the portygee-第44章
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office window shade； saw his heart's desire step aboard the train；
saw that train puff out of the station； saw for just an instant a
small hand waved behind the dingy glass of the car window。 His own
hand waved in reply。 Then the raucous voice of Mr。 Price broke the
silence。
〃Who was you flappin' your flipper at？〃 inquired Issachar。 〃Girl；
I'll bet you！ Never saw such a critter as you be to chase after
the girls。 Which one is it this time？〃
Albert made no reply。 Between embarrassment and sorrow he was
incapable of speech。 Issachar； however； was not in that condition；
at all times when awake； and sometimes when asleep； Mr。 Price
could； and usually did； speak。
〃Which one is it this time； Al？〃 demanded Issy。 〃Eh？ Crimus； see
him get red！ Haw； haw！ Labe；〃 to Mr。 Keeler； who came into the
office from the inner room； 〃which girl do you cal'late Al here is
wavin' by…bye to this mornin'？ Who's goin' away on the cars this
mornin'； Labe？〃
Laban； his hands full of the morning mail； absently replied that he
didn't know。
〃Yes； you do； too；〃 persisted Issy。 〃You ain't listenin'； that's
all。 Who's leavin' town on the train just now？〃
〃Eh？ Oh； I don't know。 The Small folks are goin' to Boston； I
believe。 And George Bartlett's goin' to Ostable on court business；
he told me。 Oh； yes； I believe Cap'n Lote said that Fosdick woman
and her daughter were goin' back to New York。 Back to New York
yesyesyes。〃
Mr。 Price crowed triumphantly。 〃Ah； ha！〃 he crowed。 〃Ah； ha！
That's the answer。 That's the one he's shakin' day…days to； that
Fosdick girl。 I've seen you 'round with her at the post office and
the ice cream s'loon。 I'm onto you； Al。 Haw； haw！ What's her
name？ Adeline？ Dandelion？ Madeline？that's it！ Say； how do you
think Helen Kendall's goin' to like your throwin' kisses to the
Madeline one； eh？〃
The assistant bookkeeper was still silent。 The crimson； however；
was leaving his face and the said face was paling rapidly。 This
was an ominous sign had Mr。 Price but known it。 He did not know it
and cackled merrily on；
〃Guess I'll have to tell Helen when she comes back home；〃 he
announced。 〃Cal'late I'll put a flea in her ear。 'Helen；' I'll
say； 'don't feel too bad now； don't cry and get your handkerchief
all soakin'； or nothin' like that。 I just feel it's my duty to
tell ye that your little Albert is sparkin' up to somebody else。
He's waitin' on a party by the name of Padelineno； Madeline
Woodtickno； Fosdickand 。 。 。' Here！ let go of me！ What are you
doin'？〃
That last question was in the nature of a gurgle。 Albert； his face
now very white indeed； had strode across the office； seized the
speaker by the front of his flannel shirt and backed him against
the wall。
〃Stop；〃 commanded Albert； between his teeth。 〃That's enough of
that。 Don't you say any more！〃
〃Eh？ Ugh！ Ur…gg！ Leggo of my shirt。〃
Albert let go； but he did not step back。 He remained where he was；
exactly in front of Mr。 Price。
〃Don't you say any more aboutabout what you were saying；〃 he
repeated。
〃Eh？ Not say any more？ Why not？ Who's goin' to stop me； I'd like
to know？〃
〃I am。〃
〃I want to know！ What'll you do？〃
〃I don't know。 If you weren't so old； I wouldbut I'll stop you；
anyhow。〃
Albert felt a hand on his arm and heard Mr。 Keeler's voice at his
ear。
〃Careful； Al； careful；〃 it said。 〃Don't hit him。〃
〃Of course I shan't hit him；〃 indignantly。 〃What do you think I
am？ But he must promise not to mentionerMiss Fosdick's name
again。〃
〃Better promise； Is；〃 suggested Laban。 Issachar's mouth opened；
but no promise came forth。
〃Promise be darned！〃 he yelled furiously。 〃Mention her name！ I'll
mention any name I set out to； and no Italyun Portygee is goin' to
stop me； neither。〃
Albert glanced about the office。 By the wall stood two brimming
pails of water； brought in by Mr。 Price for floor…washing purposes。
He lifted one of the pails。
〃If you don't promise I'll duck you；〃 he declared。 〃Let go of me；
Keeler； I mean it。〃
〃Careful； Al； careful；〃 said Mr。 Keeler。 〃Better promise； Is。〃
〃Promise nawthin'！ Fosdick！ What in time do I care for Fosdicks；
Madelines or Padelines or Dandelions or〃
His sentence stopped just there。 The remainder of it was washed
back and down his throat by the deluge from the bucket。 Overcome
by shock and surprise； Mr。 Price leaned back against the wall and
slid slowly down that wall until he reclined in a sitting posture；
upon the floor。
〃Crimustee；〃 he gasped； as soon as he could articulate； 〃I'mawk
I'm drownded。〃
Albert put down the empty bucket and picked up the full one。
〃Promise；〃 he said again。
Laban Keeler rubbed his chin。
〃I'd promise if I was you； Is；〃 he said。 〃You're some subject to
rheumatism； you know。〃
Issachar； sitting in a spreading puddle； looked damply upward at
the remaining bucket。 〃By crimustee〃 he began。 Albert drew the
bucket backward； the water dripped from its lower brim。
〃IIdarn ye； I promise！〃 shouted Issachar。 Albert put down the
bucket and walked back to his desk。 Laban watched him curiously；
smiling just a little。 Then he turned to Mr。 Price； who was
scrambling to his feet。
〃Better get your mop and swab up here； Is；〃 he said。 〃Cap'n
Lote'll be in 'most any minute。〃
When Captain Zelotes did return to the office； Issachar was
industriously sweeping out； Albert was hard at work at the books；
and Laban was still rubbing his chin and smiling at nothing in
particular。
The next day Albert and Issachar made it up。 Albert apologized。
〃I'm sorry； Issy；〃 he said。 〃I shouldn't have done it； but you
made me mad。 I have arather mean temper； I'm afraid。 Forgive
me； will you？〃
He held out his hand； and Issachar； after a momentary hesitation；
took it。
〃I forgive you this time； Al；〃 he said solemnly； 〃but don't never
do nothin' like it again； will ye？ When I went home for dinner
yesterday noon I give you my word my clothes was kind of dampish
even then。 If it hadn't been nice warm sunshine and I was out
doors and dried off considerable I'd a had to change everything；
underclothes and all； and 'tain't but the middle of the week yet。〃
His ducking had an effect which Albert noticed with considerable
satisfactionhe was never quite as flippantly personal in his
comments concerning the assistant bookkeeper。 He treated the
latter； if not with respect； at least with something distantly akin
to it。
After Madeline's departure the world was very lonely indeed。
Albert wrote long； long letters and received replies which varied
in length but never in devotion。 Miss Fosdick was obliged to be
cautious in her correspondence with her lover。 〃You will forgive
me if this is not much more than a note； won't you； dear？〃 she
wrote。 〃Mother seems to be very curious of late about my letters
and to whom I write and I had to just steal the opportunity this
morning。〃 An older and more apprehensive person might have found
Mrs。 Fosdick's sudden interest in her daughter's correspondence
suspicious and a trifle alarming； but Albert never dreamed of being
alarmed。
He wrote many poems； all dealing with love and lovers； and sold
some of them。 He wrote no more letters to Helen。 She； too； had
ceased to write him； doubtless because of the lack of reply to her
last two or three letters。 His conscience still troubled him about
Helen； he could not help feeling that his treatment of her had not
been exactly honorable。 Yet what else under the circumstances
could he do？ From Mr。 Kendall he learned that she was coming home
to spend Thanksgiving。 He would see her then。 She would ask him
questions？ What should his answer be？ He faced the situation in
anticipation many； many times； usually after he had gone to bed at
night； and lay awake through long torturing hours in consequence。
But when at last Helen and he did meet； the day before Thanksgiving；
their meeting was not at all the dreadful ordeal he had feared。 Her
greeting was as frank and cordial as it had always been； and there
was no reproach in her tone or manner。 She did not even ask him why
he had stopped writing。 It was he； himself； who referre
