the portygee-第5章
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anything to raise such a row about？
Plainly； he decided； this was a strange place； this household of
his grandparents。 His premonition that they might be 〃Rubes〃
seemed likely to have been well founded。 What would his father
his great； world…famous fatherhave thought of them？ 〃Bah！ these
Yankee bourgeoisie！〃 He could almost hear him say it。 Miguel
Carlos Speranza detestedin privatethe Yankee bourgeoisie。 He
took their money and he married one of their daughters； but he
detested them。 During his last years； when the money had not
flowed his way as copiously； the detest grew。
〃You won't say anything about Laban before Mrs。 Ellis； will you；
Albert？〃 persisted Mrs。 Snow。 〃She's dreadful sensitive。 I'll
explain by and by。〃
He promised； repressing a condescending smile。
Both the housekeeper and Captain Snow returned in a few minutes。
The latter reported that the mare was safe and sound in her stall。
〃The harness was mostly on the floor； but Jess was all right； thank
the Lord；〃 observed the captain。
〃Jess is our horse's name； Albert；〃 explained Mrs。 Snow。 〃That is；
her name's Jessamine； but Zelotes can't ever seem to say the whole
of any name。 When we first bought Jessamine I named her Magnolia；
but he called her 'Mag' all the time and I COULDN'T stand that。
Have some more preserves； Albert； do。〃
All through the meal Albert was uneasily conscious that his
grandfather was looking at him from under the shaggy brows；
measuring him； estimating him； reading him through and through。 He
resented the scrutiny and the twinkle of sardonic humor which； it
seemed to him； accompanied it。 His way of handling his knife and
fork； his clothes； his tie； his manner of eating and drinking and
speaking； all these Captain Zelotes seemed to note and appraise。
But whatever the results of his scrutiny and appraisal might be
he kept them entirely to himself。 When he addressed his grandson
directly； which was not often； his remarks were trivial commonplaces
and； although pleasant enough； were terse and to the point。
Several times Mrs。 Snow would have questioned Albert concerning the
life at school； but each time her husband interfered。
〃Not now； not now； Mother；〃 he said。 〃The boy ain't goin' to run
away to…night。 He'll be here to…morrow and a good many to…morrows；
if〃and here again Albert seemed to detect the slight sarcasm and
the twinkle〃if we old…fashioned 'down easters' ain't too common
and every…day for a high…toned young chap like him to put up with。
No； no； don't make him talk to…night。 Can't you see he's so sleepy
that it's only the exercise of openin' his mouth to eat that keeps
his eyes from shuttin'？ How about that； son？〃
It was perfectly true。 The long train ride； the excitement； the
cold wait on the station platform and the subsequent warmth of the
room； the hearty meal； all these combined to make for sleepiness
so overpowering that several times the boy had caught his nose
descending toward his plate in a most inelegant nod。 But it hurt
his pride to think his grandfather had noticed his condition。
〃Oh； I'm all right；〃 he said； with dignity。
Somehow the dignity seemed to have little effect upon Captain
Zelotes。
〃Umyes； I know；〃 observed the latter dryly； 〃but I guess likely
you'll be more all right in bed。 Mother； you'll show Albert where
to turn in； won't you？ There's your suitcase out there in the
hall； son。 I fetched it in from the barn just now。〃
Mrs。 Snow ventured a protest。
〃Oh； Zelotes；〃 she cried； 〃ain't we goin' to talk with him at ALL？
Why； there is so much to say！〃
〃'Twill say just as well to…morrow mornin'； Mother； better； because
we'll have all day to say it in。 Get the lamp。〃
Albert looked at his watch。
〃Why； it's only half…past nine；〃 he said。
Captain Zelotes； who also had been looking at the watch； which was
a very fine and very expensive one； smiled slightly。 〃Half…past
nine some nights；〃 he said； 〃is equal to half…past twelve others。
This is one of the some。 There； there； son； you're so sleepy this
minute that you've got a list to starboard。 When you and I have
that talk that's comin' to us we want to be shipshape and on an
even keel。 Rachel； light that lamp。〃
The housekeeper brought in and lighted a small hand lamp。 Mrs。
Snow took it and led the way to the hall and the narrow； breakneck
flight of stairs。 Captain Zelotes laid a hand on his grandson's
shoulder。
〃Good…night； son；〃 he said quietly。
Albert looked into the gray eyes。 Their expression was not
unkindly； but there was； or he imagined there was； the same
quizzical； sardonic twinkle。 He resented that twinkle more than
ever； it made him feel very young indeed； and correspondingly
obstinate。 Something of that obstinacy showed in his own eyes as
he returned his grandfather's look。
〃Good…nightsir；〃 he said； and for the life of him he could not
resist hesitating before adding the 〃sir。〃 As he climbed the steep
stairs he fancied he heard a short sniff or chucklehe was not
certain whichfrom the big man in the dining…room。
His bedroom was a good…sized room； that is； it would have been of
good size if the person who designed it had known what the term
〃square〃 meant。 Apparently he did not； and had built the apartment
on the hit…or…miss； higglety…pigglety pattern； with unexpected
alcoves cut into the walls and closets and chimneys built out from
them。 There were three windows； a big bed； an old…fashioned
bureau； a chest of drawers； a washstand； and several old…fashioned
chairs。 Mrs。 Snow put the lamp upon the bureau。 She watched him
anxiously as he looked about the room。
〃Dodo you like it？〃 she asked。
Albert replied that he guessed he did。 Perhaps there was not too
much certainty in his tone。 He had never before seen a room like
it。
〃Oh； I hope you will like it！ It was your mother's room； Albert。
She slept here from the time she was seven untiluntil she went
away。〃
The boy looked about him with a new interest； an odd thrill。 His
mother's room。 His mother。 He could just remember her； but that
was all。 The memories were childish and unsatisfactory； but they
were memories。 And she had slept there； this had been her room
when she was a girl； before she married； beforelong before such a
person as Alberto Miguel Carlos Speranza had been even dreamed of。
That was strange； it was queer to think about。 Long before he was
born； when she was years younger than he as he stood there now； she
had stood there； had looked from those windows； had
His grandmother threw her arms about his neck and kissed him。 Her
cheek was wet。
〃Good…night； Albert；〃 she said chokingly； and hurried out of the
room。
He undressed quickly； for the room was very cold。 He opened the
window； after a desperate struggle； and climbed into bed。 The
wind； whistling in； obligingly blew out the lamp for him。 It
shrieked and howled about the eaves and the old house squeaked and
groaned。 Albert pulled the comforter up about his neck and
concentrated upon the business of going to sleep。 He； who could
scarcely remember when he had had a real home； was desperately
homesick。
Downstairs in the dining…room Captain Zelotes stood； his hands in
his pockets； looking through the mica panes of the stove door at
the fire within。 His wife came up behind him and laid a hand on
his sleeve。
〃What are you thinkin' about； Father？〃 she asked。
Her husband shook his head。 〃I was wonderin'；〃 he said； 〃what my
granddad； the original Cap'n Lote Snow that built this house； would
have said if he'd known that he'd have a great…great…grandson come
to live in it who was；〃 scornfully； 〃a half…breed。〃
Olive's grip tightened on his arm。
〃Oh； DON'T talk so； Zelotes；〃 she begged。 〃He's our Janie's boy。〃
The captain opened the stove door； regarded the red…hot coals for
an instant； and then slammed the door shut again。
〃I know； Mother；〃 he said grimly。 〃It's for the sake of Janie's
half that I'm takin' in the other。〃
〃Butbut； Zelotes； don't you think he seems like a nice boy？〃
The twinkle reappeared in Captain Lote's eyes。
〃I think HE thinks he's a nice boy； Mother；〃 he said。 〃There；
there； let's go t
