the woman-haters-第15部分

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〃'I　was　under　the　impression　the　house　belonged　to　my　sister…in…
law；'　he　says。　　And　again　I　was　knocked　off　my　pins。

〃'You　great　big　loafer！'　I　yelled　at　him；　'settin'　here　doin'
nothin'　but　raisin'　the　divil　generally！　　II'

〃He　jumped　as　if　I'd　stuck　a　brad…awl　into　him。　　The　shocked
expression　came　across　his　face　again；　and　he　runs　to　Emeline　and
takes　her　arm。

〃'Sister；　sister；'　he　says；　quick；　but　gentle；　'this　is　no　place　for
you。　　Language　like　that　is　。　。　。　there！　there！　don't　you　think
you'd　better　leave　the　room？'

〃She　didn't　go。　　As　I　remember　it　now；　it　keeps　comin'　back　to　me
that　she　didn't　go。　　She　just　stood　still　and　looked　at　me。　　And
then　she　says：　'Seth；　why　did　you　lie　to　me？'

'I　didn't　lie；'　I　shouts。　　'I　forgot；　I　tell　you。　　I　never　thought
that　windmill　of　a　Christy　woman　was　enough　importance　to　remember。
I　didn't　lie　to　youI　never　did。　　Oh；　Emeline；　you　know　I　didn't。
What's　the　matter　with　you　and　me；　anyway？　　We　used　to　be　all　right
and　now　we're　all　wrong。'

〃'One　of　us　is；'　says　Bennie　D。　　That　was　the　final　straw　that
choked　the　camel。

〃'Yes；'　I　says　to　him；　'that's　right；　one　of　us　is；　and　I　don't　know
which。　　But　I　know　this：　you　and　I　can't　stay　together　in　this　house
any　longer。'

〃I　can　see　that　room　now；　as　'twas　when　I　said　that。　　Us　three
lookin'　at　each　other；　and　the　clock　a…tickin'；　and　everything　else
still　as　still。　　I　choked；　but　I　kept　on。

〃'I　mean　it；'　I　says。　　'Either　you　clear　out　of　this　house　or　I　do。'

〃And；　while　the　words　was　on　my　lips；　again　it　came　to　me　strong
that　it　wa'n't　really　my　house　at　all。　　I　turned　to　my　wife。

〃'Emeline；'　says　I；　'it's　got　to　be。　　You　must　tell　him　to　go；　or
else'

〃She'd　been　lookin'　at　me　again　with　that　kind　of　queer　look　in　her
eyes；　almost　a　hopeful　look；　seem's　if　'twas；　and　yet　it　couldn't
have　been；　of　course。　　Now　she　drawed　a　long　breath。

〃'I　can't　tell　him　to　go；　Seth；'　says　she。　　'I　promised　to　give　him
a　home　as　long　as　I　had　one。'

〃I　set　my　jaws　together。　　'All　right；'　I　says；　'then　I'M　goin'。
Good　by。'

〃And　I　went。　　Yes；　sir；　I　went。　　Just　as　I　was；　without　any　hat　or
dunnage　of　any　kind。　　When　I　slammed　the　back　door　it　seemed　as　if　I
heard　her　sing　out　my　name。　　I　waited；　but　I　guess　I　was　mistaken；
for　she　didn't　call　it　again。　　Andand　I　never　set　eyes　on　her
since。　　No；　sir；　not　once。〃

The　lightkeeper　stopped。　　John　Brown　said　nothing；　but　he　laid　a
hand　sympathetically　on　the　older　man's　shoulder。　　Seth　shuddered；
straightened；　and　went　on。

〃I　cleared　out　of　that　town　that　very　night；〃　he　said。　　〃Walked
clear　into　Gloucester；　put　up　at　a　tavern　there　till　mornin'；　and
then　took　the　cars　to　Boston。　　I　cal'lated　fust　that　I'd　ship　as
mate　or　somethin'　on　a　foreign　voyage；　but　I　couldn't；　somehow　I
couldn't　bring　myself　to　do　it。　　You　see；　I'd　promised　her　I
wouldn't　ever　go　to　sea　again；　and　sowell；　I　was　a　dum　idiot；　I
s'pose；　but　I　wouldn't　break　the　promise。　　I　knew　the　superintendent
of　lighthouses　in　this　district；　and　I'd　been　an　assistant　keeper
when　I　was　younger。　　I　told　him　my　yarn；　and　he　told　me　about　this
job。　　I　changed　my　name；　passed　the　examination　and　come　directly
here。　　And　here　I've　stayed　ever　since。〃

He　paused　again。　　Brown　ventured　to　ask　another　question。

〃And　yourand　the　lady？〃　he　asked。　　〃Where　is　she？〃

〃I　don't　know。　　Livin'　in　her　house　back　there　on　Cape　Ann；　I
s'pose。　　She　was；　last　I　knew。　　I　never　ask　no　questions。　　I　want　to
forgetto　forget；　by　time！　。　。　。　　Hi　hum！　。　。　。　　Well；　now　you　know
what　nobody　this　side　of　Boston　knows。　　And　you　can　understand　why
I'm　willin'　to　be　buried　alive　down　here。　　'Cause　a　woman　wrecked　my
life；　I'm　done　with　women；　and　to　this　forsaken　hole　no　women
scarcely　ever　come。　　But；　when　they　DO　come；　you　must　understand
that　I　expect　you　to　show　'em　round。　　After　hearin'　what　I've　been
through；　I　guess　you'll　be　willin'　to　do　that　much　for　me。〃

He　rose；　evidently　considering　the　affair　settled。　　Brown　stroked
his　chin。

〃I'm　sorry；　Atkins；〃　he　observed；　slowly；　〃and　I　certainly　do
sympathize　with　you。　　Butbut；　as　I　said；　'I　guess　you'll　have　to
hire　another　boy！'〃

〃What？　　What　do　you　mean？〃

〃I　mean　that　you're　not　the　only　woman…hater　on　the　beach。〃

〃Hey？　　Has　a　woman　given　YOU　the　go　by？〃

〃No。　　The　other　way　around；　if　anything。　　Look　here；　Atkins！　　I'm
not　in　the　habit　of　discussing　my　private　affairs　with
acquaintances；　but　you've　been　frank　with　meand　well；　hang　it！
I've　got　to　talk　to　somebody。　　At　least；　I　feel　that　way　just　now。
Let's　suppose　a　case。　　Suppose　you　were　a　young　fellow　not　long　out
of　collegea　young　fellow　whose　mother　was　dead　and　whose　dad　was
rich；　and　head　over　heels　in　money…making；　and　with　the　idea　that
his　will　was　no　more　to　be　disputed　than　a　law　of　the　Almighty。
Just　suppose　that；　will　you？〃

〃Huh！　　Well；　'twill　be　hard　supposin'；　but　I'll　try。　　Heave　ahead。〃

〃Suppose　that　you'd　never　been　used　to　working　or　supporting
yourself。　　Had　a　position；　a　nominal　one；　in　your　dad's　office　but
absolutely　no　responsibility；　all　the　money　you　wanted；　and　so　on。
Suppose　because　your　father　wanted　you　toand　HER　people　felt　the
sameyou　had　become　engaged　to　a　girl；　a　nice　enough　girl；　too；　in
her　way。　　But；　then　suppose　that　little　by　little　you　came　to
realize　that　her　way　wasn't　yours。　　You　and　she　liked　each　other
well　enough；　but　the　whole　thing　was　a　family　arrangement；　a　money
arrangement；　a　perfectly　respectable；　buy…and…sell　affair。　　That　and
nothing　else。　　And　the　more　you　thought　about　it；　the　surer　you　felt
that　it　was　so。　　But　when　you　told　your　governor　he　got　on　his　ear
and　sailed　into　you；　and　you　sailed　back；　until　finally　he　swore
that　you　should　either　marry　that　girl　or　he'd　throw　you　out　of　his
house　and　office　to　root　for　yourself。　　What　would　you　do？〃

〃Hey？　　Land　sakes！　　I　don't　know。　　I　always　HAD　to　root；　so　I　ain't
a　competent　judge。　　Go　on；　you've　got　me　interested。〃

〃Well；　I　said　I'd　root；　that's　all。　　But　I　didn't　have　the　nerve　to
go　and　tell　the　girl。　　The　engagement　had　been　announced；　and　all
that；　and　I　knew　what　a　mess　it　would　make　for　her。　　I　sat　in　my
room；　among　the　things　I　was　packing　in　my　grip　to　take　with　me；　and
thought　and　thought。　　If　I　went　to　her　there　would　be　a　scene。　　If　I
said　I　had　been　disinherited　she　would　want　to　know　whynaturally。
I　had　quarreled　with　the　governoryes；　but　why？　　Then　I　should　have
to　tell　her　the　real　reason：　I　didn't　want　to　marry　her　or　anybody
else　on　such　a　bargain…counter　basis。　　That　seemed　such　a　rotten
thing　to　say；　and　she　might　ask　why　it　had　taken　me　such　a　long　time
to　find　it　out。　　No；　I　just　COULDN'T　tell　her　that。　　So；　after　my
think　was　over；　I　wrote　her　a　note　saying　that　my　father　and　I　had
had　a　disagreement　and　he　had　chucked　me　out；　or　words　to　that
effect。　　Naturally；　under　the　circumstances；　marriage　was　out　of　the
question；　and　I　released　her　from　the　engagement。　　Good　by　and　good
luckor　something　similar。　　I　mailed　the　letter　and　left　the　town
the　next　morning。〃

He　paused。　　The　lightkeeper　made　no　comment。　　After　a　moment　the
young　man　continued。

〃I　landed　in　Boston；〃　he　said；　〃full　of　conceit　and　high…minded
ideas　of　working　my　own　way　up　the　ladder。　　But　in　order　to　work　up；
you've　got　to　get　at　least　a　hand…hold　on　the　bottom　rung。　　I
couldn't　get　it。　　Nobody　wanted　a　genteel　loafer；　which　was　me。　　My
money　gave　out。　　I　bought　a　steamboat　passage　to　another　city；　but　I
didn't　have　enough　left　to　buy　a　square　meal。　　Then；　by　bull　luck；　I
fell　overboard　and　landed　here。　　And　here　I　found　the　solution。　　I'm
dead。　　If　the　governor　gets　soft…hearted　and　gets　private　detectives
on　my　trail；　they'll　find　I　disappeared　from　that　steamer；　that's
all。　　Drowned；　of　course。　　SHE'LL　think　so；　too。　　'Good　riddance　to
bad　rubbish'　is　the　general　verdict。　　I　can　stay　here　a　year　or　so；
and　then；　being　dead　and　forgotten；　can　go　back　to　civilization　and
hustle　for　myself。　　BUT　a　woman　is　at　the　bottom　of　my　trouble；　and
I　never　want　to　see　another。　　So；　if　my　staying　here　depends　upon　my
seeing　them；　I　guess；　as　I've　said　twice　already；　'you'll　have　to
hire　another　boy。'〃

He；　too；　rose。　　Seth　laid　a　big　hand　on　his　shoulder。

〃Son；〃　said　the　lightkeeper；　〃I'm　sorry　for　you；　I　cal'late　I　know
how　you　feel。　　I　like　you　fust…rate；　and　if　it's　a　possible　thing；
I'll　fix　it　so's　you　can　stay　right　here　long's　you　want　to。　　As　for
women　folks　that　do　comewhy；　we'll　dodge　'em　if　we　can；　and　share
responsibility　if　we　must。　　But　there's　one　thing　you've　GOT　to
understand。　　You're　young；　and　maybe　your　woman　hate'll　wear　off。
If　it　does；　out　you　go。　　I　can't　have　any　sparkin'　or　lovemakin'
around　these　premises。〃

The　assistant　snorted　contemptuously。

〃If　ever　you　catch　me　being　even　coldly　familiar　with　a　female　of
any　age；〃　he　declared；　〃I　hereby　request　that　you　hit　me；　politely；
but　firmly；　with　that　axe；〃　pointing　to　the　kindling　hatchet　leaning
against　the　door　post。

Seth　chuckled。　　〃Good　stuff！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃And；　for　my　part；　if
ever　you　catch　me　gettin'　confectionery　with　a　woman；　I　。　。　。　well；
don't　stop　to　pray　over　me；　just　drown　me；　that's　all　I　ask。　　It's　a
bargain。　　Shake！〃

So　they　shook；　with　great　solemnity。


CHAPTER　VIII

NEIGHBORS　AND　WASPS


And　now　affairs　at　the　lights　settled　down　into　a　daily　routine　in
which　the　lightkeeper　and　his　helper　each　played　his　appointed　part。
All　mysteries　now　being　solved；　and　the　trust　between　them　mutual
and　without　reserve；　they　no　longer　were　on　their　guard　in　each
other's　presence；　but　talked　freely　on　all　sorts　of　topics；　and
expressed　their　mutual　dislike　of　woman　with　frequency　and　point。
No　regular　assistant　was　appointed　or　seemed　likely　to　be；　for　the
summer；　at　least。　　Seth　and　his　friend；　the　superintendent；　held
another　lengthy　conversation　over　the　wire；　and；　while　Brown's
uncertain　status　remained　the　same；　there　was　a　tacit　understanding
that；　by　the　first　of　September；　if　the　young　man　was　sufficiently
〃broken　in；〃　the　position　vacated　by　Ezra　Payne　should　be　hisif　he
still　wanted　it。

〃You　may　change　your　mind　by　that　time；〃　observed　Seth。　　〃This　ain't
no　place　for　a　c