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affection　upon　his　master　as　the　latter　slid　down　from　the　box。



Penrod　dusted　himself　sketchily；　experiencing　a　sense　of

satisfaction；　dulled　by　the　overhanging　afternoon；　perhaps；　but

perceptible：　he　had　the　feeling　of　one　who　has　been　true　to　a

cause。　　The　operation　of　the　elevator　was　unsinful　and；　save　for

the　shock　to　Duke's　nervous　system；　it　was　harmless；　but　Penrod

could　not　possibly　have　brought　himself　to　exhibit　it　in　the

presence　of　his　mother　or　any　other　grown　person　in　the　world。　

The　reasons　for　secrecy　were　undefined；　at　least；　Penrod　did　not

define　them。

　

　



CHAPTER　III　

THE　COSTUME



After　lunch　his　mother　and　his　sister　Margaret；　a　pretty　girl　of

nineteen；　dressed　him　for　the　sacrifice。　　They　stood　him　near　his

mother's　bedroom　window　and　did　what　they　would　to　him。



During　the　earlier　anguishes　of　the　process　he　was　mute；

exceeding　the　pathos　of　the　stricken　calf　in　the　shambles；　but　a

student　of　eyes　might　have　perceived　in　his　soul　the　premonitory

symptoms　of　a　sinister　uprising。　　At　a　rehearsal　（in　citizens'

clothes）　attended　by　mothers　and　grown…up　sisters；　Mrs。　Lora

Rewbush　had　announced　that　she　wished　the　costuming　to　be

〃as　medieval　and　artistic　as　possible。〃　　Otherwise；　and　as　to

details；　she　said；　she　would　leave　the　costumes　entirely　to　the

good　taste　of　the　children's　parents。　　Mrs。　Schofield　and

Margaret　were　no　archeologists；　but　they　knew　that　their　taste

was　as　good　as　that　of　other　mothers　and　sisters　concerned；　so

with　perfect　confidence　they　had　planned　and　executed　a　costume

for　Penrod；　and　the　only　misgiving　they　felt　was　connected　with

the　tractability　of　the　Child　Sir　Lancelot　himself。



Stripped　to　his　underwear；　he　had　been　made　to　wash　himself

vehemently；　then　they　began　by　shrouding　his　legs　in　a　pair　of

silk　stockings；　once　blue　but　now　mostly　whitish。　　Upon　Penrod

they　visibly　surpassed　mere　ampleness；　but　they　were　long；　and　it

required　only　a　rather　loose　imagination　to　assume　that　they　were

tights。



The　upper　part　of　his　body　was　next　concealed　from　view　by　a

garment　so　peculiar　that　its　description　becomes　difficult。　　In

1886；　Mrs。　Schofield；　then　unmarried；　had　worn　at　her　〃coming…out

party〃　a　dress　of　vivid　salmon　silk　which　had　been　remodelled

after　her　marriage　to　accord　with　various　epochs　of　fashion　until

a　final；　unskilful　campaign　at　a　dye…house　had　left　it　in　a

condition　certain　to　attract　much　attention　to　the　wearer。　　Mrs。

Schofield　had　considered　giving　it　to　Della；　the　cook；　but　had

decided　not　to　do　so；　because　you　never　could　tell　how　Della　was

going　to　take　things；　and　cooks　were　scarce。



It　may　have　been　the　word　〃medieval〃　（in　Mrs。　Lora　Rewbush's

rich　phrase）　which　had　inspired　the　idea　for　a　last　conspicuous

usefulness；　at　all　events；　the　bodice　of　that　once　salmon　dress；

somewhat　modified　and　moderated；　now　took　a　position；　for　its

farewell　appearance　in　society；　upon　the　back；　breast；　and　arms

of　the　Child　Sir　Lancelot。



The　area　thus　costumed　ceased　at　the　waist；　leaving　a　Jaeger…

like　and　unmedieval　gap　thence　to　the　tops　of　the　stockings。　　The

inventive　genius　of　woman　triumphantly　bridged　it；　but　in　a

manner　which　imposes　upon　history　almost　insuperable　delicacies

of　narration。　　Penrod's　father　was　an　old…fashioned　man：　the

twentieth　century　had　failed　to　shake　his　faith　in　red　flannel

for　cold　weather；　and　it　was　while　Mrs。　Schofield　was　putting

away　her　husband's　winter　underwear　that　she　perceived　how

hopelessly　one　of　the　elder　specimens　had　dwindled；　and

simultaneously　she　received　the　inspiration　which　resulted　in　a

pair　of　trunks　for　the　Child　Sir　Lancelot；　and　added　an　earnest

bit　of　colour；　as　well　as　a　genuine　touch　of　the　Middle　Ages；　to

his　costume。　　Reversed；　fore　to　aft；　with　the　greater　part　of　the

legs　cut　off；　and　strips　of　silver　braid　covering　the　seams；　this

garment；　she　felt；　was　not　traceable　to　its　original　source。



When　it　had　been　placed　upon　Penrod；　the　stockings　were

attached　to　it　by　a　system　of　safety…pins；　not　very　perceptible

at　a　distance。　　Next；　after　being　severely　warned　against

stooping；　Penrod　got　his　feet　into　the　slippers　he　wore　to

dancing…school〃patent…leather　pumps〃　now　decorated　with　large

pink　rosettes。



〃If　I　can't　stoop；〃　he　began；　smolderingly；　〃I'd　like　to　know

how'm　I　goin'　to　kneel　in　the　pag〃



〃You　must　MANAGE！〃　　This；　uttered　through　pins；　was

evidently　thought　to　be　sufficient。



They　fastened　some　ruching　about　his　slender　neck；　pinned

ribbons　at　random　all　over　him；　and　then　Margaret　thickly

powdered　his　hair。



〃Oh；　yes；　that's　all　right；〃　she　said；　replying　to　a　question

put　by　her　mother。　　〃They　always　powdered　their　hair　in　Colonial

times。〃



〃It　doesn't　seem　right　to　meexactly；〃　objected　Mrs。

Schofield；　gently。　　〃Sir　Lancelot　must　have　been　ever　so　long

before　Colonial　times。〃



〃That　doesn't　matter；〃　Margaret　reassured　her。　　〃Nobody'll

know　the　differenceMrs。　Lora　Rewbush　least　of　all。　　I　don't

think　she　knows　a　thing　about　it；　though；　of　course；　she　does

write　splendidly　and　the　words　of　the　pageant　are　just　beautiful。



Stand　still；　Penrod！〃　　（The　author　of　〃Harold　Ramorez〃　had　moved

convulsively。）　　〃Besides；　powdered　hair's　always　becoming。　　Look

at　him。　　You'd　hardly　know　it　was　Penrod！〃



The　pride　and　admiration　with　which　she　pronounced　this

undeniable　truth　might　have　been　thought　tactless；　but　Penrod；

not　analytical；　found　his　spirits　somewhat　elevated。　　No　mirror

was　in　his　range　of　vision　and；　though　he　had　submitted　to

cursory　measurements　of　his　person　a　week　earlier；　he　had　no

previous　acquaintance　with　the　costume。　　He　began　to　form　a　not

unpleasing　mental　picture　of　his　appearance；　something　somewhere

between　the　portraits　of　George　Washington　and　a　vivid　memory　of

Miss　Julia　Marlowe　at　a　matinee　of　〃Twelfth　Night。〃



He　was　additionally　cheered　by　a　sword　which　had　been

borrowed　from　a　neighbor；　who　was　a　Knight　of　Pythias。　　Finally

there　was　a　mantle；　an　old　golf　cape　of　Margaret's。　　Fluffy

polka…dots　of　white　cotton　had　been　sewed　to　it　generously；　also

it　was　ornamented　with　a　large　cross　of　red　flannel；　suggested　by

the　picture　of　a　Crusader　in　a　newspaper　advertisement。　　The

mantle　was　fastened　to　Penrod's　shoulder　（that　is；　to　the

shoulder　of　Mrs。　Schofield's　ex…bodice）　by　means　of　large　safety…

pins；　and　arranged　to　hang　down　behind　him；　touching　his　heels；

but　obscuring　nowise　the　glory　of　his　facade。　　Then；　at　last；　he

was　allowed　to　step　before　a　mirror。



It　was　a　full…length　glass；　and　the　worst　immediately

happened。　　It　might　have　been　a　little　less　violent；　perhaps；　if

Penrod's　expectations　had　not　been　so　richly　and　poetically

idealized；　but　as　things　were；　the　revolt　was　volcanic。



Victor　Hugo's　account　of　the　fight　with　the　devil…fish；　in

〃Toilers　of　the　Sea；〃　encourages　a　belief　that；　had　Hugo

lived　and　increased　in　power；　he　might　have　been　equal　to　a

proper　recital　of　the　half　hour　which　followed　Penrod's　first

sight　of　himself　as　the　Child　Sir　Lancelot。　　But　Mr。　Wilson

himself；　dastard　but　eloquent　foe　of　Harold　Ramorez；　could　not

have　expressed；　with　all　the　vile　dashes　at　his　command；　the

sentiments　which　animated　Penrod's　bosom　when　the　instantaneous

and　unalterable　conviction　descended　upon　him　that　he　was

intended　by　his　loved　ones　to　make　a　public　spectacle　of　himself

in　his　sister's　stockings　and　part　of　an　old　dress　of　his

mother's。



To　him　these　familiar　things　were　not　disguised　at　all；　there

seemed　no　possibility　that　the　whole　world　would　not　know　them　at

a　glance。　　The　stockings　were　worse　than　the　bodice。　　He　had　been

assured　that　these　could　not　be　recognized；　but；　seeing　them　in

the　mirror；　he　was　sure　that　no　human　eye　could　fail　at　first

glance　to　detect　the　difference　between　himself　and　the　former

purposes　of　these　stockings。　　Fold；　wrinkle；　and　void　shrieked

their　history　with　a　hundred　tongues；　invoking　earthquake；

eclipse；　and　blue　ruin。　　The　frantic　youth's　final　submission　was

obtained　only　after　a　painful　telephonic　conversation　between

himself　and　his　father；　the　latter　having　been　called　up　and

upon；　by　the　exhausted　Mrs。　Schofield；　to　subjugate　his　offspring

by　wire。



The　two　ladies　made　all　possible　haste；　after　this；　to

deliver　Penrod　into　the　hands　of　Mrs。　Lora　Rewbush；

nevertheless；　they　found　opportunity　to　exchange　earnest

congratulations　upon　his　not　having　recognized　the　humble　but

serviceable　paternal　garment　now　brilliant　about　the　Lancelotish

middle。　　Altogether；　they　felt　that　the　costume　was　a　success。　

Penrod　looked　like　nothing　ever　remotely　imagined　by　Sir　Thomas

Malory　or　Alfred　Tennyson；for　that　matter；　he　looked　like

nothing　ever　before　seen　on　earth；　but　as　Mrs。　Schofield　and

Margaret　took　their　places　in　the　audience　at　the　Women's　Arts

and　Guild　Hall；　the　anxiety　they　felt　concerning　Penrod's

elocutionary　and　gesticular　powers；　so　soon　to　be　put　to　public

test；　was　pleasantly　tempered　by　their　satisfaction　that；　owing

to　their　efforts；　his　outward　appearance　would　be　a　credit　to　the

family。　

　

　

　

CHAPTER　IV

DESPERATION



The　Child　Sir　Lancelot　found　himself　in　a　large　anteroom　behind

the　stagea　room　crowded　with　excited　children；　all　about

equally　medieval　and　artistic。　　Penrod　was　less　conspicuous　than

he　thought　himself；　but　he　was　so　preoccupied　with　his　own　shame；

steeling　his　nerves　to　meet　the　first　inevitable　taunting

reference　to　his　sister's　stockings；　that　he　failed　to　perceive

there　were　others　present　in　much　of　his　own　unmanned　condition。　

Retiring　to　a　corner；　immediately　upon　his　entrance；　he　managed

to　unfasten　the　mantle　at　the　shoulders；　and；　drawing　it　round

him；　pinned　it　again　at　his　throat　so　that　it　concealed

the　rest　of　his　costume。　　This　permitted　a　temporary　relief；　but

increased　his　horror　of　the　moment　when；　in　pursu