the portygee-第67部分

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〃Perhaps　next　spring。　　Certainly　next　fall。　　It　will　depend　upon
Mr。　Kendall's　health。　　But；　Grandfather；　I　do　feel　rather　like　a
deserter；　going　off　and　leaving　you　here〃

〃Good　Lord！　　You　don't　cal'late　I'M　breakin'　down；　runnin'　strong
to　talk　and　weakenin'　everywhere　else；　like　old　Minister　Kendall；
do　you？〃

〃Well；　hardly。　　But　。　。　。　well；　you　see；　I　have　felt　a　little
ungrateful　ever　since　I　came　back　from　the　war。　　In　a　way　I　am
sorry　that　I　feel　I　must　give　myself　entirely　to　my　writingand　my
political　work。　　I　wish　I　might　have　gone　on　here　in　this　office；
accepted　that　partnership　you　would　have　given　me〃

〃You　can　have　it　yet；　you　know。　　Might　take　it　and　just　keep　it　to
fall　back　on　in　case　that　story…mill　of　yours　busts　altogether　or
all　hands　in　Ostable　County　go　crazy　and　vote　the　wrong　ticket。
Just　take　it　and　wait。　　Always　well　to　have　an　anchor　ready　to　let
go；　you　know。〃

〃Thanks；　but　that　wouldn't　be　fair。　　I　wish　I　MIGHT　have　taken　it
for　your　sake。　　I　wish　for　your　sake　I　were　so　constituted　as　to　be
good　for　something　at　it。　　Of　course　I　don't　mean　by　that　that　I
should　be　willing　to　give　up　my　writingbutwell；　you　see；
Grandfather；　I　owe　you　an　awful　lot　in　this　world　。　。　。　and　I　know
you　had　set　your　heart　on　my　being　your　partner　in　Z。　Snow　and　Co。
I　know　you're　disappointed。〃

Captain　Lote　did　not　answer　instantly。　　He　seemed　to　be　thinking。
Then　he　opened　a　drawer　in　his　desk　and　took　out　a　box　of　cigars
similar　to　those　he　had　offered　the　Honorable　Fletcher　Fosdick　on
the　occasion　of　their　memorable　interview。

〃Smoke；　Al？〃　he　asked。　　Albert　declined　because　of　the　nearness　to
dinner　time；　but　the　captain；　who　never　permitted　meals　or　anything
else　to　interfere　with　his　smoking；　lighted　one　of　the　cigars　and
leaned　back　in　his　chair；　puffing　steadily。

〃We…ll；　Al；〃　he　said　slowly；　〃I'll　tell　you　about　that。　　There　was
a　timeI'll　own　up　that　there　was　a　time　when　the　idea　you　wasn't
goin'　to　turn　out　a　business　man　and　the　partner　who　would　take
over　this　concern　after　I　got　my　clearance　papers　was　a　notion　I
wouldn't　let　myself　think　of　for　a　minute。　　I　wouldn't　THINK　of　it；
that's　all。　　But　I've　changed　my　mind　about　that；　as　I　have　about
some　other　things。〃　　He　paused；　tugged　at　his　beard；　and　then
added；　〃And　I　guess　likely　I　might　as　well　own　up　to　the　whole
truth　while　I'm　about　it：　　I　didn't　change　it　because　I　wanted　to；
but　because　I　couldn't　help　it'twas　changed　for　me。〃

He　made　this　statement　more　as　if　he　were　thinking　aloud　than　as　if
he　expected　a　reply。　　A　moment　later　he　continued。

〃Yes；　sir；〃　he　said；　〃'twas　changed　for　me。　　And；〃　with　a　shrug；
〃I'd　rather　prided　myself　that　when　my　mind　was　made　up　it　stayed
that　way。　　Butbut；　well；　consarn　it；　I've　about　come　to　the
conclusion　that　I　was　a　pig…headed　old　fool；　Al；　in　some　ways。〃

〃Nonsense；　Grandfather。　　You　are　the　last　man　to〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　mean　a　candidate　for　the　feeble…minded　school。　　There
ain't　been　any　Snows　put　there　that　I　can　remember；　not　our　branch
of　'em；　anyhow。　　But；　consarn　it；　II〃　he　was　plainly　finding
it　hard　to　express　his　thought；　〃Iwell；　I　used　to　think　I　knew
consider'ble；　had　what　I　liked　to　think　was　good；　hard　sense。
'Twas　hard　enough；　I　cal'latepretty　nigh　petrified　in　spots。〃

Albert　laid　a　hand　on　his　knee。

〃Don't　talk　like　that；〃　he　replied　impulsively。　　〃I　don't　like　to
hear　you。〃

〃Don't　you？　　Then　I　won't。　　But；　you　see；　Al；　it　bothers　me。　　Look
how　I　used　to　talk　about　makin'　up　poetry　and　writin'　yarns　and　all
that。　　Used　to　call　it　silliness　and　a　waste　of　time；　I　didworse
names　than　that；　generally。　　And　look　what　you're　makin'　at　it　in
money；　to　say　nothin'　of　its　shovin'　you　into　Congress；　and　keepin'
the　newspapers　busy　printin'　stuff　about　you。　。　。　。　　Well；　well；〃
with　a　sigh　of　resignation；　〃I　don't　understand　it　yet；　but　know
it's　so；　and　if　I'd　had　my　pig…headed　way　'twouldn't　have　been　so。
It's　a　dreadful　belittlin'　feelin'　to　a　man　at　my　time　of　life；　a
man　that's　commanded　ten…thousand…ton　steamers　and　handled　crews
and　bossed　a　business　like　this。　　It　makes　him　wonder　how　many
other　fool　things　he's　done。　。　。　。　　Why；　do　you　know；　Al；〃　he
added；　in　a　sudden　burst　of　confidence；　〃I　was　consider'ble
prejudiced　against　you　when　you　first　came　here。〃

He　made　the　statement　as　if　he　expected　it　to　come　as　a　stunning
surprise。　　Albert　would　not　have　laughed　for　the　world；　nor　in　one
way　did　he　feel　like　it；　but　it　was　funny。

〃Well；　perhaps　you　were；　a　little；〃　he　said　gravely。　　〃I　don't
wonder。〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　mean　just　because　you　was　your　father's　son。　　I　mean
on　your　own　account；　in　a　way。　　Somehow；　you　see；　I　couldn't
believeeh？　　Oh；　come　in；　Labe！　　It's　all　right。　　Al　and　I　are
just　talkin'　about　nothin'　in　particular　and　all　creation　in
general。〃

Mr。　Keeler　entered　with　a　paper　in　his　hand。

〃Sorry　to　bother　you；　Cap'n　Lote；〃　he　said；　〃but　this　bill　of　Colby
and　Sons　for　that　last　lot　of　hardware　ain't　accordin'　to　agreement。
The　prices　on　those　butts　ain't　right；　and　neither's　those　half…inch
screws。　　Better　send　it　back　to　em；　eh？〃

Captain　Zelotes　inspected　the　bill。

〃Humph！〃　he　grunted。　　〃You're　right；　Labe。　　You　generally　are；　I
notice。　　Yes；　send　it　back　and　tell　'emanything　you　want　to。〃

Laban　smiled。　　〃I　want　to；　all　right；〃　he　said。　　〃This　is　the　third
time　they've　sent　wrong　bills　inside　of　two　months。　　Well；　Al；〃
turning　toward　him；　〃I　cal'late　this　makes　you　kind　of　homesick；
don't　it；　this　talk　about　bills　and　screws　and　bolts　and　such？
Wa'n't　teasin'　for　your　old　job　back　again；　was　you；　Al？　　Cal'late
he　could　have　it；　couldn't　he；　Cap'n？　　We'll　need　somebody　to　heave
a　bucket　of　water　on　Issy　pretty　soon；　he's　gettin'　kind　of　pert
and　uppish　again。　　Pretty　much　so。　　Yes；　yes；　yes。〃

He　departed；　chuckling。　　Captain　Zelotes　looked　after　him。　　He
tugged　at　his　beard。

〃Al；〃　he　said；　〃do　you　know　what　I've　about　made　up　my　mind　to　do？〃

Albert　shook　his　head。

〃I've　about　made　up　my　mind　to　take　Labe　Keeler　into　the　firm　of
Z。　Snow　and　Co。　　YOU　won't　come　in；　and；〃　with　a　twinkle；　〃I　need
somebody　to　keep　my　name　from　gettin'　lonesome　on　the　sign。〃

Albert　was　delighted。

〃Bully　for　you；　Grandfather！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃You　couldn't　do　a
better　thing　for　Labe　or　for　the　firm。　　And　he　deserves　it；　too。〃

〃Ye…es；　I　think　he　does。　　Labe's　a　mighty　faithful；　capable　feller；
and　now　that　he's　sworn　off　on　those　vacations　of　his　he　can　be
trusted　anywheres。　　Yes；　I've　as　good　as　made　up　my　mind　to　take
him　in。　　Of　course；〃　with　the　twinkle　in　evidence　once　more；
〃Issachar'll　be　a　little　mite　jealous；　but　we'll　have　to　bear　up
under　that　as　best　we　can。〃

〃I　wonder　what　Labe　will　say　when　you　tell　him？〃

〃He'll　say　yes。　　I'll　tell　Rachel　first　and　she'll　tell　him　to　say
it。　　And　then　I'll　tell　'em　both　I　won't　do　it　unless　they　agree　to
get　married。　　I've　always　said　I　didn't　want　to　die　till　I'd　been
to　that　weddin'。　　I　want　to　hear　Rachel　tell　the　minister　she'll
'obey'　Labe。　　Ho；　ho！〃

〃Do　you　suppose　they　ever　will　be　married？〃

〃Why；　yes；　I　kind　of　think　so。　　I　shouldn't　wonder　if　they　would　be
right　off　now　if　it　wasn't　that　Rachel　wouldn't　think　of　givin'　up
keepin'　house　for　your　grandmother。　　She　wouldn't　do　that　and　Labe
wouldn't　want　her　to。　　I've　got　to　fix　that　somehow。　　Perhaps　they
could　live　along　with　us。　　Land　knows　there's　room　enough。　　They're
all　right；　those　two。　　Kind　of　funny　to　look　at；　and　they　match　up
in　size　like　a　rubber　boot　and　a　slipper；　but　I　declare　I　don't
know　which　has　got　the　most　common…sense　or　the　biggest　heart。　　And
'twould　be　hard　to　tell　which　thinks　the　most　of　you；　Al。　。　。　。
Eh？　　Why；　it's　after　half…past　twelve　o'clock！　　Olive'll　be　for
combin'　our　topknots　with　a　belayin'　pin　if　we　keep　her　dinner
waitin'　like　this。〃

As　they　were　putting　on　their　coats　the　captain　spoke　again。

〃I　hadn't　finished　what　I　was　sayin'　to　you　when　Labe　came　in；〃　he
observed。　　〃'Twasn't　much　account；　just　a　sort　of　confession；　and
they　say　that's　good　for　the　soul。　　I　was　just　goin'　to　say　that
when　you　first　came　here　I　was　prejudiced　against　you；　not　only
because　your　father　and　I　didn't　agree；　but　because　he　was　what　he
was。　　Because　he　waswas〃

Albert　finished　the　sentence　for　him。

〃A　Portygee；〃　he　said。

〃Why；　yes；　that's　what　I　called　him。　　That's　what　I　used　to　call
about　everybody　that　wasn't　born　right　down　here　in　Yankeeland。　　I
used　to　be　prejudiced　against　you　because　you　was　what　I　called　a
half…breed。　　I'm　sorry；　Al。　　I'm　ashamed。　　See　what　you've　turned
out　to　be。　　I　declare；　I〃

〃Shh！　shh！　　Don't；　Grandfather。　　When　I　came　here　I　was　a　little
snob；　a　conceited；　insufferable　little〃

〃Here；　here！　　Hold　on！　　No；　you　wa'n't；　neither。　　Or　if　you　was；
you　was　only　a　boy。　　I　was　a　man；　and　I　ought　to〃

〃No；　I'm　going　to　finish。　　Whatever　I　am　now；　or　whatever　I　may　be。
I　owe　to　you；　and　to　Grandmother；　and　Rachel　and　Labanand　Helen。
You　made　me　over　between　you。　　I　know　that　now。〃

They　walked　home　instead　of　riding　in　the　new　car。　　Captain　Zelotes
declared　he　had　hung　on　to　that　steering　wheel　all　the　forenoon　and
he　was　afraid　if　he　took　it　again　his　fingers　would　grow　fast　to
the　rim。　　As　they　emerged　from　the　office　into　the　open　air；　he
said：

〃Al；　regardin'　that　makin'…over　business；　I　shouldn't　be　surprised
if　it　was　a　kind　ofermutual　thing　between　you　and　me。　　We　both
had　some　prejudices　to　get　rid　of；　eh？〃

〃Perhaps　so。　　I'm　sure　I　did。〃

〃And　I'm　sartin　sure　I　did。　　And　the　war　and　all　that　came　with　it
put　the　finishin'　touches　to　the　job。　　When　I　think　of　what　the
thousands　and　thousands　of　men　did　over　there　in　those　hell…holes
of　trenches；　men　with　names　that　run　all　the　way　from　Jones　and
Kelly　toer〃

〃Speranza。〃

〃Yes；　and　Whiskervitch　and　the　land　knows　what　more。　　When　I　think
of　that　I'm　ready　to　take　off　my　hat　to　'em　and　swear　I'll　never　be
so　narrow　again　as　to　look　down　on　a　feller　because　he　don't　happen
to　be　born　in　Ostable　County。　　There's　only　one　thing　I　ask　of　'em；
and　that　is　that　when　they　come　here　to　liveto　stayunder　our
laws　and　takin'　advantage　of　the　privileges　we　offer　'emthey'll
stop　bein'　Portygee