登陆注册
15706700000007

第7章 MELONS(3)

There was nothing remarkable in that, but as I neared McGinnis's Court I presently met another small boy, also eating a banana. A third small boy engaged in a like occupation obtruded a painful coincidence upon my mind. I leave the psychological reader to determine the exact co-relation between this circumstance and the sickening sense of loss that overcame me on witnessing it. I reached my room--and found the bunch of bananas was gone.

There was but one who knew of their existence, but one who frequented my window, but one capable of the gymnastic effort to procure them, and that was--I blush to say it--Melons. Melons the depredator--Melons, despoiled by larger boys of his ill-gotten booty, or reckless and indiscreetly liberal; Melons--now a fugitive on some neighboring house-top. I lit a cigar, and, drawing my chair to the window, sought surcease of sorrow in the contemplation of the fish-geranium. In a few moments something white passed my window at about the level of the edge. There was no mistaking that hoary head, which now represented to me only aged iniquity. It was Melons, that venerable, juvenile hypocrite.

He affected not to observe me, and would have withdrawn quietly, but that horrible fascination which causes the murderer to revisit the scene of his crime, impelled him toward my window. I smoked calmly and gazed at him without speaking. He walked several times up and down the court with a half-rigid, half-belligerent expression of eye and shoulder, intended to represent the carelessness of innocence.

Once or twice he stopped, and putting his arms their whole length into his capacious trousers, gazed with some interest at the additional width they thus acquired. Then he whistled. The singular conflicting conditions of John Brown's body and soul we're at that time beginning to attract the attention of youth, and Melons's performance of that melody was always remarkable. But to-day he whistled falsely and shrilly between his teeth. At last he met my eye. He winced slightly, but recovered himself, and going to the fence, stood for a few moments on his hands, with his bare feet quivering in the air. Then he turned toward me and threw out a conversational preliminary.

"They is a cirkis"--said Melons gravely, hanging with his back to the fence and his arms twisted around the palings--"a cirkis over yonder!"--indicating the locality with his foot--"with hosses, and hossback riders. They is a man wot rides six hosses to onct--six hosses to onct--and nary saddle"--and he paused in expectation.

Even this equestrian novelty did not affect me. I still kept a fixed gaze on Melons's eye, and he began to tremble and visibly shrink in his capacious garment. Some other desperate means--conversation with Melons was always a desperate means--must be resorted to. He recommenced more artfully.

"Do you know Carrots?"

I had a faint remembrance of a boy of that euphonious name, with scarlet hair, who was a playmate and persecutor of Melons. But I said nothing.

"Carrots is a bad boy. Killed a policeman onct. Wears a dirk knife in his boots, saw him to-day looking in your windy."

I felt that this must end here. I rose sternly and addressed Melons.

"Melons, this is all irrelevant and impertinent to the case. YOU took those bananas. Your proposition regarding Carrots, even if I were inclined to accept it as credible information, does not alter the material issue. You took those bananas. The offence under the statutes of California is felony. How far Carrots may have been accessory to the fact either before or after, is not my intention at present to discuss. The act is complete. Your present conduct shows the animo furandi to have been equally clear."

By the time I had finished this exordium, Melons had disappeared, as I fully expected.

He never reappeared. The remorse that I have experienced for the part I had taken in what I fear may have resulted in his utter and complete extermination, alas, he may not know, except through these pages. For I have never seen him since. Whether he ran away and went to sea to reappear at some future day as the most ancient of mariners, or whether he buried himself completely in his trousers, I never shall know. I have read the papers anxiously for accounts of him. I have gone to the Police Office in the vain attempt of identifying him as a lost child. But I never saw him or heard of him since. Strange fears have sometimes crossed my mind that his venerable appearance may have been actually the result of senility, and that he may have been gathered peacefully to his fathers in a green old age. I have even had doubts of his existence, and have sometimes thought that he was providentially and mysteriously offered to fill the void I have before alluded to. In that hope I have written these pages.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 新官到任仪注

    新官到任仪注

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 迷鸟

    迷鸟

    代号为“乌鸦”的男孩汤米由于学业来到被称为“帝国的中心”的东六区,邂逅了多年未见的挚友加佐特以及自己的“不靠谱”师傅杰森。他们看似是忙碌的学子,而一到任务降临,他们又成为了身怀异能骁勇善战的斗士。为了了解的自己充满传奇色彩的身世,处世消极的汤米必须融入帝国军与平民的矛盾冲突之中,与强于自身几倍的敌人斗争。在这样的过程中,他慢慢失去了友情、亲情、以及爱情,走向一个全新的世界,而与此同时,随着绝望到来的却是一个惊天的秘密……
  • 石璞质禅师语录

    石璞质禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 独宠痞妃

    独宠痞妃

    她是丞相之女,患有疯症,偶尔疯疯癫癫,他是焰国王爷,患有瘾疾,却是众人膜拜的对象。皇上圣旨一下,众人暗呼绝配。她是现代痞子女,一朝穿越摇身一变成新娘?穿越了?行,姑娘我认栽。嫁人不行,姑娘我一黄花大闺女择夫标准还是挺高的。是王爷?考虑考虑。有瘾疾?果断嫁了,保住了身子还能吃香喝辣,嗯,不错。当痞子女遇上高冷王爷,是和平相处还是撕逼大战……她自作聪明为她治病,哪晓得此瘾疾非彼瘾疾,……
  • 我与魔女公主的约定

    我与魔女公主的约定

    写我因一场争斗而稀里糊涂觉醒了力量,后又因多管闲事而无辜的被卷进了事故中,在此期间见证了太多的不可思议,及非正常现象。在此期间,我收获了爱情和一帮愿和我出生入死的朋友,并和她约定,“一定会去找她的!”
  • 爱的追缉令:诱捕我的小娇妻

    爱的追缉令:诱捕我的小娇妻

    他中了爱情的毒,而她就是令他着魔的瘾,也是解开他内心孤楚的灵药。但是他却被仇恨蒙蔽了内心,看不到她的真实和爱意。蓝月扯着他的衣袖哀楚地问:“你爱过我吗?”他冷冷地甩开她:“没有!”她失望的离开,决定不再触碰爱情却又再次和他相遇。这男人一副楚楚可怜的模样对她说:“老婆,我们回家吧!”她该答应吗?重遇过后,他改过自新想重新追求她,奈何竞争对手太优秀,他三振出局依旧不死心。毁掉自己的名牌西装,剪掉钱包里的黑卡,然后死皮赖脸的求前妻和儿子收养。某夜他悄悄潜入前妻的房间用力扑倒她。爱不爱用行动证明,这是他的新招式!
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 三千有门颂略解

    三千有门颂略解

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 夕夕无期

    夕夕无期

    为了帮弟弟医病,林夕不惜为公司的总裁陈海文借出身体,怀上了一个不属于她的孩子。从这一刻开始,她再要不是一个清纯的女人,再也不是善良的女人
  • 遇见你不容易

    遇见你不容易

    “我给你十年的自由,十年后你爱我。”她没有错,只是爱上了他,便错得悲伤不止