the portygee-第1节

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The　Portygee

by　Joseph　C。　Lincoln








CHAPTER　I


Overhead　the　clouds　cloaked　the　sky；　a　ragged　cloak　it　was；　and；
here　and　there；　a　star　shone　through　a　hole；　to　be　obscured　almost
instantly　as　more　cloud　tatters　were　hurled　across　the　rent。　　The
pines　threshed　on　the　hill　tops。　　The　bare　branches　of　the　wild…
cherry　and　silverleaf　trees　scraped　and　rattled　and　tossed。　　And
the　wind；　the　raw；　chilling　December　wind；　driven　in；　wet　and
salty；　from　the　sea；　tore　over　the　dunes　and　brown　uplands　and
across　the　frozen　salt…meadows；　screamed　through　the　telegraph
wires；　and　made　the　platform　of　the　dismal　South　Harniss　railway
station　the　lonesomest；　coldest；　darkest　and　most　miserable　spot　on
the　face　of　the　earth。

At　least　that　was　the　opinion　of　the　seventeen…year…old　boy　whom
the　down　trainon　time　for　once　and　a　wonderhad　just　deposited
upon　that　platform。　　He　would　not　have　discounted　the　statement　one
iota。　　The　South　Harniss　station　platform　WAS　the　most　miserable
spot　on　earth　and　he　was　the　most　miserable　human　being　upon　it。
And　this　last　was　probably　true；　for　there　were　but　three　other
humans　upon　that　platform　and；　judging　by　externals；　they　seemed
happy　enough。　　One　was　the　station　agent；　who　was　just　entering　the
building　preparatory　to　locking　up　for　the　night；　and　the　others
were　Jim　Young；　driver　of　the　〃depot　wagon；〃　and　Doctor　Holliday；
the　South　Harniss　〃homeopath；〃　who　had　been　up　to　a　Boston　hospital
with　a　patient　and　was　returning　home。　　Jim　was　whistling　〃Silver
Bells；〃　a　tune　much　in　vogue　the　previous　summer；　and　Doctor
Holliday　was　puffing　at　a　cigar　and　knocking　his　feet　together　to
keep　them　warm　while　waiting　to　get　into　the　depot　wagon。　　These
were　the　only　people　in　sight　and　they　were　paying　no　attention
whatever　to　the　lonely　figure　at　the　other　end　of　the　platform。

The　boy　looked　about　him。　　The　station；　with　its　sickly　yellow
gleam　of　kerosene　lamp　behind　its　dingy　windowpane；　was　apparently
the　only　inhabited　spot　in　a　barren　wilderness。　　At　the　edge　of　the
platform　civilization　seemed　to　end　and　beyond　was　nothing　but　a
black　earth　and　a　black　sky；　tossing　trees　and　howling　wind；　and
coldraw；　damp；　penetrating　cold。　　Compared　with　this　even　the
stuffy　plush　seats　and　smelly　warmth　of　the　car　he　had　just　left
appeared　temptingly　homelike　and　luxurious。　　All　the　way　down　from
the　city　he　had　sneered　inwardly　at　a　one…horse　railroad　which　ran
no　Pullmans　on　its　Cape　branch　in　winter　time。　　Now　he　forgot　his
longing　for　mahogany　veneer　and　individual　chairs　and　would　gladly
have　boarded　a　freight　car；　provided　there　were　in　it　a　lamp　and　a
stove。

The　light　in　the　station　was　extinguished　and　the　agent　came　out
with　a　jingling　bunch　of　keys　and　locked　the　door。　　〃Good…night；
Jim；〃　he　shouted；　and　walked　off　into　the　blackness。　　Jim　responded
with　a　〃good…night〃　of　his　own　and　climbed　aboard　the　wagon；　into
the　dark　interior　of　which　the　doctor　had　preceded　him。　　The　boy
at　the　other　end　of　the　platform　began　to　be　really　alarmed。　　It
looked　as　if　all　living　things　were　abandoning　him　and　he　was　to　be
left　marooned；　to　starve　or　freeze；　provided　he　was　not　blown　away
first。

He　picked　up　the　suitcasean　expensive　suitcase　it　was；　elaborately
strapped　and　buckled；　with　a　telescope　back　and　gold　fittingsand
hastened　toward　the　wagon。　　Mr。　Young　had　just　picked　up　the　reins。

〃Oh；oh；　I　say！〃　faltered　the　boy。　　We　have　called　him　〃the　boy〃
all　this　time；　but　he　did　not　consider　himself　a　boy；　he　esteemed
himself　a　man；　if　not　full…grown　physically；　certainly　so　mentally。
A　man；　with　all　a　man's　wisdom；　and　more　besidesthe　great；　the
all…embracing　wisdom　of　his　age；　or　youth。

〃Here；　I　say！　　Just　a　minute！〃　he　repeated。　　Jim　Young　put　his　head
around　the　edge　of　the　wagon　curtain。　　〃Eh？〃　he　queried。　　〃Eh？
Who's　talkin'？　　Oh；　was　it　you；　young　feller？　　Did　you　want　me？〃

The　young　fellow　replied　that　he　did。　　〃This　is　South　Harniss；
isn't　it？〃　he　asked。

Mr。　Young　chuckled。　　〃Darn　sure　thing；〃　he　drawled。　　〃I　give　in
that　it　looks　consider'ble　like　Boston；　or　Providence；　R。　I。；　or
some　of　them　capitols；　but　it　ain't；　it's　South　Harniss；　Cape　Cod。〃

Doctor　Holliday；　on　the　back　seat　of　the　depot　wagon；　chuckled。
Jim　did　not；　he　never　laughed　at　his　own　jokes。　　And　his　questioner
did　not　chuckle；　either。

〃Does　adoes　a　Mr。　Snow　live　here？〃　he　asked。

The　answer　was　prompt；　if　rather　indefinite。　　〃Um…hm；〃　said　the
driver。　　〃No　less'n　fourteen　of　him　lives　here。　　Which　one　do　you
want？〃

〃A　Mr。　Z。　Snow。〃

〃Mr。　Z。　Snow；　eh？　　Humph！　　I　don't　seem　to　recollect　any　Mr。　Z。
Snow　around　nowadays。　　There　used　to　be　a　Ziba　Snow；　but　he's　dead。
'Twan't　him　you　wanted；　was　it？〃

〃No。　　The　one　I　want　isis　a　Captain　Snow。　　Captain〃　he　paused
before　uttering　the　name　which　to　his　critical　metropolitan　ear　had
seemed　so　dreadfully　countrified　and　humiliating；　〃Captain　Zelotes
Snow；〃　he　blurted；　desperately。

Jim　Young　laughed　aloud。　　〃Good　land；　Doc！〃　he　cried；　turning
toward　his　passenger；　〃I　swan　I　clean　forgot　that　Cap'n　Lote's　name
begun　with　a　Z。　　Cap'n　Lote　Snow？　　Why；　darn　sure！　　I　。　。　。　　Eh？〃
He　stopped　short；　evidently　struck　by　a　new　idea。　　〃Sho！〃　he
drawled；　slowly。　　〃Why；　I　declare　I　believe　you're　。　。　。　　Yes；　of
course！　　I　heard　they　was　expectin'　you。　　Doc；　you　know　who　'tis；
don't　you？　　Cap'n　Lote's　grandson；　Janie's　boy。〃

He　took　the　lighted　lantern　from　under　the　wagon　seat　and　held　it
up　so　that　its　glow　shone　upon　the　face　of　the　youth　standing　by
the　wheel。

〃Hum；〃　he　mused。　　〃Don't　seem　to　favor　Janie　much；　does　he；　Doc。
Kind　of　got　her　mouth　and　chin；　though。　　Remember　that　sort　of
good…lookin'　set　to　her　mouth　she　had？　　And　SHE　got　it　from　old
Cap'n　Lo　himself。　　This　boy's　face　must　be　more　like　his　pa's；　I
cal'late。　　Don't　you　cal'late　so；　Doc？〃

Whether　Doctor　Holliday　cal'lated　so　or　not　he　did　not　say。　　It
may　be　that　he　thought　this　cool　inspection　of　and　discussion
concerning　a　stranger；　even　a　juvenile　stranger；　somewhat
embarrassing　to　its　object。　　Or　the　lantern　light　may　have　shown
him　an　ominous　pucker　between　the　boy's　black　brows　and　a　flash　of
temper　in　the　big　black　eyes　beneath　them。　　At　any　rate；　instead　of
replying　to　Mr。　Young；　he　said；　kindly：

〃Yes；　Captain　Snow　lives　in　the　village。　　If　you　are　going　to　his
house　get　right　in　here。　　I　live　close　by；　myself。〃

〃Darned　sure！〃　agreed　Mr。　Young；　with　enthusiasm。　　〃Hop　right　in；
sonny。〃

But　the　boy　hesitated。　　Then；　haughtily　ignoring　the　driver；　he
said：　　〃I　thought　Captain　Snow　would　be　here　to　meet　me。　　He　wrote
that　he　would。〃

The　irrepressible　Jim　had　no　idea　of　remaining　ignored。　　〃Did　Cap'n
Lote　write　you　that　he'd　be　here　to　the　depot？〃　he　demanded。　　〃All
right；　then　he'll　be　here；　don't　you　fret。　　I　presume　likely　that
everlastin'　mare　of　his　has　eat　herself　sick　again；　eh；　Doc？　　By
godfreys　domino；　the　way　they　pet　and　stuff　that　fool　horse　is　a
sin　and　a　shame。　　It　ain't　Lote's　fault　so　much　as　'tis　his　wife's
she's　responsible。　　Don't　you　fret；　Bub；　the　cap'n'll　be　here　for
you　some　time　to…night。　　If　he　said　he'll　come　he'll　come；　even　if
he　has　to　hire　one　of　them　limmysines。　　He；　he；　he！　　All　you've　got
to　do　is　wait；　and　。　。　。　　Hey！　。　。　。　　Hold　on　a　minute！　。　。　。　　Bub！〃

The　boy　was　walking　away。　　And　to　hail　him　as　〃Bub〃　was；　although
Jim　Young　did　not　know　it；　the　one　way　least　likely　to　bring　him
back。

〃Bub！〃　shouted　Jim　again。　　Receiving　no　reply　he　added　what　he　had
intended　saying。　　〃If　I　run　afoul　of　Cap'n　Lote　anywheres　on　the
road；〃　he　called；　〃I'll　tell　him　you're　here　a…waitin'。　　So　long；
Bub。　　Git　dap；　Chain　Lightnin'。〃

The　horse；　thus　complimented；　pricked　up　one　ear；　lifted　a　foot；
and　jogged　off。　　The　depot　wagon　became　merely　a　shadowy　smudge
against　the　darkness　of　the　night。　　For　a　few　minutes　the　〃chock；
chock〃　of　the　hoofs　upon　the　frozen　road　and　the　rattle　of　wheels
gave　audible　evidence　of　its　progress。　　Then　these　died　away　and
upon　the　windswept　platform　of　the　South　Harniss　station　descended
the　black　gloom　of　lonesomeness　so　complete　as　to　make　that　which
had　been　before　seem；　by　comparison；　almost　cheerful。

The　youth　upon　that　platform　turned　up　his　coat　collar；　thrust　his
gloved　hands　into　his　pockets；　and　shivered。　　Then；　still
shivering；　he　took　a　brisk　walk　up　and　down　beside　the　suitcase
and；　finally；　circumnavigated　the　little　station。　　The　voyage　of
discovery　was　unprofitable；　there　was　nothing　to　discover。　　So　far
as　he　could　seewhich　was　by　no　means　farupon　each　side　of　the
building　was　nothing　but　bare　fields　and　tossing　pines；　and　wind
and　cold　and　blackness。　　He　came　to　anchor　once　more　by　the
suitcase　and　drew　a　long；　hopeless　breath。

He　thought　of　the　cheery　dining　room　at　the　school　he　had　left　the
day　before。　　Dinner　would　be　nearly　over　by　now。　　The　fellows　were
having　dessert；　or；　probably；　were　filing　out　into　the　corridors；
the　younger　chaps　to　go　to　the　study　hall　and　the　older　onesthe
lordly　seniors；　of　whom　he　had　been　oneon　the　way　to　their　rooms。
The　picture　of　his　own　cheerful；　gay　room　in　the　senior　corridor
was　before　his　mind；　of　that　room　as　it　was　before　the　tel