penrod-第15部分

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hammered　upon；　could　be　studied　at　leisure。　　Altogether　this

Saturday　was　starting　splendidly。



After　a　time；　the　student's　attention　was　withdrawn　from　his

specimens　by　a　peculiar　smell；　which；　being　followed　up　by　a

system　of　selective　sniffing；　proved　to　be　an　emanation　leaking

into　the　stable　from　the　alley。　　He　opened　the　back　door。



Across　the　alley　was　a　cottage　which　a　thrifty　neighbour　had

built　on　the　rear　line　of　his　lot　and　rented　to　negroes；　and　the

fact　that　a　negro　family　was　now　in　process　of　〃moving　in〃　was

manifested　by　the　presence　of　a　thin　mule　and　a　ramshackle　wagon；

the　latter　laden　with　the　semblance　of　a　stove　and　a　few　other

unpretentious　household　articles。



A　very　small　darky　boy　stood　near　the　mule。　　In　his　hand

was　a　rusty　chain；　and　at　the　end　of　the　chain　the　delighted

Penrod　perceived　the　source　of　the　special　smell　he　was　tracing

a　large　raccoon。　　Duke；　who　had　shown　not　the　slightest　interest

in　the　rats；　set　up　a　frantic　barking　and　simulated　a　ravening

assault　upon　the　strange　animal。　　It　was　only　a　bit　of　acting；

however；　for　Duke　was　an　old　dog；　had　suffered　much；　and　desired

no　unnecessary　sorrow；　wherefore　he　confined　his　demonstrations

to　alarums　and　excursions；　and　presently　sat　down　at　a　distance

and　expressed　himself　by　intermittent　threatenings　in　a　quavering

falsetto。



〃What's　that　'coon's　name？〃　asked　Penrod；　intending　no

discourtesy。



〃Aim　gommo　mame；〃　said　the　small　darky。



〃What？〃



〃Aim　gommo　mame。〃



〃WHAT？〃



The　small　darky　looked　annoyed。



〃Aim　GOMMO　mame；　I　hell　you；〃　he　said　impatiently。



Penrod　conceived　that　insult　was　intended。



〃What's　the　matter　of　you？〃　he　demanded　advancing。　　〃You　get

fresh　with　ME；　and　I'll〃



〃Hyuh；　white　boy！〃　　A　coloured　youth　of　Penrod's　own　age

appeared　in　the　doorway　of　the　cottage。　　〃You　let　'at　brothuh

mine　alone。　　He　ain'　do　nothin'　to　you。〃



〃Well；　why　can't　he　answer？〃



〃He　can't。　　He　can't　talk　no　better'n　what　he　WAS

talkin'。　　He　tongue…tie'。〃



〃Oh；〃　said　Penrod；　mollified。　　Then；　obeying　an　impulse　so

universally　aroused　in　the　human　breast　under　like　circumstances

that　it　has　become　a　quip；　he　turned　to　the　afflicted　one。



〃Talk　some　more；〃　he　begged　eagerly。



〃I　hoe　you　ackoom　aim　gommo　mame；〃　was　the　prompt　response；

in　which　a　slight　ostentation　was　manifest。　　Unmistakable　tokens

of　vanity　had　appeared　upon　the　small；　swart　countenance。



〃What's　he　mean？〃　asked　Penrod；　enchanted。　　



〃He　say　he　tole　you　'at　'coon　ain'　got　no　name。〃



〃What's　YOUR　name？〃



〃I'm　name　Herman。〃



〃What's　his　name？〃　Penrod　pointed　to　the　tongue…tied　boy。



〃Verman。〃



〃What！〃



〃Verman。　　Was　three　us　boys　in　ow　fam'ly。　　Ol'est　one　name

Sherman。　　'N'en　come　me；　I'm　Herman。　　'N'en　come　him；　he　Verman。　

Sherman　dead。　　Verman；　he　de　littles'　one。〃



〃You　goin'　to　live　here？〃



〃Umhuh。　　Done　move　in　f'm　way　outen　on　a　fahm。〃



He　pointed　to　the　north　with　his　right　hand；　and　Penrod's

eyes　opened　wide　as　they　followed　the　gesture。　　Herman　had

no　forefinger　on　that　hand。



〃Look　there！〃　exclaimed　Penrod。　　〃You　haven't　got　any

finger！〃



〃_I_　mum　map；〃　said　Verman；　with　egregious　pride。



〃HE　done　'at；〃　interpreted　Herman；　chuckling。　　〃Yessuh；

done　chop　'er　spang　off；　long　'go。　　He's　a　playin'　wif　a　ax　an'　I

lay　my　finguh　on　de　do'…sill　an'　I　say；　‘Verman；　chop　'er　off！'　

So　Verman　he　chop　'er　right　spang　off　up　to　de　roots！　　Yessuh。〃



〃What　FOR？〃



〃Jes'　fo'　nothin'。〃



〃He　hoe　me　hoo；〃　remarked　Verman。



〃Yessuh；　I　tole　him　to；〃　said　Herman；　〃an'　he　chop　'er　off；

an'　ey　ain't　airy　oth'　one　evuh　grown　on　wheres　de　ole　one　use　to

grow。　　Nosuh！〃



〃But　what'd　you　tell　him　to　do　it　for？〃



〃Nothin'。　　I　'es'　said　it　'at　wayan'　he　jes'　chop　er　off！〃



Both　brothers　looked　pleased　and　proud。　　Penrod's　profound

interest　was　flatteringly　visible；　a　tribute　to　their

unusualness。



〃Hem　bow　goy；〃　suggested　Verman　eagerly。



〃Aw　ri'；〃　said　Herman。　　〃Ow　sistuh　Queenie；　she　a　growed…up

woman；　she　got　a　goituh。〃



〃Got　a　what？〃



〃Goituh。　　Swellin'　on　her　neckgrea'　big　swellin'。　　She

heppin'　mammy　move　in　now。　　You　look　in　de　front…room　winduh

wheres　she　sweepin'；　you　kin　see　it　on　her。〃



Penrod　looked　in　the　window　and　was　rewarded　by　a　fine　view

of　Queenie's　goitre。　　He　had　never　before　seen　one；　and　only　the

lure　of　further　conversation　on　the　part　of　Verman　brought　him

from　the　window。



〃Verman　say　tell　you　'bout　pappy；〃　explained　Herman。　　〃Mammy

an'　Queenie　move　in　town　an'　go　git　de　house　all　fix　up　befo'

pappy　git　out。〃



〃Out　of　where？〃



〃Jail。　　Pappy　cut　a　man；　an'　de　police　done　kep'　him　in　jail

evuh　sense　Chris'mus…time；　but　dey　goin'　tuhn　him　loose　ag'in

nex'　week。〃



〃What'd　he　cut　the　other　man　with？〃



〃Wif　a　pitchfawk。〃



Penrod　began　to　feel　that　a　lifetime　spent　with　this

fascinating　family　were　all　too　short。　　The　brothers；　glowing

with　amiability；　were　as　enraptured　as　he。　　For　the　first　time　in

their　lives　they　moved　in　the　rich　glamour　of　sensationalism。　

Herman　was　prodigal　of　gesture　with　his　right　hand；　and　Verman；

chuckling　with　delight；　talked　fluently；　though　somewhat

consciously。　　They　cheerfully　agreed　to　keep　the　raccoonalready

beginning　to　be　mentioned　as　〃our　'coon〃　by　Penrodin　Mr。

Schofield's　empty　stable；　and；　when　the　animal　had　been　chained

to　the　wall　near　the　box　of　rats　and　supplied　with　a　pan　of　fair

water；　they　assented　to　their　new　friend's　suggestion　（inspired

by　a　fine　sense　of　the　artistic　harmonies）　that　the

heretofore　nameless　pet　be　christened　Sherman；　in　honour　of　their

deceased　relative。



At　this　juncture　was　heard　from　the　front　yard　the　sound　of

that　yodelling　which　is　the　peculiar　accomplishment　of　those

whose　voices　have　not　〃changed。〃　　Penrod　yodelled　a　response；　and

Mr。　Samuel　Williams　appeared；　a　large　bundle　under　his　arm。



〃Yay；　Penrod！〃　was　his　greeting；　casual　enough　from　without；

but；　having　entered；　he　stopped　short　and　emitted　a　prodigious

whistle。　　〃YA…A…AY！〃　he　then　shouted。　　〃Look　at　the　'coon！〃



〃I　guess　you　better　say；　‘Look　at　the　'coon！'〃　Penrod

returned　proudly。　　〃They's　a　good　deal　more'n　him　to　look　at；

too。　　Talk　some；　Verman。〃　　Verman　complied。



Sam　was　warmly　interested。　　〃What'd　you　say　his　name　was？〃　he

asked。



〃Verman。〃



〃How　d'you　spell　it？〃



〃V…e…r…m…a…n；〃　replied　Penrod；　having　previously　received

this　information　from　Herman。



〃Oh！〃　said　Sam。



〃Point　to　sumpthing；　Herman；〃　Penrod　commanded；　and　Sam's

excitement；　when　Herman　pointed　was　sufficient　to　the　occasion。



Penrod；　the　discoverer；　continued　his　exploitation　of　the

manifold　wonders　of　the　Sherman；　Herman；　and　Verman

collection。　　With　the　air　of　a　proprietor　he　escorted　Sam　into

the　alley　for　a　good　look　at　Queenie　（who　seemed　not　to　care　for

her　increasing　celebrity）　and　proceeded　to　a　dramatic　climaxthe

recital　of　the　episode　of　the　pitchfork　and　its　consequences。



The　cumulative　effect　was　enormous；　and　could　have　but　one

possible　result。　　The　normal　boy　is　always　at　least　one　half

Barnum。



〃Let's　get　up　a　SHOW！〃



Penrod　and　Sam　both　claimed　to　have　said　it　first；　a　question

left　unsettled　in　the　ecstasies　of　hurried　preparation。　　The

bundle　under　Sam's　arm；　brought　with　no　definite　purpose；　proved

to　have　been　an　inspiration。　　It　consisted　of　broad　sheets　of

light　yellow　wrapping…paper；　discarded　by　Sam's　mother　in　her

spring　house…cleaning。　　There　were　half…filled　cans　and　buckets

of　paint　in　the　storeroom　adjoining　the　carriage…house；　and

presently　the　side　wall　of　the　stable　flamed　information　upon　the

passer…by　from　a　great　and　spreading　poster。



〃Publicity；〃　primal　requisite　of　all　theatrical　and

amphitheatrical　enterprise　thus　provided；　subsequent　arrangements

proceeded　with　a　fury　of　energy　which　transformed　the　empty　hay…

loft。　　True；　it　is　impossible　to　say　just　what　the　hay…loft　was

transformed　into；　but　history　warrantably　clings　to　the　statement

that　it　was　transformed。　　Duke　and　Sherman　were　secured　to　the

rear　wall　at　a　considerable　distance　from　each　other；　after

an　exhibition　of　reluctance　on　the　part　of　Duke；　during　which　he

displayed　a　nervous　energy　and　agility　almost　miraculous　in　so

small　and　middle…aged　a　dog。　　Benches　were　improvised　for

spectators；　the　rats　were　brought　up；　finally　the　rafters；　corn…

crib；　and　hay…chute　were　ornamented　with　flags　and　strips　of

bunting　from　Sam　Williams'　attic；　Sam　returning　from　the

excursion　wearing　an　old　silk　hat；　and　accompanied　（on　account　of

a　rope）　by　a　fine　dachshund　encountered　on　the　highway。　　In　the

matter　of　personal　decoration　paint　was　generously　used：　an

interpretation　of　the　spiral；　inclining　to　whites　and　greens；

becoming　brilliantly　effective　upon　the　dark　facial　backgrounds

of　Herman　and　Verman；　while　the　countenances　of　Sam　and　Penrod

were　each　supplied　with　the　black　moustache　and　imperial；　lacking

which；　no　professional　showman　can　be　esteemed　conscientious。



It　was　regretfully　decided；　in　council；　that　no　attempt　be

made　to　add　Queenie　to　the　list　of　exhibits；　her　brothers　warmly

declining　to　act　as　ambassadors　in　that　cause。　　They　were　certain

Queenie　would　not　like　the　idea；　they　said；　and　Herman

picturesquely　described　her　activity　on　occasions　when　she　had

been　annoyed　by　too　much　attention　to　her　appearance。　　However；

Penrod's　disappointment　was　alleviated　by　an　inspiration　which

came　to　him　in　a　moment　of　pondering　upon　the　dachshund；　and　the

entire　party　went　forth　to　add　an　enriching　line　to　the

poster。



They　found　a　group　of　seven；　including　two　adults；　already

gathered　in　the　street　to　read　and　admire　this　work。



　

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