the portygee-第28节

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He　stirred　rebelliously。　　〃Then　we　had　better　go　our　own　ways；　I
should　say；〃　he　muttered。

〃No；　you　hadn't。　　That's　just　what　you　mustn't　do；　not　now；　anyhow。
As　I　said　before；　there's　been　enough　of　all　hands　goin'　their　own
ways　in　this　family　and　look　what　came　of　it。〃

〃But　what　do　you　expect　me　to　do？　　I　will　not　give　up　every　plan
I've　made　and　my　chance　in　the　world　just　because　he　is　too
stubborn　and　cranky　to　understand　them。　　I　will　NOT　do　it。〃

〃I　don't　want　you　to。　　But　I　don't　want　you　to　upset　the　whole
kettle　just　because　the　steam　has　scalded　your　fingers。　　I　don't
want　you　to　go　off　and　leave　your　grandma　to　break　her　heart　a
second　time　and　your　grandpa　to　give　up　all　his　plans　and　hopes
that　he's　been　makin'　about　you。〃

〃Plans　about　me？　　He　making　plans　about　me？　　What　sort　of　plans？〃

〃All　sorts。　　Oh；　he　don't　say　much　about　'em；　of　course；　that　ain't
his　way。　　But　from　things　he's　let　drop　I　know　he　has　hoped　to　take
you　in　with　him　as　a　partner　one　of　these　days；　and　to　leave　you
the　business　after　he's　gone。〃

〃Nonsense；　Rachel！〃

〃No；　it　ain't　nonsense。　　It's　the　one　big　dream　of　Cap'n　Lote's
life。　　That　Z。　Snow　and　Co。　business　is　his　pet　child；　as　you　might
say。　　He　built　it　up；　he　and　Labe　together；　and　when　he　figgered　to
take　you　aboard　with　him　'twas　SOME　chance　for　you；　'cordin'　to　his
lookout。　　Now　you　can't　hardly　blame　him　for　bein'　disappointed
when　you　chuck　that　chance　away　and　take　to　writin'　poetry　pieces；
can　you？〃

〃Butbutwhy；　confound　it；　Rachel；　you　don't　understand！〃

〃Yes；　I　do；　but　your　grandpa　don't。　　And　you　don't　understand
him。　。　。　。　　Oh；　Albert；　DON'T　be　as　stubborn　as　he　is；　as　your
mother　wasthe　Lord　and　she　forgive　me　for　sayin'　it。　　She　was
partly　right　about　marryin'　your　pa　and　Cap'n　Lote　was　partly　right；
too。　If　they　had　met　half　way　and　put　the　two　'partlys'　together　the
whole　thing　might　have　been　right　in　the　end。　　As　'twas；　'twas　all
wrong。　　Don't；　don't；　DON'T；　Albert；　be　as　stubborn　as　that。　　For
their　sakes；　Al；yes；　and　for　my　sake；　for　I'm　one　of　your　family；
too；　or　seems　as　if　I　wasdon't。〃

She　hastily　wiped　her　eyes　with　her　apron。　　He；　too　was　greatly
moved。

〃Don't　cry；　Rachel；〃　he　muttered；　hurriedly。　　〃Please　don't。　。　。　。
I　didn't　know　you　felt　this　way。　　I　didn't　know　anybody　did。　　I
don't　want　to　make　trouble　in　the　familyany　more　trouble。
Grandmother　has　been　awfully　good　to　me；　so；　too；　has　Grandfather；
I　suppose；　in　his　way。　　Butoh；　what　am　I　going　to　do？　　I　can't
stay　in　that　office　all　my　life。　　I'm　not　good　at　business。　　I
don't　like　it。　　I　can't　give　up〃

〃No；　no；　course　you　mustn't。　　I　don't　want　you　to　give　up。〃

〃Then　what　do　you　want　me　to　do？〃

〃I　want　you　to　go　to　your　grandpa　and　talk　to　him　once　more。　　Not
givin'　up　your　plans　altogether　but　not　forcin'　him　to　give　up　his
either；　not　right　away。　　Tell　him　you　realize　he　wants　you　to　go　on
with　Z。　Snow　and　Company　and　that　you　willfor　a　while〃

〃But〃

〃For　a　while；　I　said；　three　or　four　years；　say。　　You　won't　be　so
dreadful　old　then；　not　exactly　what　you'd　call　a　Methusalem。　　Tell
him　you'll　do　that　and　on　his　side　he　must　let　you　write　as　much　as
you　please；　provided　you　don't　let　the　writin'　interfere　with　the
Z。　Snow　and　Co。　work。　　Then；　at　the　end　of　the　three　or　four　years；
if　you　still　feel　the　same　as　you　do　now；　you　can　tackle　your
poetry　for　keeps　and　he　and　you'll　still　be　friends。　　Tell　him
that；　Albert；　and　see　what　he　says。　。　。　。　　Will　you？〃

Albert　took　some　moments　to　consider。　　At　length　he　said：　　〃If　I
did　I　doubt　if　he　would　listen。〃

〃Oh；　yes　he　would。　　He'd　more　than　listen；　I'm　pretty　sartin。　　I
think　he'd　agree。〃

〃You　do？〃

〃Yes；　I　do。　　You　see；〃　with　a　smile；　〃while　I've　been　talkin'　to
you　there's　been　somebody　else　talkin'　to　him。　。　。　。　　There；　there！
don't　you　ask　any　questions。　　I　promised　not　to　tell　anybody　and　if
I　ain't　exactly　broke　that　promise；　I've　sprained　its　ankle；　I'm
afraid。　　Good　night；　Albert；　and　thank　you　ever　and　ever　so　much
for　listenin'　so　long　without　once　tellin'　me　to　mind　my　own
business。〃

〃Good　night；　Rachel。　。　。　。　　And　thank　you　for　taking　so　much
interest　in　my　affairs。　　You're　an　awfully　good　friend；　I　can　see
that。〃

〃Don'tdon't　talk　that　way。　　And　you　WILL　have　that　talk　with　your
grandpa？〃

〃Yes；　I　will。〃

〃Oh；　I'm　SO　glad！　　There！　　Good　night。　　I　come　pretty　nigh　kissin'
you　then　and　for　a　woman　that's　been　engaged　to　be　married　for
upwards　of　eighteen　years　that's　a　nice　way　to　act；　ain't　it！　　Good
night；　good　night。〃

She　hurried　out　of　the　room。　　Albert　sat　down　again　in　his　chair　by
the　window。　　He　had　promised　to　go　to　his　grandfather　and　talk　to
him。　　As　he　sat　there；　thinking　of　the　coming　interview；　he
realized　more　and　more　that　the　keeping　of　that　promise　was　likely
to　be　no　easy　matter。　　He　must　begin　the　talk；　he　must　break　the
iceand　how　should　he　break　it？　　Timid　and　roundabout　approaches
would　be　of　little　use；　unless　his　grandfather's　state　of　mind　had
changed　remarkably　since　their　parting　in　the　Z。　Snow　and　Co。
office　they　and　their　motive　would　be　misunderstood。　　No；　the　only
way　to　break　the　ice　was　to　break　it；　to　plunge　immediately　into
the　deepest　part　of　the　subject。　　It　promised　to　be　a　chilly
plunge。　　He　shivered　at　the　prospect。

A　half　hour　later　he　heard　the　door　of　the　hall　open　and　shut　and
knew　that　Captain　Zelotes　had　returned。　　Rising；　he　descended　the
stairs。　　He　descended　slowly。　　Just　as　he　reached　the　foot　of　the
narrow　flight　Captain　Zelotes　entered　the　hall　from　the　dining…room
and　turned　toward　him。　　Both　were　surprised　at　the　meeting。　　Albert
spoke　first。

〃Good　evening；　Grandfather；〃　he　stammered。　　〃II　was　just　coming
down　to　see　you。　　Were　you　going　to　bed？〃

Captain　Lote　shook　his　head。　　〃No…o；〃　he　said；　slowly；　〃not
exactly。〃

〃Do　you　mind　waiting　a　minute？　　I　have　a　few　thingsI　have
something　to　say　to　you　andand　I　guess　I　shall　sleep　better　if　I
say　it　to…night。　　II　won't　keep　you　long。〃

The　captain　regarded　him　intently　for　an　instant；　then　he　turned
and　led　the　way　to　the　dining…room。

〃Go　ahead；〃　he　ordered；　laconically。　　Albert　squared　his　shoulders；
preparatory　to　the　plunge。

〃Grandfather；〃　he　began；　〃first　of　all　I　want　to　tell　you　I　am
sorry　forfor　some　of　the　things　I　said　this　afternoon。〃

He　had　rehearsed　this　opening　speech　over　and　over　again；　but　in
spite　of　the　rehearsals　it　was　dreadfully　hard　to　make。　　If　his
grandfather　had　helped　him　even　a　little　it　might　have　been　easier；
but　the　captain　merely　stood　there；　expressionless；　saying　nothing；
waiting　for　him　to　continue。

Albert　swallowed；　clenched　his　fists；　and　took　a　new　start。

〃Of　course；〃　he　began；　〃I　am　sorry　for　the　mistakes　I　made　in　my
bookkeeping；　but　that　I　have　told　you　before。　　Nownow　I　want　to
say　I　am　sorry　for　being　sowell；　so　pig…headed　about　the　rest　of
it。　　I　realize　that　you　have　been　mighty　kind　to　me　and　that　I　owe
you　about　everything　that　I've　got　in　this　world。〃

He　paused　again。　　It　had　seemed　to　him　that　Captain　Zelotes　was
about　to　speak。　　However；　he　did　not；　so　the　young　man　stumbled　on。

〃Andand　I　realize；　too；〃　he　said；　〃that　you　have；　I　guess；　been
trying　to　give　me　a　real　start　in　business；　the　start　you　think　I
ought　to　have。〃

The　captain　nodded　slowly。　　〃That　was　my　idea　in　startin'　you；〃　he
said。

〃Yesand　fact　that　I　haven't　done　more　with　the　chance　is　because
I'm　made　that　way；　I　guess。　　But　I　do　want　toyes；　and　I　MEAN　to
try　to　succeed　at　writing　poetry　or　stories　or　plays　or　something。
I　like　that　and　I　mean　to　give　it　a　trial。　　And　soand　so；　you
see；　I've　been　thinking　our　talk　over　and　I've　concluded　that
perhaps　you　may　be　right；　maybe　I'm　not　old　enough　to　know　what　I
really　am　fitted　for；　and　yet　perhaps　_I_　may　be　partly　right；　too。
II've　been　thinking　that　perhaps　some　sort　ofof〃

〃Of　what？〃

〃Well；　of　half…way　arrangementsome　sort　ofof　compromise；　you
know；　might　be　arranged。　　I　might　agree　to　stay　in　the　office　and
do　my　very　best　with　bookkeeping　and　business　forwell；　say；　three
years　or　so。　　During　that　time　I　should　be　trying　to　write　of
course；　but　I　would　only　do　that　sort　of　writing　evenings　or　on
Saturdays　and　holidays。　　It　shouldn't　interfere　with　your　work　nor
be　done　in　the　time　you　pay　me　for。　　And　at　the　end　of　the　three　or
four　years〃

He　paused　again。　　This　time　the　pause　was　longer　than　ever。
Captain　Lote　broke　the　silence。　　His　big　right　hand　had　wandered
upward　and　was　tugging　at　his　beard。

〃Well？　。　。　。　　And　then？〃　he　asked。

〃Why；　thenifif　　Well；　then　we　could　see。　　If　business　seemed
to　be　where　I　was　most　likely　to　succeed　we'd　call　it　settled　and　I
would　stay　with　Z。　Snow　and　Co。　　If　poetry…making　ororliterature
seemed　more　likely　to　be　the　job　I　was　fitted　for；　that　would　be　the
job　I'd　take。　　Youyou　see；　don't　you；　Grandfather？〃

The　captain's　beard…pulling　continued。　　He　was　no　longer　looking
his　grandson　straight　in　the　eye。　　His　gaze　was　fixed　upon　the
braided　mat　at　his　feet　and　he　answered　without　looking　up。

〃Ye…es；〃　he　drawled；　〃I　cal'late　I　see。　　Well；　was　that　all　you　had
to　say？〃

〃No…o；　not　quite。　　II　wanted　to　say　that　which　eve