the portygee-第23部分

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tell　me　it　is　pretty　good。〃

〃Thank　you；　sir。〃

〃Eh？　　Oh；　you're　welcome。〃

That　was　all。　　Perhaps　considering　its　source　it　was　a　good　deal；
but　Albert　was　not　of　the　age　where　such　considerations　are　likely
to　be　made。

Helen's　praise　was　warm　and　enthusiastic。　　〃I　knew　you　could　do　it
if　you　only　would；〃　she　declared。　　〃And　oh；　I'm　SO　glad　you　did！
Now　you　must　keep　on　trying。〃

That　bit　of　advice　was　quite　superfluous。　　Young　Speranza　having
sampled　the　sublime　intoxication　of　seeing　himself　in　print；　was
not　ready　to　sober　off　yet　a　while。　　He　continued　to　bombard　the
Item　with　verses。　　They　were　invariably　accepted；　but　when　he　sent
to　a　New　York　magazine　a　poem　which　he　considered　a　gem；　the
promptness　with　which　it　was　returned　staggered　his　conceit　and　was
in　that　respect　a　good　thing　for　him。

However；　he　kept　on　trying。　　Helen　would　not　have　permitted　him　to
give　up　even　if　he　had　wished。　　She　was　quite　as　much　interested　in
his　literary　aspirations　as　he　was　himself　and　her　encouragement
was　a　great　help　to　him。　　After　months　of　repeated　trial　and
repeated　rejection　he　opened　an　envelope　bearing　the　name　of　a
fairly　well…known　periodical　to　find　therein　a　kindly　note　stating
that　his　poem；　〃Sea　Spaces〃　had　been　accepted。　　And　a　week　later
came　a　check　for　ten　dollars。　　That　was　a　day　of　days。　　Incidentally
it　was　the　day　of　a　trial　balance　in　the　office　and　the　assistant
bookkeeper's　additions　and　multiplications　contained　no　less　than
four　ghastly　errors。

The　next　afternoon　there　was　an　interview　in　the　back　office。
Captain　Zelotes　and　his　grandson　were　the　participants。　　The
subject　discussed　was　〃Business　versus　Poetry；〃　and　there　was　a
marked　difference　of　opinion。　　Albert　had　proclaimed　his　triumph　at
home；　of　course；　had　exhibited　his　check；　had　been　the　recipient　of
hugs　and　praises　from　his　grandmother　and　had　listened　to　paeans
and　hallelujahs　from　Mrs。　Ellis。　　When　he　hurried　around　to　the
parsonage　after　supper；　Helen　had　been　excited　and　delighted　at　the
good　news。　　Albert　had　been　patted　on　the　back　quite　as　much　as　was
good　for　a　young　man　whose　bump　of　self…esteem　was　not　inclined
toward　under…development。　　When　he　entered　the　private　office　of　Z。
Snow　and　Co。　in　answer　to　his　grandfather's　summons；　he　did　so
light…heartedly；　triumphantly；　with　self…approval　written　large
upon　him。

But　though　he　came　like　a　conquering　hero；　he　was　not　received　like
one。　　Captain　Zelotes　sat　at　his　desk；　the　copy　of　the　Boston
morning　paper　which　he　had　been　reading　sticking　out　of　the　waste
basket　into　which　it　had　been　savagely　jammed　a　half　hour　before。
The　news　had　not　been　to　the　captain's　liking。　　These　were　the
September　days　of　1914；　the　German　Kaiser　was　marching　forward　〃mit
Gott〃　through　Belgium；　and　it　began　to　look　as　if　he　could　not　be
stopped　short　of　Paris。　　Consequently；　Captain　Zelotes；　his
sympathies　from　the　first　with　England　and　the　Allies；　was　not
happy　in　his　newspaper　reading。

Albert　entered；　head　erect　and　eyes　shining。　　If　Gertie　Kendrick
could　have　seen　him　then　she　would　have　fallen　down　and　worshiped。
His　grandfather　looked　at　him　in　silence　for　a　moment；　tapping　his
desk　with　the　stump　of　a　pencil。　　Albert；　too；　was　silent；　he　was
already　thinking　of　another　poem　with　which　to　dazzle　the　world；
and　his　head　was　among　the　rosy　clouds。

〃Sit　down；　Al；〃　said　Captain　Zelotes　shortly。

Albert　reluctantly　descended　to　earth　and　took　the　battered
armchair　standing　beside　the　desk。　　The　captain　tapped　with　his
pencil　upon　the　figure…covered　sheet　of　paper　before　him。　　Then　he
said：

〃Al；　you've　been　here　three　years　come　next　December；　ain't　you？〃

〃Whyyes；　sir；　I　believe　I　have。〃

〃Um…hm；　you　have。　　And　for　the　heft　of　that　time　you've　been　in
this　office。〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Yes。　　And　Labe　Keeler　and　I　have　been　doin'　our　best　to　make　a
business　man　out　of　you。　　You　understand　we　have；　don't　you？〃

Albert　looked　puzzled　and　a　little　uneasy。　　Into　his　roseate　dreams
was　just　beginning　to　filter　the　idea　that　his　grandfather's　tone
and　manner　were　peculiar。

〃Why；　yes；　sir；　of　course　I　understand　it；〃　he　replied。

〃Well；　I　asked　you　because　I　wasn't　quite　sure　whether　you　did　or
not。　　Can　you　guess　what　this　is　I've　got　on　my　desk　here？〃

He　tapped　the　figure…covered　sheet　of　paper　once　more。　　Before
Albert　could　speak　the　captain　answered　his　own　question。

〃I'll　tell　you　what　it　is；〃　he　went　on。　　〃It's　one　of　the　latest
samples　of　your　smartness　as　a　business　man。　　I　presume　likely　you
know　that　Laban　worked　here　in　this　office　until　three　o'clock　this
mornin'；　didn't　you？〃

Albert　did　not　know　it。　　Mr。　Keeler　had　told　him　nothing　of　the
sort。

〃Why；　no；〃　he　replied。　　〃Did　he？　　What　for？〃

〃Ye…es；　he　did。　　And　what　for？　　Why；　just　to　find　out　what　was　the
matter　with　his　trial　balance；　that's　all。　　When　one　of　Labe's
trial　balances　starts　out　for　snug　harbor　and　ends　up　on　a　reef
with　six　foot　of　water　in　her　hold；　naturally　Labe　wants　to　get　her
afloat　and　pumped　dry　as　quick　as　possible。　　He　ain't　used　to　it；
for　one　thing；　and　it　makes　him　nervous。〃

Albert's　uneasiness　grew。　　When　his　grandfather's　speech　became
sarcastic　and　nautical；　the　young　man　had　usually　found　that　there
was　trouble　coming　for　somebody。

〃II'm　sorry　Laban　had　to　stay　so　late；〃　he　stammered。　　〃I　should
have　been　glad　to　stay　and　help　him；　but　he　didn't　ask　me。〃

〃No…o。　　Well；　it　may　possibly　be　that　he　cal'lated　he　was　carryin'
about　all　your　help　that　the　craft　would　stand；　as　'twas。　　Any　more
might　sink　her。　　See　here；　young　feller〃　　Captain　Zelotes　dropped
his　quiet　sarcasm　and　spoke　sharp　and　brisk：　　〃See　here；〃　he　said；
〃do　you　realize　that　this　sheet　of　paper　I've　got　here　is　what
stands　for　a　day's　work　done　by　you　yesterday？　　And　on　this　sheet
there　was　no　less　than　four　silly　mistakes　that　a　child　ten　years
old　hadn't　ought　to　make；　that　an　able…bodied　idiot　hadn't　ought　to
make。　　But　YOU　made　'em；　and　they　kept　Labe　Keeler　here　till　three
o'clock　this　mornin'。　　Now　what　have　you　got　to　say　for　yourself？〃

As　a　matter　of　fact；　Albert　had　very　little　to　say；　except　that　he
was　sorry；　and　that　his　grandfather　evidently　did　not　consider
worth　the　saying。　　He　waved　the　protestation　aside。

〃Sorry！〃　he　repeated　impatiently。　　〃Of　course　you're　sorry；　though
even　at　that　I　ain't　sure　you're　sorry　enough。　　Labe　was　sorry；
too；　I　don't　doubt；　when　his　bedtime　went　by　and　he　kept　runnin'
afoul　of　one　of　your　mistakes　after　another。　　I'm　sorry；　darned
sorry；　to　find　out　that　you　can　make　such　blunders　after　three
years　on　board　here　under　such　teachin'　as　you've　had。　　But　bein'
sorry　don't　help　any　to　speak　of。　　Any　fool　can　be　sorry　for　his
foolishness；　but　if　that's　all；　it　don't　help　a　whole　lot。　　Is
bein'　sorry　the　best　excuse　you've　got　to　offer？　　What　made　you
make　the　mistakes　in　the　first　place？〃

Albert's　face　was　darkly　red　under　the　lash　of　his　grandfather's
tongue。　　Captain　Zelotes　and　he　had　had　disagreements　and　verbal
encounters　before；　but　never　since　they　had　been　together　had　the
captain　spoken　like　this。　　And　the　young　fellow　was　no　longer
seventeen；　he　was　twenty。　　The　flush　began　to　fade　from　his　cheeks
and　the　pallor　which　meant　the　rise　of　the　Speranza　temper　took　its
place。

〃What　made　you　make　such　fool　blunders？〃　repeated　the　captain。
〃You　knew　better；　didn't　you？〃

〃Yes；〃　sullenly；　〃I　suppose　I　did。〃

〃You　know　mighty　well　you　did。　　And　as　nigh　as　I　can　larn　from　what
I　got　out　of　Labanwhich　wasn't　much；　I　had　to　pump　it　out　of　him
word　by　wordthis　ain't　the　first　set　of　mistakes　you've　made。
You　make　'em　right　along。　　If　it　wasn't　for　him　helpin'　you　out　and
coverin'　up　your　mistakes；　this　firm　would　be　in　hot　water　with　its
customers　two…thirds　of　the　time　and　the　books　would　be　fust…rate
as　a　puzzle；　somethin'　to　use　for　a　guessin'　match；　but　plaguey
little　good　as　straight　accounts　of　a　goin'　concern。　　Now　what
makes　you　act　this　way？　　Eh？　　What　makes　you？〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　know。　　See　here；　Grandfather〃

〃Hold　on　a　minute。　　You　don't　know；　eh？　　Well；　I　know。　　It　ain't
because　you　ain't　smart　enough　to　keep　a　set　of　books　and　keep　'em
well。　　I　don't　expect　you　to　be　a　Labe　Keeler；　there　ain't　many
bookkeepers　like　him　on　this　earth。　　But　I　do　know　you're　smart
enough　to　keep　my　books　and　keep　'em　as　they'd　ought　to　be；　if　you
want　to　keep　'em。　　The　trouble　with　you　is　that　you　don't　want　to。
You've　got　too　much　of　your　good…for…nothin〃　　Captain　Lote　pulled
up　short；　cleared　his　throat；　and　went　on：　　〃You've　got　too　much
'poet'　in　you；〃　he　declared；　〃that's　what's　the　matter。〃

Albert　leaned　forward。　　〃That　wasn't　what　you　were　going　to　say；〃
he　said　quickly。　　〃You　were　going　to　say　that　I　had　too　much　of　my
father　in　me。〃

It　was　the　captain's　turn　to　redden。　　〃Eh？〃　he　stammered。　　〃Why；
II　　How　do　you　know　what　I　was　goin'　to　say？〃

〃Because　I　do。　　You　say　it　all　the　time。　　Or；　if　you　don't　say　it；
you　look　it。　　There　is　hardly　a　day　that　I　don't　catch　you　looking
at　me　as　if　you　were　expecting　me　to　commit　murder　or　do　some
outrageous　thing　or　other。　　And　I　know；　too；　that　it　is　all　because
I'm　my　father's　son。　　Well；　that's　all　right；　feel　that　way　about
me　if　you　want　to；　I　can't　help　it。〃

〃Here；　here；　Al！　　Hold　on！　　Don't〃

〃I　won't　hold　on。　　And　I　tell　you　this：　I　hate　this　work　here。　　You
say　I　don't　want　to　keep　books。　　Well；　I　don't。　　I'm　sorry　I　made
the　errors　yesterday　and　put　Keeler　to　so　much　trouble；　but　I'll
probably　make　more。　　No；〃　with　a　sudden　outburst　of　determination；
〃I　won't　make　any　more。　　I　won't；　because　I'm　not　going　to　keep
books　any　more。　　I'm　through。〃

Captain　Zelotes　leaned　back　in　his　chair。

〃You're　what？〃　he　asked　slowly。

〃I'm　through。　　I'll　never　work　in　this　office　another　day。　　I'm
through。〃

The　captain's　brows　drew　together　as　he　stared　steadily　at　his
grandson。　　He　slowly　tugged　at　his　beard。

〃Humph！〃　he　grunted；　after　a　moment。　　〃So　you're　through；　eh？
Goin'　to　quit　and　go　somewheres　else；　you　mean？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Um…hm。　　I　see。　　Where　are　you　goin'　to　go？〃

〃I　don't　know。　　But　I'm　not　going　to　make　a　fool　of　myself　at　this
job　any　longer。　　I　can't