the portygee-第6节

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foreigners　of　all　kindsbut　the　Latin　variety　of　foreigner　in
particularCaptain　Zelotes　Snow　cherished　a　detest　which　was
almost　fanatic。

And　now　his　daughter；　his　own　Janie；　was　receiving　ardent　love
letters　from　a　play…acting　foreigner；　a　Spaniard；　a　〃Portygee；〃　a
〃macaroni…eater〃！　　When　finally　convinced　that　it　was　true；　that
the　letters　had　really　been　written　to　Jane；　which　took　some　time；
he　demanded　first　of　all　to　be　shown　the　〃Portygee。〃　　Miss
Donaldson　could　not；　of　course；　produce　the　latter　forthwith；　but
she　directed　her　irate　visitor　to　the　theater　where　the　opera
company　was　then　performing。　　To　the　theater　Captain　Zelotes　went。
He　did　not　find　Speranza　there；　but　from　a　frightened　attendant　he
browbeat　the　information　that　the　singer　was　staying　at　a　certain
hotel。　　So　the　captain　went　to　the　hotel。　　It　was　eleven　o'clock　in
the　morning；　Senor　Speranza　was　in　bed　and　could　not　be　disturbed。
Couldn't；　eh？　　By　the　great　and　everlasting　et　cetera　and　continued
he　was　going　to　be　disturbed　then　and　there。　　And　unless　some　of
the　hotel's　〃hired　help〃　set　about　the　disturbing　it　would　be　done
for　them。　　So；　rather　than　summon　the　police；　the　hotel　management
summoned　its　guest；　and　the　first；　and　only；　interview　between　the
father　and　lover　of　Jane　Snow　took　place。

It　was　not　a　long　interview；　but　it　was　spirited。　　Captain　Zelotes
began　by　being　what　he　considered　diplomatic。　　Having　assured　his
wife　before　leaving　home；　and　the　alarmed　Miss　Donaldson
subsequently；　that　there　was　to　be　no　trouble　whatevereverything
would　be　settled　as　smooth　and　easy　as　slidin'　downhill；　〃that
feller　won't　make　any　fuss；　you'll　see〃having　thus　prophesied；
the　captain　felt　it　incumbent　upon　himself　to　see　to　the
fulfillment。　　So　he　began　by　condescendingly　explaining　that　of
course　he　was　kind　of　sorry　for　the　young　man　before　him；　young
folks　were　young　folks　and　of　course　he　presumed　likely　'twas
natural　enough；　and　the　like　of　that；　you　understand。　　But　of
course　also　Mr。　Speranza　must　realize　that　the　thing　could　not　go
on　any　further。　　Jane　was　his　daughter　and　her　people　were　nice
people；　and　naturally；　that　being　the　case；　her　mother　and　he　would
be　pretty　particular　as　to　who　she　kept　company　with；　to　say
nothing　of　marrying；　which　event　was　not　to　be　thought　of　for　ten
years；　anyway。　　Now　he　didn't　want　to　beerpersonal　or　anything
like　that；　and　of　course　he　wouldn't　think　of　saying　that　Mr。
Speranza　wasn't　a　nice　enough　man　forwell；　forfor　。　。　。　　You
see；　everybody　wasn't　as　particular　as　he　and　Mrs。　Snow　were。　　But

Here　Senor　Speranza　interrupted。　　He　politely　desired　to　know　if
the　person　speaking　was　endeavoring　to　convey　the　idea　that　he；
Miguel　Carlos　Speranza；　was　not　of　sufficient　poseetion；　goodness；
standing；　what　it　is？　to　be　considered　as　suitor　for　that　person's
daughter's　hand。　　Did　Meester　Snow　comprehend　to　whom　he　addressed
himself？

The　interview　terminated　not　long　after。　　The　captain's　parting
remark　was　in　the　nature　of　an　ultimatum。　　It　was　to　the　effect
that　if　Speranza；　or　any　other　condemned　undesirable　like　him；
dared　to　so　much　as　look　in　the　direction　of　Jane　Olivia　Snow；　his
daughter；　he　personally　would　see　that　the　return　for　that　look
was　a　charge　of　buckshot。　　Speranza；　white…faced　and　furiously
gesticulative；　commanded　the　astonished　bellboy　to　put　that　〃Bah！
pig…idiot！〃　out　into　the　hall　and　air　the　room　immediately
afterward。

Having；　as　he　considered；　satisfactorily　attended　to　the　presumptuous
lover；　Captain　Zelotes　returned　to　the　school　and　to　what　he
believed　would　be　the　comparatively　easy　task；　the　bringing　of　his
daughter　to　reason。　　Jane　had　always　been　an　obedient　girl；　she　was
devoted　to　her　parents。　　Of　course；　although　she　might　feel　rather
disappointed　at　first；　she　would　soon　get　over　it。　　The　idea　that
she　might　flatly　refuse　to　get　over　it；　that　she　might　have　a　will
of　her　own；　and　a　determination　equal　to　that　of　the　father　from
whom　she　inherited　it；　did　not　occur　to　the　captain　at　all。

But　his　enlightenment　was　prompt　and　complete。　　Jane　did　not　rage
or　become　hysterical；　she　did　not　even　weep　in　his　presence。　　But；
quietly；　with　a　set　of　her　square　little　chin；　she　informed　Captain
Zelotes　that　she　loved　Speranza；　that　she　meant　to　marry　him　and
that　she　should　marry　him；　some　day　or　other。　　The　captain　raged；
commanded；　pleaded；　begged。　　What　was　the　matter　with　her？　　What
had　come　over　her？　　Didn't　she　love　her　father　and　mother　any　more
that　she　should　set　out　to　act　this　way？　　Yes；　she　declared　that
she　loved　them　as　much　as　ever；　but　that　she　loved　her　lover　more
than　all　the　world；　and　no　onenot　even　her　parentsshould
separate　them。

Captain　Zelotes　gave　it　up　at　last。　　That　is；　he　gave　up　the　appeal
to　reason　and　the　pleadings。　　But　he　did　not　give　up　the　idea　of
having　his　own　way　in　the　matter；　being　Zelotes　Snow；　he　certainly
did　not　give　that　up。　　Instead　he　took　his　daughter　home　with　him
to　South　Harniss；　where　a　tearful　and　heart…broken　Olive　added　her
persuasions　to　his。　　But；　when　she　found　Jane　obdurate；　Mrs。　Snow
might　have　surrendered。　　Not　her　husband；　however。　　Instead　he
conceived　a　brilliant　idea。　　He　was　about　to　start　on　a　voyage　to
Rio　Janeiro；　he　would　take　his　wife　and　daughter　with　him。　　Under
their　immediate　observation　and　far　removed　from　the　influence　of
〃that　Portygee；〃　Jane　would　be　in　no　danger　and　might　forget。

Jane　made　no　remonstrance。　　She　went　to　Rio　and　returned。　　She　was
always　calm；　outwardly　pleasant　and　quiet；　never　mentioned　her
lover　unless　in　answer　to　a　question；　but　she　never　once　varied
from　her　determination　not　to　give　him　up。　　The　Snows　remained　at
home　for　a　month。　　Then　Zelotes；　Jane　accompanying　him；　sailed　from
Boston　to　Savannah。　　Olive　did　not　go　with　them；　she　hated　the　sea
and　by　this　time　both　she　and　her　husband　were　somewhat　reassured。
So　far　as　they　could　learn　by　watchful　observation　of　their
daughter；　the　latter　had　not　communicated　with　Speranza　nor
received　communications　from　him。　　If　she　had　not　forgotten　him　it
seemed　likely　that　he　had　forgotten　her。　　The　thought　made　the
captain　furiously　angry；　but　it　comforted　him；　too。

During　the　voyage　to　Savannah　this　sense　of　comfort　became
stronger。　　Jane　seemed　in　better　spirits。　　She　was　always　obedient；
but　now　she　began　to　seem　almost　cheerful；　to　speak；　and　even　laugh
occasionally　just　as　she　used　to。　　Captain　Zelotes　patted　himself
on　the　back；　figuratively。　　His　scheme　had　been　a　good　one。

And　in　Savannah；　one　afternoon；　Jane　managed　to　elude　her　father's
observation；　to　leave　the　schooner　and　to　disappear　completely。
And　that　night　came　a　letter。　　She　and　Miguel　Carlos　Speranza　had
been　in　correspondence　all　the　time；　how　or　through　whose
connivance　is　a　mystery　never　disclosed。　　He　had　come　to　Savannah；
in　accordance　with　mutual　arrangement；　they　had　met；　were　married；
and　had　gone　away　together。

〃I　love　you；　Father；〃　Jane　wrote　in　the　letter。　　〃I　love　you　and
Mother　so　very；　VERY　much。　　Oh；　PLEASE　believe　that！　　But　I　love
him；　too。　　And　I　could　not　give　him　up。　　You　will　see　why　when　you
know　him；　really　know　him。　　If　it　were　not　for　you　I　should　be　SO
happy。　　I　know　you　can't　forgive　me　now；　but　some　day　I　am　sure　you
will　forgive　us　both。〃

Captain　Zelotes　was　far；　far　from　forgiveness　as　he　read　that
letter。　　His　first　mate；　who　was　beside　him　when　he　opened　and　read
it；　was　actually　frightened　when　he　saw　the　look　on　the　skipper's
face。　　〃He　went　white；〃　said　the　mate；　〃not　pale；　but　white；　same
as　a　dead　man；　oror　the　underside　of　a　flatfish；　or　somethin'。
'For　the　Lord　sakes；　Cap'n；'　says　I；　'what's　the　matter？'　　He　never
answered　me；　stood　starin'　at　the　letter。　　Then　he　looked　up；　not
at　me；　but　as　if　somebody　else　was　standin'　there　on　t'other　side
of　the　cabin　table。　　'Forgive　him！'　he　says；　kind　of　slow　and　under
his　breath。　　'I　won't　forgive　his　black　soul　in　hell。'　　When　I
heard　him　say　it　I　give　you　my　word　my　hair　riz　under　my　cap。　　If
ever　there　was　killin'　in　a　man's　voice　and　in　his　looks　'twas　in
Cap'n　Lote's　that　night。　　When　I　asked　him　again　what　was　the
matter　he　didn't　answer　any　more　than　he　had　the　first　time。　　A　few
minutes　afterwards　he　went　into　his　stateroom　and　shut　the　door。　　I
didn't　see　him　again　until　the　next　mornin'。〃

Captain　Zelotes　made　no　attempt　to　follow　the　runaway　couple。　　He
did　take　pains　to　ascertain　that　they　were　legally　married；　but
that　was　all。　　He　left　his　schooner　in　charge　of　the　mate　at
Savannah　and　journeyed　north　to　South　Harniss　and　his　wife。　　A　week
he　remained　at　home　with　her；　then　returned　to　the　Olive　S。　and
took　up　his　command　and　its　duties　as　if　nothing　had　happened。　　But
what　had　happened　changed　his　whole　life。　　He　became　more　taciturn；
a　trifle　less　charitable；　a　little　harder　and　more　worldly。　　Before
the　catastrophe　he　had　been　interested　in　business　success　and　the
making　of　money　chiefly　because　of　his　plans　for　his　daughter's
future。　　Now　he　worked　even　harder　because　it　helped　him　to　forget。
He　became　sole　owner　of　the　Olive　S。；　then　of　other　schooners。
People　spoke　of　him　as　one　destined　to　become　a　wealthy　man。