the portygee-第47节

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〃Yes；　Grandfather。〃

〃All　right。　　Excuse　me　for　nosin'　in；　Mr。　Fosdick；　but　I　knew　the
boy　wasn't　puttin'　the　thing　as　plain　as　it　ought　to　be；　and　I
didn't　want　you　to　get　the　wrong　notion。　　Heave　ahead。〃

Fosdick　smiled　slightly。　　〃All　right；　Captain；〃　he　said。　　〃I　get
it；　I　think。　　Well；　then；〃　turning　again　to　Albert；　〃your　plan　for
supporting　my　daughter　was　to　wait　until　your　position　here；　plus
the　poetry；　should　bring　in　sufficient　revenue。　　It　didn't　occur　to
you　thatwell；　that　there　might　be　a　possibility　of　getting　money
elsewhere？〃

Albert　plainly　did　not　understand；　but　it　was　just　as　plain　that
his　grandfather　did。　　Captain　Zelotes　spoke　sharply。

〃Mr。　Fosdick；〃　he　said；　〃I　just　answered　that　question　for　you。〃

〃Yes；　I　know。　　But　if　you　were　in　my　place　you　might　like　to　have
him　answer　it。　　I　don't　mean　to　be　offensive；　but　business　is
business；　and；　after　all；　this　is　a　business　talk。　　So〃

The　Captain　interrupted。　　〃So　we'll　talk　it　in　a　business　way；　eh？〃
he　snapped。　　〃All　right。　　Al；　what　Mr。　Fosdick　means　is　had　you
cal'lated　that；　if　you　married　his　daughter；　maybe　her　dad's　money
might　help　you　and　her　to　keep　goin'？　　To　put　it　even　plainer：　had
you　planned　some　on　her　bein'　a　rich　girl？〃

Fosdick　looked　annoyed。　　〃Oh；　I　say；　Snow！〃　he　cried。　　〃That's　too
strong；　altogether。〃

〃Not　a　mite。　　It's　what　you've　had　in　the　back　of　your　head　all
along。　　I'm　just　helpin'　it　to　come　out　of　the　front。　　Well；　Al？〃

The　red　spots　were　burning　in　the　Speranza　cheeks。　　He　choked　as　he
answered。

〃No；〃　he　cried　fiercely。　　〃Of　course　I　haven't　planned　on　any　such
thing。　　I　don't　know　how　rich　she　is。　　I　don't　care。　　I　wish　she
was　as　poor　asas　I　am。　　I　want　HER；　that's　all。　　And　she　wants
me。　　We　don't　either　of　us　care　about　money。　　I　wouldn't　take　a
cent　of　your　money；　Mr。　Fosdick。　　But　II　want　Madeline　andand
I　shall　have　her。〃

〃In　spite　of　her　parents；　eh？〃

〃Yes。　。　。　。　　I'm　sorry　to　speak　so；　Mr。　Fosdick；　but　it　is　true。
Wewe　love　each　other。　　Wewe've　agreed　to　wait　for　each　other；
no　matterno　matter　if　it　is　years　and　years。　　And　as　for　the
money　and　all　that；　if　you　disinherit　her；　oror　whatever　it　is
they　dowe　don't　care。　　II　hope　you　will。　　Ishe〃

Captain　Zelotes'　voice　broke　in　upon　the　impassioned　outburst。

〃Steady；　Al；　steady；　son；〃　he　cautioned　quietly。　　〃I　cal'late
you've　said　enough。　　I　don't　think　any　more's　necessary。　　You'd
better　go　back　to　your　desk　now。〃

〃But；　Grandfather；　I　want　him　to　understand〃

〃I　guess　likely　he　does。　　I　should　say　you'd　made　it　real　plain。
Go　now；　Al。〃

Albert　turned；　but；　with　a　shaking　hand　upon　the　doorknob；　turned
back　again。

〃I'mII'm　sorry；　Mr。　Fosdick；〃　he　faltered。　　〃II　didn't　mean
to　say　anything　to　hurt　your　feelings。　　Butbut；　you　see；
Madelineshe　and　Iwe〃

He　could　not　go　on。　　Fosdick's　nod　and　answer　were　not　unkindly。
〃All　right；　Speranza；〃　he　said；　〃I'm　not　offended。　　Hope　I　wasn't
too　blunt；　myself。　　Good…day。〃

When　the　door　had　closed　behind　the　young　man　he　turned　to　Captain
Lote。

〃Sorry　if　I　offended　you；　Snow；〃　he　observed。　　〃I　threw　in　that
hint　about　marrying　just　to　see　what　effect　it　would　have；　that's
all。〃

〃Um…hm。　　So　I　judged。　　Well；　you　saw；　didn't　you？〃

〃I　did。　　Say；　Captain；　except　as　a　prospective　son…in…law；　and　then
only　because　I　don't　see　him　in　that　lightI　rather　like　that
grandson　of　yours。　　He's　a　fine；　upstanding　young　chap。〃

The　captain　made　no　reply。　　He　merely　pulled　at　his　beard。
However；　he　did　not　look　displeased。

〃He's　a　handsome　specimen；　isn't　he？〃　went　on　Fosdick。　　〃No　wonder
Madeline　fell　for　his　looks。　　Those　and　the　poetry　together　are　a
combination　hard　to　resistat　her　age。　　And　he's　a　gentleman。　　He
handled　himself　mighty　well　while　I　was　stringing　him　just　now。〃

The　beard　tugging　continued。　　〃Um…hm；〃　observed　Captain　Zelotes
dryly；　〃he　does　pretty　well　for　aSouth　Harniss　gentleman。　　But
we're　kind　of　wastin'　time；　ain't　we；　Mr。　Fosdick？　　In　spite　of　his
looks　and　his　manners　and　all　the　rest；　now　that　you've　seen　him
you　still　object　to　that　engagement；　I　take　it。〃

〃Why；　yes；　I　do。　　The　boy　is　all　right；　I'm　sure；　but〃

〃Sartin；　I　understand。　　I　feel　the　same　way　about　your　girl。　　She's
all　right；　I'm　sure；　but〃

〃We're　agreed　on　everything；　includin'　the　'but。'　　And　the　'but'　is
that　New　York　is　one　place　and　South　Harniss　is　another。〃

〃Exactly。〃

〃So　we　don't　want　'em　to　marry。　　Fine。　　First　rate！　　Only　now　we
come　to　the　most　important　'but'　of　all。　　What　are　we　going　to　do
about　it？　　Suppose　we　say　no　and　they　say　yes　and　keep　on　sayin'
it？　　Suppose　they　decide　to　get　married　no　matter　what　we　say。　　How
are　we　goin'　to　stop　it？〃

His　visitor　regarded　him　for　a　moment　and　then　broke　into　a　hearty
laugh。

〃Snow；〃　he　declared；　〃you're　all　right。　　You　surely　have　the
faculty　of　putting　your　finger　on　the　weak　spots。　　Of　course　we
can't　stop　it。　　If　these　two　young　idiots　have　a　mind　to　marry　and
keep　that　mind；　they　WILL　marry　and　we　can't　prevent　it　any　more
than　we　could　prevent　the　tide　coming　in　to…morrow　morning。　　_I_
realized　that　this　was　a　sort　of　fool's　errand；　my　coming　down
here。　　I　know　that　this　isn't　the　age　when　parents　can　forbid
marriages　and　get　away　with　it；　as　they　used　to　on　the　stage　in　the
old　plays。　　Boys　and　girls　nowadays　have　a　way　of　going　their　own
gait　in　such　matters。　　But　my　wife　doesn't　see　it　in　exactly　that
way；　and　she　was　so　insistent　on　my　coming　down　here　to　stop　the
thing　if　I　could　thatwell；　I　came。〃

〃I'm　glad　you　did；　Mr。　Fosdick；　real　glad。　　And；　although　I　agree
with　you　that　the　very　worst　thing　to　do；　if　we　want　to　stop　this
team　from　pullin'　together；　is　to　haul　back　on　the　bits　and　holler
'Whoa；'　still　I'm　kind　of　hopeful　that；　maybe　。　。　。　humph！　　I
declare；　it　looks　as　if　I'd　have　to　tell　you　another　story。　　I'm
gettin'　as　bad　as　Cap'n　Hannibal　Doane　used　to　be；　and　they　used　to
call　him　'The　Rope　Walk'　'cause　he　spun　so　many　yarns。〃

Fosdick　laughed　again。　　〃You　may　go　as　far　as　you　like　with　your
stories；　Captain；〃　he　said。　　〃I　can　grow　fat　on　them。〃

〃Thanks。　　Well；　this　ain't　a　story　exactly；　it　just　kind　of　makes
the　point　I'm　tryin'　to　get　at。　　Calvin　Bangs　had　a　white　mare　one
time　and　the　critter　had　a　habit　of　runnin'　away。　　Once　his　wife；
Hannah　J。；　was　in　the　buggy　all　by　herself；　over　to　the　Ostable
Fair；　Calvin　havin'　got　out　to　buy　some　peanuts　or　somethin'。　　The
mare　got　scared　of　the　noise　and　crowd　and　bolted。　　As　luck　would
have　it；　she　went　right　through　the　fence　and　out　onto　the　trottin'
track。　　And　around　that　track　she　went；　hell　bent　for　election。
All　hands　was　runnin'　alongside　hollerin'　'Stop　her！　　Stop　her！
'but　not　Calvinno　SIR！　　He　waited　till　the　mare　was　abreast　of
him；　the　mare　on　two　legs　and　the　buggy　on　two　wheels　and　Hannah
'most　anywheres　between　the　dasher　and　the　next　world；　and　then　he
sung　out：　　'Give　her　her　head；　Hannah！　　Give　her　her　head。　　She'll
stop　when　she　runs　down。'〃

He　laughed　and　his　visitor　laughed　with　him。

〃I　gather；〃　observed　the　New　Yorker；　〃that　you　believe　it　the
better　policy　to　give　our　young　people　their　heads。〃

〃In　reasonyes；　I　do。　　It's　my　judgment　that　an　affair　like　this
will　hurry　more　and　more　if　you　try　too　hard　to　stop　it。　　If　you
don't　try　at　all　so　any　one　would　notice　it；　it　may　run　down　and
stop　of　itself；　the　way　Calvin's　mare　did。〃

Fosdick　nodded　reflectively。　　〃I'm　inclined　to　agree　with　you；〃　he
said。　　〃But　does　that　mean　that　they're　to　correspond；　write　love
letters；　and　all　that？〃

〃Why；　in　reason；　maybe。　　If　we　say　no　to　that；　they'll　write
anyhow；　won't　they？〃

〃Of　course。　。　。　。　　How　would　it　do　to　get　them　to　promise　to　write
nothing　that　their　parents　might　not　see？　　Of　course　I　don't　mean
for　your　grandson　to　show　you　his　letters　before　he　sends　them　to
Madeline。　　He's　too　old　for　that；　and　he　would　refuse。　　But　suppose
you　asked　him　to　agree　to　write　nothing　that　Madeline　would　not　be
willing　to　show　her　motheror　me。　　Do　you　think　he　would？〃

〃Maybe。　　I'll　ask　him。　。　。　。　　Yes；　I　guess　likely　he'd　do　that。〃

〃My　reason　for　suggesting　it　is；　frankly；　not　so　much　on　account　of
the　young　people　as　to　pacify　my　wife。　　I　am　not　afraidnot　very
much　afraid　of　this　love　affair。　　They　are　young；　both　of　them。
Give　them　time；　andas　you　say；　Snow；　the　thing　may　run　down；
peter　out。〃

〃I'm　in　hopes　'twill。　　It's　calf　love；　as　I　see　it；　and　I　believe
'twill　pay　to　give　the　calves　rope　enough。〃

〃So　do　I。　　No；　I'm　not　much　troubled　about　the　young　people。　　But
Mrs。　Fosdickwell；　my　trouble　will　be　with　her。　　She'll　want　to
have　your　boy　shot　or　jailed　or　hanged　or　something。〃

〃I　presume　likely。　　I　guess　you'll　have　to　handle　her　the　way
another　feller　who　used　to　live　here　in　South　Harniss　said　he
handled　his　wife。　　'We　don't　never　have　any　trouble　at　all；'　says
he。　　'Whenever　she　says　yes　or　no；　I　say　the　same　thing。　　Later　on；
when　it　comes　to　doin'；　I　do　what　I　feel　like。'　。　。　。　　Eh？　　You're
not　goin'；　are　you；　Mr。　Fosdick？〃

His　visitor　had　risen　and　was　reaching　for　his　coat。　　Captain
Zelotes　also　rose。

〃Don't　hurry；　don't　hurry；〃　he　begged。

〃Sorry；　but　I　must。　　I　want　to　be　back　in