penrod-第8部分

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incessantly　calling　his　name。



He　grew　more　and　more　irritated　with　her；　he　was　the　most

important　person　in　the　world　and　was　engaged　in　proving　it　to

Marjorie　Jones　and　the　whole　city；　and　yet　Miss　Spence　seemed　to

feel　she　still　had　the　right　to　order　him　about　as　she　did　in　the

old　days　when　he　was　an　ordinary　schoolboy。　　He　was　furious；　he

was　sure　she　wanted　him　to　do　something　disagreeable。　　It　seemed

to　him　that　she　had　screamed　〃Penrod　Schofield！〃　thousands　of

times。



From　the　beginning　of　his　aerial　experiments　in　his　own

schoolroom；　he　had　not　opened　his　lips；　knowing　somehow　that　one

of　the　requirements　for　air　floating　is　perfect　silence　on　the

part　of　the　floater；　but；　finally；　irritated　beyond　measure　by

Miss　Spence's　clamorous　insistence；　he　was　unable　to　restrain　an

indignant　rebuke　and　immediately　came　to　earth　with　a　frightful

bump。



Miss　Spencein　the　fleshhad　directed　toward　the　physical

body　of　the　absent　Penrod　an　inquiry　as　to　the　fractional

consequences　of　dividing　seventeen　apples；　fairly；　among　three

boys；　and　she　was　surprised　and　displeased　to　receive　no　answer

although　to　the　best　of　her　knowledge　and　belief；　he　was　looking

fixedly　at　her。　　She　repeated　her　question　crisply；　without

visible　effect；　then　summoned　him　by　name　with　increasing

asperity。　　Twice　she　called　him；　while　all　his　fellow　pupils

turned　to　stare　at　the　gazing　boy。　　She　advanced　a　step　from　the

platform。



〃Penrod　Schofield！〃



〃Oh；　my　goodness！〃　he　shouted　suddenly。　　〃Can't　you　keep

still　a　MINUTE？〃







CHAPTER　X

UNCLE　JOHN



Miss　Spence　gasped。　　So　did　the　pupils。



The　whole　room　filled　with　a　swelling　conglomerate　〃O…O…O…

O…H！〃



As　for　Penrod　himself；　the　walls　reeled　with　the　shock。　　He

sat　with　his　mouth　open；　a　mere　lump　of　stupefaction。　　For　the

appalling　words　that　he　had　hurled　at　the　teacher　were　as

inexplicable　to　him　as　to　any　other　who　heard　them。



Nothing　is　more　treacherous　than　the　human　mind；　nothing　else

so　loves　to　play　the　Iscariot。　　Even　when　patiently　bullied　into

a　semblance　of　order　and　training；　it　may　prove　but　a　base　and

shifty　servant。　　And　Penrod's　mind　was　not　his　servant；

it　was　a　master；　with　the　April　wind's　whims；　and　it　had　just

played　him　a　diabolical　trick。　　The　very　jolt　with　which　he　came

back　to　the　schoolroom　in　the　midst　of　his　fancied　flight　jarred

his　day…dream　utterly　out　of　him；　and　he　sat；　open…mouthed　in

horror　at　what　he　had　said。



The　unanimous　gasp　of　awe　was　protracted。　　Miss　Spence；

however；　finally　recovered　her　breath；　and；　returning

deliberately　to　the　platform；　faced　the　school。　　〃And　then　for　a

little　while；〃　as　pathetic　stories　sometimes　recount；　〃everything

was　very　still。〃　　It　was　so　still；　in　fact；　that　Penrod's　newborn

notoriety　could　almost　be　heard　growing。　　This　grisly　silence　was

at　last　broken　by　the　teacher。



〃Penrod　Schofield；　stand　up！〃



The　miserable　child　obeyed。



〃What　did　you　mean　by　speaking　to　me　in　that　way？〃



He　hung　his　head；　raked　the　floor　with　the　side　of　his　shoe；

swayed；　swallowed；　looked　suddenly　at　his　hands　with　the　air　of

never　having　seen　them　before；　then　clasped　them　behind　him。　　The

school　shivered　in　ecstatic　horror；　every　fascinated　eye　upon

him；　yet　there　was　not　a　soul　in　the　room　but　was　profoundly

grateful　to　him　for　the　sensationincluding　the　offended　teacher

herself。　　Unhappily；　all　this　gratitude　was　unconscious　and

altogether　different　from　the　kind　which；　results　in

testimonials　and　loving…cups。　　On　the　contrary！



〃Penrod　Schofield！〃



He　gulped。



〃Answer　me　at　once！　　Why　did　you　speak　to　me　like　that？〃



〃I　was〃　　He　choked；　unable　to　continue。



〃Speak　out！〃



〃I　was　justthinking；〃　he　managed　to　stammer。



〃That　will　not　do；〃　she　returned　sharply。　　〃I　wish　to　know

immediately　why　you　spoke　as　you　did。〃



The　stricken　Penrod　answered　helplessly：



〃Because　I　was　just　thinking。〃



Upon　the　very　rack　he　could　have　offered　no　ampler　truthful

explanation。　　It　was　all　he　knew　about　it。



〃Thinking　what？〃



〃Just　thinking。〃



Miss　Spence's　expression　gave　evidence　that　her　power　of

self…restraint　was　undergoing　a　remarkable　test。　　However；　after

taking　counsel　with　herself；　she　commanded：



〃Come　here！〃



He　shuffled　forward；　and　she　placed　a　chair　upon　the　platform

near　her　own。



〃Sit　there！〃



Then　（but　not　at　all　as　if　nothing　had　happened）；　she


continued　the　lesson　in　arithmetic。　　Spiritually　the　children　may

have　learned　a　lesson　in　very　small　fractions　indeed　as　they

gazed　at　the　fragment　of　sin　before　them　on　the　stool　of

penitence。　　They　all　stared　at　him　attentively　with　hard　and

passionately　interested　eyes；　in　which　there　was　never　one　trace

of　pity。　　It　cannot　be　said　with　precision　that　he　writhed；　his

movement　was　more　a　slow；　continuous　squirm；　effected　with　a

ghastly　assumption　of　languid　indifference；　while　his　gaze；　in

the　effort　to　escape　the　marble…hearted　glare　of　his　schoolmates；

affixed　itself　with　apparent　permanence　to　the　waistcoat　button

of　James　Russell　Lowell　just　above　the　〃U〃　in　〃Russell。〃



Classes　came　and　classes　went；　grilling　him　with　eyes。　

Newcomers　received　the　story　of　the　crime　in　darkling　whispers；

and　the　outcast　sat　and　sat　and　sat；　and　squirmed　and　squirmed

and　squirmed。　　（He　did　one　or　two　things　with　his　spine　which　a

professional　contortionist　would　have　observed　with　real

interest。）　　And　all　this　while　of　freezing　suspense　was　but　the

criminal's　detention　awaiting　trial。　　A　known　punishment　may　be

anticipated　with　some　measure　of　equanimity；　at　least；　the

prisoner　may　prepare　himself　to　undergo　it；　but　the　unknown　looms

more　monstrous　for　every　attempt　to　guess　it。　　Penrod's　crime　was

unique；　there　were　no　rules　to　aid　him　in　estimating　the

vengeance　to　fall　upon　him　for　it。　　What　seemed　most　probable　was

that　he　would　be　expelled　from　the　schools　in　the　presence　of　his

family；　the　mayor；　and　council；　and　afterward　whipped　by　his

father　upon　the　State　House　steps；　with　the　entire　city　as

audience　by　invitation　of　the　authorities。



Noon　came。　　The　rows　of　children　filed　out；　every　head

turning　for　a　last　unpleasingly　speculative　look　at　the　outlaw。　

Then　Miss　Spence　closed　the　door　into　the　cloakroom　and　that　into

the　big　hall；　and　came　and　sat　at　her　desk；　near　Penrod。　　The

tramping　of　feet　outside；　the　shrill　calls　and　shouting　and　the

changing　voices　of　the　older　boys　ceased　to　be　heardand　there

was　silence。　　Penrod；　still　affecting　to　be　occupied　with　Lowell；

was　conscious　that　Miss　Spence　looked　at　him　intently。



〃Penrod；〃　she　said　gravely；　〃what　excuse　have　you　to　offer

before　I　report　your　case　to　the　principal？〃



The　word　〃principal〃　struck　him　to　the　vitals。　　Grand

Inquisitor；　Grand　Khan；　Sultan；　Emperor；　Tsar；　Caesar　Augustus

these　are　comparable。　　He　stopped　squirming　instantly；　and　sat

rigid。



〃I　want　an　answer。　　Why　did　you　shout　those　words　at　me？〃



〃Well；〃　he　murmured；　〃I　was　justthinking。〃



〃Thinking　what？〃　she　asked　sharply。



〃I　don't　know。〃



〃That　won't　do！〃



He　took　his　left　ankle　in　his　right　hand　and　regarded　it

helplessly。



〃That　won't　do；　Penrod　Schofield；〃　she　repeated

severely。　　〃If　that　is　all　the　excuse　you　have　to　offer　I　shall

report　your　case　this　instant！〃



And　she　rose　with　fatal　intent。



But　Penrod　was　one　of　those　whom　the　precipice　inspires。　

〃Well；　I　HAVE　got　an　excuse。〃



〃Well〃she　paused　impatiently〃what　is　it？〃



He　had　not　an　idea；　but　he　felt　one　coming；　and　replied

automatically；　in　a　plaintive　tone：



〃I　guess　anybody　that　had　been　through　what　I　had　to　go

through；　last　night；　would　think　they　had　an　excuse。〃



Miss　Spence　resumed　her　seat；　though　with　the　air　of　being

ready　to　leap　from　it　instantly。



〃What　has　last　night　to　do　with　your　insolence　to　me　this

morning？〃



〃Well；　I　guess　you'd　see；〃　he　returned；　emphasizing　the

plaintive　note；　〃if　you　knew　what　I　know。〃



〃Now；　Penrod；〃　she　said；　in　a　kinder　voice；　〃I　have　a　high

regard　for　your　mother　and　father；　and　it　would　hurt　me　to

distress　them；　but　you　must　either　tell　me　what　was　the　matter

with　you　or　I'll　have　to　take　you　to　Mrs。　Houston。〃



〃Well；　ain't　I　going　to？〃　he　cried；　spurred　by　the　dread

name。　　〃It's　because　I　didn't　sleep　last　night。〃



〃Were　you　ill？〃　　The　question　was　put　with　some　dryness。



He　felt　the　dryness。　　〃No'm；　_I_　wasn't。〃



〃Then　if　someone　in　your　family　was　so　ill　that　even　you

were　kept　up　all　night；　how　does　it　happen　they　let　you　come　to

school　this　morning？〃



〃It　wasn't　illness；〃　he　returned；　shaking　his　head

mournfully。　　〃It　was　lots　worse'n　anybody's　being　sick。　　It　was

it　waswell；　it　was　jest　awful。〃



〃WHAT　was？〃　　He　remarked　with　anxiety　the　incredulity　in

her　tone。



〃It　was　about　Aunt　Clara；〃　he　said。



〃Your　Aunt　Clara！〃　she　repeated。　　〃Do　you　mean　your　mother's

sister　who　married　Mr。　Farry　of　Dayton；　Illinois？〃



〃YesUncle　John；〃　returned　Penrod　sorrowfully。　　〃The　trouble

was　about　him。〃



Miss　Spence　frowned　a　frown　which　he　rightly　interpreted　as

one　of　continued　suspicion。　　〃She　and　I　were　in　school　together；〃

she　said。　　〃I　used　to　know　her　very　well；　and　I've　always　heard

her　married　life　was　entirely　happy。　　I　don't〃



〃Yes；　it　was；〃　he　interrupted；　〃until　last　year　when　Uncle

John　took　to　running　with　travelling　men〃



〃What？〃



〃Yes'm。〃　He　nodded　solemnly。　　〃That　was　what　started　it。　　At

first　he　was　a　good；　kind　husband；　but　these　travelling　men　would

coax　him　into　a　saloon　on　his　way　home　from　work；　and　they　got

him　to　drinking　beer　and　then　ales；　wines；　liquors；　and

cigars〃



〃Penrod！〃



〃Ma'am？〃



〃I'm　not　inquiring　into　your　Aunt　Clara's　private　affairs；

I'm　asking　you　if　you　have　anything　to　say　which　would

palliate〃