the portygee-第43部分

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〃Thanks。　　Well；　this　ain't　a　story　exactly；　it　just　kind　of　makes
the　point　I'm　tryin'　to　get　at。　　Calvin　Bangs　had　a　white　mare　one
time　and　the　critter　had　a　habit　of　runnin'　away。　　Once　his　wife；
Hannah　J。；　was　in　the　buggy　all　by　herself；　over　to　the　Ostable
Fair；　Calvin　havin'　got　out　to　buy　some　peanuts　or　somethin'。　　The
mare　got　scared　of　the　noise　and　crowd　and　bolted。　　As　luck　would
have　it；　she　went　right　through　the　fence　and　out　onto　the　trottin'
track。　　And　around　that　track　she　went；　hell　bent　for　election。
All　hands　was　runnin'　alongside　hollerin'　'Stop　her！　　Stop　her！
'but　not　Calvinno　SIR！　　He　waited　till　the　mare　was　abreast　of
him；　the　mare　on　two　legs　and　the　buggy　on　two　wheels　and　Hannah
'most　anywheres　between　the　dasher　and　the　next　world；　and　then　he
sung　out：　　'Give　her　her　head；　Hannah！　　Give　her　her　head。　　She'll
stop　when　she　runs　down。'〃

He　laughed　and　his　visitor　laughed　with　him。

〃I　gather；〃　observed　the　New　Yorker；　〃that　you　believe　it　the
better　policy　to　give　our　young　people　their　heads。〃

〃In　reasonyes；　I　do。　　It's　my　judgment　that　an　affair　like　this
will　hurry　more　and　more　if　you　try　too　hard　to　stop　it。　　If　you
don't　try　at　all　so　any　one　would　notice　it；　it　may　run　down　and
stop　of　itself；　the　way　Calvin's　mare　did。〃

Fosdick　nodded　reflectively。　　〃I'm　inclined　to　agree　with　you；〃　he
said。　　〃But　does　that　mean　that　they're　to　correspond；　write　love
letters；　and　all　that？〃

〃Why；　in　reason；　maybe。　　If　we　say　no　to　that；　they'll　write
anyhow；　won't　they？〃

〃Of　course。　。　。　。　　How　would　it　do　to　get　them　to　promise　to　write
nothing　that　their　parents　might　not　see？　　Of　course　I　don't　mean
for　your　grandson　to　show　you　his　letters　before　he　sends　them　to
Madeline。　　He's　too　old　for　that；　and　he　would　refuse。　　But　suppose
you　asked　him　to　agree　to　write　nothing　that　Madeline　would　not　be
willing　to　show　her　motheror　me。　　Do　you　think　he　would？〃

〃Maybe。　　I'll　ask　him。　。　。　。　　Yes；　I　guess　likely　he'd　do　that。〃

〃My　reason　for　suggesting　it　is；　frankly；　not　so　much　on　account　of
the　young　people　as　to　pacify　my　wife。　　I　am　not　afraidnot　very
much　afraid　of　this　love　affair。　　They　are　young；　both　of　them。
Give　them　time；　andas　you　say；　Snow；　the　thing　may　run　down；
peter　out。〃

〃I'm　in　hopes　'twill。　　It's　calf　love；　as　I　see　it；　and　I　believe
'twill　pay　to　give　the　calves　rope　enough。〃

〃So　do　I。　　No；　I'm　not　much　troubled　about　the　young　people。　　But
Mrs。　Fosdickwell；　my　trouble　will　be　with　her。　　She'll　want　to
have　your　boy　shot　or　jailed　or　hanged　or　something。〃

〃I　presume　likely。　　I　guess　you'll　have　to　handle　her　the　way
another　feller　who　used　to　live　here　in　South　Harniss　said　he
handled　his　wife。　　'We　don't　never　have　any　trouble　at　all；'　says
he。　　'Whenever　she　says　yes　or　no；　I　say　the　same　thing。　　Later　on；
when　it　comes　to　doin'；　I　do　what　I　feel　like。'　。　。　。　　Eh？　　You're
not　goin'；　are　you；　Mr。　Fosdick？〃

His　visitor　had　risen　and　was　reaching　for　his　coat。　　Captain
Zelotes　also　rose。

〃Don't　hurry；　don't　hurry；〃　he　begged。

〃Sorry；　but　I　must。　　I　want　to　be　back　in　New　York　tomorrow
morning。〃

〃But　you　can't；　can　you？　　To　do　that　you'll　have　to　get　up　to
Boston　or　Fall　River；　and　the　afternoon　train's　gone。　　You'd　better
stay　and　have　supper　along　with　my　wife　and　me；　stay　at　our　house
over　night；　and　take　the　early　train　after　breakfast　to…morrow。〃

〃I　wish　I　could；　I'd　like　nothing　better。　　But　I　can't。〃

〃Sure？〃　　Then；　with　a　smile；　he　added：　　〃Al　needn't　eat　with　us；
you　know；　if　his　bein'　there　makes　either　of　you　feel　nervous。〃

Fosdick　laughed　again。　　〃I　think　I　should　be　willing　to　risk　the
nervousness；〃　he　replied。　　〃But　I　must　go；　really。　　I've　hired　a
chap　at　the　garage　here　to　drive　me　to　Boston　in　his　car　and　I'll
take　the　midnight　train　over。〃

〃Humph！　　Well；　if　you　must；　you　must。　　Hope　you　have　a　comf'table
trip；　Mr。　Fosdick。　　Better　wrap　up　warm；　it's　pretty　nigh　a　five…
hour　run　to　Boston　and　there's　some　cool　wind　over　the　Ostable
marshes　this　time　of　year。　　Good…by；　sir。　　Glad　to　have　had　this
talk　with　you。〃

His　visitor　held　out　his　hand。　　〃So　am　I；　Snow；〃　he　said　heartily。
〃Mighty　glad。〃

〃I　hope　I　wasn't　too　short　and　brisk　at　the　beginnin'。　　You　see；
I'd　just　read　your　wife's　letter；　anderwell；　of　course；　I
didn't　knowjustyou　see；　you　and　I　had　never　met；　and　so〃

〃Certainly；　certainly。　　I　quite　understand。　　And；　fool's　errand　or
not；　I'm　very　glad　I　came　here。　　If　you'll　pardon　my　saying　so；　it
was　worth　the　trip　to　get　acquainted　with　you。　　I　hope；　whatever
comes　of　the　other　thing；　that　our　acquaintanceship　will　continue。〃

〃Same　here；　same　here。　　Go　right　out　the　side　door；　Mr。　Fosdick；
saves　goin'　through　the　office。　　Good　day；　sir。〃

He　watched　the　bulky　figure　of　the　New　York　banker　tramping　across
the　yard　between　the　piles　of　lumber。　　A　moment　later　he　entered
the　outer　office。　　Albert　and　Keeler　were　at　their　desks。　　Captain
Zelotes　approached　the　little　bookkeeper。

〃Labe；〃　he　queried；　〃there　isn't　anything　particular　you　want　me　to
talk　about　just　now；　is　there？〃

Lahan　looked　up　in　surprise　from　his　figuring。

〃Whywhy；　no；　Cap'n　Lote；　don't　know's　there　is；〃　he　said。　　〃Don't
know's　there　is；　not　now；　no；　no；　no。〃

His　employer　nodded。　　〃Good！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃Then　I'm　goin'　back
inside　there　and　sit　down　and　rest　my　chin　for　an　hour；　anyhow。
I've　talked　so　much　to…day　that　my　jaws　squeak。　　Don't　disturb　me
for　anything　short　of　a　fire　or　a　mutiny。〃



CHAPTER　XII


He　was　not　disturbed　and　that　evening；　after　supper　was　over；　he
was　ready　to　talk　again。　　He　and　Albert　sat　together　in　the　sitting
roomMrs。　Snow　and　Rachel　were　in　the　kitchen　washing　dishesand
Captain　Zelotes　told　his　grandson　as　much　as　he　thought　advisable
to　tell　of　his　conversation　with　the　Honorable　Fletcher　Fosdick。
At　first　Albert　was　inclined　to　rebel　at　the　idea　of　permitting　his
letters　to　Madeline　to　be　read　by　the　latter's　parents；　but　at
length　he　agreed。

〃I'll　do　it　because　it　may　make　it　easier　for　her；〃　he　said。
〃She'll　have　a　dreadful　time；　I　suppose；　with　that　unreasonable
mother　of　hers。　　But；　by　George；　Grandfather；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃isn't
she　splendid；　though！〃

〃Who？　　Mrs。　Fosdick？〃

〃No；　of　course　not；〃　indignantly。　　〃Madeline。　　Isn't　she　splendid
and　fine　and　loyal！　　I　want　you　to　know　her；　Grandfather；　you　and
Grandmother。〃

〃Um…hm。　　Well；　we'll　hope　to；　some　day。　　Now；　son；　I'm　goin'　to　ask
for　another　promise。　　It　may　seem　a　hard　one　to　make；　but　I'm
askin'　you　to　make　it。　　I　want　you　to　give　me　your　word　that；　no
matter　what　happens　or　how　long　you　have　to　wait；　you　and　Madeline
won't　get　married　without　tellin'　her　folks　and　yours　beforehand。
You　won't　run　away　and　marry。　　Will　you　promise　me　that？〃

Albert　looked　at　him。　　This　WAS　a　hard　promise　to　make。　　In　their
talks　beneath　the　rainbows；　whenever　he　and　Madeline　had　referred
to　the　future　and　its　doubts；　they　had　always　pushed　those　doubts
aside　with　vague　hints　of　an　elopement。　　If　the　unreasonableness　of
parents　and　grandparents　should　crowd　them　too　far；　they　had　always
as　a　last　resort；　the　solution　of　their　problem　by　way　of　a　runaway
marriage。　　And　now　Captain　Zelotes　was　asking　him　to　give　up　this
last　resort。

The　captain；　watching　him　keenly；　divined　what　was　in　his
grandson's　mind。

〃Think　it　over；　Al；〃　he　said　kindly。　　〃Don't　answer　me　now；　but
think　it　over；　and　to…morrow　mornin'　tell　me　how　you　feel　about
it。〃　　He　hesitated　a　moment　and　then　added：　　〃You　know　your
grandmother　and　I；　wewell；　we　have　maybe　cause　to　be　a　little
mite　prejudiced　against　this　elopin'　business。〃

So　Albert　thought；　and　the　next　morning；　as　the　pair　were　walking
together　to　the　office；　he　spoke　his　thought。　　Captain　Zelotes　had
not　mentioned　the　subject。

〃Grandfather；〃　said　Albert；　with　some　embarrassment；　〃I'm　going　to
give　you　that　promise。〃

His　grandfather；　who　had　been　striding　along；　his　heavy　brows　drawn
together　and　his　glance　fixed　upon　the　frozen　ground　beneath　his
feet；　looked　up。

〃Eh？〃　he　queried；　uncomprehendingly。

〃You　asked　me　last　night　to　promise　you　something；　you　know。　。　。　。
You　asked　me　to　think　it　over。　　I　have；　and　I'm　going　to　promise
you　thatMadeline　and　I　won't　marry　without　first　telling　you。〃

Captain　Zelotes　stopped　in　his　stride；　then　he　walked　on　again。

〃Thank　you；　Al；〃　he　said　quietly。　　〃I　hoped　you'd　see　it　that　way。〃

〃Yesyes；　II　do。　　I　don't　want　to　bring　any　moretrouble　of
that　kind　to　you　and　Grandmother。　。　。　。　　It　seems　to　me　that　you
that　you　have　had　too　much　already。〃

〃Thank　you；　son。　。　。　。　　Much　obliged。〃

The　captain's　tone　was　almost　gruff　and　that　was　his　only　reference
to　the　subject　of　the　promise；　but　somehow　Albert　felt　that　at　that
moment　he　and　his　grandfather　were　closer　together；　were　nearer　to
a　mutual　understanding　and　mutual　appreciation　than　they　had　ever
been　before。

To　promise；　however；　is　one　thing；　to　fulfill　the　obligation
another。　　As　the　days　passed　Albert　found　his　promise　concerning
letter…writing　very；　very　hard　to　keep。　　When；　each　evening　he　sat
down　at　the　table　in　his　room　to　pour　out　his　soul　upon　paper　it
was　a　most　unsatisfactory　outpouring。　　The　constantly　enforced
recollection　that　whatever　he　wrote　would　be　subject　to　the
chilling　glance　of　the　eye　of　Fosdick　mater　was　of　itself　a　check
upon　the　flow。　　To　write　a　love　letter　to　Madeline　had　hitherto
been　a　joy；　a　rapture；　to　fill　pages　and　pages　a　delight。　　Now；
somehow；　these　pages　were　hard　to　fill。　　Omitting　the　very　things
you　were　dying　to　say；　the　precious；　the　intimate　thingswhat　was
there　left？　　He　and　she　had；　at　their　meetings　and　in　their　former
correspondence；　invented　many　delightful　little　pet　names　for　each
other。　　Now　those　names　were　taboo；　or；　at　any　rate；　they　might　as
well　be。　　The　thought　of　Mrs。　Fosdick's　sniff　of　indignant　disgust
at　finding　her　daughter　referred　to　as　some　one's　ownest　little
rosebud　withered　that　bud　before　it　reached　the　paper。

And　Madeline's　letters　to　him　were　quite　as　unsatisfactory。　　They
were　lengthy；　but　oh；　so　matter　of　fact！　　Saharas　of　fact　without
one　oasis　of　sentiment。　　She　was　well　and　she　had　done　this　and
t