the portygee-第51部分

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back　to　safety　and　the　enemy　at　that　moment　was　again　advancing
through　the　village。　　But　he　insisted　upon　going。　　The　man　he　was
trying　to　rescue　was　a　private　in　his　company　and　the　pair　were
great　friends。　　So　he　started　back　alone；　although　several　followed
him　a　moment　later。　　They　saw　him　enter　the　ruined　cottage　where
his　friend　lay。　　Then　a　party　of　the　enemy　appeared　at　the　corner
and　flung　grenades。　　The　entire　side　of　the　cottage　which　he　had
just　entered　was　blown　in　and　the　Germans　passed　on　over　it；
causing　our　men　to　fall　back　temporarily。　　We　retook　the　place
within　half　an　hour。　　Private　Kelly's　bodyit　was　Private　Kelly
whom　Sergeant　Speranza　was　attempting　to　rescuewas　found　and
another；　badly　disfigured；　which　was　at　first　supposed　to　be　that
of　your　grandson。　　But　this　body　was　subsequently　identified　as
that　of　a　private　named　Hamlin　who　was　killed　when　the　enemy　first
charged。　　Sergeant　Speranza's　body　is　still　missing；　but　is　thought
to　be　buried　beneath　the　ruins　of　the　cottage。　　These　ruins　were
subsequently　blown　into　further　chaos　by　a　high　explosive　shell。


Then　followed　more　expressions　of　regret　and　sympathy　and
confirmation　of　the　report　concerning　citation　and　the　war　cross。
Captain　Lote　read　the　letter　at　first　alone　in　his　private　office。
Then　he　brought　it　home　and　gave　it　to　his　wife　to　read。　　Afterward
he　read　it　aloud　to　Mrs。　Ellis　and　to　Laban；　who　was　making　his
usual　call　in　the　Snow　kitchen。

When　the　reading　was　ended　Labe　was　the　first　to　speak。　　His　eyes
were　shining。

〃Godfreys！〃　he　exclaimed。　　Godfreys；　Cap'n　Lote！〃

The　captain　seemed　to　understand。

〃You're　right；　Labe；〃　he　said。　　〃The　boy's　made　us　proud　of
him。　。　。　。　　Prouder　than　some　of　us　are　of　ourselves；　I　cal'late；〃
he　added；　rising　and　moving　toward　the　door。

〃Sho；　sho；　Cap'n；　you　mustn't　feel　that　way。　　No；　no。〃

〃Humph！　。　。　。　　Labe；　I　presume　likely　if　I　was　a　pious　man；　one　of
the　old…fashioned　kind　of　pious；　and　believed　the　Almighty　went　out
of　his　way　to　get　square　with　any　human　bein'　that　made　a　mistake
or　didn't　do　the　right　thingif　I　believed　that　I　might　figger　all
this　was　a　sort　of　special　judgment　on　me　for　my　prejudices；　eh？〃

Mr。　Keeler　was　much　disturbed。

〃Nonsense；　nonsense；　Cap'n　Lote！〃　he　protested。　　〃You　ain't　fair　to
yourself。　　You　never　treated　Al　anyhow　but　just　honest　and　fair　and
square。　　If　he　was　here　now　instead　of　layin'　dead　over　there　in
France；　poor　feller；　he'd　say　so；　too。　　Yes；　he　would。　　Course　he
would。〃

The　captain　made　no　reply；　but　walked　from　the　room。　　Laban　turned
to　Mrs。　Ellis。

〃The　old　man　broods　over　that；〃　he　said。　　〃I　wish。　。　。　。　　Eh？
What's　the　matter；　Rachel？　　What　are　you　lookin'　at　me　like　that
for？〃

The　housekeeper　was　leaning　forward　in　her　chair；　her　cheeks
flushed　and　her　hands　clenched。

〃How　do　you　know　he's　dead？〃　she　asked；　in　a　mysterious　whisper。

〃Eh？　　How　do　I　know　who's　dead？〃

〃Albert。　　How　do　you　know　he's　dead？〃

Laban　stared　at　her。

〃How　do　I　know　he's　DEAD！〃　he　repeated。　　〃How　do　I　know〃

〃Yes；　yes；　yes；〃　impatiently；　〃that's　what　I　said。　　Don't　run　it
over　three　or　four　times　more。　　How　do　you　know　Albert's　dead？〃

〃Why；　Rachel；　what　kind　of　talk's　that？　　I　know　he's　dead　because
the　newspapers　say　so；　and　the　War　Department　folks　say　so；　and
this　cap'n　man　in　France　that　was　right　there　at　the　time；　HE　says
so。　　All　hands　say　soyes；　yes。　　So　don't〃

〃Sh！　　I　don't　care　if　they　all　say　so　ten　times　over。　　How　do　they
KNOW？　　They　ain't　found　him　dead；　have　they？　　The　report　from　the
War　Department　folks　was　sent　when　they　thought　that　other　body　was
Albert's。　　Now　they　know　that　wasn't　him。　　Where　is　he？〃

〃Why；　under　the　ruins　of　that　cottage。　　'Twas　all　blown　to　pieces
and　most　likely〃

〃Um…hm。　　There　you　are！　　'Most　likely！'　　Well；　I　ain't　satisfied
with　most　likelys。　　I　want　to　KNOW。〃

〃Butbut〃

〃Laban　Keeler；　until　they　find　his　body　I　shan't　believe　Albert's
dead。〃

〃But；　Rachel；　you　mustn't　try　to　deceive　yourself　that　way。　　Don't
you　see〃

〃No；　I　don't　see。　　Labe；　when　Robert　Penfold　was　lost　and　gone　for
all　them　months　all　hands　thought　he　was　dead；　didn't　they？　　But　he
wasn't；　he　was　on　that　island　lost　in　the　middle　of　all　creation。
What's　to　hinder　Albert　bein'　took　prisoner　by　those　Germans？　　They
came　back　to　that　cottage　place　after　Albert　was　left　there；　the
cap'n　says　so　in　that　letter　Cap'n　Lote　just　read。　　What's　to
hinder　their　carryin'　Al　off　with　'em？　　Eh？　　What's　to　hinder？〃

〃Whywhy；　nothin'；　I　suppose；　in　one　way。　　But　nine　chances　out　of
ten〃

〃That　leaves　one　chance；　don't　it。　　I　ain't　goin'　to　give　up　that
chance　forfor　my　boy。　　II　　Oh；　Labe；　I　did　think　SO　much　of
him。〃

〃I　know；　Rachel；　I　know。　　Don't　cry　any　more　than　you　can　help。
And　if　it　helps　you　any　to　make　believeI　mean　to　keep　on　hopin'
he's　alive　somewhereswhy；　do　it。　　It　won't　do　any　harm；　I
suppose。　　Only　I　wouldn't　hint　such　a　thing　to　Cap'n　Lote　or
Olive。〃

〃Of　course　not；〃　indignantly。　　〃I　ain't　quite　a　fool；　I　hope。　。　。　。
And　I　presume　likely　you're　right；　Laban。　　The　poor　boy　is　dead；
probably。　　But　II'm　goin'　to　hope　he　isn't；　anyhow；　just　to　get
what　comfort　I　can　from　it。　　And　Robert　Penfold　did　come　back；　you
know。〃

For　some　time　Laban　found　himself；　against　all　reason；　asking　the
very　question　Rachel　had　asked：　　Did　they　actually　KNOW　that　Albert
was　dead？　　But　as　the　months　passed　and　no　news　came　he　ceased　to
ask　it。　　Whenever　he　mentioned　the　subject　to　the　housekeeper　her
invariable　reply　was：　　〃But　they　haven't　found　his　body；　have
they？〃　　She　would　not　give　up　that　tenth　chance。　　As　she　seemed　to
find　some　comfort　in　it　he　did　not　attempt　to　convince　her　of　its
futility。

And；　meanwhile　The　Lances　of　Dawn；　Being　the　Collected　Poems　of
Albert　M。　C。　Speranza　was　making　a　mild　sensation。　　The　critics
were　surprisingly　kind　to　it。　　The　story　of　the　young　author's
recent　and　romantic　death；　of　his　gallantry；　his　handsome　features
displayed　in　newspapers　everywhere；　all　these　helped　toward　the
generous　welcome　accorded　the　little　volume。　　If　the　verses　were
not　inspiredwhy；　they　were　at　least　entertaining　and　pleasant。
And　youth；　high…hearted　youth　sang　on　every　page。　　So　the　reviewers
were　kind　and　forbearing　to　the　poems　themselves；　and；　for　the　sake
of　the　dead　soldier…poet；　were　often　enthusiastic。　　The　book　sold；
for　a　volume　of　poems　it　sold　very　well　indeed。

At　the　Snow　place　in　South　Harniss　pride　and　tears　mingled。　　Olive
read　the　verses　over　and　over　again；　and　wept　as　she　read。　　Rachel
Ellis　learned　many　of　them　by　heart；　but　she；　too；　wept　as　she
recited　them　to　herself　or　to　Laban。　　In　the　little　bookkeeper's
room　above　Simond's　shoe　store　The　Lances　of　Dawn　lay　under　the
lamp　upon　the　center　table　as　before　a　shrine。　　Captain　Zelotes
read　the　verses。　　Also　he　read　all　the　newspaper　notices　which；
sent　to　the　family　by　Helen　Kendall；　were　promptly　held　before　his
eyes　by　Olive　and　Rachel。　　He　read　the　publisher's　advertisements；
he　read　the　reviews。　　And　the　more　he　read　the　more　puzzled　and
bewildered　he　became。

〃I　can't　understand　it；　Laban；〃　he　confided　in　deep　distress　to　Mr。
Keeler。　　〃I　give　in　I　don't　know　anything　at　all　about　this。　　I'm
clean　off　soundin's。　　If　all　this　newspaper　stuff　is　so　Albert　was
right　all　the　time　and　I　was　plumb　wrong。　　Here's　this　feller；〃
picking　up　a　clipping　from　the　desk；　〃callin'　him　a　genius　and　'a
gifted　youth'　and　the　land　knows　what。　　And　every　day　or　so　I　get　a
letter　from　somebody　I　never　heard　of　tellin'　me　what　a　comfort　to
'em　those　poetry　pieces　of　his　are。　　I　don't　understand　it；　Labe。
It　worries　me。　　If　all　this　is　true　thenthen　I　was　all　wrong。　　I
tried　to　keep　him　from　makin'　up　poetry；　LabeTRIED　to；　I　did。　　If
what　these　folks　say　is　so　somethin'　ought　to　be　done　to　me。　　II
by　thunder；　I　don't　know's　I　hadn't　ought　to　be　hung！　。　。　。　　And
yetand　yet；　I　did　what　I　thought　was　right　and　did　it　for　the
boy's　sake　。　。　。　　Andand　even　now　II　ain't　sartin　I　was　wrong。
But　if　I　wasn't　wrong　then　this　is　。　。　。　　Oh；　I　don't　know；　I　don't
know！〃

And　not　only　in　South　Harniss　were　there　changes　of　heart。　　In　New
York　City　and　at　Greenwich　where　Mrs。　Fosdick　was　more　than　ever
busy　with　war　work；　there　were　changes。　　When　the　newspaper
accounts　of　young　Speranza's　heroic　death　were　first　published　the
lady　paid　little　attention　to　them。　　Her　daughter　needed　all　her
care　just　thenall　the　care；　that　is；　which　she　could　spare　from
her　duties　as　president　of　this　society　and　corresponding　secretary
of　that。　　If　her　feelings　upon　hearing　the　news　could　have　been
analyzed　it　is　probable　that　their　larger　proportion　would　have
been　a　huge　sense　of　relief。　　THAT　problem　was　solved；　at　all
events。　　She　was　sorry　for　poor　Madeline；　of　course；　but　the　dear
child　was　but　a　child　and　would　recover。

But　as　with　more　and　more　intensity　the　limelight　of　publicity　was
turned　upon　Albert　Speranza's　life　and　death　and　writing；　the　wife
of　the　Honorable　Fletcher　Fosdick　could　not　but　be　impressed。　　As
head　of　several　so…called　literary　societies；　societies　rather
neglected　since　the　outbreak　of　hostilities；　she　had　made　it　her
business　to　hunt　literary　lions。　　Recently　it　was　true　that
military　lionsMajor　Vermicelli　of　the　Roumanian　light　cavalry；
or　Private　Drinkwater　of　the　Tank　Corpswere　more　in　demand　than
Tagores；　but；　as　Mrs。　Fosdick　read　of　Sergeant　Speranza's　perils
and　poems；　it　could　not　help　occurring　to　her　that　here　was　a　lion
both　literary　and　martial。　　Decidedly　she　had　not　approved　of　her
daughter's　engagement　to　that　lion；　but　now　the　said　lion　was　dead；
which　rendered　him　a　perfectly　harmless　yet　not　the　less　fascinating
animal。　　And　then　appeared　The　Lances　of　Dawn　and　Mrs。　Fosdick's
friends　among　the　elect　began　to　read　and　talk　about　it。

It　was　then　that　the　change　came。　　Those　friends；　one　by　one；
individuals　judiciously　chosen；　were　told　in　strict　confidence　of
poor　Madeline's　romantic　love　affair　and　its　tragic　ending。　　These
individuals；　chosen　judiciously　as　has　been　stated；　whispered；　also
in　strict　confidence；　the　tale　to　other　friends　and　acquaintances。
Mrs。　Fosdick　began　to　receive　c