penrod-第22部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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

gave　you　that　dollar？'　　Only　he　didn't　say　‘WHO'he　said

something　horrible；　Bob！　　And　Penrod　thought　he　was　going　to　die；

and　he　said　you　gave　it　to　him；　and　oh！　it　was　just　pitiful　to

hear　the　poor　child；　Bob；　because　he　thought　he　was　dying；　you

see；　and　he　blamed　you　for　the　whole　thing。　　He　said　if　you'd

only　let　him　alone　and　not　given　it　to　him；　he'd　have　grown

up　to　be　a　good　manand　now　he　couldn't！　　I　never　heard　anything

so　heart…rendinghe　was　so　weak　he　could　hardly　whisper；　but　he

kept　trying　to　talk；　telling　us　over　and　over　it　was　all　your

fault。〃



In　the　darkness　Mr。　Williams'　facial　expression　could　not　be

seen；　but　his　voice　sounded　hopeful。



〃Is　heis　he　still　in　a　great　deal　of　pain？〃



〃They　say　the　crisis　is　past；〃　said　Margaret；　〃but　the

doctor's　still　up　there。　　He　said　it　was　the　acutest　case　of

indigestion　he　had　ever　treated　in　the　whole　course　of　his

professional　practice。〃



〃Of　course　_I_　didn't　know　what　he'd　do　with　the　dollar；〃

said　Robert。



She　did　not　reply。



He　began　plaintively；　〃Margaret；　you　don't〃



〃I've　never　seen　papa　and　mamma　so　upset　about　anything；〃　she

said；　rather　primly。



〃You　mean　they're　upset　about　ME？〃



〃We　ARE　all　very　much　upset；〃　returned　Margaret；　more

starch　in　her　tone　as　she　remembered　not　only　Penrod's　sufferings

but　a　duty　she　had　vowed　herself　to　perform。



〃Margaret！　　YOU　don't〃



〃Robert；〃　she　said　firmly　and；　also；　with　a　rhetorical

complexity　which　breeds　a　suspicion　of　pre…rehearsal〃Robert；

for　the　present　I　can　only　look　at　it　in　one　way：　when　you　gave

that　money　to　Penrod　you　put　into　the　hands　of　an　unthinking

little　child　a　weapon　which　might　be；　and；　indeed　was；　the　means

of　his　undoing。　　Boys　are　not　respon〃



〃But　you　saw　me　give　him　the　dollar；　and　you　didn't〃



〃Robert！〃　she　checked　him　with　increasing　severity。　　〃I　am

only　a　woman　and　not　accustomed　to　thinking　everything　out　on　the

spur　of　the　moment；　but　I　cannot　change　my　mind。　　Not　now；　at

least。〃



〃And　you　think　I'd　better　not　come　in　to…night？〃



〃To…night！〃　she　gasped。　　〃Not　for　WEEKS！　　Papa　would〃



〃But　Margaret；〃　he　urged　plaintively；　〃how　can　you　blame　me

for〃



〃I　have　not　used　the　word　‘blame；'〃　she　interrupted。　　〃But　I

must　insist　that　for　your　carelessness　toto　wreak　such　havoc

cannot　fail　toto　lessen　my　confidence　in　your　powers　of

judgment。　　I　cannot　change　my　convictions　in　this　matternot　to…

nightand　I　cannot　remain　here　another　instant。　　The　poor　child

may　need　me。　　Robert；　good…night。〃



With　chill　dignity　she　withdrew；　entered　the　house；　and

returned　to　the　sick…room；　leaving　the　young　man　in　outer

darkness　to　brood　upon　his　crimeand　upon　Penrod。





That　sincere　invalid　became　convalescent　upon　the　third　day；

and　a　week　elapsed；　then；　before　he　found　an　opportunity　to

leave　the　house　unaccompaniedsave　by　Duke。　　But　at　last　he　set

forth　and　approached　the　Jones　neighbourhood　in　high　spirits；

pleasantly　conscious　of　his　pallor；　hollow　cheeks；　and　other

perquisites　of　illness　provocative　of　interest。



One　thought　troubled　him　a　little　because　it　gave　him　a　sense

of　inferiority　to　a　rival。　　He　believed；　against　his　will；　that

Maurice　Levy　could　have　successfully　eaten　chocolate…creams；

licorice　sticks；　lemon…drops；　jaw…breakers；　peanuts；　waffles；

lobster　croquettes；　sardines；　cinnamon…drops；　watermelon；

pickles；　popcorn；　ice…cream　and　sausage　with　raspberry　lemonade

and　cider。　　Penrod　had　admitted　to　himself　that　Maurice　could　do

it　and　afterward　attend　to　business；　or　pleasure；　without　the

slightest　discomfort；　and　this　was　probably　no　more　than　a　fair

estimate　of　one　of　the　great　constitutions　of　all　time。　　As　a

digester；　Maurice　Levy　would　have　disappointed　a　Borgia。



Fortunately；　Maurice　was　still　at　Atlantic　Cityand　now　the

convalescent's　heart　leaped。　　In　the　distance　he　saw　Marjorie

comingin　pink　again；　with　a　ravishing　little　parasol　over　her

head。　　And　alone！　　No　Mitchy…Mitch　was　to　mar　this　meeting。



Penrod　increased　the　feebleness　of　his　steps；　now　and　then

leaning　upon　the　fence　as　if　for　support。



〃How　do　you　do；　Marjorie？〃　he　said；　in　his　best　sick…room

voice；　as　she　came　near。



To　his　pained　amazement；　she　proceeded　on　her　way；　her　nose

at　a　celebrated　elevationan　icy　nose。



She　cut　him　dead。



He　threw　his　invalid's　airs　to　the　winds；　and　hastened　after

her。



〃Marjorie；〃　he　pleaded；　〃what's　the　matter？　　Are　you　mad？　

Honest；　that　day　you　said　to　come　back　next　morning；　and　you'd　be

on　the　corner；　I　was　sick。　　Honest；　I　was　AWFUL　sick；

Marjorie！　　I　had　to　have　the　doctor〃



〃DOCTOR！〃　　She　whirled　upon　him；　her　lovely　eyes　blazing。



〃I　guess　WE'VE　had　to　have　the　doctor　enough　at　OUR

house；　thanks　to　you；　Mister　Penrod　Schofield。　　Papa　says　you

haven't　got　NEAR　sense　enough　to　come　in　out　of　the　rain；

after　what　you　did　to　poor　little　Mitchy…Mitch〃



〃What？〃



〃Yes；　and　he's　sick　in　bed　YET！〃　　Marjorie　went　on；　with

unabated　fury。　　〃And　papa　says　if　he　ever　catches　you　in　this

part　of　town〃



〃WHAT'D　I　do　to　Mitchy…Mitch？〃　gasped　Penrod。



〃You　know　well　enough　what　you　did　to　Mitchy…Mitch！〃　she

cried。　　〃You　gave　him　that　great；　big；　nasty　two…cent　piece！〃



〃Well；　what　of　it？〃



〃Mitchy…Mitch　swallowed　it！〃



〃What！〃



〃And　papa　says　if　he　ever　just　lays　eyes　on　you；　once；　in

this　neighbourhood〃



But　Penrod　had　started　for　home。



In　his　embittered　heart　there　was　increasing　a　critical

disapproval　of　the　Creator's　methods。　　When　He　made　pretty　girls；

thought　Penrod；　why　couldn't　He　have　left　out　their　little

brothers！　

　

　



CHAPTER　XXI

RUPE　COLLINS



For　several　days　after　this；　Penrod　thought　of　growing　up　to　be　a

monk；　and　engaged　in　good　works　so　far　as　to　carry　some　kittens

（that　otherwise　would　have　been　drowned）　and　a　pair　of　Margaret's

outworn　dancing…slippers　to　a　poor；　ungrateful　old　man　sojourning

in　a　shed　up　the　alley。　　And　although　Mr。　Robert　Williams；　after

a　very　short　interval；　began　to　leave　his　guitar　on　the　front

porch　again；　exactly　as　if　he　thought　nothing　had　happened；

Penrod；　with　his　younger　vision　of　a　father's　mood；　remained

coldly　distant　from　the　Jones　neighbourhood。　　With　his　own　family

his　manner　was　gentle；　proud　and　sad；　but　not　for　long

enough　to　frighten　them。　　The　change　came　with　mystifying

abruptness　at　the　end　of　the　week。



It　was　Duke　who　brought　it　about。



Duke　could　chase　a　much　bigger　dog　out　of　the　Schofields'

yard　and　far　down　the　street。　　This　might　be　thought　to　indicate

unusual　valour　on　the　part　of　Duke　and　cowardice　on　that　of　the

bigger　dogs　whom　he　undoubtedly　put　to　rout。　　On　the　contrary；

all　such　flights　were　founded　in　mere　superstition；　for　dogs　are

even　more　superstitious　than　boys　and　coloured　people；　and　the

most　firmly　established　of　all　dog　superstitions　is　that　any

dogbe　he　the　smallest　and　feeblest　in　the　worldcan　whip　any

trespasser　whatsoever。



A　rat…terrier　believes　that　on　his　home　grounds　he　can　whip

an　elephant。　　It　follows；　of　course；　that　a　big　dog；　away　from

his　own　home；　will　run　from　a　little　dog　in　the　little　dog's

neighbourhood。　　Otherwise；　the　big　dog　must　face　a　charge　of

inconsistency；　and　dogs　are　as　consistent　as　they　are

superstitious。　　A　dog　believes　in　war；　but　he　is　convinced　that

there　are　times　when　it　is　moral　to　run；　and　the　thoughtful

physiognomist；　seeing　a　big　dog　fleeing　out　of　a　little　dog's

yard；　must　observe　that　the　expression　of　the　big　dog's　face　is

more　conscientious　than　alarmed：　it　is　the　expression　of　a　person

performing　a　duty　to　himself。



Penrod　understood　these　matters　perfectly；　he　knew　that

the　gaunt　brown　hound　Duke　chased　up　the　alley　had　fled　only　out

of　deference　to　a　custom；　yet　Penrod　could　not　refrain　from

bragging　of　Duke　to　the　hound's　owner；　a　fat…faced　stranger　of

twelve　or　thirteen；　who　had　wandered　into　the　neighbourhood。



〃You　better　keep　that　ole　yellow　dog　o'　yours　back；〃　said

Penrod　ominously；　as　he　climbed　the　fence。　　〃You　better　catch　him

and　hold　him　till　I　get　mine　inside　the　yard　again。　　Duke's

chewed　up　some　pretty　bad　bulldogs　around　here。〃



The　fat…faced　boy　gave　Penrod　a　fishy　stare。　　〃You'd　oughta

learn　him　not　to　do　that；〃　he　said。　　〃It'll　make　him　sick。〃



〃What　will？〃



The　stranger　laughed　raspingly　and　gazed　up　the　alley；　where

the　hound；　having　come　to　a　halt；　now　coolly　sat　down；　and；　with

an　expression　of　roguish　benevolence；　patronizingly　watched　the

tempered　fury　of　Duke；　whose　assaults　and　barkings　were　becoming

perfunctory。



〃What'll　make　Duke　sick？〃　Penrod　demanded。



〃Eatin'　dead　bulldogs　people　leave　around　here。〃



This　was　not　improvisation　but　formula；　adapted　from　other

occasions　to　the　present　encounter；　nevertheless；　it　was　new　to

Penrod；　and　he　was　so　taken　with　it　that　resentment　lost　itself

in　admiration。　　Hastily　committing　the　gem　to　memory　for　use　upon

a　dog…owning　friend；　he　inquired　in　a　sociable　tone：



〃What's　your　dog's　name？〃



〃Dan。　　You　better　call　your　ole　pup；　'cause　Dan　eats　LIVE

dogs。〃



Dan's　actions　poorly　supported　his　master's　assertion；　for；

upon　Duke's　ceasing　to　bark；　Dan　rose　and　showed　the　most

courteous　interest　in　making　the　little；　old　dog's　acquaintance。　

Dan　had　a　great　deal　of　manner；　and　it　became　plain　that　Duke　was

impressed　favourably　in　spite　of　former　prejudice；　so　that

presently　the　two　trotted　amicably　back　to　their　masters　and　sat

down　with　the　harmonious　but　indifferent　air　of　having　known　each

other　intimately　for　years。



They　were　received　without　comment；　though　both　boys　looked

at　them　reflectively　for　a　time。　　It　was　Penrod　who　spoke　first。



〃What　number　you　go　to？〃　　（In　an　〃oral　lesson　in　English；〃

Penrod　had　been　instructed　to　put　this　quest