penrod-第17部分

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auditor；　and　Schofield　and　Williams　looked　depressed。　　Then

followed　an　interval　when　the　band　played　in　vain。



About　three　o'clock　Schofield　and　Williams　were　gloomily

discussing　various　unpromising　devices　for

startling　the　public　into　a　renewal　of　interest；　when　another

patron　unexpectedly　appeared　and　paid　a　cent　for　his　admission。　

News　of　the　Big　Show　and　Museum　of　Curiosities　had　at　last

penetrated　the　far；　cold　spaces　of　interstellar　niceness；　for

this　new　patron　consisted　of　no　less　than　Roderick　Magsworth

Bitts；　Junior；　escaped　in　a　white　〃sailor　suit〃　from　the　Manor

during　a　period　of　severe　maternal　and　tutorial　preoccupation。



He　seated　himself　without　parley；　and　the　pufformance　was

offered　for　his　entertainment　with　admirable　conscientiousness。　

True　to　the　Lady　Clara　caste　and　training；　Roderick's　pale；　fat

face　expressed　nothing　except　an　impervious　superiority　and；　as

he　sat；　cold　and　unimpressed　upon　the　front　bench；　like　a　large；

white　lump；　it　must　be　said　that　he　made　a　discouraging　audience

〃to　play　to。〃　　He　was　not；　however；　unresponsivefar　from　it。　

He　offered　comment　very　chilling　to　the　warm　grandiloquence　of

the　orator。



〃That's　my　uncle　Ethelbert's　dachshund；〃　he　remarked；　at　the

beginning　of　the　lecture。　　〃You　better　take　him　back　if　you　don't

want　to　get　arrested。〃　　And　when　Penrod；　rather　uneasily　ignoring

the　interruption；　proceeded　to　the　exploitation　of　the　genuine；

full…blooded　Indian　dog；　Duke；　〃Why　don't　you　try　to　give　that

old　dog　away？〃　asked　Roderick。　　〃You　couldn't　sell　him。〃



〃My　papa　would　buy　me　a　lots　better　'coon　than　that；〃

was　the　information　volunteered　a　little　later；　〃only　I　wouldn't

want　the　nasty　old　thing。〃



Herman　of　the　missing　finger　obtained　no　greater　indulgence。　

〃Pooh！〃　said　Roderick。　　〃We　have　two　fox…terriers　in　our　stables

that　took　prizes　at　the　kennel　show；　and　their　tails　were　BIT

off。　　There's　a　man　that　always　bites　fox…terriers'　tails　off。〃



〃Oh；　my　gosh；　what　a　lie！〃　exclaimed　Sam　Williams　ignorantly。



〃Go　on　with　the　show　whether　he　likes　it　or　not；　Penrod。　　He's

paid　his　money。〃



Verman；　confident　in　his　own　singular　powers；　chuckled　openly

at　the　failure　of　the　other　attractions　to　charm　the　frosty

visitor；　and；　when　his　turn　came；　poured　forth　a　torrent　of

conversation　which　was　straightway　damned。



〃Rotten；〃　said　Mr。　Bitts　languidly。　　〃Anybody　could　talk　like

that。　　_I_　could　do　it　if　I　wanted　to。〃



Verman　paused　suddenly。



〃YES；　you　could！〃　exclaimed　Penrod；　stung。　　〃Let's　hear

you　do　it；　then。〃



〃Yessir！〃　the　other　partner　shouted。　　〃Let's　just　hear　you

DO　it！〃



〃I　said　I　could　if　I　wanted　to；〃　responded　Roderick。　　〃I

didn't　say　I　WOULD。〃



〃Yay！　　Knows　he　can't！〃　sneered　Sam。



〃I　can；　too；　if　I　try。〃



〃Well；　let's　hear　you　try！〃



So　challenged；　the　visitor　did　try；　but；　in　the　absence　of　an

impartial　jury；　his　effort　was　considered　so　pronounced　a

failure　that　he　was　howled　down；　derided；　and　mocked　with　great

clamours。



〃Anyway；〃　said　Roderick；　when　things　had　quieted　down；　〃if　I

couldn't　get　up　a　better　show　than　this　I'd　sell　out　and　leave

town。〃



Not　having　enough　presence　of　mind　to　inquire　what　he　would

sell　out；　his　adversaries　replied　with　mere　formless　yells　of

scorn。



〃I　could　get　up　a　better　show　than　this　with　my　left　hand；〃

Roderick　asserted。



〃Well；　what　would　you　have　in　your　ole　show？〃　asked　Penrod；

condescending　to　language。



〃That's　all　right；　what　I'd　HAVE。　　I'd　have　enough！〃



〃You　couldn't　get　Herman　and　Verman　in　your　ole　show。〃



〃No；　and　I　wouldn't　want　'em；　either！〃



〃Well；　what　WOULD　you　have？〃　insisted　Penrod　derisively。　

〃You'd　have　to　have　SUMPTHINGyou　couldn't　be　a　show

yourself！〃



〃How　do　YOU　know？〃　　This　was　but　meandering　while　waiting

for　ideas；　and　evoked　another　yell。



〃You　think　you　could　be　a　show　all　by　yourself？〃　demanded

Penrod。



〃How　do　YOU　know　I　couldn't？〃



Two　white　boys　and　two　black　boys　shrieked　their　scorn　of　the

boaster。



〃I　could；　too！〃　Roderick　raised　his　voice　to　a　sudden　howl；

obtaining　a　hearing。



〃Well；　why　don't　you　tell　us　how？〃



〃Well；　_I_　know　HOW；　all　right；〃　said　Roderick。　　〃If

anybody　asks　you；　you　can　just　tell　him　I　know　HOW；　all

right。〃



〃Why；　you　can't　DO　anything；〃　Sam　began　argumentatively。　

〃You　talk　about　being　a　show　all　by　yourself；　what　could　you　try

to　do？　　Show　us　sumpthing　you　can　do。〃



〃I　didn't　say　I　was　going　to　DO　anything；〃　returned　the

badgered　one；　still　evading。



〃Well；　then；　how'd　you　BE　a　show？〃　Penrod　demanded。　

〃WE　got　a　show　here；　even　if　Herman　didn't　point　or　Verman

didn't　talk。　　Their　father　stabbed　a　man　with　a　pitchfork；　I

guess；　didn't　he？〃



〃How　do　_I_　know？〃



〃Well；　I　guess　he's　in　jail；　ain't　he？〃



〃Well；　what　if　their　father　is　in　jail？　　I　didn't　say　he

wasn't；　did　I？〃



〃Well；　YOUR　father　ain't　in　jail；　is　he？〃



〃Well；　I　never　said　he　was；　did　I？〃



〃Well；　then；〃　continued　Penrod；　〃how　could　you　be　a〃　　He

stopped　abruptly；　staring　at　Roderick；　the　birth　of　an　idea

plainly　visible　in　his　altered　expression。　　He　had　suddenly

remembered　his　intention　to　ask　Roderick　Magsworth　Bitts；　Junior；

about　Rena　Magsworth；　and　this　recollection　collided　in　his　mind

with　the　irritation　produced　by　Roderick's　claiming　some

mysterious　attainment　which　would　warrant　his　setting　up　as　a

show　in　his　single　person。　　Penrod's　whole　manner　changed

instantly。



〃Roddy；〃　he　asked；　almost　overwhelmed　by　a　prescience　of

something　vast　and　magnificent；　〃Roddy；　are　you　any　relation　of

Rena　Magsworth？〃



Roderick　had　never　heard　of　Rena　Magsworth；　although　a

concentration　of　the　sentence　yesterday　pronounced　upon　her　had

burned；　black　and　horrific；　upon　the　face　of　every　newspaper　in

the　country。　　He　was　not　allowed　to　read　the　journals　of　the　day

and　his　family's　indignation　over　the　sacrilegious　coincidence　of

the　name　had　not　been　expressed　in　his　presence。　　But　he　saw　that

it　was　an　awesome　name　to　Penrod　Schofield　and　Samuel　Williams。　

Even　Herman　and　Verman；　though　lacking　many　educational

advantages　on　account　of　a　long　residence　in　the　country；　were

informed　on　the　subject　of　Rena　Magsworth　through　hearsay；　and

they　joined　in　the　portentous　silence。



〃Roddy；〃　repeated　Penrod；　〃honest；　is　Rena　Magsworth　some

relation　of　yours？〃



There　is　no　obsession　more　dangerous　to　its　victims　than　a

conviction　especially　an　inherited　oneof　superiority：　this

world　is　so　full　of　Missourians。　　And　from　his　earliest　years

Roderick　Magsworth　Bitts；　Junior；　had　been　trained　to　believe　in

the　importance　of　the　Magsworth　family。　　At　every　meal　he

absorbed　a　sense　of　Magsworth　greatness；　and　yet；　in　his

infrequent　meetings　with　persons　of　his　own　age　and　sex；　he

was　treated　as　negligible。　　Now；　dimly；　he　perceived　that　there

was　a　Magsworth　claim　of　some　sort　which　was　impressive；　even　to

boys。　　Magsworth　blood　was　the　essential　of　all　true　distinction

in　the　world；　he　knew。　　Consequently；　having　been　driven　into　a

cul…de…sac；　as　a　result　of　flagrant　and　unfounded　boasting；

he　was　ready　to　take　advantage　of　what　appeared　to　be　a　triumphal

way　out。



〃Roddy；〃　said　Penrod　again；　with　solemnity；　〃is　Rena

Magsworth　some　relation　of　yours？〃



〃IS　she；　Roddy？〃　asked　Sam；　almost　hoarsely。



〃She's　my　aunt！〃　shouted　Roddy。



Silence　followed。　　Sam　and　Penrod；　spellbound；　gazed　upon

Roderick　Magsworth　Bitts；　Junior。　　So　did　Herman　and　Verman。　

Roddy's　staggering　lie　had　changed　the　face　of　things　utterly。　

No　one　questioned　it；　no　one　realized　that　it　was　much　too　good

to　be　true。



〃Roddy；〃　said　Penrod；　in　a　voice　tremulous　with　hope；　〃Roddy；

will　you　join　our　show？〃



Roddy　joined。



Even　he　could　see　that　the　offer　implied　his　being　starred　as

the　paramount　attraction　of　a　new　order　of　things。　　It　was

obvious　that　he　had　swelled　out　suddenly；　in　the　estimation　of

the　other　boys；　to　that　importance　which　he　had　been　taught　to

believe　his　native　gift　and　natural　right。　　The　sensation　was

pleasant。　　He　had　often　been　treated　with　effusion　by　grown…

up　callers　and　by　acquaintances　of　his　mothers　and　sisters；　he

had　heard　ladies　speak　of　him　as　〃charming〃　and　〃that　delightful

child；〃　and　little　girls　had　sometimes　shown　him　deference；　but

until　this　moment　no　boy　had　ever　allowed　him；　for　one　moment；　to

presume　even　to　equality。　　Now；　in　a　trice；　he　was　not　only

admitted　to　comradeship；　but　patently　valued　as　something　rare

and　sacred　to　be　acclaimed　and　pedestalled。　　In　fact；　the　very

first　thing　that　Schofield　and　Williams　did　was　to　find　a　box　for

him　to　stand　upon。



The　misgivings　roused　in　Roderick's　bosom　by　the　subsequent

activities　of　the　firm　were　not　bothersome　enough　to　make　him

forego　his　prominence　as　Exhibit　A。　　He　was　not　a　〃quick…minded〃

boy；　and　it　was　long　（and　much　happened）　before　he　thoroughly

comprehended　the　causes　of　his　new　celebrity。　　He　had　a　shadowy

feeling　that　if　the　affair　came　to　be　heard　of　at　home　it　might

not　be　liked；　but；　intoxicated　by　the　glamour　and　bustle　which

surround　a　public　character；　he　made　no　protest。　　On　the

contrary；　he　entered　whole…heartedly　into　the　preparations　for

the　new　show。　　Assuming；　with　Sam's　assistance；　a　blue　moustache

and　〃side…burns；〃　he　helped　in　the　painting　of　a　new　poster；

which；　supplanting　the　old　one　on　the　wall　of　the　stable　facing

the　cross…street；　screamed　bloody　murder　at　the　passers　in　that

rather　populous　thoroughfare。





　　　SCHoFiELD　&　WiLLiAMS

　　NEW　BIG　SHoW

RoDERiCK　MAGSWoRTH　BiTTS　JR

　　　　ONLY　LiViNG　NEPHEW

　　oF

　RENA　MAGSWORTH

　　　　THE　FAMOS

　MUDERESS　GoiNG　To　BE　HUNG

　　　　NEXT　JULY　KiLED　EiGHT　PEOPLE

　　　PUT　ARSiNECK　iN　THiER　MiLK　ALSO

　SHERMAN　HERMAN　AND　VERMAN　

THE　MiCHiGAN　RATS　DOG　PART

ALLiGATOR　DUKE　THE　GENUiNE

　　　In