the portygee-第55节

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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　a　hand
across　his　forehead。

His　agitation　seemed　to　surprise　Captain　Zelotes。　　〃So　all　hands
are　fightin'；　are　they；　Labe；〃　he　observed。　　〃Well；　I　presume
likely　there's　some　truth　in　that。　　What's　your　particular　fight；
for　instance？〃

The　little　bookkeeper　looked　at　him　for　an　instant　before　replying。
The　captain's　question　was　kindly　asked；　but　there　was；　or　so　Laban
imagined；　the　faintest　trace　of　sarcasm　in　its　tone。　　That　trace
decided　him。　　He　leaned　across　the　desk。

〃My　particular　fight？〃　he　repeated。　　〃Youyou　want　to　know　what
'tis；　Cap'n　Lote？　　All　right；　all　right；　I'll　tell　you。〃

And　without　waiting　for　further　questioning　and　with；　for　him；
surprisingly　few　repetitions；　he　told　of　his　〃enlistment〃　to　fight
John　Barleycorn　for　the　duration　of　the　war。　　Captain　Zelotes
listened　to　the　very　end　in　silence。　　Laban　mopped　his　forehead
with　a　hand　which　shook　much　as　it　had　done　during　the　interview
with　Albert　in　the　room　above　the　shoe　store。

〃Therethere；〃　he　declared；　in　conclusion；　〃that's　my　fight；　Cap'n
Lote。　　Al　and　I；　wewe　kind　of　went　into　it　together；　as　you　might
say；　though　his　enlistin'　was　consider'ble　more　heroic　than　mine
yes　indeed；　I　should　say　so　。　。　。　yes；　yes；　yes。　　But　I'm　fightin'
too　。　。　。　er　。　。　。　I'm　fightin'　too。〃

Captain　Zelotes　pulled　his　beard。

〃How's　the　fight　goin'；　Labe？〃　he　asked；　quietly。

〃Wellwell；　it's　kind　ofkind　of　spotty；　as　you　might　say。
There's　spots　when　I　get　along　fairly　smooth　and　others　whenwell；
when　it's　pretty　rough　goin'。　　I've　had　four　hard　spots　since　Al
went　away；　but　there's　two　that　was　the　hardest。　　One　was　along
Christmas　and　New　Year　time；　you　know　I　'most　generally　had　one　of
myerspells　along　about　then。　　And　t'other　is　just　now；　I　mean
since　we　got　word　aboutabout　Al。　　I　don't　suppose　likely　you
surmised　it；　Cap'n；　butbut　I'd　come　to　think　a　lot　of　that　boy
yes；　I　had。　　Seems　funny　to　you；　I　don't　doubt；　but　it's　so。　　And
since　the　word　come；　you　knowIIwell；　I've　had　some　fight；
some　fight。　　II　don't　cal'late　I've　slept　more'n　four　hours　in
the　last　four　nightsnot　more'n　that；　no。　　Walkin'　helps　me　most；
seems　so。　　Last　night　I　walked　to　West　Orham。〃

〃To　West　Orham！　　You　WALKED　there？　　Last　NIGHT？〃

〃Um…hm。　　Long's　I　can　keep　walkin'　II　seem　to　part　way　forgetto
forget　the　stuff；　you　know。　　When　I'm　alone　in　my　room　I　go　'most
crazypretty　nigh　loony。　。　。　。　　But　there！　　I　don't　know　why　I　got
to　talkin'　like　this　to　you；　Cap'n　Lote。　　You've　got　your　troubles
and〃

〃Hold　on；　Labe。　　Does　Rachel　know　about　your　fight？〃

〃No。　　No；　no。　　Course　she　must　notice　how　long　I've　beenbeen
straight；　but　I　haven't　told　her。　　I　want　to　be　sure　I'm　goin'　to
win　before　I　tell　her。　　She's　been　disappointed　times　enough
before；　poor　woman。　。　。　。　　There；　Cap'n　Lote；　don't　let's　talk
about　it　any　more。　　Please　don't　get　the　notion　that　I'm　askin'　for
pity　or　anything　like　that。　　And　don't　think　I'm　comparin'　what　I
call　my　fight　to　the　real　one　like　Al's。　　There's　nothin'　much
heroic　about　me；　eh？　　No；　no；　I　guess　not。　　Tell　that　to　look　at
me；　eh？〃

Captain　Zelotes　rose　and　laid　his　big　hand　on　his　bookkeeper's
shoulder。

〃Don't　you　believe　it；　Labe；〃　he　said。　　〃I'm　proud　of　you。　。　。　。
And；　I　declare；　I'm　ashamed　of　myself。　。　。　。　　Humph！　。　。　。　　Well；
to…night　you　come　home　with　me　and　have　supper　at　the　house。〃

〃Now；　now；　Cap'n　Lote〃

〃You　do　as　I　tell　you。　　After　supper；　if　there's　any　walkin'　to　be
doneif　you　take　a　notion　to　frog　it　to　Orham　or　San　Francisco　or
somewheresmaybe　I'll　go　with　you。　　Walkin'　may　be　good　for　my
fight；　too；　you　can't　tell　till　you　try。　。　。　。　　There；　don't　argue；
Labe。　　I'm　skipper　of　this　craft　yet　and　you'll　obey　my　orders；
d'you　hear？〃

The　day　following　the　receipt　of　the　fateful　telegram　the　captain
wrote　a　brief　note　to　Fletcher　Fosdick。　　A　day　or　two　later　he
received　a　reply。　　Fosdick's　letter　was　kindly　and　deeply
sympathetic。　　He　had　been　greatly　shocked　and　grieved　by　the　news。


Young　Speranza　seemed　to　me；　（he　wrote）　in　my　one　short　interview
with　him；　to　be　a　fine　young　fellow。　　Madeline；　poor　girl；　is
almost　frantic。　　She　will　recover　by　and　by；　recovery　is　easier　at
her　age；　but　it　will　be　very；　very　hard　for　you　and　Mrs。　Snow。　　You
and　I　little　thought　when　we　discussed　the　problem　of　our　young
people　that　it　would　be　solved　in　this　way。　　To　you　and　your　wife
my　sincerest　sympathy。　　When　you　hear　particulars　concerning　your
grandson's　death；　please　write　me。　　Madeline　is　anxious　to　know　and
keeps　asking　for　them。　　Mrs。　Fosdick　is　too　much　concerned　with　her
daughter's　health　to　write　just　now；　but　she　joins　me　in　sympathetic
regards。


Captain　Zelotes　took　Mrs。　Fosdick's　sympathy　with　a　grain　of　salt。
When　he　showed　this　letter　to　his　wife　he；　for　the　first　time；　told
her　of　the　engagement；　explaining　that　his　previous　silence　had
been　due　to　Albert's　request　that　the　affair　be　kept　a　secret　for
the　present。　　Olive；　even　in　the　depth　of　her　sorrow；　was　greatly
impressed　by　the　grandeur　of　the　alliance。

〃Just　think；　Zelotes；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃the　Fosdick　girland　our
Albert　engaged　to　marry　her！　　Why；　the　Fosdicks　are　awful　rich；
everybody　says　so。　　Mrs。　Fosdick　is　head　of　I　don't　know　how　many
societies　and　clubs　and　things　in　New　York；　her　name　is　in　the
paper　almost　every　day；　so　another　New　York　woman　told　me　at　Red
Cross　meetin'　last　summer。　　And　Mr。　Fosdick　has　been　in　politics；
way　up　in　politics。〃

〃Um…hm。　　Well；　he's　reformed　lately；　I　understand；　so　we　mustn't
hold　that　against　him。〃

〃Why；　Zelotes；　what　DO　you　mean？　　How　can　you　talk　so？　　Just　think
what　it　would　have　meant　to　have　our　Albert　marry　a　girl　like
Madeline　Fosdick。〃

The　captain　put　his　arm　about　her　and　gently　patted　her　shoulder。

〃There；　there；　Mother；〃　he　said；　gently；　〃don't　let　that　part　of　it
fret　you。〃

〃But；　Zelotes；〃　tearfully；　〃I　don't　understand。　　It　would　have　been
such　a　great　thing　for　Albert。〃

〃Would　it？　　Well；　maybe。　　Anyhow；　there's　no　use　worryin'　about　it
now。　　It's　done　withended　and　done　with　。　。　。　same　as　a　good　many
other　plans　that's　been　made　in　the　world。〃

〃Zelotes；　don't　speak　like　that；　dear；　so　discouraged。　　It　makes　me
feel　worse　than　ever　to　hear　you。　　Andand　he　wouldn't　want　you
to；　I'm　sure。〃

〃Wouldn't　he？　　No；　I　cal'late　you're　right；　Mother。　　We'll　try　not
to。〃

Other　letters　came；　including　one　from　Helen。　　It　was　not　long。
Mrs。　Snow　was　a　little　inclined　to　feel　hurt　at　its　brevity。　　Her
husband；　however；　did　not　share　this　feeling。

〃Have　you　read　it　carefully；　Mother？〃　he　asked。

〃Of　course　I　have；　Zelotes。　　What　do　you　mean？〃

〃I　meanwell；　I　tell　you；　Mother；　I've　read　it　three　time。　　The
first　time　I　was　like　you；　seemed　to　me　as　good　a　friend　of　Al　and
of　us　as　Helen　Kendall　ought　to　have　written　more　than　that。　　The
second　time　I　read　it　I　begun　to　wonder　ifif〃

〃If　what；　Zelotes？〃

〃Oh；　nothin'；　Mother；　nothin'。　　She　says　she's　comin'　to　see　us
just　as　soon　as　she　can　get　away　for　a　day　or　two。　　She'll　come；
and　when　she　does　I　cal'late　both　you　and　I　are　goin'　to　be
satisfied。〃

〃But　why　didn't　she　WRITE　more；　Zelotes？　　That's　what　I　can't
understand。〃

Captain　Zelotes　tugged　at　his　beard　reflectively。　　〃When　I　wrote
Fosdick　the　other　day；〃　he　said；　〃I　couldn't　write　more　than　a
couple　of　pages。　　I　was　too　upset　to　do　it。　　I　couldn't；　that's
all。〃

〃Yes；　but　you　are　Albert's　grandfather。〃

〃I　know。　　And　Helen's　always　。　。　。　　But　there；　Mother；　don't　you
worry　about　Helen　Kendall。　　I've　known　her　since　she　was　born；
pretty　nigh；　and　_I_　tell　you　she's　all　RIGHT。〃

Fosdick；　in　his　letter；　had　asked　for　particulars　concerning
Albert's　death。　　Those　particulars　were　slow　in　coming。　　Captain
Zelotes　wrote　at　once　to　the　War　Department；　but　received　little
satisfaction。　　The　Department　would　inform　him　as　soon　as　it
obtained　the　information。　　The　name　of　Sergeant　Albert　Speranza　had
been　cabled　as　one　of　a　list　of　fatalities；　that　was　all。

〃And　to　think；〃　as　Rachel　Ellis　put　it；　〃that　we　never　knew　that
he'd　been　made　a　sergeant　until　after　he　was　gone。　　He　never　had
time　to　write　it；　I　expect　likely；　poor　boy。〃

The　first　bit　of　additional　information　was　furnished　by　the　press。
A　correspondent　of　one　of　the　Boston　dailies　sent　a　brief　dispatch
to　his　paper　describing　the　fighting　at　a　certain　point　on　the
Allied　front。　　A　small　detachment　of　American　troops　had　taken
part；　with　the　French；　in　an　attack　on　a　village　held　by　the　enemy。
The　enthusiastic　reporter　declared　it　to　be　one　of　the　smartest
little　actions　in　which　our　soldiers　had　so　far　taken　part　and　was
eloquent　concerning　the　bravery　and　dash　of　his　fellow　countrymen。
〃They　proved　themselves；〃　he　went　on；　〃and　French　officers　with
whom　I　have　talked　are　enthusiastic。　　Our　losses；　considering　the
number　engaged；　are　said　to　be　heavy。　　Among　those　reported　as
killed　is　Sergeant　Albert　Speranza；　a　Massachusetts　boy　whom
American　readers　will　remember　as　a　writer　of　poetry　and　magazine
fiction。　　Sergeant　Speranza　is　said　to　have　led　his　company　in　t