the portygee-第32节

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to　fear　that　perhaps　she　did　not；　and；　with　his　temperament；
wounded　vanity　and　poetic　imagination　supplied　the　rest。　　Within　a
fortnight　he　considered　himself　desperately　in　love　with　her。

During　this　fortnight　he　called　at　the　parsonage；　the　Kendall　home；
several　times。　　On　the　first　of　these　occasions　the　Reverend　Mr。
Kendall；　having　just　completed　a　sermon　dealing　with　the　war　and；
being　full　of　his　subject；　read　the　said　sermon　to　his　daughter　and
to　Albert。　　The　reading　itself　lasted　for　three…quarters　of　an　hour
and　Mr。　Kendall's　post…argument　and　general　dissertation　on　German
perfidy　another　hour　after　that。　　By　that　time　it　was　late　and
Albert　went　home。　　The　second　call　was　even　worse；　for　Ed　Raymond
called　also　and　the　two　young　men　glowered　at　each　other　until　ten
o'clock。　　They　might　have　continued　to　glower　indefinitely；　for
neither　meant　to　leave　before　the　other；　but　Helen　announced　that
she　had　some　home…study　papers　to　look　over　and　she　knew　they　would
excuse　her　under　the　circumstances。　　On　that　hint　they　departed
simultaneously；　separating　at　the　gate　and　walking　with　deliberate
dignity　in　opposite　directions。

At　his　third　attempt；　however；　Albert　was　successful　to　the　extent
that　Helen　was　alone　when　he　called　and　there　was　no　school　work　to
interrupt。　　But　in　no　other　respect　was　the　interview　satisfactory。
All　that　week　he　had　been　boiling　with　the　indignation　of　the
landed　proprietor　who　discovers　a　trespasser　on　his　estate；　and
before　this　call　was　fifteen　minutes　old　his　feelings　had　boiled
over。

〃What　IS　the　matter　with　you；　Al？〃　asked　Helen。　　〃Do　tell　me　and
let's　see　if　I　can't　help　you　out　of　your　trouble。〃

Her　visitor　flushed。　　〃Trouble？〃　he　repeated；　stiffly。　　〃I　don't
know　what　you　mean。〃

〃Oh　yes；　do。　　You　must。　　What　IS　the　matter？〃

〃There　is　nothing　the　matter　with　me。〃

〃Nonsense！　　Of　course　there　is。　　You　have　scarcely　spoken　a　word　of
your　own　accord　since　you　came；　and　you　have　been　scowling　like　a
thundercloud　all　the　time。　　Now　what　is　it？　　Have　I　done　something
you　don't　like？〃

〃There　is　nothing　the　matter；　I　tell　you。〃

〃Please　don't　be　so　silly。　　Of　course　there　is。　　I　thought　there
must　be　something　wrong　the　last　time　you　were　here；　that　evening；
when　Ed　called；　too。　　It　seemed　to　me　that　you　were　rather　queer
then。　　Now　you　are　queerer　still。　　What　is　it？〃

This　straightforward　attack；　although　absolutely　characteristic　of
Helen；　was　disconcerting。　　Albert　met　it　by　an　attack　of　his　own。

〃Helen；〃　he　demanded；　〃what　does　that　Raymond　fellow　mean　by　coming
to　see　you　as　he　does？〃

Now　whether　or　not　Helen　was　entirely　in　the　dark　as　to　the　cause
of　her　visitor's　〃queerness〃　is　a　question　not　to　be　answered　here。
She　was　far　from　being　a　stupid　young　person　and　it　is　at　least
probable　that　she　may　have　guessed　a　little　of　the　truth。　　But；
being　feminine；　she　did　not　permit　Albert　to　guess　that　she　had
guessed。　　If　her　astonishment　at　the　question　was　not　entirely
sincere；　it　certainly　appeared　to　be　so。

〃What　does　he　mean？〃　she　repeated。　　〃What　does　he　mean　by　coming
to　see　me？　　Why；　what　do　YOU　mean？　　I　should　think　that　was　the
question。　　Why　shouldn't　he　come　to　see　me；　pray？〃

Now　Albert　has　a　dozen　reasons　in　his　mind；　each　of　which　was　to
him　sufficiently　convincing。　　But　expressing　those　reasons　to　Helen
Kendall　he　found　singularly　difficult。　　He　grew　confused　and
stammered。

〃Wellwell；　because　he　has　no　business　to　come　here　so　much；〃　was
the　best　he　could　do。　　Helen；　strange　to　say；　was　not　satisfied。

〃Has　no　business　to？〃　she　repeated。　　〃Why；　of　course　he　has。　　I
asked　him　to　come。〃

〃You　did？　　Good　heavens；　you　don't　LIKE　him；　do　you？〃

〃Of　course　I　like　him。　　I　think　he　is　a　very　nice　fellow。　　Don't
you？〃

〃No；　I　don't。〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃Wellwell；　because　I　don't；　that's　all。　　He　has　no　business　to
monopolize　you　all　the　time。　　Why；　he　is　here　about　every　night　in
the　week；　or　you're　out　with　him；　down　town；　oror　somewhere。
Everybody　is　talking　about　it　and〃

〃Wait　a　minute；　please。　　You　say　everybody　is　talking　about　Ed
Raymond　and　me。　　What　do　you　mean　by　that？　　What　are　they　saying？〃

〃They're　saying。　。　。　。　　Oh；　they're　saying　you　and　he　areare〃

〃Are　what？〃

〃Areare　　Oh；　they're　saying　all　sorts　of　things。　　Look　here；
Helen；　I〃

〃Wait！　　I　want　to　know　more　about　this。　　What　have　you　heard　said
about　me？〃

〃Oh；　a　lot　of　things。　。　。　。　　That　iserwell；　nothing　in
particular；　perhaps；　but〃

〃Wait！　　Who　have　you　heard　saying　it？〃

〃Oh；　never　mind！　　Helen〃

〃But　I　do　mind。　　Who　have　you　heard　saying　this　'lot　of　things'
about　me？〃

〃Nobody；　I　tell　you。　。　。　。　　Oh；　well；　if　you　must　know；　Issy　Price
saidwell；　he　said　you　and　this　Raymond　fellow　were　what　he　called
'keeping　company'　andand　that　the　whole　town　was　talking　about
it。〃

She　slowly　shook　her　head。

〃Issy　Price！〃　she　repeated。　　〃And　you　listened　to　what　Issy　Price
said。　　Issy　Price；　of　all　people！〃

〃Wellwell；　he　said　everyone　else　said　the　same　thing。〃

〃Did　he　say　more　than　that？〃

〃No；　but　that　was　enough；　wasn't　it。　　Besides；　the　rest　was　plain。
I　could　see　it　myself。　　He　is　calling　here　about　every　night　in　the
week；　andand　being　around　everywhere　with　you　andand　　Oh；
anyone　can　see！〃

Helen's　usually　placid　temper　was　beginning　to　ruffle。

〃Very　well；〃　she　said；　〃then　they　may　see。　　Why　shouldn't　he　call
here　if　he　wishesand　I　wish？　　Why　shouldn't　I　be　'around　with
him；'　as　you　say？　　Why　not？〃

〃Well；　because　I　don't　like　it。　　It　isn't　the　right　thing　for　you
to　do。　　You　ought　to　be　more　careful　ofof　what　people　say。〃

He　realized；　almost　as　soon　as　this　last　sentence　was　blurted　out；
the　absolute　tactlessness　of　it。　　The　quiet　gleam　of　humor　he　had
so　often　noticed　in　Helen's　eyes　was　succeeded　now　by　a　look　he　had
never　before　seen　there。

〃Oh；　I'm　sorry；〃　he　added；　hastily。　　〃I　beg　your　pardon；　Helen。　　I
didn't　mean　to　say　that。　　Forgive　me；　will　you？〃

She　did　not　answer　immediately。　　Then　she　said；　〃I　don't　know
whether　I　shall　or　not。　　I　think　I　shall　have　to　think　it　over。
And　perhaps　you　had　better　go　now。〃

〃But　I'M　sorry；　Helen。　　It　was　a　fool　thing　to　say。　　I　don't　know
why　I　was　such　an　idiot。　　Do　forgive　me；　come！〃

She　slowly　shook　her　head。　　〃I　can'tyet；〃　she　said。　　〃And　this
you　must　understand：　　If　Ed　Raymond；　or　anyone　else；　calls　on　me
and　I　choose　to　permit　it；　or　if　I　choose　to　go　out　with　him
anywhere　at　any　time；　that　is　my　affair　and　not　'everyone　else's'
which　includes　Issachar　Price。　　And　my　FRIENDSmy　real　friends
will　not　listen　to　mean；　ridiculous　gossip。　　Good　night。〃

So　that　was　the　end　of　that　attempt　at　asserting　the　Divine　Right
by　the　South　Harniss　king　of　hearts。　　Albert　was　more　miserable
than　ever；　angrier　than　evernot　only　at　Raymond　and　Helen；　but　at
himselfand　his　newly…discovered　jealousy　burned　with　a　brighter
and　greener　flame。　　The　idea　of　throwing　everything　overboard；
going　to　Canada　and　enlisting　in　the　Canadian　Armyan　idea　which
had　had　a　strong　and　alluring　appeal　ever　since　the　war　broke　out
came　back　with　redoubled　force。　　But　there　was　the　agreement　with
his　grandfather。　　He　had　given　his　word；　how　could　he　break　it？
Besides；　to　go　away　and　leave　his　rival　with　a　clear　field　did　not
appeal　to　him；　either。

On　a　Wednesday　evening　in　the　middle　of　September　the　final　social
event　of　the　South　Harniss　summer　season　was　to　take　place。　　The
Society　for　the　Relief　of　the　French　Wounded　was　to　give　a　dance　in
the　ballroom　of　the　hotel；　the　proceeds　from　the　sale　of　tickets　to
be　devoted　to　the　purpose　defined　by　the　name　of　this　organization。
Every　last　member　of　the　summer　colony　was　to　attend；　of　course；
and　all　those　of　the　permanent　residents　who　aspired　to　social
distinction　and　cared　to　pay　the　high　price　of　admission。

Albert　was　going；　naturally。　　That　is；　he　had　at　first　planned　to
go；　thenafter　the　disastrous　call　at　the　parsonagedecided　that
he　would　go　under　no　circumstances；　and　at　the　last　changed　his
mind　once　more　to　the　affirmative。　　Miss　Madeline　Fosdick；　Jane
Kelsey's　friend；　was　responsible　for　the　final　change。　　She　it　was
who　had　sold　him　his　ticket　and　urged　him　to　be　present。　　He　and
she　had　met　several　times　since　the　first　meeting　at　the　post…
office。　　Usually　when　they　met　they　talked　concerning　poetry　and
kindred　lofty　topics。　　Albert　liked　Miss　Fosdick。　　It　is　hard　not
to　like　a　pretty；　attractive　young　lady　who　takes　such　a　flattering
interest　in　one's　aspirations　and　literary　efforts。　　The　〃high　brow
chit…chats〃quoting　Miss　Kelsey　againwere　pleasant　in　many　ways；
for　instance；　they　were　in　the　nature　of　a　tonic　for　weakened　self…
esteem；　and　the　Speranza　self…esteem　was　suffering　just　at　this
time；　from　shock。

Albert　had；　when　he　first　heard　that　the　dance　was　to　take　place；
intended　inviting　Helen　to　accompany　him。　　He　had　taken　her
acceptance　for　granted；　he　having　acted　as　her　escort　to　so　many
dances　and　social　affairs。　　So　he　neglected　inviting　her　and　then
came　Issy's　mischief…making　remarks　and　the　trouble　which　followed。
So；　as　inviting　her　was　out　of　the　question；　he　resolved　not　to
attend；　himself。　　But　Miss　Fosdick　urged　s