第18部分(第1/7 頁)

A　week　or　so　after　Mr。　Jingles　had　settled　into　the　cigar　box；　Delacroix　called　me　and　Brutal　down　to　his　cell　to　see　something。　He　did　that　so　much　it　was　annoying　…　if　Mr。　Jingles　so　much　as　rolled　over　on　his　back　with　his　paws　in　the　air；　it　was　the　cutest　thing　on　God's　earth；　as　far　as　that　half…pint　Cajun　was　concerned　…　but　this　time　what　he　was　up　to　really　was　sort　of　amusing。

Delacroix　had　been　pretty　much　forgotten　by　the　world　following　his　conviction；　but　he　had　one　relation　…　an　old　maiden　aunt；　I　believe　…　who　wrote　him　once　a　week。　She　had　also　sent　him　an　enormous　bag　of　peppermint　candies；　the　sort　which　are　marketed　under　the　name　Canada　Mints　these　days。　They　looked　like　big　pink　pills。　Delacroix　was　not　allowed　to　have　the　whole　bag　at　once；　naturally　…　it　was　a　five…pounder；　and　he　would　have　gobbled　them　until　he　had　to　go　to　the　infirmary　with　stomach…gripes。　Like　almost　every　murderer　we　ever　had　on　the　Mile；　he　had　absolutely　no　understanding　of　moderation。　We'd　give　them　out　to　him　half　a　dozen　at　a　time；　and　only　then　if　he　remembered　to　ask。

Mr。　Jingles　was　sitting　beside　Delacroix　on　the　bunk　when　we　got　down　there；　holding　one　of　those　pink　candies　in　his　paws　and　munching　contentedly　away　at　it。　Delacroix　was　simply　overe　with　delight　…　he　was　like　a　classical　pianist　watching　his　five…year…old　son　play　his　first　halting　exercises。　But　don't　get　me　wrong；　it　was　funny；　a　real　hoot。　The　candy　was　half　the　size　of　Mr。　Jingles；　and　his　whitefurred　belly　was　already　distended　from　it。

〃Take　it　away　from　him；　Eddie；〃　Brutal　said；　half…laughing　and　half…horrified。　〃Christ　almighty　Jesus；　he'll　eat　till　he　busts。　I　can　smell　that　peppermint　from　here。　How　many　have　you　let　him　have？〃

〃This　his　second；〃　Delacroix