penrod-第27部分

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reasonableness。　　It　was　within　neither　his　power　nor　his　desire

to　analyze　the　process　by　which　the　phrase　had　become　offensive

to　him；　and　was　now　rapidly　assuming　the　proportions　of　an

outrage。　　He　knew　only　that　his　gorge　rose　at　the　thought　of　it。



〃You　just　let　'em　try　it！〃　he　said　threateningly；　as　he

slid　down　from　the　chair。　　And　as　he　went　out　of　the　door；　after

further　conversation　on　the　same　subject；　he　called　back　those

warning　words　once　more：　　〃Just　let　'em　try　it！　　Just　once

that's　all　_I_　ask　'em　to。　　They'll　find　out　what　they

GET！〃



The　barber　chuckled。　　Then　a　fly　lit　on　the　barber's　nose　and

he　slapped　at　it；　and　the　slap　missed　the　fly　but　did　not　miss

the　nose。　　The　barber　was　irritated。　　At　this　moment　his　birdlike

eye　gleamed　a　gleam　as　it　fell　upon　customers　approaching：　the

prettiest　little　girl　in　the　world；　leading　by　the　hand　her　baby

brother；　Mitchy…Mitch；　coming　to　have　Mitchy…Mitch's　hair

clipped；　against　the　heat。



It　was　a　hot　day　and　idle；　with　little　to　feed　the　mindand

the　barber　was　a　mischievous　man　with　an　irritated　nose。　　He　did

his　worst。



Meanwhile；　the　brooding　Penrod　pursued　his　homeward　way；　no

great　distance；　but　long　enough　for　several　one…sided　conflicts

with　malign　insulters　made　of　thin　air。　　〃You　better　NOT　call

me　that！〃　he　muttered。　　〃You　just　try　it；　and　you'll　get　what

other　people　got　when　THEY　tried　it。　　You　better　not　ack

fresh　with　ME！　　Oh；　you　WILL；　will　you？〃　　He　delivered　a

vicious　kick　full　upon　the　shins　of　an　iron　fence…post；　which

suffered　little；　though　Penrod　instantly　regretted　his

indiscretion。　　〃Oof！〃　he　grunted；　hopping；　and　went　on　after

bestowing　a　look　of　awful　hostility　upon　the　fence…post。　　〃I

guess　you'll　know　better　next　time；〃　he　said；　in　parting；　to

this　antagonist。　　〃You　just　let　me　catch　you　around　here　again

and　I'll〃　　His　voice　sank　to　inarticulate　but　ominous

murmurings。　　He　was　in　a　dangerous　mood。



Nearing　home；　however；　his　belligerent　spirit　was　diverted　to

happier　interests　by　the　discovery　that　some　workmen　had　left　a

caldron　of　tar　in　the　cross…street；　close　by　his　father's　stable。　

He　tested　it；　but　found　it　inedible。　　Also；　as　a　substitute　for

professional　chewing…gum　it　was　unsatisfactory；　being

insufficiently　boiled　down　and　too　thin；　though　of　a　pleasant；

lukewarm　temperature。　　But　it　had　an　excess　of　one　qualityit

was　sticky。　　It　was　the　stickiest　tar　Penrod　had　ever　used　for

any　purposes　whatsoever；　and　nothing　upon　which　he　wiped　his

hands　served　to　rid　them　of　it；　neither　his　polka…dotted　shirt

waist　nor　his　knickerbockers；　neither　the　fence；　nor　even　Duke；

who　came　unthinkingly　wagging　out　to　greet　him；　and　retired

wiser。



Nevertheless；　tar　is　tar。　　Much　can　be　done　with　it；　no

matter　what　its　condition；　so　Penrod　lingered　by　the　caldron；

though　from　a　neighbouring　yard　could　be　heard　the　voices　of

comrades；　including　that　of　Sam　Williams。　　On　the　ground　about

the　caldron　were　scattered　chips　and　sticks　and　bits　of　wood　to

the　number　of　a　great　multitude。　　Penrod　mixed　quantities　of　this

refuse　into　the　tar；　and　interested　himself　in　seeing　how　much　of

it　he　could　keep　moving　in　slow　swirls　upon　the　ebon　surface。



Other　surprises　were　arranged　for　the　absent　workmen。　　The

caldron　was　almost　full；　and　the　surface　of　the　tar　near　the　rim。



Penrod　endeavoured　to　ascertain　how　many　pebbles　and　brickbats；

dropped　in；　would　cause　an　overflow。　　Labouring　heartily　to　this

end；　he　had　almost　accomplished　it；　when　he　received　the

suggestion　for　an　experiment　on　a　much　larger　scale。　　Embedded　at

the　corner　of　a　grassplot　across　the　street　was　a　whitewashed

stone；　the　size　of　a　small　watermelon　and　serving　no　purpose

whatever　save　the　questionable　one　of　decoration。　　It　was　easily

pried　up　with　a　stick；　though　getting　it　to　the　caldron　tested

the　full　strength　of　the　ardent　labourer。　　Instructed　to　perform

such　a　task；　he　would　have　sincerely　maintained　its　impossibility

but　now；　as　it　was　unbidden；　and　promised　rather　destructive

results；　he　set　about　it　with　unconquerable　energy；　feeling

certain　that　he　would　be　rewarded　with　a　mighty　splash。　

Perspiring；　grunting　vehemently；　his　back　aching　and　all　muscles

strained；　he　progressed　in　short　stages　until　the　big　stone　lay

at　the　base　of　the　caldron。　　He　rested　a　moment；　panting；　then

lifted　the　stone；　and　was　bending　his　shoulders　for　the　heave

that　would　lift　it　over　the　rim；　when　a　sweet；　taunting　voice；

close　behind　him；　startled　him　cruelly。



〃How　do　you　do；　LITTLE　GENTLEMAN！〃



Penrod　squawked；　dropped　the　stone；　and　shouted；　〃Shut　up；

you　dern　fool！〃　purely　from　instinct；　even　before　his　about…

face　made　him　aware　who　had　so　spitefully　addressed　him。



It　was　Marjorie　Jones。　　Always　dainty；　and　prettily　dressed；

she　was　in　speckless　and　starchy　white　to…day；　and　a　refreshing

picture　she　made；　with　the　new…shorn　and　powerfully　scented

Mitchy…Mitch　clinging　to　her　hand。　　They　had　stolen　up　behind　the

toiler；　and　now　stood　laughing　together　in　sweet　merriment。　

Since　the　passing　of　Penrod's　Rupe　Collins　period　he　had

experienced　some　severe　qualms　at　the　recollection　of　his　last

meeting　with　Marjorie　and　his　Apache　behaviour；　in　truth；　his

heart　instantly　became　as　wax　at　sight　of　her；　and　he　would　have

offered　her　fair　speech；　but；　alas！　in　Marjorie's　wonderful　eyes

there　shone　a　consciousness　of　new　powers　for　his　undoing；　and

she　denied　him　opportunity。



〃Oh；　OH！〃　she　cried；　mocking　his　pained　outcry。　　〃What　a

way　for　a　LITTLE　GENTLEMAN　to　talk！　　Little　gentleman　don't

say　wicked〃



〃Marjorie！〃　Penrod；　enraged　and　dismayed；　felt　himself　stung

beyond　all　endurance。　　Insult　from　her　was　bitterer　to　endure

than　from　any　other。　　〃Don't　you　call　me　that　again！〃



〃Why　not；　LITTLE　GENTLEMAN？〃



He　stamped　his　foot。　　〃You　better　stop！〃



Marjorie　sent　into　his　furious　face　her　lovely；　spiteful

laughter。



〃Little　gentleman；　little　gentleman；　little　　gentleman！〃

she　said　deliberately。　　〃How's　the　little　gentleman；　this

afternoon？　　Hello；　little　gentleman！〃



Penrod；　quite　beside　himself；　danced　eccentrically。　　〃Dry

up！〃　he　howled。　　〃Dry　up；　dry　up；　dry　up；　dry　UP！〃



Mitchy…Mitch　shouted　with　delight　and　applied　a　finger　to　the

side　of　the　caldrona　finger　immediately　snatched　away　and　wiped

upon　a　handkerchief　by　his　fastidious　sister。



〃'Ittle　gellamun！〃　said　Mitchy…Mitch。



〃You　better　look　out！〃　Penrod　whirled　upon　this　small

offender　with　grim　satisfaction。　　Here　was　at　least　something

male　that　could　without　dishonour　be　held　responsible。　　〃You　say

that　again；　and　I'll　give　you　the　worst〃



〃You　will　NOT！〃　snapped　Marjorie；　instantly　vitriolic。　

〃He'll　say　just　whatever　he　wants　to；　and　he'll　say　it　just　as

MUCH　as　he　wants　to。　　Say　it　again；　Mitchy…Mitch！〃



〃'Ittle　gellamun！〃　said　Mitchy…Mitch　promptly。



〃Ow…YAH！〃　Penrod's　tone…production　was　becoming　affected

by　his　mental　condition。　　〃You　say　that　again；　and　I'll〃



〃Go　on；　Mitchy…Mitch；〃　cried　Marjorie。　　〃He　can't　do　a　thing。

He　don't　DARE！　　Say　it　some　more；　Mitchy…Mitchsay　it　a

whole　lot！〃



Mitchy…Mitch；　his　small；　fat　face　shining　with　confidence　in

his　immunity；　complied。



〃'Ittle　gellamun！〃　he　squeaked　malevolently。　　〃'Ittle

gellamun！　　'Ittle　gellamun！　　'Ittle　gellamun！〃



The　desperate　Penrod　bent　over　the　whitewashed　rock；　lifted

it；　and　thenoutdoing　Porthos；　John　Ridd；　and　Ursus　in　one

miraculous　burst　of　strengthheaved　it　into　the　air。



Marjorie　screamed。



But　it　was　too　late。　　The　big　stone　descended　into　the

precise　midst　of　the　caldron　and　Penrod　got　his　mighty　splash。　

It　was　far；　far　beyond　his　expectations。



Spontaneously　there　were　grand　and　awful　effectsvolcanic

spectacles　of　nightmare　and　eruption。　　A　black　sheet　of　eccentric

shape　rose　out　of　the　caldron　and　descended　upon　the　three

children；　who　had　no　time　to　evade　it。



After　it　fell；　Mitchy…Mitch；　who　stood　nearest　the　caldron；

was　the　thickest；　though　there　was　enough　for　all。　　Br'er　Rabbit

would　have　fled　from　any　of　them。







CHAPTER　XXV

TAR



When　Marjorie　and　Mitchy…Mitch　got　their　breath；　they　used　it

vocally；　and　seldom　have　more　penetrating　sounds　issued　from

human　throats。　　Coincidentally；　Marjorie；　quite　baresark；　laid

hands　upon　the　largest　stick　within　reach　and　fell　upon　Penrod

with　blind　fury。　　He　had　the　presence　of　mind　to　flee；　and　they

went　round　and　round　the　caldron；　while　Mitchy…Mitch　feebly

endeavoured　to　followhis　appearance；　in　this　pursuit；　being

pathetically　like　that　of　a　bug　fished　out　of　an　ink…well；　alive

but　discouraged。



Attracted　by　the　riot；　Samuel　Williams　made　his　appearance；

vaulting　a　fence；　and　was　immediately　followed　by　Maurice　Levy

and　Georgie　Bassett。　　They　stared　incredulously　at　the

extraordinary　spectacle　before　them。



〃Little　GEN…TIL…MUN！〃　shrieked　Marjorie；　with　a　wild　stroke

that　landed　full　upon　Penrod's　tarry　cap。



〃OOOCH！〃　bleated　Penrod。



〃It's　Penrod！〃　shouted　Sam　Williams；　recognizing　him　by　the

voice。　　For　an　instant　he　had　been　in　some　doubt。



〃Penrod　Schofield！〃　exclaimed　Georgie　Bassett。　　〃WHAT

does　this　mean？〃　　That　was　Georgie's　style；　and　had　helped　to　win

him　his　title。



Marjorie　leaned；　panting；　upon　her　stick。　　〃I　cu…calleduh

himoh！〃　she　sobbed〃I　called　him　a　lul…littleohgentleman！　

And　ohlul…look！oh！　lul…look　at　my　du…dress！　　Lul…look　at　Mu…

mitchyohMitchoh！〃



　Unexpectedly；　she　smote　againwith　resultsand　then；

seizing　the　indistinguishable　hand　of　Mitchy…Mitch；　she　ran

wailing　homeward　down　the　street。



〃‘Little　gentleman'？〃　said　Georgie　Bassett；　with　some

evidences　of　disturbed　complacency。　　〃Why；　that's　what　they　call

ME！〃



〃Yes；　and　you　ARE　one；　too！〃　shouted　the　maddened　Penrod。

〃But　you　better　not　let　anybody　call　ME　that！　　I've　stood

enough　around　here　for　one