the portygee-第68节

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He　was　calling　it　again。　　Calling　it　and　demanding　attention　for
his　precious　codfish。

〃Yes；　Father；　yes；　in　a　minute；　〃　she　said。　　Then　to　Albert；　〃Come
in。　　Oh；　of　course　you'll　come　in。〃

〃Why；　yes；　if　I　won't　be　interfering　with　the　housekeeping。〃

〃You　won't。　　Yes；　Father；　yes；　I'm　coming。　　Mercy；　where　did　you
get　such　a　wonderful　fish？　　Come　in；　Albert。　　As　soon　as　I　get
Father's　treasure　safe　in　the　hands　of　Maria　I'll　be　back。　　Father
will　keep　you　company。　　No；　pardon　me；　I　am　afraid　he　won't；　he's
gone　to　the　kitchen　already。　　And　I　shall　have　to　go；　too；　for　just
a　minute。　　I'll　hurry。〃

She　hastened　to　the　kitchen；　whither　Mr。　Kendall；　tugging　the　fish
basket；　had　preceded　her。　　Albert　entered　the　little　sitting…room
and　sat　down　in　a　chair　by　the　window。　　The　room　looked　just　as　it
used　to　look；　just　as　neat；　just　as　homelike；　just　as　well　kept。
And　when　she　came　back　and　they　began　to　talk；　it　seemed　to　him
that　she；　too；　was　just　as　she　used　to　be。　　She　was　a　trifle　less
girlish；　more　womanly　perhaps；　but　she　was　just　as　good　to　look　at；
just　as　bright　and　cheerful　and　in　her　conversation　she　had　the
same　quietly　certain　way　of　dealing　directly　with　the　common…sense
realities　and　not　the　fuss　and　feathers。　　It　seemed　to　him　that　she
had　not　changed　at　all；　that　she　herself　was　one　of　the　realities；
the　wholesome　home　realities；　like　Captain　Zelotes　and　Olive　and
the　old　house　they　lived　in。　　He　told　her　so。　　She　laughed。

〃You　make　me　feel　as　ancient　as　the　pyramids；〃　she　said。

He　shook　his　head。　　〃I　am　the　ancient；〃　he　declared。　　〃This　war
hasn't　changed　you　a　particle；　Helen；　but　it　has　handed　me　an　awful
jolt。　　At　times　I　feel　as　if　I　must　have　sailed　with　Noah。　　And　as
if　I　had　wasted　most　of　the　time　since。〃

She　smiled。　　〃Just　what　do　you　mean　by　that？〃　she　asked。

〃I　meanwell；　I　don't　know　exactly　what　I　do　mean；　I　guess。　　I
seem　to　have　an　unsettled　feeling。　　I'm　not　satisfied　with　myself。
And　as　I　remember　myself；〃　he　added；　with　a　shrug；　〃that　condition
of　mind　was　not　usual　with　me。〃

She　regarded　him　for　a　moment　without　speaking；　with　the　appraising
look　in　her　eyes　which　he　remembered　so　well；　which　had　always
reminded　him　of　the　look　in　his　grandfather's　eyes；　and　which　when
a　boy　he　resented　so　strongly。

〃Yes；〃　she　said　slowly；　〃I　think　you　have　changed。　　Not　because
you　say　you　feel　so　much　older　or　because　you　are　uneasy　and
dissatisfied。　　So　many　of　the　men　I　talked　with　at　the　camp
hospital；　the　men　who　had　been　over　there　and　had　been　wounded；　as
you　were；　said　they　felt　the　same　way。　　That　doesn't　mean　anything；
I　think；　except　that　it　is　dreadfully　hard　to　get　readjusted　again
and　settle　down　to　everyday　things。　　But　it　seems　to　me　that　you
have　changed　in　other　ways。　　You　are　a　little　thinner；　but　broader；
too；　aren't　you？　　And　you　do　look　older；　especially　about　the　eyes。
And；　of　coursewell；　of　course　I　think　I　do　miss　a　little　of　the
Albert　Speranza　I　used　to　know；　the　young　chap　with　the　chip　on　his
shoulder　for　all　creation　to　knock　off。〃

〃Young　jackass！〃

〃Oh；　no　indeed。　　He　had　his　good　points。　　But　there！　we're　wasting
time　and　we　have　so　much　to　talk　about。　　Youwhy；　what　am　I
thinking　of！　　I　have　neglected　the　most　important　thing　in　the
world。　　And　you　have　just　returned　from　New　York；　too。　　Tell　me；
how　is　Madeline　Fosdick？〃

〃She　is　well。　　But　tell　me　about　yourself。　　You　have　been　in　all
sorts　of　war　work；　haven't　you。　　Tell　me　about　it。〃

〃Oh；　my　work　didn't　amount　to　much。　　At　first　I　'Red　Crossed'　in
Boston；　then　I　went　to　Devens　and　spent　a　long　time　in　the　camp
hospital　there。〃

〃Pretty　trying；　wasn't　it？〃

〃Whyyes；　some　of　it　was。　　When　the　'flu'　epidemic　was　raging　and
the　poor　fellows　were　having　such　a　dreadful　time　it　was　bad
enough。　　After　that　I　was　sent　to　Eastview。　　In　the　hospital　there
I　met　the　boys　who　had　been　wounded　on　the　other　side　and　who
talked　about　old　age　and　dissatisfaction　and　uneasiness；　just　as
you　do。　　But　MY　work　doesn't　count。　　You　are　the　person　to　be
talked　about。　　Since　I　have　seen　you　you　have　become　a　famous　poet
and　a　hero　and〃

〃Don't！〃

She　had　been　smiling；　now　she　was　very　serious。

〃Forgive　me；　Albert；〃　she　said。　　〃We　have　been　joking；　you　and　I；
but　there　was　a　time　when　wewhen　your　friends　did　not　joke。　　Oh；
Albert；　if　you　could　have　seen　the　Snow　place　as　I　saw　it　then。　　It
was　as　if　all　the　hope　and　joy　and　everything　worth　while　had　been
crushed　out　of　it。　　Your　grandmother；　poor　little　woman；　was　brave
and　quiet；　but　we　all　knew　she　was　trying　to　keep　up　for　Captain
Zelotes'　sake。　　And　heAlbert；　you　can　scarcely　imagine　how　the
news　of　your　death　changed　him。　。　。　。　　Ah！　well；　it　was　a　hard
time；　a　dreadful　time　forfor　every　one。〃

She　paused　and　he；　turning　to　look　at　her；　saw　that　there　were
tears　in　her　eyes。　　He　knew　of　her　affection　for　his　grandparents
and　theirs　for　her。　　Before　he　could　speak　she　was　smiling　again。

〃But　now　that　is　all　over；　isn't　it？〃　she　said。　　〃And　the　Snows　are
the　happiest　people　in　the　country；　I　do　believe。　　AND　the　proudest；
of　course。　　So　now　you　must　tell　me　all　about　it；　about　your
experiences；　and　about　your　war　cross；　and　about　your　literary
workoh；　about　everything。〃

The　all…inclusive　narrative　was　not　destined　to　get　very　far。　　Old
Mr。　Kendall　came　hurrying　in；　the　sermon　on　the　casting　down　of
Baal　in　his　hand。　　Thereafter　he　led；　guided；　and　to　a　large　extent
monopolized　the　conversation。　　His　discourse　had　proceeded　perhaps
as　far　as　〃Thirdly〃　when　Albert；　looking　at　his　watch；　was
surprised　to　find　it　almost　dinner　time。　　Mr。　Kendall；　still
talking；　departed　to　his　study　to　hunt　for　another　sermon。　　The
young　people　said　good…by　in　his　absence。

〃It　has　been　awfully　good　to　see　you　again；　Helen；〃　declared
Albert。　　〃But　I　told　you　that　in　the　beginning；　didn't　I？　　You
seem　likewell；　like　a　part　of　home；　you　know。　　And　home　means
something　to　me　nowadays。〃

〃I'm　glad　to　hear　you　speak　of　South　Harniss　as　home。　　Of　course　I
know　you　don't　mean　to　make　it　a　permanent　homeI　imagine　Madeline
would　have　something　to　say　about　thatbut　it　is　nice　to　have　you
speak　as　if　the　old　town　meant　something　to　you。〃

He　looked　about　him。

〃I　love　the　place；〃　he　said　simply。

〃I　am　glad。　　So　do　I；　but　then　I　have　lived　here　all　my　life。　　The
next　time　we　talk　I　want　to　know　more　about　your　plans　for　the
futureyours　and　Madeline's；　I　mean。　　How　proud　she　must　be　of
you。〃

He　looked　up　at　her；　she　was　standing　upon　the　upper　step　and　he　on
the　walk　below。

〃Madeline　and　I〃　he　began。　　Then　he　stopped。　　What　was　the　use？
He　did　not　want　to　talk　about　it。　　He　waved　his　hand　and　turned
away。

After　dinner　he　went　out　into　the　kitchen　to　talk　to　Mrs。　Ellis；
who　was　washing　dishes。　　She　was　doing　it　as　she　did　all　her　share
of　the　housework；　with　an　energy　and　capability　which　would　have
delighted　the　soul　of　a　〃scientific　management〃　expert。　　Except
when　under　the　spell　of　a　sympathetic　attack　Rachel　was　ever
distinctly　on　the　job。

And　of　course　she　was；　as　always；　glad　to　see　her　protege；　her
Robert　Penfold。　　The　proprietary　interest　which　she　had　always　felt
in　him　was　more　than　ever　hers　now。　　Had　not　she　been　the　sole
person　to　hint　at　the　possibility　of　his　being　alive；　when　every
one　else　had　given　him　up　for　dead？　　Had　not　she　been　the　only　one
to　suggest　that　he　might　have　been　taken　prisoner？　　Had　SHE　ever
despaired　of　seeing　him　againon　this　earth　and　in　the　flesh？
Indeed；　she　had　not；　at　least；　she　had　never　admitted　it；　if　she
had。　　So　then；　hadn't　she　a　RIGHT　to　feel　that　she　owned　a　share　in
him？　　No　one　ventured　to　dispute　that　right。

She　turned　and　smiled　over　one　ample　shoulder　when　he　entered　the
kitchen。

〃Hello；〃　she　hailed　cheerfully。　　〃Come　callin'；　have　you；　Robert
Albert；　I　mean？　　It　would　have　been　a　great　help　to　me　if　you'd
been　christened　Robert。　　I　call　you　that　so　much　to　myself　it　comes
almost　more　natural　than　the　other。　　On　account　of　you　bein'　so
just　like　Robert　Penfold　in　the　book；　you　know；〃　she　added。

〃Yes；　yes；　of　course；　Rachel；　I　understand；〃　put　in　Albert　hastily。
He　was　not　in　the　mood　to　listen　to　a　dissertation　on　a　text　taken
from　Foul　Play。　　He　looked　about　the　room　and　sighed　happily。

〃There　isn't　a　speck　anywhere；　is　there？〃　he　observed。　　〃It　is　just
as　it　used　to　be；　just　as　I　used　to　think　of　it　when　I　was　laid　up
over　there。　　When　I　wanted　to　try　and　eat　a　bit；　so　as　to　keep　what
strength　I　had；　I　would　think　about　this　kitchen　of　yours；　Rachel。
It　didn't　do　to　think　of　the　places　where　the　prison　stuff　was
cooked。　　They　were　notappetizing。〃

Mrs。　Ellis　nodded。　　〃I　presume　likely　not；〃　she　observed。　　〃Well；
don't　tell　me　about　'em。　　I've　just　scrubbed　this　kitchen　from　stem
to　stern。　　If　I　heard　about　those　prison　places；　I'd　feel　like
startin'　right　in　and　scrubbin'　it　all　over　again；　I　know　I
should。　。　。　。　　Dirty　pigs！　　I　wish　I　had　the　scourin'　of　some　of
those　Germans！　　I'dI　don't　know　as　I　wouldn't　skin　'em　alive。〃

Albert　laughed。　　〃Some　of　them　pretty　nearly　deserved　it；〃　he　said。

Rachel　smiled　grimly。　　〃Well；　let's　talk　about　nice　things；〃　she
said。　　〃Oh；　Is