the portygee-第57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！


you　see〃

〃No；　I　don't　see。　　Labe；　when　Robert　Penfold　was　lost　and　gone　for
all　them　months　all　hands　thought　he　was　dead；　didn't　they？　　But　he
wasn't；　he　was　on　that　island　lost　in　the　middle　of　all　creation。
What's　to　hinder　Albert　bein'　took　prisoner　by　those　Germans？　　They
came　back　to　that　cottage　place　after　Albert　was　left　there；　the
cap'n　says　so　in　that　letter　Cap'n　Lote　just　read。　　What's　to
hinder　their　carryin'　Al　off　with　'em？　　Eh？　　What's　to　hinder？〃

〃Whywhy；　nothin'；　I　suppose；　in　one　way。　　But　nine　chances　out　of
ten〃

〃That　leaves　one　chance；　don't　it。　　I　ain't　goin'　to　give　up　that
chance　forfor　my　boy。　　II　　Oh；　Labe；　I　did　think　SO　much　of
him。〃

〃I　know；　Rachel；　I　know。　　Don't　cry　any　more　than　you　can　help。
And　if　it　helps　you　any　to　make　believeI　mean　to　keep　on　hopin'
he's　alive　somewhereswhy；　do　it。　　It　won't　do　any　harm；　I
suppose。　　Only　I　wouldn't　hint　such　a　thing　to　Cap'n　Lote　or
Olive。〃

〃Of　course　not；〃　indignantly。　　〃I　ain't　quite　a　fool；　I　hope。　。　。　。
And　I　presume　likely　you're　right；　Laban。　　The　poor　boy　is　dead；
probably。　　But　II'm　goin'　to　hope　he　isn't；　anyhow；　just　to　get
what　comfort　I　can　from　it。　　And　Robert　Penfold　did　come　back；　you
know。〃

For　some　time　Laban　found　himself；　against　all　reason；　asking　the
very　question　Rachel　had　asked：　　Did　they　actually　KNOW　that　Albert
was　dead？　　But　as　the　months　passed　and　no　news　came　he　ceased　to
ask　it。　　Whenever　he　mentioned　the　subject　to　the　housekeeper　her
invariable　reply　was：　　〃But　they　haven't　found　his　body；　have
they？〃　　She　would　not　give　up　that　tenth　chance。　　As　she　seemed　to
find　some　comfort　in　it　he　did　not　attempt　to　convince　her　of　its
futility。

And；　meanwhile　The　Lances　of　Dawn；　Being　the　Collected　Poems　of
Albert　M。　C。　Speranza　was　making　a　mild　sensation。　　The　critics
were　surprisingly　kind　to　it。　　The　story　of　the　young　author's
recent　and　romantic　death；　of　his　gallantry；　his　handsome　features
displayed　in　newspapers　everywhere；　all　these　helped　toward　the
generous　welcome　accorded　the　little　volume。　　If　the　verses　were
not　inspiredwhy；　they　were　at　least　entertaining　and　pleasant。
And　youth；　high…hearted　youth　sang　on　every　page。　　So　the　reviewers
were　kind　and　forbearing　to　the　poems　themselves；　and；　for　the　sake
of　the　dead　soldier…poet；　were　often　enthusiastic。　　The　book　sold；
for　a　volume　of　poems　it　sold　very　well　indeed。

At　the　Snow　place　in　South　Harniss　pride　and　tears　mingled。　　Olive
read　the　verses　over　and　over　again；　and　wept　as　she　read。　　Rachel
Ellis　learned　many　of　them　by　heart；　but　she；　too；　wept　as　she
recited　them　to　herself　or　to　Laban。　　In　the　little　bookkeeper's
room　above　Simond's　shoe　store　The　Lances　of　Dawn　lay　under　the
lamp　upon　the　center　table　as　before　a　shrine。　　Captain　Zelotes
read　the　verses。　　Also　he　read　all　the　newspaper　notices　which；
sent　to　the　family　by　Helen　Kendall；　were　promptly　held　before　his
eyes　by　Olive　and　Rachel。　　He　read　the　publisher's　advertisements；
he　read　the　reviews。　　And　the　more　he　read　the　more　puzzled　and
bewildered　he　became。

〃I　can't　understand　it；　Laban；〃　he　confided　in　deep　distress　to　Mr。
Keeler。　　〃I　give　in　I　don't　know　anything　at　all　about　this。　　I'm
clean　off　soundin's。　　If　all　this　newspaper　stuff　is　so　Albert　was
right　all　the　time　and　I　was　plumb　wrong。　　Here's　this　feller；〃
picking　up　a　clipping　from　the　desk；　〃callin'　him　a　genius　and　'a
gifted　youth'　and　the　land　knows　what。　　And　every　day　or　so　I　get　a
letter　from　somebody　I　never　heard　of　tellin'　me　what　a　comfort　to
'em　those　poetry　pieces　of　his　are。　　I　don't　understand　it；　Labe。
It　worries　me。　　If　all　this　is　true　thenthen　I　was　all　wrong。　　I
tried　to　keep　him　from　makin'　up　poetry；　LabeTRIED　to；　I　did。　　If
what　these　folks　say　is　so　somethin'　ought　to　be　done　to　me。　　II
by　thunder；　I　don't　know's　I　hadn't　ought　to　be　hung！　。　。　。　　And
yetand　yet；　I　did　what　I　thought　was　right　and　did　it　for　the
boy's　sake　。　。　。　　Andand　even　now　II　ain't　sartin　I　was　wrong。
But　if　I　wasn't　wrong　then　this　is　。　。　。　　Oh；　I　don't　know；　I　don't
know！〃

And　not　only　in　South　Harniss　were　there　changes　of　heart。　　In　New
York　City　and　at　Greenwich　where　Mrs。　Fosdick　was　more　than　ever
busy　with　war　work；　there　were　changes。　　When　the　newspaper
accounts　of　young　Speranza's　heroic　death　were　first　published　the
lady　paid　little　attention　to　them。　　Her　daughter　needed　all　her
care　just　thenall　the　care；　that　is；　which　she　could　spare　from
her　duties　as　president　of　this　society　and　corresponding　secretary
of　that。　　If　her　feelings　upon　hearing　the　news　could　have　been
analyzed　it　is　probable　that　their　larger　proportion　would　have
been　a　huge　sense　of　relief。　　THAT　problem　was　solved；　at　all
events。　　She　was　sorry　for　poor　Madeline；　of　course；　but　the　dear
child　was　but　a　child　and　would　recover。

But　as　with　more　and　more　intensity　the　limelight　of　publicity　was
turned　upon　Albert　Speranza's　life　and　death　and　writing；　the　wife
of　the　Honorable　Fletcher　Fosdick　could　not　but　be　impressed。　　As
head　of　several　so…called　literary　societies；　societies　rather
neglected　since　the　outbreak　of　hostilities；　she　had　made　it　her
business　to　hunt　literary　lions。　　Recently　it　was　true　that
military　lionsMajor　Vermicelli　of　the　Roumanian　light　cavalry；
or　Private　Drinkwater　of　the　Tank　Corpswere　more　in　demand　than
Tagores；　but；　as　Mrs。　Fosdick　read　of　Sergeant　Speranza's　perils
and　poems；　it　could　not　help　occurring　to　her　that　here　was　a　lion
both　literary　and　martial。　　Decidedly　she　had　not　approved　of　her
daughter's　engagement　to　that　lion；　but　now　the　said　lion　was　dead；
which　rendered　him　a　perfectly　harmless　yet　not　the　less　fascinating
animal。　　And　then　appeared　The　Lances　of　Dawn　and　Mrs。　Fosdick's
friends　among　the　elect　began　to　read　and　talk　about　it。

It　was　then　that　the　change　came。　　Those　friends；　one　by　one；
individuals　judiciously　chosen；　were　told　in　strict　confidence　of
poor　Madeline's　romantic　love　affair　and　its　tragic　ending。　　These
individuals；　chosen　judiciously　as　has　been　stated；　whispered；　also
in　strict　confidence；　the　tale　to　other　friends　and　acquaintances。
Mrs。　Fosdick　began　to　receive　condolences　on　her　daughter's　account
and　on　her　own。　　Soon　she　began　to　speak　publicly　of　〃My　poor；　dear
daughter's　dead　fiance。　　Such　a　loss　to　American　literature。　　Sheer
genius。　　Have　you　read　the　article　in　the　Timepiece？　　Madeline；
poor　girl；　is　heartbroken；　naturally；　but　very　proud；　even　in　the
midst　of　her　grief。　　So　are　we　all；　I　assure　you。〃

She　quoted　liberally　from　The　Lances　of　Dawn。　　A　copy　specially
bound；　lay　upon　her　library　table。　　Albert's　photograph　in　uniform；
obtained　from　the　Snows　by　Mr。　Fosdick；　who　wrote　for　it　at　his
wife's　request；　stood　beside　it。　　To　callers　and　sister　war　workers
Mrs。　Fosdick　gave　details　of　the　hero's　genius；　his　bravery；　his
devotion　to　her　daughter。　　It　was　all　so　romantic　and　pleasantly
self…advertisingand　perfectly　safe。

Summer　came　again；　the　summer　of　1918。　　The　newspapers　now　were
gravely　personal　reading　to　millions　of　Americans。　　Our　new　army
was　trying　its　metal　on　the　French　front　and　with　the　British
against　the　vaunted　Hindenburg　Line。　　The　transports　were　carrying
thousands　on　every　trip　to　join　those　already　〃over　there。〃　　In
South　Harniss　and　in　Greenwich　and　New　York；　as　in　every　town　and
city；　the　ordinary　summer　vacations　and　playtime　occupations　were
forgotten　or　neglected　and　war　charities　and　war　labors　took　their
place。　　Other　soldiers　than　Sergeant　Speranza　were　the　newspaper
heroes　now；　other　books　than　The　Lances　of　Dawn　talked　about。

As　on　the　previous　summer　the　new　Fosdick　cottage　was　not　occupied
by　its　owners。　　Mrs。　Fosdick　was　absorbed　by　her　multitudinous　war
duties　and　her　husband　was　at　Washington　giving　his　counsel　and
labor　to　the　cause。　　Captain　Zelotes　bought　to　his　last　spare
dollar　of　each　successive　issue　of　Liberty　Bonds；　and　gave　that
dollar　to　the　Red　Cross　or　the　Y。　M。　C。　A。；　Laban　and　Rachel　did
likewise。　　Even　Issachar　Price　bought　Thrift　Stamps　and　exhibited
them　to　anyone　who　would　stop　long　enough　to　look。

〃By　crimus；〃　declared　Issy；　〃I'm　makin'　myself　poor　helpin'　out　the
gov'ment；　but　let　'er　go　and　darn　the　Kaiser；　that's　my　motto。　　But
they　ain't　all　like　me。　　I　was　down　to　the　drug　store　yesterday　and
old　man　Burgess　had　the　cheek　to　tell　me　I　owed　him　for　some　cigars
I　boughterlast　fall；　seems　to　me　'twas。　　I　turned　right　around
and　looked　at　him'I've　got　my　opinion；'　says　I；　'of　a　man　that
thinks　of　cigars　and　such　luxuries　when　the　country　needs　every
cent。　　What　have　you　got　that　gov'ment　poster　stuck　up　on　your　wall
for？'　says　I。　　'Read　it；'　I　says。　　'It　says'　'〃Save！　　Save！
Save！〃'　don't　it？　　All　right。　　That's　what　I'M　doin'。　　I　AM
savin'。'　　Then　when　he　was　thinkin'　of　somethin'　to　answer　back　I
walked　right　out　and　left　him。　　Yes　sir；　by　crimustee；　I　left　him
right　where　he　stood！〃

August　came；　Septemberthe　Hindenburg　Line　was　broken。　　Each　day
the　triumphant　headlines　in　the　papers　were　big　and　black　and　also；
alas；　the　casualty　lists　on　the　inside　pages　long　and　longer。　　Then
October。　　The　armistice　was　signed。　　It　was　the　end。　　The　Allied
wo