第29部分(第6/7 頁)

at　he　cared　about　…　you've　guessed　already；　I'm　sure　…　was　what　was　going　to　happen　to　Mr。　Jingles　after　he；　Delacroix；　passed　on。　I　was　used　to　spending　long　hours　with　the　condemned　on　the　night　before　their　last　march；　but　this　was　the　first　time　I'd　spent　those　long　hours　pondering　the　fate　of　a　mouse。

Del　considered　scenario　after　scenario；　patiently　working　the　possibilities　through　his　dim　mind。　And　while　he　thought　aloud；　wanting　to　provide　for　his　pet　mouse's　future　as　if　it　were　a　child　that　had　to　be　put　through　college；　he　threw　that　colored　spool　against　the　wall。　Each　time　he　did　it；　Mr。　Jingles　would　spring　after　it；　track　it　down；　and　then　roll　it　back　to　Del's　foot。　It　started　to　get　on　my　nerves　after　awhile　…first　the　clack　of　the　spool　against　the　stone　wall；　then　the　minute　clitter　of　Mr。　Jingles's　paws。　Although　it　was　a　cute　trick；　it　palled　after　niy　minutes　or　so。　And　Mr。　Jingles　never　seemed　to　get　tired。　He　paused　every　now　and　then　to　refresh　himself　with　a　drink　of　water　out　of　a　coffee　saucer　Delacroix　kept　for　just　that　purpose；　or　to　munch　a　pink　crumb　of　peppermint　candy；　and　then　back　to　it　he　went。　Several　times　it　was　on　the　tip　of　my　tongue　to　tell　Delacroix　to　give　it　a　rest；　and　each　time　I　reminded　myself　that　he　had　this　night　and　tomorrow　to　play　the　spool…game　with　Mr。　Jingles；　and　that　was　all。　Near　the　end；　though；　it　began　to　be　really　difficult　to　hold　onto　that　thought　…　you　know　how　it　is；　with　a　noise　that's　repeated　over　and　over。　After　a　while　it　shoots　your　nerve。　I　started　to　speak　after　all；　then　something　made　me　look　over　my　shoulder　and　out　the　cell　door。　John　Coffey　was　standing　at　his　cell　door　across　the　way；　and　he　shook　his　head　at　me：　right；　left；　back　to　center。　As　if　he　had　read　my　mind　and　was　tel