第62部分(第3/7 页)

r　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　you're　not　a　floater。

〃Where　did　he　e　from；　Paul？〃

〃Haven't　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。　He's　like　us；　Ellie；　I　think…most　days　just　one　big　sore　place。　Still；　he　hasn't　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　I've　told　it。　I　kind　of　had　the　idea　that's　why　he　came　back。　To　let　me　know　I　should　hurry　up　and　do　it　while　there　was　still　time。　Because　I'm　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；〃