the portygee-第35章
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Sol Dadgett wasn't alive in his time。 King Sol would have needed
all his wisdom to keep Dadgett from talkin' him into buying the
Jerusalem salt…ma'sh to build the temple on。 。 。 。 Um。 。 。 。
Yesyesyes。〃
So Albert； as he shook hands with Miss Fosdick； regarded her with
unusual interest。 And； judging by the way in which she looked at
him； she too was interested。 After some minutes of the usual
conventional summer…time chat the young gentleman suggested that
they adjourn to the drug store for refreshments。 The invitation
was accepted； the vivacious Miss Kelsey acting as spokesmanor
spokeswomanin the matter。
〃I think you must be a mind…reader； Mr。 Speranza；〃 she declared。
〃I am dying for a sundae and I have just discovered that I haven't
my purse or a penny with me。 I should have been reduced to the
humiliation of borrowing from Madeline here； or asking that deaf
old Burgess man to trust me until to…morrow。 And he is so
frightfully deaf；〃 she added in explanation； 〃that when I asked him
the last time he made me repeat it until I thought I should die of
shame； or exhaustion； one or the other。 Every time I shouted he
would say 'Hey？' and I was obliged to shout again。 Of course； the
place was crowded； and Oh； well； I don't like to even think
about it。 Bless you； bless you； Albert Speranza！ And do please
let's hurry！〃
When they entered the drug storeit also sold； according to its
sign； 〃Cigars； soda； ice…cream； patent medicines； candy； knick…
knacks； chewing gum； souvenirs and notions〃the sextette of which
Helen Kendall made one was just leaving。 She nodded pleasantly to
Albert and he nodded in return； but Ed Raymond's careless bow he
did not choose to see。 He had hitherto rather liked that young
gentleman； now he felt a sudden but violent detestation for him。
Sundaes pleasant to the palate and disastrous to all but youthful
digestions were ordered。 Albert's had a slight flavor of gall and
wormwood； but he endeavored to counterbalance this by the sweetness
derived from the society of Jane Kelsey and her friend。 His
conversation was particularly brilliant and sparkling that evening。
Jane laughed much and chatted more。 Miss Fosdick was quieter； but
she； too； appeared to be enjoying herself。 Jane demanded to know
how the poems were developing。 She begged him to have an
inspiration now 〃Do； PLEASE； so that Madeline and I can see
you。〃 It seemed to be her idea that having an inspiration was
similar to having a fit。 Miss Fosdick laughed at this； but she
declared that she adored poetry and specified certain poems which
were objects of her especial adoration。 The conversation
thereafter became what Miss Kelsey described as 〃high brow；〃 and
took the form of a dialogue between Miss Fosdick and Albert。 It
was interrupted by the arrival of the Kelsey limousine； which
rolled majestically up to the drug store steps。 Jane spied it
first。
〃Oh； mercy me； here's mother！〃 she exclaimed。 〃And your mother；
too； Madeline。 We are tracked to our lair。 。 。 。 No； no； Mr。
Speranza； you mustn't go out。 No； really； we had rather you
wouldn't。 Thanks； ever so much； for the sundaes。 Come； Madeline。〃
Miss Fosdick held out her hand。
〃Thank you； Mr。 Speranza；〃 she said。 〃I have enjoyed our poetry
talk SO much。 It must be wonderful to write as you do。 Good
night。〃
She looked admiringly into his eyes as she said it。 In spite of
the gall and wormwood Albert found it not at all unpleasant to be
looked at in that way by a girl like Madeline Fosdick。 His
reflections on that point were interrupted by a voice from the car。
〃Come； Madeline； come；〃 it said； fussily。 〃What ARE you waiting
for？〃
Albert caught a glimpse of a majestic figure which； seated beside
Mrs。 Kelsey on the rear seat of the limousine； towered above that
short； plump lady as a dreadnaught towers above a coal barge。 He
surmised this figure to be that of the maternal Fosdick。 Madeline
climbed in beside her parent and the limousine rolled away。
Albert's going…to…bed reflections that evening were divided in
flavor； like a fruit sundae； a combination of sweet and sour。 The
sour was furnished by thoughts of Edwin Raymond and Helen Kendall；
the former's presumption in daring to seek her society as he did；
and Helen's amazing silliness in permitting such a thing。 The
sweet； of course； was furnished by a voice which repeated to his
memory the words； 〃It must be wonderful to write as you do。〃 Also
the tone of that voice and the look in the eyes。
Could he have been privileged to hear the closing bits of a
conversation which was taking place at that moment his reflections
might have been still further saccharined。 Miss Jane Kelsey was
saying： 〃And NOW what do you think of our Cape Cod poet？ Didn't I
promise you to show you something you couldn't find on Fifth
Avenue？〃 And to this Miss Madeline Fosdick made reply： 〃I think
he is the handsomest creature I ever saw。 And so clever！ Why； he
is wonderful； Jane！ How in the world does he happen to be living
hereall the time？〃
It is perhaps； on the whole； a good thing that Albert Speranza
could not hear this。 It is certainly a good thing that Captain
Zelotes Snow did not hear it。
And although the balance of sweet and sour in Albert's mind that
night was almost even； the sour predominated next day and continued
to predominate。 Issachar Price had sowed the seed of jealousy in
the mind of the assistant bookkeeper of Z。 Snow and Company； and
that seed took root and grew as it is only too likely to do under
such circumstances。 That evening Albert walked again to the post…
office。 Helen was not there； neither was Miss Kelsey or Miss
Fosdick。 He waited for a time and then determined to call at the
Kendall home； something he had not done for some time。 As he came
up to the front walk； between the arbor…vitae hedges； he saw that
the parlor windows were alight。 The window shade was but partially
drawn and beneath it he could see into the room。 Helen was seated
at the piano and Edwin Raymond was standing beside her； ready to
turn the page of her music。
Albert whirled on his heel and walked out of the yard and down the
street toward his own home。 His attitude of mind was a curious
one。 He had a mind to wait until Raymond left and then go into
the Kendall parlor and demand of Helen to know what she meant by
letting that fellow make such a fool of himself。 What right had
heRaymondto call upon her； and turn her music andand set the
whole town talking？ Why Oh； he could think of many things to
ask and say。 The trouble was that the saying of them would； he
felt sure； be distinctly bad diplomacy on his part。 No onenot
even hecould talk to Helen Kendall in that fashion； not unless
he wished it to be their final conversation。
So he went home； to fret and toss angrily and miserably half the
night。 He had never before considered himself in the slightest
degree in love with Helen； but he had taken for granted the thought
that she liked him better than anyone else。 Now he was beginning
to fear that perhaps she did not； and； with his temperament；
wounded vanity and poetic imagination supplied the rest。 Within a
fortnight he considered himself desperately in love with her。
During this fortnight he called at the parsonage； the Kendall home；
several times。 On the first of these occasions the Reverend Mr。
Kendall； having just completed a sermon dealing with the war and；
being full of his subject； read the said sermon to his daughter and
to Albert。 The reading itself lasted for three…quarters of an hour
and Mr。 Kendall's post…argument and general dissertation on German
perfidy another hour after that。 By that time it was late and
Albert went home。 The second call was even worse； for Ed Raymond
called also and the two young men glowered at each other until ten
o'clock。 They might have continued to glower indefinitely； for
neither meant to leave before the other； but Helen announced that
she had some home…study papers to look over and she knew they would
excuse her under the circumstances。 On that hint they departed
simultaneously； separating at the gate and walking with deliberate
di
