the portygee-第15节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


upon　the　face　of　a　Spanish　opera　singer　some　twenty　years　before。
He　did　not　like　to　be　reminded　of　that　man。

He　went　out　soon　afterward　and　then　Laban；　turning　to　Albert；　asked
a　few　questions。

〃How　do　you　think　you're　goin'　to　like　South　Harniss；　Ansel？〃　he
asked。

Albert　was　tempted　to　reply　that　he；　Keeler；　had　asked　him　that
very　question　before；　but　he　thought　it　best　not　to　do　so。

〃I　don't　know　yet；〃　he　answered；　carelessly。　　〃Well　enough；　I
guess。〃

〃You'll　like　it　fust…rate　bimeby。　　Everybody　does　when　they　get
used　to　it。　　Takes　some　time　to　get　used　to　a　place；　don't　you　know
it　does；　Ansel？〃

〃My　name　is　Albert。〃

〃Eh？　　Yes；　yes；　so　'tis。　　Yes；　yes；　yes。　　I　don't　know　why　I　called
you　Ansel；　'less　'twas　on　account　of　my　knowin'　an　Ansel　Olsen
once　。　。　。　　Hum　。　。　。　　Yes；　yes。　　Well；　you'll　like　South　Harniss
when　you　get　used　to　it。〃

The　boy　did　not　answer。　　He　was　of　the　opinion　that　he　should　die
long　before　the　getting　used　process　was　completed。　　Mr。　Keeler
continued。

〃Come　on　yesterday's　train；　did　you？〃　he　asked。

Albert　looked　at　him。　　Was　the　fellow　joking？　　He　did　not　look　as
if　he　was。

〃Why　no；〃　he　replied。　　〃I　came　last　Monday　night。　　Don't　you
remember？〃

〃Eh？　　Oh；　yes　。　。　。　　Yes；　yes；　yes　。　。　。　　Last　Monday　night　you
come；　eh？　　On　the　night　train；　eh？〃　　He　hesitated　a　moment　and　then
asked。　　〃Cap'n　Lote　fetch　you　down　from　the　depot？〃

Albert　stared　at　him　open…mouthed。

〃Why；　no！〃　he　retorted。　　〃You　drove　me　down　yourself。〃

For　the　first　time　a　slight　shade　of　embarrassment　crossed　the
bookkeeper's　features。　　He　drew　a　long　breath。

〃Yes；〃　he　mused。　　〃Yes；　yes；　yes。　　I　kind　of　thought　Iyes；　yes；
II　thought　likely　I　did　。　。　。　　Yes；　yes；　course　I　did；　course　I
did。　　Well；　now　maybe　we'd　better　be　startin'　you　in　to　worker
Augustus。　　Know　anything　about　double…entry；　do　you？〃

Albert　did　not；　nor　had　he　the　slightest　desire　to　learn。　　But
before　the　first　hour　was　over　he　foresaw　that　he　was　destined　to
learn；　if　he　remained　in　that　office；　whether　he　wanted　to　or　not。
Laban　Keeler　might　be；　and　evidently　was；　peculiar　in　his　ways；　but
as　a　bookkeeper　he　was　thoroughness　personified。　　And　as　a　teacher
of　his　profession　he　was　just　as　thorough。　　All　that　forenoon
Albert　practiced　the　first　principles　of　〃double　entry〃　and；　after
the　blessed　hour　for　dinner；　came　back　to　practice　the　remainder　of
the　working　day。

And　so　for　many　days。　　Little　by　little　he　learned　to　invoice　and
journalize　and　〃post　in　the　ledger〃　and　all　the　rest　of　the　detail
of　bookkeeping。　　Not　that　his　instructor　permitted　him　to　do　a
great　deal　of　actual　work　upon　the　books　of　Z。　Snow　and　Co。　　Those
books　were　too　spotless　and　precious　for　that。　　Looking　over　them
Albert　was　surprised　and　obliged　to　admit　a　grudging　admiration　at
the　manner　in　which；　for　the　most　part；　they　had　been　kept。　　Page
after　page　of　the　neatest　of　minute　figures；　not　a　blot；　not　a
blur；　not　an　erasure。　　So　for　months；　then；　in　the　minor　books；
like　the　day…book　or　journal；　would　suddenly　break　out　an　eruption
of　smudges　and　scrawls　in　the　rugged　handwriting　of　Captain
Zelotes。　　When　he　first　happened　upon　one　of　these　Albert
unthinkingly　spoke　to　Mr。　Keeler　about　it。　　He　asked　the　latter
what　it　meant。

Laban　slowly　stroked　his　nose　with　his　thumb　and　finger；　a　habit　he
had。

〃I　cal'late　I　was　away　for　a　spell　then；〃　he　said；　gravely。　　〃Yes；
yes　。　。　。　　Yes；　yes；　yes。　　I　was　away　for　a　little　spell。〃

He　went　soberly　back　to　his　desk。　　His　new　assistant；　catching　a
glimpse　of　his　face；　felt　a　pang　of　real　pity　for　the　little　man。
Of　course　the　reason　for　the　hiatus　in　the　books　was　plain　enough。
He　knew　about　those　〃little　spells。〃　　Oddly　enough　Laban　seemed　to
feel　sorry　for　them。　　He　remembered　how　funny　the　bookkeeper　had
appeared　at　their　first　meeting；　when　one　〃spell〃　was　just
developing；　and　the　contrast　between　the　singing；　chirruping　clown
and　the　precise；　grave　little　person　at　the　desk　struck　even　his
youthful　mind　as　peculiar。　　He　had　read　〃Doctor　Jekyll　and　Mr。
Hyde；〃　and　now　here　was　an　example　of　something　similar。　　He　was
beginning　to　like　Laban　Keeler；　although　he　was　perfectly　sure　that
he　should　never　like　bookkeeping。

He　did　not　slave　at　the　books　all　the　time；　of　course。　　For
stretches；　sometimes　lasting　whole　days；　his　slavery　was　of　another
sort。　　Then　he　was　working　in　the　lumber　yard　with　Issachar；　or
waiting　on　customers　in　the　hardware　shop。　　The　cold　of　winter　set
in　in　earnest　now　and　handling　〃two　by　fours〃　and　other　timber　out
where　the　raw　winds　swept　piercingly　through　one's　overcoat　and
garments　and　flesh　to　the　very　bone　was　a　trying　experience。　　His
hands　were　chapped　and　cracked；　even　though　his　grandmother　had
knit　him　a　pair　of　enormous　red　mittens。　　He　appreciated　the　warmth
of　the　mittens；　but　he　hated　the　color。　　Why　in　the　name　of　all
that　was　inartistic　did　she　choose　red；　not　a　deep；　rich　crimson；
but　a　screeching　vermilion；　like　a　fireman's　shirt？

Issachar；　when　he　had　the　opportunity；　was　a　hard　boss。　　It　suited
Mr。　Price　to　display　his　superior　knowledge　and　to　find　fault　with
his　helper's　lack　of　skill。　　Albert's　hot　temper　was　at　the　boiling
point　many　times；　but　he　fought　it　down。　　Occasionally　he　retorted
in　kind；　but　his　usual　and　most　effective　weapon　was　a　more　or　less
delicate　sarcasm。　　Issachar　did　not　understand　sarcasm　and　under
rapid　fire　he　was　inclined　to　lose　his　head。

〃Consarn　it！〃　he　snapped；　irritably；　on　one　occasion。　　〃Consarn　it；
Al；　why　don't　you　h'ist　up　on　t'other　end　of　that　j'ist？　　What　do
you　cal'late　you're　out　here　along　of　me　for；　to　look　harnsome？〃

Albert　shook　his　head。　　〃No；　Is；〃　he　answered；　gravely。　　〃No；　that
wouldn't　be　any　use。　　With　you　around　nobody　else　has　a　look…in　at
the　'handsome'　game。　　Issy；　what　do　you　do　to　your　face？〃

〃Do　to　it？　　What　do　you　mean　by　do　to　it？〃

〃What　do　you　do　to　it　to　make　it　look　the　way　it　does？　　Don't　tell
me　it　grew　that　way　naturally。〃

〃Grew！　　Course　it　grew！　　What　kind　of　talk's　that？〃

〃Issy；　with　a　face　like　yours　how　do　you　keep　the　birds　away？〃

〃Eh？　　Keep　the　birds　away！　　Now　look　here；　just〃

〃Excuse　me。　　Did　I　say　'birds；'　Issy？　　I　didn't　mean　birds　like
like　crows。　　Of　course　a　face　like　yours　would　keep　the　crows　away
all　right　enough。　　I　meant　girls。　　How　do　you　keep　the　girls　away？
I　should　think　they　would　be　making　love　all　the　time。〃

〃Aw；　you　shut　up！　　Just　'cause　you're　Cap'n　Lote's　grandson　I
presume　likely　you　think　you　can　talk　any　kind　of　talk；　don't　ye？〃

〃Not　any　kind；　Is。　　I　can't　talk　like　you。　　Will　you　teach　me？〃

〃Shut　up！　　Now；　by　Crimus；　youyou　furrineryou　Speranzy〃

Mr。　Keeler　appeared　at　the　office　window。　　His　shrill　voice　rose
pipingly　in　the　wintry　air　as　he　demanded　to　know　what　was　the
trouble　out　there。

Mr。　Price；　still　foaming；　strode　toward　the　window；　Albert
laughingly　followed　him。

〃What's　the　matter？〃　repeated　Laban。　　〃There's　enough　noise　for　a
sewin'　circle。　　Be　still；　Is；　can't　you；　for　a　minute。　　Al；　what's
the　trouble？〃

〃Issy's　been　talking　about　his　face；〃　explained　Albert；　soberly。

〃I　ain't　neither。　　I　was　h'istin'　up　my　end　of　a　j'ist；　same　as　I'm
paid　to　do；　and；　'stead　of　helpin'　he　stands　there　and　heaves　out
talk　aboutabout〃

〃Well；　about　what？〃

〃Aw；　aboutabout　me　andand　girlsand　all　sorts　of　dum
foolishness。　　I　tell　ye；　I've　got　somethin'　else　to　do　beside
listen　to　that　kind　of　cheap　talk。〃

〃Um。　　Yes；　yes。　　I　see。　　Well；　Al；　what　have　you　got　to　say？〃

〃Nothing。　　I'm　sure　I　don't　know　what　it　is　all　about。　　I　was
working　as　hard　as　I　could　and　all　at　once　he　began　pitching　into
me。〃

〃Pitchin'　into　you？　　How？〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　know。　　Something　about　my　looks　he　didn't　like；　I
guess。　　Wanted　to　know　if　I　thought　I　was　as　handsome　as　he　was；　or
something　like　that。〃

〃Eh？　　I　never　neither！　　All　I　said　was〃

Mr。　Keeler　raised　his　hand。　　〃Seems　to　be　a　case　for　an　umpire；〃　he
observed。　　〃Um。　　Seem's　if　'twas；　seems　so；　seems　so。　　Well；
Captain　Lote's　just　comin'　across　the　road　and；　if　you　say　the
word；　I'll　call　him　in　to　referee。　　What　do　you　say？〃

They　said　nothing　relevant　to　the　subject　in　hand。　　Issachar　made
the　only　remark。　　〃Crimus…TEE！〃　he　ejaculated。　　〃Come　on；　Al；　come
on。〃

The　pair　hurried　away　to　resume　lumber　piling。　　Laban　smiled
slightly　and　closed　the　window。　　It　may　be　gathered　from　this
incident　that　when　the　captain　was　in　charge　of　the　deck　there　was
little　idle　persiflage　among　the　〃fo'mast　hands。〃　　They；　like
others　in　South　Harniss；　did　not　presume　to　trifle　with　Captain
Lote　Snow。

So　the　business　education　of　Alberto　Miguel　Carlos　Speranza
progressed。　　At　the　end　of　the　first　six　weeks　in　South　Harniss　he
had　learned　a　little　about　bookkeeping；　a　little　about　selling
hardware；　a　little　about　measuring　and　marking　lumber。　　And　it　must
be　admitted　that　that　little　had　been　acquired；　not　because　of
vigorous　application　on　the　part　of　the　pupil；　but　because；　being
naturally　quick　and　intelligent；　he　could　not　help　learning
something。　　He　liked　the　work　just　as　little　as　he　had　in　the
beginning　of　his　apprenticeship。　　And；　although　he　was　forgetting
his