the portygee-第13节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


father　left　you；　in　the　way　of　tangible　assets？〃

〃No。　　I　knew　he　had　plenty　of　money　always。　　He　was　one　of　the　most
famous　singers　in　this　country。〃

〃Maybe　so。〃

〃It　WAS　so；〃　hotly。　　〃And　he　was　paid　enough　in　one　week　to　buy
this　whole　townor　almost。　　Why；　my　father〃

〃Sshh！　　Sssh！〃

〃No；　I'm　not　going　to　hush。　　I'm　proud　of　my　father。　　He　was　aa
great　man。　　Andand　I'm　not　going　to　stand　here　and　have　you〃

Between　indignation　and　emotion　he　choked　and　could　not　finish　the
sentence。　　The　tears　came　to　his　eyes。

〃I'm　not　going　to　have　you　or　anyone　else　talk　about　him　that　way；〃
he　concluded；　fiercely。

His　grandfather　regarded　him　with　a　steady；　but　not　at　all
unkindly；　gaze。

〃I　ain't　runnin'　down　your　father；　Albert；〃　he　said。

〃Yes；　you　are。　　You　hated　him。　　Anybody　could　see　you　hated　him。〃

The　captain　slowly　rapped　the　desk　with　the　pencil。　　He　did　not
answer　at　once。

〃Well；〃　he　said；　after　a　moment；　〃I　don't　know　as　I　ought　to　deny
that。　　I　don't　know　as　I　can　deny　it　and　be　honest。　　Years　ago　he
took　away　from　me　what　amounted　to　three…quarters　of　everything
that　made　my　life　worth　while。　　Some　day　you'll　know　more　about　it
than　you　do　now；　and　maybe　you'll　understand　my　p'int　of　view
better。　　No；　I　didn't　like　your　father　　Eh？　　What　was　you
sayin'？〃

Albert；　who　had　muttered　something；　was　rather　confused。　　However；
he　did　not　attempt　to　equivocate。　　〃I　said　I　guessed　that　didn't
make　much　difference　to　Father；〃　he　answered；　sullenly。

〃I　presume　likely　it　didn't。　　But　we　won't　go　into　that　question
now。　　What　I'm　tryin'　to　get　at　in　this　talk　we're　having　is　you
and　your　future。　　Now　you　can't　go　back　to　school　because　you　can't
afford　it。　　All　your　father　left　when　he　died　wasthis　is　the
honest　truth　I'm　tellin'　you　now；　and　if　I'm　puttin'　it　pretty
blunt　it's　because　I　always　think　it's　best　to　get　a　bad　mess　out
of　the　way　in　a　hurryall　your　father　left　was　debts。　　He　didn't
leave　money　enough　to　bury　him；　hardly。〃

The　boy　stared　at　him　aghast。　　His　grandfather；　leaning　a　little
toward　him；　would　have　put　a　hand　on　his　knee；　but　the　knee　was
jerked　out　of　the　way。

〃There；　that's　over；　Al；〃　went　on　Captain　Zelotes。　　〃You　know　the
worst　now　and　you　can　say；　'What　of　it？'　　I　mean　just　that：　　What
of　it？　　Bein'　left　without　a　cent；　but　with　your　health　and　a　fair
chance　to　make　goodthat；　at　seventeen　or　eighteen　ain't　a　bad
lookout；　by　any　manner　of　means。　　It's　the　outlook　_I_　had　at
fifteenexceptin'　the　chanceand　I　ain't　asked　many　favors　of
anybody　since。　　At　your　age；　or　a　month　or　two　older；　do　you　know
where　I　was？　　I　was　first　mate　of　a　three…masted　schooner。　　At
twenty　I　was　skipper；　and　at　twenty…five；　by　the　Almighty；　I　owned
a　share　in　her。　　Al；　all　you　need　now　is　a　chance　to　go　to　work。
And　I'm　goin'　to　give　you　that　chance。〃

Albert　gasped。　　〃Do　you　meando　you　mean　I've　got　to　be　aa
sailor？〃　he　stammered。

Captain　Zelotes　put　back　his　head　and　laughed；　laughed　aloud。

〃A　sailor！〃　he　repeated。　　〃Ho；　ho！　　No　wonder　you　looked　scared。
No；　I　wan't　cal'latin'　to　make　a　sailor　out　of　you；　son。　　For　one
reason；　sailorin'　ain't　what　it　used　to　be；　and；　for　another；　I
have　my　doubts　whether　a　young　feller　of　your　bringin'　up　would
make　much　of　a　go　handlin'　a　bunch　of　fo'mast　hands　the　first　day
out。　　No；　I　wasn't　figgerin'　to　send　you　to　sea　。　。　。　　What　do　you
suppose　I　brought　you　down　to　this　place　for　this　mornin'？〃

And　then　Albert　understood。　　He　knew　why　he　had　been　conducted
through　the　lumber　yards；　about　the　hardware　shop；　why　his
grandfather　and　Mr。　Price　had　taken　so　much　pains　to　exhibit　and
explain。　　His　heart　sank。

〃I　brought　you　down　here；〃　continued　the　captain；　〃because　it's　a
first…rate　idea　to　look　a　vessel　over　afore　you　ship　aboard　her。
It's　kind　of　late　to　back　out　after　you　have　shipped。　　Ever　since　I
made　up　my　mind　to　send　for　you　and　have　you　live　along　with　your
grandmother　and　me　I've　been　plannin'　what　to　do　with　you。　　I　knew；
if　you　was　a　decent；　ambitious　young　chap；　you'd　want　to　do
somethin'　towards　makin'　a　start　in　life。　　We　can　usethat　is；
this　business　can　use　that　kind　of　a　chap　right　now。　　He　could　larn
to　keep　books　and　know　lumber　and　hardware　and　how　to　sell　and　how
to　buy。　　He　can　larn　the　whole　thing。　　There's　a　chance　here；　son。
It's　your　chance；　I'm　givin'　it　to　you。　　How　big　a　chance　it　turns
out　to　be　'll　depend　on　you；　yourself。〃

He　stopped。　　Albert　was　silent。　　His　thoughts　were　confused；　but
out　of　their　dismayed　confusion　two　or　three　fixed　ideas　reared
themselves　like　crags　from　a　whirlpool。　　He　was　to　live　in　South
Hamiss　alwaysalways；　he　was　to　keep　books　　Heavens；　how　he　hated
mathematics；　detail　work　of　any　kind！for　drunken　old　Keeler；　he
was　to　〃heave　lumber〃　with　Issy　Price。　　He　　Oh；　it　was　dreadful！
It　was　horrible。　　He　couldn't！　　He　wouldn't！　　He

Captain　Zelotes　had　been　watching　him；　his　heavy　brows　drawing
closer　together　as　the　boy　delayed　answering。

〃Well？〃　he　asked；　for　another　minute。　〃Did　you　hear　what　I　said？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Understood；　did　you？〃

〃Yessir。〃

〃Well？〃

Albert　was　clutching　at　straws。　　〃II　don't　know　how　to　keep
books；〃　he　faltered。

〃I　didn't　suppose　you　did。　　Don't　imagine　they　teach　anything　as
practical　as　bookkeepin'　up　at　that　school　of　yours。　　But　you　can
larn；　can't　you？〃

〃II　guess　so。〃

〃I　guess　so；　too。　　Good　Lord；　I　HOPE　so！　　Humph！　　You　don't　seem　to
be　jumpin'　for　joy　over　the　prospect。　　There's　a　half　dozen　smart
young　fellers　here　in　South　Harniss　that　would；　I　tell　you　that。〃

Albert　devoutly　wished　they　had　jumpedand　landedbefore　his
arrival。　　His　grandfather's　tone　grew　more　brusque。

〃Don't　you　want　to　work？〃　he　demanded。

〃Why；　yes；　II　suppose　I　do。　　II　hadn't　thought　much　about　it。〃

〃Humph！　　Then　I　think　it's　time　you　begun。　　Hadn't　you　had　ANY
notion　of　what　you　wanted　to　do　when　you　got　out　of　that　school　of
yours？〃

〃I　was　going　to　college。〃

〃Humph！　。　。　。　　Yes；　I　presume　likely。　　Well；　after　you　got　out　of
college；　what　was　you　plannin'　to　do　then？〃

〃I　wasn't　sure。　　I　thought　I　might　do　something　with　my　music。　　I
can　play　a　little。　　I　can't　singthat　is；　not　well　enough。　　If　I
could；〃　wistfully；　〃I　should　have　liked　to　be　in　opera；　as　father
was；　of　course。〃

Captain　Zelotes'　only　comment　was　a　sniff　or　snort；　or　combination
of　both。　　Albert　went　on。

〃I　had　thought　of　writingwriting　books　and　poems；　you　know。　　I've
written　quite　a　good　deal　for　the　school　magazine。　　And　I　think　I
should　like　to　be　an　actor；　perhaps。　　I〃

〃Good　God！〃　　His　grandfather's　fist　came　down　upon　the　desk　before
him。　　Slowly　he　shook　his　head。

〃Aa　poetry　writer　and　an　actor！〃　he　repeated。　　〃Whew！　。　。　。
Well；　there！　　Perhaps　maybe　we　hadn't　better　talk　any　more　just
now。　　You　can　have　the　rest　of　the　day　to　run　around　town　and　sort
of　get　acquainted；　if　you　want　to。　　Then　to…morrow　mornin'　you　and
I'll　come　over　here　together　and　we'll　begin　to　break　you　in。　　I
shouldn't　wonder；〃　he　added；　dryly；　〃if　you　found　it　kind　of　dull
at　firstcompared　to　that　school　and　poetry　makin'　and　suchbut
it'll　be　respectable　and　it'll　pay　for　board　and　clothes　and
somethin'　to　eat　once　in　a　while；　which　may　not　seem　so　important
to　you　now　as　'twill　later　on。　　And　some　day　I　cal'lateanyhow
we'll　hopeyou'll　be　mighty　glad　you　did　it。〃

Poor　Albert　looked　and　felt　anything　but　glad　just　then。　　Captain
Zelotes；　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　stood　regarding　him。　　He；　too；
did　not　look　particularly　happy。

〃You'll　remember；〃　he　observed；　〃or　perhaps　you　don't　know；　that
when　your　father　asked　us　to　look　out　for　you〃

Albert　interrupted。　　〃Diddid　father　ask　you　to　take　care　of　me？〃
he　cried；　in　surprise。

〃Um…hm。　　He　asked　somebody　who　was　with　him　to　ask　us　to　do　just
that。〃

The　boy　drew　a　long　breath。　　〃Well；　then；〃　he　said；　hopelessly；
〃I'llI'll　try。〃

〃Thanks。　　Now　you　run　around　town　and　see　the　sights。　　Dinner's　at
half　past　twelve　prompt；　so　be　on　hand　for　that。〃

After　his　grandson　had　gone；　the　captain；　hands　still　in　his
pockets；　stood　for　some　time　looking　out　of　the　window。　　At　length
he　spoke　aloud。

〃A　play　actor　or　a　poetry　writer！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃Tut；　tut；　tut！
No　use　talkin'；　blood　will　tell！〃

Issachar；　who　was　putting　coal　on　the　office　fire；　turned　his　head。

〃Eh？〃　he　queried。

〃Nothin'；〃　said　Captain　Lote。

He　would　have　been　surprised　if　he　could　have　seen　his　grandson
just　at　that　moment。　　Albert；　on　the　beach　whither　he　had　strayed
in　his　desire　to　be　alone；　safely　hidden　from　observation　behind　a
sand　dune；　was　lying　with　his　head　upon　his　arms　and　sobbing
bitterly。

A　disinterested　person　might　have　decided　that　the　interview　which
had　just　taken　place　and　which　Captain　Zelotes　hopefully　told　his
wife　that　morning　would　probably　result　in　〃a　clear；　comf'table
understandin'　between　the　boy　and　me〃such　a　disinterested　person
might　have　decided　that　it　had　resulted　in　exactly　the　opposite。
In　calculating　the　results　to　be　obtained　from　that　interview　the
captain　had　not　taken　into　consideration　two　elements；　one　his　own
and　the　other　his　grandson's。　　These　elements　were　prejudice　and
temperament。



CHAPTER　IV