the portygee-第16部分

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it？〃　she　would　say；　and　ask　about　something　else。

On　the　other　hand；　she　was　perfectly　outspoken　concerning　her　own
affairs。　　He　was　nearly　overcome　with　hilarious　joy　when；　one　day；
she　admitted　that；　in　her　mind；　Robert　Penfold；　the　hero　of　Foul
Play；　lived　again　in　the　person　of　Laban　Keeler。

〃Why；　Mrs。　Ellis；〃　he　cried；　as　soon　as　he　could　trust　himself　to
speak　at　all；　〃I　don't　see　THAT。　　Penfold　was　a　six…footer；　wasn't
he？　　Andand　athletic；　you　know；　andand　a　minister；　and　young
younger；　I　meanand〃

Rachel　interrupted。　　〃Yes；　yes；　I　know；〃　she　said。　　〃And　Laban　is
little；　and　not　very　young；　and；　whatever　else　he　is；　he　ain't　a
minister。　　I　know　all　that。　　I　know　the　outside　of　him　don't　look
like　Robert　Penfold　at　all。　　But；〃　somewhat　apologetically；　〃you
see　I've　been　acquainted　with　him　so　many　years　I've　got　into　the
habit　of　seein'　his　INSIDE。　　Now　that　sounds　kind　of　ridiculous；　I
know；〃　she　added。　　〃Sounds　as　if　IIwell；　as　if　I　was　in　the
habit　of　takin'　him　apart；　like　a　watch　or　somethin'。　　What　I　mean
is　that　I　know　him　all　through。　　I've　known　him　for　a　long；　long
while。　　He　ain't　much　to　look　at；　bein'　so　little　and　sort　of　dried
up；　but　he's　got　a　big；　fine　heart　and　big　brains。　　He　can　do　'most
anything　he　sets　his　hand　to。　　When　I　used　to　know　him；　when　I　was
a　girl；　folks　was　always　prophesyin'　that　Laban　Keeler　would　turn
out　to　be　a　whole　lot　more'n　the　average。　　He　would；　too；　only　for
one　thing；　and　you　know　what　that　is。　　It's　what　has　kept　me　from
marryin'　him　all　this　time。　　I　swore　I'd　never　marry　a　man　that
drinks；　and　I　never　will。　　Why；　if　it　wasn't　for　liquor　Labe　would
have　been　runnin'　his　own　business　and　gettin'　rich　long　ago。　　He
all　but　runs　Cap'n　Lote's　place　as　'tis。　　The　cap'n　and　a　good　many
other　folks　don't　realize　that；　but　it's　so。〃

It　was　plain　that　she　worshiped　the　little　bookkeeper　and；　except
during　the　periods　of　〃vacation〃　and　〃sympathetics；〃　was
tremendously　proud　of　him。　　Albert　soon　discovered　that　Mr。
Keeler's　feeling　for　her　was　equally　strong。　　In　his　case；　though；
there　was　also　a　strong　strain　of　gratitude。

〃She's　a　fine　woman；　Al；〃　he　confided　to　his　assistant　on　one
occasion。　　〃A　fine　woman。　。　。　。　　Yes；　yes；　yes。　　They　don't
make　'em　any　finer。　　Ah　hum！　　And　not　so　long　ago　I　read　about
a　passel　of　darn　fools　arguin'　that　the　angels　in　heaven　was　all
he…ones。　。　。　。　　Umph！　。　。　。　　Sho；　sho！　　If　men　was　as　good　as　women；
AnselAlfredAlbert；　I　meanwe　could　start　an　opposition　heaven
down　here　most　any　time。　　'Most　any　timeyes；　yes。〃

It　was　considerable　for　him　to　say。　　Except　when　on　a　vacation；
Laban　was　not　loquacious。

Each　Sunday　afternoon；　when　the　weather　was　pleasant；　he　came；
dressed　in　his　best　black　cutaway；　shiny　at　elbows　and　the　under
part　of　the　sleeves；　striped　trousers　and　a　pearl　gray　soft　hat
with　a　black　band；　a　hat　which　looked　as　much　out　of　place　above
his　round；　withered　little　face　as　a　red　roof　might　have　looked　on
a　family　vault；　and　he　and　the　housekeeper　went　for　a　walk。

Rachel；　in　her　Sunday　black；　bulked　large　beside　him。　　As　Captain
Zelotes　said；　the　pair　looked　like　〃a　tug　takin'　a　liner　out　to
sea。〃



CHAPTER　V


Outside　of　the　gates　of　the　Snow　place　Albert　was　making　many
acquaintances　and　a　few　friends。　　After　church　on　Sundays　his
grandmother　had　a　distressful　habit　of　suddenly　seizing　his　arm　or
his　coat…tail　as　he　was　hurrying　toward　the　vestibule　and　the
sunshine　of　outdoors；　and　saying：　　〃Oh；　Albert；　just　a　minute！
Here's　somebody　you　haven't　met　yet；　I　guess。　　Elsie〃or　Nellie　or
Mabel　or　Henry　or　Charlie　or　George；　whichever　it　happened　to　be
〃this　is　my　grandson；　Albert　Speranza。〃　　And　the　young　person　to
whom　he　was　thus　introduced　would；　if　a　male；　extend　a　hesitating
hand；　give　his　own　an　embarrassed　shake；　smile　uncertainly　and　say；
〃Yeseryes。　　Pleased　to　meet　you。〃　　Or；　if　of　the　other　sex；
would　blush　a　little　and　venture　the　observation　that　it　was　a
lovely　morning；　and　wasn't　the　sermon　splendid。

These　Sabbath　introductions　led　to　week…day；　or　rather　week…
evening；　meetings。　　The　principal　excitement　in　South　Harniss　was
〃going　for　the　mail。〃　　At　noon　and　after　supper　fully　one…half　of
the　village　population　journeyed　to　the　post　office。　　Albert's
labors　for　Z。　Snow　and　Co。　prevented　his　attending　the　noon
gatheringshis　grandfather　usually　got　the　morning　mailbut　he
early　formed　the　habit　of　sauntering　〃down　street〃　in　the　evening
if　the　weather　was　not　too　cold　or　disagreeable。　　There　he　was
certain　to　find　groups　of　South　Harniss　youth　of　both　sexes；
talking；　giggling；　skylarking　and　flirting。　　Sometimes　he　joined
one　or　the　other　of　these　groups；　quite　as　often　he　did　not；　but
kept　aloof　and　by　himself；　for　it　may　as　well　be　acknowledged　now；
if　it　is　not　already　plain；　that　the　son　of　Miguel　Carlos　Speranza
had　inherited　a　share　of　his　father's　temperament　and　self…esteem。
The　whim　of　the　moment　might　lead　him　to　favor　these　young　people
with　his　society；　but　he　was　far　from　considering　himself　under
obligation　to　do　so。　　He　had　not　the　least　idea　that　he　was　in　any
way　a　snob；　he　would　have　hotly　resented　being　called　one；　but　he
accepted　his　estimate　of　his　own　worth　as　something　absolute　and
certain；　to　be　taken　for　granted。

Now　this　attitude　of　mind　had　its　dangers。　　Coupled　with　its
possessor's　extraordinary　good　looks；　it　was　fascinating　to　a　large
percentage　of　the　village　girls。　　The　Speranza　eyes　and　the
Speranza　curls　and　nose　and　chin　were；　when　joined　with　the　easy
condescension　of　the　Speranza　manner；　a　combination　fatal　to　the
susceptible。　　The　South　Harniss　〃flappers；〃　most　of　them；　enthused
over　the　new　bookkeeper　in　the　lumber　office。　　They　ogled　and
giggled　and　gushed　in　his　presence；　and　he　was　tolerant　or　bored；
just　as　he　happened　to　be　feeling　at　the　moment。　　But　he　never
displayed　a　marked　interest　in　any　one　of　them；　for　the　very　good
reason　that　he　had　no　such　interest。　　To　him　they　were　merely
girls；　nice　enough　in　their　way；　perhaps；　but　that　way　not　his。
Most　of　the　town　young　fellows　of　his　age　he　found　had　a　〃girl〃　and
almost　every　girl　had　a　〃fellow〃；　there　was　calf　love　in　abundance；
but　he　was　a　different　brand　of　veal。

However；　a　great　man　must　amuse　himself；　and　so　he　accepted
invitations　to　church　socials　and　suppers　and　to　an　occasional
dance　or　party。　　His　style　of　dancing　was　not　that　of　South　Harniss
in　the　winter。　　It　was　common　enough　at　the　hotel　or　the　〃tea
house〃　in　July　and　August　when　the　summer　people　were　there；　but
not　at　the　town　hall　at　the　Red　Men's　Annual　Ball　in　February。　　A
fellow　who　could　foxtrot　as　he　could　swept　all　before　him。　　Sam
Thatcher；　of　last　year's　class　in　the　high　school；　but　now　clerking
in　the　drug　store；　who　had　hitherto　reigned　as　the　best　〃two…
stepper〃　in　town；　suddenly　became　conscious　of　his　feet。　　Then；
too；　the　contents　of　the　three　trunks　which　had　been　sent　on　from
school　were　now　in　evidence。　　No　Boston　or　Brockton　〃Advanced
Styles〃　held　a　candle　to　those　suits　which　the　tailor　of　the　late
Miguel　Carlos　had　turned　out　for　his　patron's　only　son。　　No　other
eighteen…year…older　among　the　town's　year…around　residents
possessed　a　suit　of　evening　clothes。　　Albert　wore　his　〃Tux〃　at　the
Red　Men's　Ball　and　hearts　palpitated　beneath　new　muslin　gowns　and
bitter　envy　stirred　beneath　the　Brockton　〃Advanced　Styles。〃

In　consequence；　by　spring　the　social　status　of　Albert　Speranza
among　those　of　his　own　age　in　the　village　had　become　something
like　this：　　He　was　in　high　favor　with　most　of　the　girls　and　in
corresponding　disfavor　with　most　of　the　young　fellows。　　The　girls；
although　they　agreed　that　he　was　〃stand…offish　and　kind　of　queer；〃
voted　him　〃just　lovely；　all　the　same。〃　　Their　envious　beaux
referred　to　him　sneeringly　among　themselves　as　a　〃stuck…up　dude。〃
Some　one　of　them　remembered　having　been　told　that　Captain　Zelotes；
years　before；　had　been　accustomed　to　speak　of　his　hated　son…in…law
as　〃the　Portygee。〃　　Behind　his　back　they　formed　the　habit　of
referring　to　their　new　rival　in　the　same　way。　　The　first　time
Albert　heard　himself　called　a　〃Portygee〃　was　after　prayer　meeting
on　Friday　evening；　when；　obeying　a　whim；　he　had　walked　home　with
Gertie　Kendrick；　quite　forgetful　of　the　fact　that　Sam　Thatcher；　who
aspired　to　be　Gertie's　〃steady；〃　was　himself　waiting　on　the　church
steps　for　that　privilege。

Even　then　nothing　might　have　come　of　it　had　he　and　Sam　not　met　in
the　path　as　he　was　sauntering　back　across　lots　to　the　main　road
and　home。　　It　was　a　brilliant　moonlight　night　and　the　pair　came
together；　literally；　at　the　bend　where　the　path　turns　sharply
around　the　corner　of　Elijah　Doane's　cranberry　shanty。　　Sam；　plowing
along；　head　down　and　hands　in　his　pockets；　swung　around　that　corner
and　bumped　violently　into　Albert；　who；　a　cigarette　between　his
lipsout　here　in　the　fields；　away　from　civilization　and　Captain
Zelotes；　was　a　satisfyingly　comfortable　place　to　smoke　a　cigarette
was　dreaming　dreams　of　a　future　far　away　from　South　Harniss。　　Sam
had　been　thinking　of　Gertie。　　Albert　had　not。　　She　had　been　a　mere
incident　of　the　evening；　he　had　walked　home　with　her　because　he
happened　to　be　in　the　mood　for　companionship　and　she　was　rather
pretty　and　always　talkative。　　His　dreams　during　the　stroll　back
alone　in　the　moonlight　had　been　of　lofty　things；　of　poetry　and　fame
and　high　emprise；　giggling　Gerties　had　no　place　in　them。　　It　was
distinctly　different　with　Sam　Thatcher。

They　crashed　together；　gasped　and　recoiled。

〃Oh；　I'm　sorry！〃　exclaimed　Albert。

〃Can't　you　see　where　you're　goin'；　you　darned　Portygee　half…breed？〃
demanded　Sam。

Albert；　who　had　stepped　past　him；　turned　and　came　back。

〃What　did　you　say？〃　he　asked。

〃I　said　you　was　a　darned　half…breed；　and　you　are。　　You're　a　no…good
Portygee；　like　your　father。〃

It　was　all　he　had　time　to　say。　　For　the　next　few　minutes　he　was　too
busy　to　talk。　　The　Speranzas；　father　and　son；　possessed　temperament；
also　they　possessed　temper。　　Sam's　face；　usually　placid　and
good…natured；　for　Sam　was　by　no　means　a　bad　fellow　in　his　way；　was
fiery　red。　　Albert's；　on　the　contrary；　went　perfectly　white。　　He
seemed　to　settle　back　on　his　heels　and　f