penrod-第30部分

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

cold。　　I　shouldahperhaps　beahbetter　at　home。　　I　will

ahsay　good…night。〃



At　the　steps；　he　instinctively　lifted　his　hand　to　remove　his

hat；　but　did　not　do　so；　and；　saying　〃Goodnight；〃　again　in　a

frigid　voice；　departed　with　visible　stiffness　from　that　house；　to

return　no　more。



〃Well；　of　all！〃　cried　Mrs。　Schofield；　astounded。　　〃What

was　the　matter？　　He　just　wentlike　that！〃　　She　made　a　flurried

gesture。　　〃In　heaven's　name；　Margaret；　what　DID　you　say　to

him？〃



〃_I_！〃　exclaimed　Margaret　indignantly。　　〃Nothing！　　He　just

WENT！〃



〃Why；　he　didn't　even　take　off　his　hat　when　he　said　good…

night！〃　said　Mrs。　Schofield。



Margaret；　who　had　crossed　to　the　doorway；　caught　the　ghost　of

a　whisper　behind　her；　where　stood　Penrod。



〃YOU　BET　HE　DIDN'T！〃



He　knew　not　that　he　was　overheard。



A　frightful　suspicion　flashed　through　Margaret's　minda

suspicion　that　Mr。　Kinosling's　hat　would　have　to　be　either　boiled

off　or　shaved　off。　　With　growing　horror　she　recalled　Penrod's

long　absence　when　he　went　to　bring　the　hat。



〃Penrod；〃　she　cried；　〃let　me　see　your　hands！〃



She　had　toiled　at　those　hands　herself　late　that　afternoon；

nearly　scalding　her　own；　but　at　last　achieving　a　lily　purity。



〃Let　me　see　your　hands！〃



She　seized　them。



Again　they　were　tarred！







CHAPTER　XXVI

THE　QUIET　AFTERNOON



Perhaps　middle…aged　people　might　discern　Nature's　real　intentions

in　the　matter　of　pain　if　they　would　examine　a　boy's　punishments

and　sorrows；　for　he　prolongs　neither　beyond　their　actual

duration。　　With　a　boy；　trouble　must　be　of　Homeric　dimensions　to

last　overnight。　　To　him；　every　next　day　is　really　a　new　day。　

Thus；　Penrod　woke；　next　morning；　with　neither　the　unspared　rod；

nor　Mr。　Kinosling　in　his　mind。　　Tar；　itself；　so　far　as　his

consideration　of　it　went；　might　have　been　an　undiscovered

substance。　　His　mood　was　cheerful　and　mercantile；　some　process

having　worked　mysteriously　within　him；　during　the

night；　to　the　result　that　his　first　waking　thought　was　of　profits

connected　with　the　sale　of　old　ironor　perhaps　a　ragman　had

passed　the　house；　just　before　he　woke。



By　ten　o'clock　he　had　formed　a　partnership　with　the　indeed

amiable　Sam；　and　the　firm　of　Schofield　and　Williams　plunged

headlong　into　commerce。　　Heavy　dealings　in　rags；　paper；　old　iron

and　lead　gave　the　firm　a　balance　of　twenty…two　cents　on　the

evening　of　the　third　day；　but　a　venture　in　glassware；　following；

proved　disappointing　on　account　of　the　scepticism　of　all　the

druggists　in　that　part　of　town；　even　after　seven　laborious　hours

had　been　spent　in　cleansing　a　wheelbarrow…load　of　old　medicine

bottles　with　hydrant　water　and　ashes。　　Likewise；　the　partners

were　disheartened　by　their　failure　to　dispose　of　a　crop　of

〃greens；〃　although　they　had　uprooted　specimens　of　that　decorative

and　unappreciated　flower；　the　dandelion；　with　such　persistence

and　energy　that　the　Schofields'　and　Williams'　lawns　looked

curiously　haggard　for　the　rest　of　that　summer。



The　fit　passed：　business　languished；　became　extinct。　　The

dog…days　had　set　in。



One　August　afternoon　was　so　hot　that　even　boys　sought　indoor

shade。　　In　the　dimness　of　the　vacant　carriage…house　of　the

stable；　lounged　Masters　Penrod　Schofield；　Samuel　Williams；

Maurice　Levy；　Georgie　Bassett；　and　Herman。　　They　sat　still　and

talked。　　It　is　a　hot　day；　in　rare　truth；　when　boys　devote

themselves　principally　to　conversation；　and　this　day　was

that　hot。



Their　elders　should　beware　such　days。　　Peril　hovers　near　when

the　fierceness　of　weather　forces　inaction　and　boys　in　groups　are

quiet。　　The　more　closely　volcanoes；　Western　rivers；

nitroglycerin；　and　boys　are　pent；　the　deadlier　is　their　action　at

the　point　of　outbreak。　　Thus；　parents　and　guardians　should　look

for　outrages　of　the　most　singular　violence　and　of　the　most

peculiar　nature　during　the　confining　weather　of　February　and

August。



The　thing　which　befell　upon　this　broiling　afternoon　began　to

brew　and　stew　peacefully　enough。　　All　was　innocence　and　languor；

no　one　could　have　foretold　the　eruption。



They　were　upon　their　great　theme：　　〃When　I　get　to　be　a　man！〃　

Being　human；　though　boys；　they　considered　their　present　estate

too　commonplace　to　be　dwelt　upon。　　So；　when　the　old　men　gather；

they　say：　　〃When　I　was　a　boy！〃　　It　really　is　the　land　of　nowadays

that　we　never　discover。



〃When　I'm　a　man；〃　said　Sam　Williams；　〃I'm　goin'　to　hire　me　a

couple　of　coloured　waiters　to　swing　me　in　a　hammock　and　keep

pourin'　ice…water　on　me　all　day　out　o'　those　waterin'…cans　they

sprinkle　flowers　from。　　I'll　hire　you　for　one　of　'em；　Herman。〃



〃No；　you　ain'　goin'　to；〃　said　Herman　promptly。　　〃You　ain'　no

flowuh。　　But　nev'　min'　nat；　anyway。　　Ain'　nobody　goin'　haih

me　whens　_I_'m　a　man。　　Goin'　be　my　own　boss。　　_I_'m　go'　be　a

rai'road　man！〃



〃You　mean　like　a　superintendent；　or　sumpthing　like　that；　and

sell　tickets？〃　asked　Penrod。



〃Sup'innev'　min'　nat！　　Sell　ticket？　　NO　suh！　　Go'　be　a

PO'tuh！　　My　uncle　a　po'tuh　right　now。　　Solid　gole　buttons

oh；　oh！〃



〃Generals　get　a　lot　more　buttons　than　porters；〃　said　Penrod。　

〃Generals〃



〃Po'tuhs　make　the　bes'　l'vin'；〃　Herman　interrupted。　　〃My

uncle　spen'　mo'　money　'n　any　white　man　n'is　town。〃



〃Well；　I　rather　be　a　general；〃　said　Penrod；　〃or　a　senator；　or

sumpthing　like　that。〃



〃Senators　live　in　Warshington；〃　Maurice　Levy　contributed　the

information。　　〃I　been　there。　　Warshington　ain't　so　much；　Niag'ra

Falls　is　a　hundred　times　as　good　as　Warshington。　　So's　'Tlantic

City；　I　was　there；　too。　　I　been　everywhere　there　is。　　I〃



〃Well；　anyway；〃　said　Sam　Williams；　raising　his　voice　in　order

to　obtain　the　floor；　〃anyway；　I'm　goin'　to　lay　in　a　hammock　all

day；　and　have　ice…water　sprinkled　on　top　o'　me；　and　I'm　goin'　to

lay　there　all　night；　too；　and　the　next　day。　　I'm　goin'　to　lay

there　a　couple　o'　years；　maybe。〃



〃I　bet　you　don't！〃　exclaimed　Maurice。　　〃What'd　you　do　in

winter？〃



〃What？〃



〃What　you　goin'　to　do　when　it's　winter；　out　in　a　hammock

with　water　sprinkled　on　top　o'　you　all　day？　　I　bet　you〃



〃I'd　stay　right　there；〃　Sam　declared；　with　strong　conviction；

blinking　as　he　looked　out　through　the　open　doors　at　the　dazzling

lawn　and　trees；　trembling　in　the　heat。　　〃They　couldn't　sprinkle

too　much　for　ME！〃



〃It'd　make　icicles　all　over　you；　and〃



〃I　wish　it　would；〃　said　Sam。　　〃I'd　eat　'em　up。〃



〃And　it'd　snow　on　you〃



〃Yay！　　I'd　swaller　it　as　fast　as　it'd　come　down。　　I　wish　I

had　a　BARREL　o'　snow　right　now。　　I　wish　this　whole　barn　was

full　of　it。　　I　wish　they　wasn't　anything　in　the　whole　world

except　just　good　ole　snow。〃



Penrod　and　Herman　rose　and　went　out　to　the　hydrant；　where

they　drank　long　and　ardently。　　Sam　was　still　talking　about　snow

when　they　returned。



〃No；　I　wouldn't　just　roll　in　it。　　I'd　stick　it　all　round

inside　my　clo'es；　and　fill　my　hat。　　No；　I'd　freeze　a　big　pile　of

it　all　hard；　and　I'd　roll　her　out　flat　and　then　I'd　carry　her

down　to　some　ole　tailor's　and　have　him　make　me　a　SUIT　out　of

her；　and〃



〃Can't　you　keep　still　about　your　ole　snow？〃　demanded　Penrod

petulantly。　　〃Makes　me　so　thirsty　I　can't　keep　still；　and　I've

drunk　so　much　now　I　bet　I　bust。　　That　ole　hydrant　water's　mighty

near　hot　anyway。〃



〃I'm　goin'　to　have　a　big　store；　when　I　grow　up；〃　volunteered

Maurice。



〃Candy　store？〃　asked　Penrod。



〃NO；　sir！　I'll　have　candy　in　it；　but　not　to　eat；　so　much。

　It's　goin'　to　be　a　deportment　store：　ladies'　clothes；

gentlemen's　clothes；　neckties；　china　goods；　leather　goods；　nice

lines　in　woollings　and　lace　goods〃



〃Yay！　　I　wouldn't　give　a　five…for…a…cent　marble　for　your

whole　store；〃　said　Sam。　　〃Would　you；　Penrod？〃



〃Not　for　ten　of　'em；　not　for　a　million　of　'em！　_I_'m　goin'

to　have〃



〃Wait！〃　clamoured　Maurice。　　〃You'd　be　foolish；　because　they'd

be　a　toy　deportment　in　my　store　where　they'd　be　a　hunderd

marbles！　　So；　how　much　would　you　think　your　five…for…a…cent

marble　counts　for？　　And　when　I'm　keepin'　my　store　I'm　goin'　to

get　married。〃



〃Yay！〃　shrieked　Sam　derisively。　　〃MARRIED！　　Listen！〃　

Penrod　and　Herman　joined　in　the　howl　of　contempt。



〃Certumly　I'll　get　married；〃　asserted　Maurice　stoutly。　　〃I'll

get　married　to　Marjorie　Jones。　　She　likes　me　awful　good；　and　I'm

her　beau。〃



〃What　makes　you　think　so？〃　inquired　Penrod　in　a　cryptic

voice。



〃Because　she's　my　beau；　too；〃　came　the　prompt　answer。　　〃I'm

her　beau　because　she's　my　beau；　I　guess　that's　plenty　reason！　

I'll　get　married　to　her　as　soon　as　I　get　my　store　running　nice。〃



Penrod　looked　upon　him　darkly；　but；　for　the　moment；　held　his

peace。



〃Married！〃　jeered　Sam　Williams。　　〃Married　to　Marjorie　Jones！　

You're　the　only　boy　I　ever　heard　say　he　was　going　to　get　married。　

I　wouldn't　get　married　forwhy；　I　wouldn't　forfor〃　　Unable

to　think　of　any　inducement　the　mere　mention　of　which　would　not　be

ridiculously　incommensurate；　he　proceeded：　　〃I　wouldn't　do　it！　

What　you　want　to　get　married　for？　　What　do　married　people　do；

except　just　come　home　tired；　and　worry　around　and　kind　of　scold？　

You　better　not　do　it；　M'rice；　you'll　be　mighty　sorry。〃



〃Everybody　gets　married；〃　stated　Maurice；　holding　his　ground。



〃They　gotta。〃



〃I'll　bet　_I_　don't！〃　Sam　returned　hotly。　　〃They　better

catch　me　before　they　tell　ME　I　have　to。　　Anyway；　I　bet　nobody

has　to　get　married　unless　they　want　to。〃



〃They　do；　too；〃　insisted　　Maurice。　　〃They　　GOTTA！〃



〃Who　told　you？〃



〃Look　at　what　my　own　papa　told　me！〃　cried　Maurice；　heated

with　argument。　　〃Didn't　he　tell　me　your　papa　had　to　marry　your

mamma；　or　else　he　never'd　got　to　handle　a　cent　of　her　money？　

Certumly；　people　gotta　marry。　　Everybody。　　You　don't　know　anybody

over　twenty　years　old　that　isn't　marriedexcept　maybe　teachers。〃



〃Look　at　policemen！〃　shouted　Sam　triumphantly。　　‘You

don't　s'pose