the portygee-第36节

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〃Eh？　　Why　not？〃

〃Because　the　first　thing　you　know　he'll　be　startin'　for　Canada　to
enlist。　　He's　been　crazy　to　do　it　for　'most　a　year。〃

〃He　has？　　How　do　you　know　he　has？〃

〃Because　he's　told　me　so；　more'n　once。〃

Her　employer　looked　at　her。

〃Humph！〃　he　grunted。　　〃He　seems　to　tell　you　a　good　many　things　he
doesn't　tell　the　rest　of　us。〃

The　housekeeper　nodded。　　〃Yes；〃　she　said　gravely；　〃I　shouldn't
wonder　if　he　did。〃　　A　moment　later　she　added；　〃Cap'n　Lote；　you　will
be　careful；　won't　you？　　You　wouldn't　want　Al　to　go　off　and　leave　Z。
Snow　and　Company　when　him　and　you　are　gettin'　on　so　much　better。
You　ARE　gettin'　on　better；　ain't　you？〃

The　captain　pulled　at　his　beard。

〃Yes；〃　he　admitted；　〃seems　as　if　we　was。　　He　ain't　any　wonder　at
bookkeepin'；　but　he's　better'n　he　used　to　be；　and　he　does　seem　to
try　hard；　I'll　say　that　for　him。〃

Rachael　beamed　gratification。　　〃He'll　be　a　Robert　Penfold　yet；〃　she
declared；　〃see　if　he　isn't。　　So　you　musn't　encourage　him　into
enlistin'　in　the　Canadian　army。　　You　wouldn't　want　him　to　do　that
any　more'n　the　rest　of　us　would。〃

The　captain　gazed　intently　into　the　bowl　of　the　pipe　which　he　had
been　cleaning。　　He　made　no　answer。

〃You　wouldn't　want　him　to　do　that；　would　you？〃　repeated　the
housekeeper。

Captain　Lote　blew　through　the　pipe　stem。　　Then　he　said；　〃No；　I
wouldn't　。　。　。　but　I'm　darn　glad　he's　got　the　spunk　to　WANT　to　do
it。　　We　may　get　that　Portygee　streak　out　of　him；　poetry　and　all；
give　us　time；　eh；　Rachael？〃

It　was　the　first　time　in　months　that　he　had　used　the　word　〃Portygee〃
in　connection　with　his　grandson。　　Mrs。　Ellis　smiled　to　herself。

In　April　the　arbutus　buds　began　to　appear　above　the　leaf　mold
between　the　scrub　oaks　in　the　woods；　and　the　walls　of　Fletcher
Fosdick's　new　summer　home　began　to　rise　above　the　young　pines　on
the　hill　by　the　Inlet　in　the　Bay　Road。　　The　Item　kept　its　readers
informed；　by　weekly　installments；　of　the　progress　made　by　the
builders。


The　lumber　for　Mr。　Fletcher　Fosdick's　new　cottage　is　beginning　to
be　hauled　to　his　property　on　Inlet　Hill　in　this　town。　　Our
enterprising　firm　of　South　Harniss　dealers；　Z。　Snow　&　Co。；　are
furnishing　said　lumber。　　Mr。　Nehemiah　Nickerson　is　to　do　the　mason
work。　　Mr。　Fosdick　shows　good　judgment　as　well　as　a　commendable
spirit　in　engaging　local　talent　in　this　way。　　We　venture　to　say　he
will　never　regret　it。


A　week　later：


Mr。　Fletcher　Fosdick's　new　residence　is　beginning　building；　the
foundation　being　pretty　near　laid。


And　the　following　week：


The　Fosdick　mansion　is　growing　fast。　　South　Harniss　may　well　be
proud　of　its　new　ornament。


The　rise　in　three　successive　numbers　from　〃cottage〃　to　〃mansion〃　is
perhaps　sufficient　to　indicate　that　the　Fosdick　summer　home　was　to
be；　as　Issachar　Price　described　it；　〃Some　considerable　house！　　Yes
sir；　by　crimus；　some　considerable！〃

In　June；　Helen　came　home　for　a　week。　　At　the　end　of　the　week　she
left　to　take　up　her　new　duties　at　the　summer　camp　for　girls　in
Vermont。　　Albert　and　she　were　together　a　good　deal　during　that
week。　　Anticipating　her　arrival；　the　young　man's　ardent　imagination
had　again　fanned　what　he　delighted　to　think　of　as　his　love　for　her
into　flame。　　During　the　last　months　of　the　winter　he　had　not　played
the　languishing　swain　as　conscientiously　as　during　the　autumn。
Like　the　sailor　in　the　song　〃is　'eart　was　true　to　Poll〃　always；　but
he　had　broken　away　from　his　self…imposed　hermitage　in　his　room　at
the　Snow　place　several　times　to　attend　sociables；　entertainments
and；　even；　dances。　　Now；　when　she　returned　he　was　eagerly　awaiting
her　and　would　have　haunted　the　parsonage　before　and　after　working
hours　of　every　day　as　well　as　the　evening；　if　she　had　permitted；
and　when　with　her　assumed　a　proprietary　air　which　was　so　obvious
that　even　Mr。　Price　felt　called　upon　to　comment　on　it。

〃Say；　Al；〃　drawled　Issachar；　〃cal'late　you've　cut　out　Eddie　Raymond
along　with　Helen；　ain't　ye？　　Don't　see　him　hangin'　around　any　since
she　got　back；　and　the　way　you　was　actin'　when　I　see　you　struttin'
into　the　parsonage　yard　last　night　afore　mail　time　made　me　think
you　must　have　a　first　mortgage　on　Helen　and　her　pa　and　the　house
and　the　meetin'…house　and　two…thirds　of　the　graveyard。　　I　never　see
such　an　important…lookin'　critter　in　MY　life。　　Haw；　haw！　　Eh？　　How
'bout　it？〃

Albert　did　not　mind　the　Price　sarcasm；　instead　he　felt　rather
grateful　to　have　the　proletariat　recognize　that　he　had　triumphed
again。　　The　fly　in　his　ointment；　so　to　speak；　was　the　fact　that
Helen　herself　did　not　in　the　least　recognize　that　triumph。　　She
laughed　at　him。

〃Don't　look　at　me　like　that；　please；　please；　don't；〃　she　begged。

〃Why　not？〃　with　a　repetition　of　the　look。

〃Because　it　is　silly。〃

〃Silly！　　Well；　I　like　that！　　Aren't　you　and　I　engaged？　　Or　just　the
same　as　engaged？〃

〃No；　of　course　we　are　not。〃

〃But　we　promised　each　other〃

〃No；　we　did　not。　　And　you　know　we　didn't。〃

〃Helen；　why　do　you　treat　me　that　way？　　Don't　you　know　thatthat　I
just　worship　the　ground　you　tread　on？　　Don't　you　know　you're　the
only　girl　in　this　world　I　could　ever　care　for？　　Don't　you　know
that？〃

They　were　walking　home　from　church　Sunday　morning　and　had　reached
the　corner　below　the　parsonage。　　There；　screened　by　the　thicket　of
young　silver…leafs；　she　stopped　momentarily　and　looked　into　his
face。　　Then　she　walked　on。

〃Don't　you　know　how　much　I　care？〃　he　repeated。

She　shook　her　head。　　〃You　think　you　do　now；　perhaps；〃　she　said；
〃but　you　will　change　your　mind。〃

〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？　　How　do　you　know　I　will？〃

〃Because　I　know　you。　　There；　there；　Albert；　we　won't　quarrel；　will
we？　　And　we　won't　be　silly。　　You're　an　awfully　nice　boy；　but　you
are　just　a　boy；　you　know。〃

He　was　losing　his　temper。

〃This　is　ridiculous！〃　he　declared。　　〃I'm　tired　of　being　grandmothered
by　you。　　I'm　older　than　you　are；　and　I　know　what　I'm　doing。　　Come；
Helen；　listen　to　me。〃

But　she　would　not　listen；　and　although　she　was　always　kind　and
frank　and　friendly；　she　invariably　refused　to　permit　him　to　become
sentimental。　　It　irritated　him；　and　after　she　had　gone　the
irritation　still　remained。　　He　wrote　her　as　before；　although　not
quite　so　often；　and　the　letters　were　possibly　not　quite　so　long。
His　pride　was　hurt　and　the　Speranza　pride　was　a　tender　and
important　part　of　the　Speranza　being。　　If　Helen　noted　any　change　in
his　letters　she　did　not　refer　to　it　nor　permit　it　to　influence　her
own；　which　were；　as　always；　lengthy；　cheerful；　and　full　of　interest
in　him　and　his　work　and　thoughts。

During　the　previous　fall；　while　under　the　new　influence　aroused　in
him　by　his　discovery　that　Helen　Kendall　was　〃the　most　wonderful
girl　in　the　world；〃　said　discovery　of　course　having　been　previously
made　for　him　by　the　unfortunate　Raymond；　he　had　developed　a　habit
of　wandering　off　into　the　woods　or　by　the　seashore　to　be　alone　and
to　seek　inspiration。　　When　a　young　poet　is　in　love；　or　fancies
himself　in　love；　inspiration　is　usually　to　be　found　wherever
sought；　but　even　at　that　age　and　to　one　in　that　condition　solitude
is　a　marked　aid　in　the　search。　　There　were　two　or　three　spots　which
had　become　Albert　Speranza's　favorites。　　One　was　a　high；　wind…swept
knoll；　overlooking　the　bay；　about　a　half　mile　from　the　hotel；
another　was　a　secluded　nook　in　the　pine　grove　beside　Carver's　Pond；
a　pretty　little　sheet　of　water　on　the　Bayport　boundary。　　On
pleasant　Saturday　afternoons　or　Sundays；　when　the　poetic　fit　was　on
him；　Albert；　with　a　half　dozen　pencils　in　his　pocket；　and　a　rhyming
dictionary　and　a　scribbling　pad　in　another；　was　wont　to　stroll
towards　one　or　the　other　of　these　two　retreats。　　There　he　would
sprawl　amid　the　beachgrass　or　upon　the　pine…needles　and　dream　and
think　and；　perhaps；　ultimately　write。

One　fair　Saturday　in　late　June　he　was　at　the　first　of　these
respective　points。　　Lying　prone　on　the　beach　grass　at　the　top　of
the　knoll　and　peering　idly　out　between　its　stems　at　the　water
shimmering　in　the　summer　sun；　he　was　endeavoring　to　find　a　subject
for　a　poem　which　should　deal　with　love　and　war　as　requested　by　the
editor　of　the　Columbian　Magazine。　　〃Give　us　something　with　a　girl
and　a　soldier　in　it；〃　the　editor　had　written。　　Albert's　mind　was
lazily　drifting　in　search　of　the　pleasing　combination。

The　sun　was　warm；　the　breeze　was　light；　the　horizon　was　veiled　with
a　liquid　haze。　　Albert's　mind　was　veiled　with　a　similar　haze　and
the　idea　he　wanted　would　not　come。　　He　was　losing　his　desire　to
find　it　and　was；　in　fact；　dropping　into　a　doze　when　aroused　by　a
blood…curdling　outburst　of　barks　and　yelps　and　growls　behind　him；
at　his　very　heels。　　He　came　out　of　his　nap　with　a　jump　and；
scrambling　to　a　sitting　position　and　turning；　he　saw　a　small　Boston
bull…terrier　standing　within　a　yard　of　his　ankles　and；　apparently；
trying　to　turn　his　brindled　outside　in；　or　his　inside　out；　with
spiteful　ferocity。　　Plainly　the　dog　had　come　upon　him　unexpectedly
and　was　expressing　alarm；　suspicion　and　disapproval。

Albert　jerked　his　ankles　out　of　the　way　and　said　〃Hello；　boy；〃　in
as　cheerfully　cordial　a　tone　as　he　could　muster　at　such　short
notice。　　The　dog　took　a　step　forward；　evidently　with　the　idea　of
always　keeping　the