the portygee-第50节

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a　pretty　lonesome　place；　I　cal'late。　　Your　grandma'll　miss　you
dreadful　and　so　will　I；　butbut　I　have　a　notion　that　your
grandpa's　goin'　to　miss　you　more'n　anybody　else。〃

He　shook　his　head。　　〃Oh；　not　as　much　as　all　that；　Rachel；〃　he　said。
〃He　and　I　have　been　getting　on　much　better　than　we　used　to　and　we
have　come　to　understand　each　other　better；　but　he　is　still
disappointed　in　me。　　I'm　afraid　I　don't　count　for　much　as　a
business　man；　you　see；　and；　besides；　Grandfather　can　never　quite
forget　that　I　am　the　son　of　what　he　calls　a　Portygee　play　actor。〃

Mrs。　Ellis　looked　at　him　earnestly。　　〃He's　forgettin'　it　better
every　day；　Albert；〃　she　said。　　〃I　do　declare　I　never　believed
Capt'n　Lote　Snow　could　forget　it　the　way　he's　doin'。　　And　you
well；　you've　forgot　a　whole　lot；　too。　　Memory's　a　good　thing；　the
land　knows；〃　she　added；　sagely；　〃but　a　nice　healthy　forgetery　is
worth　consider'blesome　times　and　in　some　cases。〃

Issachar　Price's　comments　on　his　fellow　employee's　decision　to
become　a　soldier　were　pointed。　　Issy　was　disgusted。

〃For　thunder　sakes；　Al；〃　he　demanded；　〃'tain't　true　that　you've
enlisted　to　go　to　war　and　fight　them　Germans；　is　it？〃

Albert　smiled。　　〃I　guess　it　is；　Issy；〃　he　replied。

〃Well；　by　crimus！〃

〃Somebody　had　to　go；　you　see；　Is。〃

〃Well；　by　crimustee！〃

〃What's　the　matter；　Issy？　　Don't　you　approve？〃

〃Approve！　　No；　by　crimus；　I　don't　approve！　　I　think　it's　a　divil　of
a　note；　that's　what　I　think。〃

〃Why？〃

〃WHY？　　Who's　goin'　to　do　the　work　in　this　office　while　you're　gone？
Labe　and　me；　that's　who；　and　I'll　do　the　heft　of　it。　　Slavin'
myself　half　to　death　as　'tis　and　now　　Oh；　by　crimustee！　　This　war
is　a　darned　nuisance。　　It　hadn't　ought　to　be　allowed。　　There'd
ought　to　be　a　law　against　it。〃

But　of　all　the　interviews　which　followed　Albert's　decision　the　most
surprising　and　that　which　he　was　the　least　likely　to　forget　was　his
interview　with　Laban　Keeler。　　It　took　place　on　the　evening　of　the
third　day　following　the　announcement　of　his　intention　to　enlist。
All　that　day；　and　indeed　for　several　days；　Albert　had　noted　in　the
little　bookkeeper　certain　symptoms；　familiar　symptoms　they　were　and
from　experience　the　young　man　knew　what　they　portended。　　Laban　was
very　nervous；　his　fingers　twitched　as　he　wrote；　occasionally　he
rose　from　his　chair　and　walked　up　and　down　the　room；　he　ran　his
hand　through　his　scanty　hair；　he　was　inclined　to　be　irritablethat
is；　irritable　for　him。　　Albert　had　noted　the　symptoms　and　was
sorry。　　Captain　Zelotes　noted　them　and　frowned　and　pulled　his
beard。

〃Al；〃　he　said　to　his　grandson；　〃if　you　can　put　off　goin'　up　to
enlist　for　a　little　spell；　a　few　days；　I　wish　you　would。　　Labe's
gettin'　ready　to　go　on　one　of　his　vacations。〃

Albert　nodded。　　〃I'm　afraid　he　is；〃　he　said。

〃Oh；　it's　as　sartin　as　two　and　two　makes　four。　　I've　lived　with　him
too　many　years　not　to　know　the　signs。　　And　I　did　hope；〃　he　added；
regretfully；　〃that　maybe　he　was　tryin'　to　break　off。　　It's　been　a
good　long　spell；　an　extry　long　spell；　since　he　had　his　last　spree。
Ah　hum！　it's　a　pity　a　good　man　should　have　that　weak　spot　in　him；
ain't　it？　　But　if　you　could　hang　around　a　few　more　days；　while　the
vacation's　goin'　on；　I'd　appreciate　it；　Al。　　I　kind　of　hate　to　be
left　here　alone　with　nobody　but　Issachar　to　lean　on。　　Issy's　a　good
deal　like　a　post　in　some　ways；　especially　in　the　makeup　of　his
head；　but　he's　too　ricketty　to　lean　on　for　any　length　of　time。〃

That　evening　Albert　went　to　the　post…office　for　the　mail。　　On　his
way　back　as　he　passed　the　dark　corner　by　the　now　closed　and
shuttered　moving…picture　theater　he　was　hailed　in　a　whisper。

〃Al；〃　said　a　voice；　〃Al。〃

Albert　turned　and　peered　into　the　deep　shadow　of　the　theater
doorway。　　In　the　summer　this　doorway　was　a　blaze　of　light　and
gaiety；　now　it　was　cold　and　bleak　and　black　enough。　　From　the
shadow　a　small　figure　emerged　on　tiptoe。

〃Al；〃　whispered　Mr。　Keeler。　　〃That's　you；　ain't　it？　　Yes；　yesyes；
yes；　yesI　thought　'twas；　I　thought　so。〃

Albert　was　surprised。　　For　one　thing　it　was　most　unusual　to　see　the
little　bookkeeper　abroad　after　nine…thirty。　　His　usual　evening
procedure；　when　not　on　a　vacation；　was　to　call　upon　Rachel　Ellis　at
the　Snow　place　for　an　hour　or　so　and　then　to　return　to　his　room
over　Simond's　shoe　store；　which　room　he　had　occupied　ever　since　the
building　was　erected。

There　he　read；　so　people　said；　until　eleven　sharp；　when　his　lamp　was
extinguished。　　During　or　at　the　beginning　of　the　vacation　periods　he
usually　departed　for　some　unknown　destination；　destinations　which；
apparently；　varied。　　He　had　been　seen；　hopelessly　intoxicated；　in
Bayport；　in　Ostable；　in　Boston；　once　in　Providence。　　When　he
returned　he　never　seemed　to　remember　exactly　where　he　had　been。
And；　as　most　people　were　fond　of　and　pitied　him；　few　questions　were
asked。

〃Why；　Labe！〃　exclaimed　Albert。　　〃Is　that　you？　　What's　the　matter？〃

〃Busy；　are　you；　Al？〃　queried　Laban。　　〃In　a　hurry；　eh？　　Are　you？　　In
a　hurry；　Al；　eh？〃

〃Why　no；　not　especially。〃

〃Could　youcould　you　spare　me　two　or　three　minutes？　　Two　or　three
minutesyes；　yes？　　Come　up　to　my　room；　could　youcould　you；　Al？〃

〃Yes　indeed。　　But　what　is　it；　Labe？〃

〃I　want　to　talk。　　Want　to　talk；　I　do。　　Yes；　yes；　yes。　　Saw　you　go
by　and　I've　been　waitin'　for　you。　　Waitin'yes；　I　haveyes。〃

He　seized　his　assistant　by　the　arm　and　led　him　across　the　road
toward　the　shoe　store。　　Albert　felt　the　hand　on　his　arm　tremble
violently。

〃Are　you　cold；　Labe？〃　he　asked。　　〃What　makes　you　shiver　so？〃

〃Eh？　　Cold？　　No；　I　ain't　coldno；　no；　no。　　Come；　Al；　come。〃

Albert　sniffed　suspiciously；　but　no　odor　of　alcohol　rewarded　the
sniff。　　Neither　was　there　any　perfume　of　peppermint；　Mr。　Keeler's
transparent　camouflage　at　a　vacation's　beginning。　　And　Laban　was
not　humming　the　refrain　glorifying　his　〃darling　hanky…panky。〃
Apparently　he　had　not　yet　embarked　upon　the　spree　which　Captain
Lote　had　pronounced　imminent。　　But　why　did　he　behave　so　queerly？

〃I　ain't　the　way　you　think；　Al；〃　declared　the　little　man；　divining
his　thought。　　〃I'm　just　kind　of　shaky　and　nervous；　that's　all。
That's　all；　that's　all；　that's　all。　　Yes；　yes。　　Come；　come！　　COME！〃

The　last　〃come〃　burst　from　him　in　an　agony　of　impatience。　　Albert
hastened　up　the　narrow　stairs；　Laban　leading　the　way。　　The　latter
fumbled　with　a　key；　his　companion　heard　it　rattling　against　the
keyhole　plate。　　Then　the　door　opened。　　There　was　a　lamp；　its　wick
turned　low；　burning　upon　the　table　in　the　room。　　Mr。　Keeler　turned
it　up；　making　a　trembly　job　of　the　turning。　　Albert　looked　about
him；　he　had　never　been　in　that　room　before。

It　was　a　small　room　and　there　was　not　much　furniture　in　it。　　And　it
was　a　neat　room；　for　the　room　of　an　old　bachelor　who　was　his　own
chambermaid。　　Most　things　seemed　to　have　places　where　they　belonged
and　most　of　them　appeared　to　be　in　those　places。　　What　impressed
Albert　even　more　was　the　number　of　books。　　There　were　books
everywhere；　in　the　cheap　bookcase；　on　the　pine　shelf　between　the
windows；　piled　in　the　corners；　heaped　on　the　table　beside　the　lamp。
They　were　worn　and　shabby　volumes　for　the　most　part；　some　with　but
half　a　cover　remaining；　some　with　none。　　He　picked　up　one　of　the
latter。　　It　was　Locke　on　The　Human　Understanding；　and　next　it；　to
his　astonishment；　was　Alice's　Adventures　in　Wonderland。

Mr。　Keeler　looked　over　his　shoulder　and；　for　an　instant；　the
whimsical　smile　which　was　characteristic　of　him　curved　his　lip。

〃Philosophy；　Al；〃　he　observed。　　〃If　Locke　don't　suit　you　try　the
'mad　hatter'　feller。　　I　get　consider'ble　comfort　out　of　the　hatter；
myself。　　Do　you　remember　when　the　mouse　was　tellin'　the　story　about
the　three　sisters　that　lived　in　the　well？　　He　said　they　lived　on
everything　that　began　with　M。　　Alice　says　'Why　with　an　M？'　　And　the
hatter；　or　the　March　hare；　I　forget　which　'twas；　says　prompt；　'Why
not？'　。　。　。　　Yes；　yes；　why　not？　that's　what　he　said。　。　。　。　　There's
some　philosophy　in　that；　Al。　　Why　does　a　hen　go　across　the　road？
Why　not？　　Why　is　Labe　Keeler　a　disgrace　to　all　his　friends　and　the
town　he　lives　in？　　Why　not？　。　。　。　　Eh？　。　。　。　　Yes；　yes。　　That's　it
why　not？〃

He　smiled　again；　but　there　was　bitterness　and　not　humor　in　the
smile。　　Albert　put　a　hand　on　his　shoulder。

〃Why；　Labe；〃　he　asked；　in　concern；　〃what　is　it？〃

Laban　turned　away。

〃Don't　mind；　me；　Al；〃　he　said；　hurriedly。　　〃I　mean　don't　mind　if　I
act　funny。　　I'mI'm　kind　ofof　　Oh；　good　Lord　A'mighty；　DON'T
look　at　me　like　that！　。　。　。　　I　beg　your　pardon；　Al。　　I　didn't　mean
to　bark　like　a　dog　at　you。　　No；　I　didn'tno；　no。　　Forgive　me；　will
you？　　Will　you；　Al；　eh？〃

〃Of　course　I　will。　　But　what　is　the　matter；　Labe？　　Sit　down　and
tell　me　about　it。〃

Instead　of　sitting　the　little　bookkeeper　began　to　walk　up　and　down。

〃Don't　mind　me；　Al；〃　he　said；　hurriedly。　　〃Don't　mind　me。　　Let　me
go　my　own　gait。　　My　own　gaityes；　yes。　　You　see；　Al；　II'm　tryin'
to　enlist；　same　as　you're　goin'　to　do；　andand　MY　fight's　begun
already。　　Yes　indeedyes；　yesit　has　so。〃

Albert　was　more　astonished　than　ever。　　There　was　no　smell　of
alcohol；　and　Keeler　had　declared　that　he　had　not　been　drinking；
but

〃You're　going　to　ENLIST？〃　repeated　Albert。　　〃YOU？　　Why；　Labe；　w