penrod-第34部分

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〃Who？〃



〃Her　name　is　Fanchon。　　She's　Mrs。　Gelbraith's　little　niece。〃



〃What　makes　her　so　queer？〃



〃I　didn't　say　she's　queer。〃



〃You　said〃



〃No；　I　mean　that　she　is　a　stranger。　　She　lives　in　New　York

and　has　come　to　visit　here。〃



〃What's　she　live　in　New　York　for？〃



〃Because　her　parents　live　there。　　You　must　be　very　nice　to

her；　Penrod；　she　has　been　very　carefully　brought　up。　　Besides；

she　doesn't　know　the　children　here；　and　you　must　help　to　keep　her

from　feeling　lonely　at　your　party。〃



〃Yes'm。〃



When　they　reached　Mrs。　Gelbraith's；　Penrod　sat　patiently

humped　upon　a　gilt　chair　during　the　lengthy　exchange　of　greetings

between　his　mother。　and　Mrs。　Gelbraith。　　That　is　one　of　the

things　a　boy　must　learn　to　bear：　when　his　mother　meets　a　compeer

there　is　always　a　long　and　dreary　wait　for　him；　while　the　two

appear　to　be　using　strange　symbols　of　speech；　talking　for　the

greater　part；　it　seems　to　him；　simultaneously；　and　employing

a　wholly　incomprehensible　system　of　emphasis　at　other　times　not

in　vogue。　　Penrod　twisted　his　legs；　his　cap　and　his　nose。



〃Here　she　is！〃　Mrs。　Gelbraith　cried；　unexpectedly；　and　a

dark…haired；　demure　person　entered　the　room　wearing　a　look　of

gracious　social　expectancy。　　In　years　she　was　eleven；　in　manner

about　sixty…five；　and　evidently　had　lived　much　at　court。　　She

performed　a　curtsey　in　acknowledgment　of　Mrs。　Schofield's

greeting；　and　bestowed　her　hand　upon　Penrod；　who　had　entertained

no　hope　of　such　an　honour；　showed　his　surprise　that　it　should

come　to　him；　and　was　plainly　unable　to　decide　what　to　do　about

it。



〃Fanchon；　dear；〃　said　Mrs。　Gelbraith；　〃take　Penrod　out　in　the

yard　for　a　while；　and　play。〃



〃Let　go　the　little　girl's　hand；　Penrod；〃　Mrs。　Schofield

laughed；　as　the　children　turned　toward　the　door。



Penrod　hastily　dropped　the　small　hand；　and　exclaiming；　with

simple　honesty；　〃Why；　_I_　don't　want　it！〃　followed　Fanchon　out

into　the　sunshiny　yard；　where　they　came　to　a　halt　and　surveyed

each　other。



Penrod　stared　awkwardly　at　Fanchon；　no　other　occupation

suggesting　itself　to　him；　while　Fanchon；　with　the　utmost

coolness；　made　a　very　thorough　visual　examination　of　Penrod；

favouring　him　with　an　estimating　scrutiny　which　lasted　until　he

literally　wiggled。　　Finally；　she　spoke。



〃Where　do　you　buy　your　ties？〃　she　asked。



〃What？〃



〃Where　do　you　buy　your　neckties？　　Papa　gets　his　at　Skoone's。　

You　ought　to　get　yours　there。　　I'm　sure　the　one　you're　wearing

isn't　from　Skoone's。〃



〃Skoone's？〃　Penrod　repeated。　　〃Skoone's？〃



〃On　Fifth　Avenue；〃　said　Fanchon。　　〃It's　a　very　smart　shop；

the　men　say。〃



〃Men？〃　echoed　Penrod；　in　a　hazy　whisper。　　〃Men？〃



〃Where　do　your　people　go　in　summer？〃　inquired　the　lady。　

〃WE　go　to　Long　Shore；　but　so　many　middle…class　people　have

begun　coming　there；　mamma　thinks　of　leaving。　　The　middle　classes

are　simply　awful；　don't　you　think？〃



〃What？〃



〃They're　so　boorjaw。　　You　speak　French；　of　course？〃



〃Me？〃



〃We　ran　over　to　Paris　last　year。　　It's　lovely；　don't　you

think？　　Don't　you　LOVE　the　Rue　de　la　Paix？〃



Penrod　wandered　in　a　labyrinth。　　This　girl　seemed　to　be

talking；　but　her　words　were　dumfounding；　and　of　course　there　was

no　way　for　him　to　know　that　he　was　really　listening　to　her

mother。　　It　was　his　first　meeting　with　one　of　those　grown…up

little　girls；　wonderful　product　of　the　winter　apartment　and

summer　hotel；　and　Fanchon；　an　only　child；　was　a　star　of　the

brand。　　He　began　to　feel　resentful。



〃I　suppose；〃　she　went　on；　〃I'll　find　everything　here

fearfully　Western。　　Some　nice　people　called　yesterday；

though。　　Do　you　know　the　Magsworth　Bittses？　　Auntie　says　they're

charming。　　Will　Roddy　be　at　your　party？〃



〃I　guess　he　will；〃　returned　Penrod；　finding　this

intelligible。　　〃The　mutt！〃



〃Really！〃　Fanchon　exclaimed　airily。　　〃Aren't　you　great　pals

with　him？〃



〃What's　‘pals'？〃



〃Good　heavens！　　Don't　you　know　what　it　means　to　say　you're

‘great　pals'　with　any　one？　　You　ARE　an　odd　child！〃



It　was　too　much。



〃Oh；　Bugs！〃　said　Penrod。



This　bit　of　ruffianism　had　a　curious　effect。　　Fanchon　looked

upon　him　with　sudden　favour。



〃I　like　you；　Penrod！〃　she　said；　in　an　odd　way；　and；　whatever

else　there　may　have　been　in　her　manner；　there　certainly　was　no

shyness。



〃Oh；　Bugs！〃　　This　repetition　may　have　lacked　gallantry；　but

it　was　uttered　in　no　very　decided　tone。　　Penrod　was　shaken。



〃Yes；　I　do！〃　　She　stepped　closer　to　him；　smiling。　　〃Your　hair

is　ever　so　pretty。〃



Sailors'　parrots　swear　like　mariners；　they　say；　and　gay

mothers　ought　to　realize　that　all　children　are　imitative；　for；　as

the　precocious　Fanchon　leaned　toward　Penrod；　the　manner　in　which

she　looked　into　his　eyes　might　have　made　a　thoughtful　observer

wonder　where　she　had　learned　her　pretty　ways。



Penrod　was　even　more　confused　than　he　had　been　by　her

previous　mysteries：　but　his　confusion　was　of　a　distinctly

pleasant　and　alluring　nature：　he　wanted　more　of　it。　　Looking

intentionally　into　another　person's　eyes　is　an　act　unknown　to

childhood；　and　Penrod's　discovery　that　it　could　be　done　was

sensational。　　He　had　never　thought　of　looking　into　the　eyes　of

Marjorie　Jones。



Despite　all　anguish；　contumely；　tar；　and　Maurice　Levy；　he

still　secretly　thought　of　Marjorie；　with　pathetic　constancy；　as

his　〃beau〃though　that　is　not　how　he　would　have　spelled　it。　

Marjorie　was　beautiful；　her　curls　were　long　and　the　colour　of

amber；　her　nose　was　straight　and　her　freckles　were　honest；　she

was　much　prettier　than　this　accomplished　visitor。　　But　beauty　is

not　all。



〃I　do！〃　breathed　Fanchon；　softly。



She　seemed　to　him　a　fairy　creature　from　some　rosier　world

than　this。　　So　humble　is　the　human　heart；　it　glorifies　and　makes

glamorous　almost　any　poor　thing　that　says　to　it：　　〃I　like　you！〃



Penrod　was　enslaved。　　He　swallowed；　coughed；　scratched　the

back　of　his　neck；　and　said；　disjointedly：



〃WellI　don't　care　if　you　want　to。　　I　just　as　soon。〃



〃We'll　dance　together；〃　said　Fanchon；　〃at　your　party。〃



〃I　guess　so。　　I　just　as　soon。〃



〃Don't　you　want　to；　Penrod？〃



〃Well；　I'm　willing　to。〃



〃No。　　Say　you　WANT　to！〃



〃Well〃



He　used　his　toe　as　a　gimlet；　boring　into　the　ground；　his　wide

open　eyes　staring　with　intense　vacancy　at　a　button　on　his　sleeve。



His　mother　appeared　upon　the　porch　in　departure；　calling

farewells　over　her　shoulder　to　Mrs。　Gelbraith；　who　stood　in　the

doorway。



〃Say　it！〃　whispered　Fanchon。



〃Well；　I　just　as　SOON。〃



She　seemed　satisfied。







CHAPTER　XXX

THE　BIRTHDAY　PARTY



A　dancing　floor　had　been　laid　upon　a　platform　in　the　yard；　when

Mrs。　Schofield　and　her　son　arrived　at　their　own　abode；　and　a

white　and　scarlet　striped　canopy　was　in　process　of　erection

overhead；　to　shelter　the　dancers　from　the　sun。　　Workmen　were　busy

everywhere　under　the　direction　of　Margaret；　and　the　smitten　heart

of　Penrod　began　to　beat　rapidly。　　All　this　was　for　him；　he　was

Twelve！



After　lunch；　he　underwent　an　elaborate　toilette　and　murmured

not。　　For　the　first　time　in　his　life　he　knew　the　wish　to　be　sand…

papered；　waxed；　and　polished　to　the　highest　possible

degree。　　And　when　the　operation　was　over；　he　stood　before　the

mirror　in　new　bloom；　feeling　encouraged　to　hope　that　his

resemblance　to　his　father　was　not　so　strong　as　Aunt　Sarah　seemed

to　think。



The　white　gloves　upon　his　hands　had　a　pleasant　smell；　he

found；　and；　as　he　came　down　the　stairs；　he　had　great　content　in

the　twinkling　of　his　new　dancing　slippers。　　He　stepped　twice　on

each　step；　the　better　to　enjoy　their　effect　and　at　the　same　time

he　deeply　inhaled　the　odour　of　the　gloves。　　In　spite　of

everything；　Penrod　had　his　social　capacities。　　Already　it　is　to

be　perceived　that　there　were　in　him　the　makings　of　a　cotillon

leader。



Then　came　from　the　yard　a　sound　of　tuning　instruments；　squeak

of　fiddle；　croon　of　'cello；　a　falling　triangle　ringing　and

tinkling　to　the　floor；　and　he　turned　pale。



Chosen　guests　began　to　arrive；　while　Penrod；　suffering　from

stage…fright　and　perspiration；　stood　beside　his　mother；　in　the

〃drawing…room；〃　to　receive　them。　　He　greeted　unfamiliar

acquaintances　and　intimate　fellow…criminals　with　the　same

frigidity；　murmuring：　　〃'M　glad　to　see　y'；〃　to　all　alike；　largely

increasing　the　embarrassment　which　always　prevails　at　the

beginning　of　children's　festivities。　　His　unnatural　pomp　and

circumstance　had　so　thoroughly　upset　him；　in　truth；　that　Marjorie

Jones　received　a　distinct　shock；　now　to　be　related。　　Doctor

Thrope；　the　kind　old　clergyman　who　had　baptized　Penrod；　came

in　for　a　moment　to　congratulate　the　boy；　and　had　just　moved　away

when　it　was　Marjorie's　turn；　in　the　line　of　children；　to　speak　to

Penrod。　　She　gave　him　what　she　considered　a　forgiving　look；　and；

because　of　the　occasion；　addressed　him　in　a　perfectly　courteous

manner。



〃I　wish　you　many　happy　returns　of　the　day；　Penrod。〃



〃Thank　you；　sir！〃　he　returned；　following　Dr。　Thrope　with　a

glassy　stare　in　which　there　was　absolutely　no　recognition　of

Marjorie。　　Then　he　greeted　Maurice　Levy；　who　was　next　to

Marjorie：　　〃'M　glad　to　see　y'！〃



Dumfounded；　Marjorie　turned　aside；　and　stood　near；　observing

Penrod　with　gravity。　　It　was　the　first　great　surprise　of　her

life。　　Customarily；　she　had　seemed　to　place　his　character

somewhere　between　that　of　the　professional　rioter　and　that　of　the

orang…outang；　nevertheless；　her　manner　at　times　just　hinted　a

consciousness　that　this　Caliban　was　her　property。　　Wherefore；　she

stared　at　him　incredulously　as　his　head　bobbed　up　and　down；　in

the　dancing…school　bow；　greeting　his　guests。　　Then　she　heard　an

adult　voice；　near　her；　exclaim：



〃What　an　exquisite　child！〃



Mariorie　galanced　upa　little　consciously；　though　she　was

used　to　itnaturally　curious　to　ascertain　who　was　speaking　of

her。　　It　was　Sam　Williams'　mother　address