the portygee-第20节

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of　look　my　grandfather　has；　and　I　could　punch　him　for　it　sometimes。
Why　should　you　and　he　think　I'm　not　going　to　amount　to　anything？〃

〃I　don't　think　so。　　And　I'm　sure　he　doesn't　either。　　And　I　wasn't
laughing　at　you。　　Or；　if　I　was；　itit　was　only　because〃

〃Well；　because　what？〃

〃Oh；　because　you　are　so　AWFULLY　sure　you　knowwell；　know　more　than
most　people。〃

〃Meaning　I'm　stuck　on　myself；　I　suppose。　　Well；　now　I　tell　you　I'm
not　going　to　hang　around　in　this　one…horse　town　all　my　life　to
please　grandfather　or　any　one　else。〃

When　he　mentioned　his　determination　to　win　literary　glory　she　was
always　greatly　interested。　　Dreams　of　histrionic　achievement　were
more　coldly　received。　　The　daughter　of　a　New　England　country
clergyman；　even　in　these　days　of　broadening　horizons；　could
scarcely　be　expected　to　look　with　favor　upon　an　actor's　career。

June　came　and　with　it　the　first　of　the　summer　visitors。　　For　the
next　three　months　Albert　was　happy　with　a　new　set　of　acquaintances。
They　were　HIS　kind；　these　young　folks　from　the　city；　and　his　spare
moments　were　for　the　most　part　spent　in　their　society。　　He　was
popular　with　them；　too。　　Some　of　them　thought　it　queer　that　he
should　be　living　all　the　year　in　the　village　and　keeping　books　for
a　concern　like　Z。　Snow　and　Co。；　but　juvenile　society　is　tolerant
and　a　youth　who　could　sing　passably；　dance　wonderfully　and；　above
all；　was　as　beautifully　picturesque　as　Albert　Speranza；　was
welcomed；　especially　by　the　girls。　　So　the　Saturdays　and　Sundays
and　evenings　of　that　summer　were　pleasant　for　him。　　He　saw　little
of　Helen　or　Gertie　Kendrick　while　the　hotel　or　the　cottages
remained　open。

Then　came　the　fall　and　another　long；　dreary　winter。　　Albert　plodded
on　at　his　desk　or　in　the　yard；　following　Mr。　Keeler's　suggestions；
obeying　his　grandfather's　orders；　tormenting　Issy；　doing　his　daily
stint　because　he　had　to；　not　because　he　liked　it。　　For　amusement　he
read　a　good　deal；　went　to　the　usual　number　of　sociables　and
entertainments；　and　once　took　part　in　amateur　theatricals；　a　play
given　by　the　church　society　in　the　town　hall。　　There　was　where　he
shone。　　As　the　dashing　young　hero　he　was　resplendent。　　Gertie
Kendrick　gazed　upon　him　from　the　third　settee　center　with　shining
eyes。　　When　he　returned　home　after　it　was　over　his　grandmother　and
Mrs。　Ellis　overwhelmed　him　with　praises。

〃I　declare　you　was　perfectly　splendid；　Albert！〃　exclaimed　Olive。
〃I　was　so　proud　of　you　I　didn't　know　what　to　do。〃

Rachel　looked　upon　him　as　one　might　look　upon　a　god　from　Olympus。

〃All　I　could　think　of　was　Robert　Penfold；〃　she　said。　　〃I　says　so　to
Laban：　　'Laban；'　says　I；　ain't　he　Robert　Penfold　and　nobody　else？'
There　you　was；　tellin'　that　Hannibal　Ellis　that　you　was　innocent
and　some　day　the　world　would　know　you　was；　just　the　way　Robert
Penfold　done　in　the　book。　　I　never　did　like　that　Hannie　Ellis！〃

Mrs。　Snow　smiled。　　〃Mercy；　Rachel；〃　she　said；　〃I　hope　you're　not
blamin'　Hannie　because　of　what　he　did　in　that　play。　　That　was　his
part；　he　had　to　do　it。〃

But　Rachel　was　not　convinced。　　〃He　didn't　have　to　be　so　everlastin'
mean　and　spiteful　about　it；　anyhow；〃　she　declared。　　〃But　there；
that　family　of　Ellises　never　did　amount　to　nothin'　much。　　But；　as　I
said　to　Laban；　Albert；　you　was　Robert　Penfold　all　over。〃

〃What　did　Labe　say　to　that？〃　asked　Albert；　laughing。

〃He　never　had　a　chance　to　say　nothin'。　　Afore　he　could　answer；
that　Maria　B。　Priceshe　was　settin'　right　back　of　me　and　eatin'
molasses　candy　out　of　a　rattly　paper　bag　till　I　thought　I　SHOULD
dieshe　leaned　forward　and　she　whispered：　　'He　looks　more　to　me
like　that　Stevie　D。　that　used　to　work　for　Cap'n　Crowell　over　to
the　Center。　　Stevie　D。　had　curly　hair　like　that　and　HE　was　part
Portygee；　you　remember；　though　there　was　a　little　nigger　blood　in
him；　too；'　she　says。　　I　could　have　shook　her！　　And　then　she　went　to
rattlin'　that　bag　again。〃

Even　Mr。　Keeler　congratulated　him　at　the　office　next　morning。　　〃You
done　well；　Al；〃　he　said。　　〃Yesyesyes。　　You　done　fust…rate；
fust…rate。〃

His　grandfather　was　the　only　one　who　refused　to　enthuse。

〃Well；〃　inquired　Captain　Zelotes；　sitting　down　at　his　desk　and
glancing　at　his　grandson　over　his　spectacles；　〃do　you　cal'late　to
be　able　to　get　down　to　earth　this　mornin'　far　enough　to　figger　up
the　payroll？　　You　can　put　what　you　made　from　play…actin'　on　a
separate　sheet。　　It's　about　as　much　as　the　average　person　makes　at
that　job；〃　he　added。

Albert's　face　flushed。　　There　were　times　when　he　hated　his
grandfather。　　Mr。　Keeler；　a　moment　later；　put　a　hand　on　his
shoulder。

〃You　mustn't　mind　the　old　man；　Al；〃　he　whispered。　　〃I　expect　that
seein'　you　last　night　brought　your　dad's　job　back　to　him　strong。
He　can't　bear　play…actin'；　you　know；　on　your　dad's　account。　　Yes
yes。　　That　was　it。　　Yesyesyes。〃

It　may　have　been　a　truthful　explanation；　but　as　an　apology　it　was　a
limited　success。

〃My　father　was　a　gentleman；　at　any　rate；〃　snapped　Albert。　　Laban
opened　his　mouth　to　reply；　but　closed　it　again　and　walked　back　to
his　books。

In　May；　which　was　an　unusually　balmy　month；　the　Congregational
Sunday　School　gave　an　automobile　excursion　and　box…luncheon　party
at　High　Point　Light　down　at　Trumet。　　As　Rachel　Ellis　said；　it　was
pretty　early　for　picnickin'；　but　if　the　Almighty's　season　was　ahead
of　time　there　didn't　seem　to　be　any　real　good　reason　why　one　of　his
Sunday　schools　shouldn't　be。　　And；　which　was　the　principal　excuse
for　the　hurry；　the　hotel　busses　could　be　secured；　which　would　not
be　the　case　after　the　season　opened。

Albert　went　to　the　picnic。　　He　was　not　very　keen　on　going；　but　his
grandfather　had　offered　him　a　holiday　for　the　purpose；　and　it　was
one　of　his　principles　never　to　refuse　a　chance　to　get　away　from
that　office。　　Besides；　a　number　of　the　young　people　of　his　age　were
going；　and　Gertie　Kendrick　had　been　particularly　insistent。

〃You　just　MUST　come；　Al；〃　she　said。　　〃It　won't　be　any　fun　at　all　if
you　don't　come。〃

It　is　possible　that　Gertie　found　it　almost　as　little　fun　when　he
did　come。　　He　happened　to　be　in　one　of　his　moods　that　day；
〃Portygee　streaks；〃　his　grandfather　termed　these　moods；　and　told
Olive　that　they　were　〃that　play…actor　breakin'　out　in　him。〃　　He
talked　but　little　during　the　ride　down　in　the　bus；　refused　to　sing
when　called　upon；　and；　after　dinner；　when　the　dancing　in　the
pavilion　was　going　on；　stepped　quietly　out　of　the　side　door　and
went　tramping　along　the　edge　of　the　bluff；　looking　out　over　the　sea
or　down　to　the　beach；　where；　one　hundred　and　fifty　feet　below；　the
big　waves　were　curling　over　to　crash　into　a　creamy　mass　of　froth
and　edge　the　strand　with　lacy　ripples。

The　high　clay　bluffs　of　Trumet　are　unique。　　No　other　part　of　the
Cape　shows　anything　just　like　them。　　High　Point　Light　crowns　their
highest　and　steepest　point　and　is　the　flashing　beacon　the　rays　of
which　spell　〃America〃　to　the　incoming　liner　Boston　bound。

Along　the　path　skirting　the　edge　of　the　bluff　Albert　strolled；　his
hands　in　his　pockets　and　his　thoughts　almost　anywhere　except　on　the
picnic　and　the　picnickers　of　the　South　Harniss　Congregational
Church。　　His　particular　mood　on　this　day　was　one　of　discontent　and
rebellion　against　the　fate　which　had　sentenced　him　to　the　assistant
bookkeeper's　position　in　the　office　of　Z。　Snow　and　Co。　　At　no　time
had　he　reconciled　himself　to　the　idea　of　that　position　as　a
permanent　one；　some　day；　somehow　he　was　going　to　break　away　and
domarvelous　things。　　But　occasionally；　and　usually　after　a
disagreeable　happening　in　the　office；　he　awoke　from　his　youthful
day　dreams　of　glorious　futures　to　a　realization　of　the　dismal　to…
day。

The　happening　which　had　brought　about　realization　in　this　instance
was　humorous　in　the　eyes　of　two…thirds　of　South　Harniss's
population。　　They　were　chuckling　over　it　yet。　　The　majority　of
the　remaining　third　were　shocked。　　Albert；　who　was　primarily
responsible　for　the　whole　affair；　was　neither　amused　nor　shocked；
he　was　angry　and　humiliated。

The　Reverend　Seabury　Calvin；　of　Providence；　R。　I。；　had　arrived　in
town　and　opened　his　summer　cottage　unusually　early　in　the　season。
What　was　quite　as　important；　Mrs。　Seabury　Calvin　had　arrived　with
him。　　The　Reverend　Calvin；　whose　stay　was　in　this　case　merely
temporary；　was　planning　to　build　an　addition　to　his　cottage　porch。
Mrs。　Calvin；　who　was　the　head　of　the　summer　〃Welfare　Workers；〃
whatever　they　were；　had　called　a　meeting　at　the　Calvin　house　to
make　Welfare　plans　for　the　season。

The　lumber　for　the　new　porch　was　ordered　of　Z。　Snow　and　Co。　　The
Reverend　Calvin　ordered　it　himself　in　person。　　Albert　received　the
order。

〃I　wish　this　delivered　to…morrow　without　fail；〃　said　Mr。　Calvin。
Albert　promised。

But　promises　are　not　always　easy　to　keep。　　One　of　Z。　Snow　and　Co。's
teams　was　busy　hauling　lumber　for　the　new　schoolhouse　at　Bayport。
The　other　Issachar　had　commandeered　for　deliveries　at　Harniss
Center　and　refused　to　give　up　his　claim。　　And　Laban　Keeler；　as　it
happened；　was　absent　on　one　of　his　〃vacations。〃　　Captain　Zelotes
was　attending　a　directors'　meeting　at　Osham　and　from　there　was
going　to　Boston　for　a　day's　stay。

〃The　ship's　in　your　hands；　Al；〃　he　had　said　to　his　grandson。　　〃Let
me　see　how　yo