the portygee-第6章
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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 to bed。〃
CHAPTER II
The story of the events which led up to the coming； on this
December night； of a 〃half…breed〃 grandson to the Snow homestead；
was an old story in South Harniss。 The date of its beginning was
as far back as the year 1892。
In the fall of that year Captain Zelotes Snow was in Savannah。
He was in command of the coasting schooner Olive S。 and the said
schooner was then discharging a general cargo； preparatory to
loading with rice and cotton for Philadelphia。 With the captain in
Savannah was his only daughter； Jane Olivia； age a scant eighteen；
pretty； charming； romantic and head over heels in love with a
handsome baritone then singing in a popular…priced grand opera
company。 It was because of this handsome baritone； who； by the
way； was a Spaniard named Miguel Carlos Speranza； that Jane Snow
was then aboard her father's vessel。 Captain Lote was not in the
habit of taking his women…folks on his voyages with him。 〃Skirts
clutter up the deck too much；〃 was his opinion。
He had taken Jane； however； not only on this voyage； but on that
preceding it； which had been to Rio。 It was Captain Lote's belief；
and his wife's hope； that a succession of sea winds might blow away
recollections of Senor Speranza〃fan the garlic out of her head；〃
as the captain inelegantly expressed it。 Jane had spent her
sixteenth and seventeenth years at a school for girls near Boston。
The opera company of which Speranza was a member was performing at
one of the minor theaters。 A party of the school girls； duly
chaperoned and faculty…guarded； of course； attended a series of
matinees。 At these matinees Jane first saw her hero； brave in
doublet and hose； and braver still in melody and romance。 She and
her mates looked and listened and worshiped from afar； as is the
habit of maidenly youth under such circumstances。 There is no
particular danger in such worship provided the worshiper remains
always at a safely remote distance from the idol。 But in Jane's
case this safety…bar was removed by Fate。 The wife of a friend of
her father's； the friend being a Boston merchant named Cole with
whom Captain Zelotes had had business dealings for many years； was
a music lover。 She was in the habit of giving what she was pleased
to call 〃musical teas〃 at her home。 Jane； to whom Mr。 and Mrs。
Cole had taken a marked fancy； was often invited to those teas and；
because the Coles were 〃among our nicest people；〃 she was permitted
by the school authorities to attend。
At one of those teas Senor Miguel Carlos Speranza was the brightest
star。 The Senor； then in his twenty…ninth year； handsome； talented
and picturesque； shone refulgent。 Other and far more experienced
feminine hearts than Jane Snow's were flutteringly disturbed by the
glory of his rays。 Jane and he met； they shook hands； they
conversed。 And at subsequent teas they met again； for Speranza； on
his part； was strongly attracted to the simple； unaffected Cape Cod
schoolgirl。 It was not her beauty alonethough beauty she had and
of an unusual typeit was something else； a personality which
attracted all who met her。 The handsome Spaniard had had many love
affairs of a more or less perfunctory kind； but here was something
different； something he had not known。 He began by exerting his
powers of fascination in a lazy； careless way。 To his astonishment
the said powers were not overwhelming。 If Jane was fascinated she
was not conquered。 She remained sweet； simple； direct； charmingly
aloof。
And Speranza was at first puzzled； then piqued； then himself madly
fascinated。 He wrote fervid letters； he begged for interviews； he
haunted each one of Mrs。 Cole's 〃teas。〃 And； at last； he wrung
from Jane a confession of her love； her promise to marry him。 And
that very week Miss Donaldson； the head of the school； discovered
and read a package of the Senor's letters to her pupil。
Captain Zelotes happened to be at home from a voyage。 Being
summoned from South Harniss； he came to Boston and heard the tale
from Miss Donaldson's agitated lips。 Jane was his joy； his pride；
her future was the great hope and dream of his life。 WHEN she
marriedwhich was not to be thought of for an indefinite number of
years to comeshe would of course marry awell； not a President
of the United States； perhapsbut an admiral possibly； or a
millionaire； or the owner of a fleet of steamships； or something
like that。 The idea that she should even think of marrying a
play…actor was unbelievable。 The captain had never attended the
performance of an opera； what was more； he never expected to attend
one。 He had been given to understand that a 〃parcel of play…actin'
men and women hollered and screamed to music for a couple of
hours。〃 Olive； his wife； had attended an opera once and； according
to her； it was more like a cat fight than anything else。 Nobody
but foreigners ever had anything to do with operas。 And for
foreigners of all kindsbut the Latin variety of foreigner in
particularCaptain Zelotes Snow cherished a detest which was
almost fanatic。
And now his daughter； his own Janie； was receiving ardent love
letters from a play…acting foreigner； a Spaniard； a 〃Portygee；〃 a
〃macaroni…eater〃！ When finally convinced that it was true； that
the letters had really been written to Jane； which took some time；
he demanded first of all to be shown the 〃Portygee。〃 Miss
Donaldson could not； of course； produce the latter forthwith； but
she directed her irate visitor to the theater where the opera
company was then performing。 To the theater Captain Zelotes went。
He did not find Speranza there； but from a frightened attendant he
browbeat the information that the singer was staying at a certain
hotel。 So the captain went to the hotel。 It was eleven o'clock in
the morning； Senor Speranza was in bed and could not be disturbed。
Couldn't； eh？ By the great and everlasting et cetera and continued
he was going to be disturbed then and there。 And unless some of
the hotel's 〃hired help〃 set about the disturbing it would be done
for them。 So； rather than summon the police； the hotel management
summoned its guest； and the first； and only； interview between the
father and lover of Jane Snow took place。
It was not a long interview； but it was spirited。 Captain Zelotes
began by being what he considered diplomatic。 Having assured his
wife before leaving home； and the alarmed Miss Donaldson
subsequently； that there was to be no trouble whatevereverything
would be settled as smooth and easy as slidin' downhill； 〃that
feller won't make any fuss； you'll see〃having thus prophesied；
the captain felt it incumbent upon himself to see to the
fulfillment。 So he began by condescendingly explaining that of
course he was kind of sorry for the young man before him； young
folks were young folks and of course he presumed likely 'twas
natural enough； and the like of that； you understand。 But of
course also Mr。 Speranza must realize that the thing could not go
on any further。 Jane was his daughter and her people were nice
people； and naturally； that being the case； her mother and he would
be pretty particular as to who she kept company with； to say
nothing of marrying； which event was not to be thought of for ten
years； anyway。 Now he didn't want to beerpersonal or anything
like that； and of course he wouldn't think of saying that Mr。
Speranza wasn't a nice enough man forwell； forfor 。 。 。 You
see； everybody wasn't as particular as he and Mrs。 Snow were。 But
Here Senor Speranza interrupted。 He politely desired to know if
the person speaking was endeavoring to convey the idea that he；
Miguel Carlos Speranza； was not of sufficient poseetion； goodness；
standing； what it is？ to be considered as suitor for that person's
daughter's hand。 Did Meester Snow comprehend to whom he addressed
himself？
The interview terminated not long after。 The captain's parting
remark was in the nature of an ultimatum。 It was to the effect
that if Speranza； or any other condemned undesirable like him；
dared to so m
