amant。 〃He whisper it in my ear。 Cap'n； can I have a box for him？ Can I have a box for my mous'； so he can sleep in here wit me？〃 His voice began to fall into wheedling tones I had heard a thousand times before。 〃I put him under my bunk and he never be a scrid of trouble； not one。〃
〃Your English gets a hell of a lot better when you want something；〃 I said； stalling for time。
〃Oh…oh；〃 Harry murmured； nudging me。 〃Here es trouble。〃
But Percy didn't look like trouble to me； not that night。 He wasn't running his hands through his hair or fiddling with that baton of his； and the top button of his uniform shirt was actually undone。 It was the first time I'd seen him that way； and it was amazing； what a change a little thing like that could make。 Mostly； though； what struck me was the expression on his face。 There was a calmness there。 Not serenity … I don't think Percy Wetmore had a serene bone in his body … but the look of a man who has discovered he can wait for the things he the young man I'd had to threaten with Brutus Howell's fists only a few days before。
Delacroix didn't see the change； though； he cringed against the wall of his cell； drawing his knees up to his chest。 His eyes seemed to grow until they were taking up half his face。 The mouse scampered up on his bald pate and sat there。 I don't know if he remembered that he also had reason to distrust Percy； but it certainly looked as if he did。 Probably it was just smelling the little Frenchman's fear； and reacting off that。
〃Well； well；〃 Percy said。 〃Looks like you found yourself a friend； Eddie。〃
Delacroix tried to reply…some hollow defiance about what would happen to Percy if Percy hurt his new pal would have been my guess … but nothing came out。 His lower lip trembled a little； but that was all。 On top of his head； Mr。 Jingles wasn't trembling。 He sat perfectly still with his back feet in Delacroix's hair and his front ones splayed on Delacroix's bald looking at Percy； seeming to size him up。 The way you'd size up an old enemy。
Percy looked at me。 〃Isn't that the same one I chased？ The one that lives in the restraint room？〃
I nodded。 I had an idea Percy hadn't seen the newly named Mr。 Jingles since that last chase； and he showed no signs of wanting to chase it now。
〃Yes； that's the one；〃 I said。 〃Only Delacroix there says his name is Mr。 Jingles； not Steamboat Willy。 Says the mouse whispered it in his ear。〃
〃Is that so；〃 Percy said。 〃Wonders never cease； do they？〃 I half…expected him to pull out his baton and start tapping it against the bars； just to show Delacroix who was boss； but he only stood there with his hands on his hips； looking in。
And for no reason I could have told you in words； I said： 〃Delacroix there was just asking for a box； Percy。 He thinks that mouse will sleep in it； I guess。 That he can keep it for a pet。〃 I loaded my voice with skepticism； and sensed more than saw Harry looking at me in surprise。 〃What do you think about that？〃
〃I think it'll probably shit up his nose some night while he's sleeping and then run away；〃 Percy said evenly； 〃but I guess that's the French boy's lookout。 I seen a pretty nice cigar box on Toot…Toot's cart the other night。 I don't know if he'd give it away； though。 Probably want a nickel for it； maybe even a dime。〃
Now I did risk a glance at Harry； and saw his mouth hanging open。 This wasn't quite like the change in Ebenezer Scrooge on Christmas morning； after the ghosts had had their way with him； but it was damned close。
Percy leaned closer to Delacroix； putting his face between the bars。 Delacroix shrank back even farther。 I swear to God that he would have melted into that wall if he'd been able。
〃You got a nickel or maybe as much as a dime to pay for a cigar box； you lugoon？〃 he asked。
〃I got four pennies；〃； Delacroix said。 〃I give them for a box； if it a good one； s'il est bon。〃
〃I'll tell you what；〃 Percy said。 〃If that toothless old whoremaster will sell you that Corona box for four cents； I'll sneak some cotton batting out of the dispensary to line it with。 We'll make us a regular Mousie Hilton； before we're through。〃 He shifted his eyes to me。 〃I'm supposed to write a switch…room report about Bitterbuck；〃 he said。 〃Is there some pens in your office； Paul？〃
〃Yes； indeed；〃 I said。 〃Forms； too。 Lefthand top drawer。〃
〃Well； that's aces；〃 he said； and went swaggering off。
Harry and I looked at each other。 〃Is he sick； do you think？〃 Harry asked。 〃Maybe went to his doctor and found out he's only got three months to live？〃
I told him I didn't have the slightest idea what was up。 It was the truth then； and for awhile after； but I found out in time。 And a few years later； I had an interesting supper…table conversation with Hal Moores。 By then we could talk freely； what with him being retired and me being at the Boys' Correctional。 It was one of those meals where you drink too much and eat too little； and tongues get loosened。 Hal told me that Percy had been in to plain about me and about life on the Mile in general。 This was just after Delacroix came on the block； and Brutal and I had kept Percy from beating him half to death。 What had griped Percy the most was me telling him to get out of my sight。 He didn't think a man who was related to the governor should have to put up with talk like that。
Well； Moores told me； he had stood Percy off for as long as he could； and when it became dear to him that Percy was going to try pulling some strings to get me reprimanded and moved to another part of the prison at the very least； he； Moores； had pulled Percy into his office and told him that if he quit rocking the boat； Moores would make sure that Percy was out front for Delacroix's execution。 That he would； in fact； be placed right beside the chair。 I would be in charge； as always； but the witnesses wouldn't know that； to them it would look as if Mr。 Percy Wetmore was boss of the cotillion。 Moores wasn't promising any more than what we'd already discussed and I'd gone along with； but Percy didn't know that。 He agreed to leave off his threats to have me reassigned； and the atmosphere on E Block sweetened。 He had even agreed that Delacroix could keep Percy's old nemesis as a pet。 It's amazing how some men can change； given the right incentive； in Percy's case； all Warden Moores had to offer was the chance to take a bald little Frenchman's life。
9。
Toot…Toot felt that four cents was far too little for a prime Corona cigar box； and in that he was probably right … cigar boxes were highly prized objects in prison。 A thousand different small items could be stored in them； the smell was pleasant； and there was something about them that reminded our customers of what it was like to be free men。 Because cigarettes were permitted in prison but cigars were not； I imagine。
Dean Stanton； who was back on the block by then； added a penny to the pot； and I kicked one in； as well。 When Toot still proved reluctant； Brutal went to work on him； first telling him he ought to be ashamed of himself for behaving like such a cheapskate； then promising him that he； Brutus Howell； would personally put that Corona box back in Toot's hands the day after Delacroix's execution。 〃Six cents might or might not be enough if you was speaking about selling that cigar box； we could have a good old barber…shop argument about that；〃 Brutal said； 〃but you have to admit it's a great price for renting one。 He's gonna walk the Mile in a month； six weeks at the very outside。 Why； that box'll be back on the shelf under your cart almost before you know it's gone。〃
〃He could get a soft…hearted judge to give im a stay and still be here to sing 'Should old acquaintances be forgot；'〃 Toot said； but he knew better and Brutal knew he did。 Old Toot…Toot had been pushing that damned Bible…quoting cart of his around Cold Mountain since Pony Express days； practically； and he had plenty of sources； better than ours； I thought then。 He knew Delacroix was fresh out of soft…hearted judges。 All he had left to hope for was the governor； who as a rule didn't issue clemency to folks who had baked half a dozen of his constituents。
〃Even if he don't get a stay； that mouse'd be shitting in that box until October； maybe even Thanksgiving；〃 Toot argued； but Brutal could see he was weakening。 〃Who gonna buy a cigar box some mouse been using for a toilet？〃
〃Oh jeez…Louise；〃 Brutal said。 〃That's the numbest thing I've ever heard you say； Toot。 I mean； that takes the cake。 First； Delacroix will keep the box clean enough to eat a church dinner out of … the way he loves that mouse； he'd lick it clean if that's what it took。〃
〃Easy on dat stuff；〃 Toot said； wrinkling his nose。
〃Second；〃 Brutal went on； 〃mouse…shit is no big deal； anyway。 It's just hard little pellets； looks like birdshot。 Shake it right out。 Nothing to it！〃
Old Toot knew better than to carry his protest any further； he'd been on the yard long enough to understand when he could afford to face into the breeze and when he'd do better to bend in the hurricane。 This wasn't exactly a hurricane； but we bluesuits liked the mouse； and we liked the idea of Delacroix having the mouse； and that meant it was at least a gale。 So Delacroix got his box； and Percy was as good as his word … two days later the bottom was lined with soft pads of cotton batting from the dispensary。 Percy handed them over himself； and I could see the fear in Delacroix's eyes as he reached out through the bars to take them。 He was afraid Percy would grab his hand and break his fingers。 I was a little afraid of it too； but no such thing happened。 That was the closest I ever came to liking Percy； but even then it was hard to mistake the look of cool amusement in his eyes。 Delacroix had a pet； Percy had one too。 Delacroix would keep his； petting it and loving it as long as he could； Percy would wait patiently （as patiently as a man like him could anyway）； and then burn his alive。
〃Mousie Hilton； open for business。〃 Harry said。 〃The only question is； will the little bugger use it？〃
That question was answered as soon as Delacroix caught Mr。 Jingles up in one hand and lowered him gently into the box。 The mouse snuggled into the white cotton as if it were Aunt Bea's forter； and that was his home from then until 。。。 well； I'll get to the end of Mr。 Jingles's story in good time。
Old Toot…Toots worries that the cigar box would； fill up with mouse…shit proved to be entirely groundless。 I never saw a single turd in there； and Delacroix said he never did； either； anywhere in his cell； for that matter。 Much later； around the time Brutal showed me the hole in the beam and we found the colored splinters； I moved a chair out of the restraint room's east corner and found a little pile of mouse turds back there。 He had always gone back to the same place to do his business； seemingly； and as far from us as he could get。 Here's another thing： I never saw him peeing； and usually mice can hardly turn the faucet off for two minutes at a time； especially while they're eating。 I told you； the damned thing was one of God's mysteries。
A week or so after Mr。 Jingles had settled into the cigar box； Delacroix called me and Brutal down to his cell to see something。 He did that so much it was annoying … if Mr。 Jingles so much a