the portygee-第63节

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too　big　for　me　to　tackle。　　My　jingles　sounded；　when　I　read　them
over；　like　tunes　on　a　street　piano。　_I_　couldn't　do　it。　　A　genius
might　have　been　equal　to　the　job；　but　I　wasn't。〃

Mrs。　Fosdick　glanced　at　her　husband。　　There　was　something　of
alarmed　apprehension　in　the　glance。　　Madeline's　next　remark　covered
the　situation。　　It　expressed　the　absolute　truth；　so　much　more　of
the　truth　than　even　the　young　lady　herself　realized　at　the　time。

〃Why；　Albert　Speranza；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃I　never　heard　you　speak　of
yourself　and　your　work　in　that　way　before。　　AlwaysALWAYS　you　have
had　such　complete；　such　splendid　confidence　in　yourself。　　You　were
never　afraid　to　attempt　ANYTHING。　　You　MUST　not　talk　so。　　Don't　you
intend　to　write　any　more？〃

Albert　looked　at　her。　　〃Oh；　yes；　indeed；〃　he　said　simply。　　〃That　is
just　what　I　do　intend　to　door　try　to　do。〃

That　evening；　alone　in　the　library；　he　and　Madeline　had　their　first
long；　intimate　talk；　the　first　since　those　daysto　him　they　seemed
as　far　away　as　the　last　centurywhen　they　walked　the　South　Harniss
beach　together；　walked　beneath　the　rainbows　and　dreamed。　　And　now
here　was　their　dream　coming　true。

Madeline；　he　was　realizing　it　as　he　looked　at　her；　was　prettier
than　ever。　　She　had　grown　a　little　older；　of　course；　a　little　more
mature；　but　surprisingly　little。　　She　was　still　a　girl；　a　very；
very　pretty　girl　and　a　charming　girl。　　And　he

〃What　are　you　thinking　about？〃　she　demanded　suddenly。

He　came　to　himself。　　〃I　was　thinking　about　you；〃　he　said。　　〃You　are
just　as　you　used　to　be；　just　as　charming　and　just　as　sweet。　　You
haven't　changed。〃

She　smiled　and　then　pouted。

〃I　don't　know　whether　to　like　that　or　not；〃　she　said。　　〃Did　you
expect　to　find　me　lesscharming　and　the　rest？〃

〃Why；　no；　of　course　not。　　That　was　clumsy　on　my　part。　　What　I　meant
was　thatwell；　it　seems　ages；　centuries；　since　we　were　together
there　on　the　Capeand　yet　you　have　not　changed。〃

She　regarded　him　reflectively。

〃You　have；〃　she　said。

〃Have　what？〃

〃Changed。　　You　have　changed　a　good　deal。　　I　don't　know　whether　I
like　it　or　not。　　Perhaps　I　shall　be　more　certain　by　and　by。　　Now
show　me　your　war　cross。　　At　least　you　have　brought　that；　even　if
you　haven't　brought　your　uniform。〃

He　had　the　cross　in　his　pocket…book　and　he　showed　it　to　her。　　She
enthused　over　it；　of　course；　and　wished　he　might　wear　it　even　when
in　citizen's　clothes。　　She　didn't　see　why　he　couldn't。　　And　it　was
SUCH　a　pity　he　could　not　be　in　uniform。　　Captain　Blanchard　had
called　the　evening　before；　to　see　Mother　about　some　war　charities
she　was　interested　in；　and　he　was　still　in　uniform　and　wearing　his
decorations；　too。　　Albert　suggested　that　probably　Blanchard　was
still　in　service。　　Yes；　she　believed　he　was；　but　she　could　not　see
why　that　should　make　the　difference。　　Albert　had　BEEN　in　service。

He　laughed　at　this　and　attempted　to　explain。　　She　seemed　to　resent
the　attempt　or　the　tone。

〃I　do　wish；〃　she　said　almost　pettishly；　〃that　you　wouldn't　be　so
superior。〃

He　was　surprised。　　〃Superior！〃　he　repeated。　　〃Superior！　　I？
Superiority　is　the　very　least　of　my　feelings。　　Isuperior！　　That's
a　joke。〃

And；　oddly　enough；　she　resented　that　even　more。　　〃Why　is　it　a
joke？〃　she　demanded。　　〃I　should　think　you　had　the　right　to　feel
superior　to　almost　any　one。　　A　heroand　a　genius！　　You　ARE
superior。〃

However；　the　little　flurry　was　but　momentary；　and　she　was　all
sweetness　and　smiles　when　she　kissed　him　good　night。　　He　was　shown
to　his　room　by　a　servant　and　amid　its　array　of　comfortsto　him；
fresh　from　France　and　the　camp　and　his　old　room　at　South　Harniss；
it　was　luxuriously　magnificenthe　sat　for　some　time　thinking。　　His
thoughts　should　have　been　happy　ones；　yet　they　were　not　entirely
so。　　This　is　a　curiously　unsatisfactory　world；　sometimes。

The　next　day　he　went　shopping。　　Fosdick　had　given　him　a　card　to　his
own　tailor　and　Madeline　had　given　him　the　names　of　several　shops
where；　so　she　declared；　he　could　buy　the　right　sort　of　ties　and
things。　　From　the　tailor's　Albert　emerged　looking　a　trifle　dazed；
after　a　visit　to　two　of　the　shops　the　dazed　expression　was　even
more　pronounced。　　His　next　visits　were　at　establishments　farther
downtown　and　not　as　exclusive。　　He　returned　to　the　Fosdick　home
feeling　fairly　well　satisfied　with　the　results　achieved。　　Madeline；
however；　did　not　share　his　satisfaction。

〃But　Dad　sent　you　to　his　tailor；〃　she　said。　　〃Why　in　the　world
didn't　you　order　your　evening　clothes　there？　　And　Brett　has　the
most　stunning　ties。　　Every　one　says　so。　　Instead　you　buy　yours　at　a
department　store。　　Now　why？〃

He　smiled。　　〃My　dear　girl；〃　he　said；　〃your　father's　tailor
estimated　that　he　might　make　me　a　very　passable　dress　suit　for　one
hundred　and　seventy…five　dollars。　　Brett's　ties　were　stunning；　just
as　you　say；　but　the　prices　ranged　from　five　to　eight　dollars；　which
was　more　stunning　still。　　For　a　young　person　from　the　country　out
of　a　job；　which　is　my　condition　at　present；　such　things　may　be
looked　at　but　not　handled。　　I　can't　afford　them。〃

She　tossed　her　head。　　〃What　nonsense！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃You're　not
out　of　a　job；　as　you　call　it。　　You　are　a　writer　and　a　famous
writer。　　You　have　written　one　book　and　you　are　going　to　write　more。
Besides；　you　must　have　made　heaps　of　money　from　The　Lances。　　Every
one　has　been　reading　it。〃

When　he　told　her　the　amount　of　his　royalty　check　she　expressed　the
opinion　that　the　publisher　must　have　cheated。　　It　ought　to　have
been　ever　and　ever　so　much　more　than　that。　　Such　wonderful　poems！

The　next　day　she　went　to　Brett's　and　purchased　a　half　dozen　of　the
most　expensive　ties；　which　she　presented　to　him　forthwith。

〃There！〃　she　demanded。　　〃Aren't　those　nicer　than　the　ones　you
bought　at　that　old　department　store？　　Well；　then！〃

〃But；　Madeline；　I　must　not　let　you　buy　my　ties。〃

〃Why　not？　　It　isn't　such　an　unheard…of　thing　for　an　engaged　girl　to
give　her　fiance　a　necktie。〃

〃That　isn't　the　idea。　　I　should　have　bought　ties　like　those　myself；
but　I　couldn't　afford　them。　　Now　for　you　to〃

〃Nonsense！　　You　talk　as　if　you　were　a　beggar。　　Don't　be　so　silly。〃

〃But；　Madeline〃

〃Stop！　　I　don't　want　to　hear　it。〃

She　rose　and　went　out　of　the　room。　　She　looked　as　if　she　were　on
the　verge　of　tears。　　He　felt　obliged　to　accept　the　gift；　but　he
disliked　the　principle　of　the　things　as　much　as　ever。　　When　she
returned　she　was　very　talkative　and　gay　and　chatted　all　through
luncheon。　　The　subject　of　the　ties　was　not　mentioned　again　by
either　of　them。　　He　was　glad　he　had　not　told　her　that　his　new　dress
suit　was　ready…made。

While　in　France；　awaiting　his　return　home；　he　had　purchased　a　ring
and　sent　it　to　her。　　She　was　wearing　it；　of　course。　　Compared　with
other　articles　of　jewelry　which　she　wore　from　time　to　time；　his
ring　made　an　extremely　modest　showing。　　She　seemed　quite　unaware　of
the　discrepancy；　but　he　was　aware　of　it。

On　an　evening　later　in　the　week　Mrs。　Fosdick　gave　a　reception。
〃Quite　an　informal　affair；〃　she　said；　in　announcing　her　intention。
〃Just　a　few　intimate　friends　to　meet　Mr。　Speranza；　that　is　all。
Mostly　lovers　of　literaturediscerning　people；　if　I　may　say　so。〃

The　quite　informal　affair　looked　quite　formidably　formal　to　Albert。
The　few　intimate　friends　were　many；　so　it　seemed　to　him。　　There　was
still　enough　of　the　former　Albert　Speranza　left　in　his　make…up　to
prevent　his　appearing　in　the　least　distressed　or　ill　at　ease。　　He
was；　as　he　had　always　been　when　in　the　public　eye；　even　as　far　back
as　the　school　dancing…classes　with　the　Misses　Bradshaw's　young
ladies；　perfectly　self…possessed；　charmingly　polite；　absolutely
self…assured。　　And　his　good　looks　had　not　suffered　during　his　years
of　imprisonment　and　suffering。　　He　was　no　longer　a　handsome　boy；
but　he　was　an　extraordinarily　attractive　and　distinguished　man。

Mrs。　Fosdick　marked　his　manner　and　appearance　and　breathed　a　sigh
of　satisfaction。　　Madeline　noted　them。　　Her　young　friends　of　the
sex　noted　them　and　whispered　and　looked　approval。　　What　the　young
men　thought　does　not　matter　so　much；　perhaps。　　One　of　these　was　the
Captain　Blanchard；　of　whom　Madeline　had　written　and　spoken。　　He　was
a　tall；　athletic　chap；　who　looked　well　in　his　uniform；　and　whose
face　was　that　of　a　healthy；　clean…living　and　clean…thinking　young
American。　　He　and　Albert　shook　hands　and　looked　each　other　over。
Albert　decided　he　should　like　Blanchard　if　he　knew　him　better。　　The
captain　was　not　talkative；　in　fact；　he　seemed　rather　taciturn。
Maids　and　matrons　gushed　when　presented　to　the　lion　of　the　evening。
It　scarcely　seemed　possible　that　they　were　actually　meeting　the
author　of　The　Lances　of　Dawn。　　That　wonderful　book！　　Those　wonderful
poems！　　〃How　CAN　you　write　them；　Mr。　Speranza？〃　　〃When　do　your　best
inspirations　come；　Mr。　Speranza？〃　　〃Oh；　if　I　could　write　as　you　do　I
should　walk　on　air。〃　　The　matron　who　breathed　the　last…quoted
ecstasy　was　distinctly　weighty；　the　mental　picture　of　her　pedestrian
trip　through　the　atmosphere　was　interesting。　　Albert's　hand　was
patted　by　the　elderly　spinsters；　young　women's　eyes　lifted　soulful
glances　to　his。

It　was　the　sort　of　thing　he　would　have　revelled　in　three　or　four
years　earlier。　　Exactly　the　sort　of　thin