the portygee-第41章

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only　girl　in　this　world　I　could　ever　care　for？　　Don't　you　know
that？〃

They　were　walking　home　from　church　Sunday　morning　and　had　reached
the　corner　below　the　parsonage。　　There；　screened　by　the　thicket　of
young　silver…leafs；　she　stopped　momentarily　and　looked　into　his
face。　　Then　she　walked　on。

〃Don't　you　know　how　much　I　care？〃　he　repeated。

She　shook　her　head。　　〃You　think　you　do　now；　perhaps；〃　she　said；
〃but　you　will　change　your　mind。〃

〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？　　How　do　you　know　I　will？〃

〃Because　I　know　you。　　There；　there；　Albert；　we　won't　quarrel；　will
we？　　And　we　won't　be　silly。　　You're　an　awfully　nice　boy；　but　you
are　just　a　boy；　you　know。〃

He　was　losing　his　temper。

〃This　is　ridiculous！〃　he　declared。　　〃I'm　tired　of　being　grandmothered
by　you。　　I'm　older　than　you　are；　and　I　know　what　I'm　doing。　　Come；
Helen；　listen　to　me。〃

But　she　would　not　listen；　and　although　she　was　always　kind　and
frank　and　friendly；　she　invariably　refused　to　permit　him　to　become
sentimental。　　It　irritated　him；　and　after　she　had　gone　the
irritation　still　remained。　　He　wrote　her　as　before；　although　not
quite　so　often；　and　the　letters　were　possibly　not　quite　so　long。
His　pride　was　hurt　and　the　Speranza　pride　was　a　tender　and
important　part　of　the　Speranza　being。　　If　Helen　noted　any　change　in
his　letters　she　did　not　refer　to　it　nor　permit　it　to　influence　her
own；　which　were；　as　always；　lengthy；　cheerful；　and　full　of　interest
in　him　and　his　work　and　thoughts。

During　the　previous　fall；　while　under　the　new　influence　aroused　in
him　by　his　discovery　that　Helen　Kendall　was　〃the　most　wonderful
girl　in　the　world；〃　said　discovery　of　course　having　been　previously
made　for　him　by　the　unfortunate　Raymond；　he　had　developed　a　habit
of　wandering　off　into　the　woods　or　by　the　seashore　to　be　alone　and
to　seek　inspiration。　　When　a　young　poet　is　in　love；　or　fancies
himself　in　love；　inspiration　is　usually　to　be　found　wherever
sought；　but　even　at　that　age　and　to　one　in　that　condition　solitude
is　a　marked　aid　in　the　search。　　There　were　two　or　three　spots　which
had　become　Albert　Speranza's　favorites。　　One　was　a　high；　wind…swept
knoll；　overlooking　the　bay；　about　a　half　mile　from　the　hotel；
another　was　a　secluded　nook　in　the　pine　grove　beside　Carver's　Pond；
a　pretty　little　sheet　of　water　on　the　Bayport　boundary。　　On
pleasant　Saturday　afternoons　or　Sundays；　when　the　poetic　fit　was　on
him；　Albert；　with　a　half　dozen　pencils　in　his　pocket；　and　a　rhyming
dictionary　and　a　scribbling　pad　in　another；　was　wont　to　stroll
towards　one　or　the　other　of　these　two　retreats。　　There　he　would
sprawl　amid　the　beachgrass　or　upon　the　pine…needles　and　dream　and
think　and；　perhaps；　ultimately　write。

One　fair　Saturday　in　late　June　he　was　at　the　first　of　these
respective　points。　　Lying　prone　on　the　beach　grass　at　the　top　of
the　knoll　and　peering　idly　out　between　its　stems　at　the　water
shimmering　in　the　summer　sun；　he　was　endeavoring　to　find　a　subject
for　a　poem　which　should　deal　with　love　and　war　as　requested　by　the
editor　of　the　Columbian　Magazine。　　〃Give　us　something　with　a　girl
and　a　soldier　in　it；〃　the　editor　had　written。　　Albert's　mind　was
lazily　drifting　in　search　of　the　pleasing　combination。

The　sun　was　warm；　the　breeze　was　light；　the　horizon　was　veiled　with
a　liquid　haze。　　Albert's　mind　was　veiled　with　a　similar　haze　and
the　idea　he　wanted　would　not　come。　　He　was　losing　his　desire　to
find　it　and　was；　in　fact；　dropping　into　a　doze　when　aroused　by　a
blood…curdling　outburst　of　barks　and　yelps　and　growls　behind　him；
at　his　very　heels。　　He　came　out　of　his　nap　with　a　jump　and；
scrambling　to　a　sitting　position　and　turning；　he　saw　a　small　Boston
bull…terrier　standing　within　a　yard　of　his　ankles　and；　apparently；
trying　to　turn　his　brindled　outside　in；　or　his　inside　out；　with
spiteful　ferocity。　　Plainly　the　dog　had　come　upon　him　unexpectedly
and　was　expressing　alarm；　suspicion　and　disapproval。

Albert　jerked　his　ankles　out　of　the　way　and　said　〃Hello；　boy；〃　in
as　cheerfully　cordial　a　tone　as　he　could　muster　at　such　short
notice。　　The　dog　took　a　step　forward；　evidently　with　the　idea　of
always　keeping　the　ankles　within　jumping　distance；　showed　a　double
row　of　healthy　teeth　and　growled　and　barked　with　renewed　violence。

〃Nice　dog；〃　observed　Albert。　　The　nice　dog　made　a　snap　at　the
nearest　ankle　and；　balked　of　his　prey　by　a　frenzied　kick　of　the
foot　attached　to　the　ankle；　shrieked；　snarled　and　gurgled　like　a
canine　lunatic。

〃Go　home；　you　ugly　brute；〃　commanded　the　young　man；　losing
patience；　and　looking　about　for　a　stone　or　stick。　　On　the　top　of
that　knoll　the　largest　stone　was　the　size　of　a　buckshot　and　the
nearest　stick　was；　to　be　Irish；　a　straw。

〃Nice　doggie！　　Nice　old　boy！　　Come　and　be　patted！　。　。　。　　Clear　out
with　you！　　Go　home；　you　beast！〃

Flatteries　and　threats　were　alike　in　their　result。　　The　dog　continued
to　snarl　and　growl；　darting　toward　the　ankles　occasionally。
Evidently　he　was　mustering　courage　for　the　attack。　　Albert　in
desperation　scooped　up　a　handful　of　sand。　　If　worst　came　to　worst
he　might　blind　the　creature　temporarily。　　What　would　happen　after
that　was　not　clear。　　Unless　he　might　by　a　lucky　cast　fill　the　dog's
interior　so　full　of　sand　thatlike　the　famous　〃Jumping　Frog〃it
would　be　too　heavy　to　navigate；　he　saw　no　way　of　escape　from　a
painful　bite；　probably　more　than　one。　　What　Captain　Zelotes　had
formerly　called　his　〃Portygee　temper〃　flared　up。

〃Oh；　damn　you；　clear　out！〃　he　shouted；　springing　to　his　feet。

From　a　little　way　below　him；　in　fact；　from　behind　the　next　dune；
between　himself　and　the　beach；　a　feminine　voice　called　his　name。

〃Oh；　Mr。　Speranza！〃　it　said。　　〃Is　it　you？　　I'm　so　glad！〃

Albert　turned；　but　the　moment　he　did　so　the　dog　made　a　dash　at　his
legs；　so　he　was　obliged　to　turn　back　again　and　kick　violently。

〃Oh；　I　am　so　glad　it　is　you；〃　said　the　voice　again。　　〃I　was　sure　it
was　a　dreadful　tramp。　　Googoo　loathes　tramps。〃

As　an　article　of　diet　that　meant；　probably。　　Googooif　that　was
the　dog's　namewas　passionately　fond　of　poets；　that　was　self…
evident；　and　intended　to　make　a　meal　of　this　one；　forthwith。　　He
flew　at　the　Speranza　ankles。　　Albert　performed　a　most　undignified
war　dance；　and　dashed　his　handful　of　sand　into　Googoo's　open
countenance。　　For　a　minute　or　so　there　was　a　lively　shindy　on　top
of　that　knoll。　　At　the　end　of　the　minute　the　dog；　held　tightly　in　a
pair　of　feminine　arms；　was　emitting　growls　and　coughs　and　sand；
while　Madeline　Fosdick　and　Albert　Speranza　were　kneeling　in　more
sand　and　looking　at　each　other。

〃Oh；　did　he　bite　you？〃　begged　Miss　Fosdick。

〃No　。　。　。　no；　I　guess　not；〃　was　the　reply。　　〃II　scarcely　know
yet。　。　。　。　　Why；　when　did　you　come？　　I　didn't　know　you　were　in
town。〃

〃We　came　yesterday。　　Motored　from　home；　you　know。　　Ibe　still；
Goo；　you　bad　thing！　　It　was　such　a　lovely　day　that　I　couldn't
resist　going　for　a　walk　along　the　beach。　　I　took　Googoo　because　he
does　love　it　so；　andGoo；　be　still；　I　tell　you！　　I　am　sure　he
thinks　you　are　a　tramp；　out　here　all　alone　in　thein　the
wilderness。　　And　what　were　you　doing　here？〃

Albert　drew　a　long　breath。　　〃I　was　half　asleep；　I　guess；〃　he　said；
〃when　he　broke　loose　at　my　heels。　　I　woke　up　quick　enough　then；　as
you　may　imagine。　　And　so　you　are　here　for　the　summer？　　Your　new
house　isn't　finished；　is　it？〃

〃No；　not　quite。　　Mother　and　Goo　and　I　are　at　the　hotel　for　a　month。
But　you　haven't　answered　my　question。　　What　were　you　doing　off　here
all　alone？　　Have　you　been　for　a　walk；　too？〃

〃Not　exactly。　　Iwell；　I　come　here　pretty　often。　　It　is　one　of　my
favorite　hiding　places。　　You　see；　I　。　。　。　don't　laugh　if　I　tell
you；　will　you？〃

〃Of　course　not。　　Go　on；　this　is　very　mysterious　and　interesting。〃

〃Well；　I　come　here　sometimes　on　pleasant　days；　to　be　aloneand
write。〃

〃Write？　　Write　poetry；　do　you　mean？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Oh；　how　wonderful！　　Were　you　writing　when　Iwhen　Goo　interrupted
you？〃

〃No；　I　had　made　two　or　three　attempts；　but　nothing　that　I　did
satisfied　me。　　I　had　just　about　decided　to　tear　them　up　and　to　give
up　trying　for　this　afternoon。〃

〃Oh；　I　hope　you　won't　tear　them　up。　　I'm　sure　they　shouldn't　be。
Perhaps　you　were　not　in　a　proper　mood　to　judge；