the woman-haters-第23节

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know；〃　she　went　on。　　〃You　didn't　really　like　to　drop　it　all。　　It　was
too　much　of　a　thing　to　do　on　your　hook；　and　there　wasn't　anybody　to
tell　you　to　do　it；　and　so　you　couldn't　quite　be　spunky　enough　to〃

He　interrupted　her。　　〃That　wa'n't　the　reason；〃　he　said　shortly。

〃What　was　the　reason？〃

〃You　want　to　know；　do　you？〃

〃Yes；　I　do。〃

〃Well；　the　'Bascom'　part　wa'n't　mine　no　morenot　all　mine。　　I'd
given　it　to　you。〃

〃Ooh！　oh；　I　see。　　And　you　ran　away　from　your　name　as　you　ran　away
from　your　wife。　　I　see。　　And　。　。　。　why；　of　course！　you　came　down
here　to　run　away　from　all　the　women。　　Miss　Ruth　said　this　mornin'
she　was　toldI　don't　know　who　bythat　the　lightkeeper　was　a　woman…
hater。　　Are　you　the　woman…hater；　Seth？〃

Mr。　Atkins　looked　at　the　floor。　　〃Yes；　I　be；〃　he　answered；　sullenly。
〃Do　you　wonder？〃

〃I　don't　wonder　at　your　runnin'　away；　that　I　should　have　expected。
But　there；〃　more　briskly；　〃this　ain't　gettin'　us　anywhere。　　You're
hereand　I'm　here。　　Now　what's　your　idea　of　the　best　thing　to　be
done；　under　the　circumstances？〃

Seth　shifted　his　feet。　　〃One　of　us　better　go　somewheres　else；　if　you
ask　me；〃　he　declared。

〃Run　away　again；　you　mean？　　Well；　I　sha'n't　run　away。　　I'm　Miss
Ruth's　housekeeper　for　the　summer。　　I　answered　her　advertisement　in
the　Boston　paper　and　we　agreed　as　to　wages　and　so　on。　　I　like　her
and　she　likes　me。　　Course　if　I'd　known　my　husband　was　in　the
neighborhood；　I　shouldn't　have　come　here；　but　I　didn't　know　it。　　Now
I'm　here　and　I'll　stay　my　time　out。　　What　are　you　goin'　to　do？〃

〃I'm　goin'　to　send　in　my　resignation　as　keeper　of　these　lights。
That's　what　I'm　goin'　to　do；　and　I'll　do　it　to…morrow。〃

〃Run　away　again？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Why？　　WHY？　　Emeline　Bascom；　do　you　ask　me　that？〃

〃I　do；　yes。　　See　here；　Seth；　we　ain't　children；　nor　sentimental
young　folks。　　We're　sensible；　or　we'd　ought　to　be。　　Land　knows　we're
old　enough。　　I　shall　stay　here　and　you　ought　to。　　Nobody　knows　I　was
your　wife　or　that　you　was　my　husband；　and　nobody　needs　to　know　it。
We　ain't　even　got　the　same　names。　　We're　strangers；　far's　folks
know；　and　we　can　stay　strangers。〃

〃Butbut　to　see　each　other　every　day　and〃

〃Why　not？　　We've　seen　each　other　often　enough　so　that　the　sight
won't　be　so　wonderful。　　And　we'll　keep　our　bein'　married　a　secret。
I　sha'n't　boast　of　it；　for　one。〃

〃Butbut　to　SEE　each　other〃

〃Well；　we　needn't　see　each　other　much。　　Why；　we　needn't　see　each
other　any；　unless　I　have　to　run　over　to　borrer　somethin'；　same　as
neighbors　have　to　every　once　in　a　while。　　I　can　guess　what's
troublin'　you；　it's　young　Brown。　　You've　told　him　you're　a　woman…
hater；　haven't　you？〃

〃Yes；　I　have。〃

〃Humph！　　Is　he　one；　too？〃

The　lightkeeper's　mouth　was　twisted　with　a　violent　emotion。　　He
remembered　his　view　of　that　afternoon's　swimming　lesson。

〃He　said　he　was；〃　he　snarled。　　〃He　pretends　he　is。〃

Mrs。　Bascom　smiled。　　〃I　want　to　know；〃　she　said。　　〃Umph！　　I
thought　。　。　。　　However；　it's　no　matter。　　Perhaps　he　is。　　Anyhow
he　can　pretend　to　be　and　you　can　pretend　to　believe　him。　　That'll
be　the　easiest　way；　I　guess。　　Of　course；〃　she　added；　〃I　ain't　tellin'
you　what　to　do　with　any　idea　that　you'll　do　it　because　I　say　so。
The　time　for　that　is　all　past　and　gone。　　But　it　seems　to　me　that；
for　once　in　my　life；　I'd　be　man　enough　to　stick　it　out。　　I　wouldn't
run　away　again。〃

Seth　did　not　answer。　　He　scowled　and　stared　at　the　circle　of　lantern
light　on　the　stone　floor。　　Mrs。　Bascom　rose　from　her　seat　on　the
stairs。

〃Well；〃　she　observed；　〃I　must　be　gettin'　back　to　the　house　if　I　want
to　get　any　sleep　to…night。　　I　doubt　if　I　get　much；　for　a　body　don't
get　over　a　shock；　such　as　I've　had；　in　a　minute。　　But　I'm　goin'　to
get　over　it　and　I'm　goin'　to　stay　right　here　and　do　my　work；　I'm
goin'　to　go　through　with　what　seems　to　be　my　duty；　no　matter　how
hard　it　is。　　I've　done　it　afore；　and　I'll　do　it　again。　　I've
promised；　and　I　keep　my　promises。　　Good　night。〃

She　started　toward　the　door。　　Her　husband　sprang　from　the　oil
barrel。

〃Hold　on；〃　he　cried；　〃you　wait　a　minute。　　I've　got　somethin'　to
say。〃

She　shook　her　head。　　〃I　can't　wait；〃　she　said；　〃I've　got　to　go。〃

〃No；　you　ain't；　neither。　　You　can　stay　a　spell　longer；　if　you　want
to。〃

〃Perhaps；　but　I　don't　want　to。〃

〃Why　not？　　What　are　you　afraid　of？〃

〃Afraid！　　I　don't　know　as　I'm　afraid　of　anythingthat　is；〃　with　a
contemptuous　sniff；　〃nothin'　I　see　around　here。〃

〃Then　what　are　YOU　runnin'　away　for？〃

This　was　putting　the　matter　in　a　new　light。　　Mrs。　Bascom　regarded
her　husband　with　wrathful　amazement；　which　slowly　changed　to　an
amused　smile。

〃Oh；〃　she　said；　〃if　you　think　I'm　runnin'　away；　why〃

〃I　don't　see　what　else　'tis。　　If　I　ain't　scart　to　have　you　here；　I
don't　see　why　you　should　be　scart　to　stay。　　Set　down　on　them　stairs
again；　I　want　to　talk　to　you。〃

The　lady　hesitated　an　instant　and　then　returned　to　her　former　seat。
Seth　went　back　to　his　barrel。

〃Emeline；〃　he　said。　　〃I'll　stay　here　on　my　job。〃

She　looked　surprised；　but　she　nodded。

〃I'm　glad　to　hear　it；〃　she　said。　　〃I'm　glad　you've　got　that　much
spunk。〃

〃Yup；　well；　I　have。　　I　came　down　here　to　get　clear　of　everybody；
women　most　of　all。　　Now　the　one　woman　thatthat〃

〃That　you　'specially　wanted　to　get　clear　of〃

〃No！　　No！　that　ain't　the　truth；　and　you　know　it。　　She　set　out　to
get　clear　of　meand　I　let　her　have　her　way；　same　as　I　done　in
everything　else。〃

〃She　didn't　set　out　to　get　clear　of　you。〃

〃She　did。〃

〃No；　she　didn't。〃

〃I　say　she　did。〃

Mrs。　Bascom　rose　once　more。　　Seth　Bascom；〃　she　declared；　〃if　all　you
wanted　me　to　stay　here　for　is　to　be　one　of　a　pair　of　katydids；
hollerin'　at　each　other；　I'm　goin'。　　I'm　no　bug；　I'm　a　woman。〃

〃Emeline；　you　set　down。　　You've　hove　out　a　whole　lot　of　hints　about
my　not　bein'　a　man　because　I　run　away　from　your　house。　　Do　you　think
I'd　have　been　more　of　a　man　if　I'd　stayed　in　it？　　Stayed　there　and
been　a　yaller　dog　to　be　kicked　out　of　one　corner　and　into　another　by
you　andand　that　brother…in…law　of　yours。　　That's　all　I　wasa　dog。〃

〃Humph！　if　a　dog's　the　right　breedand　big　enoughit's　his　own
fault　if　he's　kicked　twice。〃

〃Not　if　he　cares　more　for　his　master　than　he　does　for　himself
'taint。〃

〃Why；　yes；　it　is。　　He　can　make　his　master　respect　him　by　provin'　he
ain't　the　kind　of　dog　to　kick。　　And　maybe　one　of　his　mastershis
real　master；　for　he　hadn't　ought　to　have　but　onemight　be　needin'
the　right　kind　of　watchdog　around　the　house。　　Might　be　in　trouble
herhimself；　I　mean；　and　be　hopin'　and　prayin'　for　the　dog　to
protect　herhim；　I　should　say。　　And　then　the〃

〃Emeline；　what　are　you　talkin'　about？〃

〃Oh；　nothin'；　nothin'。　　Seth；　what's　the　use　of　us　two　settin'　here
at　twelve　o'clock　at　night　and　quarrelin'　over　what's　past　and
settled？　　I　sha'n't　do　it；　for　one。　　I　don't　want　to　quarrel　with
you。〃

Seth　sighed。　　〃And　I　don't　want　to　quarrel　with　you；　Emeline；〃　he
agreed。　　〃As　you　say；　there's　no　sense　in　it。　　Dear！　dear！　this；
when　you　come　to　think　of　it；　is　the　queerest　thing　altogether　that
ever　was　in　the　world；　I　guess。　　Us　two　had　all　creation　to　roam
'round　in；　and　we　landed　at　Eastboro　Twin…Lights。　　It　seems　almost
as　if　Providence　done　it；　for　some　purpose　or　other。〃

〃Yes；　or　the　other　critter；　for　HIS　purposes。　　How　did　you　ever　come
to　be　keeper　of　a　light；　Seth？〃

〃WhywhyI　don't　know。　　I　used　to　be　in　the　service；　'fore　I　went
to　sea　much。　　You　remember　I　told　you　I　did。　　And　I　sort　of　drifted
down　here。　　I　didn't　care　much　what　became　of　me；　and　I　wanted　a
lonesome　hole　to　hide　in；　and　this　filled　the　bill。　　I've　been　here
ever　since　I　leftleftwhere　I　used　to　be。　　But；　Emeline；　how　did
YOU　come　here？　　You　answered　an　advertisement；　you　told　me；　but
why？〃

〃'Cause　I　wanted　to　do　somethin'　to　earn　my　livin'。　　I　was　alone；
and　I　rented　my　house　and　boarded。　　But　boardin'　ain't　much　comfort；
'specially　when　you　board　where　everybody　knows　you；　and　knows　your
story。　　So　I〃

〃Wait　a　minute。　　You　was　alone；　you　say？　　Where　waswas　HE？〃

〃He？〃

〃Yes。　　You　know　who　I　mean。〃

He　would　not　speak　the　hated　name。　　His　wife　spoke　it　for　him。

〃Bennie？〃　she　asked。　　〃Oh；　he　ain't　been　with　me　for　'most　two　year
now。　　Hehe　went　away。　　He's　in　New　York　now。　　And　I　was　alone　and
I　saw　Miss　Graham's　advertisement　for　a　housekeeper　and　answered　it。
I　needed　the　money　and〃

〃Hold　on！　　You　needed　the　money？　　Why；　you　had　money。〃

〃Abner　left　me　a　little；　but　it　didn't　last　forever。　　And〃

〃You　had　more'n　a　little。　　I　wrote　to　bank　folks　there　and　turned
over　my　account　to　you。　　And　I　sent　'em　a　power　of　attorney　turnin'
over　some　stocksyou　know　what　they　wasto　you；　too。　　I　done　that
soon's　I　got　to　Boston。　　Didn't　they　tell　you？〃

〃Yes；　they　told　me。〃

〃Well；　then；　that　ought　to　have　helped　along。〃

〃You　don't　s'pose　I　took　it；　do　you？〃

〃Whywhy　not？〃

〃Why　not！　　Do　you　s'pose　I'd　use　the　money　that　belonged　to　the
husband　that　run　off　and　left　me？　　I　ain't　that　kind　of　a　woman。
The　money　and　stocks　are　at　the　bank　yet；　I　s'pose；　anyhow　they're
there　for　all　of　me。〃

The　lightkeeper's　mouth　opened　and　stayed　open　for　seconds　before　he
could　use　it　as　a　talking　machine。　　He　could　scarcely　belie