penrod-第10部分

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〃All　right。〃　Mr。　Schofield；　rather　touched；　returned　to　the

digestion　of　a　murder；　his　back　once　more　to　the　piano；　and

Penrod　silently　drew　from　beneath　his　jacket　（where　he　had

slipped　it　simultaneously　with　the　sneeze）　a　paper…backed　volume

entitled：　　〃Slimsy；　the　Sioux　City　Squealer；　or；　‘Not　Guilty；

Your　Honor。'〃



In　this　manner　the　reading…club　continued　in　peace；　absorbed；

contented；　the　world　well　forgotuntil　a　sudden；　violently

irritated　slam…bang　of　the　front　door　startled　the　members；

and　Mrs。　Schofield　burst　into　the　room　and　threw　herself　into　a

chair；　moaning。



〃What's　the　matter；　mamma？〃　asked　her　husband　laying　aside

his　paper。



〃Henry　Passloe　Schofield；〃　returned　the　lady；　〃I　don't　know

what　IS　to　be　done　with　that　boy；　I　do　NOT！〃



〃You　mean　Penrod？〃



〃Who　else　could　I　mean？〃　　She　sat　up；　exasperated；　to　stare

at　him。　　〃Henry　Passloe　Schofield；　you've　got　to　take　this　matter

in　your　handsit's　beyond　me！〃



〃Well；　what　has　he〃



〃Last　night　I　got　to　thinking；〃　she　began　rapidly；　〃about

what　Clara　told　usthank　Heaven　she　and　Margaret　and　little

Clara　have　gone　to　tea　at　Cousin　Charlotte's！but　they'll　be

home　soonabout　what　she　said　about　Miss　Spence〃



〃You　mean　about　Penrod's　being　a　comfort？〃



〃Yes；　and　I　kept　thinking　and　thinking　and　thinking　about　it

till　I　couldn't　stand　it　any〃



〃By　GEORGE！〃　shouted　Mr。　Schofield　startlingly；　stooping

to　look　under　the　piano。　　A　statement　that　he　had　suddenly

remembered　his　son's　presence　would　be　lacking　in　accuracy；　for

the　highly　sensitized　Penrod　was；　in　fact；　no　longer　present。　　No

more　was　Duke；　his　faithful　dog。



〃What's　the　matter？〃



〃Nothing；〃　he　returned；　striding　to　the　open　window　and

looking　out。　　〃Go　on。〃



〃Oh；〃　she　moaned；　〃it　must　be　kept　from　Claraand　I'll　never

hold　up　my　head　again　if　John　Farry　ever　hears　of　it！〃



〃Hears　of　WHAT？〃



〃Well；　I　just　couldn't　stand　it；　I　got　so　curious；　and　I

thought　of　course　if　Miss　Spence　HAD　become　a　little

unbalanced　it　was　my　duty　to　know　it；　as　Penrod's　mother　and　she

his　teacher；　so　I　thought　I　would　just　call　on　her　at　her

apartment　after　school　and　have　a　chat　and　see　and　I　did　and

oh〃



〃Well？〃



〃I've　just　come　from　there；　and　she　told　meshe　told　me！　

Oh；　I've　NEVER　known　anything　like　this！〃



〃WHAT　did　she　tell　you？〃



Mrs。　Schofield；　making　a　great　effort；　managed　to　assume　a

temporary　appearance　of　calm。　　〃Henry；〃　she　said　solemnly；　〃bear

this　in　mind：　whatever　you　do　to　Penrod；　it　must　be　done　in　some

place　when　Clara　won't　hear　it。　　But　the　first　thing　to　do　is　to

find　him。〃



Within　view　of　the　window　from　which　Mr。　Schofield　was　gazing

was　the　closed　door　of　the　storeroom　in　the　stable；　and　just

outside　this　door　Duke　was　performing　a　most　engaging　trick。



His　young　master　had　taught　Duke　to　〃sit　up　and　beg〃　when

he　wanted　anything；　and　if　that　didn't　get　it；　to　〃speak。〃　　Duke

was　facing　the　closed　door　and　sitting　up　and　begging；　and　now　he

also　spokein　a　loud；　clear　bark。



There　was　an　open　transom　over　the　door；　and　from　this

descendedhurled　by　an　unseen　agencya　can　half　filled　with　old

paint。



It　caught　the　small　besieger　of　the　door　on　his　thoroughly

surprised　right　ear；　encouraged　him　to　some　remarkable

acrobatics；　and　turned　large　portions　of　him　a　dull　blue。　

Allowing　only　a　moment　to　perplexity；　and　deciding；　after　a

single　and　evidently　unappetizing　experiment；　not　to　cleanse

himself　of　paint；　the　loyal　animal　resumed　his　quaint；　upright

posture。



Mr。　Schofield　seated　himself　on　the　window…sill；　whence　he

could　keep　in　view　that　pathetic　picture　of　unrequited　love。



〃Go　on　with　your　story；　mamma；〃　he　said。　　〃I　think　I　can　find

Penrod　when　we　want　him。〃



And　a　few　minutes　later　he　added；　〃And　I　think　I　know　the

place　to　do　it　in。〃



Again　the　faithful　voice　of　Duke　was　heard；　pleading　outside

the　bolted　door。

　

　

　

CHAPTER　XII

MISS　RENNSDALE　ACCEPTS



〃One…two…three；　one…two…threeglide！〃　said　Professor　Bartet；

emphasizing　his　instructions　by　a　brisk　collision　of　his　palms　at

〃glide。〃　　〃One…two…three；　one…two…threeglide！〃



The　school　week　was　over；　at　last；　but　Penrod's　troubles　were

not。



Round　and　round　the　ballroom　went　the　seventeen　struggling

little　couples　of　the　Friday　Afternoon　Dancing　Class。　　Round　and

round　went　their　reflections　with　them；　swimming　rhythmically　in

the　polished；　dark　floorwhite　and　blue　and　pink　for　the　girls；

black；　with　dabs　of　white；　for　the　white…collared；　white…

gloved　boys；　and　sparks　and　slivers　of　high　light　everywhere　as

the　glistening　pumps　flickered　along　the　surface　like　a　school　of

flying　fish。　　Every　small　pink　facewith　one　exceptionwas

painstaking　and　set　for　duty。　　It　was　a　conscientious　little

merry…go…round。



〃One…two…three；　one…two…threeglide！　　One…two…three；　　one…

two…threeglide！　　One…two…thHa！　　Mister　Penrod　Schofield；　you

lose　the　step。　　Your　left　foot！　　No；　no！　　This　is　the　left！　

Seelike　me！　　Now　again！　One…two…three；　one…two…threeglide！　

Better！　　Much　better！　　Again！　　One…two…three；　one…two…threegl

Stop！　　Mr。　Penrod　Schofield；　this　dancing　class　is　provided　by

the　kind　parents　of　the　pupilses　as　much　to　learn　the　mannerss　of

good　societies　as　to　dance。　　You　think　you　shall　ever　see　a

gentleman　in　good　societies　to　tickle　his　partner　in　the　dance

till　she　say　Ouch？　　Never！　　I　assure　you　it　is　not　done。　　Again！　

Now　then！　　Piano；　please！　　One…two…three；　one…two…threeglide！　

Mr。　Penrod　Schofield；　your　right　footyour　right　foot！　　No；　no！　

Stop！〃



The　merry…go…round　came　to　a　standstill。



〃Mr。　Penrod　Schofield　and　partner〃Professor　Bartet　wiped

his　brow〃will　you　kindly　observe　me？　　One…two…threeglide！　

So！　　Now　thenno；　you　will　please　keep　your　places；　ladies　and

gentlemen。　　Mr。　Penrod　Schofield；　I　would　puttickly　like　your

attention；　this　is　for　you！〃



〃Pickin'　on　me　again！〃　murmured　the　smouldering　Penrod　to　his

small；　unsympathetic　partner。　　〃Can't　let　me　alone　a　minute！〃



〃Mister　Georgie　Bassett；　please　step　to　the　centre；〃　said　the

professor。



Mr。　Bassett　complied　with　modest　alacrity。



〃Teacher's　pet！〃　whispered　Penrod　hoarsely。　　He　had　nothing

but　contempt　for　Georgie　Bassett。　　The　parents；　guardians；　aunts；

uncles；　cousins；　governesses；　housemaids；　cooks；　chauffeurs　and

coachmen；　appertaining　to　the　members　of　the　dancing　class；　all

dwelt　in　the　same　part　of　town　and　shared　certain　communal

theories；　and　among　the　most　firmly　established　was　that　which

maintained　Georgie　Bassett　to　be　the　Best　Boy　in　Town。　

Contrariwise；　the　unfortunate　Penrod；　largely　because　of　his

recent　dazzling　but　disastrous　attempts　to　control　forces　far

beyond　him；　had　been　given　a　clear　title　as　the　Worst　Boy　in

Town。　　（Population；　135；000。）　　To　precisely　what　degree　his

reputation　was　the　product　of　his　own　energies　cannot　be

calculated。　　It　was　Marjorie　Jones　who　first　applied　the

description；　in　its　definite　simplicity；　the　day　after　the

〃pageant；〃　and；　possibly；　her　frequent　and　effusive　repetitions

of　it；　even　upon　wholly　irrelevant　occasions；　had　something　to　do

with　its　prompt　and　quite　perfect　acceptance　by　the　community。



〃Miss　Rennsdale　will　please　do　me　the　fafer　to　be　Mr。　Georgie

Bassett's　partner　for　one　moment；〃　said　Professor　Bartet。　

〃Mr。　Penrod　Schofield　will　please　give　his　attention。　　Miss

Rennsdale　and　Mister　Bassett；　obliche　me；　if　you　please。　　Others

please　watch。　　Piano；　please！　　Now　then！〃



Miss　Rennsdale；　aged　eightthe　youngest　lady　in　the　class

and　Mr。　Georgie　Bassett　one…two…threeglided　with　consummate

technique　for　the　better　education　of　Penrod　Schofield。　　It　is

possible　that　amber…curled；　beautiful　Marjorie　felt　that　she；

rather　than　Miss　Rennsdale；　might　have　been　selected　as　the

example　of　perfectionor　perhaps　her　remark　was　only　woman。



〃Stopping　everybody　for　that　boy！〃　said　Marjorie。



Penrod；　across　the　circle　from　her；　heard　distinctlynay；　he

was　obviously　intended　to　hear；　but　over　a　scorched　heart　he

preserved　a　stoic　front。　　Whereupon　Marjorie　whispered　derisively

in　the　ear　of　her　partner；　Maurice　Levy；　who　wore　a　pearl　pin　in

his　tie。



〃Again；　please；　everybodyladies　and　gentlemen！〃　cried

Professor　Bartet。　　〃Mister　Penrod　Schofield；　if　you　please；　pay

puttickly　attention！　　Piano；　please！　　Now　then！〃



The　lesson　proceeded。　　At　the　close　of　the　hour　Professor

Bartet　stepped　to　the　centre　of　the　room　and　clapped　his　hands

for　attention。



〃Ladies　and　gentlemen；　if　you　please　to　seat　yourselves

quietly；〃　he　said；　〃I　speak　to　you　now　about　to…morrow。　　As

you　all　knowMister　Penrod　Schofield；　I　am　not　sticking　up　in　a

tree　outside　that　window！　　If　you　do　me　the　fafer　to　examine　I　am

here；　insides　of　the　room。　　Now　then！　　Piano；　plno；　I　do　not

wish　the　piano！　　As　you　all　know；　this　is　the　last　lesson　of　the

season　until　next　October。　　Tomorrow　is　our　special　afternoon；

beginning　three　o'clock；　we　dance　the　cotillon。　　But　this

afternoon　comes　the　test　of　mannerss。　　You　must　see　if　each　know

how　to　make　a　little　formal　call　like　a　grown…up　people　in　good

societies。　　You　have　had　good；　perfect　instruction；　let　us　see　if

we　know　how　to　perform　like　societies　ladies　and　gentlemen

twenty…six　years　of　age。



〃Now；　when　you're　dismissed　each　lady　will　go　to　her　home　and

prepare　to　receive　a　call。　　The　gentlemen　will　allow　the　ladies

time　to　reach　their　houses　and　to　prepare　to　receive　callers；

then　each　gentleman　will　call　upon　a　lady　and　beg　the　pleasure　to

engage　her　for　a　partner　in　the　cotillon　to…morrow。　　You　all　know

the　correct；　proper　form　for　these　calls；　because　didn't　I　work

teaching　you　last　lesson　till　I　thought　I　would　drop　dead？　　Yes！　

Now　each　gentleman；　if　he　reach　a　lady's　house　behind　some…other

gentleman；　then　he　must　go　somewhere　else　to　a　lady's　house；　and

keep　calling