the portygee-第60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！


such　a　statement；　a　certain　similarity　between　Mrs。　Fletcher
Fosdick　and　Issachar　Price。　　The　telegram　was；　as　his　grandfather
surmised；　an　expression　of　welcome　and　of　regret　that　the　senders
could　not　be　there　to　share　in　the　reception。　　The　two　letters
which　accompanied　it　he　put　in　his　pocket　to　read　later　on；　when
alone。　　Somehow　he　felt　that　the　first　hours　in　the　old　house
belonged　exclusively　to　his　grandparents。　　Everything　else；　even
Madeline's　letters；　must　take　second　place　for　that　period。

Dinner　was；　to　say　the　least；　an　ample　meal。　　Rachel　and　Olive　had；
as　Captain　Lote　said；　〃laid　themselves　out〃　on　that　dinner。　　It
began　well　and　continued　well　and　ended　best　of　all；　for　the
dessert　was　one　of　which　Albert　was　especially　fond。　　They　kept
pressing　him　to　eat　until　Laban；　who　was　an　invited　guest；　was
moved　to　comment。

〃Humph！〃　observed　Mr。　Keeler。　　〃I　knew　'twas　the　reg'lar　program　to
kill　the　fatted　calf　when　the　prodigal　got　home；　but　I　see　now　it's
the　proper　caper　to　fat　up　the　prodigal　to　take　the　critter's　place。
No；　no；　Rachel；　I'd　like　fust…rate　to　eat　another　bushel　or　so　to
please　you；　but　somethin'that　still；　small　voice　we're　always
readin'　about；　or　somethin'seems　to　tell　me　'twouldn't　be　good
jedgment。　。　。　。　　Um…hm。　。　。　。　　'Twouldn't　be　good　jedgment。　。　。　。
Cal'late　it's　right；　too。　。　。　。　　Yes；　yes；　yes。〃

〃Now；　Cap'n　Lote；〃　he　added；　as　they　rose　from　the　table；　〃you　stay
right　to　home　here　for　the　rest　of　the　day。　　I'll　hustle　back　to
the　office　and　see　if　Issy's　importance　has　bust　his　b'iler　for
him。　　So…long；　Al。　　See　you　pretty　soon。　　Got　some　things　to　talk
about；　you　and　I　have。　。　。　。　　Yes；　yes。〃

Later；　when　Rachel　was　in　the　kitchen　with　the　dishes；　Olive　left
the　sitting　room　and　reappeared　with　triumph　written　large　upon　her
face。　　In　one　hand　she　held　a　mysterious　envelope　and　in　the　other
a　book。　　Albert　recognized　that　book。　　It　was　his　own；　The　Lances
of　Dawn。　　It　was　no　novelty　to　him。　　When　first　the　outside　world
and　he　had　reopened　communication；　copies　of　that　book　had　been
sent　him。　　His　publisher　had　sent　them；　Madeline　had　sent　them；　his
grandparents　had　sent　them；　comrades　had　sent　them；　nurses　and
doctors　and　newspaper　men　had　brought　them。　　No；　The　Lances　of　Dawn
was　not　a　novelty　to　its　author。　　But　he　wondered　what　was　in　the
envelope。

Mrs。　Snow　enlightened　him。　　〃You　sit　right　down　now；　Albert；〃　she
said。　　〃Sit　right　down　and　listen　because　I've　got　somethin'　to
tell　you。　　Yes；　and　somethin'　to　show　you；　too。　　Here！　　Stop　now；
Zelotes！　　You　can't　run　away。　　You've　got　to　sit　down　and　look　on
and　listen；　too。〃

Captain　Zelotes　smiled　resignedly。　　There　was；　or　so　it　seemed　to
his　grandson；　an　odd　expression　on　his　face。　　He　looked　pleased；
but　not　altogether　pleased。　　However；　he　obeyed　his　wife's　orders
and　sat。

〃Stop；　look　and　listen；〃　he　observed。　　〃Mother；　you　sound　like　a
railroad　crossin'。　　All　right；　here　I　am。　　Al；　the　society　of　'What
did　I　tell　you'　is　goin'　to　have　a　meetin'。〃

His　wife　nodded。　　〃Well；〃　she　said；　triumphantly；　〃what　DID　I　tell
you？　　Wasn't　I　right？〃

The　captain　pulled　his　beard　and　nodded。

〃Right　as　right　could　be；　Mother；〃　he　admitted。　　〃Your　figgers　was
a　few　hundred　thousand　out　of　the　way；　maybe；　but　barrin'　that　you
was　perfectly　right。〃

〃Well；　I'm　glad　to　hear　you　say　so　for　once　in　your　life。　　Albert；〃
holding　up　the　envelope；　〃do　you　know　what　this　is？〃

Albert；　much　puzzled；　admitted　that　he　did　not。　　His　grandmother
put　down　the　book；　opened　the　envelope　and　took　from　it　a　slip　of
paper。

〃And　can　you　guess　what　THIS　is？〃　she　asked。　　Albert　could　not
guess。

〃It's　a　check；　that's　what　it　is。　　It's　the　first　six　months'
royalties；　that's　what　they　call　'em；　on　that　beautiful　book　of
yours。　　And　how　much　do　you　suppose　'tis？〃

Albert　shook　his　head。　　〃Twenty…five　dollars？〃　he　suggested
jokingly。

〃Twenty…five　dollars！　　It's　over　twenty…five　HUNDRED　dollars。　　It's
twenty…eight　hundred　and　forty…three　dollars　and　sixty…five　cents；
that's　what　it　is。　　Think　of　it！　　Almost　three　thousand　dollars！
And　Zelotes　prophesied　that　'twouldn't　be　more　than〃

Her　husband　held　up　his　hand。　　〃Sh…sh！　　Sh…sh；　Mother；〃　he　said。
〃Don't　get　started　on　what　I　prophesied　or　we　won't　be　through　till
doomsday。　　I'll　give　in　right　off　that　I'm　the　worst　prophet　since
the　feller　that　h'isted　the　'Fair　and　Dry'　signal　the　day　afore
Noah's　flood　begun。　　You　see；〃　he　explained；　turning　to　Albert；
〃your　grandma　figgered　out　that　you'd　probably　clear　about　half　a
million　on　that　book　of　poetry；　Al。　　I　cal'lated　'twan't　likely　to
be　much　more'n　a　couple　of　hundred　thousand；　so〃

〃Why；　Zelotes　Snow！　　You　said〃

〃Yes；　yes。　　So　I　did；　Mother；　so　I　did。　　You　was　right　and　I　was
wrong。　　Twenty…eight　hundred　ain't　exactly　a　million；　Al；　but　it's
a　darn　sight　more　than　I　ever　cal'lated　you'd　make　from　that　book。
Or　'most　anybody　else　ever　made　from　any　book；　fur's　that　goes；〃　he
added；　with　a　shake　of　the　head。　　〃I　declare；　II　don't　understand
it　yet。　　And　a　poetry　book；　too！　　Who　in　time　BUYS　'em　all？　　Eh？〃

Albert　was　looking　at　the　check　and　the　royalty　statement。

〃So　this　is　why　I　couldn't　get　any　satisfaction　from　the　publisher；〃
he　observed。　　〃I　wrote　him　two　or　three　times　about　my　royalties；
and　he　put　me　off　each　time。　　I　began　to　think　there　weren't　any。〃

Captain　Zelotes　smiled。　　〃That's　your　grandma's　doin's；〃　he
observed。　　〃The　check　came　to　us　a　good　while　ago；　when　we　thought
you　waswaswell；　when　we　thought〃

〃Yes。　　Surely；　I　understand；〃　put　in　Albert；　to　help　him　out。

〃Yes。　　That's　when　'twas。　　And　Mother；　she　was　so　proud　of　it；
because　you'd　earned　it；　Al；　that　she　kept　it　and　kept　it；　showin'
it　to　all　hands　andand　so　on。　　And　then　when　we　found　out　you
wasn'tthat　you'd　be　home　some　time　or　otherwhy；　then　she
wouldn't　let　me　put　it　in　the　bank　for　you　because　she　wanted　to
give　it　to　you　herself。　　That's　what　she　said　was　the　reason。　　I
presume　likely　the　real　one　was　that　she　wanted　to　flap　it　in　my
face　every　time　she　crowed　over　my　bad　prophesyin'；　which　was　about
three　times　a　day　and　four　on　Sundays。〃

〃Zelotes　Snow；　the　idea！〃

〃All　right；　Mother；　all　right。　　Anyhow；　she　got　me　to　write　your
publisher　man　and　ask　him　not　to　give　you　any　satisfaction　about
those　royalties；　so's　she　could　be　the　fust　one　to　paralyze　you
with　'em。　　And；〃　with　a　frank　outburst；　〃if　you　ain't　paralyzed；
Al；　I　own　up　that　_I_　am。　　Three　thousand　poetry　profits　beats　me。
_I_　don't　understand　it。〃

His　wife　sniffed。　　〃Of　course　you　don't；〃　she　declared。　　〃But
Albert　does。　　And　so　do　I；　only　I　think　it　ought　to　have　been　ever
and　ever　so　much　more。　　Don't　you；　yourself；　Albert？〃

The　author　of　The　Lances　of　Dawn　was　still　looking　at　the　statement
of　its　earnings。

〃Approximately　eighteen　thousand　sold　at　fifteen　cents　royalty；〃　he
observed。　　〃Humph！　　Well；　I'll　be　hanged！〃

〃But　you　said　it　would　be　twenty…five　cents；　not　fifteen；〃
protested　Olive。　　〃In　your　letter　when　the　book　was　first　talked
about　you　said　so。〃

Albert　smiled。　　〃Did　I？〃　he　observed。　　〃Well；　I　said　a　good　many
things　in　those　days；　I'm　afraid。　　Fifteen　cents　for　a　first　book；
especially　a　book　of　verse；　is　fair　enough；　I　guess。　　But　eighteen
thousand　SOLD！　　That　is　what　gets　me。〃

〃You　mean　you　think　it　ought　to　be　a　lot　more。　　So　do　I；　Albert；
and　so　does　Rachel。　　Why；　we　like　it　a　lot　better　than　we　do　David
Harum。　　That　was　a　nice　book；　but　it　wasn't　lovely　poetry　like
yours。　　And　David　Harum　sold　a　million。　　Why　shouldn't　yours　sell
as　many？　　Only　eighteen　thousandwhy　are　you　lookin'　at　me　so
funny？〃

Her　grandson　rose　to　his　feet。　　〃Let's　let　well　enough　alone；
Grandmother；〃　he　said。　　〃Eighteen　thousand　will　do；　thank　you。
I'm　like　Grandfather；　I'm　wondering　who　on　earth　bought　them。〃

Mrs。　Snow　was　surprised　and　a　little　troubled。

〃Why；　Albert；〃　she　said；　〃you　act　kind　ofkind　of　queer；　seems　to
me。　　You　talk　as　if　your　poetry　wasn't　beautiful。　　You　know　it　is。
You　used　to　say　it　was；　yourself。〃

He　interrupted　her。　　〃Did　I；　Grandmother？〃　he　said。　　〃All　right；
then；　probably　I　did。　　Let's　walk　about　the　old　place　a　little。　　I
want　to　see　it　all。　　By　George；　I've　been　dreaming　about　it　long
enough！〃

There　were　callers　that　afternoon；　friends　among　the　townsfolk；　and
more　still　after　supper。　　It　was　latelate　for　South　Harniss；　that
iswhen　Albert；　standing　in　the　doorway　of　the　bedroom　he　nor　they
had　ever　expected　he　would　occupy　again；　bade　his　grandparents　good
night。　　Olive　kissed　him　again　and　again　and；　speech　failing　her；
hastened　away　down　the　hall。　　Captain　Zelotes　shook　his　hand；
opened　his　mouth　to　speak；　shut　it　again；　repeated　both　operations；
and　at　last　with　a　brief；　〃Well；　good　night；　Al；〃　hurried　after　his
wife。　　Albert　closed　the　door；　put　his　lamp　upon　the　bureau；　and
sat　down　in　the　big　rocker。

In　a　way　the　night　was　similar　to　that　upon　which　he　had　first
entered　that　room。　　It　had　ceased　raining；　but　the　wind；　as　on　that
first　night；　was　howling　and　whining　about　the　eaves；　the　shutters
rattled　and　the　old　house　creaked　and　groaned　rheumatically。　　It
was　not　as　cold　as　on　that　occasion；　th