penrod-第18部分

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　SHERMAN　HERMAN　AND　VERMAN　

THE　MiCHiGAN　RATS　DOG　PART

ALLiGATOR　DUKE　THE　GENUiNE

　　　InDiAN　DoG　ADMISSioN　1　CENT　oR

　　　　20　PINS　SAME　AS　BEFORE　Do　NoT

　　MISS　THIS　CHANSE　TO　SEE　RoDERICK

ONLY　LiViNG　NEPHEW　oF　RENA

　MAGSWORTH　THE　GREAT　FAMOS

　　　　MUDERESS　

　　　GoiNG　To　BE

　HUNG





　　

CHAPTER　VII

RETIRING　FROM　THE　SHOW　BUSINESS



Megaphones　were　constructed　out　of　heavy　wrapping…paper；　and

Penrod；　Sam；　and　Herman　set　out　in　different　directions；

delivering　vocally　the　inflammatory　proclamation　of　the　poster　to

a　large　section　of　the　residential　quarter；　and　leaving　Roderick

Magsworth　Bitts；　Junior；　with　Verman　in　the　loft；　shielded　from

all　deadhead　eyes。　　Upon　the　return　of　the　heralds；　the　Schofield

and　Williams　Military　Band　played　deafeningly；　and　an　awakened

public　once　more　thronged　to　fill　the　coffers　of　the　firm。



Prosperity　smiled　again。　　The　very　first　audience

after　the　acquisition　of　Roderick　was　larger　than　the

largest　of　the　morning。　　Master　Bittsthe　only　exhibit　placed

upon　a　boxwas　a　supercurio。　　All　eyes　fastened　upon　him　and

remained；　hungrily　feasting；　throughout　Penrod's　luminous

oration。



But　the　glory　of　one　light　must　ever　be　the　dimming　of

another。　　We　dwell　in　a　vale　of　seesawsand　cobwebs　spin　fastest

upon　laurel。　　Verman；　the　tattooed　wild　boy；　speaking　only　in　his

native　foreign　languages；　Verman　the　gay；　Verman　the　caperer；

capered　no　more；　he　chuckled　no　more；　he　beckoned　no　more；　nor

tapped　his　chest；　nor　wreathed　his　idolatrous　face　in　smiles。　

Gone；　all　gone；　were　his　little　artifices　for　attracting　the

general　attention　to　himself；　gone　was　every　engaging　mannerism

which　had　endeared　him　to　the　mercurial　public。　　He　squatted

against　the　wall　and　glowered　at　the　new　sensation。　　It　was　the

old　storythe　old；　old　story　of　too　much　temperament：　　Verman

was　suffering　from　artistic　jealousy。



The　second　audience　contained　a　cash…paying　adult；　a

spectacled　young　man　whose　poignant　attention　was　very

flattering。　　He　remained　after　the　lecture；　and　put　a　few

questions　to　Roddy；　which　were　answered　rather　confusedly　upon

promptings　from　Penrod。　　The　young　man　went　away　without　having

stated　the　object　of　his　interrogations；　but　it　became　quite

plain；　later　in　the　day。　　This　same　object　caused　the　spectacled


young　man　to　make　several　brief　but　stimulating　calls

directly　after　leaving　the　Schofield　and　Williams　Big　Show；　and

the　consequences　thereof　loitered　not　by　the　wayside。



The　Big　Show　was　at　high　tide。　　Not　only　was　the　auditorium

filled　and　throbbing；　there　was　an　indubitable　lineby　no　means

wholly　juvenilewaiting　for　admission　to　the　next　pufformance。　

A　group　stood　in　the　street　examining　the　poster　earnestly　as　it

glowed　in　the　long；　slanting　rays　of　the　westward　sun；　and　people

in　automobiles　and　other　vehicles　had　halted　wheel　in　the　street

to　read　the　message　so　piquantly　given　to　the　world。　　These　were

the　conditions　when　a　crested　victoria　arrived　at　a　gallop；　and　a

large；　chastely　magnificent　and　highly　flushed　woman　descended；

and　progressed　across　the　yard　with　an　air　of　violence。



At　sight　of　her；　the　adults　of　the　waiting　line　hastily

disappeared；　and　most　of　the　pausing　vehicles　moved　instantly　on

their　way。　　She　was　followed　by　a　stricken　man　in　livery。



The　stairs　to　the　auditorium　were　narrow　and　steep；　Mrs。

Roderick　Magsworth　Bitts　was　of　a　stout　favour；　and　the　voice　of

Penrod　was　audible　during　the　ascent。



〃RE…MEM…BUR；　gentilmun　and　lay…deeze；　each　and　all　are

now　gazing　upon　Roderick　Magsworth　Bitts；　Junior；　the　only　living

nephew　of　the　great　Rena　Magsworth。　　She　stuck　ars'nic　in　the

milk　of　eight　separate　and　distinck　people　to　put　in　their　coffee

and　each　and　all　of　'em　died。　　The　great　ars'nic　murderess；

Rena　Magsworth；　gentilmun　and　lay…deeze；　and　Roddy's　her　only

living　nephew。　　She's　a　relation　of　all　the　Bitts　family；　but

he's　her　one　and　only　living　nephew。　　RE…MEM…BUR！　　Next　July

she's　goin'　to　be　hung；　and；　each　and　all；　you　now　see　before

you〃



Penrod　paused　abruptly；　seeing　something　before　himselfthe

august　and　awful　presence　which　filled　the　entryway。　　And　his

words　（it　should　be　related）　froze　upon　his　lips。



Before　HERSELF；　Mrs。　Roderick　Magsworth　Bitts　saw　her

sonher　scionwearing　a　moustache　and　sideburns　of　blue；　and

perched　upon　a　box　flanked　by　Sherman　and　Verman；　the　Michigan

rats；　the　Indian　dog　Duke；　Herman；　and　the　dog　part　alligator。



Roddy；　also；　saw　something　before　himself。　　It　needed　no

prophet　to　read　the　countenance　of　the　dread　apparition　in　the

entryway。　　His　mouth　openedremained　openthen　filled　to

capacity　with　a　calamitous　sound　of　grief　not　unmingled　with

apprehension。



Penrod's　reason　staggered　under　the　crisis。　　For　a　horrible

moment　he　saw　Mrs。　Roderick　Magsworth　Bitts　approaching　like　some

fatal　mountain　in　avalanche。　　She　seemed　to　grow　larger　and

redder；　lightnings　played　about　her　head；　he　had　a　vague

consciousness　of　the　audience　spraying　out　in　flight；　of　the

squealings；　tramplings　and　dispersals　of　a　stricken　

field。　　The　mountain　was　close　upon　him



He　stood　by　the　open　mouth　of　the　hay…chute　which　went

through　the　floor　to　the　manger　below。　　Penrod　also　went　through

the　floor。　　He　propelled　himself　into　the　chute　and　shot　down；

but　not　quite　to　the　manger；　for　Mr。　Samuel　Williams　had

thoughtfully　stepped　into　the　chute　a　moment　in　advance　of　his

partner。　　Penrod　lit　upon　Sam。



Catastrophic　noises　resounded　in　the　loft；　volcanoes　seemed

to　romp　upon　the　stairway。



There　ensued　a　period　when　only　a　shrill　keening　marked　the

passing　of　Roderick　as　he　was　borne　to　the　tumbril。　　Then　all　was

silence。





。　。　。　Sunset；　striking　through　a　western　window；　rouged　the

walls　of　the　Schofields'　library；　where　gathered　a　joint　family

council　and　court　martial　of　fourMrs。　Schofield；　Mr。　Schofield；

and　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Williams；　parents　of　Samuel　of　that　ilk。　　Mr。

Williams　read　aloud　a　conspicuous　passage　from　the　last　edition

of　the　evening　paper：



〃Prominent　people　here　believed　close　relations　of　woman

sentenced　to　hang。　　Angry　denial　by　Mrs。　R。　Magsworth　Bitts。　

Relationship　admitted　by　younger　member　of　family。　　His　statement

confirmed　by　boy…friends〃



〃Don't！〃　said　Mrs。　Williams；　addressing　her　husband　

vehemently。　　〃We've　all　read　it　a　dozen　times。　　We've　got

plenty　of　trouble　on　our　hands　without　hearing　THAT　again！〃



Singularly　enough；　Mrs。　Williams　did　not　look　troubled；　she

looked　as　if　she　were　trying　to　look　troubled。　　Mrs。　Schofield

wore　a　similar　expression。　　So　did　Mr。　Schofield。　　So　did　Mr。

Williams。



〃What　did　she　say　when　she　called　YOU　up？〃　Mrs。　Schofield

inquired　breathlessly　of　Mrs。　Williams。



〃She　could　hardly　speak　at　first；　and　then　when　she　did　talk；

she　talked　so　fast　I　couldn't　understand　most　of　it；　and〃



〃It　was　just　the　same　when　she　tried　to　talk　to　me；〃　said

Mrs。　Schofield；　nodding。



〃I　never　did　hear　any　one　in　such　a　state　before；〃　continued

Mrs。　Williams。　　〃So　furious〃



〃Quite　justly；　of　course；〃　said　Mrs。　Schofield。



〃Of　course。　　And　she　said　Penrod　and　Sam　had　enticed　Roderick

away　from　homeusually　he's　not　allowed　to　go　outside　the　yard

except　with　his　tutor　or　a　servantand　had　told　him　to　say　that

horrible　creature　was　his　aunt〃



〃How　in　the　world　do　you　suppose　Sam　and　Penrod　ever　thought

of　such　a　thing　as　THAT！〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Schofield。　　〃It　must

have　been　made　up　just　for　their　‘show。'　　Della　says　there　were

just　STREAMS　going　in　and　out　all　day。　　Of　course　it　wouldn't

have　happened；　but　this　was　the　day　Margaret　and　I　spend　every

month　in　the　country　with　Aunt　Sarah；　and　I　didn't　DREAM〃



〃She　said　one　thing　I　thought　rather　tactless；〃　interrupted

Mrs。　Williams。　　〃Of　course　we　must　allow　for　her　being　dreadfully

excited　and　wrought　up；　but　I　do　think　it　wasn't　quite　delicate

in　her；　and　she's　usually　the　very　soul　of　delicacy。　　She　said

that　Roderick　had　NEVER　been　allowed　to　associate　with

common　boys〃



〃Meaning　Sam　and　Penrod；〃　said　Mrs。　Schofield。　　〃Yes；　she

said　that　to　me；　too。〃



〃She　said　that　the　most　awful　thing　about　it；〃　Mrs。　Williams

went　on；　〃was　that；　though　she's　going　to　prosecute　the

newspapers；　many　people　would　always　believe　the　story；　and〃



〃Yes；　I　imagine　they　will；〃　said　Mrs。　Schofield　musingly。　

〃Of　course　you　and　I　and　everybody　who　really　knows　the　Bitts　and

Magsworth　families　understand　the　perfect　absurdity　of　it；　but　I

suppose　there　are　ever　so　many　who'll　believe　it；　no　matter　what

the　Bittses　and　Magsworths　say。〃



〃Hundreds　and　hundreds！〃　said　Mrs。　Williams。　　〃I'm　afraid　it

will　be　a　great　come…down　for　them。〃



〃I'm　afraid　so；〃　said　Mrs。　Schofield　gently。　　〃A　very　great

oneyes；　a　very；　very　great　one。〃



〃Well；〃　observed　Mrs。　Williams；　after　a　thoughtful　pause；

〃there's　only　one　thing　to　be　done；　and　I　suppose　it　had　better

be　done　right　away。〃



She　glanced　toward　the　two　gentlemen。



〃Certainly；〃　Mr。　Schofield　agreed。　　〃But　where　ARE　they？〃



〃Have　you　looked　in　the　stable？〃　asked　his　wife。



〃I　searched　it。　　They've　probably　started　for　the　far　West。〃



〃Did　you　look　in　the　sawdust…box？〃



〃No；　I　didn't。〃



〃Then　that's　where　they　are。〃



Thus；　in　the　early　twilight；　the　now　historic　stable　was

approached　by　two　fathers　charged　to　do　the　only　thing　to　be

done。　　They　entered　the　storeroom。



〃Penrod！〃　said　Mr。　Schofield。



〃Sam！〃　said　Mr。　Williams。



Nothing　disturbed　the　twilight　hush。



But　by　means　of　a　ladder；　brought　from　the　carriage…house；

Mr。　Schofield　mounted　to　the　top　of　the　sawdust…box。　　He　looked

within；　and　discerned　the　dim　outlines　of　three　quiet　figures；

the　third　being　that　of　a　small　dog。



The　two　boys　rose；　upon　command；　descended　the　ladder　after

Mr。　Schofield；　bringing　Duke　with　them；　and　stood　before　t