the portygee-第16节

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something。　　He　liked　the　work　just　as　little　as　he　had　in　the
beginning　of　his　apprenticeship。　　And；　although　he　was　forgetting
his　thoughts　of　running　away；　of　attempting　fortune　on　his　own
hook；　he　was　just　as　rebellious　as　ever　against　a　future　to　be
spent　in　that　office　and　at　that　work。

Outside　the　office　and　the　hateful　bookkeeping　he　was　beginning　to
find　several　real　interests。　　At　the　old　house　which　had　for
generations　been　called　〃the　Snow　place；〃　he　was　beginning　to　feel
almost　at　home。　　He　and　his　grandmother　were　becoming　close
friends。　　She　was　not　looking　for　trouble；　she　never　sat　for　long
intervals　gazing　at　him　as　if　she　were　guessing；　guessing；　guessing
concerning　him。　　Captain　Zelotes　did　that；　but　Olive　did　not。　　She
had　taken　the　boy；　her　〃Janie's　boy；〃　to　her　heart　from　the　moment
she　saw　him　and　she　mothered　him　and　loved　him　in　a　way　whichso
long　as　it　was　not　done　in　publiccomforted　his　lonely　soul。　　They
had　not　yet　reached　the　stage　where　he　confided　in　her　to　any　great
extent；　but　that　was　certain　to　come　later。　　It　was　his　grandmother's
love　and　the　affection　he　was　already　beginning　to　feel　for　her
which；　during　these　first　lonesome；　miserable　weeks；　kept　him　from；
perhaps；　turning　the　running　away　fantasy　into　a　reality。

Another　inmate　of　the　Snow　household　with　whom　Albert　was　becoming
better　acquainted　with　was　Mrs。　Rachel　Ellis。　　Their　real
acquaintanceship　began　one　Sunday　forenoon　when　Captain　Zelotes　and
Olive　had　gone　to　church。　　Ordinarily　he　would　have　accompanied
them；　to　sit　in　the　straight…backed　old　pew　on　a　cushion　which　felt
lumpy　and　smelt　ancient　and　musty；　and　pretend　to　listen　while　old
Mr。　Kendall　preached　a　sermon　which　was　ancient　and　musty　likewise。

But　this　Sunday　morning　he　awoke　with　a　headache　and　his　grandmother
had　pleaded　for　him；　declaring　that　he　ought　to　〃lay　to　bed〃　a　while
and　get　over　it。　　He　got　over　it　with　surprising　quickness　after　the
church　bell　ceased　ringing；　and　came　downstairs　to　read　Ivanhoe　in
the　sitting　room。　　He　had　read　it　several　times　before；　but　he
wanted　to　read　something　and　the　choice　of　volumes　in　the　Snow
bookcase　was　limited。　　He　was　stretched　out　on　the　sofa　with　the
book　in　his　hand　when　the　housekeeper　entered；　armed　with　a
dust…cloth。　　She　went　to　church　only　〃every　other〃　Sunday。　　This
was　one　of　the　others　without　an　every；　and　she　was　at　home。

〃What　are　you　readin'；　Albert？〃　she　asked；　after　a　few'　minutes
vigorous　wielding　of　the　dust…cloth。　　〃It　must　be　awful　interestin'；
you　stick　at　it　so　close。〃

The　Black　Knight　was　just　then　hammering　with　his　battle…axe　at　the
gate　of　Front　de　Buef's　castle；　not　minding　the　stones　and　beams
cast　down　upon　him　from　above　〃no　more　than　if　they　were　thistle…
down　or　feathers。〃　　Albert　absently　admitted　that　the　story　was
interesting。　　The　housekeeper　repeated　her　request　to　be　told　its
name。

〃Ivanhoe；〃　replied　the　boy；　adding；　as　the　name　did　not　seem　to
convey　any　definite　idea　to　his　interrogator's　mind：　　〃It's　by
Walter　Scott；　you　know。〃

Mrs。　Ellis　made　no　remark　immediately。　　When　she　did　it　was　to　the
effect　that　she　used　to　know　a　colored　man　named　Scott　who　worked
at　the　hotel　once。　　〃He　swept　out　and　carried　trunks　and　such
things；〃　she　explained。　　〃He　seemed　to　be　a　real　nice　sort　of
colored　man；　far　as　ever　I　heard。〃

Albert　was　more　interested　in　the　Black　Knight　of　Ivanhoe　than　the
black　man　of　the　hotel；　so　he　went　on　reading。　　Rachel　sat　down　in
a　chair　by　the　window　and　looked　out；　twisting　and　untwisting　the
dust…cloth　in　her　lap。

〃I　presume　likely　lots　and　lots　of　folks　have　read　that　book；　ain't
they？〃　she　asked；　after　another　interval。

〃What？　　Oh；　yes；　almost　everybody。　　It's　a　classic；　I　suppose。〃

〃What's　that？〃

〃What's　what？〃

〃What　you　said　the　book　was。　　A　class…somethin'　or　other？〃

〃Oh；　a　classic。　　Why；　it'sit's　something　everybody　knows　about；
oror　ought　to　know　about。　　One　of　the　big　things；　you　know。
Likelike　Shakespeare　oror　Robinson　Crusoe　or　Paradise　Lost　or
lots　of　them。　　It's　a　book　everybody　reads　and　always　will。〃

〃I　see。　　Humph！　　Well；　I　never　read　it。　。　。　。　　I　presume　likely　you
think　that's　pretty　funny；　don't　you？〃

Albert　tore　himself　away　from　the　fight　at　the　gate。

〃Why；　I　don't　know；〃　he　replied。

〃Yes；　you　do。　　You　think　it's　awful　funny。　　Well；　you　wouldn't　if
you　knew　more　about　how　busy　I've　been　all　my　life。　　I　ain't　had
time　to　read　the　way　I'd　ought　to。　　I　read　a　book　once　though　that
I'll　never　forget。　　Did　you　ever　read　a　book　called　Foul　Play？〃

〃No。　。　。　。　　Why；　hold　on；　though；　I　think　I　have。　　By　Charles
Reade；　wasn't　it？〃

〃Yes；　that's　who　wrote　it；　a　man　named　Charles　Reade。　　Laban　told
me　that　part　of　it；　he　reads　a　lot；　Laban　does。　　I　never　noticed
who　wrote　it；　myself。　　I　was　too　interested　in　it　to　notice　little
extry　things　like　that。　　But　ain't　that　a　WONDERFUL　book？　　Ain't
that　the　best　book　you　ever　read　in　all　your　LIFE？〃

She　dropped　the　dust…cloth　and　was　too　excited　and　enthusiastic　to
pick　it　up。　　Albert　did　his　best　to　recall　something　definite
concerning　Foul　Play。　　The　book　had　been　in　the　school　library　and
he；　who　read　almost　everything；　had　read　it　along　with　the　others。

〃Let　me　see；〃　he　said　musingly。　　〃About　a　shipwrecksomething
about　a　shipwreck　in　it；　wasn't　there？〃

〃I　should　say　there　was！　　My　stars　above！　　Not　the　common　kind　of
shipwreck；　neither；　the　kind　they　have　down　to　Setuckit　P'int　on
the　shoals。　　No　sir…ee！　　This　one　was　sunk　on　purpose。　　That　Joe
Wylie　bored　holes　right　down　through　her　with　a　gimlet；　the　wicked
thing！　　And　that　set　'em　afloat　right　out　on　the　sea　in　a　boat；　and
there　wan't　anything　to　eat　till　Robert　Penfoldoh；　HE　was　the
smart　one；　he'd　find　anything；　that　man！he　found　the　barnacles　on
the　bottom　of　the　boat；　just　the　same　as　he　found　out　how　to
diffuse　intelligence　tied　onto　a　duck's　leg　over　land　knows　how
many　legsleagues；　I　meanof　ocean。　　But　that　come　later。　　Don't
you　remember　THAT？〃

Albert　laughed。　　The　story　was　beginning　to　come　back　to　him。

〃Oh；　sure！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃I　remember　now。　　Hethe　Penfold
fellowand　the　girl　landed　on　this　island　and　had　all　sorts　of
adventures；　and　fell　in　love　and　all　that　sort　of　stuff；　and　then
her　dad　came　and　took　her　back　to　England　and　sheshe　did
something　or　other　there　toto　get　the　Penfold　guy　out　of
trouble。〃

〃Did　somethin'！　　I　should　say　she　did！　　Why；　she　found　out　all
about　who　forged　the　letterthe　note；　I　meanthat's　what　she
done。　　'Twas　Arthur　Wardlaw；　that's　who　'twas。　　And　he　was　tryin'
to　get　Helen　all　the　time　for　himself；　the　skinner！　　Don't　talk　to
me　about　that　Arthur　Wardlaw！　　I　never　could　bear　HIM。〃

She　spoke　as　if　she　had　known　the　detested　Wardlaw　intimately　from
childhood。　　Young　Speranza　was　hugely　amused。　　Ivanhoe　was　quite
forgotten。

〃Foul　Play　was　great　stuff；〃　he　observed。　　〃When　did　you　read　it？〃

〃Eh？　　When？　　Oh；　ever　and　ever　so　long　ago。　　When　I　was　about
twenty；　I　guess；　and　laid　up　with　the　measles。　　That's　the　only
time　I　ever　was　real　what　you　might　call　down　sick　in　my　life；　and
I　commenced　with　measles。　　That's　the　way　a　good　many　folks
commence；　I　know；　but　they　don't　generally　wait　till　they're　out　of
their　'teens　afore　they　start。　　I　was　workin'　for　Mrs。　Philander
Bassett　at　the　time；　and　she　says　to　me：　　'Rachel；'　she　says；
'you're　on　the　mendin'　hand　now；　wouldn't　you　like　a　book　to　read？'
I　says；　'Why；　maybe　I　would。'　　And　she　fetched　up　three　of　'em。　　I
can　see　'em　now；　all　three；　plain　as　day。　　One　was　Barriers　Burned
Away。　　She　said　that　was　somethin'　about　a　big　fire。　　Well；　I'm
awful　nervous　about　fires；　have　been　from　a　child；　so　I　didn't　read
that。　　And　another　had　the　queerest　kind　of　a　name；　if　you'd　call
it　a　name　at　all；　'twas　She。〃

Albert　nodded。

〃Yes；〃　he　said。　　〃I've　read　that。〃

〃Have　you？　　Well；　I　begun　to；　but　my　stars；　THAT　wasn't　any　book　to
give　to　a　person　with　nerve　symptoms。　　I　got　as　far　as　where　those
Indians　or　whatever　they　was　started　to　put　red…hot　kettles　on
folks's　heads；　and　that　was　enough　for　ME。　　'Give　me　somethin'
civilized；'　says　I；　'or　not　at　all。'　　So　I　commenced　Foul　Play；　and
I　tell　you　I　kept　right　on　to　the　end。

〃I　don't　suppose；〃　she　went　on；　〃that　there　ever　was　a　much　better
book　than　that　wrote；　was　there？〃

Albert　temporized。　　〃It　is　a　good　one；〃　he　admitted。

〃Don't　seem　to　me　there　could　be　much　better。　　Laban　says　it's
good；　though　he　won't　go　so　far　as　to　say　it's　the　very　best。　　He's
read　lots　and　lots　of　books；　Laban　has。　　Reads　an　awful　lot　in　his
spare　time。　　He's　what　you'd　call　an　educated　person；　which　is　what
I　ain't。　　And　I　guess　you'll　say　that　last　is　plain　enough　without
bein'　told；〃　she　added。

Her　companion；　not　exactly　knowing　how　to　answer；　was　silent　for　a
moment。　　Rachel；　who　had　picked　up　and　was　again　twisting　the　dust…
cloth；　returned　to　the　subject　she　so　delighted　in。

〃But　that　Foul　Play　book；〃　she　continued；　〃I've　read　till　I've
pretty　nigh　wore　the　covers　off。　　When　Mrs。　Bassett　saw　how　much　I
liked　it　she　gave　it　to　me　for　a　present。　　I　read　a　little　bit　in
it　every　little　while。　　I　kind　of　fit　the　folks　in　that　book　to
f