the woman-haters-第5节

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〃Not　many。　　Once　in　a　while　a　picnic　comes　over　in　a　livery　four…
seater；　but　not　often。　　The　same　gang　never　comes　twice。　　Road's　too
bad；　and　they　complain　like　fury　about　the　moskeeters。〃

〃Do　they？　　How　peevish！　　Atkins；　you're　not　married？〃

It　was　an　innocent　question；　but　it　had　an　astonishing　effect。　　The
lightkeeper　bounced　on　the　bench　as　if　someone　had　kicked　it
violently　from　beneath。

〃What？〃　he　quavered　shrilly。　　〃Whawhat's　that？〃

Brown　was　surprised。　　〃I　asked　if　you　were　married；　that's　all；〃　he
said。　　〃I　can't　see〃

〃Stop！〃　　Seth's　voice　shook；　and　he　bent　down　to　glare　through　the
darkness　at　his　companion's　face。　　〃Stop！〃　he　ordered。　　〃You　asked
me　if　I　wasmarried？〃

〃Yes。　　Why　shouldn't　I？〃

〃Why　shouldn't　you？　　See　here；　young　feller；　youyouwhat　made　you
ask　that？〃

〃What　made　me？〃

〃Stop　sayin'　my　words　after　me。　　Are　you　a　man　or　a　poll…parrot？
Can't　you　understand　plain　United　States　language？　　What　made　you？
Or　WHO　made　you？　　Who　told　you　to　ask　me　that　question？〃

He　pounded　the　bench　with　his　fist。　　The　pair　stared　at　each　other
for　a　moment；　then　Brown　leaned　back　and　began　to　whistle。　　Seth
seized　him　by　the　shoulders。

〃Quit　that　foolishness；　d'you　hear？〃　he　snarled。　　〃Quit　it；　and
answer　me！〃

The　answer　was　prefaced　by　a　pitying　shake　of　the　head。

〃It's　the　mosquitoes；〃　observed　the　young　man；　musingly。　　〃They　get
through　and　puncture　the　brain　after　a　time；　I　presume。　　I'm　not
surprised　exactly；　but；〃　with　a　sigh；　〃I'm　very　sorry。〃

〃What　are　you　talkin'　about；〃　demanded　Atkins。　　〃Be　you　crazy？〃

〃No…o。　　I'M　not。〃

〃YOU'RE　not！　　Do　you　mean　that　I　am？〃

〃Well；〃　slowly；　〃I'm　not　an　expert　in　such　cases；　but　when　a
perfectly　simple；　commonplace　question　sets　a　chap　to　pounding　and
screaming　and　offering　violence；　thenwell；　it's　either　insanity　or
an　attempt　at　insult；　one　or　the　other。　　I've　given　you　the　benefit
of　the　doubt。〃

He　scratched　a　match　on　his　heel　and　relit　his　pipe。　　The
lightkeeper　still　stared；　suspicious　and　puzzled。　　Then　he　drew　a
long　breath。

〃II　didn't　mean　to　insult　you；〃　he　stammered。

〃Glad　to　hear　it；　I'm　sure。　　If　I　were　you；　however；　I　should　see　a
doctor　for　the　other　trouble。〃

〃And　I　ain't　crazy；　neither。　　I　beg　your　pardon　for　hollerin'　and
grabbin'　hold　of　you。〃

〃Granted。〃

〃Thank　ye。　　Now；〃　hesitatingly；　〃would　you　mind　tellin'　me　why　you
asked　me　if　I　was　married？〃

〃Not　in　the　least。　　I　asked　merely　because　it　occurred　to　me　that
you　might　be。　　Of　course；　I　had　seen　nothing　of　your　wife；　but　it
was　barely　possible　that　she　was　away　on　a　visit；　or　somewhere。
There　is　no　regulation　forbidding　lightkeepers　marryingat　least；　I
never　heard　of　anyand　so　I　asked；　that's　all。〃

Seth　nodded。　　〃I　see；〃　he　said；　slowly；　〃yes；　yes；　I　see。　　So　you
didn't　have　no　special　reason。〃

〃I　did　not。　　Of　course；　if　I　had　realized　that　you　were　subject　to
erfits；　I　should　have　been　more　careful。〃

〃Hum！　。　。　。　　Well；　II　beg　your　pardon　again。　　II　am　kind　of
touchy　on　some　p'ints。　　Didn't　I　tell　you　no　women　came　here？
Married！　　A　wife！　　Do　I　look　like　a　dum　fool？〃

〃Not　now。〃

〃Well；　then！　　And　I've　apologized　for　bein'　one　a　few　minutes　ago；
ain't　I。〃

〃Yes；　you　have。　　No　grudge　on　my　part；　I　assure　you。　　Let's　forget
it　and　talk　of　something　else。〃

They　did；　but　the　dialogue　was　rather　jerky。　　Brown　was　thinking；
and　Atkins　seemed　moody　and　disinclined　to　talk。　　After　a　time　he
announced　that　it　was　getting　late　and　he　cal'lated　he　would　go　up
to　the　light　room。　　〃You'd　better　turn　in；〃　he　added；　rising。

〃Just　a　minute；〃　said　the　young　man。　　〃Wait　just　a　minute。　　Atkins；
suppose　I　asked　you　another　questionwould　you　become　violent　at
once？　or　merely　by　degrees？〃

Seth　frowned。　　The　suspicious　look　returned　to　his　face。

〃Humph！〃　he　grunted。　　〃Depended　on　what　you　asked　me；　maybe。〃

〃Yes。　　Well；　this　one　is　harmlessat　least；　I　hope　it　is。　　I
thought　the　other　was；　also；　but　I　。　。　。　　There！　there！　be　calm。
Sit　down　again　and　listen。　　This　question　is　nothing　like　that。
It's　about　that　assistant　of　yours；　the　chap　who　left　a　day　or　two
before　I　drifted　in。　　What　were　his　duties？　　What　did　he　have　to　do
when　he　was　here？〃

〃Wa…al；〃　drawled　Seth　with　sarcasm；　resuming　his　seat　on　the　bench；
〃he　was　SUPPOSED　to　do　consider'ble　many　things。　　Stand　watch　and
watch　with　me；　and　scrub　brass　and　clean　up　around；　and　sweep　and
wash　dishes　andandwell；　make　himself　gen'rally　useful。　　Them　was
the　duties　he　was　supposed　to　have。　　What　he　done　was　diff'rent。
Pesky　loafer！　　Why？〃

〃That's　what　I'm　going　to　tell　you。　　Have　they　appointed　his
successor　yet？　　Have　you　got　any　one　to　take　his　place？〃

〃No。　　Fact　is；　I'd　ought　to　have　telegraphed　right　off　to　the　Board；
but　I　ain't。　　I　was　so　glad　to　see　the　last　of　him　that　I　kept
puttin'　it　off。　　I'll　do　it　tomorrer。〃

〃Perhaps　you　won't　need　to。〃

〃Course　I'll　need　to！　　Why　not？　　Got　to　have　somebody　to　help。
That's　rules　and　regulations；　and；　besides；　I　can't　keep　awake　day
and　night；　too。　　What　makes　you　think　I　won't　need　to？〃

The　young　man　knocked　the　ashes　from　his　pipe。　　Rising；　he　laid　a
hand　on　his　companion's　shoulder。

〃Because　you've　got　an　assistant　right　here　on　the　premises；〃　he
said。　　〃Delivered　by　the　Atlantic　express　right　at　your　door。　　Far
be　it　from　me　to　toot　my　horn；　Mr。　Atkins；　or　to　proclaim　my　merits
from　the　housetops。　　But；　speaking　as　one　discerning　person　to
another；　when　it　comes　to　an　A1；　first　chop　lightkeeper's　assistant；
I　ask：　'What's　the　matter　with　yours　truly；　John　Brown？'〃

Seth's　reply　was　not　in　words。　　The　hand　holding　his　pipe　fell　limp
upon　his　lap；　and　he　stared　at　the　speaker。　　The　latter；　entirely
unabashed；　waved　an　airy　gesture；　and　continued。

〃I　repeat；〃　he　said；　〃'What's　the　matter　with　John　Brown？'　　And　echo
answers；　'He's　all　right！'　　I　am　a　candidate　for　the　position　of
assistant　keeper　at　Eastboro　Twin…Lights。〃

〃YOU？〃

〃Me。〃

〃Butbutaw；　go　on！　　You're　foolin'。〃

〃Not　a　fool。　　I　mean　it。　　I　am　here。　　I'm　green；　but　in　the　sunshine
of　your　experience　I　agree　to　ripen　rapidly。　　I　can　wash　dishes
you've　seen　me。　　I　believe　I　could　scrub　brass　and　sweep。〃

〃You　wantin'　to　be　assistant　at　a　place　like　this！　　YOU！　an
edicated；　able　young　chap；　that's　been　used　to　valets　and　servants
and〃

〃Why　do　you　say　that？　　How　do　you　know　I've　been　used　to　those
things？〃

〃'Cause；　as　I　hinted　to　you　a　spell　ago；　I　ain't　altogether　a　dum
fool。　　I　can　put　two　and　two　together　and　make　four；　without　having
the　example　done　for　me　on　a　blackboard。　　You're　a　rich　man's　son；
you've　been　used　to　sassiety　and　city　ways　and　good　clothes。　　YOU
wantin'　to　put　in　your　days　and　nights　in　a　forsaken　hole　like　this！
Nonsense！　　Get　out！〃

But　Mr。　Brown　refused　to　get　out。

〃No　nonsense　about　it；〃　he　declared。　　〃It　is　the　hand　of　Fate。　　With
the　whole　broadside　of　Cape　Cod　to　land　upon；　why　was　I　washed
ashore　just　at　this　particular　spot？　　Answer：Because　at　this　spot；
at　this　time；　Eastboro　Twin…Lights　needed　an　assistant　keeper。　　I
like　the　spot。　　It　is　beautiful。　　'Far　from　the　madding　crowd's
ignoble　strife。'　　With　your　permission；　I'll　stay　here。　　The　leopard
may　or　may　not　change　his　spots；　but　I　sha'n't。　　I　like　this　one　and
here　I　stay。　　Yes；　I　mean　it。　　I　stayas　your　assistant。　　Come；
what　do　you　say？　　Is　it　a　go？〃

The　lightkeeper　rose　once　more。　　〃I'm　goin'　on　watch；〃　he　said　with
decision。　　〃You　turn　in。　　You'll　feel　better　in　the　mornin'。〃

He　started　towards　the　tower。　　But　John　Brown　sprang　from　the　bench
and　followed　him。

〃Not　until　you've　answered　my　question；〃　he　declared。　　〃AM　I　to　be
your　assistant？〃

〃No；　course　you　ain't。　　It's　dum　foolishness。　　Besides；　I　ain't　got
the　say；　the　government　hires　its　own　keepers。〃

〃But　you　can　square　the　government。　　That　will　be　easy。　　Why；〃　with
a　modest　gesture；　〃look　what　the　government　is　getting。　　It　will
jump　at　the　chance。　　Atkins；　you　must　say　yes。〃

〃I　sha'n't；　neither。　　Let　go　of　my　arm。　　It's　blame　foolishness；　I
tell　you。　　Why；〃　impatiently；　〃course　it's　foolishness！　　I　don't
know　the　first　thing　about　you。〃

〃What　of　it？　　I　don't　know　anything　about　you；　either。〃

Again　the　lightkeeper　seemed　unaccountably　agitated。　　He　stopped　in
his　stride　and　whirled　to　face　his　companion。

〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃　he　demanded　fiercely。　　Before　the　young
man　could　reply；　he　turned　again；　strode　to　the　door　of　the　light；
flung　it　open；　and　disappeared　within。　　The　door　closed　behind　him
with　a　thunderous　bang。

John　Brown　gazed　after　him　in　bewilderment。　　Then　he　shrugged　his
shoulders　and　returned　to　the　bench。

The　surf　at　the　foot　of　the　bluff　grumbled　and　chuckled　wickedly；　as
if　it　knew　all　of　poor　humanity's　secrets　and　found　a　cynic's
enjoyment　in　the　knowledge。


CHAPTER　IV

THE　COMING　OF　JOB


The　next　morning　Seth　was　gloomy　and　uncommunicative。　　At　the
breakfast　table；　when　Brown　glanced　up　from　his　plate；　he　several
times　caught　the　lightkeeper　looking　intently　at　him　with　the
distrustful；　half…suspicious　gaze　of　the　night　before。　　Though　quite
aware　of　this　scrutiny；　he　made　no　comment　upon　it　until　the　meal
was　nearly　over；　then