At every meal he absorbed a sense of Magsworth greatness, and
yet, in his infrequent meetings with persons of his own age and sex,
he was treated as negligible. Now, dimly, he perceived that there was
a Magsworth claim of some sort which was impressive, even to boys.
Magsworth blood was the essential of all true distinction in the world,
he knew. Consequently, having been driven into a cul-de-sac, as a result
of flagrant and unfounded boasting, he was ready to take advantage of
what appeared to be a triumphal way out.
"Roddy," said Penrod again, with solemnity, "is Rena Magsworth some
relation of yours?"
"IS she, Roddy?" asked Sam, almost hoarsely.
"She's my aunt!" shouted Roddy.
Silence followed. Sam and Penrod, spellbound, gazed upon Roderick
Magsworth Bitts, Junior. So did Herman and Verman. Roddy's staggering
lie had changed the face of things utterly. No one questioned it; no one
realized that it was much too good to be true.
"Roddy," said Penrod, in a voice tremulous with hope, "Roddy, will you
join our show?"
Roddy joined.
Even he could see that the offer implied his being starred as the
paramount attraction of a new order of things. It was obvious that he
had swelled out suddenly, in the estimation of the other boys, to that
importance which he had been taught to believe his native gift and
natural right. The sensation was pleasant. He had often been treated
with effusion by grown-up callers and by acquaintances of his mothers
and sisters; he had heard ladies speak of him as "charming" and "that
delightful child," and little girls had sometimes shown him deference,
but until this moment no boy had ever allowed him, for one moment, to
presume even to equality.
Pages:
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117