the portygee-第52章

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doubtfully。　　〃I　want　to　see　him　and　speak　with　him；　but　I　do　hate　a
scene。〃

〃There　won't　be　any　scene。　　You　just　meet　him　face　to　face　and　talk
enough　with　him　to　get　a　little　idea　of　what　your　first　impression
is。　　Don't　contradict　or　commit　yourself　or　anything。　　And　I'll
send　him　out　at　the　end　of　two　or　three　minutes。〃

Without　waiting　for　a　reply；　he　rose；　opened　the　door　to　the　outer
office　and　called；　〃Al；　come　in　here！〃　　When　Albert　had　obeyed　the
order　he　closed　the　door　behind　him　and　turning　to　the　gentleman　in
the　visitor's　chair；　said：　　〃Mr。　Fosdick；　this　is　my　grandson；
Albert　Speranza。　　Al；　shake　hands　with　Mr。　Fosdick　from　New　York。〃

While　awaiting　the　summons　to　meet　the　father　of　his　adored；　Albert
had　been　rehearsing　and　re…rehearsing　the　speeches　he　intended
making　when　that　meeting　took　place。　　Sitting　at　his　desk；　pen　in
hand　and　pretending　to　be　busy　with　the　bookkeeping　of　Z。　Snow　and
Company；　he　had　seen；　not　the　ruled　page　of　the　day　book；　but　the
parental　countenance　of　the　Honorable　Fletcher　Fosdick。　　And；　to
his　mind's　eye；　that　countenance　was　as　rugged　and　stern　as　the
rock…bound　coast　upon　which　the　Pilgrims　landed；　and　about　as
unyielding　and　impregnable　as　the　door　of　the　office　safe。　　So；
when　his　grandfather　called　him；　he　descended　from　the　tall　desk
stool　and　crossed　the　threshold　of　the　inner　room；　a　trifle　pale；　a
little　shaky　at　the　knees；　but　with　the　set　chin　and　erect　head　of
one　who；　facing　almost　hopeless　odds；　intends　fighting　to　the　last
gasp。

To　his　astonishment　the　Fosdick　countenance　was　not　as　his
imagination　had　pictured　it。　　The　blue　eyes　met　his；　not　with　a
glare　or　a　glower；　but　with　a　look　of　interest　and　inquiry。　　The
Fosdick　hand　shook　his　with　politeness；　and　the　Fosdick　manner　was；
if　not　genial；　at　least　quiet　and　matter　of　fact。　　He　was　taken
aback。　　What　did　it　mean？　　Was　it　possible　that　Madeline's　father
was　inclined　to　regard　her　engagement　to　him　with　favor？　　A　great
throb　of　joy　accompanied　the　thought。　　Then　he　remembered　the
letter　he　had　just　read；　the　letter　from　Madeline's　mother；　and　the
hope　subsided。

〃Albert；〃　said　Captain　Zelotes；　〃Mr。　Fosdick　has　come　on　here　to
talk　with　us；　that　is；　with　me　and　you；　about　your　affairs。　　He　and
I　have　talked　up　to　the　point　where　it　seemed　to　me　you　ought　to
come　in　for　a　spell。　　I've　told　him　that　the　news　that　you　and　his
daughter　wereerfavorably　disposed　toward　each　other　was　as
sudden　and　as　big　a　surprise　to　me　as　'twas　to　him。　　Even　your
grandma　don't　know　it　yet。　　Now　I　presume　likely　he'd　like　to　ask
you　a　few　questions。　　Heave　ahead；　Mr。　Fosdick。〃

He　relit　his　cigar　stump　and　leaned　back　in　his　chair。　　Mr。　Fosdick
leaned　forward　in　his。　　Albert　stood　very　straight；　his　shoulders
braced　for　the　encounter。　　The　quizzical　twinkle　shone　in　Captain
Lote's　eye　as　he　regarded　his　grandson。　　Fosdick　also　smiled
momentarily　as　he　caught　the　expression　of　the　youth's　face。

〃Well；　Speranza；〃　he　began；　in　so　cheerful　a　tone　that　Albert's
astonishment　grew　even　greater；　〃your　grandfather　has　been　kind
enough　to　get　us　through　the　preliminaries；　so　we'll　come　at　once
to　the　essentials。　　You　and　my　daughter　consider　yourselves　engaged
to　marry？〃

〃Yes；　sir。　　We　ARE　engaged。〃

〃I　see。　　How　long　have　youumbeen　that　way；　so　to　speak？〃

〃Since　last　August。〃

〃Why　haven't　you　said　anything　about　it　to　usto　Mrs。　Fosdick　or
me　or　your　people　here？　　You　must　excuse　these　personal　questions。
As　I　have　just　said　to　Captain　Snow；　Madeline　is　our　only　child；
and　her　happiness　and　welfare　mean　about　all　there　is　in　life　to
her　mother　and　me。　　So；　naturally；　the　man　she　is　going　to　marry　is
an　important　consideration。　　You　and　I　have　never　met　before；　so
the　quickest　way　of　reaching　an　understanding　between　us　is　by　the
question　route。　　You　get　my　meaning？〃

〃Yes；　sir；　I　guess　I　do。〃

〃Good！　　Then　we'll　go　ahead。　　Why　have　you　two　kept　it　a　secret　so
long？〃

〃Becausewell；　because　we　knew　we　couldn't　marry　yet　a　while；　so
we　thought　we　had　better　not　announce　it　for　the　present。〃

〃Oh！　。　。　。　　And　the　idea　that　perhaps　Mrs。　Fosdick　and　I　might　be
slightly　interested　didn't　occur　to　you？〃

〃Why；　yes；　sir；　it　did。　　But；but　we　thought　it　best　not　to　tell
you　until　later。〃

〃Perhaps　the　suspicion　that　we　might　not　be　overjoyed　by　the　news
had　a　little　weight　with　you；　eh？　　Possibly　that　helped　to　delay
theerannouncement？〃

〃No；　sir；　II　don't　think　it　did。〃

〃Oh；　don't　you！　　Perhaps　you　thought　we　WOULD　be　overjoyed？〃

〃No；　sir。　　We　didn't　think　so　very　much　about　it。　　Well；　that's　not
quite　true。　　Madeline　felt　that　her　motherand　you；　too；　sir；　I
suppose；　although　she　didn't　speak　as　often　of　you　in　that　wayshe
felt　that　her　mother　would　disapprove　at　first；　and　so　we　had
better　wait。〃

〃Until　when？〃

〃Untiluntil　by　and　by。　　Until　I　had　gone　ahead　further；　you
know。〃

〃I'm　not　sure　that　I　do　know。　　Gone　ahead　how？　　Until　you　had　a
better　position；　more　salary？〃

〃No；　not　exactly。　　Until　my　writings　were　better　known。　　Until　I
was　a　little　more　successful。〃

〃Successful？　　Until　you　wrote　more　poetry；　do　you　mean？〃

〃Yes；　sir。　　Poetry　and　other　things；　stories　and　plays；　perhaps。〃

〃Do　you　mean　　Did　you　figure　that　you　and　Madeline　were　to　live
on　what　you　made　by　writing　poetry　and　the　other　stuff？〃

〃Yes；　sir；　of　course。〃

Fosdick　looked　across　at　Captain　Zelotes。　　The　Captain's　face　was
worth　looking　at。

〃Here；　here；　hold　on！〃　he　exclaimed；　jumping　into　the　conversation。
〃Al；　what　are　you　talkin'　about？　　You're　bookkeeper　for　me；　ain't
you；　for　this　concern　right　here　where　you　are？　　What　do　you　mean
by　talkin'　as　if　your　job　was　makin'　up　poetry　pieces？　　That's　only
what　you　do　on　the　side；　and　you　know　it。　　Eh；　ain't　that　so？〃

Albert　hesitated。　　He　had；　momentarily；　forgotten　his　grandfather
and　the　latter's　prejudices。　　After　all；　what　was　the　use　of
stirring　up　additional　trouble。

〃Yes；　Grandfather；〃　he　said。

〃Course　it's　so。　　It's　in　this　office　that　you　draw　your　wages。〃

〃Yes；　Grandfather。〃

〃All　right。　　Excuse　me　for　nosin'　in；　Mr。　Fosdick；　but　I　knew　the
boy　wasn't　puttin'　the　thing　as　plain　as　it　ought　to　be；　and　I
didn't　want　you　to　get　the　wrong　notion。　　Heave　ahead。〃

Fosdick　smiled　slightly。　　〃All　right；　Captain；〃　he　said。　　〃I　get
it；　I　think。　　Well；　then；〃　turning　again　to　Albert；　〃your　plan　for
supporting　my　daughter　was　to　wait　until　your　position　here；　plus
the　poetry；　should　bring　in　sufficient　revenue。　　It　didn't　occur　to
you　thatwell；　that　there　might　be　a　possibility　of　getting　money
elsewhere？〃

Albert　plainly　did　not　understand；　but　it　was　just　as　plain　that
his　grandfather　did。　　Captain　Zelotes　spoke　sharply。

〃Mr。　Fosdick；〃　he　said；　〃I　just　answered　that　question　for　you。〃

〃Yes；　I　know。　　But　if　you　were　in　my　place　you　might　like　to　have
him　answer　it。　　I　don't　mean　to　be　offensive；　but　business　is
business；　and；　after　all；　this　is　a　business　talk。　　So〃

The　Captain　interrupted。　　〃So　we'll　talk　it　in　a　business　way；　eh？〃
he　snapped。　　〃All　right。　　Al；　what　Mr。　Fosdick　means　is　had　you
cal'lated　that；　if　you　married　his　daughter；　maybe　her　dad's　money
might　help　you　and　her　to　keep　goin'？　　To　put　it　even　plainer：　had
you　planned　some　on　her　bein'　a　rich　girl？〃

Fosdick　looked　annoyed。　　〃Oh；　I　say；　Snow！〃　he　cried。　　〃That's　too
strong；　altogether。〃

〃Not　a　mite。　　It's　what　you've　had　in　the　back　of　your　head　all
along。　　I'm　just　helpin'　it　to　come　out　of　the　front。　　Well；　Al？〃

The　red　spots　were　burning　in　the　Speranza　cheeks。　　He　choked　as　he
answered。

〃No；〃　he　cried　fiercely。　　〃Of　course　I　haven't　planned　on　any　such
thing。　　I　don't　know　how　rich　she　is。　　I　don't　care。　　I　wish　she
was　as　poor　asas　I　am。　　I　want　HER；　that's　all。　　And　she　wants
me。　　We　don't　either　of　us　care　about　money。　　I　wouldn't　take　a
cent　of　your　money；　Mr。　Fosdick。　　But　II　want　Madeline　andand
I　shall　have　her。〃

〃In　spite　of　her　parents；　eh？〃

〃Yes。　。　。　。　　I'm　sorry　to　speak　so；　Mr。　Fosdick；　but　it　is　true。
Wewe　love　each　other。　　Wewe've　agreed　to　wait　for　each　other；
no　matterno　matter　if　it　is　years　and　years。　　And　as　for　the
money　and　all　that；　if