the portygee-第30章
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fingers。 〃Shall I？〃 he asked。 〃You think I will； do you？〃
〃Of course you will。 You don't like me； and never did。〃
〃So I've heard you say。 Well； boy； don't you cal'late I like you
at least as much as you like me？〃
〃No。 What do you mean？ I like you well enough。 That is； I should
if you gave me half a chance。 But you don't do it。 You hate me
because my father〃
The captain interrupted。 His big palm struck the desk。
〃DON'T say that again！〃 he commanded。 〃Look here； if I hated you
do you suppose I'd be talkin' to you like this？ If I hated you do
you cal'late I'd argue when you gave me notice？ Not by a jugful！
No man ever came to me and said he was goin' to quit and had me beg
him to stay。 If we was at sea he stayed until we made port； then
he WENT； and he didn't hang around waitin' for a boat to take him
ashore neither。 I don't hate you； son。 I'd ask nothin' better
than a chance to like you； but you won't give it to me。〃
Albert's eyes and mouth opened。
〃_I_ won't give YOU a chance？〃 he repeated。
〃Sartin。 DO you give me one？ I ask you to keep these books of
mine。 You could keep 'em A Number One。 You're smart enough to do
it。 But you won't。 You let 'em go to thunder and waste your time
makin' up fool poetry and such stuff。〃
〃But I like writing； and I don't like keeping books。〃
〃Keepin' books is a part of l'arnin' the business； and business is
the way you're goin' to get your livin' by and by。〃
〃No； it isn't。 I am going to be a writer。〃
〃Now DON'T say that silly thing again！ I don't want to hear it。〃
〃I shall say it because it is true。〃
〃Look here； boy： When I tell you or anybody else in this office to
do or not to do a thing； I expect 'em to obey orders。 And I tell
you not to talk any more of that foolishness about bein' a writer。
D'you understand？〃
〃Yes； of course I understand。〃
〃All right； then； that much is settled。 。 。 。 Here！ Where are you
goin'？〃
Albert had turned and was on his way out of the office。 He stopped
and answered over his shoulder； 〃I'm going home；〃 he said。
〃Goin' HOME？ Why； you came from home not more than an hour and a
half ago！ What are you goin' there again now for？〃
〃To pack up my things。〃
〃To pack up your things！ To pack up Humph！ So you really mean
it！ You're really goin' to quit me like this？ And your grandma；
too！〃
The young man felt a sudden pang of compunction； a twinge of
conscience。
〃Grandfather；〃 he said； 〃I'm sorry。 I〃
But the change in his attitude and tone came too late。 Captain
Lote's temper was boiling now； contradiction was its worst
provocative。
〃Goin' to quit！〃 he sneered。 〃Goin' to quit because you don't like
to work。 All right； quit then！ Go ahead！ I've done all I can to
make a man of you。 Go to the devil in your own way。〃
〃Grandfather； I〃
〃Go ahead！ _I_ can't stop you。 It's in your breed； I cal'late。〃
That was sufficient。 Albert strode out of the private office； head
erect。 Captain Zelotes rose and slammed the door after his
departing grandson。
At ten that evening Albert was in his room； sitting in a chair by
the window； gloomily looking out。 The packing； most of it； had
been done。 He had not； as he told his grandfather he intended
doing； left the office immediately and come straight home to pack。
As he emerged from the inner office after the stormy interview with
the captain he found Laban Keeler hard at work upon the books。 The
sight of the little man； so patiently and cheerfully pegging away；
brought another twinge of conscience to the assistant bookkeeper。
Laban had been such a brick in all their relationships。 It must
have been a sore trial to his particular； business…like soul； those
errors in the trial balance。 Yet he had not found fault nor
complained。 Captain Zelotes himself had said that every item
concerning his grandson's mistakes and blunders had been dragged
from Mr。 Keeler much against the latter's will。 Somehow Albert
could not bear to go off and leave him at once。 He would stay and
finish his day's work； for Labe Keeler's sake。
So stay he did and when Captain Zelotes later came out of his
private office and found him there neither of them spoke。 At home；
during supper； nothing was said concerning the quarrel of the
afternoon。 Yet Albert was as determined to leave as ever； and the
Captain； judging by the expression of his face； was just as
determined to do nothing more to prevent him。 After supper the
young man went to his room and began the packing。 His grandfather
went out； an unusual proceeding for him； saying that he guessed he
would go down street for a spell。
Now Albert； as he sat there by the window； was gloomy enough。 The
wind； howling and wailing about the gables of the old house； was
not an aid to cheerfulness and he needed every aid。 He had sworn
to go away； he was going awaybut where should he go？ He had a
little money put by； not much but a little； which he had been
saving for quite another purpose。 This would take him a little
way； would pay his bills for a short time； but after that Well；
after that he could earn more。 With the optimism of youth and the
serene self…confidence which was natural to him he was sure of
succeeding sooner or later。 It was not the dread of failure and
privation which troubled him。 The weight which was pressing upon
his spirit was not the fear of what might happen to him。
There was a rap upon the door。 Then a voice； the housekeeper's
voice； whispered through the crack。
〃It's me； Al；〃 whispered Mrs。 Ellis。 〃You ain't in bed yet； are
you？ I'd like to talk with you a minute or two； if I might。〃
He was not anxious to talk to her or anyone else just then； but he
told her to come in。 She entered on tiptoe； with the mysterious
air of a conspirator； and shut the door carefully after her。
〃May I set down just a minute？〃 she asked。 〃I can generally talk
better settin'。〃
He pulled forward the ancient rocker with the rush seat。 The
cross…stitch 〃tidy〃 on the back was his mother's handiwork； she had
made it when she was fifteen。 Rachel sat down in the rocker。
〃Al〃 she began； still in the same mysterious whisper； 〃I know all
about it。〃
He looked at her。 〃All about what？〃 he asked。
〃About the trouble you and Cap'n Lote had this afternoon。 I know
you're plannin' to leave us all and go away somewheres and that he
told you to go； and all that。 I know what you've been doin' up
here to…night。 Fur's that goes；〃 she added； with a little catch in
her breath and a wave of her hand toward the open trunk and
suitcase upon the floor； 〃I wouldn't need to know； I could SEE。〃
Albert was surprised and confused。 He had supposed the whole
affair to be； so far； a secret between himself and his grandfather。
〃You know？〃 he stammered。 〃You How did you know？〃
〃Laban told me。 Labe came hurryin' over here just after supper and
told me the whole thing。 He's awful upset about it； Laban is。 He
thinks almost as much of you as he does of Cap'n Lote oror me；〃
with an apologetic little smile。
Albert was astonished and troubled。 〃How did Labe know about it？〃
he demanded。
〃He heard it all。 He couldn't help hearin'。〃
〃But he couldn't have heard。 The door to the private office was
shut。〃
〃Yes； but the window at the topthe transom one； you knowwas
wide open。 You and your grandpa never thought of that； I guess；
and Laban couldn't hop up off his stool and shut it without givin'
it away that he'd been hearin'。 So he had to just set and listen
and I know how he hated doin' that。 Laban Keeler ain't the
listenin' kind。 One thing about it all is a mercy；〃 she added；
fervently。 〃It's the Lord's own mercy that that Issy Price wasn't
where HE could hear it； too。 If Issy heard it you might as well
paint it up on the town…hall fence； all creation and his wife
wouldn't larn it any sooner。〃
Albert drew a long breath。 〃Well；〃 he said； after a moment； 〃I'm
sorry Labe heard； but I don't suppose it makes much difference。
Everyone will know all about it in a day or two 。 。 。 I'm going。〃
Rachel leaned forward。
〃No； you ain't； Al；〃 she said。
〃I'm not？ Indeed I am！ Why； what do you mea
