penrod-第4部分

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increased　his　horror　of　the　moment　when；　in　pursuance　of　the

action　of　the　〃pageant；〃　the　sheltering　garment　must　be　cast

aside。



Some　of　the　other　child　knights　were　also　keeping　their

mantles　close　about　them。　　A　few　of　the　envied　opulent　swung

brilliant　fabrics　from　their　shoulders；　airily；　showing　off　hired

splendours　from　a　professional　costumer's　stock；　while　one　or　two

were　insulting　examples　of　parental　indulgence；　particularly

little　Maurice　Levy；　the　Child　Sir　Galahad。　　This　shrinking

person　went　clamorously　about；　making　it　known　everywhere　that

the　best　tailor　in　town　had　been　dazzled　by　a　great　sum　into

constructing　his　costume。　　It　consisted　of　blue　velvet

knickerbockers；　a　white　satin　waistcoat；　and　a　beautifully　cut

little　swallow…tailed　coat　with　pearl　buttons。　　The　medieval　and

artistic　triumph　was　completed　by　a　mantle　of　yellow　velvet；　and

little　white　boots；　sporting　gold　tassels。



All　this　radiance　paused　in　a　brilliant　career　and　addressed

the　Child　Sir　Lancelot；　gathering　an　immediately　formed

semicircular　audience　of　little　girls。　　Woman　was　ever　the

trailer　of　magnificence。



〃What　YOU　got　on？〃　inquired　Mr。　Levy；　after　dispensing

information。　　〃What　you　got　on　under　that　ole　golf　cape？〃



Penrod　looked　upon　him　coldly。　　At　other　times　his

questioner　would　have　approached　him　with　deference；　even　with

apprehension。　　But　to…day　the　Child　Sir　Galahad　was　somewhat

intoxicated　with　the　power　of　his　own　beauty。



〃What　YOU　got　on？〃　he　repeated。



〃Oh；　nothin'；〃　said　Penrod；　with　an　indifference　assumed　at

great　cost　to　his　nervous　system。



The　elate　Maurice　was　inspired　to　set　up　as　a　wit。　　〃Then

you're　nakid！〃　he　shouted　exultantly。　　〃Penrod　Schofield　says　he

hasn't　got　nothin'　on　under　that　ole　golf　cape！　　He's　nakid！　

He's　nakid。〃



The　indelicate　little　girls　giggled　delightedly；　and　a

javelin　pierced　the　inwards　of　Penrod　when　he　saw　that　the　Child

Elaine；　amber…curled　and　beautiful　Marjorie　Jones；　lifted　golden

laughter　to　the　horrid　jest。



Other　boys　and　girls　came　flocking　to　the　uproar。　　〃He's

nakid；　he's　nakid！〃　shrieked　the　Child　Sir　Galahad。　　〃Penrod

Schofield's　nakid！　　He's　NA…A…A…KID！〃



〃Hush；　hush！〃　said　Mrs。　Lora　Rewbush；　pushing　her　way　into

the　group。　　〃Remember；　we　are　all　little　knights　and　ladies　to…

day。　　Little　knights　and　ladies　of　the　Table　Round　would　not　make

so　much　noise。　　Now　children；　we　must　begin　to　take　our　places　on

the　stage。　　Is　everybody　here？〃



Penrod　made　his　escape　under　cover　of　this　diversion：　he　slid

behind　Mrs。　Lora　Rewbush；　and　being　near　a　door；　opened　it

unnoticed　and　went　out　quickly；　closing　it　behind　him。　　He

found　himself　in　a　narrow　and　vacant　hallway　which　led　to　a　door

marked　〃Janitor's　Room。〃



Burning　with　outrage；　heart…sick　at　the　sweet；　cold…blooded

laughter　of　Marjorie　Jones；　Penrod　rested　his　elbows　upon　a

window…sill　and　speculated　upon　the　effects　of　a　leap　from　the

second　story。　　One　of　the　reasons　he　gave　it　up　was　his　desire　to

live　on　Maurice　Levy's　account：　already　he　was　forming

educational　plans　for　the　Child　Sir　Galahad。



A　stout　man　in　blue　overalls　passed　through　the　hallway

muttering　to　himself　petulantly。　　〃I　reckon　they'll　find　that

hall　hot　enough　NOW！〃　he　said；　conveying　to　Penrod　an

impression　that　some　too　feminine　women　had　sent　him　upon　an

unreasonable　errand　to　the　furnace。　　He　went　into　the　Janitor's

Room　and；　emerging　a　moment　later；　minus　the　overalls；　passed

Penrod　again　with　a　bass　rumble〃Dern　'em！〃　it　seemed　he　said

and　made　a　gloomy　exit　by　the　door　at　the　upper　end　of　the

hallway。



The　conglomerate　and　delicate　rustle　of　a　large；　mannerly

audience　was　heard　as　the　janitor　opened　and　closed　the　door；　and

stage…fright　seized　the　boy。　　The　orchestra　began　an　overture；

and；　at　that；　Penrod；　trembling　violently；　tiptoed　down　the　hall

into　the　Janitor's　Room。　　It　was　a　cul…de…sac：　　There　was　no

outlet　save　by　the　way　he　had　come。



Despairingly　he　doffed　his　mantle　and　looked　down　upon

himself　for　a　last　sickening　assurance　that　the　stockings

were　as　obviously　and　disgracefully　Margaret's　as　they　had　seemed

in　the　mirror　at　home。　　For　a　moment　he　was　encouraged：　perhaps

he　was　no　worse　than　some　of　the　other　boys。　　Then　he　noticed

that　a　safety…pin　had　opened；　one　of　those　connecting　the

stockings　with　his　trunks。　　He　sat　down　to　fasten　it　and　his　eye

fell　for　the　first　time　with　particular　attention　upon　the

trunks。　　Until　this　instant　he　had　been　preoccupied　with　the

stockings。



Slowly　recognition　dawned　in　his　eyes。



The　Schofields'　house　stood　on　a　corner　at　the　intersection

of　two　main…travelled　streets；　the　fence　was　low；　and　the

publicity　obtained　by　the　washable　portion　of　the　family　apparel；

on　Mondays；　had　often　been　painful　to　Penrod；　for　boys　have　a

peculiar　sensitiveness　in　these　matters。　　A　plain；　matter…of…fact

washerwoman'　employed　by　Mrs。　Schofield；　never　left　anything　to

the　imagination　of　the　passer…by；　and　of　all　her　calm　display　the

scarlet　flaunting　of　his　father's　winter　wear　had　most　abashed

Penrod。　　One　day　Marjorie　Jones；　all　gold　and　starch；　had　passed

when　the　dreadful　things　were　on　the　line：　　Penrod　had　hidden

himself；　shuddering。　　The　whole　town；　he　was　convinced；　knew

these　garments　intimately　and　derisively。



And　now；　as　he　sat　in　the　janitor's　chair；　the　horrible　and

paralyzing　recognition　came。　　He　had　not　an　instant's　doubt　that

every　fellow　actor；　as　well　as　every　soul　in　the　audience；　would

recognize　what　his　mother　and　sister　had　put　upon　him。　　For

as　the　awful　truth　became　plain　to　himself　it　seemed　blazoned　to

the　world；　and　far；　far　louder　than　the　stockings；　the　trunks　did

fairly　bellow　the　grisly　secret：　WHOSE　they　were　and　WHAT

they　were！



Most　people　have　suffered　in　a　dream　the　experience　of

finding　themselves　very　inadequately　clad　in　the　midst　of　a　crowd

of　well…dressed　people；　and　such　dreamers'　sensations　are

comparable　to　Penrod's；　though　faintly；　because　Penrod　was　awake

and　in　much　too　full　possession　of　the　most　active　capacities　for

anguish。



A　human　male　whose　dress　has　been　damaged；　or　reveals　some

vital　lack；　suffers　from　a　hideous　and　shameful　loneliness　which

makes　every　second　absolutely　unbearable　until　he　is　again　as

others　of　his　sex　and　species；　and　there　is　no　act　or　sin

whatever　too　desperate　for　him　in　his　struggle　to　attain　that

condition。　　Also；　there　is　absolutely　no　embarrassment　possible

to　a　woman　which　is　comparable　to　that　of　a　man　under

corresponding　circumstances　and　in　this　a　boy　is　a　man。　　Gazing

upon　the　ghastly　trunks；　the　stricken　Penrod　felt　that　he　was　a

degree　worse　then　nude；　and　a　great　horror　of　himself　filled　his

soul。



〃Penrod　Schofield！〃



The　door　into　the　hallway　opened；　and　a　voice　demanded　him。　

He　could　not　be　seen　from　the　hallway；　but　the　hue　and　the　cry

was　up；　and　he　knew　he　must　be　taken。　　It　was　only　a　question

of　seconds。　　He　huddled　in　his　chair。



〃Penrod　Schofield！〃　cried　Mrs。　Lora　Rewbush　angrily。



The　distracted　boy　rose　and；　as　he　did　so；　a　long　pin　sank

deep　into　his　back。　　He　extracted　it　frenziedly；　which　brought　to

his　ears　a　protracted　and　sonorous　ripping；　too　easily　located　by

a　final　gesture　of　horror。



〃Penrod　Schofield！〃　Mrs。　Lora　Rewbush　had　come　out　into　the

hallway。



And　now；　in　this　extremity；　when　all　seemed　lost　indeed；

particularly　including　honour；　the　dilating　eye　of　the　outlaw

fell　upon　the　blue　overalls　which　the　janitor　had　left　hanging

upon　a　peg。



Inspiration　and　action　were　almost　simultaneous。



　

　

CHAPTER　V

THE　PAGEANT　OF　THE　TABLE　ROUND





〃Penrod！〃　Mrs。　Lora　Rewbush　stood　in　the　doorway；　indignantly

gazing　upon　a　Child　Sir　Lancelot　mantled　to　the　heels。　　〃Do　you

know　that　you　have　kept　an　audience　of　five　hundred　people

waiting　for　ten　minutes？〃　　She；　also；　detained　the　five　hundred

while　she　spake　further。



〃Well；〃　said　Penrod　contentedly；　as　he　followed　her　toward

the　buzzing　stage；　〃I　was　just　sitting　there　thinking。〃



Two　minutes　later　the　curtain　rose　on　a　medieval　castle　hall

richly　done　in　the　new　stage…craft　made　in　Germany　and　consisting

of　pink　and　blue　cheesecloth。　　The　Child　King　Arthur　and

the　Child　Queen　Guinevere　were　disclosed　upon　thrones；　with　the

Child　Elaine　and　many　other　celebrities　in　attendance；　while

about　fifteen　Child　Knights　were　seated　at　a　dining…room　table

round；　which　was　covered　with　a　large　Oriental　rug；　and　displayed

（for　the　knights'　refreshment）　a　banquet　service　of　silver

loving…cups　and　trophies；　borrowed　from　the　Country　Club　and　some

local　automobile　manufacturers。



In　addition　to　this　splendour；　potted　plants　and　palms　have

seldom　been　more　lavishly　used　in　any　castle　on　the　stage　or　off。



The　footlights　were　aided　by　a　〃spot…light〃　from　the　rear　of　the

hall；　and　the　children　were　revealed　in　a　blaze　of　glory。



A　hushed；　multitudinous　〃O…OH〃　of　admiration　came　from

the　decorous　and　delighted　audience。　　Then　the　children　sang

feebly：





〃Chuldrun　of　the　Tabul　Round；

　　　　Lit…tul　knights　and　ladies　we。

Let　our　voy…siz　all　resound

　　　　Faith　and　hope　and　charitee！〃





The　Child　King　Arthur　rose；　extended　his　sceptre　with　the

decisive　gesture　of　a　semaphore；　and　spake：





〃Each　littul　knight　and　lady　born

Has　noble　deeds　TO　perform

In　THEE　child…world　of　shivullree；

No　matter　how　small　his　share　may　be。

Let　each　advance　and　tell　in　turn

What　claim　has　each　to　knighthood　earn。〃





The　Child　Sir　Mordred；　the　villain　of　this　piece；　rose　in　his

place　at　the　table　round；　and　piped　the　only　lines　ever　written

by　Mrs。　Lora　Rewbush　which　Penrod　Schofield　could　have　pronounced

without　loathing。　　Georgie　Bassett；　a　really　angelic　boy；　had

been　selected　for　the　role　of　Mordred。　　His　perfect　conduct　had

earned　for　him　the　sardonic