第28部分(第2/7 頁)

was　tucked　out　of　sight　in　my　office；　but　his　skinny　shadow　fell　out　the　door　and　onto　the　Green　Mile。

〃What　dis　about；　you　gran'　'fou？〃　Del　asked　querulously；　drawing　his　feet　up　on　the　bunk　as　Brutal　undid　the　double　locks　on　his　cell　door　and　ran　it　open。　His　eyes　flicked　back　and　forth　among　the　three　of　them。

〃Well；　I　tell　you；〃　Brutal　said。　〃Mr。　Moores　is　gone　for　awhile　…　his　wife　is　under　the　weather；　as　you　may　have　heard。　So　Mr。　Anderson　is　in　charge；　Mr。　Curtis　Anderson。〃

〃Yeah？　What　that。　got　to　do　with　me？〃

〃Well；〃　Harry　said；　〃Boss　Anderson's　heard　about　your　mouse；　Del；　and　wants　to　see　him　perform。　He　and　about　six　other　fellows　are　over　in　Admin；　just　waiting　for　you　to　show　up。　Not　just　plain　old　bluesuit　guards；　either。　These　are　pretty　big　bugs；　just　like　Brute　said。　One　of　them；　I　believe；　is　a　politician　all　the　way　from　the　state　capital。〃

Delacroix　swelled　visibly　at　this；　and　I　saw　not　so　much　as　a　single　shred　of　doubt　on　his　face。　Of　course　they　wanted　to　see　Mr。　Jingles；　who　would　not？

He　scrummed　around；　first　under　his　bunk　and　then　under　his　pillow。　He　eventually　found　one　of　those　big　pink　peppermints　and　the　wildly　colored　spool。　He　looked　at　Brutal　questioningly；　and　Brutal　nodded。

〃Yep。　It's　the　spool　trick　they're　really　wild　to　see；　I　guess；　but　the　way　he　eats　those　mints　is　pretty　damned　cute；　too。　And　don't　forget　the　cigar　box。　You'll　want　it　to　carry　him　in；　right？〃

Delacroix　got　the　box　and　put　Mr。　Jingles's　props　in　it；　but　mouse　he　settled　on　the　shoulder　of　his　shirt。　Then　he　stepped　out　of　his　cell；　his　puffed…out　chest　leading　the　way；　and　regarded　Dean　and　Harry。　〃You　boys　ing？〃

〃Naw；〃　Dean　said。　〃Got　other　fish　to　fry。　But　you　knock　em　for　a　loop；　Del　…　show