第12部分(第6/7 頁)

ld　have　sent　the　mouse　skittering；　but　it　barely　twitched。　It　picked　up　the　piece　of　dried　apple　in　its　paws；　gave　it　a　couple　of　licks；　then　dropped　it　and　looked　up　at　us　as　if　to　say；　Not　bad；　what　else　do　you　have？

Toot…Toot　opened　his　cart；　took　out　a　sandwich；　unwrapped　it；　and　tore　off　a　scrap　of　bologna。

〃Don't　bother；〃　Dean　said。

'What　do　you　mean？〃　Toot…Toot　asked。　〃Ain't　a　mouse　alive'd　pass　up　bologna　if　he　could　get　it。　You　a　crazy　guy！〃

But　I　knew　Dean　was　right；　and　I　could　see　by　Harry's　face　that　he　knew　it；　too。　There　were　floaters　and　there　were　regulars。　Somehow；　that　mouse　seemed　to　know　the　difference。　Nuts；　but　true。

Old　Toot…Toot　tossed　the　scrap　of　bologna　down；　and　sure　enough；　the　mouse　wouldn't　have　a　thing　to　do　with　it；　sniffed　it　once　and　then　backed　off　a　pace。

〃I'll　be　a　goddamned　son　of　a　bitch；〃　Old　Toot…Toot　said；　sounding　offended。

I　held　out　my　hand。　〃Give　it　to　me。〃

〃What　…　same　sammitch？〃

〃Same　one。　I'll　pay　for　it。〃

Toot…Toot　handed　it　over。　I　lifted　the　top　slice　of　bread；　tore　off　another　sliver　of　meat；　and　dropped　it　over　the　front　of　the　duty　desk。　The　mouse　came　forward　at　once。　picked　it　up　in　its　paws；　and　began　to　eat。　The　bologna　was　gone　before　you　could　say　Jack　Robinson。

〃I'll　be　goddamned！〃　Toot…Toot　cried。　〃Bloody　hell！　Gimme　dat！〃

He　snatched　back　the　sandwich；　tore　off　a　much　larger　piece　of　meat　…　not　a　scrap　this　time　but　a　flap　…　and　dropped　it　so　close　to　the　mouse　that　Steamboat　Willy　almost　ended　up　wearing　it　for　a　hat。　It　drew　back　again；　sniffed　（surely　no　mouse　ever　hit　such　a　jackpot　during　the　Depression　…　not　in　our　state；　at　least）；　and　then　looked　up　at　us。

〃Go　on；　eat　it！〃　Toot…Toot　said；　sounding　more　offen