the portygee-第24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！



〃He　wants　me　to　stay　here　and　help　Labe　Keeler　and　Issy　Price。　　He
wants　me　to　spend　all　my　life　in　that　office　of　his；　that's　what　HE
wants。　　Now　hold　on；　Helen！　　I'm　not　saying　anything　against　the
old　fellow。　　He　doesn't　like　me；　I　know；　but〃

〃You　DON'T　know。　　He　does　like　you。　　Or　he　wants　to　like　you　very
much　indeed。　　He　would　like　to　have　you　carry　on　the　Snow　Company's
business　after　he　has　gone；　but　if　you　can'tor　won'tdo　that；　I
know　he　would　be　very　happy　to　see　you　succeed　at　anything
anything。〃

Albert　laughed　scornfully。　　〃Even　at　writing　poetry？〃　he　asked。

〃Why；　yes；　at　writing；　although　of　course　he　doesn't　know　a　thing
about　it　and　can't　understand　how　any　one　can　possibly　earn　a
living　that　way。　　He　has　read　or　heard　about　poets　and　authors
starving　in　garrets　and　he　thinks　they're　all　like　that。　　But　if
you　could　only　show　him　and　prove　to　him　that　you　could　succeed　by
writing；　he　would　be　prouder　of　you　than　any　one　else　would　be。　　I
know　it。〃

He　regarded　her　curiously。　　〃You　seem　to　know　a　lot　about　my
grandfather；〃　he　observed。

〃I　do　know　something　about　him。　　He　and　I　have　been　friends　ever
since　I　was　a　little　girl；　and　I　like　him　very　much　indeed。　　If　he
were　my　grandfather　I　should　be　proud　of　him。　　And　I　think　you
ought　to　be。〃

She　flashed　the　last　sentence　at　him　in　a　sudden　heat　of　enthusiasm。
He　was　surprised　at　her　manner。

〃Gee！　　You　ARE　strong　for　the　old　chap；　aren't　you？〃　he　said。
〃Well；　admitting　that　he　is　all　right；　just　why　should　I　be　proud
of　him？　　I　AM　proud　of　my　father；　of　course；　he　was　somebody　in　the
world。〃

〃You　mean　he　was　somebody　just　because　he　was　celebrated　and　lots
of　people　knew　about　him。　　Celebrated　people　aren't　the　only　ones
who　do　worth　while　things。　　If　I　were　you；　I　should　be　proud　of
Captain　Zelotes　because　he　is　what　he　has　made　himself。　　Nobody
helped　him；　he　did　it　all。　　He　was　a　sea　captain　and　a　good　one。
He　has　been　a　business　man　and　a　good　one；　even　if　the　business
isn't　so　very　big。　　Everybody　here　in　South　Harnissyes；　and　all
up　and　down　the　Capeknows　of　him　and　respects　him。　　My　father
says　in　all　the　years　he　has　preached　in　his　church　he　has　never
heard　a　single　person　as　much　as　hint　that　Captain　Snow　wasn't
absolutely　honest；　absolutely　brave；　and　the　same　to　everybody；
rich　or　poor。　　And　all　his　life　he　has　worked　and　worked　hard。
What　HE　has　belongs　to　him；　he　has　earned　it。　　That's　why　I　should
be　proud　of　him　if　he　were　my　grandfather。〃

Her　enthusiasm　had　continued　all　through　this　long　speech。　　Albert
whistled。

〃Whew！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃Regular　cheer　for　Zelotes；　fellows！　　One
two！　　Grandfather's　got　one　person　to　stand　up　for　him；　I'll　say
that。　　But　why　this　sudden　outbreak　about　him；　anyhow？　　It　was　me
you　were　talking　about　in　the　beginningthough　I　didn't　notice　any
loud　calls　for　cheers　in　that　direction；〃　he　added。

She　ignored　the　last　part　of　the　speech。　　〃I　think　you　yourself
made　me　think　of　him；〃　she　replied。　　〃Sometimes　you　remind　me　of
him。　　Not　often；　but　once　in　a　while。　　Just　now；　when　we　were
climbing　down　that　awful　place　you　seemed　almost　exactly　like　him。
The　way　you　knew　just　what　to　do　all　the　time；　and　your　not
hesitating　a　minute；　and　the　way　you　took　command　of　the　situation
and；〃　with　a　sudden　laugh；　〃bossed　me　around；　every　bit　of　that　was
like　him；　and　not　like　you　at　all。　　Oh；　I　don't　mean　that；〃　she
added　hurriedly。　　〃I　mean　it　wasn't　like　you　as　you　usually　are。
It　was　different。〃

〃Humph！　　Well；　I　must　say　　See　here；　Helen　Kendall；　what　is　it
you　expect　me　to　do；　sail　in　and　write　two　or　three　sonnets　and　a
'Come　Into　the　Garden；　Maud；'　some　time　next　week？　　You're　terribly
keen　about　Grandfather；　but　he　has　rather　got　the　edge　on　me　so　far
as　age　goes。　　He's　in　the　sixties；　and　I'm　just　about　nineteen。〃

〃When　he　was　nineteen　he　was　first　mate　of　a　ship。〃

〃Yes；　so　I've　heard　him　say。　　Maybe　first…mating　is　a　little　bit
easier　than　writing　poetry。〃

〃And　maybe　it　isn't。　　At　any　rate；　he　didn't　know　whether　it　was
easy　or　not　until　he　tried。　　Oh；　THAT'S　what　I　would　like　to　see
you　doTRY　to　do　something。　　You　could　do　it；　too；　almost　anything
you　tried；　I　do　believe。　　I　am　confident　you　could。　　But　　Oh；
well；　as　you　said　at　the　beginning；　it　isn't　my　business　at　all；
and　I've　said　ever　and　ever　so　much　more　than　I　meant　to。　　Please
forgive　me；　if　you　can。　　I　think　my　tumble　and　all　the　rest　must
have　made　me　silly。　　I'm　sorry；　Albert。　　There　are　the　steps　up　to
the　pavilion。　　See　them！〃

He　was　tramping　on　beside　her；　his　hands　in　his　pockets。　　He　did
not　look　at　the　long　flight　of　steps　which　had　suddenly　come　into
view　around　the　curve　of　the　bluff。　　When　he　did　look　up　and　speak
it　was　in　a　different　tone；　some　such　tone　as　she　had　heard　him　use
during　her　rescue。

〃All　right；〃　he　said；　with　decision；　〃I'll　show　you　whether　I　can
try　or　not。　　I　know　you　think　I　won't；　but　I　will。　　I'm　going　up　to
my　room　to…night　and　I'm　going　to　try　to　write　something　or　other。
It　may　be　the　rottenest　poem　that　ever　was　ground　out；　but　I'll
grind　it　if　it　kills　me。〃

She　was　pleased；　that　was　plain；　but　she　shook　her　head。

〃Not　to…night；　Albert；〃　she　said。　　〃To…night；　after　the　picnic；　is
Father's　reception　at　the　church。　　Of　course　you'll　come　to　that。〃

〃Of　course　I　won't。　　Look　here；　you've　called　me　lazy　and
indifferent　and　a　hundred　other　pet　names　this　afternoon。　　Well；
this　evening　I'll　make　you　take　some　of　'em　back。　　Reception　be
hanged！　　I'm　going　to　write　to…night。〃

That　evening　both　Mrs。　Snow　and　Rachel　Ellis　were　much　disturbed
because　Albert；　pleading　a　headache；　begged　off　from　attendance　at
the　reception　to　the　Reverend　Mr。　Kendall。　　Either；　or　both　ladies
would　have　been　only　too　willing　to　remain　at　home　and　nurse　the
sufferer　through　his　attack；　but　he　refused　to　permit　the　sacrifice
on　their　part。　　After　they　had　gone　his　headache　disappeared　and；
supplied　with　an　abundance　of　paper；　pens　and　ink；　he　sat　down　at
the　table　in　his　room　to　invoke　the　Muse。　　The　invocation　lasted
until　three　A。　M。　　At　that　hour；　with　a　genuine　headache；　but　a
sense　of　triumph　which　conquered　pain；　Albert　climbed　into　bed。
Upon　the　table　lay　a　poem；　a　six　stanza　poem；　having　these　words　at
its　head：


　　　　　　　　TO　MY　LADY'S　SPRING　HAT
　　　　　　　　　　　By　A。　M。　Speranza。


The　following　forenoon　he　posted　that　poem　to　the　editor　of　The
Cape　Cod　Item。　　And　three　weeks　later　it　appeared　in　the　pages　of
that　journal。　　Of　course　there　was　no　pecuniary　recompense　for　its
author；　and　the　fact　was　indisputable　that　the　Item　was　generally
only　too　glad　to　publish　contributions　which　helped　to　fill　its
columns。　　But；　nevertheless；　Albert　Speranza　had　written　a　poem　and
that　poem　had　been　published。



CHAPTER　VII


It　was　Rachel　who　first　discovered　〃To　My　Lady's　Spring　Hat〃　in　the
Item　three　weeks　later。　　She　came　rushing　into　the　sitting　room
brandishing　the　paper。

〃My　soul！　　My　soul！　　My　soul！〃　she　cried。

Olive；　sitting　sewing　by　the　window；　was；　naturally；　somewhat
startled。　　〃Mercy　on　us；　Rachel！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃What　IS　it？〃

〃Look！〃　cried　the　housekeeper；　pointing　to　the　contribution　in　the
〃Poets'　Corner〃　as　Queen　Isabella　may　have　pointed　at　the　evidence
of　her　proteges　discovery　of　a　new　world。　　〃LOOK！〃

Mrs。　Snow　looked；　read　the　verses　to　herself；　and　then　aloud。

〃Why；　I　declare；　they're　real　sort　of　pretty；　ain't　they？〃　she
exclaimed；　in　astonished　admiration。

〃Pretty！　　They're　perfectly　elegant！　　And　right　here　in　the　paper
for　all　hands　to　see。　　Ain't　you　PROUD　of　him；　Mrs。　Snow？〃

Olive　had　been　growing　more　and　more　proud　of　her　handsome　grandson
ever　since　his　arrival。　　She　was　prouder　still　now　and　said　so。
Rachel　nodded；　triumphantly。

〃He'll　be　a　Robert　Penfold　afore　he　dies；　or　I　miss　MY　guess！〃　she
declared。

She　showed　it　to　feminine　acquaintances　all　over　town；　and　Olive；
when　callers　came；　took　pains　to　see　that　a　copy　of　the　Item；
folded　with　the　〃Poets'　Corner〃　uppermost；　lay　on　the　center　table。
Customers；　dropping　in　at　the　office；　occasionally　mentioned　the
poem　to　its　author。

〃See　you　had　a　piece　in　the　Item；　Al；〃　was　their　usual　way　of
referring　to　it。　　〃Pretty　cute　piece　'twas；　too；　seemed　to　me。
Say；　that　girl　of　yours　must　have　SOME　spring　bunnit。　　Ho；　ho！〃

Issachar　deigned　to　express　approval；　approval　qualified　with
discerning　criticism　of　course；　but　approval　nevertheless。

〃Pretty　good　piece；　Al；〃　he　observed。　　〃Pretty　good。　　Glad　to　see
you　done　so　well。　　Course　you　made　one　little　mistake；　but　'twan't
a　very　big　one。　　That　part　where　you　said　　What　was　it；　now？
Where'd　I　put　that　piece　of　poetry？　　Oh；　yes；　here　'tis！　　Where　you
saiderer


　　　　　'It　floats　upon　her　golden　curls
　　　　　　As　froth　upon　the　wave。'


Now　of　course　nothin'a　hat　or　nothin'　elseis　goin'　to　float　on
top　of　a　person's　head。　　Froth　floatin'；　that's　all　right；　you
understand；　but　even　if　you　took　froth　right　out　of　the　water　and
slapped　it　up　onto　anybody's　hair　'twouldn't　FLOAT　up　there。　　If
you'd　said；


　　　　　'It　SETS　up　onto　her　golden　curls；
　　　　　　Same　as　froth　sets　on　top　of　a　wave。'


that　would　have　been　all　right　and　t