the portygee-第4节

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〃Everything；　or　just　about；　I　should　say。　　Goodness　gracious　me；
when　I　go　up　to　Boston　I　have　all　I　can　do　to　fill　up　one　trunk。
And　I'm　bigger'n　you　arebigger　'round；　anyway。〃

There　was　no　doubt　about　that。　　Captain　Zelotes　laughed　shortly。

〃That　statement　ain't　what　I'd　call　exaggerated；　Rachel；〃　he
declared。　　〃Every　time　I　see　you　and　Laban　out　walkin'　together　he
has　to　keep　on　the　sunny　side　or　be　in　a　total　eclipse。　　And；　by
the　way；　speakin'　of　Laban　　Say；　son；　how　did　you　and　he　get
along　comin'　down　from　the　depot？〃

〃All　right。　　It　was　pretty　dark。〃

〃I'll　bet　you！　　Laban　wasn't　very　talkative；　was　he？〃

〃Why；　yes；　sir；　he　talked　a　good　deal　but　he　sang　most　of　the
time。〃

This　simple　statement　appeared　to　cause　a　most　surprising　sensation。
The　Snows　and　their　housekeeper　looked　at　each　other。　　Captain
Zelotes　leaned　back　in　his　chair　and　whistled。

〃Whew！〃　he　observed。　　〃Hum！　　Sho！　　Thunderation！〃

〃Oh；　dear！〃　exclaimed　his　wife。

Mrs。　Ellis；　the　housekeeper；　drew　a　long　breath。　　〃I　might　have
expected　it；〃　she　said　tartly。　　〃It's　past　time。　　He's　pretty　nigh
a　month　overdue；　as　'tis。〃

Captain　Snow　rose　to　his　feet。　　〃I　was　kind　of　suspicious　when　he
started　for　the　barn；〃　he　declared。　　〃Seemed　to　me　he　was　singin'
then。　　WHAT　did　he　sing；　boy？〃　he　asked；　turning　suddenly　upon　his
grandson。

〃Whywhy；　I　don't　know。　　I　didn't　notice　particularly。　　You　see；
it　was　pretty　cold　and〃

Mrs。　Ellis　interrupted。　　〃Did　he　sing　anything　about　somebody's
bein'　his　darlin'　hanky…panky　and　wearin'　a　number　two？〃　she
demanded　sharply。

〃Whywhy；　yes；　he　did。〃

Apparently　that　settled　it。　　Mrs。　Snow　said；　〃Oh；　dear！〃　again　and
the　housekeeper　also　rose　from　the　table。

〃You'd　better　go　right　out　to　the　barn　this　minute；　Cap'n　Lote；〃
she　said；　〃and　I　guess　likely　I'd　better　go　with　you。〃

The　captain　already　had　his　cap　on　his　head。

〃No；　Rachel；〃　he　said；　〃I　don't　need　you。　　Cal'late　I　can　take　care
of　'most　anything　that's　liable　to　have　happened。　　If　he　ain't　put
the　bridle　to　bed　in　the　stall　and　hung　the　mare　up　on　the　harness
pegs　I　judge　I　can　handle　the　job。　　Wonder　how　fur　along　he'd　got。
Didn't　hear　him　singin'　anything　about　'Hyannis　on　the　Cape；'　did
you；　boy？〃

〃No。〃

〃That's　some　comfort。　　Now；　don't　you　worry；　Mother。　　I'll　be　back
in　a　few　minutes。〃

Mrs。　Snow　clasped　her　hands。　　〃Oh；　I　HOPE　he　hasn't　set　the　barn
afire；〃　she　wailed。

〃No　danger　of　that；　I　guess。　　No；　Rachel；　you　'tend　to　your　supper。
I　don't　need　you。〃

He　tramped　out　into　the　hall　and　the　door　closed　behind　him。　　Mrs。
Snow　turned　apologetically　to　her　puzzled　grandson；　who　was
entirely　at　a　loss　to　know　what　the　trouble　was　about。

〃You　see；　Albert；〃　she　hesitatingly　explained；　〃LabanMr。　Keeler
the　man　who　drove　you　down　from　the　depothehe's　an　awful　nice
man　and　your　grandfather　thinks　the　world　and　all　of　him；　butbut
every　once　in　a　while　he　　Oh；　dear；　I　don't　know　how　to　say　it　to
you；　but〃

Evidently　Mrs。　Ellis　knew　how　to　say　it；　for　she　broke　into　the
conversation　and　said　it　then　and　there。

〃Every　once　in　a　while　he　gets　tipsy；〃　she　snapped。　　〃And　I　only
wish　I　had　my　fingers　this　minute　in　the　hair　of　the　scamp　that
gave　him　the　liquor。〃

A　light　broke　upon　Albert's　mind。　　〃Oh！　　Oh；　yes！〃　he　exclaimed。
〃I　thought　he　acted　a　little　queer；　and　once　I　thought　I　smelt
Oh；　that　was　why　he　was　eating　the　peppermints！〃

Mrs。　Snow　nodded。　　There　was　a　moment　of　silence。　　Suddenly　the
housekeeper；　who　had　resumed　her　seat　in　compliance　with　Captain
Zelotes'　order；　slammed　back　her　chair　and　stood　up。

〃I've　hated　the　smell　of　peppermint　for　twenty…two　year；〃　she
declared；　and　went　out　into　the　kitchen。　　Albert；　looking　after
her；　felt　his　grandmother's　touch　upon　his　sleeve。

〃I　wouldn't　say　any　more　about　it　before　her；〃　she　whispered。
〃She's　awful　sensitive。〃

Why　in　the　world　the　housekeeper　should　be　particularly　sensitive
because　the　man　who　had　driven　him　from　the　station　ate　peppermint
was　quite　beyond　the　boy's　comprehension。　　Nor　could　he　thoroughly
understand　why　the　suspicion　of　Mr。　Keeler's　slight　inebriety
should　cause　such　a　sensation　in　the　Snow　household。　　He　was
inclined　to　think　the　tipsiness　rather　funny。　　Of　course　alcohol
was　lectured　against　often　enough　at　school　and　on　one　occasion　a
member　of　the　senior　classa　twenty…year…old　〃hold…over〃　who
should　have　graduated　the　fall　beforehad　been　expelled　for　having
beer　in　his　room；　but　during　his　long　summer　vacations；　spent
precariously　at　hotels　or　in　short　visits　to　his　father's　friends；
young　Speranza　had　learned　to　be　tolerant。　　Tolerance　was　a
necessary　virtue　in　the　circle　surrounding　Speranza　Senior；　in　his
later　years。　　The　popping　of　corks　at　all　hours　of　the　night　and
bottles　full；　half　full　or　empty；　were　sounds　and　sights　to　which
Albert　had　been　well　accustomed。　　When　one　has　more　than　once　seen
his　own　father　overcome　by　conviviality　and　the　affair　treated　as
a　huge　joke；　one　is　not　inclined　to　be　too　censorious　when　others
slip。　　What　if　the　queer　old　Keeler　guy　was　tight？　　Was　that
anything　to　raise　such　a　row　about？

Plainly；　he　decided；　this　was　a　strange　place；　this　household　of
his　grandparents。　　His　premonition　that　they　might　be　〃Rubes〃
seemed　likely　to　have　been　well　founded。　　What　would　his　father
his　great；　world…famous　fatherhave　thought　of　them？　　〃Bah！　these
Yankee　bourgeoisie！〃　　He　could　almost　hear　him　say　it。　　Miguel
Carlos　Speranza　detestedin　privatethe　Yankee　bourgeoisie。　　He
took　their　money　and　he　married　one　of　their　daughters；　but　he
detested　them。　　During　his　last　years；　when　the　money　had　not
flowed　his　way　as　copiously；　the　detest　grew。

〃You　won't　say　anything　about　Laban　before　Mrs。　Ellis；　will　you；
Albert？〃　persisted　Mrs。　Snow。　　〃She's　dreadful　sensitive。　　I'll
explain　by　and　by。〃

He　promised；　repressing　a　condescending　smile。

Both　the　housekeeper　and　Captain　Snow　returned　in　a　few　minutes。
The　latter　reported　that　the　mare　was　safe　and　sound　in　her　stall。

〃The　harness　was　mostly　on　the　floor；　but　Jess　was　all　right；　thank
the　Lord；〃　observed　the　captain。

〃Jess　is　our　horse's　name；　Albert；〃　explained　Mrs。　Snow。　　〃That　is；
her　name's　Jessamine；　but　Zelotes　can't　ever　seem　to　say　the　whole
of　any　name。　　When　we　first　bought　Jessamine　I　named　her　Magnolia；
but　he　called　her　'Mag'　all　the　time　and　I　COULDN'T　stand　that。
Have　some　more　preserves；　Albert；　do。〃

All　through　the　meal　Albert　was　uneasily　conscious　that　his
grandfather　was　looking　at　him　from　under　the　shaggy　brows；
measuring　him；　estimating　him；　reading　him　through　and　through。　　He
resented　the　scrutiny　and　the　twinkle　of　sardonic　humor　which；　it
seemed　to　him；　accompanied　it。　　His　way　of　handling　his　knife　and
fork；　his　clothes；　his　tie；　his　manner　of　eating　and　drinking　and
speaking；　all　these　Captain　Zelotes　seemed　to　note　and　appraise。
But　whatever　the　results　of　his　scrutiny　and　appraisal　might　be
he　kept　them　entirely　to　himself。　　When　he　addressed　his　grandson
directly；　which　was　not　often；　his　remarks　were　trivial　commonplaces
and；　although　pleasant　enough；　were　terse　and　to　the　point。

Several　times　Mrs。　Snow　would　have　questioned　Albert　concerning　the
life　at　school；　but　each　time　her　husband　interfered。

〃Not　now；　not　now；　Mother；〃　he　said。　　〃The　boy　ain't　goin'　to　run
away　to…night。　　He'll　be　here　to…morrow　and　a　good　many　to…morrows；
if〃and　here　again　Albert　seemed　to　detect　the　slight　sarcasm　and
the　twinkle〃if　we　old…fashioned　'down　easters'　ain't　too　common
and　every…day　for　a　high…toned　young　chap　like　him　to　put　up　with。
No；　no；　don't　make　him　talk　to…night。　　Can't　you　see　he's　so　sleepy
that　it's　only　the　exercise　of　openin'　his　mouth　to　eat　that　keeps
his　eyes　from　shuttin'？　　How　about　that；　son？〃

It　was　perfectly　true。　　The　long　train　ride；　the　excitement；　the
cold　wait　on　the　station　platform　and　the　subsequent　warmth　of　the
room；　the　hearty　meal；　all　these　combined　to　make　for　sleepiness
so　overpowering　that　several　times　the　boy　had　caught　his　nose
descending　toward　his　plate　in　a　most　inelegant　nod。　　But　it　hurt
his　pride　to　think　his　grandfather　had　noticed　his　condition。

〃Oh；　I'm　all　right；〃　he　said；　with　dignity。

Somehow　the　dignity　seemed　to　have　little　effect　upon　Captain
Zelotes。

〃Umyes；　I　know；〃　observed　the　latter　dryly；　〃but　I　guess　likely
you'll　be　more　all　right　in　bed。　　Mother；　you'll　show　Albert　where
to　turn　in；　won't　you？　　There's　your　suitcase　out　there　in　the
hall；　son。　　I　fetched　it　in　from　the　barn　just　now。〃

Mrs。　Snow　ventured　a　protest。

〃Oh；　Zelotes；〃　she　cried；　〃ain't　we　goin'　to　talk　with　him　at　ALL？
Why；　there　is　so　much　to　say！〃

〃'Twill　say　just　as　well　to…morrow　mornin'；　Mother；　better；　because
we'll　have　all　day　to　say　it　in。　　Get　the　lamp。〃

Albert　looked　at　his　watch。

〃Why；　it's　only　half…past　nine；〃　he　said。

Captain　Zelotes；　who　also　had　been　looking　at　the　watch；　which　was
a　very　fine　and　very　expensive　one；　smiled　slightly。　　〃Half…past
nine　some　nights；〃　he　said；　〃is　equal　to　half…past　twelve　others。
This　is　one　of　the　some。　　There；　there；　son；　you're　so　sleepy　this
minute　that　you've　got　a　list　to　starboard。　　When