the portygee-第48章
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after all； I AM interested in those affairs； Al。 Tell me as much
as you can。〃
〃I'll tell you the whole。 There's nothing I can't tell； nothing
I'm not proud to tell。 By George； I ought to be proud！ Why；
Grandfather； she's wonderful！〃
〃Sartin； son； sartin。 They always are。 I mean she is； of course。
Heave ahead。〃
So Albert told his love story。 When he had finished Captain
Zelote's pipe was empty； and he put it down。
〃Albert；〃 he said slowly； 〃I judge you mean this thing seriously。
You mean to marry her some day。〃
〃Yes； indeed I do。 And I won't give her up； either。 Her mother
why； what right has her mother got to sayto treat her in this
way？ Or to call me what she calls me in that letter？ Why； by
George〃
〃Easy； son。 As I understand it； this Madeline of yours is the only
child the Fosdicks have got and when our only child is in danger of
bein' carried off by somebody elsewhy； well； their mothers and
fathers are liable to be just a little upset； especially if it
comes on 'em sudden。 。 。 。 Nobody knows that better than I do；〃 he
added slowly。
Albert recognized the allusion； but he was not in the mood to be
affected by it。 He was not； just then； ready to make allowances
for any one； particularly the parental Fosdicks。
〃They have no business to be upsetnot like that； anyhow；〃 he
declared。 〃What does that woman know about me？ What right has she
to say that I ensnared Madeline's affection and all that rot？
Madeline and I fell in love with each other； just as other people
have； I suppose。〃
〃You suppose right；〃 observed Captain Zelotes； dryly。 〃Other
people havea good many of 'em since Adam's time。〃
〃Well； then！ And what right has she to give orders that I stop
writing or seeing Madeline；all that idiotic stuff about ceasing
and terminating at once？ Sheshe〃 His agitation was making him
incoherent〃She talks like Lord Somebody…or…other in an old…
fashioned novel or play or something。 Those old fools were always
rejecting undesirable suitors and ordering their daughters to do
this and that； breaking their hearts； and so on。 But that sort of
thing doesn't go nowadays。 Young people have their own ideas。〃
〃Um…hm； Al； so I've noticed。〃
〃Yes； indeed they have。 Now； if Madeline wants to marry me and I
want to marry her； who will stop us？〃
The captain pulled at his beard。
〃Why； nobody； Al； as I know of；〃 he said； 〃provided you both keep
on wantin' to marry each other long enough。〃
〃Keep on wanting long enough？ What do you mean by that？〃
〃Why； nothin' much； perhaps； only gettin' married isn't all just
goin' to the parson。 After the ceremony the rent begins and the
grocers' bills and the butchers' and the bakers' and a thousand or
so more。 Somebody's got to pay 'em； and the money's got to come
from somewhere。 Your wages here； Al； poetry counted in； ain't so
very big yet。 Better wait a spell before you settle down to
married life； hadn't you？〃
〃Wellwell； II didn't say we were to be married right away；
Grandfather。 She and I aren't unreasonable。 I'm doing better and
better with my writings。 Some day I'll make enough； and more。 Why
not？〃
There was enough of the Speranza egotism in this confident
assurance to bring the twinkle to the captain's eye。 He twisted
his beard between his finger and thumb and regarded his grandson
mildly。
〃Have you any idea how much 'enough' is liable to be； Al？〃 he
inquired。 〃I don't know the facts about 'em； of course； but from
what I have heard I judge the Fosdicks have got plenty of cash。
I've heard it estimated around town from one million to fifty
millions。 Allowin' it's only one million； it seems likely that
yourerwhat's…her…nameMadeline has been used to havin' as much
as fifty cents to spend whenever she wanted it。 Do you cal'late to
be able to earn enough makin' up poetry to keep her the way her
folks have been doin'？〃
〃No； of course notnot at first。〃
〃Oh； but later onwhen the market price of poetry has gone upyou
can； eh？〃
〃Look here； Grandfather； if you're making fun of me I tell you I
won't stand it。 This is serious； I mean it。 Madeline and I are
going to be married some time and no one can stop us。〃
〃All right； son； all right。 But it did seem to me that in the
light of this letter fromeryour mother…in…law that's goin' to
be； we ought to face the situation moderately square； anyhow。
First comes marriage。 Well； that's easy； any fool can get married；
lots of 'em do。 But then； as I said； comes supportin' yourself and
wifebills； bills； and more bills。 You'll say that you and she
will economize and fight it out together。 Fine； first…rate； but
later on there may be more of you； a child； children perhaps〃
〃Grandfather！〃
〃It's possible； son。 Such things do happen； and they cost money。
More mouths to feed。 Now I take it for granted that you aren't
marryin' the Fosdick girl for her money〃
The interruption was prompt and made with fiery indignation。
〃I never thought of her money；〃 declared Albert。 〃I don't even
know that she has any。 If she has； I don't want it。 I wouldn't
take it。 She is all I want。〃
Captain Zelotes' lip twitched。
〃Judgin' from the tone of her ma's last letter to me；〃 he observed；
〃she is all you would be liable to get。 It don't read as if many
erweddin' presents from the bride's folks would come along with
her。 But； there； there； Al don't get mad。 I know this is a long
ways from bein' a joke to you and； in a way； it's no joke for me。
Course I had realized that some day you'd be figgerin'； maybe； on
gettin' married； but I did hope the figgerin' wouldn't begin for
some years yet。 And when you did； I rather hopedwell； II
hoped。 。 。 。 However； we won't stop to bother with that now。
Let's stick to this letter of Mrs。 Fosdick's here。 I must answer
that； I suppose； whether I want to or not； to…day。 Well； Al； you
tell me； I understand that there has been nothin' underhand in your
acquaintance with her daughter。 Other than keepin' the engagement
a secret； that is？〃
〃Yes； I do。〃
〃And you mean to stick by your guns and。 。 。 。 Well； what is it？
Come in！〃
There had been a knock upon the office door。 In answer to his
employer's summons； Mr。 Keeler appeared。 He held a card in his
hand。
〃Sorry to disturb you； Cap'n Lote；〃 he said。 〃Yes； I be； yes； sir。
But I judged maybe 'twas somethin' important about the lumber for
his house and he seemed anxious to see you； so I took the risk and
knocked。 Um…hmyes； yes； yes。〃
Captain Zelotes looked at the card。 Then he adjusted his spectacles
and looked again。
〃Humph！〃 he grunted。 〃Humph！ 。 。 。 We…ell； Labe； I guess likely
you might show him in here。 Wait just a minute before you do it；
though。 I'll open the door when I want him to come。〃
〃All right； Cap'n Lote。 Yes； yes；〃 observed Mr。 Keeler and
departed。 The captain looked thoughtfully at the card。
〃Al；〃 he said； after a moment's reflection； 〃we'll have to cut this
talk of ours short for a little spell。 You go back to your desk
and wait there until I call you。 Hold on；〃 as his grandson moved
toward the door of the outer office。 〃Don't go that way。 Go out
through the side door into the yard and come in the front way。
There'serthere's a man waitin' to see me； anderperhaps he'd
better not see you first。〃
Albert stared at him uncomprehendingly。
〃Better not see ME？〃 he repeated。 〃Why shouldn't he see me？〃
Captain Zelotes handed the card to Albert。
〃Better let me talk with him first； Al；〃 he said。 〃You can have
your chance later on。〃
The card bore the name of Mr。 Fletcher Story Fosdick。
CHAPTER XI
Albert read the name on the card。 He was too astonished to speak。
Her father！ He was here！ He
His grandfather spoke again； and his tone was brisk and businesslike。
〃Go on； Al；〃 he ordered。 〃Out through this side door and around to
the front。 Lively； son； lively！〃
But the young man's wits were returning。 He scowled at the card。
〃No；〃 he said stoutly； 〃I'm not going to run away。 I'm not afraid
of him。 I haven't done anything to be ashamed of。〃
The captain nodded。 〃If you had； I should ASK you to run away；〃 he
said。 〃As it is； I ju
