penrod-第21部分

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

accordion；　and　fifteen　for　candy；　he　had　bought　the　mercenary

heart　of　Mitchy…Mitch　for　two：　it　certainly　follows　that　there

remained　to　him　of　his　dollar；　sixty…one　centsa　fair　fortune；

and　most　unusual。



Arrived　upon　the　populous　and　festive　scene　of　the　Dog　and

Pony　Show；　he　first　turned　his　attention　to　the　brightly

decorated　booths　which　surrounded　the　tent。　　The　cries　of

the　peanut　vendors；　of　the　popcorn　men；　of　the　toy…balloon

sellers；　the　stirring　music　of　the　band；　playing　before　the

performance　to　attract　a　crowd；　the　shouting　of　excited　children

and　the　barking　of　the　dogs　within　the　tent；　all　sounded

exhilaratingly　in　Penrod's　ears　and　set　his　blood　a…tingle。　

Nevertheless；　he　did　not　squander　his　money　or　fling　it　to　the

winds　in　one　grand　splurge。　　Instead；　he　began　cautiously　with

the　purchase　of　an　extraordinarily　large　pickle；　which　he

obtained　from　an　aged　negress　for　his　odd　cent；　too　obvious　a

bargain　to　be　missed。　　At　an　adjacent　stand　he　bought　a　glass　of

raspberry　lemonade　（so　alleged）　and　sipped　it　as　he　ate　the

pickle。　　He　left　nothing　of　either。



Next；　he　entered　a　small　restaurant…tent　and　for　a　modest

nickel　was　supplied　with　a　fork　and　a　box　of　sardines；　previously

opened；　it　is　true；　but　more　than　half　full。　　He　consumed　the

sardines　utterly；　but　left　the　tin　box　and　the　fork；　after　which

he　indulged　in　an　inexpensive　half…pint　of　lukewarm　cider；　at　one

of　the　open　booths。　　Mug　in　hand；　a　gentle　glow　radiating　toward

his　surface　from　various　centres　of　activity　deep　inside　him；　he

paused　for　breathand　the　cool；　sweet　cadences　of　the　watermelon

man　fell　delectably　upon　his　ear：



〃Ice…cole　WATER…melon；　ice…cole　water…MELON；　the

biggest　slice　of　ICE…cole；　ripe；　red；　ICE…cole；　rich　an'

rare；　the　biggest　slice　of　ice…cole　watermelon　ever　cut　by

the　hand　of　man！　　BUY　our　ICE…cole　water…melon？〃



Penrod；　having　drained　the　last　drop　of　cider；　complied　with

the　watermelon　man's　luscious　entreaty；　and　received　a　round

slice　of　the　fruit；　magnificent　in　circumference　and　something

over　an　inch　in　thickness。　　Leaving　only　the　really　dangerous

part　of　the　rind　behind　him；　he　wandered　away　from　the　vicinity

of　the　watermelon　man　and　supplied　himself　with　a　bag　of　peanuts；

which；　with　the　expenditure　of　a　dime　for　admission；　left　a

quarter　still　warm　in　his　pocket。　　However；　he　managed　to　〃break〃

the　coin　at　a　stand　inside　the　tent；　where　a　large；　oblong　paper

box　of　popcorn　was　handed　him；　with　twenty　cents　change。　　The　box

was　too　large　to　go　into　his　pocket；　but；　having　seated　himself

among　some　wistful　Polack　children；　he　placed　it　in　his　lap　and

devoured　the　contents　at　leisure　during　the　performance。　　The

popcorn　was　heavily　larded　with　partially　boiled　molasses；　and

Penrod　sandwiched　mouthfuls　of　peanuts　with　gobs　of　this　mass

until　the　peanuts　were　all　gone。　　After　that；　he　ate　with　less

avidity；　a　sense　almost　of　satiety　beginning　to　manifest　itself

to　him；　and　it　was　not　until　the　close　of　the　performance　that　he

disposed　of　the　last　morsel。



He　descended　a　little　heavily　to　the　outflowing　crowd　in　the

arena；　and　bought　a　caterwauling　toy　balloon；　but　showed　no　great

enthusiasm　in　manipulating　it。　　Near　the　exit；　as　he　came

out；　was　a　hot…waffle　stand　which　he　had　overlooked；　and　a　sense

of　duty　obliged　him　to　consume　the　three　waffles；　thickly

powdered　with　sugar；　which　the　waffle　man　cooked　for　him　upon

command。



They　left　a　hottish　taste　in　his　mouth；　they　had　not　been

quite　up　to　his　anticipation；　indeed；　and　it　was　with　a　sense　of

relief　that　he　turned　to　the　〃hokey…pokey〃　cart　which　stood　close

at　hand；　laden　with　square　slabs　of　〃Neapolitan　ice…cream〃

wrapped　in　paper。　　He　thought　the　ice…cream　would　be　cooling；　but

somehow　it　fell　short　of　the　desired　effect；　and　left　a　peculiar

savour　in　his　throat。



He　walked　away；　too　languid　to　blow　his　balloon；　and　passed　a

fresh…taffy　booth　with　strange　indifference。　　A　bare…armed　man

was　manipulating　the　taffy　over　a　hook；　pulling　a　great　white

mass　to　the　desired　stage　of　〃candying；〃　but　Penrod　did　not　pause

to　watch　the　operation；　in　fact；　he　averted　his　eyes　（which　were

slightly　glazed）　in　passing。　　He　did　not　analyze　his　motives：

simply；　he　was　conscious　that　he　preferred　not　to　look　at　the

mass　of　taffy。



For　some　reason；　he　put　a　considerable　distance　between

himself　and　the　taffy…stand；　but　before　long　halted　in　the

presence　of　a　red…faced　man　who　flourished　a　long　fork　over　a

small　cooking　apparatus　and　shouted　jovially：　　〃Winnies！　

HERE'S　your　hot　winnies！　　Hot　winny…WURST！　　Food　for　the

over…worked　brain；　nourishing　for　the　weak　stummick；

entertaining　for　the　tired　business　man！　　HERE'S　your　hot

winnies；　three　for　a　nickel；　a　half…a…dime；　the　twentieth…pot…of…

a…dollah！〃



This；　above　all　nectar　and　ambrosia；　was　the　favourite　dish

of　Penrod　Schofield。　　Nothing　inside　him　now　craved　iton　the

contrary！　　But　memory　is　the　great　hypnotist；　his　mind　argued

against　his　inwards　that　opportunity　knocked　at　his　door：　〃winny…

wurst〃　was　rigidly　forbidden　by　the　home　authorities。　　Besides；

there　was　a　last　nickel　in　his　pocket；　and　nature　protested

against　its　survival。　　Also；　the　redfaced　man　had　himself

proclaimed　his　wares　nourishing　for　the　weak　stummick。



Penrod　placed　the　nickel　in　the　red　hand　of　the　red…faced

man。



He　ate　two　of　the　three　greasy；　cigarlike　shapes　cordially

pressed　upon　him　in　return。　　The　first　bite　convinced　him　that　he

had　made　a　mistake；　these　winnies　seemed　of　a　very　inferior

flavour；　almost　unpleasant；　in　fact。　　But　he　felt　obliged　to

conceal　his　poor　opinion　of　them；　for　fear　of　offending　the　red…

faced　man。　　He　ate　without　haste　or　eagernessso　slowly；　indeed；

that　he　began　to　think　the　redfaced　man　might　dislike　him；　as　a

deterrent　of　trade。　　Perhaps　Penrod's　mind　was　not　working　well；

for　he　failed　to　remember　that　no　law　compelled　him　to　remain

under　the　eye　of　the　red…faced　man；　but　the　virulent　repulsion

excited　by　his　attempt　to　take　a　bite　of　the　third　sausage

inspired　him　with　at　least　an　excuse　for　postponement。



〃Mighty　good；〃　he　murmured　feebly；　placing　the　sausage　in　the

pocket　of　his　jacket　with　a　shaking　hand。　　〃Guess　I'll　save　this

one　to　eat　at　home；　afterafter　dinner。〃



He　moved　sluggishly　away；　wishing　he　had　not　thought　of

dinner。　　A　side…show；　undiscovered　until　now；　failed　to　arouse

his　interest；　not　even　exciting　a　wish　that　he　had　known　of　its

existence　when　he　had　money。　　For　a　time　he　stared　without

attraction；　the　weather…worn　colours　conveying　no　meaning　to

comprehension　at　a　huge　canvas　poster　depicting　the　chief　his

torpid　eye。　　Then；　little　by　little；　the　poster　became　more　vivid

to　his　consciousness。　　There　was　a　greenish…tinted　person　in　the

tent；　it　seemed；　who　thrived　upon　a　reptilian　diet。



Suddenly；　Penrod　decided　that　it　was　time　to　go　home。







CHAPTER　XX

BROTHERS　OF　ANGELS



〃Indeed；　doctor；〃　said　Mrs。　Schofield；　with　agitation　and

profound　conviction；　just　after　eight　o'clock　that　evening；　〃I

shall　ALWAYS　believe　in　mustard　plastersmustard　plasters　and

hotwater　bags。　　If　it　hadn't　been　for　them　I　don't　believed

he'd　have　LIVED　till　you　got　hereI　do　NOT！〃



〃Margaret；〃　called　Mr。　Schofield　from　the　open　door　of　a

bedroom；　〃Margaret；　where　did　you　put　that　aromatic　ammonia？　

Where's　Margaret？〃



But　he　had　to　find　the　aromatic　spirits　of　ammonia　himself；

for　Margaret　was　not　in　the　house。　　She　stood　in　the　shadow

beneath　a　maple　tree　near　the　street　corner；　a　guitar…

case　in　her　hand；　and　she　scanned　with　anxiety　a　briskly

approaching　figure。　　The　arc　light；　swinging　above；　revealed　this

figure　as　that　of　him　she　awaited。　　He　was　passing　toward　the

gate　without　seeing　her；　when　she　arrested　him　with　a　fateful

whisper。



〃BOB！〃



Mr。　Robert　Williams　swung　about　hastily。　　〃Why；　Margaret！〃



〃Here；　take　your　guitar；〃　she　whispered　hurriedly。　　〃I　was

afraid　if　father　happened　to　find　it　he'd　break　it　all　to

pieces！〃



〃What　for？〃　asked　the　startled　Robert。



〃Because　I'm　sure　he　knows　it's　yours。〃　〃But　what〃



〃Oh；　Bob；〃　she　moaned；　〃I　was　waiting　here　to　tell　you。　　I

was　so　afraid　you'd　try　to　come　in〃



〃TRY！〃　exclaimed　the　unfortunate　young　man；　quite

dumfounded。　　〃TRY　to　come〃



〃Yes；　before　I　warned　you。　　I've　been　waiting　here　to　tell

you；　Bob；　you　mustn't　come　near　the　house　if　I　were　you　I'd　stay

away　from　even　this　neighbourhoodfar　away！　　For　a　while　I　don't

think　it　would　be　actually　SAFE　for〃



〃Margaret；　will　you　please〃



〃It's　all　on　account　of　that　dollar　you　gave　Penrod　this

morning；〃　she　walled。　　〃First；　he　bought　that　horrible　concertina

that　made　papa　so　furious　〃But　Penrod　didn't　tell　that

I〃



〃Oh；　wait！〃　she　cried　lamentably。　　〃Listen！　　He　didn't　tell

at　lunch；　but　he　got　home　about　dinner…time　in　the　mostwell！　

I've　seen　pale　people　before；　but　nothing　like　Penrod。　　Nobody

could　IMAGINE　itnot　unless　they'd　seen　him！　　And　he　looked；

so　STRANGE；　and　kept　making　such　unnatural　faces；　and　at

first　all　he　would　say　was　that　he'd　eaten　a　little　piece　of

apple　and　thought　it　must　have　some　microbes　on　it。　　But　he　got

sicker　and　sicker；　and　we　put　him　to　bedand　then　we　all　thought

he　was　going　to　dieand；　of　COURSE；　no　little　piece　of　apple

would　havewell；　and　he　kept　getting　worse　and　then　he　said　he'd

had　a　dollar。　　He　said　he'd　spent　it　for　the　concertina；　and

watermelon；　and　chocolate…creams；　and　licorice　sticks；　and　lemon…

drops；　and　peanuts；　and　jaw…breakers；　and　sardines；　and　raspberry

lemonade；　and　pickles；　and　popcorn；　and　ice…cream；　and　cider；　and

sausagethere　was　sausage　in　his　pocket；　and　mamma　says　his

jacket　is　ruinedand　cinnamon　dropsand　wafflesand　he　ate

four　or　five　lobster　croquettes　at　lunchand　papa　said；　‘Who

gave　you　that　dollar