the woman-haters-第15节

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indeed。

〃Um…hm。　　That's　what　I　thought；　and　Emeline　was　a　real　pretty　woman；
for　her　age　and　heftshe　was　fleshy。　　She　had　some　consider'ble
prejudice　against　my　goin'　to　sea；　so　I　agreed　to　stay　on　shore　a
spell　and　farm　it；　as　you　might　say。　　We　lived　in　the　house　she
owned　and　was　real　happy　together。　　She　bossed　me　around　a　good
deal；　but　I　didn't　mind　bein'　bossed　by　her。　　'Twas　a　change；　you
see；　for　I'd　always　been　used　to　bossin'　other　folks。　　So　I　humored
her。　　And；　bein'　on　land　made　me　lose　mymy　grip　or　somethin'；
'cause　I　seemed　to　forget　how　to　boss。　　But　we　was　happy；　and　then
then　Bennie　D。　come。　　Consarn　him！〃

His　teeth　shut　with　a　snap；　and　he　struck　his　knee　with　his　fist。
〃Consarn　him！　〃　he　repeated；　and　was　silent。

The　substitute　assistant　ventured　to　jog　his　memory。

〃Who　was　Bennie　D。？〃　he　asked。

〃What？　　Hey？　　Bennie　D。？　　Oh；　he　was　her　brother…in…law；　her
husband's　brother　from　up　Boston　way。　　He　was　a　geniusat　least；　he
said　he　wasand　an　inventor。　　The　only　invention　I　ever　could　l'arn
he'd　invented　to　a　finish　was　how　to　live　without　workin'；　but　he'd
got　that　brought　to　a　science。　　However；　he　was　forever　fussin'　over
some　kind　of　machine　that　was　sartin　sure　to　give　power　to　the
universe；　when　'twas　done；　and　Emeline's　husbandhis　name　was
Abnerthought　the　world　and　all　of　him。　　'Fore　he　died　he　made
Emeline　promise　to　always　be　kind　to　Bennie　D。；　and　she　said　she
would。　　Abner　left　him　a　little　money；　and　he　spent　it　travelin'
'for　his　health。'　　I　don't　know　where　he　traveled　to；　but；　wherever
'twas；　the　health　must　have　been　there。　　He　was　the　healthiest
critter　ever　I　seeand　the　laziest。

〃Well；　his　travels　bein'　over；　down　he　comes　to　make　his　sister…in…
law　a　little　visit。　　And　he　stays　on　and　stays　on。　　He　never　took　no
shine　to　meI　judge　he　figgered　I　hadn't　no　business　sharin'
Abner's　propertyand　I　never　took　to　him；　much。

〃Emeline　noticed　Bennie　D。　and　me　wa'n't　fallin'　on　each　other's
necks　any　to　speak　of；　and　it　troubled　her。　　She　blamed　me　for　it。
Said　Bennie　was　a　genius；　and　geniuses　had　sensitive　natures　and　had
to　be　treated　with　consideration　and　different　from　other　folks。
And　that　promise　to　Abner　weighed　on　her　conscience；　I　cal'late。
Anyhow；　she　petted　that　blame　inventor；　and　it　made　me　mad。　　And　yet
I　didn't　say　muchnot　so　much　as　I'd　ought　to；　I　guess。　　And　Bennie
D。　was　always　heavin'　out　little　side　remarks　about　Emeline's　bein'
fitted　for　better　things　than　she　was　gettin'；　and　how；　when　his
invention　was　'perfected；'　HE'D　see　that　she　didn't　slave　herself　to
death；　and　so　on　and　so　on。　　And　he　had　consider'ble　to　say　about
folks　tryin'　to　farm　when　they　didn't　know　a　cucumber　from　a
watermelon；　and　how　'farmin''　was　a　good　excuse　for　doin'　nothin'；
and　such。　　And　I　didn't　have　any　good　answer　to　that；　'cause　I　do
know　more　about　seaweed　than　I　do　cucumbers；　and　the　farm　wasn't
payin'　and　I　knew　it。

〃If　he'd　said　these　things　right　out　plain；　I　guess　likely　I'd　have
give　him　what　he　deserved。　　But　he　didn't；　he　just　hinted　and　smiled
and　acted　superior　and　pityin'。　　And　if　I　got　mad　and　hove　out　a
little　sailor　talk　by　accident；　he'd　look　as　sorry　and　shocked　as
the　Come…Outer　parson　does　when　there's　a　baby　born　to　a
Universalist　family。　　He'd　get　up　and　shut　the　door；　as　if　he　was
scart　the　neighbors'　morals　would　sufferthough　the　only　neighbor
within　hearin'　was　an　old　critter　that　used　to　run　a　billiard　saloon
in　Gloucester；　and　HIS　morals　had　been　put　out　of　their　misery　forty
years　aforeand　he'd　suggest　that　Emeline　better　leave　the　room；
maybe。　　And　then　I'd　feel　ashamed　and　wouldn't　know　what　to　do；　and
'twould　end；　more'n　likely；　by　my　leavin'　it　myself。

〃You　can　see　how　matters　was　driftin'。　　I　could　see　plain　enough；
and　I　cal'late　Emeline　could；　tooI'll　give　her　credit　for　that。
She　didn't　begin　to　look　as　happy　as　she　had；　and　that　made　me　feel
worse　than　ever。　　One　time；　I　found　her　cryin'　in　the　wash　room；　and
I　went　up　and　put　my　arm　round　her。

〃'Emeline；'　I　says；　'don't；　please　don't。　　Don't　cry。　　I　know　I
ain't　the　husband　I'd　ought　to　be　to　you；　but　I'm　doin'　my　best。
I'm　tryin'　to　do　it。　　I　ain't　a　genius；'　I　says。

〃She　interrupted　me　quick；　sort　of　half　laughin'　and　half　cryin'。
'No；　Seth；'　says　she；　'you　ain't；　that's　a　fact。'

〃That　made　me　sort　of　mad。　　'No；　I　ain't；'　I　says　again；　'and　if　you
ask　me；　I'd　say　one　in　the　house　was　enough；　and　to　spare。'

〃'I　know　you　don't　like　Bennie；'　she　says。

〃''Taint　that；'　says　I；　which　was　a　lie。　　'It　ain't　that；'　I　says；
'but　somehow　I　don't　seem　to　fit　around　here。　　Bennie　and　me；　we
don't　seem　to　belong　together。'

〃'He　is　Abner's　brother；'　she　says；　'and　I　promised　Abner。　　I　can't
tell　him　to　go。　　I　can't　tell　him　to　leave　this　house；　his　brother's
house。'

〃Now；　consarn　it；　there　was　another　thing。　　It　WAS　Abner's　house；　or
had　been　afore　he　died；　and　now　'twas　hers。　　If　I　ever　forgot　that
fact；　which　wa'n't　by　no　means　likely　to　happen；　Bennie　D。　took
occasions　enough　to　remind　me　of　it。　　So　I　was　set　back　again　with
my　canvas　flappin'；　as　you　might　say。

〃'No；'　says　I；　'course　you　can't。　　He's　your　brother…in…law。'

〃'But　you　are　my　husband；'　she　says；　lookin'　at　me　kind　of　queer。
Anyhow；　it　seems　kind　of　queer　to　me　now。　　I've　thought　about　that
look　a　good　deal　since；　and　sometimes　I've　wondered　ifif　。　。　。
However；　that's　all　past　and　by。

〃'Yes；'　I　says；　pretty　average　bitter；　'but　second　husbands　don't
count　for　much。'

〃'Some　of　'em　don't　seem　to；　that's　a　fact；'　she　says。

〃'By　jiminy；'　I　says；　'I　don't　count　for　much　in　this　house。'

〃'Yes？'　says　she。　　'And　whose　fault　is　that？'

〃Well；　I　WAS　mad。　　'I　tell　you　what　I　CAN　do；'　I　sings　out。　　'I　can
quit　this　landlubber's　job　where　I'm　nothin'　but　a　swab；　and　go　to
sea　again；　where　I'm　some　account。　　That's　what　I　can　do。'

〃She　turned　and　looked　at　me。

〃'You　promised　me　never　to　go　to　sea　again；　she　says。

〃'Humph！'　says　I；　'some　promises　are　hard　to　keep。'

〃'I　keep　mine；　hard　or　not；'　says　she。　　'Would　you　go　away　and　leave
me？'

〃'You've　got　Brother　Bennie；'　says　I。　　'He's　a　genius；　I　ain't
nothin'　but　a　man。'

〃She　laughed；　pretty　scornful。　　'Are　you　sartin　you're　that？'　she
wanted　to　know。

〃'Not　since　I　been　livin'　here；　I　ain't；'　I　says。　　And　that　ended
that　try　of　makin'　up。

〃And　from　then　on　it　got　worse　and　worse。　　There　wan't　much　comfort
at　home　where　the　inventor　was；　so　I　took　to　stayin'　out　nights。
Went　down　to　the　store　and　hung　around；　listenin'　to　fools'　gabble；
and　wishin'　I　was　dead。　　And　the　more　I　stayed　out；　the　more　Bennie
D。　laughed　and　sneered　and　hinted。　　And　then　come　that　ridic'lous
business　about　Sarah　Ann　Christy。　　That　ended　it　for　good　and　all。〃

Seth　paused　in　his　long　story　and　looked　out　across　the　starlit　sea。

〃Who　was　Sarah　Ann？〃　asked　Brown。　　The　lightkeeper　seemed　much
embarrassed。

〃She　was　a　born　fool；〃　he　declared；　with　emphasis；　〃born　that　way
and　been　developin'　extry　foolishness　ever　since。　　She　was　a　widow；
too；　been　good　lookin'　once　and　couldn't　forget　it；　and　she　lived
down　nigh　the　store。　　When　I'd　be　goin'　down　or　comin'　back；　just　as
likely　as　not　she　was　settin'　on　the　piazza；　and　she'd　hail　me。　　I
didn't　want　to　stop　and　talk　to　her；　of　course。〃

〃No；　of　course　not。〃

〃Well；　I　DIDN'T。　　And　I　didn't　HAVE　to　talk。　　Couldn't　if　I　wanted
to；　she　done　it　all。　　Her　tongue　was　hung　on　ball…bearin'　hinges　and
was　a　self…winder　guaranteed　to　run　an　hour　steady　every　time　she
set　it　goin'。　　Talk！　my　jiminy　crimps；　how　that　woman　could　talk！　　I
couldn't　get　away；　I　tried　to；　but；　my　soul；　she　wouldn't　let　me。
And；　if　'twas　a　warm　night；　she'd　more'n　likely　have　a　pitcher　of
lemonade　or　some　sort　of　cold　wash　alongside；　and　I　must　stop　and
taste　it。　　By　time；　I　can　taste　it　yet！

〃Well；　there　wa'n't　no　harm　in　her　at　all；　she　was　just　a　fool　that
had　to　talk　to　somebody；　males　preferred。　　But　my　stayin'　out　nights
wasn't　helpin'　the　joyfulness　of　things　to　home；　and　one　evenin'
one　evenin'　。　。　。　　Oh；　there！　I　started　to　tell　you　this　and　I
might's　well　get　it　over。

〃This　evenin'　when　I　came　home　from　the　store　I　see　somethin'　was
extry　wrong　soon's　I　struck　the　settin'　room。　　Emeline　was　there；
and　Bennie　D。；　and　I　give　you　my　word；　I　felt　like　turnin'　up　my
coat　collar；　'twas　so　frosty。　　'Twas　hotter'n　a　steamer's　stoke…hole
outside；　but　that　room　was　forty　below　zero。

〃Nobody　SAID　nothin'；　you　knowthat　was　the　worst　of　it；　but　I'd
have　been　glad　if　they　had。　　Finally；　I　said　it　myself。　　'Well；
Emeline；'　says　I；　'here　I　be。'

〃No　answer；　so　I　tried　again。　　'Well；　Emeline；'　says　I；　'I've
fetched　port　finally。'

〃She　didn't　answer　me　then；　but　Bennie　D。　laughed。　　He　had　a　way　of
laughin'　that　made　other　folks　want　to　cryor　kill　him。　　For　choice
I'd　have　done　the　killin'　first。

〃'More　nautical　conversation；　sister；'　says　he。　　'He　knows　how　fond
you　are　of　that　sort　of　thing。'

〃You　see；　Emeline　never　did　like　to　hear　me　talk　sailor　talk；　it
reminded　her　too　much　that　I　used　to　be　a　sailor；　I　s'pose。　　And
that　inventor　knew　she　didn't　like　it；　and　so　he　rubbed　it　in　every
time　I　made　a　slip。　　'Twas　just　one　of　hi