the portygee-第54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！


is　it；　Labe？〃　he　asked；　sharply。

Laban　held　a　yellow　envelope　in　his　hand。

〃It　came　while　you　were　gone　to　dinner；　Cap'n；〃　he　said。　　〃Ben
Kelley　fetched　it　from　the　telegraph　office　himself。　　Hehe　said
he　didn't　hardly　want　to　take　it　to　the　house。　　He　cal'lated　you'd
better　have　it　here；　to　read　to　yourself；　fust。　　That's　what　he
saidyes；　yesthat's　what　'twas；　Cap'n。〃

Slowly　Captain　Zelotes　extended　his　hand　for　the　envelope。　　He　did
not　take　his　eyes　from　the　bookkeeper's　face。

〃BenBen；　he　told　me　what　was　in　it；　Cap'n　Lote；〃　faltered　Laban。
〃II　don't　know　what　to　say　to　you；　I　don'tno；　no。〃

Without　a　word　the　captain　took　the　envelope　from　Keeler's　fingers；
and　tore　it　open。　　He　read　the　words　upon　the　form　within。

Laban　leaned　forward。

〃For　the　Lord　sakes；　Lote　Snow；〃　he　cried；　in　a　burst　of　agony；
〃why　couldn't　it　have　been　some　darn　good…for…nothin'　like　me
insteadinstead　of　him？　　Oh；　my　God　A'mighty；　what　a　world　this
is！　　WHAT　a　world！〃

Still　Captain　Zelotes　said　nothing。　　His　eyes　were　fixed　upon　the
yellow　sheet　of　paper　on　the　desk　before　him。　　After　a　long　minute
he　spoke。

〃Well；〃　he　said；　very　slowly；　〃well；　Labe；　there　goesthere　goes
Z。　Snow　and　Company。〃



CHAPTER　XIV


The　telegram　from　the　War　Department　was　brief；　as　all　such
telegrams　were　perforce　obliged　to　be。　　The　Secretary　of　War；
through　his　representative；　regretted　to　inform　Captain　Zelotes
Snow　that　Sergeant　Albert　Speranza　had　been　killed　in　action　upon　a
certain　day。　　It　was　enough；　howeverfor　the　time　quite　enough。
It　was　not　until　later　that　the　little　group　of　South　Harniss
recovered　sufficiently　from　the　stunning　effect　of　those　few　words
to　think　of　seeking　particulars。　　Albert　was　dead；　what　did　it
matter；　then；　to　know　how　he　died？

Olive　bore　the　shock　surprisingly　well。　　Her　husband's　fears　for
her　seemed　quite　unnecessary。　　The　Captain；　knowing　how　she　had
idolized　her　daughter's　boy；　had　dreaded　the　effect　which　the　news
might　have　upon　her。　　She　was　broken　down　by　it；　it　is　true；　but
she　was　quiet　and　braveastonishingly；　wonderfully　quiet　and
brave。　　And　it　was　she；　rather　than　her　husband；　who　played　the
part　of　the　comforter　in　those　black　hours。

〃He's　gone；　Zelotes；〃　she　said。　　〃It　don't　seem　possible；　I　know；
but　he's　gone。　　And　he　died　doin'　his　duty；　same　as　he　would　have
wanted　to　die　if　he'd　known　'twas　comin'；　poor　boy。　　Soso　we　must
do　ours；　I　suppose；　and　bear　up　under　it　the　very　best　we　can。　　It
won't　be　very　long；　Zelotes；〃　she　added。　　〃We're　both　gettin'　old。〃

Captain　Lote　made　no　reply。　　He　was　standing　by　the　window　of　the
sitting…room　looking　out　into　the　wet　backyard　across　which　the
wind…driven　rain　was　beating　in　stormy　gusts。

〃We　must　be　brave；　Zelotes；〃　whispered　Olive；　tremulously。　　〃He'd
want　us　to　be　and　we　MUST　be。〃

He　put　his　arm　about　her　in　a　sudden　heat　of　admiration。　　〃I'd　be
ashamed　not　to　be　after　seein'　you；　Mother；〃　he　exclaimed。

He　went　out　to　the　barn　a　few　moments　later　and　Rachel；　entering
the　sitting…room；　found　Olive　crumpled　down　in　the　big　rocker　in　an
agony　of　grief。

〃Oh；　don't；　Mrs。　Snow；　don't；〃　she　begged；　the　tears　streaming　down
her　own　cheeks。　　〃You　mustn't　give　way　to　it　like　this；　you　mustn't。〃

Olive　nodded。

〃I　know　it；　I　know　it；〃　she　admitted；　chokingly；　wiping　her　eyes
with　a　soaked　handkerchief。　　〃I　shan't；　Rachel；　only　this　once；　I
promise　you。　　You　see　I　can't。　　I　just　can't　on　Zelotes's　account。
I've　got　to　bear　up　for　his　sake。〃

The　housekeeper　was　surprised　and　a　little　indignant。

〃For　his　sake！〃　she　repeated。　　〃For　mercy　sakes　why　for　his　sake？
Is　it　any　worse　for　him　than　'tis　for　you。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　yes；　lots　worse。　　He　won't　say　much；　of　course；　bein'
Zelotes　Snow；　but　you　and　I　know　how　he's　planned；　especially　these
last　years；　and　how　he's　begun　to　count　onon　Albert。　。　。　。　　No；
no；　I　ain't　goin'　to　cry；　Rachel；　I　ain'tI　WON'Tbut　sayin'　his
name；　you　know；　kind　of〃

〃I　know；　I　know。　　Land　sakes；　DON'T　I　know！　　Ain't　I　doin'　it
myself？〃

〃Course　you　are；　Rachel。　　But　we　mustn't　when　Zelotes　is　around。
We　women；　wewell；　times　like　these　women　HAVE　to　keep　up。　　What
would　become　of　the　men　if　we　didn't？〃

So　she　and　Rachel　〃kept　up〃　in　public　and　when　the　captain　was
present；　and　he　for　his　part　made　no　show　of　grief　nor　asked　for
pity。　　He　was　silent；　talked　little　and　to　the　callers　who　came
either　at　the　house　or　office　was　uncomplaining。

〃He　died　like　a　man；〃　he　told　the　Reverend　Mr。　Kendall　when　the
latter　called。　　〃He　took　his　chance；　knowin'　what　that　meant〃

〃He　was　glad　to　take　it；〃　interrupted　the　minister。　　〃Proud　and
glad　to　take　it。〃

〃Sartin。　　Why　not？　　Wouldn't　you　or　I　have　been　glad　to　take　ours；
if　we　could？〃

〃Well；　Captain　Snow；　I　am　glad　to　find　you　so　resigned。〃

Captain　Zelotes　looked　at　him。　　〃Resigned？〃　he　repeated。　　〃What　do
you　mean　by　resigned？　　Not　to　sit　around　and　whimper　is　one　thing
any　decent　man　or　woman　ought　to　be　able　to　do　that　in　these　days；
but　if　by　bein'　resigned　you　mean　I'm　contented　to　have　it　so
well；　you're　mistaken；　that's　all。〃

Only　on　one　occasion；　and　then　to　Laban　Keeler；　did　he　open　his
shell　sufficiently　to　give　a　glimpse　of　what　was　inside。　　Laban
entered　the　inner　office　that　morning　to　find　his　employer　sitting
in　the　desk　chair；　both　hands　jammed　in　his　trousers'　pockets　and
his　gaze　fixed；　apparently；　upon　the　row　of　pigeon…holes。　　When　the
bookkeeper　spoke　to　him　he　seemed　to　wake　from　a　dream；　for　he
started　and　looked　up。

〃Cap'n　Lote；〃　began　Keeler；　〃I'm　sorry　to　bother　you；　but　that　last
carload　of　pine　was〃

Captain　Zelotes　waved　his　hand；　brushing　the　carload　of　pine　out　of
the　conversation。

〃Labe；〃　he　said；　slowly；　〃did　it　seem　to　you　that　I　was　too　hard　on
him？〃

Laban　did　not　understand。　　〃Hard　on　him？〃　he　repeated。　　〃I　don't
know's　I　just　get〃

〃Hard　on　Al。　　Did　it　seem　to　you　as　if　I　was　a　little　too　much　of
the　bucko　mate　to　the　boy？　　Did　I　drive　him　too　hard？　　Was　I
unreasonable？〃

The　answer　was　prompt。　　〃No；　Cap'n　Lote；〃　replied　Keeler。

〃You　mean　that？　。　。　。　　Um…hm。　。　。　。　　Well；　sometimes　seems　as　if　I
might　have　been。　　You　see；　Labe；　when　he　first　come　I　　Well；　I
cal'late　I　was　consider'ble　prejudiced　against　him。　　Account　of　his
father；　you　understand。〃

〃Sartin。　　Sure。　　I　understand。〃

〃It　took　me　a　good　while　to　get　reconciled　to　the　Portygee　streak
in　him。　　It　chafed　me　consider'ble　to　think　there　was　a　foreign
streak　in　our　family。　　The　Snows　have　been　straight　Yankee　for　a
good　long　while。　。　。　。　　Fact　is；　II　never　got　really　reconciled
to　it。　　I　kept　bein'　fearful　all　the　time　that　that　streak；　his
father's　streak；　would　break　out　in　him。　　It　never　did；　except　of
course　in　his　poetry　and　that　sort　of　foolishness；　but　I　was　always
scared　'twould；　you　see。　　And　nownow　that　this　has　happened　II
kind　of　fret　for　fear　that　I　may　have　let　my　notions　get　ahead　of
my　fair　play。　　You　think　I　did　give　the　boy　a　square　deal；　Labe？〃

〃Sure　thing；　Cap'n。〃

〃I'm　glad　of　that。　。　。　。　　Andand　you　cal'late　he　wasn'twasn't
too　prejudiced　against　me？　　I　don't　mean　along　at　first；　I　mean
this　last　year　or　two。〃

Laban　hesitated。　　He　wished　his　answer　to　be　not　an　overstatement；
but　the　exact　truth。

〃I　think；〃　he　said；　with　emphasis；　〃that　Al　was　comin'　to　understand
you　better　every　day　he　lived；　Cap'n。　　Yes；　and　to　think　more　and
more　of　you；　too。　　He　was　gettin'　older；　for　one　thingolder；　more
of　a　manyes；　yes。〃

Captain　Zelotes　smiled　sadly。　　〃He　was　more　boy　than　man　by　a　good
deal　yet；〃　he　observed。　　〃Well；　Labe；　he's　gone　and　I'm　just
beginnin'　to　realize　how　much　of　life　for　me　has　gone　along　with
him。　　He'd　been　doin'　better　here　in　the　office　for　the　last　two　or
three　years；　seemed　to　be　catchin'　on　to　business　better。　　Didn't
you　think　so；　Labe？〃

〃Sartin。　　Yes　indeed。　　Fust…rate；　fust…rate。〃

〃No；　not　first…rate。　　He　was　a　long　ways　from　a　business　man　yet；
but　I　did　think　he　was　doin'　a　lot　better。　　I　could　begin　to　see
him　pilotin'　this　craft　after　I　was　called　ashore。　　Now　he's　gone
and　。　。　。　well；　I　don't　see　much　use　in　my　fightin'　to　keep　it
afloat。　　I'm　gettin'　along　in　yearsand　what's　the　use？〃

It　was　the　first　time　Laban　had　ever　heard　Captain　Zelotes　refer　to
himself　as　an　old　man。　　It　shocked　him　into　sharp　expostulation。

〃Nonsense！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃You　ain't　old　enough　for　the　scrap　heap
by　a　big　stretch。　　And　besides；　he　made　his　fight；　didn't　he？　　He
didn't　quit；　Al　didn't；　and　he　wouldn't　want　us　to。　　No　sir…ee；　he
wouldn't！　　No；　sir；　no！　。　。　。　　II　hope　you'll　excuse　me；　Cap'n
Lote。　　Ideclare　it　must　seem　to　you　as　if　I　was　talkin'　pretty
fresh。　　I　swan　I'm　sorry。　　I　am　so　。　。　。　sorry；　yes；　yes；　I　be。〃

The　captain　was　not　offended。　　He　waved　the　apologies　aside。

〃So　you　think　it's　worth　while　my　fightin'　it　out；　do　you；　Labe？〃
he　asked；　reflectively。

〃II　think　it's　what　you　ought　to　do　anyhow；　whether　it's　worth
while　or　not。　　The　whole　world's　fightin'。　　Uncle　Sam's　fightin'。
Al　was　fightin'。　　You're　fightin'。　　I'm　fightin'。　　It's　a　darn
sight　easier　to　quit；　a　darn　sight；　butbut　Al　didn't　quit。　　And
and　we　mustn'tnot　if　we　can　help　it；〃　he　added；　drawing