penrod-第16部分

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　　　　　　　　SCHoFiELD　&　WiLLiAMS　

　　　　　　　　　　　　BiG　SHOW

　　　　　　ADMiSSioN　1　CENT　oR　20　PiNS　

　　　　　　　　MUSUEM　oF　CURioSiTES

　　　　　　　　　　Now　GoiNG　oN

　　　　　　SHERMAN　HERMAN　&　VERMAN

　　　THiER　FATHERS　iN　JAiL　STABED　A

　　　　　　　　　　　MAN　WiTH　A

　　　　　　　　　　　PiTCHFORK

　　　　　　SHERMAN　THE　WiLD　ANIMAL

　　　　　　　　CAPTURED　iN　AFRiCA

　　　HERMAN　THE　ONE　FiNGERED　TATOOD

　　WILD　MAN　VERMAN　THE　SAVAGE　TATOOD

　WILD　BoY　TALKS　ONLY　iN　HiS　NAiTiVE　

　LANGUAGS。　　Do　NoT　FAIL　TO　SEE　DUKE

　　THE　INDiAN　DOG　ALSO　THE　MiCHiGAN　

　　　　　　　　　　　　TRAiNED　RATS





A　heated　argument　took　place　between　Sam　and　Penrod；　the

point　at　issue　being　settled；　finally；　by　the　drawing　of　straws；

whereupon　Penrod；　with　pardonable　self…importancein　the

presence　of　an　audience　now　increased　to　nineslowly　painted　the

words　inspired　by　the　dachshund：





　　　IMPoRTENT　Do　NoT　MISS　THE　SoUTH　

　　　　AMERiCAN　DoG　PART　ALLIGATOR。

　



　　

CHAPTER　XVI

THE　NEW　STAR



Sam；　Penrod；　Herman；　and　Verman　withdrew　in　considerable　state

from　non…paying　view；　and；　repairing　to　the　hay…loft；　declared

the　exhibition　open　to　the　public。　　Oral　proclamation　was　made　by

Sam；　and　then　the　loitering　multitude　was　enticed　by　the

seductive　strains　of　a　band；　the　two　partners　performing　upon

combs　and　paper；　Herman　and　Verman　upon　tin　pans　with　sticks。



The　effect　was　immediate。　　Visitors　appeared　upon　the

stairway　and　sought　admission。　　Herman　and　Verman　took　position

among　the　exhibits；　near　the　wall；　Sam　stood　at　the　entrance；

officiating　as　barker　and　ticket…seller；　while　Penrod；

with　debonair　suavity；　acted　as　curator；　master　of　ceremonies；

and　lecturer。　　He　greeted　the　first　to　enter　with　a　courtly　bow。　

They　consisted　of　Miss　Rennsdale　and　her　nursery　governess；　and

they　paid　spot　cash　for　their　admission。



〃Walk　in；　lay…deeze；　walk　right　inpray　do　not　obstruck　the

passageway；〃　said　Penrod；　in　a　remarkable　voice。　　〃Pray　be

seated；　there　is　room　for　each　and　all。〃



Miss　Rennsdale　and　governess　were　followed　by　Mr。　Georgie

Bassett　and　baby　sister　（which　proves　the　perfection　of　Georgie's

character）　and　six　or　seven　other　neighbourhood　childrena　most

satisfactory　audience；　although；　subsequent　to　Miss　Rennsdale　and

governess；　admission　was　wholly　by　pin。



〃GEN…til…mun　and　LAY…deeze；〃　shouted　Penrod；　〃I　will

first　call　your　at…tain…shon　to　our　genuine　South　American　dog；

part　alligator！〃　　He　pointed　to　the　dachshund；　and　added；　in　his

ordinary　tone；　〃That's　him。〃　　Straightway　reassuming　the

character　of　showman；　he　bellowed：　　〃NEXT；　you　see　Duke；　the

genuine；　full…blooded　Indian　dog　from　the　far　Western　Plains　and

Rocky　Mountains。　　NEXT；　the　trained　Michigan　rats；　captured

way　up　there；　and　trained　to　jump　and　run　all　around　the　box　at

theat　theat　the　slightest　PRE…text！〃　　He　paused；　partly

to　take　breath　and　partly　to　enjoy　his　own　surprised

discovery　that　this　phrase　was　in　his　vocabulary。



〃At　the　slightest　PRE…text！〃　he　repeated；　and　continued；

suiting　the　action　to　the　word：　　〃I　will　now　hammer　upon　the　box

and　each　and　all　may　see　these　genuine　full…blooded　Michigan　rats

perform　at　the　slightest　PRE…text！　　There！　　（That's　all　they

do　now；　but　I　and　Sam　are　goin'　to　train　'em　lots　more　before

this　afternoon。）　　GEN…til…mun　and　LAY…deeze　I　will　kindly

now　call　your　at…tain…shon　to　Sherman；　the　wild　animal　from

Africa；　costing　the　lives　of　the　wild　trapper　and　many　of　his

companions。　　NEXT；　let　me　kindly　interodoos　Herman　and

Verman。　　Their　father　got　mad　and　stuck　his　pitchfork　right

inside　of　another　man；　exactly　as　promised　upon　the

advertisements　outside　the　big　tent；　and　got　put　in　jail。　　Look

at　them　well；　gen…til…mun　and　lay…deeze；　there　is　no　extra

charge；　and　RE…MEM…BUR　you　are　each　and　all　now　looking　at

two　wild；　tattooed　men　which　the　father　of　is　in　jail。　　Point；

Herman。　　Each　and　all　will　have　a　chance　to　see。　　Point　to

sumpthing　else；　Herman。　　This　is　the　only　genuine　one…fingered

tattooed　wild　man。　　Last　on　the　programme；　gen…til…mun　and　lay…

deeze；　we　have　Verman；　the　savage　tattooed　wild　boy；　that　can't

speak　only　his　native　foreign　languages。　　Talk　some；　Verman。〃



Verman　obliged　and　made　an　instantaneous　hit。　　He　was　encored

rapturously；　again　and　again；　and；　thrilling　with　the　unique

pleasure　of　being　appreciated　and　misunderstood　at　the　same　time；

would　have　talked　all　day　but　too　gladly。　　Sam　Williams；

however；　with　a　true　showman's　foresight；　whispered　to　Penrod；

who　rang　down　on　the　monologue。



〃GEN…til…mun　and　LAY…deeze；　this　closes　our

pufformance。　　Pray　pass　out　quietly　and　with　as　little　jostling

as　possible。　　As　soon　as　you　are　all　out　there's　goin'　to　be　a

new　pufformance；　and　each　and　all　are　welcome　at　the　same　and

simple　price　of　admission。　　Pray　pass　out　quietly　and　with　as

little　jostling　as　possible。　　RE…MEM…BUR　the　price　is　only

one　cent；　the　tenth　part　of　a　dime；　or　twenty　pins；　no　bent　ones

taken。　　Pray　pass　out　quietly　and　with　as　little　jostling　as

possible。　　The　Schofield　and　Williams　Military　Band　will　play

before　each　pufformance；　and　each　and　all　are　welcome　for　the

same　and　simple　price　of　admission。　　Pray　pass　out　quietly　and

with　as　little　jostling　as　possible。〃



Forthwith；　the　Schofield　and　Williams　Military　Band　began　a

second　overture；　in　which　something　vaguely　like　a　tune　was　at

times　distinguishable；　and　all　of　the　first　audience　returned；

most　of　them　having　occupied　the　interval　in　hasty　excursions　for

more　pins；　Miss　Rennsdale　and　governess；　however；　again　paying

coin　of　the　Republic　and　receiving　deference　and　the　best　seats

accordingly。　　And　when　a　third　performance　found　all　of　the　same

inveterate　patrons　once　more　crowding　the　auditorium；　and　seven

recruits　added；　the　pleasurable　excitement　of　the　partners　in

their　venture　will　be　understood　by　any　one　who　has　seen　a

metropolitan　manager　strolling　about　the　foyer　of　his　theatre

some　evening　during　the　earlier　stages　of　an　assured　〃phenomenal

run。〃



From　the　first；　there　was　no　question　which　feature　of　the

entertainment　was　the　attraction　extraordinary：　　VermanVerman；

the　savage　tattooed　wild　boy；　speaking　only　his　native　foreign

languagesVerman　was　a　triumph！　　Beaming；　wreathed　in　smiles；

melodious；　incredibly　fluent；　he　had　but　to　open　his　lips　and　a

dead　hush　fell　upon　the　audience。　　Breathless；　they　leaned

forward；　hanging　upon　his　every　semi…syllable；　and；　when　Penrod

checked　the　flow；　burst　into　thunders　of　applause；　which　Verman

received　with　happy　laughter。



Alas！　he　delayed　not　o'er　long　to　display　all　the

egregiousness　of　a　new　star；　but　for　a　time　there　was　no　caprice

of　his　too　eccentric　to　be　forgiven。　　During　Penrod's　lecture

upon　the　other　curios；　the　tattooed　wild　boy　continually　stamped

his　foot；　grinned；　and　gesticulated；　tapping　his　tiny　chest；　and

pointing　to　himself　as　it　were　to　say：　　〃Wait　for　Me！　I　am　the

Big　Show。〃　　So　soon　they　learn；　so　soon　they　learn！　　And　（again

alas！）　this　spoiled　darling　of　public　favour；　like　many　another；

was　fated　to　know；　in　good　time；　the　fickleness　of　that　favour。



But　during　all　the　morning　performances　he　was　the　idol　of

his　audience　and　looked　it！　　The　climax　of　his　popularity　came

during　the　fifth　overture　of　the　Schofield　and　Williams

Military　Band；　when　the　music　was　quite　drowned　in　the　agitated

clamours　of　Miss　Rennsdale；　who　was　endeavouring　to　ascend　the

stairs　in　spite　of　the　physical　dissuasion　of　her　governess。



〃I　WON'T　go　home　to　lunch！〃　screamed　Miss　Rennsdale；　her

voice　accompanied　by　a　sound　of　ripping。　〃I　WILL　hear　the

tattooed　wild　boy　talk　some　more！　　It's　lovelyI　WILL　hear

him　talk！　　I　WILL！　　I　WILL！　　I　want　to　listen　to　Verman

I　WANT　toI　WANT　to〃



Wailing；　she　was　borne　awayof　her　sex　not　the　first　to　be

fascinated　by　obscurity；　nor　the　last　to　champion　its　eloquence。



Verman　was　almost　unendurable　after　this；　but；　like　many；

many　other　managers；　Schofield　and　Williams　restrained　their

choler；　and　even　laughed　fulsomely　when　their　principal

attraction　essayed　the　role　of　a　comedian　in　private；　and　capered

and　squawked　in　sheer；　fatuous　vanity。



The　first　performance　of　the　afternoon　rivalled　the　successes

of　the　morning；　and　although　Miss　Rennsdale　was　detained　at　home；

thus　drying　up　the　single　source　of　cash　income　developed　before

lunch；　Maurice　Levy　appeared；　escorting　Marjorie　Jones；　and　paid

coin　for　two　admissions；　dropping　the　money　into　Sam's　hand　with

a　carelessnay；　a　contemptuousgesture。　　At　sight　of　Marjorie；

Penrod　Schofield　flushed　under　his　new　moustache　（repainted

since　noon）　and　lectured　as　he　had　never　lectured　before。　　A

new　grace　invested　his　every　gesture；　a　new　sonorousness　rang　in

his　voice；　a　simple　and　manly　pomposity　marked　his　very　walk　as

he　passed　from　curio　to　curio。　　And　when　he　fearlessly　handled

the　box　of　rats　and　hammered　upon　it　with　cool　insouciance；

he　beheldfor　the　first　time　in　his　lifea　purl　of　admiration

eddying　in　Marjorie's　lovely　eye；　a　certain　softening　of　that

eye。　　And　then　Verman　spake　and　Penrod　was　forgotten。　　Marjorie's

eye　rested　upon　him　no　more。



A　heavily　equipped　chauffeur　ascended　the　stairway；　bearing

the　message　that　Mrs。　Levy　awaited　her　son　and　his　lady。　

Thereupon；　having　devoured　the　last　sound　permitted　（by　the

managers）　to　issue　from　Verman；　Mr。　Levy　and　Miss　Jones　departed

to　a　real　matinee　at　a　real　theatre；　the　limpid　eyes　of　Marjorie

looking　back　softly　over　her　shoulderbut　only　at　the　tattooed

wild　boy。　　Nearly　always　it　is　woman　who　puts　the　irony　into

life。



After　this；　perhaps　because　of　sated　curiosity；　perhaps　on

account　of　a　pin　famine；　the　attendance　began　to　languish。　　Only

four　responded　to　the　next　call　of　the　band；　the　four　dwindled　to

three；　finally　the　entertainment　was　given　for　one　blase

auditor；　and　Schofield　and　Williams　looked　depressed。　　Then

followed　an　interval　when　the　band