the portygee-第11节

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you　see　you　don't　understand　Issy'll　tell　you　about　it。〃

He　went　into　the　office。　　Albert　sauntered　listlessly　to　the　window
and　looked　out。　　So　far　as　not　understanding　anything　in　the　shop
was　concerned　he　was　quite　willing　to　remain　in　ignorance。　　It　did
not　interest　him　in　the　least。　　A　moment　later　he　felt　a　touch　on
his　elbow。　　He　turned；　to　find　Mr。　Price　standing　beside　him。

〃I'm　all　ready　to　tell　you　about　it　now；〃　volunteered　the　unsmiling
Issy。　　〃Sweepin's　all　finished　up。〃

Albert　was　amused。　　〃I　guess　I　can　get　along；〃　he　said。

〃Don't　worry。〃

〃_I_　ain't　worried　none。　　I　don't　believe　in　worryin'；　worryin'
don't　do　folks　no　good；　the　way　I　look　at　it。　　But　long's　Cap'n
Lote　wants　me　to　tell　you　about　the　hardware　I'd　ruther　do　it　now；
than　any　time。　　Henry　Cahoon's　team'll　be　here　for　a　load　of　lath
in　about　ten　minutes　or　so；　and　then　I'll　have　to　leave　you。　　This
here's　the　shelf　where　we　keep　the　buttshinges；　you　understand。
Brass　along　here；　and　iron　here。　　Got　quite　a　stock；　ain't　we。〃

He　took　the　visitor's　arm　in　his　mighty　paw　and　led　him　from
shelves　to　drawers　and　from　drawers　to　boxes；　talking　all　the　time；
so　the　boy　thought；　〃like　a　catalogue。〃　　Albert　tried　gently　to
break　away　several　times　and　yawned　often；　but　yawns　and　hints　were
quite　lost　on　his　guide；　who　was　intent　only　upon　the　businessand
victimin　hand。　　At　the　window　looking　across　toward　the　main　road
Albert　paused　longest。　　There　was　a　girl　in　sightshe　looked；　at
that　distance；　as　if　she　might　be　a　rather　pretty　girland　the
young　man　was　languidly　interested。　　He　had　recently　made　the
discovery　that　pretty　girls　may　be　quite　interesting；　and；　moreover；
one　or　two　of　them　whom　he　had　met　at　the　school　danceswhen　the
young　ladies　from　the　Misses　Bradshaws'　seminary　had　come　over；　duly
guarded　and　chaperoned；　to　one…step　and　fox…trot　with　the　young
gentlemen　of　the　schoolone　or　two　of　these　young　ladies　had
intimated　a　certain　interest　in　him。　　So　the　feminine　possibility
across　the　road　attracted　his　noticeonly　slightly；　of　course；　the
sophisticated　metropolitan　notice　is　not　easily　arousedbut　still；
slightly。

〃Come　on；　come　on；〃　urged　Issachar　Price。　　〃I　ain't　begun　to　show
ye　the　whole　of　it　yet　。　。　。　　Eh？　　Oh；　Lord；　there　comes　Cahoon's
team　now！　　Well；　I　got　to　go。　　Show　you　the　rest　some　other　time。
So　long　。　。　。　　Eh？　　Cap'n　Lote's　callin'　you；　ain't　he？〃

Albert　went　into　the　office　in　response　to　his　grandfather's　call
to　find　the　latter　seated　at　an　old…fashioned　roll…top　desk；　piled
with　papers。

〃I've　got　to　go　down　to　the　bank；　Al；〃　he　said。　　〃Some　business
about　a　note　that　Laban　ought　to　be　here　to　see　to；　but　ain't。
I'll　be　back　pretty　soon。　　You　just　stay　here　and　wait　for　me。　　You
might　be　lookin'　over　the　books；　if　you　want　to。　　I　took　'em　out　of
the　safe　and　they're　on　Labe's　desk　there；〃　pointing　to　the　high
standing　desk　by　the　window。　　〃They're　worth　lookin'　at；　if　only　to
see　how　neat　they're　kept。　　A　set　of　books　like　that　is　an　example
to　any　young　man。　　You　might　be　lookin'　'em　over。〃

He　hurried　out。　　Albert　smiled　condescendingly　and；　instead　of
looking　over　Mr。　Keeler's　books；　walked　over　to　the　window　and
looked　out　of　that。　　The　girl　was　not　in　sight　now；　but　she　might
be　soon。　　At　any　rate　watching　for　her　was　as　exciting　as　any
amusement　he　could　think　of　about　that　dull　hole。　　Ah　hum！　he
wondered　how　the　fellows　were　at　school。

The　girl　did　not　reappear。　　Signs　of　animation　along　the　main　road
were　limited。　　One　or　two　men　went　by；　then　a　group　of　children
obviously　on　their　way　to　school。　　Albert　yawned　again；　took　the
silver　cigarette　case　from　his　pocket　and　looked　longingly　at　its
contents。　　He　wondered　what　his　grandfather's　ideas　might　be　on　the
tobacco　question。　　But　his　grandfather　was　not　there　then　。　。　。
and　he　might　not　return　for　some　time　。　。　。　and　。　。　。　　He　took　a
cigarette　from　the　case；　tapped；　with　careful　carelessness；　its　end
upon　the　casehe　would　not　have　dreamed　of　smoking　without　first
going　through　the　tapping　processlighted　the　cigarette　and　blew　a
large　and　satisfying　cloud。　　Between　puffs　he　sang：


　　　　　　〃To　you；　beautiful　lady；
　　　　　　　I　raise　my　eyes。
　　　　　My　heart；　beautiful　lady；
　　　　　　　To　your　heart　cries：
　　　　　Come；　come；　beautiful　lady；
　　　　　　　To　Par…a…dise；
　　　　　As　the　sweet；　sweet'〃


Some　one　behind　him　said：　　〃Excuse　me。〃　　The　appeal　to　the
beautiful　lady　broke　off　in　the　middle；　and　he　whirled　about　to
find　the　girl　whom　he　had　seen　across　the　road　and　for　whose
reappearance　he　had　been　watching　at　the　window；　standing　in　the
office　doorway。　　He　looked　at　her　and　she　looked　at　him。　　He　was
embarrassed。　　She　did　not　seem　to　be。

〃Excuse　me；〃　she　said：　　〃Is　Mr。　Keeler　here？〃

She　was　a　pretty　girl；　so　his　hasty　estimate　made　when　he　had　first
sighted　her　was　correct。　　Her　hair　was　dark；　so　were　her　eyes；　and
her　cheeks　were　becomingly　colored　by　the　chill　of　the　winter　air。
She　was　a　country　girl；　her　hat　and　coat　proved　that；　not　that　they
were　in　bad　taste　or　unbecoming；　but　they　were　simple　and　their
style　perhaps　nearer　to　that　which　the　young　ladies　of　the　Misses
Bradshaws'　seminary　had　worn　the　previous　winter。　　All　this　Albert
noticed　in　detail　later　on。　　Just　then　the　particular　point　which
attracted　his　embarrassed　attention　was　the　look　in　the　dark　eyes。
They　seemed　to　have　almost　the　same　disturbing　quality　which　he　had
noticed　in　his　grandfather's　gray　ones。　　Her　mouth　was　very　proper
and　grave；　but　her　eyes　looked　as　if　she　were　laughing　at　him。

Now　to　be　laughed　at　by　an　attractive　young　lady　is　disturbing　and
unpleasant。　　It　is　particularly　so　when　the　laughter　is　from　the
provinces　and　the　laugheeso　to　speaka　dignified　and　sophisticated
city　man。　　Albert　summoned　the　said　dignity　and　sophistication　to
his　rescue；　knocked　the　ashes　from　his　cigarette　and　said；　haughtily：

〃I　beg　your　pardon？〃

〃Is　Mr。　Keeler　here？〃　repeated　the　girl。

〃No；　he　is　out。〃

〃Will　he　be　back　soon；　do　you　think？〃

Recollections　of　Mr。　Price's　recent　remark　concerning　the　missing
bookkeeper's　〃good　start〃　came　to　Albert's　mind　and　he　smiled；
slightly。　　〃I　should　say　not；〃　he　observed；　with　delicate　irony。

〃Is　IssyI　mean　Mr。　Price；　busy？〃

〃He's　out　in　the　yard　there　somewhere；　I　believe。　　Would　you　like
to　have　me　call　him？〃

〃Why；　yesif　you　pleasesir。〃

The　〃sir〃　was　flattering；　if　it　was　sincere。　　He　glanced　at　her。
The　expression　of　the　mouth　was　as　grave　as　ever；　but　he　was　still
uncertain　about　those　eyes。　　However；　he　was　disposed　to　give　her
the　benefit　of　the　doubt；　so；　stepping　to　the　side　door　of　the
officethat　leading　to　the　yardshe　opened　it　and　shouted：
〃Price！　。　。　。　　Hey；　Price！〃

There　was　no　answer；　although　he　could　hear　Issachar's　voice　and
another　above　the　rattle　of　lath　bundles。

〃Price！〃　he　shouted；　again。　　〃Pri…i…ce！〃

The　rattling　ceased。　　Then；　in　the　middle　distance；　above　a　pile　of
〃two　by　fours；〃　appeared　Issachar's　head；　the　features　agitated　and
the　forehead　bedewed　with　the　moisture　of　honest　toil。

〃Huh？〃　yelled　Issy。　　〃What's　the　matter？　　Be　you　hollerin'　to　me？〃

〃Yes。　　There's　some　one　here　wants　to　see　you。〃

〃Hey？〃

〃I　say　there's　some　one　here　who　wants　to　see　you。〃

〃What　for？〃

〃I　don't　know。〃

〃Well；　find　out；　can't　ye？　　I'm　busy。〃

Was　that　a　laugh　which　Albert　heard　behind　him？　　He　turned　around；
but　the　young　lady's　face　wore　the　same　grave；　even　demure；
expression。

〃What　do　you　want　to　see　him　for？〃　he　asked。

〃I　wanted　to　buy　something。〃

〃She　wants　to　buy　something；〃　repeated　Albert；　shouting。

〃Hey？〃

〃She　wants　toBUYsomething。〃　　It　was　humiliating　to　have　to
scream　in　this　way。

〃Buy？　　Buy　what？〃

〃What　do　you　want　to　buy？〃

〃A　hook；　that's　all。　　A　hook　for　our　kitchen　door。　　Would　you　mind
asking　him　to　hurry？　　I　haven't　much　time。〃

〃She　wants　a　hook。〃

〃Eh？　　We　don't　keep　books。　　What　kind　of　a　book？〃

〃Not　bookHOOK。　　H…O…O…K！　　Oh；　great　Scott！　　Hook！　　HOOK！　　Hook　for
a　door！　　And　she　wants　you　to　hurry。〃

〃Eh？　　Well；　I　can't　hurry　now　for　nobody。　　I　got　to　load　these
laths　and　that's　all　there　is　to　it。　　Can't　you　wait　on　him？〃
Evidently　the　customer's　sex　had　not　yet　been　made　clear　to　the
Price　understanding。　　〃You　can　get　a　hook　for　him；　can't　ye？　　You
know　where　they　be；　I　showed　ye。　　Ain't　forgot　so　soon；　'tain't
likely。〃

The　head　disappeared　behind　the　〃two　by　fours。〃　　Its　face　was　red；
but　no　redder　than　Mr。　Speranza's　at　that　moment。

〃Fool　rube！〃　he　snorted；　disgustedly。

〃Excuse　me；　but　you've　dropped　your　cigarette；〃　observed　the　young
lady。

Albert　savagely　slammed　down　the　window　and　turned　away。　　The
dropped　cigarette　stump　lay　where　it　had　fallen；　smudging　and
smelling。

His　caller　looked　at　it　and　then　at　him。

〃I'd　pick　it　up；　if　I　were　you；〃　she　said。　　〃Cap'n　Snow　HATES
cigarettes。〃

Albert；　his　dignity　and　indignation　forgotten；　returned　her　look
with　one　of　anxiety。

〃Does　he；　honest？〃　he　asked。

〃Yes。　　He　hates　them　worse　than　anything。〃

The　cigarette　stump　was　hastily　picked　up　by　its　owner。

〃Where'll　I　put　it？〃　he　asked；　hurriedly。

〃Why　don't　you　　Oh；　don't　put　it　in　your　pocket！