penrod-第28部分

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〃But　you　better　not　let　anybody　call　ME　that！　　I've　stood

enough　around　here　for　one　day；　and　you　can't　run　over　ME；

Georgie　Bassett。　　Just　you　put　that　in　your　gizzard　and　smoke

it！〃



〃Anybody　has　a　perfect　right；〃　said　Georgie；　with；

dignity；　〃to　call　a　person　a　little　gentleman。　　There's　lots

of　names　nobody　ought　to　call；　but　this　one's　a　NICE〃



〃You　better　look　out！〃



Unavenged　bruises　were　distributed　all　over　Penrod；　both　upon

his　body　and　upon　his　spirit。　　Driven　by　subtle　forces；　he　had

dipped　his　hands　in　catastrophe　and　disaster：　it　was　not　for　a

Georgie　Bassett　to　beard　him。　　Penrod　was　about　to　run　amuck。



〃I　haven't　called　you　a　little　gentleman；　yet；〃　said　Georgie。

〃I　only　said　it。　　Anybody's　got　a　right　to　SAY　it。〃



〃Not　around　ME！　　You　just　try　it　again　and〃



〃I　shall　say　it；〃　returned　Georgie；　〃all　I　please。　　Anybody

in　this　town　has　a　right　to　SAY　‘little　gentleman'〃



Bellowing　insanely；　Penrod　plunged　his　right　hand　into　the

caldron；　rushed　upon　Georgie　and　made　awful　work　of　his　hair　and

features。



Alas；　it　was　but　the　beginning！　　Sam　Williams　and　Maurice

Levy　screamed　with　delight；　and；　simultaneously　infected；　danced

about　the　struggling　pair；　shouting　frantically：



〃Little　gentleman！　　Little　gentleman！　　Sick　him；　Georgie！　

Sick　him；　little　gentleman！　　Little　gentleman！　　Little

gentleman！〃



The　infuriated　outlaw　turned　upon　them　with　blows　and　more

tar；　which　gave　Georgie　Bassett　his　opportunity　and　later

seriously　impaired　the　purity　of　his　fame。　　Feeling　himself

hopelessly　tarred；　he　dipped　both　hands　repeatedly　into　the

caldron　and　applied　his　gatherings　to　Penrod。　　It　was　bringing

coals　to　Newcastle；　but　it　helped　to　assuage　the　just　wrath　of

Georgie。



The　four　boys　gave　a　fine　imitation　of　the　Laocoon　group

complicated　by　an　extra　figure　frantic　splutterings　and　chokings；

strange　cries　and　stranger　words　issued　from　this　tangle；　hands

dipped　lavishly　into　the　inexhaustible　reservoir　of　tar；　with

more　and　more　picturesque　results。　　The　caldron　had　been　elevated

upon　bricks　and　was　not　perfectly　balanced；　and　under　a　heavy

impact　of　the　struggling　group　it　lurched　and　went　partly　over；

pouring　forth　a　Stygian　tide　which　formed　a　deep　pool　in　the

gutter。



It　was　the　fate　of　Master　Roderick　Bitts；　that　exclusive　and

immaculate　person；　to　make　his　appearance　upon　the　chaotic　scene

at　this　juncture。　　All　in　the　cool　of　a　white　〃sailor　suit；〃　he

turned　aside　from　the　path　of　dutywhich　led　straight　to　the

house　of　a　maiden　auntand　paused　to　hop　with　joy　upon　the

sidewalk。　　A　repeated　epithet　continuously　half　panted；　half

squawked；　somewhere　in　the　nest　of　gladiators；　caught　his　ear；

and　he　took　it　up　excitedly；　not　knowing　why。



〃Little　gentleman！〃　shouted　Roderick；　jumping　up　and　down　in

childish　glee。　　〃Little　gentleman！　　Little　gentleman！　　Lit〃



A　frightful　figure　tore　itself　free　from　the　group；

encircled　this　innocent　bystander　with　a　black　arm；　and

hurled　him　headlong。　　Full　length　and　flat　on　his　face　went

Roderick　into　the　Stygian　pool。　　The　frightful　figure　was　Penrod。



Instantly；　the　pack　flung　themselves　upon　him　again；　and；

carrying　them　with　him；　he　went　over　upon　Roderick；　who　from　that

instant　was　as　active　a　belligerent　as　any　there。



Thus　began　the　Great　Tar　Fight；　the　origin　of　which　proved；

afterward；　so　difficult　for　parents　to　trace；　owing　to　the

opposing　accounts　of　the　combatants。　　Marjorie　said　Penrod　began

it；　Penrod　said　Mitchy…Mitch　began　it；　Sam　Williams　said　Georgie

Bassett　began　it；　Georgie　and　Maurice　Levy　said　Penrod　began　it；

Roderick　Bitts；　who　had　not　recognized　his　first　assailant；　said

Sam　Williams　began　it。



Nobody　thought　of　accusing　the　barber。　　But　the　barber　did

not　begin　it；　it　was　the　fly　on　the　barber's　nose　that　began　it

though；　of　course；　something　else　began　the　fly。　　Somehow；　we

never　manage　to　hang　the　real　offender。



The　end　came　only　with　the　arrival　of　Penrod's　mother；　who

had　been　having　a　painful　conversation　by　telephone　with　Mrs。

Jones；　the　mother　of　Marjorie；　and　came　forth　to　seek　an　errant

son。　　It　is　a　mystery　how　she　was　able　to　pick　out　her　own；　for

by　the　time　she　got　there　his　voice　was　too　hoarse　to　be

recognizable。　　Mr。　Schofield's　version　of　things　was　that　Penrod

was　insane。　　〃He's　a　stark；　raving　lunatic！〃　declared　the

father；　descending　to　the　library　from　a　before…dinner　interview

with　the　outlaw；　that　evening。　　〃I'd　send　him　to　military　school；

but　I　don't　believe　they'd　take　him。　　Do　you　know　WHY　he　says

all　that　awfulness　happened？〃



〃When　Margaret　and　I　were　trying　to　scrub　him；〃　responded

Mrs。　Schofield　wearily；　〃he　said　‘everybody'　had　been　calling　him

names。〃



〃‘Names！'〃　snorted　her　husband。　　〃‘Little　gentleman！'　

THAT'S　the　vile　epithet　they　called　him！　　And　because　of　it

he　wrecks　the　peace　of　six　homes！〃



〃SH！　　Yes；　he　told　us　about　it；〃　said　Mrs。　Schofield；

moaning。　　〃He　told　us　several　hundred　times；　I　should　guess；

though　I　didn't　count。　　He's　got　it　fixed　in　his　head；　and　we

couldn't　get　it　out。　　All　we　could　do　was　to　put　him　in　the

closet。　　He'd　have　gone　out　again　after　those　boys　if　we　hadn't。　

I　don't　know　WHAT　to　make　of　him！〃



〃He's　a　mystery　to　ME！〃　said　her　husband。　　〃And　he

refuses　to　explain　why　he　objects　to　being　called　‘little

gentleman。'　　Says　he'd　do　the　same　thingand　worseif　anybody

dared　to　call　him　that　again。　　He　said　if　the　President　of　the

United　States　called　him　that　he'd　try　to　whip　him。　　How　long　did

you　have　him　locked　up　in　the　closet？〃



〃SH！〃　said　Mrs。　Schofield　warningly。　　〃About　two　hours；

but　I　don't　think　it　softened　his　spirit　at　all；　because　when　I

took　him　to　the　barber's　to　get　his　hair　clipped　again；　on

account　of　the　tar　in　it；　Sammy　Williams　and　Maurice　Levy　were

there　for　the　same　reason；　and　they　just　WHISPERED　‘little

gentleman；'　so　low　you　could　hardly　hear　themand　Penrod　began

fighting　with　them　right　before　me；　and　it　was　really　all　the

barber　and　I　could　do　to　drag　him　away　from　them。　　The　barber　was

very　kind　about　it；　but　Penrod〃



〃I　tell　you　he's　a　lunatic！〃　Mr。　Schofield　would　have　said

the　same　thing　of　a　Frenchman　infuriated　by　the　epithet　〃camel。〃　

The　philosophy　of　insult　needs　expounding。



〃SH！〃　said　Mrs。　Schofield。　　〃It　does　seem　a　kind　of

frenzy。〃



〃Why　on　earth　should　any　sane　person　mind　being　called〃



〃SH！〃　said　Mrs。　Schofield。　　〃It's　beyond　ME！〃



〃What　are　you　SH…ing　me　for？〃　demanded　Mr。　Schofield

explosively。



〃SH！〃　said　Mrs。　Schofield。　　〃It's　Mr。　Kinosling；　the　new

rector　of　Saint　Joseph's。〃



〃Where？〃



〃SH！　　On　the　front　porch　with　Margaret；　he's　going　to

stay　for　dinner。　　I　do　hope〃



〃Bachelor；　isn't　he？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃OUR　old　minister　was　speaking　of　him　the　other　day；〃

said　Mr。　Schofield；　〃and　he　didn't　seem　so　terribly　impressed。〃



〃SH！　　Yes；　about　thirty；　and　of　course　so　superior　to

most　of　Margaret's　friendsboys　home　from　college。　　She　thinks

she　likes　young　Robert　Williams；　I　knowbut　he　laughs　so　much！　

Of　course　there　isn't　any　comparison。　　Mr。　Kinosling　talks　so

intellectually；　it's　a　good　thing　for　Margaret　to　hear　that　kind

of　thing；　for　a　change　and；　of　course；　he's　very　spiritual。　　He

seems　very　much　interested　in　her。〃　　She　paused　to　muse。　　〃I

think　Margaret　likes　him；　he's　so　different；　too。　　It's　the　third

time　he's　dropped　in　this　week；　and　I〃



〃Well；〃　said　Mr。　Schofield　grimly；　〃if　you　and　Margaret　want

him　to　come　again；　you'd　better　not　let　him　see　Penrod。〃



〃But　he's　asked　to　see　him；　he　seems　interested　in　meeting

all　the　family。　　And　Penrod　nearly　always　behaves　fairly　well　at

table。〃　　She　paused；　and　then　put　to　her　husband　a　question

referring　to　his　interview　with　Penrod　upstairs。　　〃Did　youdid

youdo　it？〃



〃No；〃　he　answered　gloomily。　　〃No；　I　didn't；　but〃　　　He　was

interrupted　by　a　violent　crash　of　china　and　metal　in　the　kitchen；

a　shriek　from　Della；　and　the　outrageous　voice　of　Penrod。　　The

well…informed　Della；　ill…inspired　to　set　up　for　a　wit；　had

ventured　to　address　the　scion　of　the　house　roguishly　as　〃little

gentleman；〃　and　Penrod；　by　means　of　the　rapid　elevation　of　his

right　foot；　had　removed　from　her　supporting　hands　a　laden　tray。　

Both　parents；　started　for　the　kitchen；　Mr。　Schofield

completing　his　interrupted　sentence　on　the　way。



〃But　I　will；　now！〃



The　rite　thus　promised　was　hastily　but　accurately　performed

in　that　apartment　most　distant　from　the　front　porch；　and；　twenty

minutes　later；　Penrod　descended　to　dinner。　　The　Rev。　Mr。

Kinosling　had　asked　for　the　pleasure　of　meeting　him；　and　it　had

been　decided　that　the　only　course　possible　was　to　cover　up　the

scandal　for　the　present；　and　to　offer　an　undisturbed　and　smiling

family　surface　to　the　gaze　of　the　visitor。



Scorched　but　not　bowed；　the　smouldering　Penrod　was　led

forward　for　the　social　formulae　simultaneously　with　the　somewhat

bleak　departure　of　Robert　Williams；　who　took　his　guitar　with　him；

this　time；　and　went　in　forlorn　unconsciousness　of　the　powerful

forces　already　set　in　secret　motion　to　be　his　allies。



The　punishment　just　undergone　had　but　made　the　haughty　and

unyielding　soul　of　Penrod　more　stalwart　in　revolt；　he　was

unconquered。　　Every　time　the　one　intolerable　insult　had　been

offered　him；　his　resentment　had　become　the　hotter；　his　vengeance

the　more　instant　and　furious。　　And；　still　burning　with　outrage；

but　upheld　by　the　conviction　of　right；　he　was　determined　to

continue　to　the　last　drop　of　his　blood　the　defense　of　his　honour；

whenever　it　should　be　assailed；　no　matter　how　mighty　or　august

the　powers　that　attacked　it。　　In　all　ways；　he　was　a　very

sore　boy。



During　the　brief　ceremony　of　presentation；　his　usually

inscrutable　countenance　wore　an　expression　interpreted　by　his

father　as　one　of　insane　obstinacy；　while　Mrs。　Schofield　found　it

an　incent