the portygee-第7节

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People　spoke　of　him　as　one　destined　to　become　a　wealthy　man。

Jane　lived　only　a　few　years　after　her　marriage。　　She　died　at　the
birth　of　her　second　child；　who　died　with　her。　　Her　first；　a　boy；
was　born　a　year　after　the　elopement。　　She　wrote　her　mother　to　tell
that　news　and　Olive　answered　the　letter。　　She　begged　permission　of
her　husband　to　invite　Jane　and　the　baby　to　visit　the　old　home。　　At
first　Zelotes　said　no；　flatly；　the　girl　had　made　her　bed；　let　her
lie　in　it。　　But　a　year　later　he　had　so　far　relented　as　to　give
reluctant　consent　for　Jane　and　the　child　to　come；　provided　her
condemned　husband　did　not　accompany　them。　　〃If　that　low…lived
Portygee　sets　foot　on　my　premises；　so　help　me　God；　I'll　kill　him！〃
declared　the　captain。　　In　his　vernacular　all　foreigners　were
〃Portygees。〃

But　Jane　was　as　proud　and　stubborn　as　he。　　Where　her　husband　was
not　welcome　she　would　not　go。　　And　a　little　later　she　had　gone　on
the　longest　of　all　journeys。　　Speranza　did　not　notify　her　parents
except　to　send　a　clipped　newspaper　account　of　her　death　and　burial；
which　arrived　a　week　after　the　latter　had　taken　place。　　The　news
prostrated　Olive；　who　was　ill　for　a　month。　　Captain　Zelotes　bore
it；　as　he　had　borne　the　other　great　shock；　with　outward　calm　and
quiet。　　Yet　a　year　afterward　he　suddenly　announced　his　determination
of　giving　up　the　sea　and　his　prosperous　and　growing　shipping
business　and　of　spending　the　rest　of　his　days　on　the　Cape。

Olive　was　delighted；　of　course。　　Richesthat　is；　more　than　a
comfortable　competencyhad　no　temptations　for　her。　　The　old　house；
home　of　three　generations　of　Snows；　was　painted；　repaired　and；　to
some　extent；　modernized。　　For　another　year　Captain　Zelotes
〃loafed；〃　as　he　called　it；　although　others　might　have　considered
his　activities　about　the　place　anything　but　that。　　At　the　end　of
that　year　he　surprised　every　one　by　buying　from　the　heirs　of　the
estate　the　business　equipment　of　the　late　Eben　Raymond；　hardware
dealer　and　lumber　merchant　of　South　Harniss；　said　equipment
comprising　an　office；　a　store　and　lumber　yards　near　the　railway
station。　　〃Got　to　have　somethin'　to　keep　me　from　gettin'
barnacled；〃　declared　Captain　Lote。　　〃There's　enough　old　hulks
rottin'　at　their　moorin's　down　here　as　'tis。　　I　don't　know　anything
about　lumber　and　half　as　much　about　hardware；　but　I　cal'late　I　can
learn。〃　　As　an　aid　in　the　learning　process　he　retained　as
bookkeeper　Laban　Keeler；　who　had　acted　in　that　capacity　for　the
former　proprietor。

The　years　slipped　away；　a　dozen　of　them；　as　smoothly　and　lazily　as
South　Harniss　years　have　always　slipped。　　Captain　Zelotes　was　past
sixty　now；　but　as　vigorous　as　when　forty；　stubborn　as　ever；　fond　of
using　quarter…deck　methods　on　shore　and　especially　in　town…meeting；
and　very　often　in　trouble　in　consequence。　　He　was　a　member　of　the
Board　of　Selectmen　and　was　in　the　habit　of　characterizing　those
whose　opinions　differed　from　his　as　〃narrow…minded。〃　　They　retorted
by　accusing　him　of　being　〃pig…headed。〃　　There　was　some　truth　on
both　sides。　　His　detest　of　foreigners　had　not　abated　in　the　least。

And　then；　in　this　December　of　the　year　1910；　fell　as　from　a　clear
sky　the　legacy　of　a　grandson。　　From　Senor　Miguel　Carlos　Speranza
the　Snows　had　had　no　direct　word；　had　received　nothing　save　the
newspaper　clipping　already　mentioned。　　Olive　had　never　seen　him；
her　husband　had　seen　him　only　on　the　occasion　of　the　memorable
interview　in　the　hotel　room。　　They　never　spoke　of　him；　never
mentioned　him　to　each　other。　　Occasionally；　in　the　Boston
newspapers；　his　likeness　in　costume　had　appeared　amid　the　music
notes　or　theatrical　jottings。　　But　these　had　not　been　as　numerous
of　late。　　Of　his　son；　their　own　daughter's　child；　they　knew
nothing；　he　might　be　alive　or　he　might　be　dead。　　Sometimes　Olive
found　herself　speculating　concerning　him；　wondering　if　he　was
alive；　and　if　he　resembled　Jane。　　But　she　put　the　speculation　from
her　thoughts；　she　could　not　bear　to　bring　back　memories　of　the　old
hopes　and　their　bitter　ending。　　Sometimes　Captain　Lote　at　his　desk
in　the　office　of　〃Z。　Snow　&　Co。；　Lumber　and　Builders'　Hardware；〃
caught　himself　dreaming　of　his　idolized　daughter　and　thinking　how
different　the　future　might　have　been　for　him　had　she　married　a
〃white　man；〃　the　kind　of　man　he　had　meant　for　her　to　marry。　　There
might　be　grandchildren　growing　up　now；　fine　boys　and　girls；　to
visit　the　old　home　at　South　Harniss。　　〃Ah　hum！　　Well！　。　。　。　　Labe；
how　long　has　this　bill　of　Abner　Parker's　been　hangin'　on？　　For
thunder　sakes；　why　don't　he　pay　up？　　He　must　think　we're　runnin'　a
meetin'…house　Christmas　tree。〃

The　letter　from　the　lawyer　had　come　first。　　It　was　written　in　New
York；　was　addressed　to　〃Captain　Lotus　Snow；〃　and　began　by　taking
for　granted　the　fact　that　the　recipient　knew　all　about　matters　of
which　he　knew　nothing。　　Speranza　was　dead；　so　much　was　plain；　and
the　inference　was　that　he　had　been　fatally　injured　in　an　automobile
accident；　〃particulars　of　which　you　have　of　course　read　in　the
papers。〃　　Neither　Captain　Lote　nor　his　wife　had　read　anything　of
the　kind　in　the　papers。　　The　captain　had　been　very　busy　of　late　and
had　read　little　except　political　news；　and　Mrs。　Snow　never　read　of
murders　and　accidents；　their　details　at　least。　　She　looked　up　from
the　letter；　which　her　husband　had　hastened　home　from　the　office　to
bring　her；　with　a　startled　face。

〃Oh；　Zelotes；〃　she　cried；　〃he's　dead！〃

The　captain　nodded。

〃Seems　so；〃　he　said。　　〃That　part's　plain　enough；　but　go　on。　　The
rest　of　it　is　what　I　can't　get　a　hand…hold　on。　　See　what　you　make
of　the　rest　of　it；　Olive。〃

The　rest　of　it　was　to　the　effect　that　the　writer；　being　Mr。
Speranza's　business　adviser；　〃that　is　to　say；　as　much　or　more　so
than　any　one　else；〃　had　been　called　in　at　the　time　of　the　accident；
had　conferred　with　the　injured　man；　and　had　learned　his　last
wishes。　　〃He　expressed　himself　coherently　concerning　his　son；〃　went
on　the　letter；　〃and　it　is　in　regard　to　that　son　that　I　am　asking　an
interview　with　you。　　I　should　have　written　sooner；　but　have　been
engaged　with　matters　pertaining　to　Mr。　Speranza's　estate　and
personal　debts。　　The　latter　seem　to　be　large〃

〃I'LL　bet　you！〃　observed　Captain　Zelotes；　sententiously；
interrupting　his　wife's　reading　by　pointing　to　this　sentence
with　a　big　forefinger。

〃'And　the　estate's　affairs　much　tangled；'〃　went　on　Olive；　reading
aloud。　　〃'It　seems　best　that　I　should　see　you　concerning　the　boy　at
once。　　I　don't　know　whether　or　not　you　are　aware　that　he　is　at
school　in　；　New　York。　　I　am　inclined　to　think　that　the　estate
itself　will　scarcely　warrant　the　expense　of　his　remaining　there。
Could　you　make　it　convenient　to　come　to　New　York　and　see　me　at
once？　　Or；　if　not；　I　shall　be　in　Boston　on　Friday　of　next　week　and
can　you　meet　me　there？　　It　seems　almost　impossible　for　me　to　come
to　you　just　now；　and；　of　course；　you　will　understand　that　I　am
acting　as　a　sort　of　temporary　executor　merely　because　Mr。　Speranza
was　formerly　my　friend　and　not　because　I　have　any　pecuniary
interest　in　the　settlement　of　his　affairs。

〃'Very　truly　yours；

〃'MARCUS　W。　WEISSMANN。'〃


〃Weissman！　　Another　Portygee！〃　snorted　Captain　Lote。

〃Butbut　what　does　it　MEAN？〃　begged　Mrs。　Snow。　　〃Whywhy　should
he　want　to　see　you；　Zelotes？　　And　the　boywhywhy；　that's　HER
boy。　　It's　Janie's　boy　he　must　mean；　Zelotes。〃

Her　husband　nodded。

〃Hers　and　that　blasted　furriner's；〃　he　muttered。　　〃I　suppose　so。〃

〃Oh；　DON'T　speak　that　way；　Zelotes！　　Don't！　　He's　dead。〃

Captain　Lote's　lips　tightened。　　〃If　he'd　died　twenty　years　ago
'twould　have　been　better　for　all　hands；〃　he　growled。

〃Janie's　boy！〃　repeated　Olive　slowly。　　〃Whywhy；　he　must　be　a　big
boy　now。　　Almost　grown　up。〃

Her　husband　did　not　speak。　　He　was　pacing　the　floor；　his　hands　in
his　pockets。

〃And　this　man　wants　to　see　you　about　him；〃　said　Olive。　　Then；　after
a　moment；　she　added　timidly：　　〃Are　you　goin'；　Zelotes？〃

〃Goin'？　　Where？〃

〃To　New　York？　　To　see　this　lawyer　man？〃

〃I？　　Not　by　a　jugful！　　What　in　blazes　should　I　go　to　see　him　for？〃

〃Wellwell；　he　wants　you　to；　you　know。　　He　wants　to　talk　with　you
about　thethe　boy。〃

〃Humph！〃

〃It's　her　boy；　Zelotes。〃

〃Humph！　　Young　Portygee！〃

〃Don't；　Zelotes！　　Please！　。　。　。　　I　know　you　can't　forgive　that
that　man。　　We　can't　either　of　us　forgive　him；　but〃

The　captain　stopped　in　his　stride。　　〃Forgive　him！〃　he　repeated。
〃Mother；　don't　talk　like　a　fool。　　Didn't　he　take　away　the　one　thing
that　I　was　workin'　for；　that　I　was　plannin'　for；　that　I　was　LIVIN'
for？　　I〃

She　interrupted；　putting　a　hand　on　his　sleeve。

〃Not　the　only　thing；　dear；〃　she　said。　　〃You　had　me；　you　know。〃

His　expression　changed。　　He　looked　down　at　her　and　smiled。

〃That's　right；　old　lady；〃　he　admitted。　　〃I　had　you；　and　thank　the
Almighty　for　it。　　Yes；　I　had　you　。　。　。　　But；〃　his　anger　returning；
〃when　I　think　how　that　damned　scamp　stole　our　girl　from　us　and　then
neglected　her　and　killed　her〃

〃ZELOTES！　　How　you　talk！　　He　DIDN'T　kill　her。　　How　can　you！〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　mean　he　murdered　her；　of　course。　　But　I'll　bet　all
I've　got　that　he　made　her　miserable。　　Look　here；　Mother；　you　and
she　used　to　write　back　and　forth　once　in　a　while。　　In　any　one　of
thos