the portygee-第34章
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〃Noticed it； ain't you； Al？〃 he repeated。 〃If you ain't you're the
only one。 Everybody's cal'latin' you'll be cut out if you ain't
careful。 Folks used to figger you was Helen's steady comp'ny； but
it don't look as much so as it did。 He； he！ That's why I asked
you how you liked the Raymond one。 Eh？ How do you； Al？ Helen；
SHE seems to like him fust…rate。 He； he； he！〃
Albert was conscious of a peculiar feeling； partly of irritation at
Issachar； partly something else。 Mr。 Price crowed delightedly。
〃Hi！〃 he chortled。 〃Why； Al； your face is gettin' all redded up。
Haw； haw！ Blushin'； ain't you； Al？ Haw； haw； haw！ Blushin'； by
crimustee！〃
Albert laid down his pen。 He had learned by experience that； in
Issy's case； the maxim of the best defensive being a strong
offensive was absolutely true。 He looked with concern about the
office。
〃There's a window open somewhere； isn't there； Is？〃 he inquired。
〃There's a dreadful draught anyhow。〃
〃Eh？ Draught？ I don't feel no draught。 Course the window's open；
it's generally open in summer time； ain't it。 Haw； haw！〃
〃There it is again！ Where Oh； _I_ see！ It's your mouth that's
open； Issy。 That explains the draught； of course。 Yes； yes； of
course。〃
〃Eh？ My mouth！ Never you mind my mouth。 What you've got to think
about is that Eddie Raymond。 Yes sir…ee！ Haw； haw！〃
〃Issy； what makes you make that noise？〃
〃What noise？〃
〃That awful cawing。 If you're trying to make me believe you're a
crow you're wasting your time。〃
〃Say； look here； Al Speranzy； be you crazy？〃
〃No…o； I'M not。 But in your casewell； I'll leave it to any fair…
minded person〃
And so on until Mr。 Price stamped disgustedly out of the office。
It was easy enough； and required nothing brilliant in the way of
strategy or repartee； to turn Issachar's attack into retreat。 But
all the rest of that afternoon Albert was conscious of that
peculiar feeling of uneasiness。 After supper that night he did not
go down town at once but sat in his room thinking deeply。 The
subjects of his thoughts were Edwin Raymond； the young chap from
New York； Yale； and 〃The Neck〃and Helen Kendall。 He succeeded
only in thinking himself into an even more uneasy and unpleasant
state of mind。 Then he walked moodily down to the post…office。 He
was a little late for the mail and the laughing and chatting groups
were already coming back after its distribution。 One such group he
met was made up of half a dozen young people on their way to the
drug store for ices and sodas。 Helen was among them and with her
was young Raymond。 They called to him to join them； but he
pretended not to hear。
Now； in all the years of their acquaintance it had not once
occurred to Albert Speranza that his interest in Helen Kendall was
anything more than that of a friend and comrade。 He liked her； had
enjoyed her societywhen he happened to be in the mood to wish
societyand it pleased him to feel that she was interested in his
literary efforts and his career。 She was the only girl in South
Harniss who would have 〃talked turkey〃 to him as she had on the day
of their adventure at High Point Light and he rather admired her
for it。 But in all his dreams of romantic attachments and
sentimental adventure； and he had such dreams of course； she had
never played a part。 The heroines of these dreams were beautiful
and mysterious strangers； not daughters of Cape Cod clergymen。
But now； thanks to Issy's mischievous hints； his feelings were in a
puzzled and uncomfortable state。 He was astonished to find that he
did not relish the idea of Helen's being particularly interested in
Ed Raymond。 He； himself； had not seen her as frequently of late；
she having been busy with her war work and he with his own interests。
But that； according to his view； was no reason why she should permit
Raymond to become friendly to the point of causing people to talk。
He was not ready to admit that he himself cared； in a sentimental
way； for Helen； but he resented any other fellow's daring to do so。
And she should not have permitted it； either。 As a matter of fact；
Alberto Miguel Carlos Speranza； hitherto reigning undisputed king of
hearts in South Harniss； was for the first time in his imperial life
feeling the pangs of jealousy。
He stalked gloomily on to the post…office。 Gertie Kendrick； on the
arm of Sam Thatcher； passed him and he did not even notice her。
Gertie whispered to Sam that he； Albert； was a big stuck…up
nothing； but she looked back over Sam's shoulder； nevertheless。
Albert climbed the post…office steps and walked over to the rack of
letter boxes。 The Snow box contained little of interest to him；
and he was turning away when he heard his name spoken。
〃Good evening； Mr。 Speranza；〃 said a feminine voice。
Albert turned again； to find Jane Kelsey and another young lady；
a stranger； standing beside him。 Miss Kelsey was one of South
Harniss's summer residents。 The Kelsey 〃cottage；〃 which was larger
by considerable than the Snow house； was situated on the Bay Road；
the most exclusive section of the village。 Once； and not so many
years before； the Bay Road was contemptuously referred to as
〃Poverty Lane〃 and dwellers along its winding； weed…grown track
vied with one another in shiftless shabbiness。 But now all
shabbiness had disappeared and many…gabled 〃cottages〃 proudly stood
where the shanties of the Poverty Laners once humbly leaned。
Albert had known Jane Kelsey for some time。 They had met at one of
the hotel tea…dances during his second summer in South Harniss。 He
and she were not intimate friends exactly； her mother saw to that；
but they were well acquainted。 She was short and piquant； had a
nose which freckled in the Cape Cod sunshine； and she talked and
laughed easily。
〃Good evening； Mr。 Speranza；〃 she said； again。 〃You looked so very
forlorn I couldn't resist speaking。 Do tell us why you are so sad；
we're dying to know。〃
Albert； taken by surprise； stammered that he didn't know that he
was sad。 Miss Kelsey laughed merrily and declared that everyone
who saw him knew it at once。 〃Oh； excuse me； Madeline；〃 she added。
〃I forgot that you and Mr。 Speranza had not met。 Of course as
you're going to live in South Harniss you must know him without
waiting another minute。 Everybody knows everybody down here。 He
is Albert Speranzaand we sometimes call him Albert because here
everybody calls everyone else by their first names。 There； now you
know each other and it's all very proper and formal。
The young lady who was her companion smiled。 The smile was
distinctly worth looking at； as was the young lady herself； for
that matter。
〃I doubt if Mr。 Speranza knows me very well； Jane；〃 she observed。
〃Doesn't know you！ Why； you silly thing； haven't I just introduced
you？〃
〃Well； I don't know much about South Harniss introductions； but
isn't it customary to mention names？ You haven't told him mine。〃
Miss Kelsey laughed in high delight。 〃Oh； how perfectly ridiculous！〃
she exclaimed。 〃AlbertMr。 Speranza； I meanthis is my friend
Miss Madeline Fosdick。 She is from New York and she has decided to
spend her summers in South Harnisswhich _I_ consider very good
judgment。 Her father is going to build a cottage for her to spend
them in down on the Bay Road on the hill at the corner above the
Inlet。 But of course you've heard of THAT！〃
Of course he had。 The purchase of the Inlet Hill land by Fletcher
Fosdick； the New York banker； and the price paid Solomon Dadgett
for that land； had been the principal topics of conversation around
South Harniss supper tables for the past ten days。 Captain Lote
Snow had summed up local opinion of the transaction when he said：
〃We…ll； Sol Dadgett's been talkin' in prayer…meetin' ever since I
can remember about the comin' of Paradise on earth。 Judgin' by the
price he got for the Inlet Hill sand heap he must have cal'lated
Paradise had got here and he was sellin' the golden streets by the
runnin' foot。〃 Or； as Laban Keeler put it： 〃They say King Soloman
was a wise man； but I guess likely 'twas a good thing for him that
Sol Dadgett wasn't alive in his time。 King Sol would have neede
