the portygee-第16章

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table。　　For　three　days　Mrs。　Ellis　had　swathed　her　head　in　white　and
her　soul　in　black。　　For　three　days　her　favorite　accompaniment　to
conversation　had　been　a　groan　or　a　sigh。　　Now；　on　this　fourth
morning；　she　appeared　without　the　bandage　on　her　brow　or　the　crape
upon　her　spirit。　　She　was　not　hilarious　but　she　did　not　groan　once；
and　twice　during　the　meal　she　actually　smiled。　Captain　Lote
commented　upon　the　change；　she　being　absent　from　table　momentarily。

〃Whew！〃　he　observed；　in　an　undertone；　addressing　his　wife。　　〃If　it
ain't　a　comfort　to　see　the　wrinkles　on　Rachel's　face　curvin'　up
instead　of　down。　　I'm　scared　to　death　that　she'll　go　out　some　time
in　a　cold　spell　when　she's　havin'　one　of　them　sympathetics　of　hers；
and　her　face'll　freeze　that　way。　　Well；　Albert；〃　turning　to　his
grandson；　〃the　colors'll　be　h'isted　to　the　truck　now　instead　of
half…mast　and　life'll　be　somethin'　besides　one　everlastin'　'last
look　at　the　remains。'　Now　we　can　take　off　the　mournin'　till　the
next　funeral。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Olive；　〃and　Laban'll　be　back；　too。　　I'm　sure　you　must
have　missed　him　awfully；　Zelotes。〃

〃Missed　him！　　I　should　say　so。　　For　one　thing；　I　miss　havin'　him
between　me　and　Issy。　　When　Labe's　there　Is　talks　to　him　and　Labe
keeps　on　thinkin'　of　somethin'　else　and　so　it　don't　worry　him　any。
I　can't　do　that；　and　my　eardrums　get　to　wearin'　thin　and　that　makes
me　nervous。　　Maybe　you've　noticed　that　Issy's　flow　of　conversation
ain't　what　you'd　call　a　trickle；〃　he　added；　turning　to　Albert。

Albert　had　noticed　it。　　〃But；〃　he　asked；　〃what　makes　RachelMrs。
Ellisso　cheerful　this　morning？　　Does　she　know　that　Mr。　Keeler
will　be　back　at　work？　　How　does　she　know？　　She　hasn't　seen　him；　has
she？〃

〃No；〃　replied　the　captain。　　〃She　ain't　seen　him。　　Nobody　sees　him；
far's　that　goes。　　He　generally　clears　out　somewheres　and　locks
himself　up　in　a　room；　I　judge；　till　his　vacation's　over。　　I　suppose
that's　one　way　to　have　fun；　but　it　ain't　what　I'd　call　hilarious。〃

〃Don't；　Zelotes；〃　said　Mrs。　Snow。　　〃I　do　wish　you　wouldn't　call　it
fun。〃

〃I　don't；　but　Laban　seems　to。　　If　he　don't　do　it　for　fun　I　don't
know　what　he　does　it　for。　　Maybe　it's　from　a　sense　of　duty。　　It
ain't　to　oblige　me；　I　know　that。〃

Albert　repeated　his　question。　　〃But　how　does　she　know　he　will　be
back　to…day？〃　he　asked。

His　grandmother　shook　her　head。　　〃That's　the　mysterious　part　about
it；〃　she　whispered。　　〃It　makes　a　person　think　there　may　be
somethin'　in　the　sympathetic　notion　she　talks　so　much　about。　　She
don't　see　him　at　all　and　yet　we　can　always　tell　when　he's　comin'
back　to　work　by　her　spirits。　　If　he　ain't　back　to…day　he　will　be
to…morrow；　you'll　see。　　She　never　misses　by　more　than　a　day。　　_I_
think　it's　real　sort　of　mysterious；　but　Zelotes　laughs　at　me。〃

Captain　Lote's　lip　twitched。　　〃Yes；　Mother；〃　he　said；　〃it's　about
as　mysterious　as　the　clock's　strikin'　twelve　when　it's　noon。　　_I_
know　it's　morally　sartin　that　Labe'll　be　back　aboard　to…day　or　to…
morrow　because　his　sprees　don't　ever　last　more　than　five　days。　　I
can't　swear　to　how　she　knows；　but　that's　how　_I_　knowand　I'm
darned　sure　there's　no　'sympathy'　about　my　part。〃　　Then；　as　if
realizing　that　he　had　talked　more　than　usual；　he　called；　brusquely：
〃Come　on；　Al；　come　on。　　Time　we　were　on　the　job；　boy。〃

Sure　enough；　as　they　passed　the　window　of　the　office；　there；　seated
on　the　stool　behind　the　tall　desk；　Albert　saw　the　diminutive　figure
of　the　man　who　had　been　his　driver　on　the　night　of　his　arrival。
He　was　curious　to　see　how　the　delinquent　would　apologize　for　or
explain　his　absence。　　But　Mr。　Keeler　did　neither；　nor　did　Captain
Snow　ask　a　question。　　Instead　the　pair　greeted　each　other　as　if
they　had　parted　in　that　office　at　the　close　of　business　on　the
previous　day。

〃Mornin'；　Cap'n　Lote；〃　said　Laban；　quietly。

〃Mornin'；　Labe；〃　replied　the　captain；　just　as　calmly。

He　went　on　and　opened　his　own　desk；　leaving　his　grandson　standing
by　the　door；　not　knowing　whether　to　speak　or　offer　to　shake　hands。
The　situation　was　a　little　difficult；　particularly　as　Mr。　Keeler
gave　no　sign　of　recognition；　but；　after　a　glance　at　his　employer's
companion；　went　on　making　entries　in　the　ledger。

Captain　Zelotes　looked　up　a　moment　later。　　His　gray　eyes　inspected
the　pair　and　the　expression　on　Albert's　face　caused　them　to　twinkle
slightly。　　〃Labe；〃　he　said；　〃this　is　my　grandson；　Albert；　the　one　I
told　you　was　comin'　to　live　with　us。〃

Laban　turned　on　the　stool；　regarded　Albert　over　his　spectacles；　and
extended　a　hand。

〃Pleased　to　meet　you；〃　he　said。　　〃Yes；　yes　。　。　。　　Yes；　yes；　yes。　。　。
Pleased　to　meet　you。　　Cap'n　Lote　said　you　was　comin'erer
Alfred。　　Howdy　do。〃

They　shook　hands。　　Mr。　Keeler's　hand　trembled　a　little；　but　that
was　the　only　symptom　of　his　recent　〃vacation〃　which　the　youth　could
notice。　　Certain　vivid　remembrances　of　his　father's　bad　humor　on
mornings　following　convivial　evenings　recurred　to　him。　　Was　it
possible　that　this　odd；　precise；　dried…up　little　man　had　been　on　a
spree　for　four　days？　　It　did　not　seem　possible。　　He　looked　more　as
if　he　might　be　expected　to　rap　on　the　desk　and　ask　the　school　to
come　to　order。

〃Albert's　goin'　to　take　hold　here　with　us　in　the　office；〃　went　on
Captain　Lote。　　〃You'll　remember　I　spoke　to　you　about　that　when　we
talked　about　his　comin'。　　Al；　LabeMr。　Keeler　herewill　start　you
in　larnin'　to　bookkeep。　　He'll　be　your　first　mate　from　now　on。
Don't　forget　you're　a　fo'mast　hand　yet　awhile　and　the　way　for　a
fo'mast　hand　to　get　ahead　is　to　obey　orders。　　And　don't；〃　he　added；
with　a　quiet　chuckle；　〃do　any　play…actin'　or　poetry…makin'　when
it's　your　watch　on　deck。　　Laban　nor　I　ain't　very　strong　for　play…
actin'；　are　we；　Labe？〃

Laban；　to　whom　the　reference　was　anything　but　clear；　replied　rather
vaguely　that　he　didn't　know　as　he　was；　very。　　Albert's　temper
flared　up　again。　　His　grandfather　was　sneering　at　him　once　more；　he
was　always　sneering　at　him。　　All　right；　let　him　sneernow。　　Some
day　he　would　be　shown。　　He　scowled　and　turned　away。　　And　Captain
Zelotes；　noticing　the　scowl；　was　reminded　of　a　scowl　he　had　seen
upon　the　face　of　a　Spanish　opera　singer　some　twenty　years　before。
He　did　not　like　to　be　reminded　of　that　man。

He　went　out　soon　afterward　and　then　Laban；　turning　to　Albert；　asked
a　few　questions。

〃How　do　you　think　you're　goin'　to　like　South　Harniss；　Ansel？〃　he
asked。

Albert　was　tempted　to　reply　that　he；　Keeler；　had　asked　him　that
very　question　before；　but　he　thought　it　best　not　to　do　so。

〃I　don't　know　yet；〃　he　answered；　carelessly。　　〃Well　enough；　I
guess。〃

〃You'll　like　it　fust…rate　bimeby。　　Everybody　does　when　they　get
used　to　it。　　Takes　some　time　to　get　used　to　a　place；　don't　you　know
it　does；　Ansel？〃

〃My　name　is　Albert。〃

〃Eh？　　Yes；　yes；　so　'tis。　　Yes；　yes；　yes。　　I　don't　know　why　I　called
you　Ansel；　'less　'twas　on　account　of　my　knowin'　an　Ansel　Olsen
once　。　。　。　　Hum　。　。　。　　Yes；　yes。　　Well；　you'll　like　South　Harniss
when　you　get　used　to　it。〃

The　boy　did　not　answer。　　He　was　of　the　opinion　that　he　should　die
long　before　the　getting　used　process　was　completed。　　Mr。　Keeler
continued。

〃Come　on　yesterday's　train；　did　you？〃　he　asked。

Albert　looked　at　him。　　Was　the　fellow　joking？　　He　did　not　look　as
if　he　was。

〃Why　no；〃　he　replied。　　〃I　came　last　Monday　night。　　Don't　you
remember？〃

〃Eh？　　Oh；　yes　。　。　。　　Yes；　yes；　yes　。　。　。　　Last　Monday　night　you
come；　eh？　　On　the　night　train；　eh？〃　　He　hesitated　a　moment　and　then
asked。　　〃Cap'n　Lote　fetch　you　down　from　the　depot？〃

Albert　stared　at　him　open…mouthed。

〃Why；　no！〃　he　retorted。　　〃You　drove　me　down　yourself。〃

For　the　first　time　a　slight　shade　of　embarrassment　crossed　the
bookkeeper's　features。　　He　drew　a　long　breath。

〃Yes；〃　he　mused。　　〃Yes；　yes；　yes。　　I　kind　of　thought　Iyes；　yes；
II　thought　likely　I　did　。　。　。　　Yes；　yes；　course　I　did；　course　I
did。　　Well；　now　maybe　we'd　better　be　startin'　you　in　to　worker
Augustus。　　Know　anything　about　double…entry；　do　you？〃

Albert　did　not；　nor　had　he　the　slightest　desire　to　learn。　　But
before　the　first　hour　was　over　he　foresaw　that　he　was　destined　to
learn；　if　he　remained　in　that　office；　whether　he　wanted　to　or　not。
Laban　Keeler　might　be；　and　evidently　was；　peculiar