penrod-第1部分

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Penrod



by　Booth　Tarkington










TO



JOHN；　DONALD　AND　BOOTH　JAMESON



FROM　A　GRATEFUL　UNCLE







　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CONTENTS

CHAPTER　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

I。　　　　　　A　Boy　and　His　Dog

II。　　　　　Romance

III。　　　　The　Costume

IV。　　　　　Desperation

V。　　　　　　The　Pageant　of　the　Table　Round

VI。　　　　　Evening

VII。　　　　Evils　of　Drink

VIII。　　　School

IX。　　　　　Soaring

X。　　　　　　Uncle　John

XI。　　　　　Fidelity　of　a　Little　Dog

XII。　　　　Miss　Rennsdale　Accepts

XIII。　　　The　Smallpox　Medicine

XIV。　　　　Maurice　Levy's　Constitution

XV。　　　　　The　Two　Families

XVI。　　　　The　New　Star

XVII。　　　Retiring　from　the　Show…Business

XVIII。　　Music

XIX。　　　　The　Inner　Boy

XX。　　　　　Brothers　of　Angels

XXI。　　　　Rupe　Collins

XXII。　　　The　Imitator

XXIII。　　Coloured　Troops　in　Action

XXIV。　　　〃Little　Gentleman〃

XXV。　　　　Tar

XXVI。　　　The　Quiet　Afternoon

XXVII。　　Conclusion　of　the　Quiet　Afternoon

XXVIII。　Twelve

XXIX。　　　Fanchon

XXX。　　　　The　Birthday　Party

XXXI。　　　Over　the　Fence







CHAPTER　I

A　BOY　AND　HIS　DOG



Penrod　sat　morosely　upon　the　back　fence　and　gazed　with　envy　at

Duke；　his　wistful　dog。



A　bitter　soul　dominated　the　various　curved　and　angular

surfaces　known　by　a　careless　world　as　the　face　of　Penrod

Schofield。　　Except　in　solitude；　that　face　was　almost　always

cryptic　and　emotionless；　for　Penrod　had　come　into　his　twelfth

year　wearing　an　expression　carefully　trained　to　be　inscrutable。　

Since　the　world　was　sure　to　misunderstand　everything；　mere

defensive　instinct　prompted　him　to　give　it　as　little　as　possible

to　lay　hold　upon。　　Nothing　is　more　impenetrable　than　the

face　of　a　boy　who　has　learned　this；　and　Penrod's　was　habitually

as　fathomless　as　the　depth　of　his　hatred　this　morning　for　the

literary　activities　of　Mrs。　Lora　Rewbushan　almost　universally

respected　fellow　citizen；　a　lady　of　charitable　and　poetic

inclinations；　and　one　of　his　own　mother's　most　intimate　friends。



Mrs。　Lora　Rewbush　had　written　something　which　she　called　〃The

Children's　Pageant　of　the　Table　Round；〃　and　it　was　to　be

performed　in　public　that　very　afternoon　at　the　Women's　Arts　and

Guild　Hall　for　the　benefit　of　the　Coloured　Infants'　Betterment

Society。　　And　if　any　flavour　of　sweetness　remained　in　the　nature

of　Penrod　Schofield　after　the　dismal　trials　of　the　school…week

just　past；　that　problematic；　infinitesimal　remnant　was　made

pungent　acid　by　the　imminence　of　his　destiny　to　form　a　prominent

feature　of　the　spectacle；　and　to　declaim　the　loathsome　sentiments

of　a　character　named　upon　the　programme　the　Child　Sir　Lancelot。

　　　　

After　each　rehearsal　he　had　plotted　escape；　and　only　ten　days

earlier　there　had　been　a　glimmer　of　light：　　Mrs。　Lora　Rewbush

caught　a　very　bad　cold；　and　it　was　hoped　it　might　develop　into

pneumonia；　but　she　recovered　so　quickly　that　not　even　a　rehearsal

of　the　Children's　Pageant　was　postponed。　　Darkness　closed　in。　

Penrod　had　rather　vaguely　debated　plans　for　a　self…mutilation

such　as　would　make　his　appearance　as　the　Child　Sir　Lancelot

inexpedient　on　public　grounds；　it　was　a　heroic　and　attractive

thought；　but　the　results　of　some　extremely　sketchy　preliminary

experiments　caused　him　to　abandon　it。



There　was　no　escape；　and　at　last　his　hour　was　hard　upon　him。　

Therefore　he　brooded　on　the　fence　and　gazed　with　envy　at　his

wistful　Duke。

　　　　

The　dog's　name　was　undescriptive　of　his　person；　which　was

obviously　the　result　of　a　singular　series　of　mesalliances。　　He

wore　a　grizzled　moustache　and　indefinite　whiskers；　he　was　small

and　shabby；　and　looked　like　an　old　postman。　　Penrod　envied　Duke

because　he　was　sure　Duke　would　never　be　compelled　to　be　a　Child

Sir　Lancelot。　　He　thought　a　dog　free　and　unshackled　to　go　or　come

as　the　wind　listeth。　　Penrod　forgot　the　life　he　led　Duke。

　　　　

There　was　a　long　soliloquy　upon　the　fence；　a　plaintive

monologue　without　words：　the　boy's　thoughts　were　adjectives；　but

they　were　expressed　by　a　running　film　of　pictures　in　his　mind's

eye；　morbidly　prophetic　of　the　hideosities　before　him。　　Finally

he　spoke　aloud；　with　such　spleen　that　Duke　rose　from　his　haunches

and　lifted　one　ear　in　keen　anxiety。



　　　　〃‘I　hight　Sir　Lancelot　du　Lake；　the　Child；

　　　　Gentul…hearted；　meek；　and　mild。

　　　　What　though　I'm　BUT　a　littul　child；

　　　　Gentul…hearted；　meek；　and'　　OOF！〃



　　　　

All　of　this　except　〃oof〃　was　a　quotation　from　the　Child　Sir

Lancelot；　as　conceived　by　Mrs。　Lora　Rewbush。　　Choking　upon　it；

Penrod　slid　down　from　the　fence；　and　with　slow　and　thoughtful

steps　entered　a　one…storied　wing　of　the　stable；　consisting　of　a

single　apartment；　floored　with　cement　and　used　as　a　storeroom　for

broken　bric…a…brac；　old　paint…buckets；　decayed　garden…hose；　worn…

out　carpets；　dead　furniture；　and　other　condemned　odds　and　ends

not　yet　considered　hopeless　enough　to　be　given　away。

　　　　

In　one　corner　stood　a　large　box；　a　part　of　the　building

itself：　it　was　eight　feet　high　and　open　at　the　top；　and　it　had

been　constructed　as　a　sawdust　magazine　from　which　was　drawn

material　for　the　horse's　bed　in　a　stall　on　the　other　side　of　the

partition。　　The　big　box；　so　high　and　towerlike；　so　commodious；　so

suggestive；　had　ceased　to　fulfil　its　legitimate　function；　though；

providentially；　it　had　been　at　least　half　full　of　sawdust　when

the　horse　died。　　Two　years　had　gone　by　since　that　passing；　an

interregnum　in　transportation　during　which　Penrod's　father　was

〃thinking〃　（he　explained　sometimes）　of　an　automobile。　　Meanwhile；

the　gifted　and　generous　sawdust…box　had　served　brilliantly　in　war

and　peace：　it　was　Penrod's　stronghold。



There　was　a　partially　defaced　sign　upon　the　front　wall　of　the

box；　the　donjon…keep　had　known　mercantile　impulses：



The　O。　K。　RaBiT　Co。

PENROD　ScHoFiELD　AND　CO。

iNQuiRE　FOR　PRicEs





This　was　a　venture　of　the　preceding　vacation；　and　had　netted；

at　one　time；　an　accrued　and　owed　profit　of　1。38。　　Prospects　had

been　brightest　on　the　very　eve　of　cataclysm。　　The　storeroom　was

locked　and　guarded；　but　twenty…seven　rabbits　and　Belgian　hares；

old　and　young；　had　perished　here　on　a　single　nightthrough　no

human　agency；　but　in　a　foray　of　cats；　the　besiegers　treacherously

tunnelling　up　through　the　sawdust　from　the　small　aperture　which

opened　into　the　stall　beyond　the　partition。　　Commerce　has　its

martyrs。



Penrod　climbed　upon　a　barrel；　stood　on　tiptoe；　grasped　the

rim　of　the　box；　then；　using　a　knot…hole　as　a　stirrup；　threw　one

leg　over　the　top；　drew　himself　up；　and　dropped　within。　　Standing

upon　the　packed　sawdust；　he　was　just　tall　enough　to　see　over　the

top。



Duke　had　not　followed　him　into　the　storeroom；　but　remained

near　the　open　doorway　in　a　concave　and　pessimistic　attitude。　

Penrod　felt　in　a　dark　corner　of　the　box　and　laid　hands　upon　a

simple　apparatus　consisting　of　an　old　bushel…basket　with　a　few

yards　of　clothes…line　tied　to　each　of　its　handles。　　He　passed　the

ends　of　the　lines　over　a　big　spool；　which　revolved　upon　an　axle

of　wire　suspended　from　a　beam　overhead；　and；　with　the　aid　of　this

improvised　pulley；　lowered　the　empty　basket　until　it　came　to　rest

in　an　upright　position　upon　the　floor　of　the　storeroom　at　the

foot　of　the　sawdust…box。



〃Eleva…ter！〃　shouted　Penrod。　　〃Ting…ting！〃



Duke；　old　and　intelligently　apprehensive；　approached　slowly；

in　a　semicircular　manner；　deprecatingly；　but　with　courtesy。　　He

pawed　the　basket　delicately；　then；　as　if　that　were　all　his　master

had　expected　of　him；　uttered　one　bright　bark；　sat　down；　and

looked　up　triumphantly。　　His　hypocrisy　was　shallow：　many　a

horrible　quarter　of　an　hour　had　taught　him　his　duty　in　this

matter。



〃El…e…VAY…ter！〃　shouted　Penrod　sternly。　　〃You　want　me　to

come　down　there　to　you？〃



Duke　looked　suddenly　haggard。　　He　pawed　the　basket　feebly

again　and；　upon　another　outburst　from　on　high；　prostrated　himself

flat。　　Again　threatened；　he　gave　a　superb　impersonation　of　a

worm。



〃You　get　in　that　el…e…VAY…ter！〃



Reckless　with　despair；　Duke　jumped　into　the　basket；　landing

in　a　dishevelled　posture；　which　he　did　not　alter　until　he　had

been　drawn　up　and　poured　out　upon　the　floor　of　sawdust　with　the

box。　　There；　shuddering；　he　lay　in　doughnut　shape　and　presently

slumbered。



It　was　dark　in　the　box；　a　condition　that　might　have　been

remedied　by　sliding　back　a　small　wooden　panel　on　runners；　which

would　have　let　in　ample　light　from　the　alley；　but　Penrod

Schofield　had　more　interesting　means　of　illumination。　　He　knelt；

and　from　a　former　soap…box；　in　a　corner；　took　a　lantern；

without　a　chimney；　and　a　large　oil…can；　the　leak　in　the　latter

being　so　nearly　imperceptible　that　its　banishment　from　household

use　had　seemed　to　Penrod　as　inexplicable　as　it　was　providential。



He　shook　the　lantern　near　his　ear：　nothing　splashed；　there

was　no　sound　but　a　dry　clinking。　　But　there　was　plenty　of

kerosene　in　the　can；　and　he　filled　the　lantern；　striking　a　match

to　illumine　the　operation。　　Then　he　lit　the　lantern　and　hung　it

upon　a　nail　against　the　wall。　　The　sawdust　floor　was　slightly

impregnated　with　oil；　and　the　open　flame　quivered　in　suggestive

proximity　to　the　side　of　the　box；　however；　some　rather　deep

charrings　of　the　plank　against　which　the　lantern　hung　offered

evidence　that　the　arrangement　was　by　no　means　a　new　one；　and

indicated　at　least　a　possibility　of　no　fatality　occurring　this

time。



Next；　Penrod　turned　up　the　surface　of　the　sawdust　in　another

corner　of　the　floor；　and　drew　forth　a　cigar…box　in　which　were

half　a　dozen　cigarettes；　made　of　hayseed　and　thick　brown　wrapping

paper；　a　lead…pencil；　an　eraser；　and　a　small　note…book；　the　cover

of　which　was　labelled　in　his　own　handwriting：



〃English　Grammar。　　Penrod　Schofield。　　Room　6；　Ward　School

Nomber　Seventh。〃



The　first　page　of　this　book　was　purely　academic；　but　the

study　of　English　undefiled　terminated　with　a　slight　jar　at　the

top　of　the　second：　　〃Nor　must　an　adverb　be　used　to　modif〃



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