the portygee-第31节

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who　saw　him　knew　it　at　once。　　〃Oh；　excuse　me；　Madeline；〃　she　added。
〃I　forgot　that　you　and　Mr。　Speranza　had　not　met。　　Of　course　as
you're　going　to　live　in　South　Harniss　you　must　know　him　without
waiting　another　minute。　　Everybody　knows　everybody　down　here。　　He
is　Albert　Speranzaand　we　sometimes　call　him　Albert　because　here
everybody　calls　everyone　else　by　their　first　names。　　There；　now　you
know　each　other　and　it's　all　very　proper　and　formal。

The　young　lady　who　was　her　companion　smiled。　　The　smile　was
distinctly　worth　looking　at；　as　was　the　young　lady　herself；　for
that　matter。

〃I　doubt　if　Mr。　Speranza　knows　me　very　well；　Jane；〃　she　observed。

〃Doesn't　know　you！　　Why；　you　silly　thing；　haven't　I　just　introduced
you？〃

〃Well；　I　don't　know　much　about　South　Harniss　introductions；　but
isn't　it　customary　to　mention　names？　　You　haven't　told　him　mine。〃

Miss　Kelsey　laughed　in　high　delight。　　〃Oh；　how　perfectly　ridiculous！〃
she　exclaimed。　　〃AlbertMr。　Speranza；　I　meanthis　is　my　friend
Miss　Madeline　Fosdick。　　She　is　from　New　York　and　she　has　decided　to
spend　her　summers　in　South　Harnisswhich　_I_　consider　very　good
judgment。　　Her　father　is　going　to　build　a　cottage　for　her　to　spend
them　in　down　on　the　Bay　Road　on　the　hill　at　the　corner　above　the
Inlet。　　But　of　course　you've　heard　of　THAT！〃

Of　course　he　had。　　The　purchase　of　the　Inlet　Hill　land　by　Fletcher
Fosdick；　the　New　York　banker；　and　the　price　paid　Solomon　Dadgett
for　that　land；　had　been　the　principal　topics　of　conversation　around
South　Harniss　supper　tables　for　the　past　ten　days。　　Captain　Lote
Snow　had　summed　up　local　opinion　of　the　transaction　when　he　said：
〃We…ll；　Sol　Dadgett's　been　talkin'　in　prayer…meetin'　ever　since　I
can　remember　about　the　comin'　of　Paradise　on　earth。　　Judgin'　by　the
price　he　got　for　the　Inlet　Hill　sand　heap　he　must　have　cal'lated
Paradise　had　got　here　and　he　was　sellin'　the　golden　streets　by　the
runnin'　foot。〃　　Or；　as　Laban　Keeler　put　it：　　〃They　say　King　Soloman
was　a　wise　man；　but　I　guess　likely　'twas　a　good　thing　for　him　that
Sol　Dadgett　wasn't　alive　in　his　time。　　King　Sol　would　have　needed
all　his　wisdom　to　keep　Dadgett　from　talkin'　him　into　buying　the
Jerusalem　salt…ma'sh　to　build　the　temple　on。　。　。　。　　Um。　。　。　。
Yesyesyes。〃

So　Albert；　as　he　shook　hands　with　Miss　Fosdick；　regarded　her　with
unusual　interest。　　And；　judging　by　the　way　in　which　she　looked　at
him；　she　too　was　interested。　　After　some　minutes　of　the　usual
conventional　summer…time　chat　the　young　gentleman　suggested　that
they　adjourn　to　the　drug　store　for　refreshments。　　The　invitation
was　accepted；　the　vivacious　Miss　Kelsey　acting　as　spokesmanor
spokeswomanin　the　matter。

〃I　think　you　must　be　a　mind…reader；　Mr。　Speranza；〃　she　declared。
〃I　am　dying　for　a　sundae　and　I　have　just　discovered　that　I　haven't
my　purse　or　a　penny　with　me。　　I　should　have　been　reduced　to　the
humiliation　of　borrowing　from　Madeline　here；　or　asking　that　deaf
old　Burgess　man　to　trust　me　until　to…morrow。　　And　he　is　so
frightfully　deaf；〃　she　added　in　explanation；　〃that　when　I　asked　him
the　last　time　he　made　me　repeat　it　until　I　thought　I　should　die　of
shame；　or　exhaustion；　one　or　the　other。　　Every　time　I　shouted　he
would　say　'Hey？'　and　I　was　obliged　to　shout　again。　　Of　course；　the
place　was　crowded；　and　　Oh；　well；　I　don't　like　to　even　think
about　it。　　Bless　you；　bless　you；　Albert　Speranza！　　And　do　please
let's　hurry！〃

When　they　entered　the　drug　storeit　also　sold；　according　to　its
sign；　〃Cigars；　soda；　ice…cream；　patent　medicines；　candy；　knick…
knacks；　chewing　gum；　souvenirs　and　notions〃the　sextette　of　which
Helen　Kendall　made　one　was　just　leaving。　　She　nodded　pleasantly　to
Albert　and　he　nodded　in　return；　but　Ed　Raymond's　careless　bow　he
did　not　choose　to　see。　　He　had　hitherto　rather　liked　that　young
gentleman；　now　he　felt　a　sudden　but　violent　detestation　for　him。

Sundaes　pleasant　to　the　palate　and　disastrous　to　all　but　youthful
digestions　were　ordered。　　Albert's　had　a　slight　flavor　of　gall　and
wormwood；　but　he　endeavored　to　counterbalance　this　by　the　sweetness
derived　from　the　society　of　Jane　Kelsey　and　her　friend。　　His
conversation　was　particularly　brilliant　and　sparkling　that　evening。
Jane　laughed　much　and　chatted　more。　　Miss　Fosdick　was　quieter；　but
she；　too；　appeared　to　be　enjoying　herself。　　Jane　demanded　to　know
how　the　poems　were　developing。　　She　begged　him　to　have　an
inspiration　now　　〃Do；　PLEASE；　so　that　Madeline　and　I　can　see
you。〃　　It　seemed　to　be　her　idea　that　having　an　inspiration　was
similar　to　having　a　fit。　　Miss　Fosdick　laughed　at　this；　but　she
declared　that　she　adored　poetry　and　specified　certain　poems　which
were　objects　of　her　especial　adoration。　　The　conversation
thereafter　became　what　Miss　Kelsey　described　as　〃high　brow；〃　and
took　the　form　of　a　dialogue　between　Miss　Fosdick　and　Albert。　　It
was　interrupted　by　the　arrival　of　the　Kelsey　limousine；　which
rolled　majestically　up　to　the　drug　store　steps。　　Jane　spied　it
first。

〃Oh；　mercy　me；　here's　mother！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃And　your　mother；
too；　Madeline。　　We　are　tracked　to　our　lair。　。　。　。　　No；　no；　Mr。
Speranza；　you　mustn't　go　out。　　No；　really；　we　had　rather　you
wouldn't。　　Thanks；　ever　so　much；　for　the　sundaes。　　Come；　Madeline。〃

Miss　Fosdick　held　out　her　hand。

〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Speranza；〃　she　said。　　〃I　have　enjoyed　our　poetry
talk　SO　much。　　It　must　be　wonderful　to　write　as　you　do。　　Good
night。〃

She　looked　admiringly　into　his　eyes　as　she　said　it。　　In　spite　of
the　gall　and　wormwood　Albert　found　it　not　at　all　unpleasant　to　be
looked　at　in　that　way　by　a　girl　like　Madeline　Fosdick。　　His
reflections　on　that　point　were　interrupted　by　a　voice　from　the　car。

〃Come；　Madeline；　come；〃　it　said；　fussily。　　〃What　ARE　you　waiting
for？〃

Albert　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　majestic　figure　which；　seated　beside
Mrs。　Kelsey　on　the　rear　seat　of　the　limousine；　towered　above　that
short；　plump　lady　as　a　dreadnaught　towers　above　a　coal　barge。　　He
surmised　this　figure　to　be　that　of　the　maternal　Fosdick。　　Madeline
climbed　in　beside　her　parent　and　the　limousine　rolled　away。

Albert's　going…to…bed　reflections　that　evening　were　divided　in
flavor；　like　a　fruit　sundae；　a　combination　of　sweet　and　sour。　　The
sour　was　furnished　by　thoughts　of　Edwin　Raymond　and　Helen　Kendall；
the　former's　presumption　in　daring　to　seek　her　society　as　he　did；
and　Helen's　amazing　silliness　in　permitting　such　a　thing。　　The
sweet；　of　course；　was　furnished　by　a　voice　which　repeated　to　his
memory　the　words；　〃It　must　be　wonderful　to　write　as　you　do。〃　　Also
the　tone　of　that　voice　and　the　look　in　the　eyes。

Could　he　have　been　privileged　to　hear　the　closing　bits　of　a
conversation　which　was　taking　place　at　that　moment　his　reflections
might　have　been　still　further　saccharined。　　Miss　Jane　Kelsey　was
saying：　　〃And　NOW　what　do　you　think　of　our　Cape　Cod　poet？　　Didn't　I
promise　you　to　show　you　something　you　couldn't　find　on　Fifth
Avenue？〃　　And　to　this　Miss　Madeline　Fosdick　made　reply：　　〃I　think
he　is　the　handsomest　creature　I　ever　saw。　　And　so　clever！　　Why；　he
is　wonderful；　Jane！　　How　in　the　world　does　he　happen　to　be　living
hereall　the　time？〃

It　is　perhaps；　on　the　whole；　a　good　thing　that　Albert　Speranza
could　not　hear　this。　　It　is　certainly　a　good　thing　that　Captain
Zelotes　Snow　did　not　hear　it。

And　although　the　balance　of　sweet　and　sour　in　Albert's　mind　that
night　was　almost　even；　the　sour　predominated　next　day　and　continued
to　predominate。　　Issachar　Price　had　sowed　the　seed　of　jealousy　in
the　mind　of　the　assistant　bookkeeper　of　Z。　Snow　and　Company；　and
that　seed　took　root　and　grew　as　it　is　only　too　likely　to　do　under
such　circumstances。　　That　evening　Albert　walked　again　to　the　post…
office。　　Helen　was　not　there；　neither　was　Miss　Kelsey　or　Miss
Fosdick。　　He　waited　for　a　time　and　then　determined　to　call　at　the
Kendall　home；　something　he　had　not　done　for　some　time。　　As　he　came
up　to　the　front　walk；　between　the　arbor…vitae　hedges；　he　saw　that
the　parlor　windows　were　alight。　　The　window　shade　was　but　partially
drawn　and　beneath　it　he　could　see　into　the　room。　　Helen　was　seated
at　the　piano　and　Edwin　Raymond　was　standing　beside　her；　ready　to
turn　the　page　of　her　music。

Albert　whirled　on　his　heel　and　walked　out　of　the　yard　and　down　the
street　toward　his　own　home。　　His　attitude　of　mind　was　a　curious
one。　　He　had　a　mind　to　wait　until　Raymond　left　and　then　go　into
the　Kendall　parlor　and　demand　of　Helen　to　know　what　she　meant　by
letting　that　fellow　make　such　a　fool　of　himself。　　What　right　had
heRaymondto　call　upon　her；　and　turn　her　music　andand　set　the
whole　town　talking？　　Why　　Oh；　he　could　think　of　many　things　to
ask　and　say。　　The　trouble　was　that　the　saying　of　them　would；　he
felt　sure；　be　distinctly　bad　diplomacy　on　his　part。　　No　onenot
even　hecould　talk　to　Helen　Kendall　in　that　fashion；　not　unless
he　wished　it　to　be　their　final　conversation。

So　he　went　home；　to　fret　and　toss　angrily　and　miserably　half　the
night。　　He　had　never　before　considered　himself　in　the　slightest
degree　in　love　with　Helen；　but　he　had　taken　for　granted　the　thought
that　she　liked　him　better　than　anyone　else。　　Now　he　was　beginning
to　fear　that　perhaps　she　did　not；　and；　with　his　temperament；
wounded　vanity　and　poetic　imagi