penrod-第25部分

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impassive；　and　Sam　Williams　moved　a　little　nearer　the　door

leading　into　the　yard。



Obviously；　Sam　regarded　the　newcomer　as　a　redoubtable　if　not

ominous　figure。　　He　was　a　head　taller　than　either　Sam　or　Penrod；

head　and　shoulders　taller　than　Herman；　who　was　short　for　his　age；

and　Verman　could　hardly　be　used　for　purposes　of　comparison　at

all；　being　a　mere　squat　brown　spot；　not　yet　quite　nine　years　on

this　planet。　　And　to　Sam's　mind；　the　aspect　of　Mr。　Collins

realized　Penrod's　portentous　foreshadowings。　　Upon　the　fat　face

there　was　an　expression　of　truculent　intolerance　which　had　been

cultivated　by　careful　habit　to　such　perfection　that　Sam's　heart

sank　at　sight　of　it。　　A　somewhat　enfeebled　twin　to　this

expression　had　of　late　often　decorated　the　visage　of　Penrod；　and

appeared　upon　that　ingenuous　surface　now；　as　he　advanced　to

welcome　the　eminent　visitor。



The　host　swaggered　toward　the　door　with　a　great　deal　of

shoulder　movement；　carelessly　feinting　a　slap　at　Verman　in

passing；　and　creating　by　various　means　the　atmosphere　of　a　man

who　has　contemptuously　amused　himself　with　underlings　while

awaiting　an　equal。



〃Hello；　'bo！〃　Penrod　said　in　the　deepest　voice　possible　to

him。



〃Who　you　callin'　'bo？〃　was　the　ungracious　response；

accompanied　by　immediate　action　of　a　similar　nature。　　Rupe　held

Penrod's　head　in　the　crook　of　an　elbow　and　massaged　his　temples

with　a　hard…pressing　knuckle。



〃I　was　only　in　fun；　Rupie；〃　pleaded　the　sufferer；　and　then；

being　set　free；　〃Come　here；　Sam；〃　he　said。



〃What　for？〃



Penrod　laughed　pityingly。　　〃Pshaw；　I　ain't　goin'　to　hurt　you。

Come　on。〃　　Sam；　maintaining　his　position　near　the　other　door；

Penrod　went　to　him　and　caught　him　round　the　neck。



〃Watch　me；　Rupie！〃　　Penrod　called；　and　performed　upon　Sam　the

knuckle　operation　which　he　had　himself　just　undergone；　Sam

submitting　mechanically；　his　eyes　fixed　with　increasing

uneasiness　upon　Rupe　Collins。　　Sam　had　a　premonition　that

something　even　more　painful　than　Penrod's　knuckle　was　going

to　be　inflicted　upon　him。



〃THAT　don'　hurt；〃　said　Penrod；　pushing　him　away。



〃Yes；　it　does；　too！〃　　Sam　rubbed　his　temple。



〃Puh！　　It　didn't　hurt　me；　did　it；　Rupie？　　Come　on　in；　Rupe：

show　this　baby　where　he's　got　a　wart　on　his　finger。〃



〃You　showed　me　that　trick；〃　Sam　objected。　　〃You　already　did

that　to　me。　　You　tried　it　twice　this　afternoon　and　I　don't　know

how　many　times　before；　only　you　weren't　strong　enough　after　the

first　time。　　Anyway；　I　know　what　it　is；　and　I　don't〃



〃Come　on；　Rupe；〃　said　Penrod。　　〃Make　the　baby　lick　dirt。〃



At　this　bidding；　Rupe　approached；　while　Sam；　still

protesting；　moved　to　the　threshold　of　the　outer　door；　but　Penrod

seized　him　by　the　shoulders　and　swung　him　indoors　with　a　shout。



〃Little　baby　wants　to　run　home　to　its　Mom…muh！　　Here　he　is；

Rupie。〃



Thereupon　was　Penrod's　treachery　to　an　old　comrade　properly

rewarded；　for　as　the　two　struggled；　Rupe　caught　each　by　the　back

of　the　neck；　simultaneously；　and；　with　creditable　impartiality；

forced　both　boys　to　their　knees。



〃Lick　dirt！〃　he　commanded；　forcing　them　still　forward；　until

their　faces　were　close　to　the　stable　floor。



At　this　moment　he　received　a　real　surprise。　　With　a　loud

whack　something　struck　the　back　of　his　head；　and；　turning；　he

beheld　Verman　in　the　act　of　lifting　a　piece　of　lath　to　strike

again。



〃Em　moys　ome！〃　said　Verman；　the　Giant　Killer。



〃He　tongue…tie'；〃　Herman　explained。　　〃He　say；　let　'em　boys

alone。〃



Rupe　addressed　his　host　briefly：



〃Chase　them　nigs　out　o'　here！〃



〃Don'　call　me　nig；〃　said　Herman。　　〃I　mine　my　own　biznuss。　

You　let　'em　boys　alone。〃



Rupe　strode　across　the　still　prostrate　Sam；　stepped　upon

Penrod；　and；　equipping　his　countenance　with　the　terrifying　scowl

and　protruded　jaw；　lowered　his　head　to　the　level　of　Herman's。



〃Nig；　you'll　be　lucky　if　you　leave　here　alive！〃　　And　he

leaned　forward　till　his　nose　was　within　less　than　an　inch　of

Herman's　nose。



It　could　be　felt　that　something　awful　was　about　to　happen；

and　Penrod；　as　he　rose　from　the　floor；　suffered　an　unexpected

twinge　of　apprehension　and　remorse：　he　hoped　that　Rupe　wouldn't

REALLY　hurt　Herman。　　A　sudden　dislike　of　Rupe　and　Rupe's　ways

rose　within　him；　as　he　looked　at　the　big　boy　overwhelming　the

little　darky　with　that　ferocious　scowl。　　Penrod；　all　at　once；

felt　sorry　about　something　indefinable；　and；　with　equal

vagueness；　he　felt　foolish。　　〃Come　on；　Rupe；〃　he　suggested；

feebly；　〃let　Herman　go；　and　let's　us　make　our　billies　out　of　the

rake　handle。〃



The　rake　handle；　however；　was　not　available；　if　Rupe　had

inclined　to　favour　the　suggestion。　　Verman　had　discarded　his　lath

for　the　rake；　which　he　was　at　this　moment　lifting　in　the　air。



〃You　ole　black　nigger；〃　the　fat…faced　boy　said　venomously　to

Herman；　〃I'm　agoin'　to〃



But　he　had　allowed　his　nose　to　remain　too　long　near　Herman's。



Penrod's　familiar　nose　had　been　as　close　with　only　a　ticklish

spinal　effect　upon　the　not　very　remote　descendant　of　Congo　man…

eaters。　　The　result　produced　by　the　glare　of　Rupe's　unfamiliar

eyes；　and　by　the　dreadfully　suggestive　proximity　of　Rupe's

unfamiliar　nose；　was　altogether　different。　　Herman's　and　Verman's

Bangala　great…grandfathers　never　considered　people　of　their　own

jungle　neighbourhood　proper　material　for　a　meal；　but　they　looked

upon　strangers　especially　truculent　strangersas　distinctly

edible。



Penrod　and　Sam　heard　Rupe　suddenly　squawk　and　bellow；　saw　him

writhe　and　twist　and　fling　out　his　arms　like　flails；　though

without　removing　his　face　from　its　juxtaposition；　indeed；　for　a

moment；　the　two　heads　seemed　even　closer。



Then　they　separatedand　battle　was　on！　

　





CHAPTER　XXIII

COLOURED　TROOPS　IN　ACTION



How　neat　and　pure　is　the　task　of　the　chronicler　who　has　the　tale

to　tell　of　a　〃good　rousing　fight〃　between　boys　or　men　who　fight

in　the　〃good　old　English　way；〃　according　to　a　model　set　for

fights　in　books　long　before　Tom　Brown　went　to　Rugby。　　There　are

seconds　and　rounds　and　rules　of　fair…play；　and　always　there　is

great　good　feeling　in　the　endthough　sometimes；　to　vary　the

model；　〃the　Butcher〃　defeats　the　heroand　the　chronicler　who

stencils　this　fine　old　pattern　on　his　page　is　certain　of　applause

as　the　stirrer　of　〃red　blood。〃　　There　is　no　surer　recipe。



But　when　Herman　and　Verman　set　to　't　the　record　must　be　no

more　than　a　few　fragments　left　by　the　expurgator。　　It　has　been

perhaps　sufficiently　suggested　that　the　altercation　in　Mr。

Schofield's　stable　opened　with　mayhem　in　respect　to　the

aggressor's　nose。　　Expressing　vocally　his　indignation　and　the

extremity　of　his　pained　surprise；　Mr。　Collins　stepped　backward；

holding　his　left　hand　over　his　nose；　and　striking　at　Herman　with

his　right。　　Then　Verman　hit　him　with　the　rake。



Verman　struck　from　behind。　　He　struck　as　hard　as　he　could。　

And　he　struck　with　the　tines　downFor；　in　his　simple；　direct

African　way　he　wished　to　kill　his　enemy；　and　he　wished　to　kill

him　as　soon　as　possible。　　That　was　his　single；　earnest　purpose。



On　this　account；　Rupe　Collins　was　peculiarly　unfortunate。　　He

was　plucky　and　he　enjoyed　conflict；　but　neither　his　ambitions　nor

his　anticipations　had　ever　included　murder。　　He　had　not　learned

that　an　habitually　aggressive　person　runs　the　danger　of　colliding

with　beings　in　one　of　those　lower　stages　of　evolution　wherein

theories　about　〃hitting　below　the　belt〃　have　not　yet　made　their

appearance。



The　rake　glanced　from　the　back　of　Rupe's　head　to　his

shoulder；　but　it　felled　him。　　Both　darkies　jumped　full　upon　him

instantly；　and　the　three　rolled　and　twisted　upon　the　stable…

floor；　unloosing　upon　the　air　sincere　maledictions　closely

connected　with　complaints　of　cruel　and　unusual　treatment；　while

certain　expressions　of　feeling　presently　emanating　from

Herman　and　Verman　indicated　that　Rupe　Collins；　in　this　extremity；

was　proving　himself　not　too　slavishly　addicted　to　fighting　by

rule。　　Dan　and　Duke；　mistaking　all　for　mirth；　barked　gayly。



From　the　panting；　pounding；　yelling　heap　issued　words　and

phrases　hitherto　quite　unknown　to　Penrod　and　Sam；　also；　a　hoarse

repetition　in　the　voice　of　Rupe　concerning　his　ear　left　it　not　to

be　doubted　that　additional　mayhem　was　taking　place。　　Appalled；

the　two　spectators　retreated　to　the　doorway　nearest　the　yard；

where　they　stood　dumbly　watching　the　cataclysm。



The　struggle　increased　in　primitive　simplicity：　time　and

again　the　howling　Rupe　got　to　his　knees　only　to　go　down　again　as

the　earnest　brothers；　in　their　own　way；　assisted　him　to　a　more

reclining　position。　　Primal　forces　operated　here；　and　the　two

blanched；　slightly　higher　products　of　evolution；　Sam　and　Penrod；

no　more　thought　of　interfering　than　they　would　have　thought　of

interfering　with　an　earthquake。



At　last；　out　of　the　ruck　rose　Verman；　disfigured　and

maniacal。　　With　a　wild　eye　he　looked　about　him　for　his　trusty

rake；　but　Penrod；　in　horror；　had　long　since　thrown　the　rake　out

into　the　yard。　　Naturally；　it　had　not　seemed　necessary　to　remove

the　lawn…mower。



The　frantic　eye　of　Verman　fell　upon　the　lawn…mower；　and

instantly　he　leaped　to　its　handle。　　Shrilling　a　wordless　war…cry；

he　charged；　propelling　the　whirling；　deafening　knives　straight

upon　the　prone　legs　of　Rupe　Collins。　　The　lawn…mower　was

sincerely　intended　to　pass　longitudinally　over　the　body　of　Mr。

Collins　from　heel　to　head；　and　it　was　the　time　for　a　death…song。　

Black　Valkyrie　hovered　in　the　shrieking　air。



〃Cut　his　gizzud　out！〃　shrieked　Herman；　urging　on　the　whirling

knives。



They　touched　and　lacerated　the　shin　of　Rupe；　as；　with　the

supreme　agony　of　effort　a　creature　in　mortal　peril　puts　forth

before　succumbing；　he　tore　himself　free　of　Herman　and　got　upon

his　feet。



Herman　was　up　as　quickly。　　He　leaped　to　the　wall　and　seized

the　garden…scythe　that　hung　there。



〃I'm　go　to　cut　you'　gizzud