第62部分(第1/7 頁)

Peering　over　the　edge　of　it　were　a　pair　of　bright　little　oilspot　eyes。

〃Mr。　Jingles；〃　I　said　in　a　low　voice。　〃e　over　here。　e　on　over　here；　old　boy；　and　see　this　lady。〃

I　squatted　down　…　it　hurt；　but　I　managed　…　and　held　out　my　hand。　At　first　I　didn't　think　he　was　going　to　be　able　to　get　over　the　side　of　the　box　this　time；　but　he　made　it　with　one　final　lunge。　He　landed　on　his　side；　then　regained　his　feet；　and　came　over　to　me。　He　ran　with　a　hitching　limp　in　one　of　his　back　legs；　the　injury　that　Percy　had　inflicted　had　e　back　in　Mr。　Jingles's　old　age。　His　old；　old　age。　Except　for　the　top　of　his　head　and　the　tip　of　his　tail；　his　fur　had　gone　entirely　gray。

He　hopped　onto　the　palm　of　my　hand。　I　raised　him　up　and　he　stretched　his　neck　out；　sniffing　at　my　breath　with　his　ears　laid　back　and　his　tiny　dark　eyes　avid。　I　held　my　hand　out　toward　Elaine；　who　looked　at　the　mouse　with　wide…eyed　wonder；　her　lips　parted。

〃It　can't　be〃；　she　said；　and　raised　her　eyes　to　me。　〃Oh　Paul；　it　isn't　。　。。　it　can't　be！〃

〃Watch；〃　I　said；　〃and　then　tell　me　that。〃

From　the　bag　on　the　table　I　took　a　spool　which　I　had　colored　myself　…　not　with　Crayolas　but　with　Magic　Markers；　an　invention　undreamed　of　in　1932。　It　came　to　the　same；　though。　It　was　as　bright　as　Del's　had　been；　maybe　brighter。　Messieurs　et　mesdames；　I　thought。　Bienvenue　au　cirque　du　mousie！

I　squatted　again；　and　Mr。　Jingles　ran　off　my　palm。　He　was　old；　but　as　obsessed　as　ever。　From　the　moment　I　had　taken　the　spool　out　of　the　bag；　he'd　had　eyes　for　nothing　else。　I　rolled　it　across　the　shed's　uneven；　splintery　floor；　and　he　was　after　it　at　once。　He　didn't　run　with　his　old　speed；　and　his　limp　was　painful　to　watch；　but　why　should　he　have　been　either　fast　or　surefooted？　As　I've　said；　he　was　ol