the portygee-第25节

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　　　　　　Same　as　froth　sets　on　top　of　a　wave。'


that　would　have　been　all　right　and　true。　　But　there；　don't　feel　bad
about　it。　　It's　only　a　little　mistake；　same　as　anybody's　liable　to
make。　　Nine　persons　out　of　ten　wouldn't　have　noticed　it。　　I'm　extry
partic'lar；　I　presume　likely。　　I'm　findin'　mistakes　like　that　all
the　time。〃

Laban's　comment　was　less　critical；　perhaps；　but　more　reserved。

〃It's　pretty　good；　Al；〃　he　said。　　〃Yeseryes；　sir；　it's　pretty
good。　　It　ain't　all　new；　there's　some　of　it　that's　been　written
before；　but　I　rather　guess　that　might　have　been　said　about
Shakespeare's　poetry　when　he　fust　commenced。　　It's　pretty　good；　Al。
Yesyes；　yes。　　It　is　so。〃

Albert　was　inclined　to　resent　the　qualified　strain　in　the
bookkeeper's　praise。　　He　was　tempted　to　be　sarcastic。

〃Well；〃　he　observed；　〃of　course　you've　read　so　much　real　poetry
that　you　ought　to　know。〃

Laban　nodded；　slowly。　　〃I've　read　a　good　deal；〃　he　said　quietly。
〃Readin'　is　one　of　the　few　things　I　ain't　made　a　failure　of　in　this
life。　　Um…hm。　　One　of　the　few。　　Yes　yesyes。〃

He　dipped　his　pen　in　the　inkwell　and　carefully　made　an　entry　in　the
ledger。　　His　assistant　felt　a　sudden　pang　of　compunction。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　Mr。　Keeler；〃　he　said。　　〃That　was　pretty　fresh
of　me。　　I'm　sorry。〃

Laban　looked　up　in　mild　surprise。　　〃Sorry？〃　he　repeated。　　〃What
for？　。　。　。　　Oh；　that's　all　right；　Al；　that's　all　right。　　Lord　knows
I'm　the　last　one　on　earth　who'd　ought　to　criticize　anybody。　　All　I
had　in　mind　in　sayin'　what　I　did　was　towell；　to　kind　of　keep　you
from　bein'　too　well　satisfied　and　not　try　harder　on　the　next　one。
It　don't　pay　to　be　too　well　satisfied。　。　。　。　　Years　ago；　I　can
remember；　_I_　was　pretty　well　satisfiedwith　myself　and　my　work。
Sounds　like　a　joke；　I　know；　but　'twas　so。　。　。　。　　Well；　I've　had　a
nice　long　chance　to　get　over　it。　　Um…hm。　　Yesyes。　　So　I　have；　so
I　have。〃

Only　Captain　Zelotes　at　first　said　nothing　about　the　poem。　　He　read
it；　his　wife　saw　to　that；　but　his　comment　even　to　her　was　a　non…
committal　grunt。

〃But　don't　you　think　it's　real　sort　of　pretty；　Zelotes？〃　she　asked。

The　captain　grunted　again。　　〃Why；　I　guess　likely　'tis　if　you　say
so；　Mother。　　I　don't　know　much　about　such　things。〃

〃But　everybody　says　it　is。〃

〃Want　to　know！　　Well；　then　'twon't　make　much　difference　whether　I
say　it　or　not。〃

〃But　ain't　you　goin'　to　say　a　word　to　Albert　about　it；　Zelotes？〃

〃Humph！　　I　don't　know's　I　know　what　to　say。〃

〃Why；　say　you　like　it。〃

〃Ye…es；　and　if　I　do　he'll　keep　on　writin'　more。　　That's　exactly
what　I　don't　want　him　to　do。　　Come　now；　Mother；　be　sensible。　　This
piece　of　his　may　be　good　or　it　may　not；　_I_　wouldn't　undertake　to
say。　　But　this　I　do　know：　I　don't　want　the　boy　to　spend　his　time
writin'　poetry　slush　for　that　'Poets'　Corner。'　　Letitia　Makepeace
did　thatshe　had　a　piece　in　there　about　every　weekand　she　died
in　the　Taunton　asylum。〃

〃But；　Zelotes；　it　wasn't　her　poetry　got　her　into　the　asylum。〃

〃Wan't　it？　　Well；　she　was　in　the　poorhouse　afore　that。　　I　don't
know　whether　'twas　her　poetryin'　that　got　her　in　there；　but　I　know
darned　well　it　didn't　get　her　out。〃

〃But　ain't　you　goin'　to　say　one　word？　　'Twould　encourage　him　so。〃

〃Good　Lord！　　We　don't　want　to　encourage　him；　do　we？　　If　he　was
takin'　to　thievin'　you　wouldn't　encourage　him　in　that；　would　you？〃

〃Thievin'！　　Zelotes　Snow；　you　don't　mean　to　say　you　compare　a　poet
to　a　THIEF！〃

The　captain　grinned。　　〃No…o；　Mother；〃　he　observed　drily。　　〃Sometimes
a　thief　can　manage　to　earn　a　livin'　at　his　job。　　But　there；　there；
don't　feel　bad。　　I'll　say　somethin'　to　Al；　long's　you　think　I　ought
to。〃

The　something　was　not　much；　and　yet　Captain　Zelotes　really　meant　it
to　be　kindly　and　to　sound　like　praise。　　But　praising　a　thing　of
which　you　have　precious　little　understanding　and　with　which　you
have　absolutely　no　sympathy　is　a　hard　job。

〃See　you　had　a　piece　in　the　Item　this　week；　Al；〃　observed　the
captain。

〃Whyyes；　sir；〃　said　Albert。

〃Um…hm。　　I　read　it。　　I　don't　know　much　about　such　things；　but　they
tell　me　it　is　pretty　good。〃

〃Thank　you；　sir。〃

〃Eh？　　Oh；　you're　welcome。〃

That　was　all。　　Perhaps　considering　its　source　it　was　a　good　deal；
but　Albert　was　not　of　the　age　where　such　considerations　are　likely
to　be　made。

Helen's　praise　was　warm　and　enthusiastic。　　〃I　knew　you　could　do　it
if　you　only　would；〃　she　declared。　　〃And　oh；　I'm　SO　glad　you　did！
Now　you　must　keep　on　trying。〃

That　bit　of　advice　was　quite　superfluous。　　Young　Speranza　having
sampled　the　sublime　intoxication　of　seeing　himself　in　print；　was
not　ready　to　sober　off　yet　a　while。　　He　continued　to　bombard　the
Item　with　verses。　　They　were　invariably　accepted；　but　when　he　sent
to　a　New　York　magazine　a　poem　which　he　considered　a　gem；　the
promptness　with　which　it　was　returned　staggered　his　conceit　and　was
in　that　respect　a　good　thing　for　him。

However；　he　kept　on　trying。　　Helen　would　not　have　permitted　him　to
give　up　even　if　he　had　wished。　　She　was　quite　as　much　interested　in
his　literary　aspirations　as　he　was　himself　and　her　encouragement
was　a　great　help　to　him。　　After　months　of　repeated　trial　and
repeated　rejection　he　opened　an　envelope　bearing　the　name　of　a
fairly　well…known　periodical　to　find　therein　a　kindly　note　stating
that　his　poem；　〃Sea　Spaces〃　had　been　accepted。　　And　a　week　later
came　a　check　for　ten　dollars。　　That　was　a　day　of　days。　　Incidentally
it　was　the　day　of　a　trial　balance　in　the　office　and　the　assistant
bookkeeper's　additions　and　multiplications　contained　no　less　than
four　ghastly　errors。

The　next　afternoon　there　was　an　interview　in　the　back　office。
Captain　Zelotes　and　his　grandson　were　the　participants。　　The
subject　discussed　was　〃Business　versus　Poetry；〃　and　there　was　a
marked　difference　of　opinion。　　Albert　had　proclaimed　his　triumph　at
home；　of　course；　had　exhibited　his　check；　had　been　the　recipient　of
hugs　and　praises　from　his　grandmother　and　had　listened　to　paeans
and　hallelujahs　from　Mrs。　Ellis。　　When　he　hurried　around　to　the
parsonage　after　supper；　Helen　had　been　excited　and　delighted　at　the
good　news。　　Albert　had　been　patted　on　the　back　quite　as　much　as　was
good　for　a　young　man　whose　bump　of　self…esteem　was　not　inclined
toward　under…development。　　When　he　entered　the　private　office　of　Z。
Snow　and　Co。　in　answer　to　his　grandfather's　summons；　he　did　so
light…heartedly；　triumphantly；　with　self…approval　written　large
upon　him。

But　though　he　came　like　a　conquering　hero；　he　was　not　received　like
one。　　Captain　Zelotes　sat　at　his　desk；　the　copy　of　the　Boston
morning　paper　which　he　had　been　reading　sticking　out　of　the　waste
basket　into　which　it　had　been　savagely　jammed　a　half　hour　before。
The　news　had　not　been　to　the　captain's　liking。　　These　were　the
September　days　of　1914；　the　German　Kaiser　was　marching　forward　〃mit
Gott〃　through　Belgium；　and　it　began　to　look　as　if　he　could　not　be
stopped　short　of　Paris。　　Consequently；　Captain　Zelotes；　his
sympathies　from　the　first　with　England　and　the　Allies；　was　not
happy　in　his　newspaper　reading。

Albert　entered；　head　erect　and　eyes　shining。　　If　Gertie　Kendrick
could　have　seen　him　then　she　would　have　fallen　down　and　worshiped。
His　grandfather　looked　at　him　in　silence　for　a　moment；　tapping　his
desk　with　the　stump　of　a　pencil。　　Albert；　too；　was　silent；　he　was
already　thinking　of　another　poem　with　which　to　dazzle　the　world；
and　his　head　was　among　the　rosy　clouds。

〃Sit　down；　Al；〃　said　Captain　Zelotes　shortly。

Albert　reluctantly　descended　to　earth　and　took　the　battered
armchair　standing　beside　the　desk。　　The　captain　tapped　with　his
pencil　upon　the　figure…covered　sheet　of　paper　before　him。　　Then　he
said：

〃Al；　you've　been　here　three　years　come　next　December；　ain't　you？〃

〃Whyyes；　sir；　I　believe　I　have。〃

〃Um…hm；　you　have。　　And　for　the　heft　of　that　time　you've　been　in
this　office。〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Yes。　　And　Labe　Keeler　and　I　have　been　doin'　our　best　to　make　a
business　man　out　of　you。　　You　understand　we　have；　don't　you？〃

Albert　looked　puzzled　and　a　little　uneasy。　　Into　his　roseate　dreams
was　just　beginning　to　filter　the　idea　that　his　grandfather's　tone
and　manner　were　peculiar。

〃Why；　yes；　sir；　of　course　I　understand　it；〃　he　replied。

〃Well；　I　asked　you　because　I　wasn't　quite　sure　whether　you　did　or
not。　　Can　you　guess　what　this　is　I've　got　on　my　desk　here？〃

He　tapped　the　figure…covered　sheet　of　paper　once　more。　　Before
Albert　could　speak　the　captain　answered　his　own　question。

〃I'll　tell　you　what　it　is；〃　he　went　on。　　〃It's　one　of　the　latest
samples　of　your　smartness　as　a　business　man。　　I　presume　likely　you
know　that　Laban　worked　here　in　this　office　until　three　o'clock　this
mornin'；　didn't　you？〃

Albert　did　not　know　it。　　Mr。　Keeler　had　told　him　nothing　of　the
sort。

〃Why；　no；〃　he　replied。　　〃Did　he？　　What　for？〃

〃Ye…es；　he　did。　　And　what　for？　　Why；　just　to　find　out　what　was　the
matter　with　his　trial　balance；　that's　all。　　When　one　of　Labe's
trial　balances　starts　out　for　snug　harbor　and　ends　up　on　a　reef
with　six　foot　of　water　in　her　hold；　naturally　Labe　wants　to　get　her
afloat　and　pumped　dry　as　quick　as　possible。　　He　ain't　used　to　it；
for　one　thing；　and　it　makes　him　nervous。〃

Albert's　uneasiness　grew。