the portygee-第49节

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〃Well；　Al？〃　he　said；　again。

Albert　seemed　to　find　it　hard　to　speak。

〃Grandfather；〃　he　began；　〃IIGrandfather；　I　have　come　to　ask　a
favor　of　you。〃

The　captain　nodded；　slowly；　his　gaze　fixed　upon　his　grandson's
face。

〃All　right；　heave　ahead；〃　he　said　quietly。

〃Grandfather；　you　and　I　have　had　a　four　years'　agreement　to　work
together　in　this　office。　　It　isn't　up　yet；　butbut　I　want　to　break
it。　　I　want　you　to　let　me　off。〃

〃Humph！　。　。　。　　Let　you　off；　eh？　。　。　。　　What　for？〃

〃That's　what　I　came　here　to　tell　you。　　Grandfather；　I　can't　stay
herenow。　　I　want　to　enlist。〃

Captain　Zelotes　did　not　answer。　　His　hand　moved　upward　and　pulled
at　his　beard。

〃I　want　to　enlist；〃　repeated　Albert。　　〃I　can't　stand　it　another
minute。　　I　must。　　If　it　hadn't　been　for　you　and　our　promise　and
and　Madeline；　I　think　I　should　have　joined　the　Canadian　Army　a　year
or　more　ago。　　But　now　that　we　have　gone　into　the　war；　I　CAN'T　stay
out。　　Grandfather；　you　don't　want　me　to；　do　you？　　Of　course　you
don't。〃

His　grandfather　appeared　to　ponder。

〃If　you　can　wait　a　spell；〃　he　said　slowly；　〃I　might　be　able　to　fix
it　so's　you　can　get　a　chance　for　an　officer's　commission。　　I'd
ought　to　have　some　pull　somewheres；　seems　so。〃

Albert　sniffed　impatient　disgust。　　〃I　don't　want　to　get　a
commissionin　that　way；〃　he　declared。

〃Humph！　　You'll　find　there's　plenty　that　do；　I　shouldn't　wonder。〃

〃Perhaps；　but　I'm　not　one　of　them。　　And　I　don't　care　so　much　for　a
commission；　unless　I　can　earn　it。　　And　I　don't　want　to　stay　here
and　study　for　it。　　I　want　to　go　now。　　I　want　to　get　into　the　thing。
I　don't　want　to　wait。〃

Captain　Lote　leaned　forward。　　His　gray　eyes　snapped。

〃Want　to　fight；　do　you？〃　he　queried。

〃You　bet　I　do！〃

〃All　right；　my　boy；　then　goand　fight。　　I'd　be　ashamed　of　myself
if　I　held　you　back　a　minute。　　Go　and　fightand　fight　hard。　　I　only
wish　to　God　I　was　young　enough　to　go　with　you。〃



CHAPTER　XIII


And　so；　in　this　unexpected　fashion；　came　prematurely　the　end　of　the
four　year　trial　agreement　between　Albert　Speranza　and　Z。　Snow　and
Co。　　Of　course　neither　Captain　Zelotes　nor　Albert　admitted　that　it
had　ended。　　Each　professed　to　regard　the　break　as　merely　temporary。

〃You'll　be　back　at　that　desk　in　a　little　while；　Al；〃　said　the
captain；　〃addin'　up　figgers　and　tormentin'　Issy。〃　　And　Albert's
reply　was　invariably；　〃Why；　of　course；　Grandfather。〃

He　had　dreaded　his　grandmother's　reception　of　the　news　of　his
intended　enlistment。　　Olive　worshiped　her　daughter's　boy　and；
although　an　ardent　patriot；　was　by　no　means　as　fiercely　belligerent
as　her　husband。　　She　prayed　each　night　for　the　defeat　of　the　Hun；
whereas　Captain　Lote　was　for　licking　him　first　and　praying
afterwards。　　Albert　feared　a　scene；　he　feared　that　she　might　be
prostrated　when　she　learned　that　he　was　to　go　to　war。　　But　she　bore
it　wonderfully　well；　and　as　for　the　dreaded　〃scene；〃　there　was
none。

〃Zelotes　says　he　thinks　it's　the　right　thing　for　you　to　do；　Albert；〃
she　said；　〃so　I　suppose　I　ought　to　think　so；　too。　　But；　oh；　my　dear；
DO　you　really　feel　that　you　must？　　Iit　don't　seem　as　I　could　bear
to　。　。　。　but　there；　I　mustn't　talk　so。　　It　ain't　a　mite　harder　for
me　than　it　is　for　thousands　of　women　all　over　this　world。　。　。　。　　And
perhaps　the　government　folks　won't　take　you；　anyway。　　Rachel　said
she　read　in　the　Item　about　some　young　man　over　in　Bayport　who　was
rejected　because　he　had　fat　feet。　　She　meant　flat　feet；　I　suppose；
poor　thing。　　Oh；　dear　me；　I'm　laughin'；　and　it　seems　wicked　to　laugh
a　time　like　this。　　And　when　I　think　of　you　goin'；　Albert；　II　。　。　。
but　there；　I　promised　Zelotes　I　wouldn't。　。　。　。　　And　they　MAY　not
take　you。　。　。　。　　But　oh；　of　course　they　will；　of　course　they
will！　。　。　。　　I'm　goin'　to　make　you　a　chicken　pie　for　dinner　to…day；
I　know　how　you　like　it。　。　。　。　　If　only　they　MIGHT　reject　you！　。　。　。
But　there；　I　said　I　wouldn't　and　I　won't。〃

Rachel　Ellis's　opinion　on　the　subject　and　her　way　of　expressing
that　opinion　were　distinctly　her　own。　　Albert　arose　early　in　the
morning　following　the　announcement　of　his　decision　to　enter　the
service。　　He　had　not　slept　well；　his　mind　was　too　busy　with
problems　and　speculations　to　resign　itself　to　sleep。　　He　had　tossed
about　until　dawn　and　had　then　risen　and　sat　down　at　the　table　in
his　bedroom　to　write　Madeline　of　the　step　he　had　determined　to
take。　　He　had　not　written　her　while　he　was　considering　that　step。
He　felt；　somehow；　that　he　alone　with　no　pressure　from　without
should　make　the　decision。　　Now　that　it　was　made；　and　irrevocably
made；　she　must　of　course　be　told。　　Telling　her；　however；　was　not　an
easy　task。　　He　was　sure　she　would　agree　that　he　had　done　the　right
thing；　the　only　thing；　but

〃It　is　going　to　be　very　hard　for　you；　dear；〃　he　wrote；　heedless　of
the　fact　that　Mrs。　Fosdick's　censorious　eye　would　see　and　condemn
the　〃dear。〃　　〃It　is　going　to　be　hard　for　both　of　us。　　But　I　am　sure
you　will　feel　as　I　do　that　I　COULDN'T　do　anything　else。　　I　am　young
and　strong　and　fit　and　I　am　an　American。　　I　MUST　go。　　You　see　it；
don't　you；　Madeline。　　I　can　hardly　wait　until　your　letter　comes
telling　me　that　you　feel　I　did　just　the　thing　you　would　wish　me　to
do。〃

He　hesitated　and　then；　even　more　regardless　of　the　censor；　added
the　quotation　which　countless　young　lovers　were　finding　so　apt　just
then：


　　　　　〃I　could　not　love　thee；　dear；　so　much；
　　　　　　　　Loved　I　not　honor　more。〃


So　when；　fresh　from　the　intimacy　of　this　communication　with　his
adored　and　with　the　letter　in　his　hand；　he　entered　the　sitting…room
at　that　early　hour　he　was　not　overjoyed　to　find　the　housekeeper
there　ahead　of　him。　　And　her　first　sentence　showed　that　she　had
been　awaiting　his　coming。

〃Good　mornin'；　Albert；〃　she　said。　　〃I　heard　you　stirrin'　'round　up
in　your　room　and　I　came　down　here　so's　you　and　I　could　talk
together　for　a　minute　without　anybody's　disturbin'　us。　。　。　。
Humph！　　I　guess　likely　you　didn't　sleep　any　too　well　last　night；
did　you？〃

Albert　shook　his　head。　　〃Not　too　well；　Rachel；〃　he　replied。

〃I　shouldn't　wonder。　　Well；　I　doubt　if　there　was　too　much　sleep
anywheres　in　this　house　last　night。　　So　you're　really　goin'　to　war；
are　you；　Albert？〃

〃Yes。　　If　the　war　will　let　me　I　certainly　am。〃

〃Dear；　dear！　。　。　。　　Well；　II　think　it's　what　Robert　Penfold　would
have　done　if　he　was　in　your　place。　　I've　been　goin'　over　it　and
goin'　over　it　half　the　night；　myself；　and　I've　come　to　that
conclusion。　　It's　goin'　to　be　awful　hard　on　your　grandma　and
grandfather　and　me　and　Labe；　all　us　folks　here　at　home；　but　I　guess
it's　the　thing　you'd　ought　to　do；　the　Penfold　kind　of　thing。〃

Albert　smiled。　　〃I'm　glad　you　think　so；　Rachel；〃　he　said。

〃Well；　I　do；　and　if　I'm　goin'　to　tell　the　truth　I　might　as　well　say
I　tried　terrible　hard　to　find　some　good　reasons　for　thinkin'
'twan't。　　I　did　SO！　　But　the　only　good　reasons　I　could　scare　up　for
makin'　you　stay　to　home　was　because　home　was　safe　and　comf'table
and　where　you　was　goin'　wan't。　　And　that　kind　of　reasonin'　might　do
fust…rate　for　a　passel　of　clams　out　on　the　flats；　but　it　wouldn't
be　much　credit　to　decent；　self…respectin'　humans。　　When　General
Rolleson　came　to　that　island　and　found　his　daughter　and　Robert
Penfold　livin'　there　in　that　house　made　out　of　pearls　he'd　built
for　her　　Wan't　that　him　all　over！　　Another　man；　the　common　run
of　man；　would　have　been　satisfied　to　build　her　a　house　out　of　wood
and　lucky　to　get　that；　but　no；　nothin'　would　do　him　but　pearls；
and　if　they'd　have　been　di'monds　he'd　have　been　better　satisfied。
Well。　。　。　。　　Where　was　I？　。　。　。　　Oh　yes！　　When　General　Rolleson　came
there　and　says　to　his　daughter；　'Helen；　you　come　home　along　of　me；'
and　she　says；　'No；　I　shan't　leave　him；'　meanin'　Robert　Penfold；　you
understand　　When　she　says　that　did　Robert　Penfold　say；　'That's　the
talk！　　Put　that　in　your　pipe；　old　man；　and　smoke　it？'　　No；　SIR；　he
didn't！　　He　says；　'Helen；　you　go　straight　home　along　with　your　pa
and　work　like　fury　till　you　find　out　who　forged　that　note　and　laid
it　onto　me。　　You　find　that　out；'　he　says；　'and　then　you　can　come
fetch　me　and　not　afore。'　　That's　the　kind　of　man　HE　was！　　And　they
sailed　off　and　left　him　behind。〃

Albert　shook　his　head。　　He　had　heard　only　about　half　of　the
housekeeper's　story。　　〃Pretty　rough　on　him；　I　should　say；〃　he
commented；　absently。

〃I　GUESS　'twas　rough　on　him；　poor　thing！　　But　'twas　his　duty　and　so
he　done　it。　　It　was　rough　on　Helen；　havin'　to　go　and　leave　him；　but
'twas　rougher　still　on　him。　　It's　always　roughest；　seems　to　me；〃
she　added；　〃on　the　ones　that's　left　behind。　　Those　that　go　have
somethin'　to　take　up　their　minds　and　keep　'em　from　thinkin'　too
much。　　The　ones　that　stay　to　home　don't　have　much　to　do　EXCEPT
think。　　I　hope　you　don't　get　the　notion　that　I　feel　your　part　of　it
is　easy；　Al。　　Only　a　poor；　crazy　idiot　could　read　the　papers　these
days　and　feel　that　any　part　of　this　war　was　EASY！　　It's　awful；　but
but　it　WILL　keep　you　too　busy　to　think；　maybe。〃

〃I　shouldn't　wonder；　Rachel。　　I　understand　what　you　mean。〃

〃We're　all　goin'　to　miss　you；　Albert。　　This　house　is　goin'　to　be
a　pretty　lonesome　place；　I　cal'late。　　Your　grandma'll　miss　you
dreadful　and　so　will　I；　butbut　I　have　a　notion　that　your