the portygee-第62节

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see。　　To

〃Shall　I　take　your　bags；　sir？〃

It　was　the　Fosdick　footman　who　asked　it。　　Albert　started　guiltily。
Then　he　laughed；　realizing　that　the　hand…holding　and　the　rest　were
no　longer　criminal　offenses。　　He　surrendered　his　luggage　to　the
man。　　A　few　minutes　later　he　and　Madeline　were　in　the　limousine；
which　was　moving　rapidly　up　the　Avenue。　　And　Madeline　was　asking
questions　and　he　was　answering　andand　still　it　was　all　a　dream。
It　COULDN'T　be　real。

It　was　even　more　like　a　dream　when　the　limousine　drew　up　before　the
door　of　the　Fosdick　home　and　they　entered　that　home　together。　　For
there　was　Mrs。　Fosdick；　as　ever　majestic；　commanding；　awe…inspiring；
the　same　Mrs。　Fosdick　who　had；　in　her　letter　to　his　grandfather；
written　him　down　a　despicable；　underhanded　sneak；　here　was　that　same
Mrs。　Fosdickbut　not　at　all　the　same。　　For　this　lady　was　smiling
and　gracious；　welcoming　him　to　her　home；　addressing　him　by　his
Christian　name；　treating　him　kindly；　with　almost　motherly　tenderness。
Madeline's　letters　and　Mrs。　Fosdick's　own　letters　received　during
his　convalescence　abroad　had　prepared　him；　or　so　he　had　thought；　for
some　such　change。　　Now　he　realized　that　he　had　not　been　prepared　at
all。　　The　reality　was　so　much　more　revolutionary　than　the
anticipation　that　he　simply　could　not　believe　it。

But　it　was　not　so　very　wonderful　if　he　had　known　all　the　facts　and
had　been　in　a　frame　of　mind　to　calmly　analyze　them。　　Mrs。　Fletcher
Fosdick　was　a　seasoned　veteran；　a　general　who　had　planned　and
fought　many　hard　campaigns　upon　the　political　battlegrounds　of
women's　clubs　and　societies　of　various　sorts。　　From　the　majority　of
those　campaigns　she　had　emerged　victorious；　but　her　experiences　in
defeat　had　taught　her　that　the　next　best　thing　to　winning　is　to
lose　gracefully；　because　by　so　doing　much　which　appears　to　be　lost
may　be　regained。　　For　Albert　Speranza；　bookkeeper　and　would…be　poet
of　South　Harniss；　Cape　Cod；　she　had　had　no　use　whatever　as　a
prospective　son…in…law。　　Even　toward　a　living　Albert　Speranza；　hero
and　newspaper…made　genius；　she　might　have　been　cold。　　But　when　that
hero　and　genius　was；　as　she　and　every　one　else　supposed；　safely　and
satisfactorily　dead　and　out　of　the　way；　she　had　seized　the
opportunity　to　bask　in　the　radiance　of　his　memory。　　She　had　talked
Albert　Speranza　and　read　Albert　Speranza　and　boasted　of　Albert
Speranza's　engagement　to　her　daughter　before　the　world。　　Now　that
the　said　Albert　Speranza　had　been　inconsiderate　enough　to　〃come
alive　again；〃　there　was　but　one　thing　for　her　to　dothat　is；　to
make　the　best　of　it。　　And　when　Mrs。　Fletcher　Fosdick　made　the　best
of　anything　she　made　the　very　best。

〃It　doesn't　make　any　difference；〃　she　told　her　husband；　〃whether　he
really　is　a　genius　or　whether　he　isn't。　　We　have　said　he　is　and　now
we　must　keep　on　saying　it。　　And　if　he　can't　earn　his　salt　by　his
writingswhich　he　probably　can'tthen　you　must　fix　it　in　some　way
so　that　he　can　make…believe　earn　it　by　something　else。　　He　is
engaged　to　Madeline；　and　we　have　told　every　one　that　he　is；　so　he
will　have　to　marry　her；　at　least；　I　see　no　way　to　prevent　it。〃

〃Humph！〃　grunted　Fosdick。　　〃And　after　that　I'll　have　to　support
them；　I　suppose。〃

〃Probablyunless　you　want　your　only　child　to　starve。〃

〃Well；　I　must　say；　Henrietta〃

〃You　needn't；　for　there　is　nothing　more　TO　say。　　We're　in　it　and；
whether　we　like　it　or　not；　we　must　make　the　best　of　it。　　To　do
anything　now　except　appear　joyful　about　it　would　be　to　make
ourselves　perfectly　ridiculous。　　We　can't　do　that；　and　you　know
it。〃

Her　husband　still　looked　everything　but　contented。

〃So　far　as　the　young　fellow　himself　goes；〃　he　said；　〃I　like　him；
rather。　　I've　talked　with　him　only　once；　of　course；　and　then　he　and
I　weren't　agreeing　exactly。　　But　I　liked　him；　nevertheless。　　If　he
were　anything　but　a　fool　poet　I　should　be　more　reconciled。〃

He　was　snubbed　immediately。　　〃THAT；〃　declared　Mrs。　Fosdick；　with
decision；　〃is　the　only　thing　that　makes　him　possible。〃

So　Mrs。　Fosdick's　welcome　was　whole…handed　if　not　whole…hearted。
And　her　husband's　also　was　cordial　and　intimate。　　The　only　member
of　the　Fosdick　household　who　did　not　regard　the　guest　with　favor
was　Googoo。　　That　aristocratic　bull…pup　was　still　irreconcilably
hostile。　　When　Albert　attempted　to　pet　him　he　appeared　to　be
planning　to　devour　the　caressing　hand；　and　when　rebuked　by　his
mistress　retired　beneath　a　davenport；　growling　ominously。　　Even
when　ignominiously　expelled　from　the　room　he　growled　and　cast
longing　backward　glances　at　the　Speranza　ankles。　　No；　Googoo　did
not　dissemble；　Albert　was　perfectly　sure　of　his　standing　in
Googoo's　estimation。

Dinner　that　evening　was　a　trifle　more　formal　than　he　had　expected；
and　he　was　obliged　to　apologize　for　the　limitations　of　his
wardrobe。　　His　dress　suit　of　former　days　he　had　found　much　too
dilapidated　for　use。　　Besides；　he　had　outgrown　it。

〃I　thought　I　was　thinner；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　think　I　am。　　But　I　must
have　broadened　a　bit。　　At　any　rate；　all　the　coats　I　left　behind
won't　do　at　all。　　I　shall　have　to　do　what　Captain　Snow；　my
grandfather；　calls　'refit'　here　in　New　York。　　In　a　day　or　two　I
hope　to　be　more　presentable。〃

Mrs。　Fosdick　assured　him　that　it　was　quite　all　right；　really。
Madeline　asked　why　he　didn't　wear　his　uniform。　　〃I　was　dying　to　see
you　in　it；〃　she　said。　　〃Just　think；　I　never　have。〃

Albert　laughed。　　〃You　have　been　spared；〃　he　told　her。　　〃Mine　was
not　a　triumph；　so　far　as　fit　was　concerned。　　Of　course；　I　had　a
complete　new　rig　when　I　came　out　of　the　hospital；　but　even　that　was
not　beautiful。　　It　puckered　where　it　should　have　bulged　and　bulged
where　it　should　have　been　smooth。〃

Madeline　professed　not　to　believe　him。

〃Nonsense！〃　she　declared。　　〃I　don't　believe　it。　　Why；　almost　all
the　fellows　I　know　have　been　in　uniform　for　the　past　two　years　and
theirs　fitted　beautifully。〃

〃But　they　were　officers；　weren't　they；　and　their　uniforms　were
custom　made。〃

〃Why；　I　suppose　so。　　Aren't　all　uniforms　custom　made？〃

Her　father　laughed。　　〃Scarcely；　Maddie；〃　he　said。　　〃The　privates
have　their　custom…made　by　the　mile　and　cut　off　in　chunks　for　the
individual。　　That　was　about　it；　wasn't　it；　Speranza？〃

〃Just　about；　sir。〃

Mrs。　Fosdick　evidently　thought　that　the　conversation　was　taking　a
rather　low　tone。　　She　elevated　it　by　asking　what　his　thoughts　were
when　taken　prisoner　by　the　Germans。　　He　looked　puzzled。

〃Thoughts；　Mrs。　Fosdick？〃　he　repeated。　　〃I　don't　know　that　I
understand；　exactly。　　I　was　only　partly　conscious　and　in　a　good
deal　of　pain　and　my　thoughts　were　rather　incoherent；　I'm　afraid。〃

〃But　when　you　regained　consciousness；　you　know。　　What　were　your
thoughts　then？　　Did　you　realize　that　you　had　made　the　great
sacrifice　for　your　country？　　Risked　your　life　and　forfeited　your
liberty　and　all　that　for　the　cause？　　Wasn't　it　a　great　satisfaction
to　feel　that　you　had　done　that？〃

Albert's　laugh　was　hearty　and　unaffected。　　〃Why；　no；〃　he　said。　　〃I
think　what　I　was　realizing　most　just　then　was　that　I　had　made　a
miserable　mess　of　the　whole　business。　　Failed　in　doing　what　I　set
out　to　do　and　been　taken　prisoner　besides。　　I　remember　thinking；
when　I　was　clear…headed　enough　to　think　anything；　'You　fool；　you
spent　months　getting　into　this　war；　and　then　got　yourself　out　of　it
in　fifteen　minutes。'　　And　it　WAS　a　silly　trick；　too。〃

Madeline　was　horrified。

〃What　DO　you　mean？〃　she　cried。　　〃Your　going　back　there　to　rescue
your　comrade　a　silly　trick！　　The　very　thing　that　won　you　your　Croix
de　Guerre？〃

〃Why；　yes；　in　a　way。　　I　didn't　save　Mike；　poor　fellow〃

〃Mike！　　Was　his　name　Mike？〃

〃Yes；　Michael　Francis　Xavier　Kelly。　　A　South　Boston　Mick　he　was；
and　one　of　the　finest；　squarest　boys　that　ever　drew　breath。　　Well；
poor　Mike　was　dead　when　I　got　to　him；　so　my　trip　had　been　for
nothing；　and　if　he　had　been　alive　I　could　not　have　prevented　his
being　taken。　　As　it　was；　he　was　dead　and　I　was　a　prisoner。　　So
nothing　was　gained　and；　for　me；　personally；　a　good　deal　was　lost。
It　wasn't　a　brilliant　thing　to　do。　　But；〃　he　added　apologetically；
〃a　chap　doesn't　have　time　to　think　collectively　in　such　a　scrape。
And　it　was　my　first　real　scrap　and　I　was　frightened　half　to　death；
besides。〃

〃Frightened！　　Why；　I　never　heard　anything　so　ridiculous！　　What〃

〃One　moment；　Madeline。〃　　It　was　Mrs。　Fosdick　who　interrupted。　　〃I
want　to　askerAlbert　a　question。　　I　want　to　ask　him　if　during
his　long　imprisonment　he　composedwrote；　you　know。　　I　should　have
thought　the　sights　and　experiences　would　have　forced　one　to　express
one's　selfthat　is；　one　to　whom　the　gift　of　expression　was　so
generously　granted；〃　she　added；　with　a　gracious　nod。

Albert　hesitated。

〃Why；　at　first　I　did；〃　he　said。　　〃When　I　first　was　well　enough　to
think；　I　used　to　try　to　writeverses。　　I　wrote　a　good　many。
Afterwards　I　tore　them　up。〃

〃Tore　them　up！〃　　Both　Mrs。　and　Miss　Fosdick　uttered　this　exclamation。

〃Why；　yes。　　You　see；　they　were　such　rot。　　The　things　I　wanted　to
write　about；　the　things　_I_　had　seen　and　was　seeing；　thethe
fellows　like　Mike　and　their　pluck　and　all　thatwell；　it　was　all
too　big　for　me　to　tackle。　　My　jingles　sounded；　when　I　read　them
over；　like　tunes　on　a　street　piano。　_I