earlderrbiggers.thehousewithoutakey-第2节

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　〃A　policeman？〃　He　lifted　his　bushy　eyebrows。
　〃Yes；　it　amounts　to　that。　It's　not　being　done　openly；　of　course。　Grace　writes　that　John　Quincy　has　six　weeks'　vacation　from　the　banking　house；　and　has　decided　to　make　the　trip　out　here。　'It　will　give　you　some　one　to　e　home　with；　my　dear；'　says　Grace。　Isn't　she　subtle？〃
　〃John　Quincy　Winterslip？　That　would　be　Grace's　son。〃
　Miss　Minerva　nodded。　〃You　never　met　him；　did　you；　Dan？　Well；　you　will；　shortly。　And　he　certainly　won't　approve　of　you。〃
　〃Why　not？〃　Dan　Winterslip　bristled。
　〃Because　he's　proper。　He's　a　dear　boy；　but　oh；　so　proper。　This　journey　is　going　to　be　a　great　cross　for　him。　He'll　start　disapproving　as　he　passes　Albany；　and　think　of　the　long　weary　miles　of　disapproval　he'll　have　to　endure　after　that。〃
　〃Oh；　I　don't　know。　He's　a　Winterslip；　isn't　he？〃
　〃He　is。　But　the　gypsy　strain　missed　him　pletely。　He's　a　Puritan。〃
　〃Poor　boy。〃　Dan　Winterslip　moved　toward　the　tray　on　which　stood　the　amber…colored　drinks。　〃I　suppose　he'll　stop　with　Roger　in　San　Francisco。　Write　him　there　and　tell　him　I　want　him　to　make　this　house　his　home　while　he's　in　Honolulu。〃
　〃That's　kind　of　you；　Dan。〃
　〃Not　at　all。　I　like　youth　around　me　…　even　the　Puritan　brand。　Now　that　you're　going　to　be　apprehended　and　taken　back　to　civilization；　you'd　better　have　one　of　these　cocktails。〃
　〃Well；〃　said　his　guest；　〃I'm　about　to　exhibit　what　my　brother　used　to　call　true　Harvard　indifference。〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　Winterslip。
　〃I　don't　mind　if　I　do；〃　twinkled　Miss　Minerva；　lifting　a　cocktail　glass。
　Dan　Winterslip　beamed　upon　her。　〃You're　a　good　sport；　Minerva；〃　he　remarked；　as　he　escorted　her　across　the　hall。
　〃When　in　Rome；〃　she　answered；　〃I　make　it　a　point　not　to　do　as　the　Bostonians　do。　I　fear　it　would　prove　a　rather　thorny　path　to　popularity。〃
　〃Precisely。〃
　〃Besides；　I　shall　be　back　in　Boston　soon。　Tramping　about　to　art　exhibits　and　Lowell　Lectures；　and　gradually　congealing　into　senility。〃
　But　she　was　not　in　Boston　now；　she　reflected；　as　she　sat　down　at　the　gleaming　table　in　the　dining…room。　Before　her；　properly　iced；　was　a　generous　slice　of　papaia；　golden　yellow　and　inviting。　Somewhere　beyond　the　foliage　outside　the　screens；　the　ocean　murmured　restlessly。　The　dinner　would　be　perfect；　she　knew；　the　Island　beef　dry　and　stringy；　perhaps；　but　the　fruits　and　the　salad　more　than　atoning。
　〃Do　you　expect　Barbara　soon？〃　she　inquired　presently。
　Dan　Winterslip's　face　lighted　like　the　beach　at　sunrise。　〃Yes；　Barbara　has　graduated。　She'll　be　along　any　day　now。　Nice　if　she　and　your　perfect　nephew　should　hit　on　the　same　boat。〃
　〃Nice　for　John　Quincy；　at　any　rate；〃　Miss　Minerva　replied。　〃We　thought　Barbara　a　lively；　charming　girl　when　she　visited　us　in　the　East。〃
　〃She's　all　of　that；〃　he　agreed　proudly。　His　daughter　was　his　dearest　possession。　〃I　tell　you；　I've　missed　her。　I've　been　mighty　lonesome。〃
　Miss　Minerva　gave　him　a　shrewd　look。　〃Yes；　I've　heard　rumors；〃　she　remarked；　〃about　how　lonesome　you've　been。〃
　He　flushed　under　his　tan。　〃Amos；　I　suppose？〃
　〃Oh；　not　only　Amos。　A　great　deal　of　talk；　Dan。　Really；　at　your　age　…〃
　〃What　do　you　mean；　my　age？　I　told　you　we're　all　young　out　here。〃　He　ate　in　silence　for　a　moment。　〃You're　a　good　sport　…　I　said　it　and　I　meant　it。　You　must　understand　that　here　in　the　Islands　a　man　may　behave　a　…　a　bit　differently　than　he　would　in　the　Back　Bay。〃
　〃At　that；〃　she　smiled；　〃all　men　in　the　Back　Bay　are　not　to　be　trusted。　I'm　not　presuming　to　rebuke　you；　Dan。　But　…　for　Barbara's　sake　…　why　not　select　as　the　object　of　your　devotion　a　woman　you　could　marry？〃
　〃I　could　marry　this　one　…　if　we're　talking　about　the　same　woman。〃
　〃The　one　I　refer　to；〃　Miss　Minerva　replied；　〃is　known；　rather　widely；　as　the　Widow　of　Waikiki。〃
　〃This　place　is　a　hotbed　of　gossip。　Arlene　pton　is　perfectly　respectable。〃
　〃A　former　chorus　girl　I　believe。〃
　〃Not　precisely。　An　actress　…　small　parts　…　before　she　married　Lieutenant　pton。〃
　〃And　a　self…made　widow。〃
　〃Just　what　do　you　mean　by　that？〃　he　flared。　His　gray　eyes　glittered。
　〃I　understand　that　when　her　husband's　aeroplane　crashed　on　Diamond　Head；　it　was　because　he　preferred　it　that　way。　She　had　driven　him　to　it。〃
　〃Lies；　all　lies！〃　Dan　Winterslip　cried。　〃Pardon　me；　Minerva；　but　you　mustn't　believe　all　you　hear　on　the　beach。〃　He　was　silent　for　a　moment。　〃What　would　you　say　if　I　told　you　I　proposed　to　marry　this　woman？〃
　〃I'm　afraid　I'd　bee　rather　bromidic；〃　she　answered　gently；　〃and　remind　you　that　there's　no　fool　like　an　old　fool。〃　He　did　not　speak。　〃Forgive　me；　Dan。　I'm　your　first　cousin；　but　a　distant　relative　for　all　that。　It's　really　none　of　my　business。　I　wouldn't　care　…　but　I　like　you。　And　I'm　thinking　of　Barbara　…〃
　He　bowed　his　head。　〃I　know；〃　he　said；　〃Barbara。　Well；　there's　no　need　to　get　excited。　I　haven't　said　anything　to　Arlene　about　marriage。　Not　yet。〃
　Miss　Minerva　smiled。　〃You　know；　as　I　get　on　in　years；〃　she　remarked；　〃so　many　wise　old　saws　begin　to　strike　me　as　utter　nonsense。　Particularly　that　one　I　just　quoted。〃　He　looked　at　her；　his　eyes　friendly　again。　〃This　is　the　best　avocado　I　ever　tasted；〃　she　added。　〃But　tell　me；　Dan；　are　you　sure　the　mango　is　a　food？　Seems　more　like　a　spring　tonic　to　me。〃
　By　the　time　they　finished　dinner　the　topic　of　Arlene　pton　was　forgotten　and　Dan　had　pletely　regained　his　good　nature。　They　had　coffee　on　his　veranda　…　or；　in　Island　parlance；　lanai　…　which　opened　off　one　end　of　the　living…room。　This　was　of　generous　size；　screened　on　three　sides　and　stretching　far　down　on　to　the　white　beach。　Outside　the　brief　tropic　dusk　dimmed　the　bright　colors　of　Waikiki。
　〃No　breeze　stirring；〃　said　Miss　Minerva。
　〃The　trades　have　died；〃　Dan　answered。　He　referred　to　the　beneficent　winds　which　…　save　at　rare；　unfortable　intervals　…　blow　across　the　Islands　out　of　the　cool　northeast。　〃I'm　afraid　we're　in　for　a　stretch　of　Kona　weather。〃
　〃I　hope　not；〃　Miss　Minerva　said。
　〃It　saps　the　life　right　out　of　me　nowadays；〃　he　told　her；　and　sank　into　a　chair。　〃That　about　being　young；　Minerva　…　it's　a　little　bluff　I'm　fond　of。〃
　She　smiled　gently。　〃Even　youth　finds　the　Kona　hard　to　endure；〃　she　forted。　〃I　remember　when　I　was　here　before　…　in　the　'eighties。　I　was　only　nineteen；　but　the　memory　of　the　sick　wind　lingers　still。〃
　〃I　missed　you　then；　Minerva。〃
　〃Yes。　You　were　off　somewhere　in　the　South　Seas。〃
　〃But　I　heard　about　you　when　I　came　back。　That　you　were　tall　and　blonde　and　lovely；　and　nowhere　near　so　prim　as　they　feared　you　were　going　to　be。　A　wonderful　figure；　they　said　…　but　you've　got　that　yet。〃
　She　flushed；　but　smiled　still。　〃Hush；　Dan。　We　don't　talk　that　way　where　I　e　from。〃
　〃The　'eighties；〃　he　sighed。　〃Hawaii　was　Hawaii　then。　Unspoiled；　a　land　of　opera　bouffe；　with　old　Kalakaua　sitting　on　his　golden　throne。〃
　〃I　remember　him；〃　Miss　Minerva　said。　〃Grand　parties　at　the　palace。　And　the　afternoons　when　he　sat　with　his　disreputable　friends　on　the　royal　lanai；　and　the　Royal　Hawaiian　Band　played　at　his　feet；　and　he　haughtily　tossed　them　royal　pennies。　It　was　such　a　colorful；　naive　spot　then；　Dan。〃
　〃It's　been　ruined；〃　he　plained　sadly。　〃Too　much　aping　of　the　mainland。　Too　much　of　your　damned　mechanical　civilization　…　automobiles；　phonographs；　radios　…　bah！　And　yet　…　and　yet；　Minerva　…　away　down　underneath　there　are　deep　dark　waters　flowing　still。〃
　She　nodded；　and　they　sat　for　a　moment　busy　with　their　memories。　Presently　Dan　Winterslip　snapped　on　a　small　reading　light　at　his　side。　〃I'll　just　glance　at　the　evening　paper；　if　you　don't　mind。〃
　〃Oh；　do；〃　urged　Miss　Minerva。
　She　was　glad　of　a　moment　without　talk。　For　this；　after　all；　was　the　time　she　loved　Waikiki　best。　So　brief；　this　tropic　dusk；　so　quick　the　ing　of　the　soft　alluring　night。　The　carpet　of　the　waters；　apple…green　by　day；　crimson　and　gold　at　sunset；　was　a　deep　purple　now。　On　top　of　that　extinct　volcano　called　Diamond　Head　a　yellow　eye　was　winking；　as　though　to　hint　there　might　still　be　fire　beneath。　Three　miles　down；　the　harbor　lights　began　to　twinkle；　and　out　toward　the　reef　the　lanterns　of　Japanese　sampans　glowed　intermittently。　Beyond；　in　the　roadstead；　loomed　the　battered　hulk　of　an　old　brig　slowly　moving　toward　the　channel　entrance。　Always；　out　there；　a　ship　or　two；　in　from　the　East　with　a　cargo　of　spice　or　tea　or　ivory；　or　eastward　bound　with　a　load　of　tractor　salesmen。　Ships　of　all　sorts；　the　spic　and　span　liner　and　the　rakish　tramp；　ships　from　Melbourne　and　Seattle；　New　York　and　Yokohama；　Tahiti　and　Rio；　any　port　on　the　seven　seas。　For　this　was　Honolulu；　the　Crossroads　of　the　Pacific　…　the　glamorous　crossroads　where；　they　said；　in　time　all　paths　crossed　again。　Miss　Minerva　sighed。
　She　was　conscious　of　a　quick　movement　on　Dan's　part。　She　turned　and　looked　at　him。　He　had　laid　the　paper　on　his　knee；　and　was　staring　straight　ahead。　That　bluff　about　being　young　…　no　good　now。　For　his　face　was　old；　old。
　〃Why；　Dan　…〃　she　said。
　〃I　…　I'm　wondering；　Minerva；〃　he　began　slowly。　〃Tell　me　again　about　that　nephew　of　yours。〃
　She　was　surprised；　but　hid　it。　〃John　Quincy？〃　she　said。　〃He's　just　the　usual　thing；　for　Boston。　Conventional。　His　whole　life　has　been　planned　for　him；　from　the　cradle　to　the　grave。　So　far　he's　walked　the　line。　The　inevitable　preparatory　school；　Harvard；