　to　school　the　first　time；　I　felt　as　small　as　。。。　why；　as　small　as　a　mouse；　I　guess　you'd　say。　I　was　scared　to　death。　So　you　know　what　I　did？〃

I　shook　my　head。　Outside；　the　wind　gusted　again。　In　the　angles　formed　by　the　beams；　cobwebs　shook　in　fe