penrod-第5部分

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

earned　for　him　the　sardonic　sobriquet；　〃The　Little　Gentleman；〃

among　his　boy　acquaintances。　　（Naturally　he　had　no　friends。）　

Hence　the　other　boys　supposed　that　he　had　been　selected　for　the

wicked　Mordred　as　a　reward　of　virtue。　　He　declaimed　serenely：





　　　　〃I　hight　Sir　Mordred　the　Child；　and　I　teach

　　　　Lessons　of　selfishest　evil；　and　reach

　　　　Out　into　darkness。　　Thoughtless；　unkind；

　　　　And　ruthless　is　Mordred；　and　unrefined。〃





The　Child　Mordred　was　properly　rebuked　and　denied　the

accolade；　though；　like　the　others；　he　seemed　to　have　assumed　the

title　already。　　He　made　a　plotter's　exit。　　Whereupon　Maurice　Levy

rose；　bowed；　announced　that　he　highted　the　Child　Sir　Galahad；　and

continued　with　perfect　sang…froid：





　　　　〃I　am　the　purest　of　the　pure。

　　I　have　but　kindest　thoughts　each　day。

　　　　I　give　my　riches　to　the　poor；

　　And　follow　in　the　Master's　way。〃





This　elicited　tokens　of　approval　from　the　Child　King　Arthur；

and　he　bade　Maurice　〃stand　forth〃　and　come　near　the　throne；　a

command　obeyed　with　the　easy　grace　of　conscious　merit。



It　was　Penrod's　turn。　　He　stepped　back　from　his　chair；　the

table　between　him　and　the　audience；　and　began　in　a　high；

breathless　monotone：





　　〃I　hight　Sir　Lancelot　du　Lake；　the　Child；

　　Gentul…hearted；　meek；　and　mild。

　　　　What　though　I'm　BUT　a　littul　child；

　　　　Gentul…heartud；　meek；　and　mild；

　　　　I　do　my　share　though　butthough　but〃





Penrod　paused　and　gulped。　　The　voice　of　Mrs。　Lora　Rewbush　was

heard　from　the　wings；　prompting　irritably；　and　the　Child。　　Sir

Lancelot　repeated：





　　　　〃I　do　my　share　though　butthough　but　a　tot；

　　　　I　pray　you　knight　Sir　Lancelot！〃





This　also　met　the　royal　favour；　and　Penrod　was　bidden　to　join

Sir　Galahad　at　the　throne。　　As　he　crossed　the　stage；　Mrs。

Schofield　whispered　to　Margaret：



〃That　boy！　　He's　unpinned　his　mantle　and　fixed　it　to　cover

his　whole　costume。　　After　we　worked　so　hard　to　make　it　becoming！〃



〃Never　mind；　he'll　have　to　take　the　cape　off　in　a　minute；〃

returned　Margaret。　　She　leaned　forward　suddenly；　narrowing　her

eyes　to　see　better。　　〃What　IS　that　thing　hanging　about　his

left　ankle？〃　she　whispered　uneasily。　　〃How　queer！　　He　must　have

got　tangled　in　something。〃



〃Where？〃　asked　Mrs。　Schofield；　in　alarm。



〃His　left　foot。　　It　makes　him　stumble。　　Don't　you　see？　　It

looksit　looks　like　an　elephant's　foot！〃



The　Child　Sir　Lancelot　and　the　Child　Sir　Galahad　clasped

hands　before　their　Child　King。　　Penrod　was　conscious　of　a　great

uplift；　in　a　moment　he　would　have　to　throw　aside　his　mantle；　but

even　so　he　was　protected　and　sheltered　in　the　human　garment　of　a

man。　　His　stage…fright　had　passed；　for　the　audience　was　but　an

indistinguishable　blur　of　darkness　beyond　the　dazzling　lights。　

His　most　repulsive　speech　（that　in　which　he　proclaimed　himself　a

〃tot〃）　was　over　and　done　with；　and　now　at　last　the　small；　moist

hand　of　the　Child　Sir　Galahad　lay　within　his　own。　　Craftily　his

brown　fingers　stole　from　Maurice's　palm　to　the　wrist。　　The　two

boys　declaimed　in　concert：





　　〃We　are　two　chuldrun　of　the　Tabul　Round

　　　　　　Strewing　kindness　all　a…round。

　　With　love　and　good　deeds　striving　ever　for　the　best；

　　　　　　May　our　littul　efforts　e'er　be　blest。

　　Two　littul　hearts　we　offer。　　See

　　United　in　love；　faith；　hope；　and　charOW！〃





The　conclusion　of　the　duet　was　marred。　　The　Child　Sir　Galahad

suddenly　stiffened；　and；　uttering　an　irrepressible　shriek　of

anguish；　gave　a　brief　exhibition　of　the　contortionist's　art。　

（〃HE'S　TWISTIN'　MY　WRIST！　　DERN　YOU；　LEGGO！〃）



The　voice　of　Mrs。　Lora　Rewbush　　was　again　heard　from　the

wings；　it　sounded　bloodthirsty。　　Penrod　released　his　victim；

and　the　Child　King　Arthur；　somewhat　disconcerted；　extended　his

sceptre　and；　with　the　assistance　of　the　enraged　prompter；　said：





　　〃Sweet　child…friends　of　the　Tabul　Round；

　　In　brotherly　love　and　kindness　abound；

　　　　　Sir　Lancelot；　you　have　spoken　well；

　　　　　Sir　Galahad；　too；　as　clear　as　bell。

　　So　now　pray　doff　your　mantles　gay。

　　You　shall　be　knighted　this　very　day。〃





And　Penrod　doffed　his　mantle。



Simultaneously；　a　thick　and　vasty　gasp　came　from　the

audience；　as　from　five　hundred　bathers　in　a　wholly　unexpected

surf。　　This　gasp　was　punctuated　irregularly；　over　the　auditorium；

by　imperfectly　subdued　screams　both　of　dismay　and　incredulous

joy；　and　by　two　dismal　shrieks。　　Altogether　it　was　an

extraordinary　sound；　a　sound　never　to　be　forgotten　by　any　one　who

heard　it。　　It　was　almost　as　unforgettable　as　the　sight　which

caused　it；　the　word　〃sight〃　being　here　used　in　its　vernacular

sense；　for　Penrod；　standing　unmantled　and　revealed　in　all　the

medieval　and　artistic　glory　of　the　janitor's　blue　overalls；　falls

within　its　meaning。



The　janitor　was　a　heavy　man；　and　his　overalls；　upon　Penrod；

were　merely　oceanic。　　The　boy　was　at　once　swaddled　and　lost

within　their　blue　gulfs　and　vast　saggings；　and　the　left　leg；　too

hastily　rolled　up；　had　descended　with　a　distinctively　elephantine

effect；　as　Margaret　had　observed。　　Certainly；　the　Child　Sir

Lancelot　was　at　least　a　sight。



It　is　probable　that　a　great　many　in　that　hall　must　have　had；

even　then；　a　consciousness　that　they　were　looking　on　at　History

in　the　Making。　　A　supreme　act　is　recognizable　at　sight：　it　bears

the　birthmark　of　immortality。　　But　Penrod；　that　marvellous　boy；

had　begun　to　declaim；　even　with　the　gesture　of　flinging　off　his

mantle　for　the　accolade：





　　　　〃I　first；　the　Child　Sir　Lancelot　du　Lake；

　　　　Will　volunteer　to　knighthood　take；

　　　　And　kneeling　here　before　your　throne

　　　　I　vow　to〃





He　finished　his　speech　unheard。　　The　audience　had　recovered

breath；　but　had　lost　self…control；　and　there　ensued　something

later　described　by　a　participant　as　a　sort　of　cultured　riot。



The　actors　in　the　〃pageant〃　were　not　so　dumfounded　by

Penrod's　costume　as　might　have　been　expected。　　A　few　precocious

geniuses　perceived　that　the　overalls　were　the　Child　Lancelot's

own　comment　on　maternal　intentions；　and　these　were　profoundly

impressed：　they　regarded　him　with　the　grisly　admiration　of　young

and　ambitious　criminals　for　a　jail…mate　about　to　be　distinguished

by　hanging。　　But　most　of　the　children　simply　took　it　to　be　the

case　（a　little　strange；　but　not　startling）　that　Penrod's　mother

had　dressed　him　like　thatwhich　is　pathetic。　　They　tried　to　go

on　with　the　〃pageant。〃



They　made　a　brief；　manful　effort。　　But　the　irrepressible

outbursts　from　the　audience　bewildered　them；　every　time　Sir

Lancelot　du　Lake　the　Child　opened　his　mouth；　the　great；　shadowy

house　fell　into　an　uproar；　and　the　children　into　confusion。　

Strong　women　and　brave　girls　in　the　audience　went　out　into　the

lobby；　shrieking　and　clinging　to　one　another。　　Others　remained；

rocking　in　their　seats；　helpless　and　spent。　　The　neighbourhood　of

Mrs。　Schofield　and　Margaret　became；　tactfully；　a　desert。　　Friends

of　the　author　went　behind　the　scenes　and　encountered　a　hitherto

unknown　phase　of　Mrs。　Lora　Rewbush；　they　said；　afterward；　that

she　hardly　seemed　to　know　what　she　was　doing。　　She　begged　to　be

left　alone　somewhere　with　Penrod　Schofield；　for　just　a　little

while。



They　led　her　away。　

　

　

　

CHAPTER　VI　

EVENING



The　sun　was　setting　behind　the　back　fence　（though　at　a

considerable　distance）　as　Penrod　Schofield　approached　that　fence

and　looked　thoughtfully　up　at　the　top　of　it；　apparently　having　in

mind　some　purpose　to　climb　up　and　sit　there。　　Debating　this；　he

passed　his　fingers　gently　up　and　down　the　backs　of　his　legs；　and

then　something　seemed　to　decide　him　not　to　sit　anywhere。　　He

leaned　against　the　fence；　sighed　profoundly；　and　gazed　at　Duke；

his　wistful　dog。



The　sigh　was　reminiscent：　episodes　of　simple　pathos　were

passing　before　his　inward　eye。　　About　the　most　painful　was　the

vision　of　lovely　Marjorie　Jones；　weeping　with　rage　as　the

Child　Sir　Lancelot　was　dragged；　insatiate；　from　the　prostrate　and

howling　Child　Sir　Galahad；　after　an　onslaught　delivered　the

precise　instant　the　curtain　began　to　fall　upon　the　demoralized

〃pageant。〃　　And　thenoh；　pangs！　oh；　woman！she　slapped　at　the

ruffian's　cheek；　as　he　was　led　past　her　by　a　resentful　janitor；

and　turning；　flung　her　arms　round　the　Child　Sir　Galahad's　neck。



〃PENROD　SCHOFIELD；　DON'T　YOU　DARE　EVER　SPEAK　TO　ME　AGAIN

AS　LONG　AS　YOU　LIVE！〃　　Maurice's　little　white　boots　and　gold

tassels　had　done　their　work。



At　home　the　late　Child　Sir　Lancelot　was　consigned　to　a　locked

clothes…closet　pending　the　arrival　of　his　father。　　Mr。　Schofield

came　and；　shortly　after；　there　was　put　into　practice　an　old

patriarchal　custom。　　It　is　a　custom　of　inconceivable　antiquity：

probably　primordial；　certainly　prehistoric；　but　still　in　vogue　in

some　remaining　citadels　of　the　ancient　simplicities　of　the

Republic。



And　now；　therefore；　in　the　dusk；　Penrod　leaned　against　the

fence　and　sighed。



His　case　is　comparable　to　that　of　an　adult　who　could　have

survived　a　similar　experience。　　Looking　back　to　the　sawdust…box；

fancy　pictures　this　comparable　adult　a　serious　and　inventive

writer　engaged　in　congenial　literary　activities　in　a　private

retreat。　　We　see　this　period　marked　by　the　creation　of　some　of

the　most　virile　passages　of　a　Work　dealing　exclusively　in　red

corpuscles　and　huge　primal　impulses。　　We　see　this　thoughtful　man

dragged　from　his　calm　seclusion　to　a　horrifying　publicity；　forced

to　adopt　the　stage　and；　himself　a　writer；　compelled　to　exploit

the　repulsive　sentiments　of　an　author　not　only　personally

distasteful　to　him　but　whose　whole　method　and　school　in　belles

lettres　he　despises。



We　see　him　reduced　by　desperation　and　modesty　to　stealing　a

pair　of　overalls。　　We　conceive　him　to　have　ruined；　then；　his　own

reputation；　and　to　have　utterly　disgraced　his　family；　next；　to

have　engaged　in　the　duello　and