the portygee- 第25部分

Rachel　leaned　forward。

〃No；　you　ain't；　Al；〃　she　said。

〃I'm　not？　　Indeed　I　am！　　Why；　what　do　you　mean？〃

〃I　mean　just　what　I　say。　　You　ain't　goin'。　　You're　goin'　to　stay
right　here。　　At　least　I　hope　you　are；　and　I　THINK　you　are。　。　。　。
Oh；　I　know；〃　she　added；　quickly；　〃what　you　are　goin'　to　say。
You're　goin'　to　tell　me　that　your　grandpa　is　down　on　you　on　account
of　your　father；　and　that　you　don't　like　bookkeepin'；　and　that　you
want　to　write　poetry　andand　such。　　You'll　say　all　that；　and　maybe
it's　all　true；　but　whether　'tis　or　not　ain't　the　point　at　all　just
now。　　The　real　point　is　that　you're　Janie　Snow's　son　and　your
grandpa's　Cap'n　Lote　Snow　and　your　grandma's　Olive　Snow　and　there
ain't　goin'　to　be　another　smash…up　in　this　family　if　I　can　help　it。
I've　been　through　one　and　one's　enough。　　Albert；　didn't　you　promise
me　that　Sunday　forenoon　three　years　ago　when　I　came　into　the
settin'…room　and　we　got　talkin'　about　books　and　Robert　Penfold　and
everythingdidn't　you　promise　me　then　that　when　things　between　you
and　your　grandpa　got　kind　ofof　snarled　up　and　full　of　knots　you'd
come　to　me　with　'em　and　we'd　see　if　we　couldn't　straighten　'em　out
together？　　Didn't　you　promise　me　that；　Albert？〃

Albert　remembered　the　conversation　to　which　she　referred。　　As　he
remembered　it；　however；　he　had　not　made　any　definite　promise。

〃You　asked　me　to　talk　them　over　with　you；　Rachel；〃　he　admitted。　　〃I
think　that's　about　as　far　as　it　went。〃

〃Well；　maybe　so；　but　now　I　ask　you　again。　　Will　you　talk　this　over
with　me；　Albert？　　Will　you　tell　me　every　bit　all　about　it；　for　my
sake？　　And　for　your　grandma's　sake。　。　。　。　　Yes；　more'n　that；　for
your　mother's　sake；　Albert；　she　was　pretty　nigh　like　my　own　sister；
Jane　Snow　was。　　Different　as　night　from　day　of　course；　she　was
pretty　and　educated　and　all　that　and　I　was　just　the　same　then　as　I
am　now；　but　we　did　think　a　lot　of　each　other；　Albert。　　Tell　me　the
whole　story；　won't　you；　please。　　Just　what　Cap'n　Lote　said　and　what
you　said　and　what　you　plan　to　doand　all？　　Please；　Albert。〃

There　were　tears　in　her　eyes。　　He　had　always　liked　her；　but　it　was
a　liking　with　a　trace　of　condescension　in　it。　　She　was　peculiar；
her　〃sympathetic　attacks〃　were　funny；　and　she　and　Laban　together
were　an　odd　pair。　　Now　he　saw　her　in　a　new　light　and　he　felt　a
sudden　rush　of　real　affection　for　her。　　And　with　this　feeling；　and
inspired　also　by　his　loneliness；　came　the　impulse　to　comply　with
her　request；　to　tell　her　all　his　troubles。

He　began　slowly　at　first；　but　as　he　went　on　the　words　came　quicker。
She　listened　eagerly；　nodding　occasionally；　but　saying　nothing。
When　he　had　finished　she　nodded　again。

〃I　see；〃　she　said。　　〃'Twas　almost　what　Laban　said　and　about　what　he
and　I　expected。　　Well；　Albert；　I　ain't　goin'　to　be　the　one　to　blame
you；　not　very　much　anyhow。　　I　don't　see　as　you　are　to　blame；　you
can't　help　the　way　you're　made。　　But　your　grandfather　can't　help
bein'　made　his　way；　either。　　He　can't　see　with　your　spectacles　and
you　can't　see　with　his。〃

He　stirred　rebelliously。　　〃Then　we　had　better　go　our　own　ways；　I
should　say；〃　he　muttered。

〃No；　you　hadn't。　　That's　just　what　you　mustn't　do；　not　now；　anyhow。
As　I　said　before；　there's　been　enough　of　all　hands　goin'　their　own
ways　in　this　family　and　look　what　came　of　it。〃

〃But　what　do　you　expect　me　to　do？　　I　will　not　give　up　every　plan
I've　made　and　my　chance　in　the　world　just　because　he　is　too
stubborn　and　cranky　to　understand　them。　　I　will　NOT　do　it。〃

〃I　don't　want　you　to。　　But　I　don't　want　you　to　upset　the　whole
kettle　just　because　the　steam　has　scalded　your　fingers。　　I　don't
want　you　to　go　off　and　leave　your　grandma　to　break　her　heart　a
second　time　and　your　grandpa　to　give　up　all　his　plans　and　hopes
that　he's　been　makin'　about　you。〃

〃Plans　about　me？　　He　making　plans　about　me？　　What　sort　of　plans？〃

〃All　sorts。　　Oh；　he　don't　say　much　about　'em；　of　course；　that　ain't
his　way。　　But　from　things　he's　let　drop　I　know　he　has　hoped　to　take
you　in　with　him　as　a　partner　one　of　these　days；　and　to　leave　you
the　business　after　he's　gone。〃

〃Nonsense；　Rachel！〃

〃No；　it　ain't　nonsense。　　It's　the　one　big　dream　of　Cap'n　Lote's
life。　　That　Z。　Snow　and　Co。　business　is　his　pet　child；　as　you　might
say。　　He　built　it　up；　he　and　Labe　together；　and　when　he　figgered　to
take　you　aboard　with　him　'twas　SOME　chance　for　you；　'cordin'　to　his
lookout。　　Now　you　can't　hardly　blame　him　for　bein'　disappointed
when　you　chuck　that　chance　away　and　take　to　writin'　poetry　pieces；
can　you？〃

〃Butbutwhy；　confound　it；　Rachel；　you　don't　understand！〃

〃Yes；　I　do；　but　your　grandpa　don't。　　And　you　don't　understand
him。　。　。　。　　Oh；　Albert；　DON'T　be　as　stubborn　as　he　is；　as　your
mother　wasthe　Lord　and　she　forgive　me　for　sayin'　it。　　She　was
partly　right　about　marryin'　your　pa　and　Cap'n　Lote　was　partly　right；
too。　If　they　had　met　half　way　and　put　the　two　'partlys'　together　the
whole　thing　might　have　been　right　in　the　end。　　As　'twas；　'twas　all
wrong。　　Don't；　don't；　DON'T；　Albert；　be　as　stubborn　as　that。　　For
their　sakes；　Al；yes；　and　for　my　sake；　for　I'm　one　of　your　family；
too；　or　seems　as　if　I　wasdon't。〃

She　hastily　wiped　her　eyes　with　her　apron。　　He；　too　was　greatly
moved。

〃Don't　cry；　Rachel；〃　he　muttered；　hurriedly。　　〃Please　don't。　。　。　。
I　didn't　know　you　felt　this　way。　　I　didn't　know　anybody　did。　　I
don't　want　to　make　trouble　in　the　familyany　more　trouble。
Grandmother　has　been　awfully　good　to　me；　so；　too；　has　Grandfather；
I　suppose；　in　his　way。　　Butoh；　what　am　I　going　to　do？　　I　can't
stay　in　that　office　all　my　life。　　I'm　not　good　at　business。　　I
don't　like　it。　　I　can't　give　up〃

〃No；　no；　course　you　mustn't。　　I　don't　want　you　to　give　up。〃

〃Then　what　do　you　want　me　to　do？〃

〃I　want　you　to　go　to　your　grandpa　and　talk　to　him　once　more。　　Not
givin'　up　your　plans　altogether　but　not　forcin'　him　to　give　up　his
either；　not　right　away。　　Tell　him　you　realize　he　wants　you　to　go　on
with　Z。　Snow　and　Company　and　that　you　willfor　a　while〃

〃But〃

〃For　a　while；　I　said；　three　or　four　years；　say。　　You　won't　be　so
dreadful　old　then；　not　exactly　what　you'd　call　a　Methusalem。　　Tell
him　you'll　do　that　and　on　his　side　he　must　let　you　write　as　much　as
you　please；　provided　you　don't　let　the　writin'　interfere　with　the
Z。　Snow　and　Co。　work。　　Then；　at　the　end　of　the　three　or　four　years；
if　you　still　feel　the　same　as　you　do　now；　you　can　tackle　your
poetry　for　keeps　and　he　and　you'll　still　be　friends。　　Tell　him
that；　Albert；　and　see　what　he　says。　。　。　。　　Will　you？〃

Albert　took　some　moments　to　consider。　　At　length　he　said：　　〃If　I
did　I　doubt　if　he　would　listen。〃

〃Oh；　yes　he　would。　　He'd　more　than　listen；　I'm　pretty　sartin。　　I
think　he'd　agree。〃

〃You　do？〃

〃Yes；　I　do。　　You　see；〃　with　a　smile；　〃while　I've　been　talkin'　to
you　there's　been　somebody　else　talkin'　to　him。　。　。　。　　There；　there！
don't　you　ask　any　questions。　　I　promised　not　to　tell　anybody　and　if
I　ain't　exactly　broke　that　promise；　I've　sprained　its　ankle；　I'm
afraid。　　Good　night；　Albert；　and　thank　you　ever　and　ever　so　much
for　listenin'　so　long　without　once　tellin'　me　to　mind　my　own
business。〃

〃Good　night；　Rachel。　。　。　。　　And　thank　you　for　taking　so　much
interest　in　my　affairs。　　You're　an　awfully　good　friend；　I　can　see
that。〃

〃Don'tdon't　talk　that　way。　　And　you　WILL　have　that　talk　with　your
grandpa？〃

〃Yes；　I　will。〃

〃Oh；　I'm　SO　glad！　　There！　　Good　night。　　I　come　pretty　nigh　kissin'
you　then　and　for　a　woman　that's　been　engaged　to　be　married　for
upwards　of　eighteen　years　that's　a　nice　way　to　act；　ain't　it！　　Good
night；　good　night。〃

She　hurried　out　of　the　room。　　Albert　sat　down　again　in　his　chair　by
the　window。　　He　had　promised　to　go　to　his　grandfather　and　talk　to
him。　　As　he　sat　there；　thinking　of　the　coming　interview；　he
realized　more　and　more　that　the　keeping　of　that　promise　was　likely
to　be　no　easy　matter。　　He　must　begin　the　talk；　he　must　break　the
iceand　how　should　he　break　it？　　Timid　and　roundabout　approaches
would　be　of　little　use；　unless　his　grandfather's　state　of　mind　had
changed　remarkably　since　their　parting　in　the　Z。　Snow　and　Co。
office　they　and　their　motive　would　be　misunderstood。　　No；　the　only
way　to　break　the　ice　was　to　break　it；　to　plunge　immediately　into
the　deepest　part　of　the　subject。　　It　promised　to　be　a　chilly
plunge。　　He　shivered　at　the　prospect。

A　half　hour　later　he　heard　the　door　of　the　hall　open　and　shut　and
knew　that　Captain　Zelotes　had　returned。　　Rising；　he　descended　the
stairs。　　He　descended　slowly。　　Just　as　he　reached　the　foot　of　the
narrow　flight　Captain　Zelotes　entered　the　hall　from　the　dining…room
and　turned　toward　him。　　Both　were　surprised　at　the　meeting。　　Albert
spoke　first。

〃Good　evening；　Grandfather；〃　he　stammered。　　〃II　was　just　coming
down　to　see　you。　　Were　you　going　to　bed？〃

Captain　Lote　shook　his　head。　　〃No…o；〃　he　said；　slowly；　〃not
exactly。〃

〃Do　you　mind　waiting　a　minute？　　I　have　a　few　thingsI　have
something　to　say　to　you　andand　I　guess　I　shall　sleep　better　if　I
say　it　to…night。　　II　won't　keep　you　long。〃

The　captain　regarded　him　intently　for　an　instant；　then　he　turned
and　led　the　way　to　the　dining…room。

〃Go　ahead；〃　he　ordered；　laconically。　　Albert　squared　his　shoulders；
preparatory　to　the　plunge。

〃Grandfather；〃　he　began；　〃first　of　all　I　want　to　tell　you　I　am
sorry　forfor　some　of　the　things　I　said　this　afternoon。〃

He　had　rehearsed　this　opening　speech　over　and　over　again；　but　in
spite　of　the　rehearsals　it　was　dreadfully　hard　to　make。　　If　his
grandfather　had　helped　him　even　a　little　it　might　have　been　easier；
but　the　captain　merely　stood　there；　expressionless；　saying　nothing；
waiting　for　him　to　continue。

Albert　swallowed；　clenched　his　fists；　and　took　a　new　start。

〃Of　course；〃　he　began；　〃I　am　sorry　for　the　mistakes　I　made　in　my
bookkeeping；　but　that　I　have　told　you　before。　　Nownow　I　want　to
say　I　am　sorry　for　being　sowell；　so　pig…headed　about　the　rest　of
it。　　I　realize　that　you　have　been　mighty　kind　to　me　and　that　I　owe
you　about　everything　that　I've　got　in　this　world。〃

He　paused　again。　　It　had　seemed　to　him　that　Captain　Zelotes　was
about　to　speak。　　However；　he　did　not；　so　the　young　man　stumbled　on。

〃Andand　I　realize；　too；〃　he　said；　〃that　you　have；