penrod-第29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！



inscrutable　countenance　wore　an　expression　interpreted　by　his

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

an　incentive　to　inward　prayer。　　The　fine　graciousness　of　Mr。

Kinosling；　however；　was　unimpaired　by　the　glare　of　virulent

suspicion　given　him　by　this　little　brother：　Mr。　Kinosling　mistook

it　for　a　natural　curiosity　concerning　one　who　might　possibly

become；　in　time；　a　member　of　the　family。　　He　patted　Penrod　upon

the　head；　which　was；　for　many　reasons；　in　no　condition　to　be

patted　with　any　pleasure　to　the　patter。　　Penrod　felt　himself　in

the　presence　of　a　new　enemy。



〃How　do　you　do；　my　little　lad；〃　said　Mr。　Kinosling。　　〃I　trust

we　shall　become　fast　friends。〃



To　the　ear　of　his　little　lad；　it　seemed　he　said；　〃A　trost　we

shall　bick…home　fawst　frainds。〃　　Mr。　Kinosling's　pronunciation

was；　in　fact；　slightly　precious；　and；　the　little　lad；　simply

mistaking　it　for　some　cryptic　form　of　mockery　of　himself；　assumed

a　manner　and　expression　which　argued　so　ill　for　the　proposed

friendship　that　Mrs。　Schofield　hastily　interposed　the　suggestion

of　dinner；　and　the　small　procession　went　in　to　the　dining…room。



〃It　has　been　a　delicious　day；〃　said　Mr。　Kinosling；　presently；

〃warm　but　balmy。〃　　With　a　benevolent　smile　he　addressed

Penrod；　who　sat　opposite　him。　　〃I　suppose；　little　gentleman；　you

have　been　indulging　in　the　usual　outdoor　sports　of　vacation？〃



Penrod　laid　down　his　fork　and　glared；　open…mouthed　at　Mr。

Kinosling。



〃You'll　have　another　slice　of　breast　of　the　chicken？〃　Mr。

Schofield　inquired；　loudly　and　quickly。



〃A　lovely　day！〃　exclaimed　Margaret；　with　equal　promptitude

and　emphasis。　　〃Lovely；　oh；　lovely！　　Lovely！〃



〃Beautiful；　beautiful；　beautiful！〃　said　Mrs。　Schofield；　and

after　a　glance　at　Penrod　which　confirmed　her　impression　that　he

intended　to　say　something；　she　continued；　〃Yes；　beautiful；

beautiful；　beautiful；　beautiful；　beautiful　beautiful！〃



Penrod　closed　his　mouth　and　sank　back　in　his　chairand　his

relatives　took　breath。



Mr。　Kinosling　looked　pleased。　　This　responsive　family；　with

its　ready　enthusiasm；　made　the　kind　of　audience　he　liked。　　He

passed　a　delicate　white　hand　gracefully　over　his　tall；　pale

forehead；　and　smiled　indulgently。



〃Youth　relaxes　in　summer；〃　he　said。　　〃Boyhood　is　the　age　of

relaxation；　one　is　playful；　light；　free；　unfettered。　　One　runs

and　leaps　and　enjoys　one's　self　with　one's　companions。　　It　is

good　for　the　little　lads　to　play　with　their　friends；　they　jostle；

push；　and　wrestle；　and　simulate　little；　happy　struggles　with　one

another　in　harmless　conflict。　　The　young　muscles　are

toughening。　　It　is　good。　　Boyish　chivalry　develops；　enlarges；

expands。　　The　young　learn　quickly；　intuitively；　spontaneously。　

They　perceive　the　obligations　of　noblesse　oblige。　　They　begin

to　comprehend　the　necessity　of　caste　and　its　requirements。　　They

learn　what　birth　meansah；that　is；　they　learn　what　it　means　to

be　well　born。　　They　learn　courtesy　in　their　games；　they　learn

politeness；　consideration　for　one　another　in　their　pastimes；

amusements；　lighter　occupations。　　I　make　it　my　pleasure　to　join

them　often；　for　I　sympathize　with　them　in　all　their　wholesome

joys　as　well　as　in　their　little　bothers　and　perplexities。　　I

understand　them；　you　see；　and　let　me　tell　you　it　is　no　easy

matter　to　understand　the　little　lads　and　lassies。〃　　He　sent　to

each　listener　his　beaming　glance；　and；　permitting　it　to　come　to

rest　upon　Penrod；　inquired：



〃And　what　do　you　say　to　that；　little　gentleman？〃



Mr。　Schofield　uttered　a　stentorian　cough。　　〃More？　　You'd

better　have　some　more　chicken！　　More！　　Do！〃



〃More　chicken！〃　urged　Margaret　simultaneously。　　〃Do　please！　

Please！　　More！　　Do！　　More！〃



〃Beautiful；　beautiful；〃　began　Mrs。　Schofield。　　〃Beautiful；

beautiful；　beautiful；　beautiful〃



It　is　not　known　in　what　light　Mr。　Kinosling　viewed　the

expression　of　Penrod's　face。　　Perhaps　he　mistook　it　for　awe；

perhaps　he　received　no　impression　at　all　of　its　extraordinary

quality。　　He　was　a　rather　self…engrossed　young　man；　just　then

engaged　in　a　double　occupation；　for　he　not　only　talked；　but

supplied　from　his　own　consciousness　a　critical　though　favourable

auditor　as　well；　which　of　course　kept　him　quite　busy。　　Besides；

it　is　oftener　than　is　expected　the　case　that　extremely　peculiar

expressions　upon　the　countenances　of　boys　are　entirely

overlooked；　and　suggest　nothing　to　the　minds　of　people　staring

straight　at　them。　　Certainly　Penrod's　expressionwhich；　to　the

perception　of　his　family；　was　perfectly　horriblecaused　not　the

faintest　perturbation　in　the　breast　of　Mr。　Kinosling。



Mr。　Kinosling　waived　the　chicken；　and　continued　to　talk。　

〃Yes；　I　think　I　may　claim　to　understand　boys；〃　he　said；　smiling

thoughtfully。　　〃One　has　been　a　boy　one's　self。　　Ah；　it　is　not　all

playtime！　　I　hope　our　young　scholar　here　does　not　overwork

himself　at　his　Latin；　at　his　classics；　as　I　did；　so　that　at　the

age　of　eight　years　I　was　compelled　to　wear　glasses。　　He　must　be

careful　not　to　strain　the　little　eyes　at　his　scholar's　tasks；　not

to　let　the　little　shoulders　grow　round　over　his　scholar's　desk。　

Youth　is　golden；　we　should　keep　it　golden；　bright；　glistening。　

Youth　should　frolic；　should　be　sprightly；　it　should　play　its

cricket；　its　tennis；　its　hand…ball。　　It　should　run　and　leap；　it

should　laugh；　should　sing　madrigals　and　glees；　carol　with　the

lark；　ring　out　in　chanties；　folk…songs；　ballads；　roundelays〃



He　talked　on。　　At　any　instant　Mr。　Schofield　held　himself

ready　to　cough　vehemently　and　shout；　〃More　chicken；〃　to

drown　out　Penrod　in　case　the　fatal　words　again　fell　from　those

eloquent　lips；　and　Mrs。　Schofield　and　Margaret　kept　themselves

prepared　at　all　times　to　assist　him。　　So　passed　a　threatening

meal；　which　Mrs。　Schofield　hurried；　by　every　means　with　decency；

to　its　conclusion。　　She　felt　that　somehow　they　would　all　be　safer

out　in　the　dark　of　the　front　porch；　and　led　the　way　thither　as

soon　as　possible。



〃No　cigar；　I　thank　you。〃　　Mr。　Kinosling；　establishing　himself

in　a　wicker　chair　beside　Margaret；　waved　away　her　father's

proffer。　　〃I　do　not　smoke。　　I　have　never　tasted　tobacco　in　any

form。〃　　Mrs。　Schofield　was　confirmed　in　her　opinion　that　this

would　be　an　ideal　son…in…law。　　Mr。　Schofield　was　not　so　sure。



〃No；〃　said　Mr。　Kinosling。　　〃No　tobacco　for　me。　　No　cigar；　no

pipe；　no　cigarette；　no　cheroot。　　For　me；　a　booka　volume　of

poems；　perhaps。　　Verses；　rhymes；　lines　metrical　and　cadenced

those　are　my　dissipation。　　Tennyson　by　preference：　‘Maud；'　or

‘Idylls　of　the　King'poetry　of　the　sound　Victorian　days；　there

is　none　later。　　Or　Longfellow　will　rest　me　in　a　tired　hour。　　Yes；

for　me；　a　book；　a　volume　in　the　hand；　held　lightly　between　the

fingers。〃



Mr。　Kinosling　looked　pleasantly　at　his　fingers　as　he　spoke；

waving　his　hand　in　a　curving　gesture　which　brought　it　into　the

light　of　a　window　faintly　illumined　from　the　interior　of　the

house。　　Then　he　passed　those　graceful　fingers　over　his　hair；

and　turned　toward　Penrod；　who　was　perched　upon　the　railing　in　a

dark　corner。



〃The　evening　is　touched　with　a　slight　coolness；〃　said　Mr。

Kinosling。　　〃Perhaps　I　may　request　the　little　gentleman〃



〃B'gr…r…RUFF！〃　coughed　Mr。　Schofield。　　〃You'd　better

change　your　mind　about　a　cigar。〃



〃No；　I　thank　you。　　I　was　about　to　request　the　lit〃



〃DO　try　one；〃　Margaret　urged。　　〃I'm　sure　papa's　are　nice

ones。　　Do　try〃



〃No；　I　thank　you。　　I　remarked　a　slight　coolness　in　the　air；

and　my　hat　is　in　the　hallway。　　I　was　about　to　request〃



〃I'll　get　it　for　you；〃　said　Penrod　suddenly。



〃If　you　will　be　so　good；〃　said　Mr。　Kinosling。　　〃It　is　a　black

bowler　hat；　little　gentleman；　and　placed　upon　a　table　in　the

hall。〃



〃I　know　where　it　is。〃　Penrod　entered　the　door；　and　a　feeling

of　relief；　mutually　experienced；　carried　from　one　to　another　of

his　three　relatives　their　interchanged　congratulations　that　he

had　recovered　his　sanity。



〃‘The　day　is　done；　and　the　darkness；'〃　began　Mr。　Kinosling

and　recited　that　poem　entire。　　He　followed　it　with　〃The

Children's　Hour；〃　and　after　a　pause；　at　the　close；　to　allow　his

listeners　time　for　a　little　reflection　upon　his　rendition；　he

passed　his　handagain　over　his　head；　and　called；　in　the

direction　of　the　doorway：



〃I　believe　I　will　take　my　hat　now；　little　gentleman。〃



〃Here　it　is；〃　said　Penrod；　unexpectedly　climbing　over　the

porch　railing；　in　the　other　direction。　　His　mother　and　father　and

Margaret　had　supposed　him　to　be　standing　in　the　hallway　out　of

deference；　and　because　he　thought　it　tactful　not　to　interrupt　the

recitations。　　All　of　them　remembered；　later；　that　this　supposed

thoughtfulness　on　his　part　struck　them　as　unnatural。



〃Very　good；　little　gentleman！〃　said　Mr。　Kinosling；　and　being

somewhat　chilled；　placed　the　hat　firmly　upon　his　head；　pulling　it

down　as　far　as　it　would　go。　　It　had　a　pleasant　warmth；　which　he

noticed　at　once。　　The　next　instant；　he　noticed　something　else；　a

peculiar　sensation　of　the　scalpa　sensation　which　he　was　quite

unable　to　define。　　He　lifted　his　hand　to　take　the　hat　off；　and

entered　upon　a　strange　experience：　his　hat　seemed　to　have　decided

to　remain　where　it　was。



〃Do　you　like　Tennyson　as　much　as　Longfellow；　Mr。　Kinosling？〃

inquired　Margaret。



〃IahI　cannot　say；〃　he　returned　absently。　　〃Iaheach

has　his　ownugh！　flavour　and　savour；　each　hisahah〃



Struck　by　a　strangeness　in　his　tone；　she　peered　at　him

curiously　through　the　dusk。　　His　outlines　were　indistinct；　but

she　made　out　that　his　arms　were；　uplifted　in　a　singular

gesture。　　He　seemed　to　be　wrenching　at　his　head。



〃Isis　anything　the　matter？〃　she　asked　anxiously。　　〃Mr。　

Kinosling；　are　you　ill？〃



〃Not　atugh！all；〃　he　replied；　in　the　same　odd　tone。　　〃I

ahI　believeUGH！〃



He　dropped　his　hands　from　his　hat；　and　rose。　　His　manner　was

slightly　agitated。　　〃I　fear　I　may　have　taken　a　triflingah

cold。　　I　shouldahperhaps　beahbetter