the woman-haters-第4部分

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〃Only？〃

〃Only　you　washed　them　dishes　with　the　sink　cloth　and　wiped　'em　with
a　piller　case。〃

The　volunteer　dishwasher's　mouth　opened。

〃NO！〃　he　gasped。

〃Ya…as。〃

〃A　pillow　case！　　Well；　by　George！〃

〃Um…hm。　　I　jedge　you　ain't　washed　many　dishes　in　your　lifetime。〃

〃Not　so　very　many。　　No。〃

They　looked　at　each　other　and　burst　into　a　roar　of　laughter。　　Brown
was　the　first　to　recover。

〃Well；〃　he　observed；　〃I　guess　it's　up　to　me。　　If　you'll　kindly　put
me　next　to　a　genuine　cloth；　or　sponge；　or　whatever　is　the　proper
caper　for　dish…washing；　I'll　undertake　to　do　them　over　again。　　And；
for　heaven's　sake；　lock　up　the　pillow　cases。〃

Seth　protested；　declaring　that　the　dishes　need　not　be　rewashed　that
very　minute；　and　that　when　he　got　a　chance　he　would　do　them　himself。
But　the　young　man　was　firm；　and；　at　last；　the　lightkeeper　yielded。

〃It's　real　kind　of　you；〃　he　declared；　〃and　bein'　as　I've
consider'ble　to　do；　I　don't　know　but　I'll　let　you。　　Here's　a　couple
of　dishcloths；　and　there's　the　towels。　　I'm　goin'　out　to　see　to　the
lights；　and　I'll　be　back　pretty　soon　and　get　supper。〃

Later　in　the　evening；　after　supper；　the　housework　done；　they　sat
again　on　the　bench　beside　the　door；　each　with　a　pipe；　filled；　this
time；　with　genuine　smoking　tobacco。　　Before　and　below　them　was　the
quiet　sea；　rolling　lazily　under　the　stars。　　Overhead　the　big
lanterns　in　the　towers　thrust　their　parallel　lances　of　light　afar
into　the　darkness。　　The　only　sounds　were　the　low　wash　of　the　surf
and　the　hum　of　the　eager　mosquitoes。　　Brown　was　silent；　alternately
puffing　at　the　pipe　and　slapping　at　the　insects；　which　latter；
apparently　finding　his　skin　easier　to　puncture　than　that　of　the
tanned　and　leathery　Atkins；　were　making　the　most　of　their
opportunity。

Seth；　whose　curiosity　had　been　checked　but　not　smothered　by　his
companion's　evident　desire　to　say　nothing　concerning　himself；　was
busy　thinking　of　various　guileful　schemes　with　which　to　entrap　the
castaway　into　the　disclosure　of　his　identity。　　Having　prepared　his
bait；　he　proceeded　to　get　over　a　line。

〃Mr。　Brown；〃　he　said；　〃I　ain't　mentioned　it　to　you　afore；　'count　of
your　needin'　rest　and　grub　and　all　after　your　fallin'　overboard　last
night。　　But　tomorrer　you'll　be　feelin'　fustrate　again；　and　I
cal'late　you'll　be　wantin'　to　get　word　to　your　folks。　　Now　we　can
telephone　to　the　Eastboro　depot；　where　there's　a　telegraph；　and　the
depot　master'll　send　a　dispatch　to　your　people；　lettin'　'em　know
you're　all　safe　and　sound。　　If　you'll　just　give　me　the　address　and
what　you　want　to　say；　I'll　'tend　to　it　myself。　　The　depot　master's　a
good　friend　of　mine；　and　he'll　risk　sending　the　dispatch　'collect'
if　I　tell　him　to。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　replied　Brown；　shortly。

〃Oh；　don't　mention　it。　　Now　who'll　I　send　it　to？〃

〃You　needn't　send　it。　　I　couldn't　think　of　putting　you　to　further
trouble。〃

〃Trouble！　　'Tain't　no　trouble　to　telephone。　　Land　sakes；　I　do　it
four　or　five　times　a　day。　　Now　who'll　I　send　it　to？〃

〃You　needn't　send　it。〃

〃Oh；　well；　of　course；　if　you'd　ruther　send　it　yourself〃

〃I　sha'n't　send　it。　　It　really　isn't　worth　while　'phoning　or
telegraphing　either。　　I　didn't　drown；　and　I'm　very　comfortable；
thank　youor　should　be　if　it　weren't　for　these　mosquitoes。〃

〃Comf'table！　　Yes；　you're　comf'table；　but　how　about　your　folks？
Won't　they　learn；　soon's　that　steamer　gets　intointo　Portlandor
orNew　York　or　Bostonor　。　。　。　　Hey？〃

〃I　didn't　speak。〃

Seth　swallowed　hard　and　continued。　　〃Well；　wherever　she　was　bound；〃
he　snapped。　　〃Won't　they　learn　that　you　sot　sail　in　her　and　never
got　there？　　Then　they'll　know　that　you　MUST　have　fell　overboard。〃

John　Brown　drew　a　mouthful　of　smoke　through　the　stem　of　the　pipe　and
blew　it　spitefully　among　the　mosquitoes。

〃I　don't　see　how　they'll　learn　it；〃　he　replied。

〃Why；　the　steamer　folks'll　wire　em　right　off。〃

〃They'll　have　to　find　them　first。〃

〃That'll　be　easy　enough。　　There'll　be　your　name；　'John　Brown；'　of
such　and　such　a　place；　written　right　on　the　purser's　book；　won't　it。〃

〃No；〃　drawled　Mr。　Brown；　〃it　won't。〃

The　lightkeeper　felt　very　much　as　if　this　particular　road　to　the
truth　had　ended　suddenly　in　a　blind　alley。　　He　pulled　viciously　at
his　chin　whiskers。　　His　companion　shifted　his　position　on　the　bench。
Silence　fell　again；　as　much　silence　as　the　mosquitoes　would　permit。

Suddenly　Brown　seemed　to　reach　a　determination。

〃Atkins；〃　he　said　briskly；　and　with　considerable　bitterness　in　his
tone；　〃don't　you　worry　about　my　people。　　They　don't　know　where　I　am；
andwell；　some　of　them；　at　least；　don't　care。　　Maybe　I'm　a　rolling
stoneat　any　rate；　I　haven't　gathered　any　moss；　any　financial　moss。
I'm　broke。　　I　haven't　any　friends；　any　that　I　wish　to　remember；　I
haven't　any　job。　　I　am　what　you　might　call　down　and　out。　　If　I　had
drowned　when　I　fell　overboard　last　night；　it　might　have　been　a　good
thingor　it　might　not。　　We　won't　argue　the　question；　because　just
now　I'm　ready　to　take　either　side。　　But　let's　talk　about　yourself。
You're　lightkeeper　here？〃

〃I　be；　yes。〃

〃And　these　particular　lights　seem　to　be　a　good　way　from　everywhere
and　everybody。〃

〃Five　mile　from　Eastboro　Center；　sixteen　from　Denboro；　and　two　from
the　nighest　life　savin'　station。　　Why？〃

〃Oh；　just　for　instance。　　No　neighbors；　you　said？〃

〃Nary　one。〃

〃I　noticed　a　bungalow　just　across　the　brook　here。　　It　seems　to　be
shut　up。　　Who　owns　it？〃

〃Bungawhich？　　Oh；　that　cottage　over　on　t'other　side　the　crick？
That　b'longs　to　a　couple　of　paintin'　fellers　from　up　Boston　way。
Not　house　painters；　you　understand；　but　fellers　that　put　in　their
time　paintin'　pictures　of　the　water　and　the　beach　and　the　like　of
that。　　Seems　a　pretty　silly　job　for　grown…up　men；　but　they're　real
pleasant　and　folksy。　　Don't　put　on　no　airs　nor　nothin。'　　They're
most　gen'rally　here　every　June　and　July　and　August；　but　I　understand
they　ain't　comin'　this　year；　so　the　cottage'll　be　shut　up。　　I'll
miss　'em；　kind　of。　　One　of　'em's　name　is　Graham　and　t'other's
Hamilton。〃

〃I　see。　　Many　visitors　to　the　lights？〃

〃Not　many。　　Once　in　a　while　a　picnic　comes　over　in　a　livery　four…
seater；　but　not　often。　　The　same　gang　never　comes　twice。　　Road's　too
bad；　and　they　complain　like　fury　about　the　moskeeters。〃

〃Do　they？　　How　peevish！　　Atkins；　you're　not　married？〃

It　was　an　innocent　question；　but　it　had　an　astonishing　effect。　　The
lightkeeper　bounced　on　the　bench　as　if　someone　had　kicked　it
violently　from　beneath。

〃What？〃　he　quavered　shrilly。　　〃Whawhat's　that？〃

Brown　was　surprised。　　〃I　asked　if　you　were　married；　that's　all；〃　he
said。　　〃I　can't　see〃

〃Stop！〃　　Seth's　voice　shook；　and　he　bent　down　to　glare　through　the
darkness　at　his　companion's　face。　　〃Stop！〃　he　ordered。　　〃You　asked
me　if　I　wasmarried？〃

〃Yes。　　Why　shouldn't　I？〃

〃Why　shouldn't　you？　　See　here；　young　feller；　youyouwhat　made　you
ask　that？〃

〃What　made　me？〃

〃Stop　sayin'　my　words　after　me。　　Are　you　a　man　or　a　poll…parrot？
Can't　you　understand　plain　United　States　language？　　What　made　you？
Or　WHO　made　you？　　Who　told　you　to　ask　me　that　question？〃

He　pounded　the　bench　with　his　fist。　　The　pair　stared　at　each　other
for　a　moment；　then　Brown　leaned　back　and　began　to　whistle。　　Seth
seized　him　by　the　shoulders。

〃Quit　that　foolishness；　d'you　hear？〃　he　snarled。　　〃Quit　it；　and
answer　me！〃

The　answer　was　prefaced　by　a　pitying　shake　of　the　head。

〃It's　the　mosquitoes；〃　observed　the　young　man；　musingly。　　〃They　get
through　and　puncture　the　brain　after　a　time；　I　presume。　　I'm　not
surprised　exactly；　but；〃　with　a　sigh；　〃I'm　very　sorry。〃

〃What　are　you　talkin'　about；〃　demanded　Atkins。　　〃Be　you　crazy？〃

〃No…o。　　I'M　not。〃

〃YOU'RE　not！　　Do　you　mean　that　I　am？〃

〃Well；〃　slowly；　〃I'm　not　an　expert　in　such　cases；　but　when　a
perfectly　simple；　commonplace　question　sets　a　chap　to　pounding　and
screaming　and　offering　violence；　thenwell；　it's　either　insanity　or
an　attempt　at　insult；　one　or　the　other。　　I've　given　you　the　benefit
of　the　doubt。〃

He　scratched　a　match　on　his　heel　and　relit　his　pipe。　　The
lightkeeper　still　stared；　suspicious　and　puzzled。　　Then　he　drew　a
long　breath。

〃II　didn't　mean　to　insult　you；〃　he　stammered。

〃Glad　to　hear　it；　I'm　sure。　　If　I　were　you；　however；　I　should　see　a
doctor　for　the　other　trouble。〃

〃And　I　ain't　crazy；　neither。　　I　beg　your　pardon　for　hollerin'　and
grabbin'　hold　of　you。〃

〃Granted。〃

〃Thank　ye。　　Now；〃　hesitatingly；　〃would　you　mind　tellin'　me　why　you
asked　me　if　I　was　married？〃

〃Not　in　the　least。　　I　asked　merely　because　it　occurred　to　me　that
you　might　be。　　Of　course；　I　had　seen　nothing　of　your　wife；　but　it
was　barely　possible　that　she　was　away　on　a　visit；　or　somewhere。
There　is　no　regulation　forbidding　lightkeepers　marryingat　least；　I
never　heard　of　anyand　so　I　asked；　that's　all。〃

Seth　nodded。　　〃I　see；〃　he　said；　slowly；　〃yes；　yes；　I　see。　　So　you
didn't　have　no　special　reason。〃

〃I　did　not。　　Of　course；　if　I　had　realized　that　you　were　subject　to
erfits；　I　should　have　been　more　careful。〃

〃Hum！　。　。　。　　Well；　II　beg　your　pardon　again。　　II　am　kind　of
touchy　on　some　p'ints。　　Didn't　I　tell　you　no　women　came　here？
Married！　　A　wife！　　Do　I　look　like　a　dum　fool？〃

〃Not　now。〃

〃Well；　then！　　And　I've　apologized　for　bein'　one　a　few　minutes　ago；
ain't　I。〃

〃Yes；　you　have。　　No　grudge　on　my　part；　I　assure　you。　　Let's　forget
it　and　talk　of　something　else。〃

They　did；　but　the　dialogue　was　rather　jerky。　　Brown　was　thinking；
and　Atkins　seemed　moody　and　disinclined　to　talk。　　After　a　time　he
announced　that　it　was　getting　late　and　he　cal'lated　he　would　go　up
to　the　light　room。　　〃You'd　better　turn　in；〃　he　added；　rising。

〃Just　a　minute；〃　said　the　young　man。　　〃Wait　just　a　minute。　　Atkins；
suppose　I　asked　you　another　questionwould　you　become　violent　at
once？　or　merely　by　degrees？〃

Seth　frowned。　　The　suspicious　look　returned　to　his　face。

〃Humph！〃　he　grunted。　　〃Depended　on　what　you　asked　me；　maybe。〃

〃Yes。　　Well；　this　one　is　harmlessat　least；　I　hope　it　is。　　I
thought　the　other　was；　also；　but　I　。　。　。　　There！　there！　be　calm。
Sit　down　again　and　listen。　　This　question　is　nothing　like　that。
It's　about　that　assistant　of　yours；　the　chap　who　left　a　day　or　two
before　I　drifted　in。　　What　were　his　duties