penrod-第23部分

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

Penrod　had　been　instructed　to　put　this　question　in　another　form：　

〃May　I　ask　which　of　our　public　schools　you　attend？〃）



〃Me？　　What　number　do　I　go　to？〃　said　the　stranger；

contemptuously。　　〃I　don't　go　to　NO　number　in　vacation！〃



〃I　mean　when　it　ain't。〃



〃Third；〃　returned　the　fat…faced　boy。　　〃I　got　'em　ALL

scared　in　THAT　school。〃



〃What　of？〃　innocently　asked　Penrod；　to　whom　〃the　Third〃in　a

distant　part　of　townwas　undiscovered　country。



〃What　of？　　I　guess　you'd　soon　see　what　of；　if　you　ever

was　in　that　school　about　one　day。　　You'd　be　lucky　if　you　got　out

alive！〃



〃Are　the　teachers　mean？〃



The　other　boy　frowned　with　bitter　scorn。　　〃Teachers！　

Teachers　don't　order　ME　around；　I　can　tell　you！　　They're

mighty　careful　how　they　try　to　run　over　Rupe　Collins。〃



〃Who's　Rupe　Collins？〃



〃Who　is　he？〃　echoed　the　fat…faced　boy　incredulously。　　〃Say；

ain't　you　got　ANY　sense？〃



〃What？〃



〃Say；　wouldn't　you　be　just　as　happy　if　you　had　SOME

sense？〃



〃Ye…es。〃　　Penrod's　answer；　like　the　look　he　lifted　to　the

impressive　stranger；　was　meek　and　placative。　　〃Rupe　Collins　is

the　principal　at　your　school；　guess。〃



The　other　yelled　with　jeering　laughter；　and　mocked　Penrod's

manner　and　voice。　　〃‘Rupe　Collins　is　the　principal　at　your

school；　I　guess！'〃　　He　laughed　harshly　again；　then　suddenly

showed　truculence。　　〃Say；　'bo；　whyn't　you　learn　enough　to　go　in

the　house　when　it　rains？　　What's　the　matter　of　you；　anyhow？〃



〃Well；〃　urged　Penrod　timidly；　〃nobody　ever　TOLD　me　who

Rupe　Collins　is：　　I　got　a　RIGHT　to　think　he's　the　principal；

haven't　I？〃



The　fat…faced　boy　shook　his　head　disgustedly。　　〃Honest；　you

make　me　sick！〃



Penrod's　expression　became　one　of　despair。　　Well；　who　IS

he？〃　he　cried。



〃‘Who　IS　he？'〃　mocked　the　other；　with　a　scorn　that

withered。　　〃‘Who　IS　he？'　　ME！〃



〃Oh！〃　Penrod　was　humiliated　but　relieved：　he　felt　that　he　had

proved　himself　criminally　ignorant；　yet　a　peril　seemed　to　have

passed。　　〃Rupe　Collins　is　your　name；　then；　I　guess。　　I　kind　of

thought　it　was；　all　the　time。〃



The　fat…faced　boy　still　appeared　embittered；　burlesquing　this

speech　in　a　hateful　falsetto。　　〃‘Rupe　Collins　is　YOUR　name；

then；　I　guess！'　　Oh；　you　‘kind　of　thought　it　was；　all　the　time；'

did　you？〃　　Suddenly　concentrating　his　brow　into　a　histrionic

scowl　he　thrust　his　face　within　an　inch　of　Penrod's。　　〃Yes；

sonny；　Rupe　Collins　is　my　name；　and　you　better　look　out　what　you

say　when　he's　around　or　you'll　get　in　big　trouble！　　YOU

UNDERSTAND　THAT；　'BO？〃



Penrod　was　cowed　but　fascinated：　he　felt　that　there　was

something　dangerous　and　dashing　about　this　newcomer。



〃Yes；〃　he　said；　feebly；　drawing　back。　　〃My　name's　Penrod

Schofield。〃



〃Then　I　reckon　your　father　and　mother　ain't　got　good　sense；〃

said　Mr。　Collins　promptly；　this　also　being　formula。



〃Why？〃



〃'Cause　if　they　had　they'd　of　give　you　a　good　name！〃　　And　the

agreeable　youth　instantly　rewarded　himself　for　the　wit　with

another　yell　of　rasping　laughter；　after　which　he　pointed　suddenly

at　Penrod's　right　hand。



〃Where'd　you　get　that　wart　on　your　finger？〃　he　demanded

severely。



〃Which　finger？〃　asked　the　mystified　Penrod；　extending　his

hand。



〃The　middle　one。〃



〃Where？〃



〃There！〃　exclaimed　Rupe　Collins；　seizing　and　vigorously

twisting　the　wartless　finger　naively　offered　for　his　inspection。



〃Quit！〃　shouted　Penrod　in　agony。　　〃QUEE…yut！〃



〃Say　your　prayers！〃　commanded　Rupe；　and　continued　to　twist

the　luckless　finger　until　Penrod　writhed　to　his　knees。



〃OW！〃　　The　victim；　released；　looked　grievously　upon　the

still　painful　finger。



At　this　Rupe's　scornful　expression　altered　to　one　of

contrition。　　〃Well；　I　declare！〃　he　exclaimed　remorsefully。　　〃I

didn't　s'pose　it　would　hurt。　　Turn　about's　fair　play；　so　now　you

do　that　to　me。〃



He　extended　the　middle　finger　of　his　left　hand　and　Penrod

promptly　seized　it；　but　did　not　twist　it；　for　he　was　instantly

swung　round　with　his　back　to　his　amiable　new　acquaintance：　Rupe's

right　hand　operated　upon　the　back　of　Penrod's　slender　neck；

Rupe's　knee　tortured　the　small　of　Penrod's　back。



〃OW！〃　　Penrod　bent　far　forward　involuntarily　and　went　to

his　knees　again。



〃Lick　dirt；〃　commanded　Rupe；　forcing　the　captive's　face　to

the　sidewalk；　and　the　suffering　Penrod　completed　this　ceremony。



Mr。　Collins　evinced　satisfaction　by　means　of　his　horse　laugh。



〃You'd　last　jest　about　one　day　up　at　the　Third！〃　he　said。　　〃You'd

come　runnin'　home；　yellin'　‘MOM…MUH；　MOM…muh；'　before　recess

was　over！〃



〃No；　I　wouldn't；〃　Penrod　protested　rather　weakly；　dusting　his

knees。



〃You　would；　too！〃



〃No；　I　w



〃Looky　here；〃　said　the　fat…faced　boy；　darkly；　〃what　you　mean；

counterdicking　me？〃



He　advanced　a　step　and　Penrod　hastily　qualified　his

contradiction。



〃I　mean；　I　don't　THINK　I　would。　　I〃



〃You　better　look　out！〃　　Rupe　moved　closer；　and　unexpectedly

grasped　the　back　of　Penrod's　neck　again。　　〃Say；　‘I　WOULD　run

home　yellin'　〃MOM…muh！〃



〃Ow！　I　WOULD　run　home　yellin'　‘Mom…muh。'〃



〃There！〃　said　Rupe；　giving　the　helpless　nape　a　final　squeeze。

〃That's　the　way　we　do　up　at　the　Third。〃



Penrod　rubbed　his　neck　and　asked　meekly：



〃Can　you　do　that　to　any　boy　up　at　the　Third？〃



〃See　here　now；〃　said　Rupe；　in　the　tone　of　one　goaded　beyond

all　endurance；　〃YOU　say　if　I　can！　　You　better　say　it　quick；

or〃



〃I　knew　you　could；〃　Penrod　interposed　hastily；　with　the

pathetic　semblance　of　a　laugh。　　〃I　only　said　that　in　fun。〃



〃In　‘fun'！〃　repeated　Rupe　stormily。　　〃You　better　look　out　how

you〃



〃Well；　I　SAID　I　wasn't　in　earnest！〃　Penrod　retreated　a

few　steps。　　〃_I_　knew　you　could；　all　the　time。　　I　expect　_I_

could　do　it　to　some　of　the　boys　up　at　the　Third；　myself。　

Couldn't　I？〃



〃No；　you　couldn't。〃



〃Well；　there　must　be　SOME　boy　up　there　that　I　could〃



〃No；　they　ain't！　　You　better〃



〃I　expect　not；　then；〃　said　Penrod；　quickly。



〃You　BETTER　‘expect　not。'　　Didn't　I　tell　you　once　you'd

never　get　back　alive　if　you　ever　tried　to　come　up　around　the

Third？　　You　want　me　to　SHOW　you　how　we　do　up　there；　'bo？〃



He　began　a　slow　and　deadly　advance；　whereupon　Penrod　timidly

offered　a　diversion：



〃Say；　Rupe；　I　got　a　box　of　rats　in　our　stable　under　a　glass

cover；　so　you　can　watch　'em　jump　around　when　you　hammer　on　the

box。　　Come　on　and　look　at　'em。〃



〃All　right；〃　said　the　fat…faced　boy；　slightly　mollified。　

〃We'll　let　Dan　kill　'em。〃



〃No；　SIR！　　I'm　goin'　to　keep　'em。　　They're　kind　of　pets；

I've　had　'em　all　summerI　got　names　for　em；　and〃



〃Looky　here；　'bo。　　Did　you　hear　me　say　we'll　let　‘Dan　kill

'em？〃



〃Yes；　but　I　won't〃



〃WHAT　won't　you？〃　Rupe　became　sinister　immediately。　　〃It

seems　to　me　you're　gettin'　pretty　fresh　around　here。〃



〃Well；　I　don't　want〃



Mr。　Collins　once　more　brought　into　play　the　dreadful　eye…to…

eye　scowl　as　practised　〃up　at　the　Third；〃　and；　sometimes；　also　by

young　leading　men　upon　the　stage。　　Frowning　appallingly；　and

thrusting　forward　his　underlip；　he　placed　his　nose　almost　in

contact　with　the　nose　of　Penrod；　whose　eyes　naturally　became

crossed。



〃Dan　kills　the　rats。　　See？〃　hissed　the　fat…faced　boy；

maintaining　the　horrible　juxtaposition。



〃Well；　all　right；〃　said　Penrod；　swallowing。　　〃I　don't　want

'em　much。〃　　And　when　the　pose　had　been　relaxed；　he　stared　at　his

new　friend　for　a　moment；　almost　with　reverence。　　Then　he

brightened。



〃Come　on；　Rupe！〃　he　cried　enthusiastically；　as　he　climbed　the

fence。　　〃We'll　give　our　dogs　a　little　live　meat'bo！〃







CHAPTER　XXII　

THE　IMITATOR



At　the　dinner…table；　that　evening；　Penrod　Surprised　his　family　by

remarking；　in　a　voice　they　had　never　heard　him　attempta　law…

giving　voice　of　intentional　gruffness：



〃Any　man　that's　makin'　a　hunderd　dollars　a　month　is　makin'

good　money。〃



〃What？〃　asked　Mr。　Schofield；　staring；　for　the　previous

conversation　had　concerned　the　illness　of　an　infant　relative　in

Council　Bluffs。



〃Any　man　that's　makin'　a　hunderd　dollars　a　month　is　makin'

good　money。〃



〃What　IS　he　talking　about！〃　Margaret　appealed　to　the

invisible。



〃Well；〃　said　Penrod；　frowning；　〃that's　what　foremen　at　the

ladder　works　get。〃



〃How　in　the　world　do　you　know？〃　asked　his　mother。



〃Well；　I　KNOW　it！　　A　hunderd　dollars　a　month　is　good

money；　I　tell　you！〃



〃Well；　what　of　it？〃　said　the　father；　impatiently。



〃Nothin'。　　I　only　said　it　was　good　money。〃



Mr。　Schofield　shook　his　head；　dismissing　the　subject；　and

here　he　made　a　mistake：　he　should　have　followed　up　his　son's

singular　contribution　to　the　conversation。　　That　would　have

revealed　the　fact　that　there　was　a　certain　Rupe　Collins　whose

father　was　a　foreman　at　the　ladder　works。　　All　clues　are

important　when　a　boy　makes　his　first　remark　in　a　new　key。



〃‘Good　money'？〃　repeated　Margaret；　curiously。　　〃What　is

‘good'　money？〃



Penrod　turned　upon　her　a　stern　glance。　　〃Say；　wouldn't　you　be

just　as　happy　if　you　had　SOME　sense？〃



〃Penrod！〃　shouted　his　father。　　But　Penrod's　mother　gazed　with

dismay　at　her　son：　he　had　never　before　spoken　like　that　to　his

sister。



Mrs。　Schofield　might　have　been　more　dismayed　than　she　was；　if

she　had　realized　that　it　was　the　beginning　of　an　epoch。　　After

dinner；　Penrod　was　slightly　scalded　in　the　back　as　the　result　of

telling　Della；　the　cook；　that　there　was　a　wart　on　the　middle

finger　of　her　right　hand。　　Della　thus　proving　poor　material　for

his　new　manner　to　work　upon；　he　approached　Duke；　in　the　backyard；

and；　bending　double；　seized　the　lowly　animal　by　the　forepaws。



〃I　let　you　know　my　name's　Penrod　Schofield；〃　hissed　the　boy。　

He　protruded　his　underlip　ferociously；　scowled；　and　thrust

forward　his　head　until　his　nose　touched　the　dog's。　　〃And　you

better　look　out　when　Penrod　Scho