the portygee-第30节

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into　the　outer　circle　of　the　limelight　of　fame；　was　a　poem　written
the　day　following　that　upon　which　came　the　news　of　the　sinking　of
the　Lusitania。　　Captain　Zelotes　came　back　from　the　post…office　that
morning；　a　crumpled　newspaper　in　his　hand；　and　upon　his　face　the
look　which　mutinous　foremast　hands　had　seen　there　just　before　the
mutiny　ended。　　Laban　Keeler　was　the　first　to　notice　the　look。　　〃For
the　land　sakes；　Cap'n；　what's　gone　wrong？〃　he　asked。　　The　captain
flung　the　paper　upon　the　desk。　　〃Read　that；〃　he　grunted。　　Labe
slowly　spread　open　the　paper；　the　big　black　headlines　shrieked　the
crime　aloud。

〃Good　God　Almighty！〃　exclaimed　the　little　bookkeeper。　　Captain
Zelotes　snorted。　　〃He　didn't　have　anything　to　do　with　it；〃　he
declared。　　〃The　bunch　that　pulled　that　off　was　handled　from　the
other　end　of　the　line。　　And　I　wish　to　thunder　I　was　young　enough　to
help　send　'em　back　there；〃　he　added；　savagely。

That　evening　Albert　wrote　his　poem。　　The　next　day　he　sent　it　to　a
Boston　paper。　　It　was　published　the　following　morning；　spread
across　two　columns　on　the　front　page；　and　before　the　month　was　over
had　been　copied　widely　over　the　country。　　Within　the　fortnight　its
author　received　his　first　request；　a　bona　fida　request　for　verse
from　a　magazine。　　Even　Captain　Lote's　praise　of　the　Lusitania　poem
was　whole…hearted　and　ungrudging。

That　summer　was　a　busy　one　in　South　Harniss。　　There　was　the　usual
amount　of　summer　gaiety；　but　in　addition　there　were　the　gatherings
of　the　various　committees　for　war　relief　work。　　Helen　belonged　to
many　of　these　committees。　　There　were　dances　and　theatrical
performances　for　the　financial　benefit　of　the　various　causes　and
here　Albert　shone。　　But　he　did　not　shine　alone。　　Helen　Kendall　was
very　popular　at　the　social　gatherings；　popular　not　only　with　the
permanent　residents　but　with　the　summer　youth　as　well。　　Albert
noticed　this；　but　he　did　not　notice　it　so　particularly　until　Issy
Price　called　his　attention　to　it。

〃Say；　Al；〃　observed　Issy；　one　afternoon　in　late　August　of　that
year；　〃how　do　YOU　like　that　Raymond　young　feller？〃

Albert　looked　up　absently　from　the　page　of　the　daybook。

〃Eh？　　What？〃　he　asked。

〃I　say　how　do　YOU　like　that　Eddie　Raymond；　the　Down…at…the…Neck
one？〃

〃Down　at　the　neck？　　There's　nothing　the　matter　with　his　neck　that　I
know　of。〃

〃Who　said　there　was？　　He　LIVES　down　to　the　Neck；　don't　he？　　I　mean
that　young　Raymond；　son　of　the　New　York　bank　man；　the　ones　that's
had　the　Cahoon　house　all　summer。　　How　do　you　like　him？〃

Albert's　attention　was　still　divided　between　the　day…book　and　Mr。
Price。　　〃Oh；　I　guess　he's　all　right；〃　he　answered；　carelessly。　　〃I
don't　know　him　very　well。　　Don't　bother　me；　Issy；　I'm　busy。〃

Issachar　chuckled。　　〃He's　busy；　too；〃　he　observed。　　〃He；　he；　he！
He's　busy　trottin'　after　Helen　Kendall。　　Don't　seem　to　have　time
for　much　else　these　days。　　Noticed　that；　ain't　you；　Al？　　He；　he！〃

Albert　had　not　noticed　it。　　His　attention　left　the　day…book
altogether。　　Issachar　chuckled　again。

〃Noticed　it；　ain't　you；　Al？〃　he　repeated。　　〃If　you　ain't　you're　the
only　one。　　Everybody's　cal'latin'　you'll　be　cut　out　if　you　ain't
careful。　　Folks　used　to　figger　you　was　Helen's　steady　comp'ny；　but
it　don't　look　as　much　so　as　it　did。　　He；　he！　　That's　why　I　asked
you　how　you　liked　the　Raymond　one。　　Eh？　　How　do　you；　Al？　　Helen；
SHE　seems　to　like　him　fust…rate。　　He；　he；　he！〃

Albert　was　conscious　of　a　peculiar　feeling；　partly　of　irritation　at
Issachar；　partly　something　else。　　Mr。　Price　crowed　delightedly。

〃Hi！〃　he　chortled。　　〃Why；　Al；　your　face　is　gettin'　all　redded　up。
Haw；　haw！　　Blushin'；　ain't　you；　Al？　　Haw；　haw；　haw！　　Blushin'；　by
crimustee！〃

Albert　laid　down　his　pen。　　He　had　learned　by　experience　that；　in
Issy's　case；　the　maxim　of　the　best　defensive　being　a　strong
offensive　was　absolutely　true。　　He　looked　with　concern　about　the
office。

〃There's　a　window　open　somewhere；　isn't　there；　Is？〃　he　inquired。
〃There's　a　dreadful　draught　anyhow。〃

〃Eh？　　Draught？　　I　don't　feel　no　draught。　　Course　the　window's　open；
it's　generally　open　in　summer　time；　ain't　it。　　Haw；　haw！〃

〃There　it　is　again！　　Where　　Oh；　_I_　see！　　It's　your　mouth　that's
open；　Issy。　　That　explains　the　draught；　of　course。　　Yes；　yes；　of
course。〃

〃Eh？　　My　mouth！　　Never　you　mind　my　mouth。　　What　you've　got　to　think
about　is　that　Eddie　Raymond。　　Yes　sir…ee！　　Haw；　haw！〃

〃Issy；　what　makes　you　make　that　noise？〃

〃What　noise？〃

〃That　awful　cawing。　　If　you're　trying　to　make　me　believe　you're　a
crow　you're　wasting　your　time。〃

〃Say；　look　here；　Al　Speranzy；　be　you　crazy？〃

〃No…o；　I'M　not。　　But　in　your　casewell；　I'll　leave　it　to　any　fair…
minded　person〃

And　so　on　until　Mr。　Price　stamped　disgustedly　out　of　the　office。
It　was　easy　enough；　and　required　nothing　brilliant　in　the　way　of
strategy　or　repartee；　to　turn　Issachar's　attack　into　retreat。　　But
all　the　rest　of　that　afternoon　Albert　was　conscious　of　that
peculiar　feeling　of　uneasiness。　　After　supper　that　night　he　did　not
go　down　town　at　once　but　sat　in　his　room　thinking　deeply。　　The
subjects　of　his　thoughts　were　Edwin　Raymond；　the　young　chap　from
New　York；　Yale；　and　〃The　Neck〃and　Helen　Kendall。　　He　succeeded
only　in　thinking　himself　into　an　even　more　uneasy　and　unpleasant
state　of　mind。　　Then　he　walked　moodily　down　to　the　post…office。　　He
was　a　little　late　for　the　mail　and　the　laughing　and　chatting　groups
were　already　coming　back　after　its　distribution。　　One　such　group　he
met　was　made　up　of　half　a　dozen　young　people　on　their　way　to　the
drug　store　for　ices　and　sodas。　　Helen　was　among　them　and　with　her
was　young　Raymond。　　They　called　to　him　to　join　them；　but　he
pretended　not　to　hear。

Now；　in　all　the　years　of　their　acquaintance　it　had　not　once
occurred　to　Albert　Speranza　that　his　interest　in　Helen　Kendall　was
anything　more　than　that　of　a　friend　and　comrade。　　He　liked　her；　had
enjoyed　her　societywhen　he　happened　to　be　in　the　mood　to　wish
societyand　it　pleased　him　to　feel　that　she　was　interested　in　his
literary　efforts　and　his　career。　　She　was　the　only　girl　in　South
Harniss　who　would　have　〃talked　turkey〃　to　him　as　she　had　on　the　day
of　their　adventure　at　High　Point　Light　and　he　rather　admired　her
for　it。　　But　in　all　his　dreams　of　romantic　attachments　and
sentimental　adventure；　and　he　had　such　dreams　of　course；　she　had
never　played　a　part。　　The　heroines　of　these　dreams　were　beautiful
and　mysterious　strangers；　not　daughters　of　Cape　Cod　clergymen。

But　now；　thanks　to　Issy's　mischievous　hints；　his　feelings　were　in　a
puzzled　and　uncomfortable　state。　　He　was　astonished　to　find　that　he
did　not　relish　the　idea　of　Helen's　being　particularly　interested　in
Ed　Raymond。　　He；　himself；　had　not　seen　her　as　frequently　of　late；
she　having　been　busy　with　her　war　work　and　he　with　his　own　interests。
But　that；　according　to　his　view；　was　no　reason　why　she　should　permit
Raymond　to　become　friendly　to　the　point　of　causing　people　to　talk。
He　was　not　ready　to　admit　that　he　himself　cared；　in　a　sentimental
way；　for　Helen；　but　he　resented　any　other　fellow's　daring　to　do　so。
And　she　should　not　have　permitted　it；　either。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；
Alberto　Miguel　Carlos　Speranza；　hitherto　reigning　undisputed　king　of
hearts　in　South　Harniss；　was　for　the　first　time　in　his　imperial　life
feeling　the　pangs　of　jealousy。

He　stalked　gloomily　on　to　the　post…office。　　Gertie　Kendrick；　on　the
arm　of　Sam　Thatcher；　passed　him　and　he　did　not　even　notice　her。
Gertie　whispered　to　Sam　that　he；　Albert；　was　a　big　stuck…up
nothing；　but　she　looked　back　over　Sam's　shoulder；　nevertheless。
Albert　climbed　the　post…office　steps　and　walked　over　to　the　rack　of
letter　boxes。　　The　Snow　box　contained　little　of　interest　to　him；
and　he　was　turning　away　when　he　heard　his　name　spoken。

〃Good　evening；　Mr。　Speranza；〃　said　a　feminine　voice。

Albert　turned　again；　to　find　Jane　Kelsey　and　another　young　lady；
a　stranger；　standing　beside　him。　　Miss　Kelsey　was　one　of　South
Harniss's　summer　residents。　　The　Kelsey　〃cottage；〃　which　was　larger
by　considerable　than　the　Snow　house；　was　situated　on　the　Bay　Road；
the　most　exclusive　section　of　the　village。　　Once；　and　not　so　many
years　before；　the　Bay　Road　was　contemptuously　referred　to　as
〃Poverty　Lane〃　and　dwellers　along　its　winding；　weed…grown　track
vied　with　one　another　in　shiftless　shabbiness。　　But　now　all
shabbiness　had　disappeared　and　many…gabled　〃cottages〃　proudly　stood
where　the　shanties　of　the　Poverty　Laners　once　humbly　leaned。

Albert　had　known　Jane　Kelsey　for　some　time。　　They　had　met　at　one　of
the　hotel　tea…dances　during　his　second　summer　in　South　Harniss。　　He
and　she　were　not　intimate　friends　exactly；　her　mother　saw　to　that；
but　they　were　well　acquainted。　　She　was　short　and　piquant；　had　a
nose　which　freckled　in　the　Cape　Cod　sunshine；　and　she　talked　and
laughed　easily。

〃Good　evening；　Mr。　Speranza；〃　she　said；　again。　　〃You　looked　so　very
forlorn　I　couldn't　resist　speaking。　　Do　tell　us　why　you　are　so　sad；
we're　dying　to　know。〃

Albert；　taken　by　surprise；　stammered　that　he　didn't　know　that　he
was　sad。　　Miss　Kelsey　laughed　merrily　and　declared　that　everyone
who　saw　him　knew　it　at　once。　　〃Oh；　excuse　me；　Madeline；〃　she　added。
〃I　forgot　that　you　and　Mr。　Speranz