the portygee-第51章
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keeps his hair cut； though； I'll say that for him；〃 he added。 〃It
curls some； but it ain't long。 I wouldn't have him in the office
if 'twas。〃
〃Well； Mr。 Fosdick；〃 he continued； 〃what other objections are they？
Manners？ Family and relations？ Education？ Any objections along
that line？〃
〃No…o； no； Iwell； I don't know； you see； I don't know much about
the young fellow。〃
〃Perhaps I can help you out。 As to mannerswell； you can judge
them for yourself when you see him。 He seems to be in about every
kind of social doin's there is down here； and he's as much or more
popular with the summer folks than with the year…'rounders。
Education？ Well； that's fair to middlin'； as I see it。 He spent
nine or ten years in a mighty expensive boardin' school up in New
York State。〃
〃Did he？ What school？〃
The captain gave the name of the school。 Fosdick looked surprised。
〃Humph！ That IS a good school；〃 he said。
〃Is it？ Depends on what you call good； I cal'late。 Al learned a
good deal of this and that； a little bit of foreign language； some
that they call dead and some that ought to be deadand buried；
'cordin' to my notion。 When he came to me he couldn't add up a
column of ten figgers without makin' a mistake； and as for
businesswell； what he knew about business was about equal to what
Noah knew about a gas engine。〃
He paused to chuckle； and Fosdick chuckled with him。
〃As to family；〃 went on Captain Lote； 〃he's a Snow on his mother's
side； and there's been seven generations of Snow's in this part of
the Cape since the first one landed here。 So far as I know；
they've all managed to keep out of jail； which may have been more
good luck than deservin' in some cases。〃
〃His father？〃 queried Fosdick。
The captain's heavy brows drew together。 〃His father was a
Portygeeor Spaniard； I believe is rightand he was a play…actor；
one of thosewhat do you call 'em？opera singers。〃
Fosdick seemed surprised and interested。 〃Oh； indeed；〃 he
exclaimed； 〃an opera singer？ 。 。 。 Why； he wasn't Speranza； the
baritone； was he？〃
〃Maybe； I believe he was。 He married my daughter andwell； we
won't talk about him； if you don't mind。〃
〃But Speranza was a〃
〃IF you don't mind； Mr。 Fosdick。〃
Captain Lote lapsed into silence； drumming the desk with his big
fingers。 His visitor waited for a few moments。 At length he said：
〃Well； Captain Snow； I have answered your questions and you have
answered mine。 Do you think we are any nearer an agreement now？〃
Captain Zelotes seemed to awake with a start。 〃Eh？〃 he queried。
〃Agreement？ Oh； I don't know。 Did you find anyerwhat you
might call vital objections in the boy's record？〃
〃No…o。 No； all that is all right。 His family and his education
and all the rest are good enough； I'm sure。 But； nevertheless〃
〃You still object to the young folks gettin' married。〃
〃Yes； I do。 Hang it all； Snow； this isn't a thing one can reason
out； exactly。 Madeline is our only child； she is our pet； our
baby。 Naturally her mother and I have planned for her； hoped for
her； figured that some day； when we had to give her up； it would
be toto〃
〃To somebody that wasn't Albert Speranza of South Harniss；
Mass。 。 。 。 Eh？〃
〃Yes。 Not that your grandson isn't all right。 I have no doubt he
is a tip…top young fellow。 But； you see〃
Captain Lote suddenly leaned forward。 〃Course I see； Mr。 Fosdick；〃
he interrupted。 〃Course I see。 You object； and the objection
ain't a mite weaker on account of your not bein' able to say
exactly what 'tis。〃
〃That's the idea。 Thank you； Captain。〃
〃You're welcome。 I can understand。 I know just how you feel；
because I've been feelin' the same way myself。〃
〃Oh； you have？ Good！ Then you can sympathize with Mrs。 Fosdick
and with me。 You seeyou understand why we had rather our
daughter did not marry your grandson。〃
〃Sartin。 You see； I've had just the same sort of general kind of
objection to Al's marryin' your daughter。〃
Mr。 Fletcher Fosdick leaned slowly backward in his chair。 His
appearance was suggestive of one who has received an unexpected
thump between the eyes。
〃Oh； you have！〃 he said again； but not with the same expression。
〃Um…hm；〃 said Captain Zelotes gravely。 〃I'm like you in one way；
I've never met your Madeline any more than you have met Al。 I've
seen her once or twice； and she is real pretty and nice…lookin'。
But I don't know her at all。 Now I don't doubt for a minute but
that she's a real nice girl and it might be that she'd make Al a
fairly good wife。〃
〃Erwell；thanks。〃
〃Oh； that's all right； I mean it。 It might be she would。 And I
ain't got a thing against you or your folks。〃
〃Humph；erthanks again。〃
〃That's all right； you don't need to thank me。 But it's this way
with meI live in South Harniss all the year round。 I want to
live here till I die； andafter I die I'd like first…rate to have
Al take up the Z。 Snow and Co。 business and the Snow house and land
and keep them goin' till HE dies。 Mind； I ain't at all sure that
he'll do it； or be capable of doin' it； but that's what I'd like。
Now you're in New York most of the year； and so's your wife and
daughter。 New York is all rightI ain't sayin' a word against it
but New York and South Harniss are different。〃
The Fosdick lip twitched。 〃Somewhat different；〃 he admitted。
〃Um…hm。 That sounds like a joke； I know； but I don't mean it so；
not now。 What I mean is that I know South Harniss and South
Harniss folks。 I don't know New Yorknot so very well； though
I've been there plenty of timesand I don't know New York ways。
But I do know South Harniss ways； and they suit me。 Would they
suit your daughternot just for summer； but as a reg'lar thing
right straight along year in and out？ I doubt it； Mr。 Fosdick； I
doubt it consid'able。 Course I don't know your daughter〃
〃I doand I share your doubts。〃
〃Um…hm。 But whether she liked it or not she'd have to come here if
she married my grandson。 Either that or he'd have to go to New
York。 And if he went to New York； how would he earn his livin'？
Get a new bookkeepin' job and start all over again； or live on
poetry？〃
Mr。 Fosdick opened his mouth as if to speak； seemed to change his
mind and closed it again； without speaking。 Captain Zelotes；
looking keenly at him； seemed to guess his thoughts。
〃Of course；〃 he said deliberately； but with a firmness which
permitted no misunderstanding of his meaning； 〃of course you
mustn't get it into your head for one minute that the boy is
figgerin' on your daughter's bein' a rich girl。 He hasn't given
that a thought。 You take my word for that； Mr。 Fosdick。 He
doesn't know how much money she or you have got and he doesn't
care。 He doesn't care a continental darn。〃
His visitor smiled slightly。 〃Nevertheless；〃 he began。 The
captain interrupted him。
〃No； there ain't any nevertheless；〃 he said。 〃Albert has been with
me enough years now so that I know a little about him。 And I know
that all he wants is your daughter。 As to how much she's worth in
money or how they're goin' to live after he's got herI know that
he hasn't given it one thought。 I don't imagine she has； either。
For one reason；〃 he added； with a smile； 〃he is too poor a business
man to think of marriage as a business； bill…payin' contract； and
for another；for anotherwhy； good Lord； Fosdick！〃 he exclaimed；
leaning forward； 〃don't you know what this thing means to those two
young folks？ It means just moonshine and mush and lookin' into
each other's eyes； that's about all。 THEY haven't thought any
practical thoughts about it。 Why； think what their ages are！
Think of yourself at that age！ Can't you remember。 。 。 。 Humph！
Well； I'm talkin' fifty revolutions to the second。 I beg your
pardon。〃
〃That's all right； Snow。 And I believe you have the situation
sized up as it is。 Still〃
〃Excuse me； Mr。 Fosdick； but don't you think it's about time you
had a look at the boy himself？ I'm goin' to ask him to come in
here and meet you。〃
Fosdick looked troubled。 〃Think it is good policy？〃 he asked
doubtfully。 〃I want to see him and speak with him； but I do hate a
scene。〃
〃There won't be any sce
