the woman-haters-第17节

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〃I'm　sorry；　Atkins；〃　he　observed；　slowly；　〃and　I　certainly　do
sympathize　with　you。　　Butbut；　as　I　said；　'I　guess　you'll　have　to
hire　another　boy！'〃

〃What？　　What　do　you　mean？〃

〃I　mean　that　you're　not　the　only　woman…hater　on　the　beach。〃

〃Hey？　　Has　a　woman　given　YOU　the　go　by？〃

〃No。　　The　other　way　around；　if　anything。　　Look　here；　Atkins！　　I'm
not　in　the　habit　of　discussing　my　private　affairs　with
acquaintances；　but　you've　been　frank　with　meand　well；　hang　it！
I've　got　to　talk　to　somebody。　　At　least；　I　feel　that　way　just　now。
Let's　suppose　a　case。　　Suppose　you　were　a　young　fellow　not　long　out
of　collegea　young　fellow　whose　mother　was　dead　and　whose　dad　was
rich；　and　head　over　heels　in　money…making；　and　with　the　idea　that
his　will　was　no　more　to　be　disputed　than　a　law　of　the　Almighty。
Just　suppose　that；　will　you？〃

〃Huh！　　Well；　'twill　be　hard　supposin'；　but　I'll　try。　　Heave　ahead。〃

〃Suppose　that　you'd　never　been　used　to　working　or　supporting
yourself。　　Had　a　position；　a　nominal　one；　in　your　dad's　office　but
absolutely　no　responsibility；　all　the　money　you　wanted；　and　so　on。
Suppose　because　your　father　wanted　you　toand　HER　people　felt　the
sameyou　had　become　engaged　to　a　girl；　a　nice　enough　girl；　too；　in
her　way。　　But；　then　suppose　that　little　by　little　you　came　to
realize　that　her　way　wasn't　yours。　　You　and　she　liked　each　other
well　enough；　but　the　whole　thing　was　a　family　arrangement；　a　money
arrangement；　a　perfectly　respectable；　buy…and…sell　affair。　　That　and
nothing　else。　　And　the　more　you　thought　about　it；　the　surer　you　felt
that　it　was　so。　　But　when　you　told　your　governor　he　got　on　his　ear
and　sailed　into　you；　and　you　sailed　back；　until　finally　he　swore
that　you　should　either　marry　that　girl　or　he'd　throw　you　out　of　his
house　and　office　to　root　for　yourself。　　What　would　you　do？〃

〃Hey？　　Land　sakes！　　I　don't　know。　　I　always　HAD　to　root；　so　I　ain't
a　competent　judge。　　Go　on；　you've　got　me　interested。〃

〃Well；　I　said　I'd　root；　that's　all。　　But　I　didn't　have　the　nerve　to
go　and　tell　the　girl。　　The　engagement　had　been　announced；　and　all
that；　and　I　knew　what　a　mess　it　would　make　for　her。　　I　sat　in　my
room；　among　the　things　I　was　packing　in　my　grip　to　take　with　me；　and
thought　and　thought。　　If　I　went　to　her　there　would　be　a　scene。　　If　I
said　I　had　been　disinherited　she　would　want　to　know　whynaturally。
I　had　quarreled　with　the　governoryes；　but　why？　　Then　I　should　have
to　tell　her　the　real　reason：　I　didn't　want　to　marry　her　or　anybody
else　on　such　a　bargain…counter　basis。　　That　seemed　such　a　rotten
thing　to　say；　and　she　might　ask　why　it　had　taken　me　such　a　long　time
to　find　it　out。　　No；　I　just　COULDN'T　tell　her　that。　　So；　after　my
think　was　over；　I　wrote　her　a　note　saying　that　my　father　and　I　had
had　a　disagreement　and　he　had　chucked　me　out；　or　words　to　that
effect。　　Naturally；　under　the　circumstances；　marriage　was　out　of　the
question；　and　I　released　her　from　the　engagement。　　Good　by　and　good
luckor　something　similar。　　I　mailed　the　letter　and　left　the　town
the　next　morning。〃

He　paused。　　The　lightkeeper　made　no　comment。　　After　a　moment　the
young　man　continued。

〃I　landed　in　Boston；〃　he　said；　〃full　of　conceit　and　high…minded
ideas　of　working　my　own　way　up　the　ladder。　　But　in　order　to　work　up；
you've　got　to　get　at　least　a　hand…hold　on　the　bottom　rung。　　I
couldn't　get　it。　　Nobody　wanted　a　genteel　loafer；　which　was　me。　　My
money　gave　out。　　I　bought　a　steamboat　passage　to　another　city；　but　I
didn't　have　enough　left　to　buy　a　square　meal。　　Then；　by　bull　luck；　I
fell　overboard　and　landed　here。　　And　here　I　found　the　solution。　　I'm
dead。　　If　the　governor　gets　soft…hearted　and　gets　private　detectives
on　my　trail；　they'll　find　I　disappeared　from　that　steamer；　that's
all。　　Drowned；　of　course。　　SHE'LL　think　so；　too。　　'Good　riddance　to
bad　rubbish'　is　the　general　verdict。　　I　can　stay　here　a　year　or　so；
and　then；　being　dead　and　forgotten；　can　go　back　to　civilization　and
hustle　for　myself。　　BUT　a　woman　is　at　the　bottom　of　my　trouble；　and
I　never　want　to　see　another。　　So；　if　my　staying　here　depends　upon　my
seeing　them；　I　guess；　as　I've　said　twice　already；　'you'll　have　to
hire　another　boy。'〃

He；　too；　rose。　　Seth　laid　a　big　hand　on　his　shoulder。

〃Son；〃　said　the　lightkeeper；　〃I'm　sorry　for　you；　I　cal'late　I　know
how　you　feel。　　I　like　you　fust…rate；　and　if　it's　a　possible　thing；
I'll　fix　it　so's　you　can　stay　right　here　long's　you　want　to。　　As　for
women　folks　that　do　comewhy；　we'll　dodge　'em　if　we　can；　and　share
responsibility　if　we　must。　　But　there's　one　thing　you've　GOT　to
understand。　　You're　young；　and　maybe　your　woman　hate'll　wear　off。
If　it　does；　out　you　go。　　I　can't　have　any　sparkin'　or　lovemakin'
around　these　premises。〃

The　assistant　snorted　contemptuously。

〃If　ever　you　catch　me　being　even　coldly　familiar　with　a　female　of
any　age；〃　he　declared；　〃I　hereby　request　that　you　hit　me；　politely；
but　firmly；　with　that　axe；〃　pointing　to　the　kindling　hatchet　leaning
against　the　door　post。

Seth　chuckled。　　〃Good　stuff！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃And；　for　my　part；　if
ever　you　catch　me　gettin'　confectionery　with　a　woman；　I　。　。　。　well；
don't　stop　to　pray　over　me；　just　drown　me；　that's　all　I　ask。　　It's　a
bargain。　　Shake！〃

So　they　shook；　with　great　solemnity。


CHAPTER　VIII

NEIGHBORS　AND　WASPS


And　now　affairs　at　the　lights　settled　down　into　a　daily　routine　in
which　the　lightkeeper　and　his　helper　each　played　his　appointed　part。
All　mysteries　now　being　solved；　and　the　trust　between　them　mutual
and　without　reserve；　they　no　longer　were　on　their　guard　in　each
other's　presence；　but　talked　freely　on　all　sorts　of　topics；　and
expressed　their　mutual　dislike　of　woman　with　frequency　and　point。
No　regular　assistant　was　appointed　or　seemed　likely　to　be；　for　the
summer；　at　least。　　Seth　and　his　friend；　the　superintendent；　held
another　lengthy　conversation　over　the　wire；　and；　while　Brown's
uncertain　status　remained　the　same；　there　was　a　tacit　understanding
that；　by　the　first　of　September；　if　the　young　man　was　sufficiently
〃broken　in；〃　the　position　vacated　by　Ezra　Payne　should　be　hisif　he
still　wanted　it。

〃You　may　change　your　mind　by　that　time；〃　observed　Seth。　　〃This　ain't
no　place　for　a　chap　with　your　trainin'；　and　I　know　it。　　It　does　well
enough　for　an　old　derelict　like　me；　with　nobody　to　care　a　hang
whether　he　lives　or　dies；　but　you're　different。　　And　even　for　me　the
lonesomeness　of　it　drives　me　'most　crazy　sometimes。　　I've　noticed
you've　been　havin'　blue　streaks　more　often　than　when　you　first　came。
I　cal'late　that　by　fall　you'll　be　headin'　somewheres　else；　Mr。　'John
Brown；'〃　with　significant　emphasis　upon　the　name。

Brown　stoutly　denied　being　〃bluer〃　than　usual；　and　his　superior　did
not　press　the　point。　　Seth　busied　himself　in　his　spare　time　with　the
work　on　the　Daisy　M。　and　with　his　occasional　trips　behind　Joshua　to
the　village。　　Brown　might　have　made　some　of　these　trips；　but　he　did
not　care　to。　　Solitude　and　seclusion　he　still　desired；　and　there
were　more　of　these　than　anything　else　at　the　Twin…Lights。

The　lightkeeper　experimented　with　no　more　dogs；　but　he　had　evidently
not　forgotten　the　lifesaving　man's　warning　concerning　possible
thieves；　for　he　purchased　a　big　spring…lock　in　Eastboro　and　attached
it　to　the　door　of　the　boathouse　on　the　little　wharf。　　The　lock　was；
at　first；　a　good　deal　more　of　a　nuisance　than　an　advantage；　for　the
key　was　always　being　forgotten　or　mislaid；　and；　on　one　occasion；　the
door　blew　shut　with　Atkins　inside　the　building；　and　he　pounded　and
shrieked　for　ten　minutes　before　his　helper　heard　him　and　descended
to　the　rescue。

June　crawled　by；　and　July　came。　　Crawled　is　the　proper　word；　for
John　Brown　had　never　known　days　so　long　or　weeks　so　unending　as
those　of　that　early　summer。　　The　monotony　was　almost　never　broken；
and　he　began　to　find　it　deadly。　　He　invented　new　duties　about　the
lights　and　added　swimming　and　walks　up　and　down　the　beach　to　his
limited　list　of　recreations。

The　swimming　he　especially　enjoyed。　　The　cove　made　a　fine　bathing
place；　and　the　boathouse　was　his　dressing　room；　though　the　fragrance
of　the　ancient　fish　nets　stored　within　it　was　not　that　of　attar　of
roses。　　A　cheap　bathing　suit　was　one　of　the　luxuries　Atkins　had
bought　for　him；　by　request；　in　Eastboro。　　Seth　bought　the　suit　under
protest；　for　he　scoffed　openly　at　his　helper's　daily　bath。

〃I　should　think；〃　the　lightkeeper　declared　over　and　over　again；
〃that　you'd　had　salt　water　soak　enough　to　last　you　for　one　spell；　a
feller　that　come　as　nigh　drownin'　as　you　done！〃

Seth　did　not　care　for　swimming；　the　washtub　every　Saturday　night
furnished　him　with　baths　sufficient。

He　was　particular　to　warn　his　helper　against　the　tide　in　the　inlet：
〃The　cove's　all　right；〃　he　said；　〃but　you　want　to　look　out　and　not
try　to　swim　in　the　crick　where　it's　narrow；　or　in　that　deep　hole　by
the　end　of　the　wharf；　where　the　lobster　car's　moored。　　When　the
tide's　comin'　in　or　it's　dead　high　water；　the　current's　strong
there。　　On　the　ebb　it'll　snake　you　out　into　the　breakers　sure　as　I'm
settin'　here　tellin'　you。　　The　cove's　all　right　and　good　and　safe；
but　keep　away　from　the　narrer　part　of　the　crick。〃

Swimming　was　good　fun；　and　walking；　on　pl