the portygee-第53节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


the　office　of　Z。　Snow　and　Co。　　Or；　rather；　life　in　the　old　house
and　at　the　lumber　and　hardware　office　slumped　back　into　the　groove
in　which　it　had　run　before　the　opera　singer's　son　was　summoned
from　the　New　York　school　to　the　home　and　into　the　lives　of　his
grandparents。　　Three　people　instead　of　four　sat　down　at　the　breakfast
table　and　at　dinner　and　at　supper。　　Captain　Zelotes　walked　alone　to
and　from　the　office。　　Olive　Snow　no　longer　baked　and　iced　large
chocolate　layer　cakes　because　a　certain　inmate　of　her　household　was
so　fond　of　them。　　Rachel　Ellis　discussed　Foul　Play　and　Robert
Penfold　with　no　one。　　The　house　was　emptier；　more　old…fashioned　and
behind　the　times；　more　lonelysurprisingly　empty　and　behind　the
times　and　lonely。

The　daily　mails　became　matters　of　intense　interest　and　expectation。
Albert　wrote　regularly　and　of　course　well　and　entertainingly。　　He
described　the　life　at　the　camp　where　he　and　the　other　recruits　were
training；　a　camp　vastly　different　from　the　enormous　military　towns
built　later　on　for　housing　and　training　the　drafted　men。　　He　liked
the　life　pretty　well；　he　wrote；　although　it　was　hard　and　a　fellow
had　precious　little　opportunity　to　be　lazy。　　Mistakes；　too；　were
unprofitable　for　the　maker。　　Captain　Lote's　eye　twinkled　when　he
read　that。

Later　on　he　wrote　that　he　had　been　made　a　corporal　and　his
grandmother；　to　whom　a　major　general　and　a　corporal　were　of　equal
rank；　rejoiced　much　both　at　home　and　in　church　after　meeting　was
over　and　friends　came　to　hear　the　news。　　Mrs。　Ellis　declared
herself　not　surprised。　　It　was　the　Robert　Penfold　in　him　coming
out；　so　she　said。

A　month　or　two　later　one　of　Albert's　letters　contained　an
interesting　item　of　news。　　In　the　little　spare　time　which　military
life　afforded　him　he　continued　to　write　verse　and　stories。　　Now　a
New　York　publisher；　not　one　of　the　most　prominent　but　a　reputable
and　enterprising　one；　had　written　him　suggesting　the　collecting　of
his　poems　and　their　publication　in　book　form。　　The　poet　himself
was；　naturally；　elated。

〃Isn't　it　splendid！〃　he　wrote。　　〃The　best　part　of　it；　of　course；　is
that　he　asked　to　publish；　I　did　not　ask　him。　　Please　send　me　my
scrapbook　and　all　loose　manuscript。　　When　the　book　will　come　out
I'm　sure　I　don't　know。　　In　fact　it　may　never　come　out；　we　have　not
gotten　as　far　as　terms　and　contracts　yet；　but　I　feel　we　shall。
Send　the　scrapbook　and　manuscript　right　away；　PLEASE。〃

They　were　sent。　　In　his　next　letter　Albert　was　still　enthusiastic。

〃I　have　been　looking　over　my　stuff；〃　he　wrote；　〃and　some　of　it　is
pretty　good；　if　you　don't　mind　my　saying　so。　　Tell　Grandfather　that
when　this　book　of　mine　is　out　and　selling　I　may　be　able　to　show　him
that　poetry　making　isn't　a　pauper's　job；　after　all。　　Of　course　I
don't　know　how　much　it　will　sellperhaps　not　more　than　five　or　ten
thousand　at　firstbut　even　at　ten　thousand　at；　say；　twenty…five
cents　royalty　each；　would　be　twenty…five　hundred　dollars；　and
that's　something。　　Why；　Ben　Hur；　the　novel；　you　know；　has　sold　a
million；　I　believe。〃

Mrs。　Snow　and　Rachel　were　duly　impressed　by　this　prophecy　of
affluence；　but　Captain　Zelotes　still　played　the　skeptic。

〃A　million　at　twenty…five　cents　a　piece！〃　exclaimed　Olive。　　〃Why；
Zelotes；　that'sthat's　an　awful　sight　of　money。〃

Mental　arithmetic　failing　her；　she　set　to　work　with　a　pencil　and
paper　and　after　a　strenuous　struggle　triumphantly　announced　that　it
came　to　two　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　dollars。

〃My　soul　and　body！〃　she　cried。　　〃Two　hundred　and　fifty　thousand
DOLLARS！　　My　SOUL；　Zelotes！　　Supposeonly　suppose　Albert's　book
brought　him　in　as　much　as　that！〃

Her　husband　shook　his　head。　　〃I　can't；　Olive；〃　he　said；　without
looking　up　from　his　newspaper。　　〃My　supposer　wouldn't　stand　the
strain。〃

〃But　it　might；　Zelotes；　it　MIGHT。　　Suppose　it　did；　what　would　you
say　then？〃

The　captain　regarded　her　over　the　top　of　the　Transcript。　　〃I
shouldn't　say　a　word；　Olive；〃　he　answered；　solemnly。　　〃I　should　be
down　sick　by　the　time　it　got　up　as　far　as　a　thousand；　and　anything
past　two　thousand　you　could　use　to　buy　my　tombstone　with。　。　。　。
There；　there；　Mother；〃　he　added；　noticing　the　hurt　look　on　her
face；　〃don't　feel　bad。　　I'm　only　jokin'。　　One　of　these　days　Al's
goin'　to　make　a　nice；　comf'table　livin'　sellin'　lumber　and　hardware
right　here　in　South　Harniss。　　I　can　SEE　that　money　in　the　offin'。
All　this　million　or　two　that's　comin'　from　poetry　and　such　is　out
of　sight　in　the　fog。　　It　may　be　there　buthumph！　well；　I　KNOW
where　Z。　Snow　and　Co。　is　located。〃

Olive　was　not　entirely　placated。　　〃I　must　say　I　think　you're　awful
discouragin'　to　the　poor　boy；　Zelotes；〃　she　said。　　Her　husband　put
down　his　paper。

〃No；　no；　I　ain't；　Mother；〃　he　replied；　earnestly。　　〃At　least　I
don't　mean　to　be。　　Way　I　look　at　it；　this　poetry…makin'　and　writin'
yarns　and　that　sort　of　stuff　is　just　part　of　the　youngster'ser
growin'　up；　as　you　might　say。　　Give　him　time　he'll　grow　out　of　it；
same　as　I　cal'late　he　will　out　of　this　girl　business；　thiser
Madelhumpherahem。　。　。　。　　Looks　like　a　good　day　to…morrow；
don't　it。〃

He　pulled　up　suddenly；　and　with　considerable　confusion。　　He　had
kept　the　news　of　his　grandson's　infatuation　and　engagement　even
from　his　wife。　　No　one　in　South　Harniss　knew　of　it；　no　one　except
the　captain。　　Helen　Kendall　knew；　but　she　was　in　Boston。

Rachel　Ellis　picked　up　the　half　knitted　Red　Cross　mitten　in　her
lap。　　〃Well；　I　don't　know　whether　he's　right　or　you　are；　Cap'n
Lote；〃　she　said；　with　a　sigh；　〃but　this　I　do　knowI　wish　this
awful　war　was　over　and　he　was　back　home　again。〃

That　remark　ended　the　conversation。　　Olive　resumed　her　own　knitting；
seeing　it　but　indistinctly。　　Her　husband　did　not　continue　his
newspaper　reading。　　Instead　he　rose　and；　saying　something　about
cal'latin'　he　would　go　for　a　little　walk　before　turning　in；　went　out
into　the　yard。

But　the　war　did　not　end；　it　went　on；　so　too　did　the　enlisting　and
training。　　In　the　early　summer　Albert　came　home　for　a　two　days'
leave。　　He　was　broader　and　straighter　and　browner。　　His　uniform
became　him　and；　more　than　ever；　the　eyes　of　South　Harniss's
youthful　femininity；　native　or　imported；　followed　him　as　he　walked
the　village　streets。　　But　the　glances　were　not　returned；　not　in
kind；　that　is。　　The　new　Fosdick　home；　although　completed；　was　not
occupied。　　Mrs。　Fosdick　had；　that　summer；　decided　that　her　duties
as　mover　in　goodness　knows　how　many　war　work　activities　prevented
her　taking　her　〃usual　summer　rest。〃　　Instead　she　and　Madeline
occupied　a　rented　villa　at　Greenwich；　Connecticut；　coming　into　town
for　meetings　of　all　sorts。　　Captain　Zelotes　had　his　own　suspicions
as　to　whether　war　work　alone　was　the　cause　of　the　Fosdicks'
shunning　of　what　was　to　have　been　their　summer　home；　but　he　kept
those　suspicions　to　himself。　　Albert　may　have　suspected　also；　but
he；　too；　said　nothing。　　The　censored　correspondence　between
Greenwich　and　the　training　camp　traveled　regularly；　and　South
Harniss　damsels　looked　and　longed　in　vain。　　He　saw　them；　he　bowed
to　them；　he　even　addressed　them　pleasantly　and　charmingly；　but　to
him　they　were　merely　incidents　in　his　walks　to　and　from　the　post…
office。　　In　his　mind's　eye　he　saw　but　one；　and　she；　alas；　was　not
present　in　the　flesh。

Then　he　returned　to　the　camp　where；　later　on；　Captain　Zelotes　and
Olive　visited　him。　　As　they　came　away　the　captain　and　his　grandson
exchanged　a　few　significant　words。

〃It　is　likely　to　be　almost　any　time；　Grandfather；〃　said　Albert；
quietly。　　〃They　are　beginning　to　send　them　now；　as　you　know　by　the
papers；　and　we　have　had　the　tip　that　our　turn　will　be　soon。　　So〃

Captain　Lote　grasped　the　significance　of　the　uncompleted　sentence。

〃I　see；　Al；〃　he　answered；　〃I　see。　　Well；　boy；　II　　Good　luck。〃

〃Good　luck；　Grandfather。〃

That　was　all；　that　and　one　more　handclasp。　　Our　Anglo…Saxon
inheritance　descends　upon　us　in　times　like　these。　　The　captain　was
silent　for　most　of　the　ride　to　the　railroad　station。

Then　followed　a　long；　significant　interval　during　which　there　were
no　letters　from　the　young　soldier。　　After　this　a　short　reassuring
cablegram　from　〃Somewhere　in　France。〃　　〃Safe。　　Well；〃　it　read　and
Olive　Snow　carried　it　about　with　her；　in　the　bosom　of　her　gown；　all
that　afternoon　and　put　it　upon　retiring　on　her　bureau　top　so　that
she　might　see　it　the　first　thing　in　the　morning。

Another　long　interval；　then　letters；　the　reassuring　but　so
tantalizingly　unsatisfactory　letters　we　American　families　were；
just　at　that　time；　beginning　to　receive。　　Reading　the　newspapers
now　had　a　personal　interest；　a　terrifying；　dreadful　interest。　　Then
the　packing　and　sending　of　holiday　boxes；　over　the　contents　of
which　Olive　and　Rachel　spent　much　careful　planning　and　anxious
preparation。　　Then　another　interval　of　more　letters；　letters　which
hinted　vaguely　at　big　things　just　ahead。

Then　no　letter　for　more　than　a　month。

And　then；　one　noon；　as　Captain　Zelotes　returned　to　his　desk　after
the　walk　from　home　and　dinner；　Laban　Keeler　came　in　and　stood
beside　that　desk。

The　captain；　looking　up；　saw　the　little　bookkeeper's　face。　　〃What
is　it；　Labe？〃　he　asked；　sharply。

Laban　held　a　yellow　envelope　in　his　hand。

〃It　came　while　you　were　go