penrod-第13部分

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〃What　you　doin'？〃　asked　Maurice　for　the　　third　time；　Sam

Williams　not　having　decided　upon　a　reply。



It　was　Penrod　who　answered。



〃Drinkin'　lickrish　water；〃　he　said　simply；　and　wiped　his

mouth　with　such　delicious　enjoyment　that　Sam's　jaded　thirst　was

instantly　stimulated。　　He　took　the　bottle　eagerly　from　Penrod。



〃A…a…h！〃　exclaimed　Penrod；　smacking　his　lips。　　〃That　was　a

good　un！〃



The　eyes　above　the　fence　glistened。



〃Ask　him　if　he　don't　want　some；〃　Penrod　whispered　urgently。　

〃Quit　drinkin'　it！　　It's　no　good　any　more。　　Ask　him！〃



〃What　for？〃　demanded　the　practical　Sam。



〃Go　on　and　ask　him！〃　whispered　Penrod　fiercely。



〃Say；　M'rice！〃　Sam　called；　waving　the　bottle。　　〃Want　some？〃



〃Bring　it　here！〃　Mr。　Levy　requested。



〃Come　on　over　and　get　some；〃　returned　Sam；　being　prompted。



〃I　can't。　　Penrod　Schofield's　after　me。〃



〃No；　I'm　not；〃　said　Penrod　reassuringly。　　〃I　won't　touch　you；

M'rice。　　I　made　up　with　you　yesterday　afternoondon't　you

remember？　　You're　all　right　with　me；　M'rice。〃



Maurice　looked　undecided。　　But　Penrod　had　the　delectable

bottle　again；　and　tilting　it　above　his　lips；　affected　to　let　the

cool　liquid　purl　enrichingly　into　him；　while　with　his　right　hand

he　stroked　his　middle　facade　ineffably。　　Maurice's　mouth　watered。



〃Here！〃　cried　Sam；　stirred　again　by　the　superb　manifestations

of　his　friend。　　〃Gimme　that！〃



Penrod　brought　the　bottle　down；　surprisingly　full　after　so

much　gusto；　but　withheld　it　from　Sam；　and　the　two　scuffled　for

its　possession。　　Nothing　in　the　world　could　have　so　worked　upon

the　desire　of　the　yearning　observer　beyond　the　fence。



〃Honest；　Penrodyou　ain't　goin'　to　touch　me　if　I　come　in

your　yard？〃　he　called。　　〃Honest？〃



〃Cross　my　heart！〃　answered　Penrod；　holding　the　bottle　away

from　Sam。　　〃And　we'll　let　you　drink　all　you　want。〃



Maurice　hastily　climbed　the　fence；　and　while　he　was　thus

occupied　Mr。　Samuel　Williams　received　a　great　enlightenment。　

With　startling　rapidity　Penrod；　standing　just　outside　the

storeroom　door；　extended　his　arm　within　the　room；　deposited　the

licorice　water　upon　the　counter　of　the　drug　store；　seized　in　its

stead　the　bottle　of　smallpox　medicine；　and　extended　it　cordially

toward　the　advancing　Maurice。



Genius　is　like　thatgreat；　simple；　broad　strokes！



Dazzled；　Mr。　Samuel　Williams　leaned　against　the　wall。　　He　had

the　sensations　of　one　who　comes　suddenly　into　the　presence　of　a

chef…d'oeuvre。　　Perhaps　his　first　coherent　thought　was　that

almost　universal　one　on　such　huge　occasions：　　〃Why　couldn't　_I_

have　done　that！〃



Sam　might　have　been　even　more　dazzled　had　he　guessed

that　he　figured　not　altogether　as　a　spectator　in　the　sweeping　and

magnificent　conception　of　the　new　Talleyrand。　　Sam　had　no　partner

for　the　cotillon。　　If　Maurice　was　to　be　absent　from　that

festivityas　it　began　to　seem　he　might　bePenrod　needed　a　male

friend　to　take　care　of　Miss　Rennsdale　and　he　believed　he　saw　his

way　to　compel　Mr。　Williams　to　be　that　male　friend。　　For　this　he

relied　largely　upon　the　prospective　conduct　of　Miss　Rennsdale

when　he　should　get　the　matter　before　herhe　was　inclined　to

believe　she　would　favour　the　exchange。　　As　for　Talleyrand　Penrod

himself；　he　was　going　to　dance　that　cotillon　with　Marjorie　Jones！



〃You　can　have　all　you　can　drink　at　one　pull；　M'rice；〃　said

Penrod　kindly。



〃You　said　I　could　have　all　I　want！〃　protested　Maurice；

reaching　for　the　bottle。



〃No；　I　didn't；〃　returned　Penrod　quickly；　holding　it　away　from

the　eager　hand。



〃He　did；　too！　　Didn't　he；　Sam？〃



Sam　could　not　reply；　his　eyes；　fixed　upon　the　bottle；

protruded　strangely。



〃You　heard　himdidn't　you；　Sam？〃



〃Well；　if　I　did　say　it　I　didn't　mean　it！〃　said　Penrod

hastily；　quoting　from　one　of　the　authorities。　　〃Looky　here；

M'rice；〃　he　continued；　assuming　a　more　placative　and　reasoning

tone；　〃that　wouldn't　be　fair　to　us。　　I　guess　we　want　some　of　our

own　lickrish　water；　don't　we？　　The　bottle　ain't　much　over　two…

thirds　full　anyway。　　What　I　meant　was；　you　can　have　all　you

can　drink　at　one　pull。〃



〃How　do　you　mean？〃



〃Why；　this　way：　you　can　gulp　all　you　want；　so　long　as　you

keep　swallering；　but　you　can't　take　the　bottle　out　of　your　mouth

and　commence　again。　　Soon's　you　quit　swallering　it's　Sam's　turn。〃



〃No；　you　can　have　next；　Penrod；〃　said　Sam。



〃Well；　anyway；　I　mean　M'rice　has　to　give　the　bottle　up　the

minute　he　stops　swallering。〃



Craft　appeared　upon　the　face　of　Maurice；　like　a　poster　pasted

on　a　wall。



〃I　can　drink　so　long　I　don't　stop　swallering？〃



〃Yes；　that's　it。〃



〃All　right！〃　he　cried。　　〃Gimme　the　bottle！〃



And　Penrod　placed　it　in　his　hand。



〃You　promise　to　let　me　drink　until　I　quit　swallering？〃

Maurice　insisted。



〃Yes！〃　said　both　boys　together。



With　that；　Maurice　placed　the　bottle　to　his　lips　and　began　to

drink。　　Penrod　and　Sam　leaned　forward　in　breathless　excitement。　

They　had　feared　Maurice　might　smell　the　contents　of　the　bottle；

but　that　danger　was　pastthis　was　the　crucial　moment。　　Their

fondest　hope　was　that　he　would　make　his　first　swallow　a　voracious

oneit　was　impossible　to　imagine　a　second。　　They　expected　one

big；　gulping　swallow　and　then　an　explosion；　with　fountain

effects。



Little　they　knew　the　mettle　of　their　man！　　Maurice

swallowed　once；　he　swallowed　twiceand　thriceand　he　continued

to　swallow！　　No　Adam's　apple　was　sculptured　on　that　juvenile

throat；　but　the　internal　progress　of　the　liquid　was　not　a　whit

the　less　visible。　　His　eyes　gleamed　with　cunning　and　malicious

triumph；　sidewise；　at　the　stunned　conspirators；　he　was　fulfilling

the　conditions　of　the　draught；　not　once　breaking　the　thread　of

that　marvelous　swallering。



His　audience　stood　petrified。　　Already　Maurice　had　swallowed

more　than　they　had　given　Duke　and　still　the　liquor　receded　in　the

uplifted　bottle！　　And　now　the　clear　glass　gleamed　above　the　dark

contents　full　half　the　vessel's　lengthand　Maurice　went　on

drinking！　　Slowly　the　clear　glass　increased　in　its　dimensions

slowly　the　dark　diminished。



Sam　Williams　made　a　horrified　movement　to　check　himbut

Maurice　protested　passionately　with　his　disengaged　arm；　and　made

vehement　vocal　noises　remindful　of　the　contract；　whereupon　Sam

desisted　and　watched　the　continuing　performance　in　a　state　of

grisly　fascination。



Maurice　drank　it　all！　　He　drained　the　last　drop　and　threw　the

bottle　in　the　air；　uttering　loud　ejaculations　of　triumph　and

satisfaction。



〃Hah！〃　he　cried；　blowing　out　his　cheeks；　inflating　his　chest；

squaring　his　shoulders；　patting　his　stomach；　and　wiping　his　mouth

contentedly。　　〃Hah！　　Aha！　　Waha！　　Wafwah！　　But　that　was　good！〃



The　two　boys　stood　looking　at　him　in　stupor。



〃Well；　I　gotta　say　this；〃　said　Maurice　graciously：　　〃You

stuck　to　your　bargain　all　right　and　treated　me　fair。〃



Stricken　with　a　sudden　horrible　suspicion；　Penrod　entered　the

storeroom　in　one　stride　and　lifted　the　bottle　of　licorice　water

to　his　nosethen　to　his　lips。　　It　was　weak；　but　good；　he　had

made　no　mistake。　　And　Maurice　had　really　drainedto　the　dregs

the　bottle　of　old　hair　tonics；　dead　catsups；　syrups　of

undesirable　preserves；　condemned　extracts　of　vanilla　and　lemon；

decayed　chocolate；　ex…essence　of　beef；　mixed　dental　preparations；

aromatic　spirits　of　ammonia；　spirits　of　nitre；　alcohol；　arnica；

quinine；　ipecac；　sal　volatile；　nux　vomica　and　licorice　water

with　traces　of　arsenic；　belladonna　and　strychnine。



Penrod　put　the　licorice　water　out　of　sight　and　turned　to　face

the　others。　　Maurice　was　seating　himself　on　a　box　just　outside

the　door　and　had　taken　a　package　of　cigarettes　from　his　pocket。



〃Nobody　can　see　me　from　here；　can　they？〃　he　said；　striking　a

match。　　〃You　fellers　smoke？〃



〃No；〃　said　Sam；　staring　at　him　haggardly。



〃No；〃　said　Penrod　in　a　whisper。



Maurice　lit　his　cigarette　and　puffed　showily。



〃Well；　sir；〃　he　remarked；　〃you　fellers　are　certainly　square

I　gotta　say　that　much。　　Honest；　Penrod；　I　thought　you　was　after

me！　　I　did　think　so；〃　he　added　sunnily；　〃but　now　I　guess　you　like

me；　or　else　you　wouldn't　of　stuck　to　it　about　lettin'　me

drink　it　all　if　I　kept　on　swallering。〃



He　chatted　on　with　complete　geniality；　smoking　his　cigarette

in　content。　　And　as　he　ran　from　one　topic　to　another　his　hearers

stared　at　him　in　a　kind　of　torpor。　　Never　once　did　they　exchange

a　glance　with　each　other；　their　eyes　were　frozen　to　Maurice。　　The

cheerful　conversationalist　made　it　evident　that　he　was　not

without　gratitude。



〃Well；〃　he　said　as　he　finished　his　cigarette　and　rose　to　go；

〃you　fellers　have　treated　me　nice　and　some　day　you　come　over　to

my　yard；　I'd　like　to　run　with　you　fellers。　　You're　the　kind　of

fellers　I　like。〃



Penrod's　jaw　fell；　Sam's　mouth　had　been　open　all　the　time。　

Neither　spoke。



〃I　gotta　go；〃　observed　Maurice；　consulting　a　handsome　watch。　

〃Gotta　get　dressed　for　the　cotillon　right　after　lunch。　　Come　on；

Sam。　　Don't　you　have　to　go；　too？〃



Sam　nodded　dazedly。



〃Well；　good…bye；　Penrod；〃　said　Maurice　cordially。　　〃I'm　glad

you　like　me　all　right。　　Come　on；　Sam。〃



Penrod　leaned　against　the　doorpost　and　with　fixed　and　glazing

eyes　watched　the　departure　of　his　two　visitors。　　Maurice　was

talking　volubly；　with　much　gesticulation；　as　they　went；　but　Sam

walked　mechanically　and　in　silence；　staring　at　his　brisk

companion　and　keeping　at　a　little　distance　from　him。



They　passed　from　sight；　Maurice　still　conversing　gayly

and　Penrod　slowly　betook　himself　into　the　house；　his　head　bowed

upon　his　chest。





Some　three　hours　later；　Mr。　Samuel　Williams；　waxen　clean　and

in　sweet　raiment；　made　his　reappearance　in　Penrod's　yard；

yodelling　a　code…signal　to　summon　forth　his　friend。　　He　yodelled

loud；　long；　and　frequently；　finally　securing　a　faint　response

from　the　upper　air。



〃Where　are　you？〃　shouted　Mr。　Williams；　his　roving　glance

searching　ambi