the woman-haters-第6节

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aware　of　this　scrutiny；　he　made　no　comment　upon　it　until　the　meal
was　nearly　over；　then　he　observed　suddenly：

〃It's　all　right；　you　needn't。〃

〃Needn't　what？〃　demanded　Atkins；　in　astonishment。

〃Look　at　me　as　if　you　expected　me　to　explode　at　any　minute。　　I
sha'n't。　　I'm　not　loaded。〃

Seth　colored；　under　his　coat　of　sunburn；　and　seemed　embarrassed。

〃I　don't　know　what　you're　talkin'　about；〃　he　stammered。　　〃Have　the
moskeeters　affected　YOUR　brains？〃

〃No。　　My　brains；　such　as　they　are；　are　all　right；　and　I　want　to　keep
them　so。　　That's　why　I　request　you　not　to　look　at　me　in　that　way。〃

〃How　was　I　lookin'　at　you？　　I　don't　know　what　you　mean。〃

〃Yes；　you　do。　　You　are　wondering　how　much　I　know。　　I　don't　know
anything　and　I'm　not　curious。　　That's　the　truth。　　Now　why　not　let　it
go　at　that？〃

〃See　here；　young　feller；　I〃

〃No；　you　see　here。　　I'm　not　an　Old　Sleuth；　I　haven't　any　ambitions
that　way。　　I　don't　know　anything　about　youwhat　you've　been；　what
you've　done〃

〃Done！〃　　Seth　leaned　across　the　table　so　suddenly　that　he　upset　his
chair。　　〃Done？〃　he　cried；　〃what　do　you　mean　by　that？　　Who　said　I'd
done　anything？　　It's　a　lie。〃

〃What　is　a　lie？〃

〃Whywhyerwhatever　they　said！〃

〃Who　said？〃

〃Why；　the　ones　thatthat　said　what　you　said　they　said。〃

〃I　didn't　say　anyone　had　said　anything。〃

〃Then　what　do　you　mean　byby　hintin'？　　Hey？　　What　do　you　mean　by
it？〃

He　brandished　a　clenched　fist　over　the　breakfast　dishes。　　Brown
leaned　back　in　his　chair　and　closed　his　eyes。

〃Call　me　when　the　patient　recovers　his　senses；〃　he　drawled　wearily。
〃This　delirium　is　painful　to　a　sensitive　nature。〃

Atkins's　fist　wavered　in　mid…air；　opened；　and　was　drawn　across　its
owner's　forehead。

〃Well；　by　jiminy！〃　exclaimed　the　lightkeeper　with　emphasis；　〃this
isis　。　。　。　　I　guess　I　BE　crazy。　　If　I　ain't；　you　are。　　Would　you
mind　tellin'　me　what　in　time　you　mean　by　THAT？〃

〃It　is　not　the　mosquitoes；〃　continued　his　companion；　in　apparent
soliloquy；　〃there　are　no　mosquitoes　at　present。　　It　must　be　the
other　thing；　of　course。　　But　so　early　in　the　morning；　and　so
violent。　　Alcohol　is〃

〃SHUT　UP！〃　　It　was　not　a　request；　but　an　order。　　Brown　opened　his
eyes。

〃You　were　addressing　me？〃　he　asked；　blandly。　〃Yes？〃

〃Addressin'　you！　　For　thunder　sakes；　who　else　would　I　be　ad　。　。　。
There！　there！　　Now　I　cal'late　you're　hintin'　that　I'm　drunk。　　I
ain't。〃

〃Indeed？〃

〃Yes；　indeed。　　And　I　ain't　out　of　my　headnot　yet；　though　keepin'
company　with　a　Bedlamite　may　have　some　effect；　I　shouldn't　wonder。
Mr。　John　Brownif　that's　your　name；　which　I　doubtyou　listen　to
me。〃

〃Very　well；　Mr。　Seth　Atkinsif　that　is　your　name；　which　I　neither
doubt　nor　believe；　not　being　particularly　interestedI'm　listening。
Proceed。〃

〃You　told　me　last　night　that　you　wanted　the　job　of　assistant　keeper
here　at　these　lights。　　Course　you　didn't　mean　it。〃

〃I　did。〃

〃You　DID！　。　。　。　　Well；　YOU　must　be　drunk　or　loony。〃

〃I'm　neither。　　And　I　meant　it。　　I　want　the　job。〃

Seth　looked　at　him；　and　he　looked　at　Seth。　　At　length　the
lightkeeper　spoke　again。

〃Well；〃　he　said；　slowly；　〃I　don't　understand　it　at　all；　but　never
mind。　　Whatever　happens；　we've　got　to　understand　each　other。　　Mind　I
don't　say　the　job's　yours；　even　if　we　do；　but　we　can't　even　think　of
it　unless　we　understand　each　other　plain。　　To　begin　with；　I　want　to
tell　you　that　I　ain't　done　nothin'　that's　crooked；　nor　wicked；　nor
nothin'　but　what　I　think　is　right　and　what　I'd　do　over　again。　　Do
you　believe　that？〃

〃Certainly。　　As　I　told　you；　I'm　not　interested；　but　I'll　believe　it
with　pleasure　if　you　wish　me　to。〃

〃I　don't　wish　nothin'。　　You've　GOT　to　believe　it。　　And　whether　you
stay　here　ten　minutes　or　ten　years　you've　got　to　mind　your　own
business。　　I　won't　have　any　hints　or　questions　about　mefrom　you
nor　nobody　else。　　'Mind　your　own　business；'　that's　the　motto　of
Eastboro　Twin…Lights；　while　I'm　boss　of　'em。　　If　you　don't　like　it
well；　the　village　is　only　five　mile　off；　and　I'll　p'int　out　the　road
to　you。〃

He　delivered　this　ultimatum　with　extraordinary　energy。　　Then　he
reached　for　his　overturned　chair；　set　it　on　its　legs；　and　threw
himself　into　it。　　〃Well；〃　he　demanded；　after　a　moment；　〃what　do　you
say　to　that？〃

〃Hurrah！〃　replied　Mr。　Brown　cheerfully。

〃Hurrah？　　For　the　land　sakes！　。　。　。　　Say；　CAN'T　you　talk　sensible；
if　you　try　real　hard　and　set　your　mind　to　it？　　What　is　there　to
hurrah　about？〃

〃Everything。　　The　whole　situation。　　Atkins；〃　Brown　leaned　forward
now　and　spoke　with　earnestness；　〃I　like　your　motto。　　It　suits　me。
'Mind　your　own　business'　suits　me　down　to　the　ground。　　It　proves
that　you　and　I　were　made　to　work　together　in　a　place　just　like
this。〃

〃Does；　hey？　　I　want　to　know！〃

〃You　do　know。　　Why；　just　think：　each　of　us　has　pleaded　'not　guilty。'
We've　done　nothingwe're　entirely　innocentand　we　want　to　forget
it。　　I　agree　not　to　ask　you　how　old　you　are；　nor　why　you　wear　your
brand　of　whiskers；　nor　how　you　like　them；　nornor　anything。　　I
agree　not　to　ask　questions　at　all。〃

〃Humph！　but　you　asked　some　last　night。〃

〃Purely　by　accident。　　You　didn't　answer　them。　　You　asked　me　some；
also；　if　you　will　remember；　and　I　didn't　answer　them；　either。　　Good！
We　forget　everything　and　agree　not　to　do　it　again。〃

〃Ugh！　　I　tell　you　I　ain't　done　nothin'。〃

〃I　know。　　Neither　have　I。　　Let　the　dead　past　be　its　own　undertaker；
so　far　as　we　are　concerned。　　I'm　honest；　Atkins；　and　tolerably
straight。　　I　believe　you　are；　I　really　do。　　But　we　don't　care　to
talk　about　ourselves；　that's　all。　　And；　fortunately；　kind　Providence
has　brought　us　together　in　a　place　where　there's　no　one　else　TO
talk。　　I　like　you；　I　credit　you　with　good　taste；　therefore；　you　must
like　me。〃

〃Hey？　　Ho；　ho！〃　Seth　laughed；　in　spite　of　himself。　　〃Young　man；〃　he
observed；　〃you　ain't　cultivated　your　modesty　under　glass；　have　you？〃

Brown　smiled。　　〃Joking　aside；〃　he　said；　〃I　don't　see　why　I
shouldn't；　in　time；　make　an　ideal　assistant　lightkeeper。　　Give　me　a
trial；　at　any　rate。　　I　need　an　employer；　you　need　a　helper。　　Here　we
both　are。　　Come；　it　is　a　bargain；　isn't　it？　　Any　brass　to　be
scrubbedboss？〃


Of　course；　had　Eastboro　Twin…Lights　been　an　important　station；　the
possibility　of　John　Brown's　remaining　there　would　have　been
nonexistent。　　If　it　had　been　winter；　or　even　early　spring　or　fall；　a
regular　assistant　would　have　been　appointed　at　once；　and　the
castaway　given　his　walking　papers。　　If　Seth　Atkins　had　not　been　Seth
Atkins；　particular　friend　of　the　district　superintendent；　matters
might　have　been　different。　　But　the　Eastboro　lights　were
unimportant；　merely　a　half…way　mark　between　Orham　on　the　one　hand
and　the　powerful　Seaboard　Heights　beacon　on　the　other。　　It　was　the
beginning　of　summer；　when　wrecks　almost　never　occurred。　　And　the
superintendent　liked　Seth；　and　Seth　liked　him。　　So；　although　Mr。
Atkins　still　scoffed　at　his　guest's　becoming　a　permanent　fixture　at
the　lights；　and　merely　consented；　after　more　parley；　to　see　if　he
couldn't　arrange　for　him　to　〃hang　around　and　help　a　spell　until
somebody　else　was　sent；〃　the　conversation　with　the　superintendent
over　the　long　distance　'phone　resulted　more　favorably　for　Brown　than
that　nonchalant　young　gentleman　had　a　reasonable　right　to　expect。

〃The　Lord　knows　who　I　can　send　you　now；　Atkins！〃　said　the
superintendent。　　〃I　can't　think　of　a　man　anywhere　that　can　be
spared。　　If　you　can　get　on　for　a　day　or　two　longer；　I'll　try　to　get
a　helper　down！　but　where　he's　coming　from　I　don't　see。〃

Then　Seth　sprung　the　news　that　he　had　a　〃sort　of　helper〃　already。
〃He's　a　likely　young　chap　enough；〃　admitted　the　lightkeeper；
whispering　the　words　into　the　transmitter；　in　order　that　the　〃likely
young　chap〃　might　not　hear；　〃but　he's　purty　green　yet。　　He　wants　the
reg'lar　job　and；　give　me　time　enough；　I　cal'late　I　can　break　him　in。
Yes；　I'm　pretty　sure　I　can。　　And　it's　the　off　season；　so　there
really　ain't　no　danger。　　In　a　month　he'd　be　doin'　fust…rate。〃

〃Who　is　he？　　Where　did　he　come　from？〃　asked　the　superintendent。

〃Name's　Brown。　　He　come　fromfrom　off　here　a　ways；〃　was　the
strictly　truthful　answer。　　〃He　used　to　be　on　a　steamboat。〃

〃All　right。　　If　you'll　take　a　share　of　the　responsibility；　I'll　take
the　rest。　　And；　as　soon　as　I　can；　I'll　send　you　a　regular　man。〃

〃I　can't　pay　you　no　steady　wages；〃　Seth　explained　to　his　new　helper。
〃Salaries　come　from　the　gov'ment；　and；　until　they　say　so；　I　ain't
got　no　right　to　do　it。　　And　I　can't　let　you　monkey　with　the　lights；
except　to　clean　up　around　and　such。　　If　you　want　to　stay　a　spell；
until　an　assistant's　app'inted；　I'll　undertake　to　be　responsible　for
your　keep。　　And　if　you　need　some　new　shoes　or　stockin's　or　a　cap；　or
the　like　of　that；　I'll　see　you　get　'em。　　Further'n　that　I　can't　go
yet。　　It's　a　pretty　poor　job　for　a　fellow　like　you；　and　if　I　was　you
I　wouldn't　take　it。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　you　would；〃　replied　Brown；　with　conviction。　　〃If　you　were
I；　you　would　take　it　with　bells　on。　　Others　may　yearn　for　the
strenuous　life；　but　not　your　humble　servant。　　As　for　me；　I　stay　here
and　'clean　up　around。'〃

And　stay　he　did；　performing　the　cleaning　up　and　other　duties　with
unexpected　success　and　zeal。　　Atkins；　for　the　first　day　or　two；
watched　h