the portygee-第15部分

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pick　it　up。　　Albert　did　his　best　to　recall　something　definite
concerning　Foul　Play。　　The　book　had　been　in　the　school　library　and
he；　who　read　almost　everything；　had　read　it　along　with　the　others。

〃Let　me　see；〃　he　said　musingly。　　〃About　a　shipwrecksomething
about　a　shipwreck　in　it；　wasn't　there？〃

〃I　should　say　there　was！　　My　stars　above！　　Not　the　common　kind　of
shipwreck；　neither；　the　kind　they　have　down　to　Setuckit　P'int　on
the　shoals。　　No　sir…ee！　　This　one　was　sunk　on　purpose。　　That　Joe
Wylie　bored　holes　right　down　through　her　with　a　gimlet；　the　wicked
thing！　　And　that　set　'em　afloat　right　out　on　the　sea　in　a　boat；　and
there　wan't　anything　to　eat　till　Robert　Penfoldoh；　HE　was　the
smart　one；　he'd　find　anything；　that　man！he　found　the　barnacles　on
the　bottom　of　the　boat；　just　the　same　as　he　found　out　how　to
diffuse　intelligence　tied　onto　a　duck's　leg　over　land　knows　how
many　legsleagues；　I　meanof　ocean。　　But　that　come　later。　　Don't
you　remember　THAT？〃

Albert　laughed。　　The　story　was　beginning　to　come　back　to　him。

〃Oh；　sure！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃I　remember　now。　　Hethe　Penfold
fellowand　the　girl　landed　on　this　island　and　had　all　sorts　of
adventures；　and　fell　in　love　and　all　that　sort　of　stuff；　and　then
her　dad　came　and　took　her　back　to　England　and　sheshe　did
something　or　other　there　toto　get　the　Penfold　guy　out　of
trouble。〃

〃Did　somethin'！　　I　should　say　she　did！　　Why；　she　found　out　all
about　who　forged　the　letterthe　note；　I　meanthat's　what　she
done。　　'Twas　Arthur　Wardlaw；　that's　who　'twas。　　And　he　was　tryin'
to　get　Helen　all　the　time　for　himself；　the　skinner！　　Don't　talk　to
me　about　that　Arthur　Wardlaw！　　I　never　could　bear　HIM。〃

She　spoke　as　if　she　had　known　the　detested　Wardlaw　intimately　from
childhood。　　Young　Speranza　was　hugely　amused。　　Ivanhoe　was　quite
forgotten。

〃Foul　Play　was　great　stuff；〃　he　observed。　　〃When　did　you　read　it？〃

〃Eh？　　When？　　Oh；　ever　and　ever　so　long　ago。　　When　I　was　about
twenty；　I　guess；　and　laid　up　with　the　measles。　　That's　the　only
time　I　ever　was　real　what　you　might　call　down　sick　in　my　life；　and
I　commenced　with　measles。　　That's　the　way　a　good　many　folks
commence；　I　know；　but　they　don't　generally　wait　till　they're　out　of
their　'teens　afore　they　start。　　I　was　workin'　for　Mrs。　Philander
Bassett　at　the　time；　and　she　says　to　me：　　'Rachel；'　she　says；
'you're　on　the　mendin'　hand　now；　wouldn't　you　like　a　book　to　read？'
I　says；　'Why；　maybe　I　would。'　　And　she　fetched　up　three　of　'em。　　I
can　see　'em　now；　all　three；　plain　as　day。　　One　was　Barriers　Burned
Away。　　She　said　that　was　somethin'　about　a　big　fire。　　Well；　I'm
awful　nervous　about　fires；　have　been　from　a　child；　so　I　didn't　read
that。　　And　another　had　the　queerest　kind　of　a　name；　if　you'd　call
it　a　name　at　all；　'twas　She。〃

Albert　nodded。

〃Yes；〃　he　said。　　〃I've　read　that。〃

〃Have　you？　　Well；　I　begun　to；　but　my　stars；　THAT　wasn't　any　book　to
give　to　a　person　with　nerve　symptoms。　　I　got　as　far　as　where　those
Indians　or　whatever　they　was　started　to　put　red…hot　kettles　on
folks's　heads；　and　that　was　enough　for　ME。　　'Give　me　somethin'
civilized；'　says　I；　'or　not　at　all。'　　So　I　commenced　Foul　Play；　and
I　tell　you　I　kept　right　on　to　the　end。

〃I　don't　suppose；〃　she　went　on；　〃that　there　ever　was　a　much　better
book　than　that　wrote；　was　there？〃

Albert　temporized。　　〃It　is　a　good　one；〃　he　admitted。

〃Don't　seem　to　me　there　could　be　much　better。　　Laban　says　it's
good；　though　he　won't　go　so　far　as　to　say　it's　the　very　best。　　He's
read　lots　and　lots　of　books；　Laban　has。　　Reads　an　awful　lot　in　his
spare　time。　　He's　what　you'd　call　an　educated　person；　which　is　what
I　ain't。　　And　I　guess　you'll　say　that　last　is　plain　enough　without
bein'　told；〃　she　added。

Her　companion；　not　exactly　knowing　how　to　answer；　was　silent　for　a
moment。　　Rachel；　who　had　picked　up　and　was　again　twisting　the　dust…
cloth；　returned　to　the　subject　she　so　delighted　in。

〃But　that　Foul　Play　book；〃　she　continued；　〃I've　read　till　I've
pretty　nigh　wore　the　covers　off。　　When　Mrs。　Bassett　saw　how　much　I
liked　it　she　gave　it　to　me　for　a　present。　　I　read　a　little　bit　in
it　every　little　while。　　I　kind　of　fit　the　folks　in　that　book　to
folks　in　real　life；　sort　of　compare　'em；　you　know。　　Do　you　ever　do
that？〃

Albert；　repressing　a　chuckle；　said；　〃Sure！〃　again。　　She　nodded。

〃Now　there's　General　Rolleson　in　that　book；〃　she　said。　　〃Do　you
know　who　he　makes　me　think　of？　　Cap'n　Lote；　your　grandpa；　that's
who。〃

General　Rolleson；　as　Albert　remembered　him；　was　an　extremely
dignified；　cultured　and　precise　old　gentleman。　　Just　what
resemblance　there　might　be　between　him　and　Captain　Zelotes　Snow；
ex…skipper　of　the　Olive　S。；　he　could　not　imagine。　　He　could　not
repress　a　grin；　and　the　housekeeper　noticed　it。

〃Seems　funny　to　you；　I　presume　likely；〃　she　said。　　〃Well；　now　you
think　about　it。　　This　General　Rolleson　man　was　kind　of　proud　and
sot　in　his　ways　just　as　your　grandpa　is；　Albert。　　He　had　a　daughter
he　thought　all　the　world　of；　so　did　Cap'n　Lote。　　Along　come　a
person　that　wanted　to　marry　the　daughter。　　In　the　book　'twas　Robert
Penfold；　who　had　been　a　convict。　　In　your　grandpa's　case；　'twas
your　pa；　who　had　been　a　play…actor。　　So　you　see〃

Albert　sat　up　on　the　sofa。　　〃Hold　on！〃　he　interrupted　indignantly。
〃Do　you　mean　to　compare　my　father　with　awith　a　CONVICT？　　I　want
you　to　understand〃

Mrs。　Ellis　held　up　the　dust…cloth。　　〃Now；　now；　now；〃　she　protested。
〃Don't　go　puttin'　words　in　my　mouth　that　I　didn't　say。　　I　don't
doubt　your　pa　was　a　nice　man；　in　his　way；　though　I　never　met　him。
But　'twan't　Cap'n　Lote's　way　any　more　than　Robert　Penfold's　was
General　Rolleson's。〃

〃My　father　was　famous；〃　declared　the　youth　hotly。　　〃He　was　one　of
the　most　famous　singers　in　this　country。　　Everybody　knows　that
that　is；　everybody　but　Grandfather　and　the　gang　down　here；〃　he
added；　in　disgust。

〃I　don't　say　you're　wrong。　　Laban　tells　me　that　some　of　those
singin'　folks　get　awful　high　wages；　more　than　the　cap'n　of　a
steamboat；　he　says；　though　that　seems　like　stretchin'　it　to　me。
But；　as　I　say；　Cap'n　Lote　was　proud；　and　nobody　but　the　best　would
satisfy　him　for　Janie；　your　mother。　　Well；　in　that　way；　you　see；　he
reminds　me　of　General　Rolleson　in　the　book。〃

〃Look　here；　Mrs。　Ellis。　　Tell　me　about　this　business　of　Dad's
marrying　my　mother。　　I　never　knew　much　of　anything　about　it。〃

〃You　didn't？　　Did　your　pa　never　tell　you？〃

〃No。〃

〃Humph！　　That's　funny。　　Still；　I　don't　know's　as　'twas；　after　all；
considerin'　you　was　only　a　boy。　　Probably　he'd　have　told　you　some
day。　　Well；　I　don't　suppose　there's　any　secret　about　it。　　'Twas
town　talk　down　here　when　it　happened。〃

She　told　him　the　story　of　the　runaway　marriage。　　Albert　listened
with　interest　and　the　almost　incredulous　amazement　with　which　the
young　always　receive　tales　of　their　parents'　love　affairs。　　Love；
for　people　of　his　age　or　a　trifle　older；　was　a　natural　and
understandable　thing；　but　for　his　father；　as　he　remembered　him；　to
have　behaved　in　this　way　was　incomprehensible。

〃So；〃　said　Rachel；　in　conclusion；　〃that's　how　it　happened。　　That's
why　Cap'n　Lote　couldn't　ever　forgive　your　father。〃

He　tossed　his　head。　　〃Well；　he　ought　to　have　forgiven　him；〃　he
declared。　　〃He　was　dead　lucky　to　get　such　a　man　for　a　son…in…law；
if　you　ask　me。〃

〃He　didn't　think　so。　　And　he　wouldn't　ever　mention　your　pa's　name。〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　doubt　that。　　Anybody　can　see　how　he　hated　Father。　　And
he　hates　me　the　same　way；〃　he　added　moodily。

Mrs。　Ellis　was　much　disturbed。　　〃Oh；　no；　he　don't；〃　she　cried。
〃You　mustn't　think　that；　Albert。　　He　don't　hate　you；　I'm　sure　of
it。　　He's　just　kind　of　doubtful　about　you；　that's　all。　　He
remembers　how　your　pa　actedor　how　he　thinks　he　actedand　so　he
can't　help　bein'　the　least　mite　afraid　the　same　thing　may　crop　out
in　you。　　If　you　just　stick　to　your　job　over　there　at　the　lumber
yards　and　keep　on　tryin'　to　please　him；　he'll　get　all　over　that
suspicion；　see　if　he　don't。　　Cap'n　Lote　Snow　is　stubborn　sometimes
and　hard　to　turn；　but　he's　square　as　a　brick。　　There's　some　that
don't　like　him；　and　a　good　many　that　don't　agree　with　himbut
everybody　respects　him。〃

Albert　did　not　answer。　　The　housekeeper　rose　from　her　chair。

〃There！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃I　don't　know　when　I've　set　down　for　so
long。　　Goodness　knows　I've　got　work　enough　to　do　without　settin'
around　talkin'。　　I　can't　think　what　possessed　me　to　do　it　this
time；　unless　'twas　seein'　you　readin'　that　book。〃　　She　paused　a
moment　and　then　said：　　〃Albert；　II　don't　want　you　and　your
grandpa　to　have　any　quarrels。　　You　seewell；　you　see；　I　used　to
know　your　mother　real　well；　andand　I　thought　an　awful　sight　of
her。　　I　wishI　do　wish　when　you　and　the　cap'n　have　any　trouble　or
anything；　or　when　you　think　you're　liable　to　have　any；　you'd　come
and　talk　it　over　with　me。　　I'm　like　the　feller　that　Laban　tells
about　in　his　dog…fight　yarn。　　This　feller　was　watchin'　the　fight
and　when　they　asked　him　to　stop　it　afore　one　or　t'other　of　the　dogs
was　killed；　he　just　shook　his　head。　　'No…o；'　he　says；　kind　of　slow
and　moderate；　'I　guess　I　shan't　interfere。　　One　of　'em's　been
stealin'　my　chickens　and　the　other　one　bit　me。　　I'm　a　friend　to
both　parties；'　he　says。　　Course　I　don't　mean　it　exactly　that　way；〃
she　added；　with　a　smile；　〃but　you　know　what　I　do　mean；　I　guess。
WILL　you　talk　things　over　with　me　sometimes；　Albert？〃

His　answer　was　not　very　enthusiastic；　but　he　said　he　guessed　so；
and　Rachel　seemed　satisfied　with　that。　　She　went　on　with　her
dusting；　and　he　with　his　reading；　but　the　conversation　was　the
first　of　many　between　the　pair。　　The　housekeeper　appeared　to
consider　his　having　read　her　beloved　Foul　Play　a　sort　of　password
admitting　him　to　her　lodge　and　that　thereafter　they　were；　in
consequence；　to　be　confidants　and　comrades。　　She　never　hesitated　to
ask　him　the　most　personal　questions　concerning　his　work；　his　plans；
the　friends　or　acquaintances　he　was　making　in　the　village。　　Some　of
those　questions　he　answered　honestly　and　fully；　some　he　dodged；
some　he　did　not　answer　at　all。　　Mrs。　Ellis　never　resented　his　not
answering。　　〃I　presume　likely　that　ain't　any　of　my　business；　is
it？〃　she　would　say；　and　ask　about　something　else。

On　the　other　hand；　she　was　perfectly　out