penrod-第32部分

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Mrs。　Bassett　had　Georgie　been　permitted　greater　intimacy　with

Penrod　and　Sam。



Mr。　Kinosling　sipped　his　iced　tea　and　looked　about；　him

approvingly。　　Seven　ladies　leaned　forward；　for　it　was　to　be　seen

that　he　meant　to　speak。



〃This　cool　room　is　a　relief；〃　he　said；　waving　a　graceful　hand

in　a　neatly　limited　gesture；　which　everybody's　eyes　followed；　his

own　included。　　〃It　is　a　relief　and　a　retreat。　　The　windows　open；

the　blinds　closedthat　is　as　it　should　be。　　It　is　a　retreat；　a

fastness；　a　bastion　against　the　heat's　assault。　　For　me；　a　quiet

rooma　quiet　room　and　a　book；　a　volume　in　the　hand；　held　lightly

between　the　fingers。　　A　volume　of　poems；　lines　metrical　and

cadenced；　something　by　a　sound　Victorian。　　We　have　no　later

poets。〃



〃Swinburne？〃　suggested　Miss　Beam；　an　eager　spinster。　

〃Swinburne；　Mr。　Kinosling？　　Ah；　SWINBURNE！〃



〃Not　Swinburne；〃　said　Mr。　Kinosling　chastely。　　〃No。〃



That　concluded　all　the　remarks　about　Swinburne。





Miss　Beam　retired　in　confusion　behind　another　lady；　and

somehow　there　became　diffused　an　impression　that　Miss　Beam　was

erotic。



〃I　do　not　observe　your　manly　little　son；　〃Mr。　Kinosling

addressed　his　hostess。



〃He's　out　playing　in　the　yard；〃　Mrs。　Bassett　returned。　　〃I

heard　his　voice　just　now；　I　think。〃



〃Everywhere　I　hear　wonderful　report　of　him；〃　said　Mr。

Kinosling。　　〃I　may　say　that　I　understand　boys；　and　I　feel　that　he

is　a　rare；　a　fine；　a　pure；　a　lofty　spirit。　　I　say　spirit；　for

spirit　is　the　word　I　hear　spoken　of　him。〃



A　chorus　of　enthusiastic　approbation　affirmed　the　accuracy　of

this　proclamation；　and　Mrs。　Bassett　flushed　with　pleasure。　

Georgie's　spiritual　perfection　was　demonstrated　by　instances　of

it；　related　by　the　visitors；　his　piety　was　cited；　and　wonderful

things　he　had　said　were　quoted。



〃Not　all　boys　are　pure；　of　fine　spirit；　of　high　mind；〃　said

Mr。　Kinosling；　and　continued　with　true　feeling：　　〃You　have　a

neighbour；　dear　Mrs。　Bassett；　whose　household　I　indeed　really

feel　it　quite　impossible　to　visit　until　such　time　when　better；

firmer；　stronger　handed；　more　determined　discipline　shall

prevail。　　I　find　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Schofield　and　their　daughter

charming〃



Three　or　four　ladies　said　〃Oh！〃　and　spoke　a　name

simultaneously。　　It　was　as　if　they　had　said；　〃Oh；　the　bubonic

plague！〃



〃Oh！　Penrod　Schofield！〃



〃Georgie　does　not　play　with　him；〃　said　Mrs。　Bassett　quickly

〃that　is；　he　avoids　him　as　much　as　he　can　without　hurting

Penrod's　feelings。　　Georgie　is　very　sensitive　to　giving　pain。　　I

suppose　a　mother　should　not　tell　these　things；　and　I　know　people

who　talk　about　their　own　children　are　dreadful　bores；　but　it　was

only　last　Thursday　night　that　Georgie　looked　up　in　my　face　so

sweetly；　after　he　had　said　his　prayers　and　his　little　cheeks

flushed；　as　he　said：　　〃Mamma；　I　think　it　would　be　right　for　me　to

go　more　with　Penrod。　　I　think　it　would　make　him　a　better　boy。〃



A　sibilance　went　about　the　room。　　〃Sweet！　　How　sweet！　　The

sweet　little　soul！　　Ah；　SWEET！〃



〃And　that　very　afternoon；〃　continued　Mrs。　Bassett；　〃he　had

come　home　in　a　dreadful　state。　　Penrod　had　thrown　tar　all　over

him。〃



〃Your　son　has　a　forgiving　spirit！〃　said　Mr。　Kinosling　with

vehemence。　　〃A　too　forgiving　spirit；　perhaps。〃　　He　set　down　his

glass。　　〃No　more；　I　thank　you。　　No　more　cake；　I　thank　you。　　Was

it　not　Cardinal　Newman　who　said〃



He　was　interrupted　by　the　sounds　of　an　altercation　just

outside　the　closed　blinds　of　the　window　nearest　him。



〃Let　him　pick　his　tree！〃　　It　was　the　voice　of　Samuel

Williams。　　〃Didn't　we　come　over　here　to　give　him　one　of　his　own

trees？　　Give　him　a　fair　show；　can't　you？〃



〃The　little　lads！〃　Mr。　Kinosling　smiled。　　〃They　have　their

games；　their　outdoor　sports；　their　pastimes。　　The　young　muscles

are　toughening。　　The　sun　will　not　harm　them。　　They　grow；　they

expand；　they　learn。　　They　learn　fair　play；　honour；　courtesy；　from

one　another；　as　pebbles　grow　round　in　the　brook。　　They　learn　more

from　themselves　than　from　us。　　They　take　shape；　form；　outline。　

Let　them。〃



〃Mr。　　Kinosling！〃　　Another　spinsterundeterred　by　what　had

happened　to　Miss　Beamleaned　fair　forward；　her　face　shining　and

ardent。　　〃Mr。　　Kinosling；　there's　a　question　I　DO　wish　to　ask

you。〃



〃My　dear　Miss　Cosslit；〃　Mr。　Kinosling　responded；　again　waving

his　hand　and　watching　it；　〃I　am　entirely　at　your　disposal。〃



〃WAS　Joan　of　Arc；〃　she　asked　fervently；　〃inspired　by

spirits？〃



He　smiled　indulgently。　　〃Yesand　no；〃　he　said。　　〃One　must

give　both　answers。　　One　must　give　the　answer；　yes；　one　must　give

the　answer；　no。〃



〃Oh；　THANK　you！〃　said　Miss　Cosslit；　blushing。



〃She's　one　of　my　great　enthusiasms；　you　know。〃



〃And　I　have　a　question；　too；〃　urged　Mrs。　Lora　Rewbush；

after　a　moment's　hasty　concentration。　　〃'I've　never　been　able　to

settle　it　for　myself；　but　NOW〃



〃Yes？〃　said　Mr。　Kinosling　encouragingly。



〃Isahisoh；　yes：　　Is　Sanskrit　a　more　difficult　language

than　Spanish；　Mr。　Kinosling？〃



〃It　depends　upon　the　student；〃　replied　the　oracle　smiling。　

〃One　must　not　look　for　linguists　everywhere。　　In　my　own　especial

caseif　one　may　cite　one's　self　as　an　exampleI　found　no　great；

no　insurmountable　difficulty　in　mastering；　in　conquering　either。〃



〃And　may　_I_　ask　one？〃　ventured　Mrs。　Bassett。　　〃Do　you

think　it　is　right　to　wear　egrets？〃



〃There　are　marks　of　quality；　of　caste；　of　social

distinction；〃　Mr。　Kinosling　began；　〃which　must　be　permitted；

allowed；　though　perhaps　regulated。　　Social　distinction；　one

observes；　almost　invariably　implies　spiritual　distinction　as

well。　　Distinction　of　circumstances　is　accompanied　by　mental

distinction。　　Distinction　is　hereditary；　it　descends　from　father

to　son；　and　if　there　is　one　thing　more　true　than　‘Like　father；

like　son；'　it　is〃　he　bowed　gallantly　to　Mrs。　Bassett〃it　is；

‘Like　mother；　like　son。'　　What　these　good　ladies　have　said　this

afternoon　of　YOUR〃



This　was　the　fatal　instant。　　There　smote　upon　all　ears　the

voice　of　Georgie；　painfully　shrill　and　penetratingfraught　with

protest　and　protracted；　strain。　　His　plain　words　consisted

of　the　newly　sanctioned　and　disinfected　curse　with　a　big　H。



With　an　ejaculation　of　horror；　Mrs。　Bassett　sprang　to　the

window　and　threw　open　the　blinds。



Georgie's　back　was　disclosed　to　the　view　of　the　tea…party。　

He　was　endeavouring　to　ascend　a　maple　tree　about　twelve　feet　from

the　window。　　Embracing　the　trunk　with　arms　and　legs；　he　had

managed　to　squirm　to　a　point　above　the　heads　of　Penrod　and

Herman；　who　stood　close　by；　watching　him　earnestlyPenrod　being

obviously　in　charge　of　the　performance。　　Across　the　yard　were　Sam

Williams　and　Maurice　Levy；　acting　as　a　jury　on　the　question　of

voice…power；　and　it　was　to　a　complaint　of　theirs　that　Georgie　had

just　replied。



〃That's　right；　Georgie；〃　said　Penrod　encouragingly。　　〃They

can；　too；　hear　you。　　Let　her　go！〃



〃Going　to　heaven！〃　shrieked　Georgie；　squirming　up　another

inch。　　〃Going　to　heaven；　heaven；　heaven！〃



His　mother's　frenzied　attempts　to　attract　his　attention

failed　utterly。　　Georgie　was　using　the　full　power　of　his　lungs；

deafening　his　own　ears　to　all　other　sounds。　　Mrs。　Bassett　called

in　vain；　while　the　tea…party　stood　petrified　in　a　cluster　about

the　window。



〃Going　to　heaven！〃　Georgie　bellowed。　　〃Going　to　heaven！　

Going　to　heaven；　my　Lord！　　Going　to　heaven；　heaven；　heaven！〃



He　tried　to　climb　higher；　but　began　to　slip　downward；

his　exertions　causing　damage　to　his　apparel。　　A　button　flew　into

the　air；　and　his　knickerbockers　and　his　waistband　severed

relations。



〃Devil's　got　my　coat…tails；　sinners！　　Old　devil's　got　my

coat…tails！〃　he　announced　appropriately。　　Then　he　began　to　slide。



He　relaxed　his　clasp　of　the　tree　and　slid　to　the　ground。



〃Going　to　hell！〃　shrieked　Georgie；　reaching　a　high　pitch　of

enthusiasm　in　this　great　climax。　　〃Going　to　hell！　　Going　to　hell！　

I'm　gone　to　hell；　hell；　hell！〃



With　a　loud　scream；　Mrs。　Bassett　threw　herself　out　of　the

window；　alighting　by　some　miracle　upon　her　feet　with　ankles

unsprained。



Mr。　Kinosling；　feeling　that　his　presence　as　spiritual　adviser

was　demanded　in　the　yard；　followed　with　greater　dignity　through

the　front　door。　　At　the　corner　of　the　house　a　small　departing

figure　collided　with　him　violently。　　It　was　Penrod；　tactfully

withdrawing　from　what　promised　to　be　a　family　scene　of　unusual

painfulness。



Mr。　Kinosling　seized　him　by　the　shoulders　and；　giving　way　to

emotion；　shook　him　viciously。



〃You　horrible　boy！〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Kinosling。　　〃You　ruffianly

creature！　　Do　you　know　what's　going　to　happen　to　you　when　you

grow　up？　　Do　you　realize　what　you're　going　to　BE！〃



With　flashing　eyes；　the　indignant　boy　made　know　his　unshaken

purpose。　　He　shouted　the　reply：



〃A　minister！〃







CHAPTER　XXVIII

TWELVE



This　busy　globe　which　spawns　us　is　as　incapable　of　flattery　and

as　intent　upon　its　own　affair；　whatever　that　is；　as　a　gyroscope；

it　keeps　steadily　whirling　along　its　lawful　track；　and；　thus　far

seeming　to　hold　a　right　of　way；　spins　doggedly　on；　with　no

perceptible　diminution　of　speed　to　mark　the　most　gigantic　human

eventsit　did　not　pause　to　pant　and　recuperate　even　when　what

seemed　to　Penrod　its　principal　purpose　was　accomplished；　and　an

enormous　shadow；　vanishing　westward　over　its　surface；　marked　the

dawn　of　his　twelfth　birthday。



To　be　twelve　is　an　attainment　worth　the　struggle。　　A　boy；

just　twelve；　is　like　a　Frenchman　just　elected　to　the　Academy。



Distinction　and　honour　wait　upon　him。　　Younger　boys　show

deference　to　a　person　of　twelve：　his　experience　is　guaranteed；

his　judgment；　therefore；　mellow；　consequently；　his　influence　is

profound。　　Eleven　is　not　quite　satisfactory：　it　is　only　an

approach。　　Eleven　has　the　disadvantage　of　six；　of　nineteen；　of

forty…four；　and　of　sixty…nine。　　But；　like　twelve；　seven　is　an

honourable　age；　and　the　ambition　t