the portygee-第61章
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the sitting…room； found Olive crumpled down in the big rocker in an
agony of grief。
〃Oh； don't； Mrs。 Snow； don't；〃 she begged； the tears streaming down
her own cheeks。 〃You mustn't give way to it like this； you mustn't。〃
Olive nodded。
〃I know it； I know it；〃 she admitted； chokingly； wiping her eyes
with a soaked handkerchief。 〃I shan't； Rachel； only this once； I
promise you。 You see I can't。 I just can't on Zelotes's account。
I've got to bear up for his sake。〃
The housekeeper was surprised and a little indignant。
〃For his sake！〃 she repeated。 〃For mercy sakes why for his sake？
Is it any worse for him than 'tis for you。〃
〃Oh； yes； yes； lots worse。 He won't say much； of course； bein'
Zelotes Snow； but you and I know how he's planned； especially these
last years； and how he's begun to count onon Albert。 。 。 。 No；
no； I ain't goin' to cry； Rachel； I ain'tI WON'Tbut sayin' his
name； you know； kind of〃
〃I know； I know。 Land sakes； DON'T I know！ Ain't I doin' it
myself？〃
〃Course you are； Rachel。 But we mustn't when Zelotes is around。
We women； wewell； times like these women HAVE to keep up。 What
would become of the men if we didn't？〃
So she and Rachel 〃kept up〃 in public and when the captain was
present； and he for his part made no show of grief nor asked for
pity。 He was silent； talked little and to the callers who came
either at the house or office was uncomplaining。
〃He died like a man；〃 he told the Reverend Mr。 Kendall when the
latter called。 〃He took his chance； knowin' what that meant〃
〃He was glad to take it；〃 interrupted the minister。 〃Proud and
glad to take it。〃
〃Sartin。 Why not？ Wouldn't you or I have been glad to take ours；
if we could？〃
〃Well； Captain Snow； I am glad to find you so resigned。〃
Captain Zelotes looked at him。 〃Resigned？〃 he repeated。 〃What do
you mean by resigned？ Not to sit around and whimper is one thing
any decent man or woman ought to be able to do that in these days；
but if by bein' resigned you mean I'm contented to have it so
well； you're mistaken； that's all。〃
Only on one occasion； and then to Laban Keeler； did he open his
shell sufficiently to give a glimpse of what was inside。 Laban
entered the inner office that morning to find his employer sitting
in the desk chair； both hands jammed in his trousers' pockets and
his gaze fixed； apparently； upon the row of pigeon…holes。 When the
bookkeeper spoke to him he seemed to wake from a dream； for he
started and looked up。
〃Cap'n Lote；〃 began Keeler； 〃I'm sorry to bother you； but that last
carload of pine was〃
Captain Zelotes waved his hand； brushing the carload of pine out of
the conversation。
〃Labe；〃 he said； slowly； 〃did it seem to you that I was too hard on
him？〃
Laban did not understand。 〃Hard on him？〃 he repeated。 〃I don't
know's I just get〃
〃Hard on Al。 Did it seem to you as if I was a little too much of
the bucko mate to the boy？ Did I drive him too hard？ Was I
unreasonable？〃
The answer was prompt。 〃No； Cap'n Lote；〃 replied Keeler。
〃You mean that？ 。 。 。 Um…hm。 。 。 。 Well； sometimes seems as if I
might have been。 You see； Labe； when he first come I Well； I
cal'late I was consider'ble prejudiced against him。 Account of his
father； you understand。〃
〃Sartin。 Sure。 I understand。〃
〃It took me a good while to get reconciled to the Portygee streak
in him。 It chafed me consider'ble to think there was a foreign
streak in our family。 The Snows have been straight Yankee for a
good long while。 。 。 。 Fact is； II never got really reconciled
to it。 I kept bein' fearful all the time that that streak； his
father's streak； would break out in him。 It never did； except of
course in his poetry and that sort of foolishness； but I was always
scared 'twould； you see。 And nownow that this has happened II
kind of fret for fear that I may have let my notions get ahead of
my fair play。 You think I did give the boy a square deal； Labe？〃
〃Sure thing； Cap'n。〃
〃I'm glad of that。 。 。 。 Andand you cal'late he wasn'twasn't
too prejudiced against me？ I don't mean along at first； I mean
this last year or two。〃
Laban hesitated。 He wished his answer to be not an overstatement；
but the exact truth。
〃I think；〃 he said； with emphasis； 〃that Al was comin' to understand
you better every day he lived； Cap'n。 Yes； and to think more and
more of you； too。 He was gettin' older； for one thingolder； more
of a manyes； yes。〃
Captain Zelotes smiled sadly。 〃He was more boy than man by a good
deal yet；〃 he observed。 〃Well； Labe； he's gone and I'm just
beginnin' to realize how much of life for me has gone along with
him。 He'd been doin' better here in the office for the last two or
three years； seemed to be catchin' on to business better。 Didn't
you think so； Labe？〃
〃Sartin。 Yes indeed。 Fust…rate； fust…rate。〃
〃No； not first…rate。 He was a long ways from a business man yet；
but I did think he was doin' a lot better。 I could begin to see
him pilotin' this craft after I was called ashore。 Now he's gone
and 。 。 。 well； I don't see much use in my fightin' to keep it
afloat。 I'm gettin' along in yearsand what's the use？〃
It was the first time Laban had ever heard Captain Zelotes refer to
himself as an old man。 It shocked him into sharp expostulation。
〃Nonsense！〃 he exclaimed。 〃You ain't old enough for the scrap heap
by a big stretch。 And besides； he made his fight； didn't he？ He
didn't quit； Al didn't； and he wouldn't want us to。 No sir…ee； he
wouldn't！ No； sir； no！ 。 。 。 II hope you'll excuse me； Cap'n
Lote。 Ideclare it must seem to you as if I was talkin' pretty
fresh。 I swan I'm sorry。 I am so 。 。 。 sorry； yes； yes； I be。〃
The captain was not offended。 He waved the apologies aside。
〃So you think it's worth while my fightin' it out； do you； Labe？〃
he asked； reflectively。
〃II think it's what you ought to do anyhow； whether it's worth
while or not。 The whole world's fightin'。 Uncle Sam's fightin'。
Al was fightin'。 You're fightin'。 I'm fightin'。 It's a darn
sight easier to quit； a darn sight； butbut Al didn't quit。 And
and we mustn'tnot if we can help it；〃 he added； drawing a hand
across his forehead。
His agitation seemed to surprise Captain Zelotes。 〃So all hands
are fightin'； are they； Labe；〃 he observed。 〃Well； I presume
likely there's some truth in that。 What's your particular fight；
for instance？〃
The little bookkeeper looked at him for an instant before replying。
The captain's question was kindly asked； but there was； or so Laban
imagined； the faintest trace of sarcasm in its tone。 That trace
decided him。 He leaned across the desk。
〃My particular fight？〃 he repeated。 〃Youyou want to know what
'tis； Cap'n Lote？ All right； all right； I'll tell you。〃
And without waiting for further questioning and with； for him；
surprisingly few repetitions； he told of his 〃enlistment〃 to fight
John Barleycorn for the duration of the war。 Captain Zelotes
listened to the very end in silence。 Laban mopped his forehead
with a hand which shook much as it had done during the interview
with Albert in the room above the shoe store。
〃Therethere；〃 he declared； in conclusion； 〃that's my fight； Cap'n
Lote。 Al and I； wewe kind of went into it together； as you might
say； though his enlistin' was consider'ble more heroic than mine
yes indeed； I should say so 。 。 。 yes； yes； yes。 But I'm fightin'
too 。 。 。 er 。 。 。 I'm fightin' too。〃
Captain Zelotes pulled his beard。
〃How's the fight goin'； Labe？〃 he asked； quietly。
〃Wellwell； it's kind ofkind of spotty； as you might say。
There's spots when I get along fairly smooth and others whenwell；
when it's pretty rough goin'。 I've had four hard spots since Al
went away； but there's two that was the hardest。 One was along
Christmas and New Year time； you know I 'most generally had one of
myerspells along about then。 And t'other is just now； I mean
since we got word aboutabout Al。 I don't suppose likely you
surmised it； Cap'n； butbut I'd come to think a lot of that boy
yes； I had。 Seems funny to you； I don't doubt； but it's so。 And
since the word come； you knowIIwell； I've had some fight；
some fi
