the woman-haters-第32节

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If　you　won't　shoe　this　horse　of　mine　I'll　know　it's　because　you've
got　so　much　money　you　don't　need　more。　　And　if　that's　the　case；
there's　a　whole　lot　of　folks　would　be　mighty　glad　to　know　itHenry
G。　Goodspeed　for　one。　　I'm　goin'　up　to　his　store　now。　　Shall　I　tell
him？〃

This　was　a　shot　in　the　bull's…eye。　　Mr。　Ellis　owed　a　number　of
bills；　had　owed　them　for　a　long　time；　and　Mr。　Goodspeed's　was　by　no
means　the　smallest。　　The　loafers　exchanged　winks；　and　the
blacksmith's　manner　became　more　conciliatory。

〃I　didn't　say　I　wouldn't　do　it　for　you；　Seth；〃　he　pleaded。　　〃I'm
always　willin'　to　do　your　work。　　You're　the　one　that's　been
complainin'。〃

〃Ugh！　　Well；　I'm　likely　to　complain　some　more；　but　the　complaint's
one　thing；　and　the　need's　another。　　I'm　like　Joel　Knowleshe　said
when　he　couldn't　get　whisky　he　worried　along　best　he　could　with　bay
rum。　　I　need　a　blacksmith；　and　if　I　can't　get　a　real　one　I'll　put　up
with　an　imitation。　　Will　you　shoe　this　horse　for　me？〃

〃Course　I'll　shoe　him。　　But　I　can't　do　it　this　minute。　　I've　got
this　consarned　machine；〃　waving　a　hand　toward　the　automobile；　〃out
of　door　here　and　all　to　pieces。　　And　it's　goin'　to　rain。　　Just　let
me　put　enough　of　it　together　so's　I　can　shove　it　into　the　shop　out
of　the　wet；　and　then　I'll　tackle　your　job。　　You　leave　your　horse　and
team　here　and　go　do　your　other　errands。　　He'll　be　ready　when　you
come　back。〃

So　on　this　basis　the　deal　was　finally　made。　　Seth　was　reluctant　to
trust　the　precious　Joshua　out　of　his　sight；　but；　after　some　parley；
he　agreed　to　do　so。　　The　traces　were　unfastened；　and　the　animal　was
led　into　the　shop；　the　carriage　was　backed　under　a　shed；　and　the
lightkeeper　went　away　promising　to　be　back　in　an　hour。　　As　soon　as
he　had　gone；　Ellis　dived　again　into　the　vitals　of　the　auto。

The　argument　with　the　blacksmith　had　one　satisfactory　result　so　far
as　Seth　was　concerned。　　In　a　measure　it　afforded　a　temporary　vent
for　his　feelings。　　He　was　moderately　agreeable　during　his　brief　stay
at　the　grocery　store；　and　when　his　orders　were　given　and　he　found
the　hour　not　half　over；　he　strolled　out　to　walk　about　the　village。
And　then；　alone　once　more；　all　his　misery　and　heartache　returned。
He　strode　along；　his　head　down；　scarcely　speaking　to　acquaintances
whom　he　met；　until　he　reached　the　railway　station；　where　he　sat　down
on　the　baggage　truck　to　mentally　review；　over　and　over　again；　the
scene　with　Emeline　and　the　dreadful　collapse　of　his　newborn　hopes
and　plans。

As　he　sat　there；　the　door　of　the　station　opened　and　a　man　emerged；　a
man　evidently　not　a　native　of　Eastboro。　　He　was　dressed　in　a　rather
loud；　but　somewhat　shabby；　suit　of　summer　plaid；　his　straw　hat　was
set　a　trifle　over　one　ear；　and　he　was　smoking　the　stump　of　a　not　too
fragrant　cigar。　　Altogether　he　looked　like　a　sporting　character
under　a　temporary　financial　cloud；　but　the　cloud　did　not　dim　his
self…satisfaction　nor　shadow　his　magnificent　complaisance。　　He
regarded　the　section　of　Eastboro　before　him　with　condescending
scorn；　and　then；　catching　sight　of　the　doleful　figure　on　the　baggage
truck；　strolled　over　and　addressed　it。

〃I　say；　my　friend；〃　he　observed　briskly；　〃have　you　a　match　concealed
about　your　person？　　If　so；　I〃

He　stopped　short；　for　Mr。　Atkins；　after　one　languid　glance　in　his
direction；　had　sprung　from　the　truck　and　was　gazing　at　him　as　if　he
was　some　apparition；　some　figure　in　a　nightmare；　instead　of　his
blase　self。　　And　he；　as　he　looked　at　the　lightkeeper's　astounded
countenance；　dropped　the　cigar　stump　from　his　fingers　and　stepped
backward　in　alarmed　consternation。

〃YouyouYOU？〃　gasped　Seth。

〃YOU！〃　repeated　the　stranger。

〃You！〃　cried　Seth　again；　not　a　brilliant　nor　original　observation；
but；　under　the　circumstances；　excusable；　for　the　nonchalant　person
in　the　plaid　suit　was　Emeline　Bascom's　brother…in…law；　the　genius；
the　〃inventor；〃　the　one　person　whom　he　hatedand　fearedmore　than
anyone　else　in　the　worldBennie　D。　himself。

There　was　a　considerable　interval　during　which　neither　of　the　pair
spoke。　　Seth；　open…mouthed　and　horror…stricken；　was　incapable　of
speech；　and　the　inventor's　astonishment　seemed　to　be　coupled　with　a
certain　nervousness；　almost　as　if　he　feared　a　physical　assault。
However；　as　the　lightkeeper　made　no　move；　and　his　fists　remained
open；　the　nervousness　disappeared；　and　Bennie　D。　characteristically
took　command　of　the　situation。

〃Hum！〃　he　observed　musingly。　　〃Hum！　　May　I　ask　what　you　are　doing
here？〃

〃Huhhey？〃　was　Seth's　incoherent　reply。

〃I　ask　what　you　are　doing　here？　　Have　you　followed　me？〃

〃Fol…follered　you？　　No。〃

〃You're　sure　of　that；　are　you？〃

〃Yes；　I　be。〃　　Seth　did　not　ask　what　Bennie　D。　was　doing　there。
Already　that　question　was　settled　in　his　mind。　　The　brother…in…law
had　found　out　that　Emeline　was　living　next　door　to　the　man　she
married；　that　her　summer　engagement　was　over；　and　he　had　come　to
take　her　away。

〃Well？〃　queried　the　inventor　sharply；　〃if　you　haven't　followed　me；
what　are　you　doing　here？　　What　do　you　mean　by　being　here？〃

〃I　belong　here；〃　desperately。　　〃I　work　here。〃

〃You　do？　　And　may　I　ask　what　particular　being　is　fortunate　enough　to
employ　you？〃

〃I'm　keeper　down　to　the　lighthouses；　if　you　want　to　know。　　But　I
cal'late　you　know　it　already。〃

Bennie　D。's　coolness　was　not　proof　against　this。　　He　started。

〃The　lighthouses？〃　he　repeated。　　〃Thewhat　is　it　they　call　them？
the　Twin…Lights？〃

〃Yes。　　You　know　it；　what's　the　use　of　askin'　fool　questions？〃

The　inventor　had　not　known　ituntil　that　moment；　and　he　took　time
to　consider　before　making　another　remark。　　His　sister…in…law　was
employed　as　housekeeper　at　some　bungalow　or　other　situated　in　close
proximity　to　the　Twin…Lights；　that　he　had　discovered　since　his
arrival　on　the　morning　train。　　Prior　to　that　he　had　known　only　that
she　was　in　Eastboro　for　the　summer。　　Before　that　he　had　not　been
particularly　interested　in　her　location。　　Since　the　day；　two　years
past；　when；　having　decided　that　he　had　used　her　and　her　rapidly
depleting　supply　of　cash　as　long　as　was　safe　or　convenient；　he　had
unceremoniously　left　her　and　gone　to　New　York　to　live　upon　money
supplied　by　a　credulous　city　gentleman；　whom　his　smooth　tongue　had
interested　in　his　〃inventions；〃　he　had　not　taken　the　trouble　even　to
write　to　Emeline。　　But　within　the　present　month　the　New　Yorker's
credulity　and　his　〃loans〃　had　ceased　to　be　material　assets。　　Then
Bennie　D。；　face　to　face　with　the　need　of　funds；　remembered　his
sister　and　the　promise　given　his　dead　brother　that　he　should　be
provided　with　a　home　as　long　as　she　had　one。

He　journeyed　to　Cape　Ann　and　found；　to　his　dismay；　that　she　was　no
longer　there。　　After　some　skillful　detective　work；　he　learned　of　the
Eastboro　engagement　and　wrote　the　lettera　piteous；　appealing
letter；　full　of　brotherly　love　and　homesicknesswhich；　held　back　by
the　storm；　reached　Mrs。　Bascom　only　that　morning。　　In　it　he　stated
that　he　was　on　his　way　to　her　and　was　counting　the　minutes　until
they　should　be　together　once　more。　　And　he　had；　as　soon　after　his
arrival　in　the　village　as　possible；　'phoned　to　the　Lights　and　spoken
with　her。　　Her　tone；　as　she　answered；　was；　he　thought；　alarmingly
cold。　　It　had　made　him　apprehensive；　and　he　wondered　if　his
influence　over　her　was　on　the　wane。　　But　nownow　he　understood。
Her　husbandher　husband；　of　all　peoplehad　been　living　next　door
to　her　all　summer。　　No　doubt　she　knew　he　was　there　when　she　took　the
place。　　Perhaps　they　had　met　by　mutual　agreement。　　Why；　this　was
appalling！　　It　might　mean　anything。　　And　yet　Seth　did　not　look
triumphant　or　even　happy。　　Bennie　D。　resolved　to　show　no　signs　of
perturbation　or　doubt；　but　first　to　find　out；　if　he　could；　the
truth；　and　then　to　act　accordingly。

〃Mr。　Bascom〃　he　began。　　The　lightkeeper；　greatly　alarmed；
interrupted　him。

〃Hush！〃　he　whispered。　　〃Don't　say　that。　　That　ain't　my　namedown
here。〃

〃Indeed？　　What　is　your　name？〃

〃Down　here　they　call　me　Seth　Atkins。〃

Bennie　D。　looked　puzzled。　　Then　his　expression　changed。　　He　was
relieved。　　When　he　'phoned　to　the　Lightsusing　the　depot　'phone
the　station　agent　had　seemed　to　consider　his　calling　a　woman　over
the　lighthouse　wire　great　fun。　　The　lightkeeper；　so　the　agent　said；
was　named　Atkins；　and　was　a　savage　woman…hater。　　He　would　not　see　a
woman；　much　less　speak　to　one；　it　was　a　standing　joke　in　the
neighborhood；　Seth's　hatred　of　females。　　That　seemed　to　prove　that
Emeline　and　her　husband　were　not　reconciled　and　living　together；　at
least。　　Possibly　their　being　neighbors　was　merely　a　coincidence。　　If
so；　he　might　not　have　come　too　late。　　When　he　next　addressed　his
companion　it　was　in　a　different　tone　and　without　the　〃Mister。〃

〃BascomorerAtkins；〃　he　said　sharply；　〃I　hopedI　sincerely
hoped　that　you　and　I　might　not　meet　during　my　short　stay　here；　but；
as　we　have　met；　I　think　it　best　that　we　should　understand　each
other。　　Suppose　we　walk　over　to　that　clump　of　trees　on　the　other
side　of　the　track。　　We　shall　be　alone　there；　and　I　can　say　what　is
necessary。　　I　don't　wisheven　when　I　remember　your　behavior　toward
my　sisterto　humiliate　you　in　the　town　where　you　may　be　trying　to
lead　a　better　life。　　Come。〃

He　led　the　way；　and　Seth；　yielding