penrod-第6部分

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

have　engaged　in　the　duello　and　to　have　been　spurned　by　his

lady…love；　thus　lost　to　him　（according　to　her　own　declaration）

forever。　　Finally；　we　must　behold：　imprisonment　by　the

authorities；　the　third　degree　and　flagellation。



We　conceive　our　man　decided　that　his　career　had　been　perhaps

too　eventful。　　Yet　Penrod　had　condensed　all　of　it　into　eight

hours。



It　appears　that　he　had　at　least　some　shadowy　perception　of　a

recent　fulness　of　life；　for；　as　he　leaned　against　the　fence；

gazing　upon　his　wistful　Duke；　he　sighed　again　and　murmured　aloud：



〃WELL；　HASN'T　THIS　BEEN　A　DAY！〃



But　in　a　little　while　a　star　came　out；　freshly　lighted；　from

the　highest　part　of　the　sky；　and　Penrod；　looking　up；　noticed　it

casually　and　a　little　drowsily。　　He　yawned。　　Then　he　sighed　once

more；　but　not　reminiscently：　evening　had　come；　the　day　was　over。

It　was　a　sigh　of　pure　ennui。



　

　

CHAPTER　VII

EVILS　OF　DRINK



Next　day；　Penrod　acquired　a　dime　by　a　simple　and　antique　process

which　was　without　doubt　sometimes　practised　by　the　boys　of

Babylon。　　When　the　teacher　of　his　class　in　Sunday…school

requested　the　weekly　contribution；　Penrod；　fumbling　honestly　（at

first）　in　the　wrong　pockets；　managed　to　look　so　embarrassed　that

the　gentle　lady　told　him　not　to　mind；　and　said　she　was　often

forgetful　herself。　　She　was　so　sweet　about　it　that；　looking　into

the　future；　Penrod　began　to　feel　confident　of　a　small　but　regular

income。



At　the　close　of　the　afternoon　services　he　did　not　go

home；　but　proceeded　to　squander　the　funds　just　withheld　from

China　upon　an　orgy　of　the　most　pungently　forbidden　description。　

In　a　Drug　Emporium；　near　the　church；　he　purchased　a　five…cent

sack　of　candy　consisting　for　the　most　part　of　the　heavily

flavoured　hoofs　of　horned　cattle；　but　undeniably　substantial；　and

so　generously　capable　of　resisting　solution　that　the　purchaser

must　needs　be　avaricious　beyond　reason　who　did　not　realize　his

money's　worth。



Equipped　with　this　collation；　Penrod　contributed　his

remaining　nickel　to　a　picture　show；　countenanced　upon　the　seventh

day　by　the　legal　but　not　the　moral　authorities。　　Here；　in　cozy

darkness；　he　placidly　insulted　his　liver　with　jaw…breaker　upon

jaw…breaker　from　the　paper　sack；　and　in　a　surfeit　of　content

watched　the　silent　actors　on　the　screen。



One　film　made　a　lasting　impression　upon　him。　　It　depicted

with　relentless　pathos　the　drunkard's　progress；　beginning　with

his　conversion　to　beer　in　the　company　of　loose　travelling　men；

pursuing　him　through　an　inexplicable　lapse　into　evening　clothes

and　the　society　of　some　remarkably　painful　ladies；　next；

exhibiting　the　effects　of　alcohol　on　the　victim's　domestic

disposition；　the　unfortunate　man　was　seen　in　the　act　of　striking

his　wife　and；　subsequently；　his　pleading　baby　daughter　with　an

abnormally　heavy　walking…stick。　　Their　flightthrough　the　snow

to　seek　the　protection　of　a　relative　was　shown；　and　finally；

the　drunkard's　picturesque　behaviour　at　the　portals　of　a

madhouse。



So　fascinated　was　Penrod　that　he　postponed　his　departure

until　this　film　came　round　again；　by　which　time　he　had　finished

his　unnatural　repast　and　almost；　but　not　quite；　decided　against

following　the　profession　of　a　drunkard　when　he　grew　up。



Emerging；　satiated；　from　the　theatre；　a　public　timepiece

before　a　jeweller's　shop　confronted　him　with　an　unexpected　dial

and　imminent　perplexities。　　How　was　he　to　explain　at　home　these

hours　of　dalliance？　　There　was　a　steadfast　rule　that　he　return

direct　from　Sunday…school；　and　Sunday　rules　were　important；

because　on　that　day　there　was　his　father；　always　at　home　and　at

hand；　perilously　ready　for　action。　　One　of　the　hardest　conditions

of　boyhood　is　the　almost　continuous　strain　put　upon　the　powers　of

invention　by　the　constant　and　harassing　necessity　for

explanations　of　every　natural　act。



Proceeding　homeward　through　the　deepening　twilight　as　rapidly

as　possible；　at　a　gait　half　skip　and　half　canter；　Penrod　made　up

his　mind　in　what　manner　he　would　account　for　his　long　delay；　and；

as　he　drew　nearer；　rehearsed　in　words　the　opening　passage　of　his

defence。



〃Now　see　here；〃　he　determined　to　begin；　〃I　do　not　wished　to

be　blamed　for　things　I　couldn't　help；　nor　any　other　boy。　　I　was

going　along　the　street　by　a　cottage　and　a　lady　put　her　head　out

of　the　window　and　said　her　husband　was　drunk　and　whipping　her

and　her　little　girl；　and　she　asked　me　wouldn't　I　come　in　and　help

hold　him。　　So　I　went　in　and　tried　to　get　hold　of　this　drunken

lady's　husband　where　he　was　whipping　their　baby　daughter；　but　he

wouldn't　pay　any　attention；　and　I　TOLD　her　I　ought　to　be

getting　home；　but　she　kep'　on　askin'　me　to　stay〃



At　this　point　he　reached　the　corner　of　his　own　yard；　where　a

coincidence　not　only　checked　the　rehearsal　of　his　eloquence　but

happily　obviated　all　occasion　for　it。　　A　cab　from　the　station

drew　up　in　front　of　the　gate；　and　there　descended　a　troubled　lady

in　black　and　a　fragile　little　girl　about　three。　　Mrs。　Schofield

rushed　from　the　house　and　enfolded　both　in　hospitable　arms。



They　were　Penrod's　Aunt　Clara　and　cousin；　also　Clara；　from

Dayton；　Illinois；　and　in　the　flurry　of　their　arrival　everybody

forgot　to　put　Penrod　to　the　question。　　It　is　doubtful；　however；

if　he　felt　any　relief；　there　may　have　been　even　a　slight；

unconscious　disappointment　not　altogether　dissimilar　to　that　of

an　actor　deprived　of　a　good　part。



In　the　course　of　some　really　necessary　preparations　for

dinner　he　stepped　from　the　bathroom　into　the　pink…and…white

bedchamber　of　his　sister；　and　addressed　her　rather　thickly

through　a　towel。



〃When'd　mamma　find　out　Aunt　Clara　and　Cousin　Clara　were

coming？〃



〃Not　till　she　saw　them　from　the　window。　　She　just　happened　to

look　out　as　they　drove　up。　　Aunt　Clara　telegraphed　this　morning；

but　it　wasn't　delivered。〃



〃How　long　they　goin'　to　stay？〃



〃I　don't　know。〃



Penrod　ceased　to　rub　his　shining　face；　and　thoughtfully

tossed　the　towel　through　the　bathroom　door。　　〃Uncle　John　won't

try　to　make　'em　come　back　home；　I　guess；　will　he？〃　　（Uncle　John

was　Aunt　Clara's　husband；　a　successful　manufacturer　of　stoves；

and　his　lifelong　regret　was　that　he　had　not　entered　the　Baptist

ministry。）　　〃He'll　let　'em　stay　here　quietly；　won't　he？〃



〃What　ARE　you　talking　about？〃　demanded　Margaret；　turning

from　her　mirror。　　〃Uncle　John　sent　them　here。　　Why　shouldn't　he

let　them　stay？〃



Penrod　looked　crestfallen。　　〃Then　he　hasn't　taken　to　drink？〃



〃Certainly　not！〃　She　emphasized　the　denial　with　a　pretty　peal

of　soprano　laughter。



〃Then　why；〃　asked　her　brother　gloomily；　〃why　did　Aunt　Clara

look　so　worried　when　she　got　here？〃



〃Good　gracious！　　Don't　people　worry　about　anything　except

somebody's　drinking？　　Where　did　you　get　such　an　idea？〃



〃Well；〃　he　persisted；　〃you　don't　KNOW　it　ain't　that。〃



She　laughed　again；　wholeheartedly。　　〃Poor　Uncle　John！　　He

won't　even　allow　grape　juice　or　ginger　ale　in　his　house。　

They　came　because　they　were　afraid　little　Clara　might　catch　the

measles。　　She's　very　delicate；　and　there's　such　an　epidemic　of

measles　among　the　children　over　in　Dayton　the　schools　had　to　be

closed。　　Uncle　John　got　so　worried　that　last　night　he　dreamed

about　it；　and　this　morning　he　couldn't　stand　it　any　longer　and

packed　them　off　over　here；　though　he　thinks　its　wicked　to　travel

on　Sunday。　　And　Aunt　Clara　was　worried　when　she　got　here　because

they'd　forgotten　to　check　her　trunk　and　it　will　have　to　be　sent

by　express。　　Now　what　in　the　name　of　the　common　sense　put　it　into

your　head　that　Uncle　John　had　taken　to〃



〃Oh；　nothing。〃　He　turned　lifelessly　away　and　went　downstairs；

a　new…born　hope　dying　in　his　bosom。　　Life　seems　so　needlessly

dull　sometimes。





　

CHAPTER　VIII

SCHOOL



Next　morning；　when　he　had　once　more　resumed　the　dreadful　burden

of　education；　it　seemed　infinitely　duller。　　And　yet　what

pleasanter　sight　is　there　than　a　schoolroom　well　filled　with

children　of　those　sprouting　years　just　before　the　'teens？　　The

casual　visitor；　gazing　from　the　teacher's　platform　upon　these

busy　little　heads；　needs　only　a　blunted　memory　to　experience　the

most　agreeable　and　exhilarating　sensations。　　Still；　for　the

greater　part；　the　children　are　unconscious　of　the　happiness　of

their　condition；　for　nothing　is　more　pathetically　true　than　that

we　〃never　know　when　we　are　well　off。〃　　The　boys　in　a

public　school　are　less　aware　of　their　happy　state　than　are　the

girls；　and　of　all　the　boys　in　his　room；　probably　Penrod　himself

had　the　least　appreciation　of　his　felicity。



He　sat　staring　at　an　open　page　of　a　textbook；　but　not

studying；　not　even　reading；　not　even　thinking。　　Nor　was　he　lost

in　a　reverie：　his　mind's　eye　was　shut；　as　his　physical　eye　might

well　have　been；　for　the　optic　nerve；　flaccid　with　ennui；

conveyed　nothing　whatever　of　the　printed　page　upon　which　the　orb

of　vision　was　partially　focused。　　Penrod　was　doing　something　very

unusual　and　rare；　something　almost　never　accomplished　except　by

coloured　people　or　by　a　boy　in　school　on　a　spring　day：　he　was

doing　really　nothing　at　all。　　He　was　merely　a　state　of　being。



From　the　street　a　sound　stole　in　through　the　open　window；　and

abhorring　Nature　began　to　fill　the　vacuum　called　Penrod

Schofield；　for　the　sound　was　the　spring　song　of　a　mouth…organ；

coming　down　the　sidewalk。　　The　windows　were　intentionally　above

the　level　of　the　eyes　of　the　seated　pupils；　but　the　picture　of

the　musician　was　plain　to　Penrod；　painted　for　him　by　a　quality　in

the　runs　and　trills；　partaking　of　the　oboe；　of　the　calliope；　and

of　cats　in　anguish；　an　excruciating　sweetness　obtained　only　by

the　wallowing；　walloping　yellow…pink　palm　of　a　hand　whose　back

was　Congo　black　and　shiny。　　The　music　came　down　the　street　and

passed　beneath　the　window；　accompanied　by　the　care…free　shuffling

of　a　pai