the portygee-第32章
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office they and their motive would be misunderstood。 No； the only
way to break the ice was to break it； to plunge immediately into
the deepest part of the subject。 It promised to be a chilly
plunge。 He shivered at the prospect。
A half hour later he heard the door of the hall open and shut and
knew that Captain Zelotes had returned。 Rising； he descended the
stairs。 He descended slowly。 Just as he reached the foot of the
narrow flight Captain Zelotes entered the hall from the dining…room
and turned toward him。 Both were surprised at the meeting。 Albert
spoke first。
〃Good evening； Grandfather；〃 he stammered。 〃II was just coming
down to see you。 Were you going to bed？〃
Captain Lote shook his head。 〃No…o；〃 he said； slowly； 〃not
exactly。〃
〃Do you mind waiting a minute？ I have a few thingsI have
something to say to you andand I guess I shall sleep better if I
say it to…night。 II won't keep you long。〃
The captain regarded him intently for an instant； then he turned
and led the way to the dining…room。
〃Go ahead；〃 he ordered； laconically。 Albert squared his shoulders；
preparatory to the plunge。
〃Grandfather；〃 he began； 〃first of all I want to tell you I am
sorry forfor some of the things I said this afternoon。〃
He had rehearsed this opening speech over and over again； but in
spite of the rehearsals it was dreadfully hard to make。 If his
grandfather had helped him even a little it might have been easier；
but the captain merely stood there； expressionless； saying nothing；
waiting for him to continue。
Albert swallowed； clenched his fists； and took a new start。
〃Of course；〃 he began； 〃I am sorry for the mistakes I made in my
bookkeeping； but that I have told you before。 Nownow I want to
say I am sorry for being sowell； so pig…headed about the rest of
it。 I realize that you have been mighty kind to me and that I owe
you about everything that I've got in this world。〃
He paused again。 It had seemed to him that Captain Zelotes was
about to speak。 However； he did not； so the young man stumbled on。
〃Andand I realize； too；〃 he said； 〃that you have； I guess； been
trying to give me a real start in business； the start you think I
ought to have。〃
The captain nodded slowly。 〃That was my idea in startin' you；〃 he
said。
〃Yesand fact that I haven't done more with the chance is because
I'm made that way； I guess。 But I do want toyes； and I MEAN to
try to succeed at writing poetry or stories or plays or something。
I like that and I mean to give it a trial。 And soand so； you
see； I've been thinking our talk over and I've concluded that
perhaps you may be right； maybe I'm not old enough to know what I
really am fitted for； and yet perhaps _I_ may be partly right； too。
II've been thinking that perhaps some sort ofof〃
〃Of what？〃
〃Well； of half…way arrangementsome sort ofof compromise； you
know； might be arranged。 I might agree to stay in the office and
do my very best with bookkeeping and business forwell； say； three
years or so。 During that time I should be trying to write of
course； but I would only do that sort of writing evenings or on
Saturdays and holidays。 It shouldn't interfere with your work nor
be done in the time you pay me for。 And at the end of the three or
four years〃
He paused again。 This time the pause was longer than ever。
Captain Lote broke the silence。 His big right hand had wandered
upward and was tugging at his beard。
〃Well？ 。 。 。 And then？〃 he asked。
〃Why； thenifif Well； then we could see。 If business seemed
to be where I was most likely to succeed we'd call it settled and I
would stay with Z。 Snow and Co。 If poetry…making ororliterature
seemed more likely to be the job I was fitted for； that would be the
job I'd take。 Youyou see； don't you； Grandfather？〃
The captain's beard…pulling continued。 He was no longer looking
his grandson straight in the eye。 His gaze was fixed upon the
braided mat at his feet and he answered without looking up。
〃Ye…es；〃 he drawled； 〃I cal'late I see。 Well； was that all you had
to say？〃
〃No…o； not quite。 II wanted to say that which ever way it turned
out； II hoped weyou and I； you knowwould agree to beto be
good…natured about it andand friends just the same。 II
Well； there！ That's all； I guess。 I haven't put it very well； I'm
afraid； butbut what do you think about it； Grandfather？〃
And now Captain Zelotes did look up。 The old twinkle was in his
eye。 His first remark was a question and that question was rather
surprising。
〃Al；〃 he asked； 〃Al； who's been talkin' to you？〃
The blood rushed to his grandson's face。 〃Talking to me？〃 he
stammered。 〃Whywhy； what do you mean？〃
〃I mean just that。 You didn't think out this scheme all by
yourself。 Somebody's been talkin' to you and puttin' you up to it。
Haven't they？〃
〃Whywhy； Grandfather； I〃
〃Haven't they？〃
〃Why Well； yes； someone has been talking to me； but the whole
idea isn't theirs。 I WAS sorry for speaking to you as I did and
sorry to think of leaving you and grandmother。 II was sitting up
there in my room and feeling blue and mean enough andand〃
〃And then Rachel came aboard and gave you your sailin' orders； eh？〃
Albert gasped。 〃For heaven's sake how did you know that？〃 he
demanded。 〃She Why； she must have told you； after all！ But she
said〃
〃Hold on； boy； hold on！〃 Captain Lote chuckled quietly。 〃No；〃 he
said； 〃Rachel didn't tell me； I guessed she was the one。 And it
didn't take a Solomon in all his glory to guess it； neither。 Labe
Keeler's been talkin' to ME； and when you come down here and began
proposin' the same scheme that I was just about headin' up to your
room with to propose to you； thenwell； then the average whole…
witted person wouldn't need more'n one guess。 It couldn't be Labe；
'cause he'd been whisperin' in MY ear； so it must have been the
other partner in the firm。 That's all the miracle there is to it。〃
Albert's brain struggled with the situation。 〃I see；〃 he said；
after a moment。 〃She hinted that someone had been talking to you
along the same line。 Yes； and she was so sure you would agree。 I
might have known it was Laban。〃
〃Um…hm； so you might。 。 。 。 Well； there have been times when if a
man had talked to me as Labe did to…night I'd have knocked him
down； or told him to go toumwell； the tropicstold him to mind
his own business； at least。 But Labe is Labe； and besides MY
conscience was plaguin' me a little mite； maybe 。 。 。 maybe。〃
The young man shook his head。 〃They must have talked it over；
those two； and agreed that one should talk to you and the other to
me。 By George； I wonder they had the nerve。 It wasn't their
business； really。〃
〃Not a darn bit。〃
〃Yetyet II'm awfully glad she said it to me。 II needed it；
I guess。〃
〃Maybe you did； son。 。 。 。 Andhumphwell； maybe I needed it；
too。 。 。 。 Yes； I know that's consider'ble for me to say；〃 he
added dryly。
Albert was still thinking of Laban and Rachel。
〃They're queer people；〃 he mused。 〃When I first met them I thought
they were about the funniest pair I ever saw。 Butbut now I can't
help liking them andand Say； Grandfather； they must think a
lot of yourof our family。〃
〃Cal'late they do； son。 。 。 。 Well； boy； we've had our sermon； you
and me； what shall we do？ Willin' to sign for the five years trial
cruise if I will； are you？〃
Albert couldn't help smiling。 〃It was three years Rachel proposed；
not five；〃 he said。
〃Was； eh？ Suppose we split the difference and make it four？
Willin' to try that？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Agreement bein' that you shall stick close to Z。 Snow and Co。
durin' work hours and write as much poetry as you darned please
other times； neither side to interfere with those arrangements？
That right？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Good！ Shall we shake hands on it？〃
They shook； solemnly。 Captain Lote was the first to speak after
ratification of the contract。
〃There； now I cal'late I'll go aloft and turn in；〃 he observed。
Then he added； with a little hesitation； 〃Say； Al； maybe we'd
better not trouble your grandma about all this fool businessthe
row this afternoon and all。 'Twould only worry her and〃 he
paused；
