the portygee-第50部分

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sympathetic。　　He　had　been　greatly　shocked　and　grieved　by　the　news。


Young　Speranza　seemed　to　me；　（he　wrote）　in　my　one　short　interview
with　him；　to　be　a　fine　young　fellow。　　Madeline；　poor　girl；　is
almost　frantic。　　She　will　recover　by　and　by；　recovery　is　easier　at
her　age；　but　it　will　be　very；　very　hard　for　you　and　Mrs。　Snow。　　You
and　I　little　thought　when　we　discussed　the　problem　of　our　young
people　that　it　would　be　solved　in　this　way。　　To　you　and　your　wife
my　sincerest　sympathy。　　When　you　hear　particulars　concerning　your
grandson's　death；　please　write　me。　　Madeline　is　anxious　to　know　and
keeps　asking　for　them。　　Mrs。　Fosdick　is　too　much　concerned　with　her
daughter's　health　to　write　just　now；　but　she　joins　me　in　sympathetic
regards。


Captain　Zelotes　took　Mrs。　Fosdick's　sympathy　with　a　grain　of　salt。
When　he　showed　this　letter　to　his　wife　he；　for　the　first　time；　told
her　of　the　engagement；　explaining　that　his　previous　silence　had
been　due　to　Albert's　request　that　the　affair　be　kept　a　secret　for
the　present。　　Olive；　even　in　the　depth　of　her　sorrow；　was　greatly
impressed　by　the　grandeur　of　the　alliance。

〃Just　think；　Zelotes；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃the　Fosdick　girland　our
Albert　engaged　to　marry　her！　　Why；　the　Fosdicks　are　awful　rich；
everybody　says　so。　　Mrs。　Fosdick　is　head　of　I　don't　know　how　many
societies　and　clubs　and　things　in　New　York；　her　name　is　in　the
paper　almost　every　day；　so　another　New　York　woman　told　me　at　Red
Cross　meetin'　last　summer。　　And　Mr。　Fosdick　has　been　in　politics；
way　up　in　politics。〃

〃Um…hm。　　Well；　he's　reformed　lately；　I　understand；　so　we　mustn't
hold　that　against　him。〃

〃Why；　Zelotes；　what　DO　you　mean？　　How　can　you　talk　so？　　Just　think
what　it　would　have　meant　to　have　our　Albert　marry　a　girl　like
Madeline　Fosdick。〃

The　captain　put　his　arm　about　her　and　gently　patted　her　shoulder。

〃There；　there；　Mother；〃　he　said；　gently；　〃don't　let　that　part　of　it
fret　you。〃

〃But；　Zelotes；〃　tearfully；　〃I　don't　understand。　　It　would　have　been
such　a　great　thing　for　Albert。〃

〃Would　it？　　Well；　maybe。　　Anyhow；　there's　no　use　worryin'　about　it
now。　　It's　done　withended　and　done　with　。　。　。　same　as　a　good　many
other　plans　that's　been　made　in　the　world。〃

〃Zelotes；　don't　speak　like　that；　dear；　so　discouraged。　　It　makes　me
feel　worse　than　ever　to　hear　you。　　Andand　he　wouldn't　want　you
to；　I'm　sure。〃

〃Wouldn't　he？　　No；　I　cal'late　you're　right；　Mother。　　We'll　try　not
to。〃

Other　letters　came；　including　one　from　Helen。　　It　was　not　long。
Mrs。　Snow　was　a　little　inclined　to　feel　hurt　at　its　brevity。　　Her
husband；　however；　did　not　share　this　feeling。

〃Have　you　read　it　carefully；　Mother？〃　he　asked。

〃Of　course　I　have；　Zelotes。　　What　do　you　mean？〃

〃I　meanwell；　I　tell　you；　Mother；　I've　read　it　three　time。　　The
first　time　I　was　like　you；　seemed　to　me　as　good　a　friend　of　Al　and
of　us　as　Helen　Kendall　ought　to　have　written　more　than　that。　　The
second　time　I　read　it　I　begun　to　wonder　ifif〃

〃If　what；　Zelotes？〃

〃Oh；　nothin'；　Mother；　nothin'。　　She　says　she's　comin'　to　see　us
just　as　soon　as　she　can　get　away　for　a　day　or　two。　　She'll　come；
and　when　she　does　I　cal'late　both　you　and　I　are　goin'　to　be
satisfied。〃

〃But　why　didn't　she　WRITE　more；　Zelotes？　　That's　what　I　can't
understand。〃

Captain　Zelotes　tugged　at　his　beard　reflectively。　　〃When　I　wrote
Fosdick　the　other　day；〃　he　said；　〃I　couldn't　write　more　than　a
couple　of　pages。　　I　was　too　upset　to　do　it。　　I　couldn't；　that's
all。〃

〃Yes；　but　you　are　Albert's　grandfather。〃

〃I　know。　　And　Helen's　always　。　。　。　　But　there；　Mother；　don't　you
worry　about　Helen　Kendall。　　I've　known　her　since　she　was　born；
pretty　nigh；　and　_I_　tell　you　she's　all　RIGHT。〃

Fosdick；　in　his　letter；　had　asked　for　particulars　concerning
Albert's　death。　　Those　particulars　were　slow　in　coming。　　Captain
Zelotes　wrote　at　once　to　the　War　Department；　but　received　little
satisfaction。　　The　Department　would　inform　him　as　soon　as　it
obtained　the　information。　　The　name　of　Sergeant　Albert　Speranza　had
been　cabled　as　one　of　a　list　of　fatalities；　that　was　all。

〃And　to　think；〃　as　Rachel　Ellis　put　it；　〃that　we　never　knew　that
he'd　been　made　a　sergeant　until　after　he　was　gone。　　He　never　had
time　to　write　it；　I　expect　likely；　poor　boy。〃

The　first　bit　of　additional　information　was　furnished　by　the　press。
A　correspondent　of　one　of　the　Boston　dailies　sent　a　brief　dispatch
to　his　paper　describing　the　fighting　at　a　certain　point　on　the
Allied　front。　　A　small　detachment　of　American　troops　had　taken
part；　with　the　French；　in　an　attack　on　a　village　held　by　the　enemy。
The　enthusiastic　reporter　declared　it　to　be　one　of　the　smartest
little　actions　in　which　our　soldiers　had　so　far　taken　part　and　was
eloquent　concerning　the　bravery　and　dash　of　his　fellow　countrymen。
〃They　proved　themselves；〃　he　went　on；　〃and　French　officers　with
whom　I　have　talked　are　enthusiastic。　　Our　losses；　considering　the
number　engaged；　are　said　to　be　heavy。　　Among　those　reported　as
killed　is　Sergeant　Albert　Speranza；　a　Massachusetts　boy　whom
American　readers　will　remember　as　a　writer　of　poetry　and　magazine
fiction。　　Sergeant　Speranza　is　said　to　have　led　his　company　in　the
capture　of　the　village　and　to　have　acted　with　distinguished
bravery。〃　　The　editor　of　the　Boston　paper　who　first　read　this
dispatch　turned　to　his　associate　at　the　next　desk。

〃Speranza？　。　。　。　Speranza？〃　he　said　aloud。　　〃Say；　Jim；　wasn't　it
Albert　Speranza　who　wrote　that　corking　poem　we　published　after　the
Lusitania　was　sunk？〃

Jim　looked　up。　　〃Yes；〃　he　said。　　〃He　has　written　a　lot　of　pretty
good　stuff　since；　too。　　Why？〃

〃He's　just　been　killed　in　action　over　there；　so　Conway　says　in　this
dispatch。〃

〃So？　。　。　。　　Humph！　。　。　。　　Any　particulars？〃

〃Not　yet。　　'Distinguished　bravery；'　according　to　Conway。　　Couldn't
we　have　something　done　in　the　way　of　a　Sunday　special？　　He　was　a
Massachusetts　fellow。〃

〃We　might。　　We　haven't　a　photograph；　have　we？　　If　we　haven't；
perhaps　we　can　get　one。〃

The　photograph　was　obtainedbribery　and　corruption　of　the　Orham
photographerand；　accompanied　by　a　reprint　of　the　Lusitania　poem；
appeared　in　the　〃Magazine　Section〃　of　the　Sunday　newspaper。　　With
these　also　appeared　a　short　notice　of　the　young　poet's　death　in　the
service　of　his　country。

That　was　the　beginning。　　At　the　middle　of　that　week　Conway　sent
another　dispatch。　　The　editor　who　received　it　took　it　into　the
office　of　the　Sunday　editor。

〃Say；〃　he　said；　〃here　are　more　particulars　about　that　young　chap
Speranza；　the　one　we　printed　the　special　about　last　Sunday。　　He
must　have　been　a　corker。　　When　his　lieutenant　was　put　out　of
business　by　a　shrapnel　this　Speranza　chap　rallied　the　men　and
jammed　'em　through　the　Huns　like　a　hot　knife　through　butter。
Killed　the　German　officer　and　took　three　prisoners　all　by　himself。
Carried　his　wounded　lieutenant　to　the　rear　on　his　shoulders；　too。
Then　he　went　back　into　the　ruins　to　get　another　wounded　man　and　was
blown　to　slivers　by　a　hand　grenade。　　He's　been　cited　in　orders　and
will　probably　be　decorated　by　the　Frenchthat　is；　his　memory　will
be。　　Pretty　good　for　a　poet；　I'd　say。　　No　'lilies　and　languors'
about　that；　eh？〃

The　Sunday　editor　nodded　approval。

〃Great　stuff！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃Let　me　have　that　dispatch；　will　you；
when　you've　finished。　　I've　just　discovered　that　this　young
Speranza's　father　was　Speranza；　the　opera　baritone。　　You　remember
him？　　And　his　mother　was　the　daughter　of　a　Cape　Cod　sea　captain。
How's　that？　　Spain；　Cape　Cod；　opera；　poetry　and　the　Croix　de
Guerre。　　And　have　you　looked　at　the　young　fellow's　photograph？
Combination　of　Adonis　and　'Romeo；　where　art　thou。'　　I've　had　no
less　than　twenty　letters　about　him　and　his　poetry　already。　　Next
Sunday　we'll　have　a　special　〃as　is。〃　　Where　can　I　get　hold　of　a　lot
of　his　poems？〃

The　〃special　as　was〃　occupied　an　entire　page。　　A　reporter　had
visited　South　Harniss　and　had　taken　photographs　of　the　Snow　place
and　some　of　its　occupants。　　Captain　Zelotes　had　refused　to　pose；
but　there　was　a　view　of　the　building　and　yards　of　〃Z。　Snow　and　Co。〃
with　the　picturesque　figure　of　Mr。　Issachar　Price　tastefully　draped
against　a　pile　of　boards　in　the　right　foreground。　　Issy　had　been　a
find　for　the　reporter；　he　supplied　the　latter　with　every　fact
concerning　Albert　which　he　could　remember　and　some　that　he　invented
on　the　spur　of　the　moment。　　According　to　Issy；　Albert　was　〃a　fine；
fust…class　young　feller。　　Him　and　me　was　like　brothers；　as　you
might　say。　　When　he　got　into　trouble；　or　was　undecided　or　anything；
he'd　come　to　me　for　advice　and　I　always　gave　it　to　him。　　Land；　yes！
I　always　give　to　Albert。　　No　matter　how　busy　I　was　I　always　stopped
work　to　help　HIM　out。〃　　The　reporter　added　that　Mr。　Price　stopped
work　even　while　speaking　of　it。

The　special　attracted　the　notice　of　other　newspaper　editors。　　This
skirmish　in　which　Albert　had　taken　so　gallant　part　was　among　the
first　in　which　our　soldiers　had　participated。　　So　the　story　was
copied　and　recopied。　　The　tale　of　the　death　of　the　young　poet；　the
〃happy　warrior；〃　as　some　writer　called　him；　was　spread　from　the
Atlantic　to　the　Pacific　and　from　Canada　to　the　Gulf。　　And　just　at
this　psychological　moment　the　New　York　publisher　brought　out　the
long　deferred　volume。　　The　Lances　of　Dawn；　Being　the　Collected
Poems　of　Albert　M。　C。　Speranza；　such　was　its　title。

Meanwhile；　or；　rather；　within　the　week　when　the　Lances　of　Dawn
flashed　upon　the　public；　Captain　Zelotes　received　a　letter　from　the
captain　of　Albert's　regiment　in　France。　　It　was　not　a　long　letter；
for　the　captain　was　a　busy　man；　but　it　was　the　kindly；　sympathetic
letter　of　one　who　was；　literally；　that　well…advertised　combination；
an　officer　and　a　gentleman。　　It　told　of　Albert's　promotion　to　the
rank　of　sergeant；　〃a　promotion　which；　had　the　boy　been　spared；
would；　I　am　sure；　have　been　the　forerunner　of　others。〃　　It　told　of
that　last　fight；　the　struggle　for　the　village；　of　Sergeant
Speranza's　coolness　and　daring　and　of　his　rush　back　into　the　throat
of　death　to　save　a　wounded　comrade。


The　men　tell　me　they　tried　to　stop　him　（wrote　the　captain）。　　He　was
himself　slightly　wounded；　he　had　just　brought　Lieutenant　Stacey
back　to　safety　and　the　enemy　at　that　moment　was　ag