the portygee-第30部分

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crossing　the　floor　arm　in　arm　with　Edwin　Raymond。　　Albert's　face
was　white　with　anger；　except　for　two　red　spots　on　his　cheeks；　and
his　black　eyes　flashed。　　Consequently　he；　too；　was　considered　quite
worth　the　looking　at　and　feminine　glances　followed　him。

〃Who　is　that　handsome；　foreign…looking　fellow　your　friend　is
dancing　with？〃　whispered　one　young　lady；　a　guest　at　the　hotel；　to
Miss　Kelsey。　　Jane　told　her。

〃But　he　isn't　a　foreigner；〃　she　added。　　〃He　lives　here　in　South
Harniss　all　the　year。　　He　is　a　poet；　I　believe；　and　Madeline；　who
knows　about　such　thingsinherits　it　from　her　mother；　I　suppose
says　his　poetry　is　beautiful。〃

Her　companion　watched　the　subject　of　their　conversation　as；　with
Miss　Fosdick；　he　moved　lightly　and　surely　through　the　crowd　on　the
floor。

〃He　LOOKS　like　a　poet；〃　she　said；　slowly。　　〃He　is　wonderfully
handsome；　so　distinguished；　and　SUCH　a　dancer！　　But　why　should　a
poet　live　hereall　the　year？　　Is　that　all　he　does　for　a　living
write　poetry？〃

Jane　pretended　not　to　hear　her　and；　a　masculine　friend　coming　to
claim　his　dance；　seized　the　opportunity　to　escape。　　However；
another　〃sitter　out〃　supplied　the　information。

〃He　is　a　sort　of　assistant　bookkeeper　at　the　lumber　yard　by　the
railroad　station；〃　said　this　person。　　〃His　grandfather　owns　the
place；　I　believe。　　One　would　never　guess　it　to　look　at　him　now。　。　。　。
Humph！　　I　wonder　if　Mrs。　Fosdick　knows。　　They　say　she　iswell；
not　democratically　inclined；　to　say　the　least。〃

Albert　had　his　two　promised　dances　with　Madeline　Fosdick；　but　the
〃extra〃　he　did　not　obtain。　　Mrs。　Fosdick；　the　ever　watchful；　had
seen　and　made　inquiries。　　Then　she　called　her　daughter　to　her　and
issued　an　ultimatum。

〃I　am　SO　sorry；〃　said　the　young　lady；　in　refusing　the　plea　for　the
〃extra。〃　　〃I　should　like　to；　but　Ibut　Mother　has　asked　me　to
dance　with　a　friend　of　ours　from　home。　　II　AM　sorry；　really。〃

She　looked　as　if　she　meant　it。　　Albert　was　sorry；　too。　　This　had
been　a　strange　evening；　another　combination　of　sweet　and　sour。　　He
glanced　across　the　floor　and　saw　Helen　and　the　inevitable　Raymond
emerge　together　from　the　room　where　the　refreshments　were　served。
Raging　jealousy　seized　him　at　the　sight。　　Helen　had　not　been　near
him；　had　scarcely　spoken　to　him　since　his　arrival。　　He　forgot　that
he　had　not　been　near　nor　spoken　to　her。

He　danced　twice　or　thrice　more　with　acquaintances；　〃summer〃　or
permanent；　and　then　decided　to　go　home。　　Madeline　Fosdick　he　saw　at
the　other　end　of　the　room　surrounded　by　a　group　of　young　masculinity。
Helen　he　could　not　see　at　the　moment。　　He　moved　in　the　direction　of
the　coatroom。　　Just　as　he　reached　the　door　he　was　surprised　to　see
Ed　Raymond　stride　by　him；　head　down　and　looking　anything　but　joyful。
He　watched　and　was　still　more　astonished　to　see　the　young　man　get
his　coat　and　hat　from　the　attendant　and　walk　out　of　the　hotel。　　He
saw　him　stride　away　along　the　drive　and　down　the　moonlit　road。　　He
was；　apparently；　going　homegoing　home　alone。

He　got　his　own　coat　and　hat　and；　before　putting　them　on；　stepped
back　for　a　final　look　at　the　ballroom。　　As　he　stood　by　the
cloakroom　door　someone　touched　his　arm。　　Turning　he　saw　Helen。

〃Whywhy；　Helen！〃　he　exclaimed；　in　surprise。

〃Are　you　going　home？〃　she　asked；　in　a　low　tone。

〃Yes；　I〃

〃And　you　are　going　alone？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Would　you　mindwould　it　trouble　you　too　much　to　walk　with　me　as
far　as　our　house？〃

〃Whywhy　of　course　not。　　I　shall　be　delighted。　　But　I　thought　you
I　thought　Ed　Raymond〃

〃No；　I'm　alone。　　Wait　here；　I　will　be　ready　in　just　a　minute。〃

She　hurried　away。　　He　gazed　after　her　in　bewilderment。　　She　and　he
had　scarcely　exchanged　a　word　during　the　evening；　and　now；　when　the
evening　was　almost　over；　she　came　and　asked　him　to　be　her　escort。
What　in　the　wide　world？

The　minute　she　had　specified　had　hardly　elapsed　when　she　reappeared；
ready　for　out　of　doors。　　She　took　his　arm　and　they　walked　down　the
steps　of　the　hotel；　past　the　group　of　lights　at　the　head　of　the
drive　and　along　the　road；　with　the　moon　shining　down　upon　it　and　the
damp；　salt　breeze　from　the　ocean　blowing　across　it。　　They　walked　for
the　first　few　minutes　in　silence。　　There　were　a　dozen　questions　he
would　have　liked　to　ask；　but　his　jealous　resentment　had　not　entirely
vanished　and　his　pride　forbade。　　It　was　she　who　spoke　first。

〃Albert；〃　she　said；　〃you　must　think　this　very　odd。〃

He　knew　what　she　meant；　but　he　did　not　choose　to　admit　it。

〃What？〃　he　asked。

〃Why；　my　asking　you　to　walk　home　with　me；　afterafter　our　trouble。
It　is　strange；　I　suppose；　particularly　as　you　had　not　spoken　before
this　whole　evening。〃

〃_I_spoken　to　YOU？　　Why；　you　bowed　to　me　when　I　came　into　the
room　and　that　was　the　only　sign　of　recognition　you　gave　me　until
just　now。　　Not　a　dancenot　one。〃

〃Did　you　expect　me　to　look　you　up　and　beg　you　to　dance　with　me？〃

〃Did　you　expect　me　to　trot　at　that　fellow's　heels　and　wait　my
chance　to　get　a　word　with　you；　to　take　what　he　left？　　I　should　say
not！　　By　George；　Helen；　I〃

She　interrupted　him。　　〃Hush；　hush！〃　she　pleaded。　　〃This　is　all　so
silly；　so　childish。　　And　we　mustn't　quarrel　any　more。　　I　have　made
up　my　mind　to　that。　　We　mustn't。〃

〃Humph！　　All　right；　_I_　had　no　thought　of　quarreling　in　the
beginning。　　But　there　are　some　things　a　self…respecting　chap　can't
stand。　　I　have　SOME　pride；　I　hope。〃

She　caught　her　breath　quickly。　　〃Do　you　think；〃　she　asked；　〃that　it
was　no　sacrifice　to　my　pride　to　beg　you　to　walk　home　with　me？
Afterafter　the　things　you　said　the　other　evening？　　Oh；　Albert；
how　could　you　say　them！〃

〃Well〃　he　hesitated；　and　then　added；　〃I　told　you　I　was　sorry。〃

〃Yes；　but　you　weren't　really　sorry。　　You　must　have　believed　the
things　that　hateful　Issachar　Price　said　or　you　wouldn't　have
repeated　them。　。　。　。　　Oh；　but　never　mind　that　now；　I　didn't　mean　to
speak　of　it　at　all。　　I　asked　you　to　walk　home　with　me　because　I
wanted　to　make　up　our　quarrel。　　Yes；　that　was　it。　　I　didn't　want　to
go　away　and　feel　that　you　and　I　were　not　as　good　friends　as　ever。
So；　you　see；　I　put　all　MY　pride　to　one　sideand　asked。〃

One　phrase　in　one　sentence　of　this　speech　caught　and　held　the　young
man's　attention。　　He　forgot　the　others。

〃You　are　going　away？〃　he　repeated。　　〃What　do　you　mean？　　Where　are
you　going？〃

〃I　am　going　to　Cambridge　to　study。　　I　am　going　to　take　some　courses
at　Radcliffe。　　You　know　I　told　you　I　hoped　to　some　day。　　Well；　it
has　been　arranged。　　I　am　to　live　with　my　cousin；　father's　half
sister　in　Somerville。　　Father　is　well　enough　to　leave　now　and　I
have　engaged　a　capable　woman；　Mrs。　Peters；　to　help　Maria　with　the
housework。　　I　am　going　Friday　morning；　the　day　after　to…morrow。〃

He　stopped　short　to　stare　at　her。

〃You　are　going　away？〃　he　asked；　again。　　〃You　are　going　to　do　that
andand　　Why　didn't　you　tell　me　before？〃

It　was　a　characteristic　return　to　his　attitude　of　outraged　royalty。
She　had　made　all　these　plans；　had　arranged　to　do　this　thing；　and　he
had　not　been　informed。　　At　another　time　Helen　might　have　laughed　at
him；　she　generally　did　when　he　became　what　she　called　the　〃Grand
Bashaw。〃　　She　did　not　laugh　now；　however；　but　answered　quietly。

〃I　didn't　know　I　was　going　to　do　it　until　a　little　more　than　a　week
ago；〃　she　said。　　〃And　I　have　not　seen　you　since　then。〃

〃No；　you've　been　too　busy　seeing　someone　else。〃

She　lost　patience　for　the　instant。　　〃Oh；　don't；　don't；　don't！〃　she
cried。　　〃I　know　who　you　mean；　of　course。　　You　mean　Ed　Raymond。
Don't　you　know　why　he　has　been　at　the　house　so　much　of　late？　　Why
he　and　I　have　been　so　much　together？　　Don't　you　really　know？〃

〃What？　。　。　。　　No；　I　don'texcept　that　you　and　he　wanted　to　be
together。〃

〃And　it　didn't　occur　to　you　that　there　might　be　some　other　reason？
You　forgot；　I　suppose；　that　he　and　I　were　appointed　on　the　Ticket
Committee　for　this　very　dance？〃

He　had　forgotten　it　entirely。　　Now　he　remembered　perfectly　the
meeting　of　the　French　Relief　Society　at　which　the　appointment　had
been　made。　　In　fact　Helen　herself　had　told　him　of　it　at　the　time。
For　the　moment　he　was　staggered；　but　he　rallied　promptly。

〃Committee　meetings　may　do　as　an　excuse　for　some　things；〃　he　said；
〃but　they　don't　explain　the　resthis　calls　here　every　other
evening　andand　so　on。　　Honest　now；　Helen；　you　know　he　hasn't　been
running　after　you　in　this　way　just　because　he　is　on　that　committee
with　you；　now　don't　you？〃

They　were　almost　at　the　parsonage。　　The　light　from　Mr。　Kendall's
study　window　shone　through　the　leaves　of　the　lilac　bush　behind　the
white　fence。　　Helen　started　to　speak；　but　hesitated。　　He　repeated
his　question。

〃Now　don't　you？〃　he　urged。

〃Why；　why；　yes；　I　suppose　I　do；〃　she　said；　slowly。　　〃I　do　know
now。　　But　I　didn't　even　think　of　such　a　thing　untiluntil　you　came
that　evening　and　told　me　what　Issy　Price　said。〃

〃You　mean　you　didn't　guess　at　all？〃

〃Wellwell；　perhaps　II　thought　he　liked　to　comeliked　to　　Oh；
what　is　the　use　of　being　silly！　　I　did　think　he　liked　to　call；　but
only　as　a　friend。　　He　was　jolly　and　lots　of　fun　and　we　were　both
fond　of　music。　　I　enjoyed　his　company。　　I　never　dreamed　that　there
was　anything　more　than　that　until　you　came　and　were　sodisagreeable。
And　even　then　I　didn't　believeuntil　to…night。〃

Again　she　hesitated。　　〃To…night？〃　he　repeated。　　〃What　happened　to…
night？〃

〃Oh　nothing。　　I　can't　tell　you。　　Oh；　why　can't　friends　be　friends
and　not。　。　。　。　　That　is　why　I　spoke　to　you；　Albert；　why　I　wanted　to
have　this　talk　with　you。　　I　was　going　away　so　soon　and　I　couldn't
bear　to　go　with　any　unfriendliness　between　us。　　There　mustn't　be。
Don't　you　see？〃

He　heard　but　a　part　of　this。　　The　memory　of　Raymond's　face　as　he
had　seen　it　when　the　young　man　strode　out　of　the　cloakroom　and　out
of　the　hotel　came　back　to　him　and　with　it　a　great　heart…throbbing
sense　of　relief；　of　triumph。　　He　seized　her　hand。

〃Helen；〃　he　cried；　〃did　hedid　you　tell　him　　Oh；　by　George；
Helen；　you're　the　most　wonderful　girl　in　the　world！　　I'mI　　Oh；
Helen；　you　know　II〃

It　was　not　his　habit　to　be　at　a　loss　for　words；　but　he　was　just
then。　　He　tried　to　retain　her　hand；　to　put　his　arm　about　her。

〃Oh；　Helen！〃　he　cried。　　〃You're　wonderful！　　You're　splendid！　　I'm
crazy　about　you！　　I　really　am！　　I〃

Sh