the portygee-第45节

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Fosdick　nodded　in　his　turn。　　〃Perfectly；〃　he　admitted。　　〃Well；　ask
your　questions；　and　I'll　answer　them。　　After　that　perhaps　I'll　ask
some　myself。　　Go　ahead。〃

〃I　have　gone　ahead。　　I've　asked　one　already。〃

〃Yes；　but　it　is　such　a　general　question。　　There　may　be　so　many
objections。〃

〃I　see。　　All　right；　then　I'll　ask　some：　　What　do　the　lawyers　call
'em？Atlantic？　　Pacific？　　I've　got　itI'll　ask　some　specific
questions。　　Here's　one。　　Do　you　object　to　Al　personally？　　To　his
character？〃

〃Not　at　all。　　We　know　nothing　about　his　character。　　Very　likely　he
may　be　a　young　saint。〃

〃Well；　he　ain't；　so　we'll　let　that　slide。　　He's　a　good　boy；　though；
so　far　as　I've　ever　been　able　to　find　out。　　Is　it　his　looks？
You've　never　seen　him；　but　your　wife　has。　　Don't　she　like　his
looks？〃

〃She　hasn't　mentioned　his　looks　to　me。〃

〃Is　it　his　money？　　He　hasn't　got　any　of　his　own。〃

〃We…ell；　of　course　that　does　count　a　little　bit。　　Madeline　is　our
only　child；　and　naturally　we　should　prefer　to　have　her　pick　out　a
husband　with　a　dollar　or　so　in　reserve。〃

〃Um…hm。　　Al's　twenty…one；　Mr。　Fosdick。　　When　I　was　twenty…one　I　had
some　put　by；　but　not　much。　　I　presume　likely　'twas　different　with
you；　maybe。　　Probably　you　were　pretty　well　fixed。〃

Fosdick　laughed　aloud。　　〃You　make　a　good　cross…examiner；　Snow；〃　he
observed。　　〃As　a　matter　of　fact；　when　I　was　twenty…one　I　was
assistant　bookkeeper　in　a　New　Haven　broker's　office。　　I　didn't　have
a　cent　except　my　salary；　and　I　had　that　only　for　the　first　five
days　in　the　week。〃

〃However；　you　got　married？〃

〃Yes；　I　did。　　More　fool　I！　　If　I　had　known　anything；　I　should　have
waited　five　years　at　least。　　I　didn't　have　any　one　to　tell　me　so。
My　father　and　mother　were　both　dead。〃

〃Think　you'd　have　listened　to　'em　if　they　had　been　alive　and　had
told　you？　　However；　however；　that's　all　to　one　side。　　Well；
Albert's　havin'　no　money　to　speak　of　is　an　objectionand　a　good
honest　one　from　your　point　of　view。　　His　prospects　here　in　this
business　of　mine　are　fair；　and　he　is　doin'　better　at　it　than　he
was；　so　he　may　make　a　comf'table　livin'a　comf'table　South　Harniss
livin'；　that　isby　and　by。〃

〃Oh；　he　is　with　you；　then？　　Oh；　yes；　I　remember　my　wife　said　he
worked　in　your　office。　　But　she　said　more　about　his　being　some　sort
of　aa　poet；　wasn't　it？〃

For　the　first　time　since　the　interview　began　the　captain　looked　ill
at　ease　and　embarrassed。

〃Thunderation！〃　he　exclaimed　testily；　〃you　mustn't　pay　attention　to
that。　　He　does　make　up　poetry'　pieceseron　the　side；　as　you
might　say；　but　I　keep　hopin'　all　the　time　he'll　grow　out　of　it；
give　him　time。　　It　'ain't　his　regular　job；　you　mustn't　think　'tis。〃

The　visitor　laughed　again。　　〃I'm　glad　of　that；〃　he　said；　〃both　for
your　sake　and　mine。　　I　judge　that　you　and　I；　Snow；　are　in　complete
agreement　as　far　as　our　opinion　of　poetry　and　that　sort　of　stuff　is
concerned。　　Of　course　I'm　not　condemning　all　poetry；　you　understand。
Longfellow　and　Tennyson　and　the　regular　poets　are　all　right。　　You
understand　what　I'm　getting　at？〃

〃Sartin。　　I　used　to　know　'Down　went　the　R'yal　George　with　all　her
crew　complete；'　and　a　lot　more。　　Used　to　say　'em　over　to　myself
when　I　first　went　to　sea　and　stood　watch　alone　nights。　　But　they
were　different；　you　know；　theythey〃

〃Sure！　　My　wifewhy；　I　give　you　my　word　that　my　own　wife　and　her
set　go　perfectly　daffy　over　chaps　who　write　stuff　that　rhymes　and
that　the　papers　are　printing　columns　about。　　Snow；　if　this　grandson
of　yours　was　a　genuine　press…touted；　women's　club　poet　instead　of　a
would…bewell；　I　don't　know　what　might　happen。　　In　that　case　she
might　be　as　strong　FOR　this　engagement　as　she　is　now　against　it。〃

He　paused；　seeming　a　bit　ashamed　of　his　own　heat。　　Captain　Zelotes；
however；　regarded　him　with　more　approval　than　he　had　yet　shown。

〃It's　been　my　observation　that　women　are　likely　to　get　off　the
course　chasin'　false　signals　like　that；〃　he　observed。　　〃When　a　man
begins　lettin'　his　hair　and　his　mouth　run　wild　together　seems　as　if
the　combination　had　an　attraction　for　a　good　many　women　folks。　　Al
keeps　his　hair　cut；　though；　I'll　say　that　for　him；〃　he　added。　　〃It
curls　some；　but　it　ain't　long。　　I　wouldn't　have　him　in　the　office
if　'twas。〃

〃Well；　Mr。　Fosdick；〃　he　continued；　〃what　other　objections　are　they？
Manners？　　Family　and　relations？　　Education？　　Any　objections　along
that　line？〃

〃No…o；　no；　Iwell；　I　don't　know；　you　see；　I　don't　know　much　about
the　young　fellow。〃

〃Perhaps　I　can　help　you　out。　　As　to　mannerswell；　you　can　judge
them　for　yourself　when　you　see　him。　　He　seems　to　be　in　about　every
kind　of　social　doin's　there　is　down　here；　and　he's　as　much　or　more
popular　with　the　summer　folks　than　with　the　year…'rounders。
Education？　　Well；　that's　fair　to　middlin'；　as　I　see　it。　　He　spent
nine　or　ten　years　in　a　mighty　expensive　boardin'　school　up　in　New
York　State。〃

〃Did　he？　　What　school？〃

The　captain　gave　the　name　of　the　school。　　Fosdick　looked　surprised。

〃Humph！　　That　IS　a　good　school；〃　he　said。

〃Is　it？　　Depends　on　what　you　call　good；　I　cal'late。　　Al　learned　a
good　deal　of　this　and　that；　a　little　bit　of　foreign　language；　some
that　they　call　dead　and　some　that　ought　to　be　deadand　buried；
'cordin'　to　my　notion。　　When　he　came　to　me　he　couldn't　add　up　a
column　of　ten　figgers　without　makin'　a　mistake；　and　as　for
businesswell；　what　he　knew　about　business　was　about　equal　to　what
Noah　knew　about　a　gas　engine。〃

He　paused　to　chuckle；　and　Fosdick　chuckled　with　him。

〃As　to　family；〃　went　on　Captain　Lote；　〃he's　a　Snow　on　his　mother's
side；　and　there's　been　seven　generations　of　Snow's　in　this　part　of
the　Cape　since　the　first　one　landed　here。　　So　far　as　I　know；
they've　all　managed　to　keep　out　of　jail；　which　may　have　been　more
good　luck　than　deservin'　in　some　cases。〃

〃His　father？〃　queried　Fosdick。

The　captain's　heavy　brows　drew　together。　　〃His　father　was　a
Portygeeor　Spaniard；　I　believe　is　rightand　he　was　a　play…actor；
one　of　thosewhat　do　you　call　'em？opera　singers。〃

Fosdick　seemed　surprised　and　interested。　　〃Oh；　indeed；〃　he
exclaimed；　〃an　opera　singer？　。　。　。　　Why；　he　wasn't　Speranza；　the
baritone；　was　he？〃

〃Maybe；　I　believe　he　was。　　He　married　my　daughter　andwell；　we
won't　talk　about　him；　if　you　don't　mind。〃

〃But　Speranza　was　a〃

〃IF　you　don't　mind；　Mr。　Fosdick。〃

Captain　Lote　lapsed　into　silence；　drumming　the　desk　with　his　big
fingers。　　His　visitor　waited　for　a　few　moments。　　At　length　he　said：

〃Well；　Captain　Snow；　I　have　answered　your　questions　and　you　have
answered　mine。　　Do　you　think　we　are　any　nearer　an　agreement　now？〃

Captain　Zelotes　seemed　to　awake　with　a　start。　　〃Eh？〃　he　queried。
〃Agreement？　　Oh；　I　don't　know。　　Did　you　find　anyerwhat　you
might　call　vital　objections　in　the　boy's　record？〃

〃No…o。　　No；　all　that　is　all　right。　　His　family　and　his　education
and　all　the　rest　are　good　enough；　I'm　sure。　　But；　nevertheless〃

〃You　still　object　to　the　young　folks　gettin'　married。〃

〃Yes；　I　do。　　Hang　it　all；　Snow；　this　isn't　a　thing　one　can　reason
out；　exactly。　　Madeline　is　our　only　child；　she　is　our　pet；　our
baby。　　Naturally　her　mother　and　I　have　planned　for　her；　hoped　for
her；　figured　that　some　day；　when　we　had　to　give　her　up；　it　would
be　toto〃

〃To　somebody　that　wasn't　Albert　Speranza　of　South　Harniss；
Mass。　。　。　。　　Eh？〃

〃Yes。　　Not　that　your　grandson　isn't　all　right。　　I　have　no　doubt　he
is　a　tip…top　young　fellow。　　But；　you　see〃

Captain　Lote　suddenly　leaned　forward。　　〃Course　I　see；　Mr。　Fosdick；〃
he　interrupted。　　〃Course　I　see。　　You　object；　and　the　objection
ain't　a　mite　weaker　on　account　of　your　not　bein'　able　to　say
exactly　what　'tis。〃

〃That's　the　idea。　　Thank　you；　Captain。〃

〃You're　welcome。　　I　can　understand。　　I　know　just　how　you　feel；
because　I've　been　feelin'　the　same　way　myself。〃

〃Oh；　you　have？　　Good！　　Then　you　can　sympathize　with　Mrs。　Fosdick
and　with　me。　　You　seeyou　understand　why　we　had　rather　our
daughter　did　not　marry　your　grandson。〃

〃Sartin。　　You　see；　I've　had　just　the　same　sort　of　general　kind　of
objection　to　Al's　marryin'　your　daughter。〃

Mr。　Fletcher　Fosdick　leaned　slowly　backward　in　his　chair。　　His
appearance　was　suggestive　of　one　who　has　received　an　unexpected
thump　between　the　eyes。

〃Oh；　you　have！〃　he　said　again；　but　not　with　the　same　expression。

〃Um…hm；〃　said　Captain　Zelotes　gravely。　　〃I'm　like　you　in　one　way；
I've　never　met　your　Madeline　any　more　than　you　have　met　Al。　　I've
seen　her　once　or　twice；　and　she　is　real　pretty　and　nice…lookin'。
But　I　don't　know　her　at　all。　　Now　I　don't　doubt　for　a　minute　but
that　she's　a　real　nice　girl　and　it　might　be　that　she'd　make　Al　a
fairly　good　wife。〃

〃Erwell；thanks。〃

〃Oh；　that's　all　right；　I　mean　it。　　It　might　be　she　would。　　And　I
ain't　got　a　thing　against　you　or　your　folks。〃

〃Humph；erthanks　again。〃

〃That's　all　right；　you　don't　need　to　thank　me。　　But　it's　this　way
with　meI　live　in　South　Harniss　all　the　year　round。　　I　want　to
live　here　till　I　die；　andafter　I　die　I'd　like　first…rate　to　have
Al　take　up　the　Z。　Snow　and　Co。　business　and　the　Snow　house　and　land
and　keep　them　goin'　till　HE　dies。　　Mind；　I　ain't　at　all　sure　that
he'll　do　it；　or　be　capable　of　doin'　it；　but　that's　what　I'd　like。
Now　you're　in　New　York　mo