penrod-第20部分

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〃Hello！〃　said　Marjorie；　with　unexpected　cordiality。　　　She

bent　over　her　baby　brother　with　motherly　affectations。　　〃Say

‘howdy'　to　the　gentymuns；　Mitchy…Mitch；〃　she　urged　sweetly；

turning　him　to　face　Penrod。



〃WON'T！〃　said　Mitchy…Mitch；　and；　to　emphasize　his

refusal；　kicked　the　gentymuns　upon　the　shin。



Penrod's　feelings　underwent　instant　change；　and　in　the　sole

occupation　of　disliking　Mitchy…Mitch；　he　wasted　precious　seconds

which　might　have　been　better　employed　in　philosophic

consideration　of　the　startling　example；　just　afforded；　of　how　a

given　law　operates　throughout　the　universe　in　precisely　the　same

manner　perpetually。　　Mr。　Robert　Williams　would　have　understood

this；　easily。



〃Oh；　oh！〃　Marjorie　cried；　and　put　Mitchy…Mitch　behind　her

with　too　much　sweetness。　　〃Maurice　Levy's　gone　to　Atlantic　City

with　his　mamma；〃　she　remarked　conversationally；　as　if　the　kicking

incident　were　quite　closed。



〃That's　nothin'；〃　returned　Penrod；　keeping　his　eye　uneasily

upon　Mitchy…Mitch。　　〃I　know　plenty　people　been　better　places　than

thatChicago　and　everywhere。〃



There　was　unconscious　ingratitude　in　his　low　rating　of

Atlantic　City；　for　it　was　largely　to　the　attractions　of　that

resort　he　owed　Miss　Jones'　present　attitude　of　friendliness。



Of　course；　too；　she　was　curious　about　the　accordion。　　It　would　be

dastardly　to　hint　that　she　had　noticed　a　paper　bag　which　bulged

the　pocket　of　Penrod's　coat；　and　yet　this　bag　was　undeniably

conspicuous〃and　children　are　very　like　grown　people　sometimes！〃



Penrod　brought　forth　the　bag；　purchased　on　the　way　at　a　drug

store；　and　till　this　moment　UNOPENED；　which　expresses　in　a

word　the　depth　of　his　sentiment　for　Marjorie。　　It　contained　an

abundant　fifteen…cents'　worth　of　lemon　drops；　jaw…breakers；

licorice　sticks；　cinnamon　drops；　and　shopworn　choclate　creams。



〃Take　all　you　want；〃　he　said；　with　off…hand　generosity。



〃Why；　Penrod　Schofield；〃　exclaimed　the　wholly　thawed　damsel；

〃you　nice　boy！〃



〃Oh；　that's　nothin'；〃　he　returned　airily。　　〃I　got　a　good　deal

of　money；　nowadays。〃



〃Where　from？〃



〃Ohjust　around。〃　　With　a　cautious　gesture　he　offered　a　jaw…

breaker　to　Mitchy…Mitch；　who　snatched　it　indignantly　and　set

about　its　absorption　without　delay。



〃Can　you　play　on　that？〃　asked　Marjorie；　with　some　difficulty；

her　cheeks　being　rather　too　hilly　for　conversation。



〃Want　to　hear　me？〃



She　nodded；　her　eyes　sweet　with　anticipation。



This　was　what　he　had　come　for。　　He　threw　back　his　head；

lifted　his　eyes　dreamily；　as　he　had　seen　real　musicians　lift

theirs；　and　distended　the　accordion　preparing　to　produce　the

wonderful　calf…like　noise　which　was　the　instrument's　great　charm。



But　the　distention　evoked　a　long　wail　which　was　at　once　drowned

in　another　one。



〃Ow！　　Owowaoh！　　Wowohah！　　WaowWOW！〃　shrieked　Mitchy…Mitch

and　the　accordion　together。



Mitchy…Mitch；　to　emphasize　his　disapproval　of　the　accordion；

opening　his　mouth　still　wider；　lost　therefrom　the　jaw…breaker；

which　rolled　in　the　dust。　　Weeping；　he　stooped　to　retrieve　it；

and　Marjorie；　to　prevent　him；　hastily　set　her　foot　upon　it。　

Penrod　offered　another　jaw…breaker；　but　Mitchy…Mitch　struck　it

from　his　hand；　desiring　the　former；　which　had　convinced　him　of

its　sweetness。



Marjorie　moved　inadvertently；　whereupon　Mitchy…Mitch　pounced

upon　the　remains　of　his　jaw…breaker　and　restored　them；　with

accretions；　to　his　mouth。　　His　sister；　uttering　a　cry　of　horror；

sprang　to　the　rescue；　assisted　by　Penrod；　whom　she　prevailed　upon

to　hold　Mitchy…Mitch's　mouth　open　while　she　excavated。　　This

operation　being　completed；　and　Penrod's　right　thumb　severely

bitten；　Mitchy…Mitch　closed　his　eyes　tightly；　stamped；　squealed；

bellowed；　wrung　his　hands；　and　then；　unexpectedly；　kicked　Penrod

again。



Penrod　put　a　hand　in　his　pocket　and　drew　forth　a　copper

two…cent　piece；　large；　round；　and　fairly　bright。



He　gave　it　to　Mitchy…Mitch。



Mitchy…Mitch　immediately　stopped　crying　and　gazed　upon　his

benefactor　with　the　eyes　of　a　dog。



This　world！



Thereafter　did　Penrodwith　complete　approval　from　Mitchy…

Mitchplay　the　accordion　for　his　lady　to　his　heart's　content；

and　hers。　　Never　had　he　so　won　upon　her；　never　had　she　let　him

feel　so　close　to　her　before。　　They　strolled　up　and　down　upon　the

sidewalk；　eating；　one　thought　between　them；　and　soon　she　had

learned　to　play　the　accordion　almost　as　well　as　he。　　So　passed　a

happy　hour；　which　the　Good　King　Rene　of　Anjou　would　have　envied

them；　while　Mitchy…Mitch　made　friends　with　Duke；　romped　about　his

sister　and　her　swain；　and　clung　to　the　hand　of　the　latter；　at

intervals；　with　fondest　affection　and　trust。



The　noon　whistles　failed　to　disturb　this　little　Arcady；　only

the　sound　of　Mrs。　Jones'　voice　for　the　third　time　summoning

Marjorie　and　Mitchy…Mitch　to　lunchsent　Penrod　on　his　way。



〃I　could　come　back　this　afternoon；　I　guess；〃　he　said；　in

parting。



〃I'm　not　goin'　to　be　here。　　I'm　goin'　to　Baby　Rennsdale's

party。〃



Penrod　looked　blank；　as　she　intended　he　should。　　Having　thus

satisfied　herself；　she　added：



〃There　aren't　goin'　to　be　any　boys　there。〃



He　was　instantly　radiant　again。



〃Marjorie〃



〃Hum？〃



〃Do　you　wish　I　was　goin'　to　be　there？〃



She　looked　shy；　and　turned　away　her　head。



〃MARJORIE　JONES！〃　　（This　was　a　voice　from　home。）　　〃HOW

MANY　MORE　TIMES　SHALL　I　HAVE　TO　CALL　YOU？〃



Marjorie　moved　away；　her　face　still　hidden　from　Penrod。



〃Do　you？〃　he　urged。



At　the　gate；　she　turned　quickly　toward　him；　and　said　over　her

shoulder；　all　in　a　breath：　　〃Yes！　　Come　again　to…morrow　morning

and　I'll　be　on　the　corner。　　Bring　your　'cordion！〃



And　she　ran　into　the　house；　Mitchy…Mitch　waving　a　loving　hand

to　the　boy　on　the　sidewalk　until　the　front　door　closed。







CHAPTER　XIX

THE　INNER　BOY



Penrod　went　home　in　splendour；　pretending　that　he　and　Duke　were　a

long　procession；　and　he　made　enough　noise　to　render　the　auricular

part　of　the　illusion　perfect。　　His　own　family　were　already　at　the

lunch…table　when　he　arrived；　and　the　parade　halted　only　at　the

door　of　the　dining…room。



〃Oh　SOMETHING！〃　shouted　Mr。　Schofield；　clasping　his

bilious　brow　with　both　hands。　　〃Stop　that　noise！　　Isn't　it　awful

enough　for　you　to　SING？　　Sit　DOWN！　　Not　with　that　thing

on！　　Take　that　green　rope　off　your　shoulder！　　Now　take　that　thing

out　of　the　dining…room　and　throw　it　in　the　ash…can！　

Where　did　you　get　it？〃



〃Where　did　I　get　what；　papa？〃　asked　Penrod　meekly；　depositing

the　accordion　in　the　hall　just　outside　the　dining…room　door。



〃That　dathat　third…hand　concertina。〃



〃It's　a　'cordian；〃　said　Penrod；　taking　his　place　at　the

table；　and　noticing　that　both　Margaret　and　Mr。　Robert　Williams

（who　happened　to　be　a　guest）　were　growing　red。



〃I　don't　care　what　you　call　it；〃　said　Mr。　Schofield

irritably。　　〃I　want　to　know　where　you　got　it。〃



Penrod's　eyes　met　Margaret's：　hers　had　a　strained　expression。



She　very　slightly　shook　her　head。　　Penrod　sent　Mr。　Williams　a

grateful　look；　and　might　have　been　startled　if　he　could　have　seen

himself　in　a　mirror　at　that　moment；　for　he　regarded　Mitchy…Mitch

with　concealed　but　vigorous　aversion　and　the　resemblance　would

have　horrified　him。



〃A　man　gave　it　to　me；〃　he　answered　gently；　and　was　rewarded

by　the　visibly　regained　ease　of　his　patron's　manner；　while

Margaret　leaned　back　in　her　chair　and　looked　at　her　brother　with

real　devotion。



〃I　should　think　he'd　have　been　glad　to；〃　said　Mr。　Schofield。　

〃Who　was　he？〃



〃Sir？〃　　In　spite　of　the　candy　which　he　had　consumed　in

company　with　Marjorie　and　Mitchy…Mitch；　Penrod　had　begun　to

eat　lobster　croquettes　earnestly。



〃Who　WAS　he？〃



〃Who　do　you　mean；　papa？〃



〃The　man　that　gave　you　that　ghastly　Thing！〃



〃Yessir。　　A　man　gave　it　to　me。〃



〃I　say；　Who　WAS　he？〃　shouted　Mr。　Schofield。



〃Well；　I　was　just　walking　along；　and　the　man　came　up　to　meit

was　right　down　in　front　of　Colgate's；　where　most　of　the　paint's

rubbed　off　the　fence〃



〃Penrod！〃　　The　father　used　his　most　dangerous　tone。



〃Sir？〃



〃Who　was　the　man　that　gave　you　the　concertina？〃



〃I　don't　know。　　I　was　walking　along〃



〃You　never　saw　him　before？〃



〃No；　sir。　　I　was　just　walk〃



〃That　will　do；〃　said　Mr。　Schofield；　rising。　　〃I　suppose　every

family　has　its　secret　enemies　and　this　was　one　of　ours。　　I　must

ask　to　be　excused！〃



With　that；　he　went　out　crossly；　stopping　in　the　hall　a　moment

before　passing　beyond　hearing。　　And；　after　lunch；　Penrod　sought

in　vain　for　his　accordion；　he　even　searched　the　library　where　his

father　sat　reading；　though；　upon　inquiry；　Penrod　explained　that

he　was　looking　for　a　misplaced　schoolbook。　　He　thought　he　ought

to　study　a　little　every　day；　he　said；　even　during　vacation…time。　

Much　pleased；　Mr。　Schofield　rose　and　joined　the　search；

finding　the　missing　work　on　mathematics　with　singular　easewhich

cost　him　precisely　the　price　of　the　book　the　following　September。



Penrod　departed　to　study　in　the　backyard。　　There；　after　a

cautious　survey　of　the　neighbourhood；　he　managed　to　dislodge　the

iron　cover　of　the　cistern；　and　dropped　the　arithmetic　within。　　A

fine　splash　rewarded　his　listening　ear。　　Thus　assured　that　when

he　looked　for　that　book　again　no　one　would　find　it　for　him；　he

replaced　the　cover；　and　betook　himself　pensively　to　the　highway；

discouraging　Duke　from　following　by　repeated　volleys　of　stones；

some　imaginary　and　others　all　too　real。



Distant　strains　of　brazen　horns　and　the　throbbing　of　drums

were　borne　to　him　upon　the　kind　breeze；　reminding　him　that　the

world　was　made　for　joy；　and　that　the　Barzee　and　Potter　Dog　and

Pony　Show　was　exhibiting　in　a　banlieue　not　far　away。　　So；　thither

he　bent　his　stepsthe　plentiful　funds　in　his　pocket　burning　hot

holes　all　the　way。　　He　had　paid　twenty…two　cents　for　the

accordion；　and　fifteen　for　candy；　he　had　bo