penrod-第26部分

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the　garden…scythe　that　hung　there。



〃I'm　go　to　cut　you'　gizzud　out；〃　he　announced　definitely；

〃an'　eat　it！〃



Rupe　Collins　had　never　run　from　anybody　（except　his　father）

in　his　life；　he　was　not　a　coward；　but　the　present　situation　was

very；　very　unusual。　　He　was　already　in　a　badly　dismantled

condition；　and　yet　Herman　and　Verman　seemed　discontented　with

their　work：　　Verman　was　swinging　the　grass…cutter　about　for　a　new

charge；　apparently　still　wishing　to　mow　him；　and　Herman　had　made

a　quite　plausible　statement　about　what　he　intended　to　do　with　the

scythe。



Rupe　paused　but　for　an　extremely　condensed　survey　of　the

horrible　advance　of　the　brothers；　and　then；　uttering　a

blood…curdled　scream　of　fear；　ran　out　of　the　stable　and　up　the

alley　at　a　speed　he　had　never　before　attained；　so　that　even　Dan

had　hard　work　to　keep　within　barking　distance。　　And　a

'cross…shoulder　glance；　at　the　corner；　revealing　Verman　and

Herman　in　pursuit；　the　latter　waving　his　scythe　overhead；　Mr。

Collins　slackened　not　his　gait；　but；　rather；　out　of　great

anguish；　increased　it；　the　while　a　rapidly　developing　purpose

became　firm　in　his　mindand　ever　after　so　remainednot　only　to

refrain　from　visiting　that　neighbourhood　again；　but　never　by　any

chance　to　come　within　a　mile　of　it。



From　the　alley　door；　Penrod　and　Sam　watched　the　flight；　and

were　without　words。　　When　the　pursuit　rounded　the　corner；　the　two

looked　wanly　at　each　other；　but　neither　spoke　until　the　return　of

the　brothers　from　the　chase。



Herman　and　Verman　came　back；　laughing　and　chuckling。



〃Hiyi！〃　cackled　Herman　to　Verman；　as　they　came；　〃See　'at　ole

boy　run！〃



〃Who…ee！〃　Verman　shouted　in　ecstasy。



〃Nev'　did　see　boy　run　so　fas'！〃　Herman　continued；　tossing　the

scythe　into　the　wheelbarrow。　　〃I　bet　he　home　in　bed　by　viss

time！〃



Verman　roared　with　delight；　appearing　to　be　wholly

unconscious　that　the　lids　of　his　right　eye　were　swollen　shut　and

that　his　attire；　not　too　finical　before　the　struggle；　now

entitled　him　to　unquestioned　rank　as　a　sansculotte。　

Herman　was　a　similar　ruin；　and　gave　as　little　heed　to　his

condition。



Penrod　looked　dazedly　from　Herman　to　Verman　and　back　again。　

So　did　Sam　Williams。



〃Herman；〃　said　Penrod；　in　a　weak　voice；　〃you　wouldn't

HONEST　of　cut　his　gizzard　out；　would　you？〃



〃Who？　　Me？　　I　don'　know。　　He　mighty　mean　ole　boy！〃　　Herman

shook　his　head　gravely；　and　then；　observing　that　Verman　was　again

convulsed　with　unctuous　merriment；　joined　laughter　with　his

brother。　　〃Sho'！　　I　guess　I　uz　dess　TALKIN'　whens　I　said　'at！

Reckon　he　thought　I　meant　it；　f'm　de　way　he　tuck　an'　run。　　Hiyi！

Reckon　he　thought　ole　Herman　bad　man！　　No；　suh！　　I　uz　dess

talkin'；　'cause　I　nev'　would　cut　NObody！　　I　ain'　tryin'　git

in　no　jailNO；　suh！〃



Penrod　looked　at　the　scythe：　he　looked　at　Herman。　　He　looked

at　the　lawn…mower；　and　he　looked　at　Verman。　　Then　he　looked　out

in　the　yard　at　the　rake。　　So　did　Sam　Williams。



〃Come　on；　Verman；〃　said　Herman。　　〃We　ain'　go'　'at　stove…wood

f'　supper　yit。〃



Giggling　reminiscently；　the　brothers　disappeared　leaving

silence　behind　them　in　the　carriage…house。　　Penrod　and　Sam

retired　slowly　into　the　shadowy　interior；　each　glancing；　now　and

then；　with　a　preoccupied　air；　at　the　open；　empty　doorway　where

the　late　afternoon　sunshine　was　growing　ruddy。　　At　intervals　one

or　the　other　scraped　the　floor　reflectively　with　the　side　of

his　shoe。　　Finally；　still　without　either　having　made　any　effort

at　conversation；　they　went　out　into　the　yard　and　stood；

continuing　their　silence。



〃Well；〃　said　Sam；　at　last；　〃I　guess　it's　time　I　better　be

gettin'　home。　　So　long；　Penrod！〃



〃So　long；　Sam；〃　said　Penrod；　feebly。



With　a　solemn　gaze　he　watched　his　friend　out　of　sight。　　Then

he　went　slowly　into　the　house；　and　after　an　interval　occupied　in

a　unique　manner；　appeared　in　the　library；　holding　a　pair　of

brilliantly　gleaming　shoes　in　his　hand。



Mr。　Schofield；　reading　the　evening　paper；　glanced　frowningly

over　it　at　his　offspring。



〃Look；　papa；〃　said　Penrod。　　〃I　found　your　shoes　where　you'd

taken　'em　off　in　your　room；　to　put　on　your　slippers；　and　they

were　all　dusty。　　So　I　took　'em　out　on　the　back　porch　and　gave　'em

a　good　blacking。　　They　shine　up　fine；　don't　they？〃



〃Well；　I'll　be　d…dud…dummed！〃　said　the　startled　Mr。

Schofield。



Penrod　was　zigzagging　back　to　normal。　

　

　



CHAPTER　XXIV

〃LITTLE　GENTLEMAN〃



The　midsummer　sun　was　stinging　hot　outside　the　little　barber…shop

next　to　the　corner　drug　store　and　Penrod；　undergoing　a　toilette

preliminary　to　his　very　slowly　approaching　twelfth　birthday；　was

adhesive　enough　to　retain　upon　his　face　much　hair　as　it　fell　from

the　shears。　　There　is　a　mystery　here：　the　tonsorial　processes　are

not　unagreeable　to　manhood；　in　truth；　they　are　soothing；　but　the

hairs　detached　from　a　boy's　head　get　into　his　eyes；　his　ears；　his

nose；　his　mouth；　and　down　his　neck；　and　he　does　everywhere　itch

excruciatingly。　　Wherefore　he　blinks；　winks；　weeps；　twitches；

condenses　his　countenance；　and　squirms；　and　perchance

the　barber's　scissors　clip　more　than　intendedbelike　an　outlying

flange　of　ear。



〃UmmuhOW！〃　said　Penrod；　this　thing　having　happened。



〃D'　I　touch　y'　up　a　little？〃　inquired　the　barber；　smiling

falsely。



〃OohUH！〃　　The　boy　in　the　chair　offered　inarticulate

protest；　as　the　wound　was　rubbed　with　alum。



〃THAT　don't　hurt！〃　said　the　barber。　　〃You　WILL　get

it；　though；　if　you　don't　sit　stiller；〃　he　continued；　nipping　in

the　bud　any　attempt　on　the　part　of　his　patient　to　think　that　he

already　had　〃it。〃



〃Pfuff！〃　said　Penrod；　meaning　no　disrespect；　but　endeavoring

to　dislodge　a　temporary　moustache　from　his　lip。



〃You　ought　to　see　how　still　that　little　Georgie　Bassett

sits；〃　the　barber　went　on；　reprovingly。　　〃I　hear　everybody　says

he's　the　best　boy　in　town。〃



〃Pfuff！　　PHIRR！〃　　There　was　a　touch　of　intentional

contempt　in　this。



〃I　haven't　heard　nobody　around　the　neighbourhood　makin'　no

such　remarks；〃　added　the　barber；　〃about　nobody　of　the　name　of

Penrod　Schofield。〃



〃Well；〃　said　Penrod；　clearing　his　mouth　after　a　struggle；

〃who　wants　'em　to？　　Ouch！〃



〃I　hear　they　call　Georgie　Bassett　the　‘little　gentleman；'〃

ventured　the　barber；　provocatively；　meeting　with　instant　success。



〃They　better　not　call　ME　that；〃　returned　Penrod

truculently。　　〃I'd　like　to　hear　anybody　try。　　Just　once；　that's

all！　　I　bet　they'd　never　try　it　ag　OUCH！〃



〃Why？　　What'd　you　do　to　'em？〃



〃It's　all　right　what　I'd　DO！　　I　bet　they　wouldn't　want　to

call　me　that　again　long　as　they　lived！〃



〃What'd　you　do　if　it　was　a　little　girl？　　You　wouldn't　hit

her；　would　you？〃



〃Well；　I'd　　Ouch！〃



〃You　wouldn't　hit　a　little　girl；　would　you？〃　the　barber

persisted；　gathering　into　his　powerful　fingers　a　mop　of　hair　from

the　top　of　Penrod's　head　and　pulling　that　suffering　head　into　an

unnatural　position。　　〃Doesn't　the　Bible　say　it　ain't　never　right

to　hit　the　weak　sex？〃



〃Ow！　SAY；　look　OUT！〃



〃So　you'd　go　and　punch　a　pore；　weak；　little　girl；　would　you？〃

said　the　barber；　reprovingly。



〃Well；　who　said　I'd　hit　her？〃　demanded　the　chivalrous　Penrod。　　〃I

bet　I'd　FIX　her　though；　all　right。　　She'd　see！〃



〃You　wouldn't　call　her　names；　would　you？〃



〃No；　I　wouldn't！　　What　hurt　is　it　to　call　anybody　names？〃



〃Is　that　SO！〃　exclaimed　the　barber。　　〃Then　you　was

intending　what　I　heard　you　hollering　at　Fisher's　grocery　delivery

wagon　driver　fer　a　favour；　the　other　day　when　I　was　goin'　by　your

house；　was　you？　　I　reckon　I　better　tell　him；　because　he　says

to　me　after…WERDS　if　he　ever　lays　eyes　on　you　when　you　ain't

in　your　own　yard；　he's　goin'　to　do　a　whole　lot　o'　things　you

ain't　goin'　to　like！　　Yessir；　that's　what　he　says　to　ME！〃



〃He　better　catch　me　first；　I　guess；　before　he　talks　so　much。〃



〃Well；〃　resumed　the　barber；　〃that　ain't　sayin'　what　you'd　do

if　a　young　lady　ever　walked　up　and　called　you　a　little　gentleman。

_I_　want　to　hear　what　you'd　do　to　her。　　I　guess　I　know；

thoughcome　to　think　of　it。〃



〃What？〃　demanded　Penrod。



〃You'd　sick　that　pore　ole　dog　of　yours　on　her　cat；　if　she　had

one；　I　expect；〃　guessed　the　barber　derisively。



〃No；　I　would　not！〃



〃Well；　what　WOULD　you　do？〃



〃I'd　do　enough。　　Don't　worry　about　that！〃



〃Well；　suppose　it　was　a　boy；　then：　what'd　you　do　if　a　boy

come　up　to　you　and　says；　‘Hello；　little　gentleman'？〃



〃He'd　be　lucky；〃　said　Penrod；　with　a　sinister　frown；　〃if　he

got　home　alive。〃



〃Suppose　it　was　a　boy　twice　your　size？〃



〃Just　let　him　try；〃　said　Penrod　ominously。　　〃You　just　let　him

try。　　He'd　never　see　daylight　again；　that's　all！〃



The　barber　dug　ten　active　fingers　into　the　helpless

scalp　before　him　and　did　his　best　to　displace　it；　while　the

anguished　Penrod；　becoming　instantly　a　seething　crucible　of

emotion；　misdirected　his　natural　resentment　into　maddened

brooding　upon　what　he　would　do　to　a　boy　〃twice　his　size〃　who

should　dare　to　call　him　〃little　gentleman。〃　　The　barber　shook　him

as　his　father　had　never　shaken　him；　the　barber　buffeted　him；

rocked　him　frantically　to　and　fro；　the　barber　seemed　to　be　trying

to　wring　his　neck；　and　Penrod　saw　himself　in　staggering　zigzag

pictures；　destroying　large；　screaming；　fragmentary　boys　who　had

insulted　him。



The　torture　stopped　suddenly；　and　clenched；　weeping　eyes

began　to　see　again；　while　the　barber　applied　cooling　lotions

which　made　Penrod　smell　like　a　coloured　housemaid's　ideal。



〃Now　what；〃　asked　the　barber；　combing　the　reeking　locks

gently；　〃what　would　it　make　you　so　mad　fer；　to　have　somebody　call

you　a　little　gentleman？　　It's　a　kind　of　compliment；　as　it　were；

you　might　say。　　What　would　you　want　to　hit　anybody　fer　THAT

fer？〃



To　the　mind　of　Penrod；　this　question　was　without　meaning　or

reasonableness。　　It　was　within　neither　his　power　nor　his　desire

to　analyze　the　process　by　which　the　ph