子浪小说

第62部分（第1页）

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　didnt　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。　Jingless　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　cant　be〃；　she　said；　and　raised　her　eyes　to　me。　〃Oh　Paul；　it　isnt　。　。。　it　cant　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　Dels　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；　hed　had　eyes　for　nothing　else。　I　rolled　it　across　the　sheds　uneven；　splintery　floor；　and　he　was　after　it　at　once。　He　didnt　run　with　his　old　speed；　and　his　limp　was　painful　to　watch；　but　why　should　he　have　been　either　fast　or　surefooted？　As　Ive　said；　he　was　old；　a　Methuselah　of　a　mouse。　Sixty…four；　at　least。

He　reached　the　spool；　which　struck　the　far　wall　and　bounced　back。　He　went　around　it；　then　lay　down　on　his　side。　Elaine　started　forward　and　I　held　her　back。　After　a　moment；　Mr。　Jingles　found　his　feet　again。　Slowly；　so　slowly；　he　nosed　the　spool　back　to　me。　When　hed　first　e　…　Id　found　him　lying　on　the　steps　leading　to　the　kitchen　in　just　that　same　way；　as　if　hed　travelled　a　long　distance　and　was　exhausted　…　he　had　still　been　able　to　guide　the　spool　with　his　paws；　as　he　had　done　all　those　years　ago　on　the　Green　Mile。　That　was　beyond　him；　now；　his　hindquarters　would　no　longer　support　him。　Yet　his　nose　was　as　educated　as　ever。　He　just　had　to　go　from　one　end　of　the　spool　to　the　other　to　keep　it　on　course。　When　he　reached　me；　I　picked　him　up　in　one　hand　…　no　more　than　a　feather；　he　weighed　…　and　the　spool　in　the　other。　His　bright　dark　eyes　never　left　it。

〃Dont　do　it　again；　Paul；〃　Elaine　said　in　a　broken　voice。　〃I　cant　bear　to　watch　him。〃

I　understood　how　she　felt；　but　thought　she　was　wrong　to　ask　it。　He　loved　chasing　and　fetching　the　spool；　after　all　the　years；　he　still　loved　it　just　as　much。　We　should　all　be　so　fortunate　in　our　passions。

〃There　are　peppermint　candies　in　the　bag；　too；〃　I　said。　〃Canada　Mints。　I　think　he　still　likes　them　…　he　wont　stop　sniffing；　if　I　hold　one　out　to　him　…　but　his　digestion　has　gotten　too　bad　to　eat　them。　I　bring　him　toast；　instead。〃

I　squatted　again；　broke　a　small　fragment　off　the　piece　Id　brought　with　me　from　the　sunroom；　and　put　it　on　the　floor。　Mr。　Jingles　sniffed　at　it；　then　picked　it　up　in　his　paws　and　began　to　eat。　His　tail　was　coiled　neatly　around　him。　He　finished；　then　looked　expectantly　up。

〃Sometimes　us　old　fellas　can　surprise　you　with　our　appetites〃；　I　said　to　Elaine；　and　handed　her　the　toast。　〃You　try。〃

She　broke　off　another　fragment　and　dropped　it　on　the　floor。　Mr。　Jingles　approached　it；　sniffed；　looked　at　Elaine　。。。　then　picked　it　up　and　began　to　eat。

〃You　see？〃　I　said。　〃He　knows　youre　not　a　floater。

〃Where　did　he　e　from；　Paul？〃

〃Havent　a　clue。　One　day　when　I　went　out　for　my　early…morning　walk；　he　was　just　here；　lying　on　the　kitchen　steps。　I　knew　who　he　was　right　away；　but　I　got　a　spool　out　of　the　laundry　room　occasional　basket　just　to　be　sure。　And　I　got　him　a　cigar　box。　Lined　it　with　the　softest　stuff　I　could　find。　Hes　like　us；　Ellie；　I　think…most　days　just　one　big　sore　place。　Still；　he　hasnt　lost　all　his　zest　for　living。　He　still　likes　his　spool；　and　he　still　likes　a　visit　from　his　old　blockmate。　Sixty　years　I　held　the　story　of　John　Coffey　inside　me；　sixty　and　more；　and　now　Ive　told　it。　I　kind　of　had　the　idea　thats　why　he　came　back。　To　let　me　know　I　should　hurry　up　and　do　it　while　there　was　still　time。　Because　Im　like　him　…　getting　there。〃

〃Getting　where？〃

〃Oh；　you　know〃；　I　said；　and　we　watched　Mr。　Jingles　for　awhile　in　silence。　Then；　for　no　reason　I　could　tell　you；　I　tossed　the　spool　again；　even　though　Elaine　had　asked　me　not　to。　Maybe　only　because；　in　a　way；

him　chasing　a　spool　was　like　old　people　having　their　slow　and　careful　version　of　sex　…　you　might　not　want　to　watch　it；　you　who　are　young　and　convinced　that；　when　it　es　to　old　age；　an　exception　will　be　made　in　your　case；　but　they　still　want　to　do　it。

Mr。　Jingles　set　off　after　the　rolling　spool　again；　clearly　with　pain；　and　just　as　clearly　（to　me；　at　least）　with　all　his　old；　obsessive　enjoyment。

〃Ivy…glass　windows；〃　she　whispered；　watching　him　go。

〃Ivy…glass　windows；〃　I　agreed；　smiling。

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