the portygee-第66章
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which he had never expected to see again； looking eagerly down upon
him。
A few more weeks and it was over。 The brief interval of camp life
and the mustering out were things of the past。 Captain Lote and
Albert； seated in the train； were on their way down the Cape； bound
home。 Home！ The word had a significance now which it never had
before。 Home！
Albert drew a long breath。 〃By George！〃 he exclaimed。 〃By George；
Grandfather； this looks good to me！〃
It might not have looked as good to another person。 It was
raining； the long stretches of salt marsh were windswept and brown
and bleak。 In the distance Cape Cod Bay showed gray and white
against a leaden sky。 The drops ran down the dingy car windows。
Captain Zelotes understood； however。 He nodded。
〃It used to look good to me when I was bound home after a v'yage；〃
he observed。 〃Well； son； I cal'late your grandma and Rachel are up
to the depot by this time waitin' for you。 We ain't due for pretty
nigh an hour yet； but I'd be willin' to bet they're there。〃
Albert smiled。 〃My； I do want to see them！〃 he said。
〃Shouldn't wonder a mite if they wanted to see you； boy。 Well； I'm
kind of glad I shooed that reception committee out of the way。 I
presumed likely you'd rather have your first day home to yourself
and us。〃
〃I should say so！ Newspaper reporters are a lot of mighty good
fellows； but I hope I never see another one。 。 。 。 That's rather
ungrateful； I know；〃 he added； with a smile； 〃but I mean itjust
now。〃
He had some excuse for meaning it。 The death of Albert Speranza；
poet and warrior； had made a newspaper sensation。 His resurrection
and return furnished material for another。 Captain Zelotes was not
the only person to meet the transport at the pier； a delegation of
reporters was there also。 Photographs of Sergeant Speranza
appeared once more in print。 This time； however； they were
snapshots showing him in uniform； likenesses of a still handsome；
but less boyish young man； thinner； a scar upon his right cheek；
and the look in his eyes more serious； and infinitely older； the
look of one who had borne much and seen more。 The reporters found
it difficult to get a story from the returned hero。 He seemed to
shun the limelight and to be almost unduly modest and retiring；
which was of itself； had they but known it； a transformation
sufficiently marvelous to have warranted a special 〃Sunday
special。〃
〃Will not talk about himself；〃 so one writer headed his article。
Gertie Kendrick； with a brand…new ring upon her engagement finger；
sniffed as she read that headline to Sam Thatcher； who had
purchased the ring。 〃Al Speranza won't talk about himself！〃
exclaimed Gertie。 〃Well； it's the FIRST time； then。 No wonder
they put it in the paper。〃
But Albert would not talk； claiming that he had done nothing worth
talking about； except to get himself taken prisoner in almost his
first engagement。 〃Go and ask some of the other fellows aboard
here；〃 he urged。 〃They have been all through it。〃 As he would not
talk the newspaper men were obliged to talk for him； which they did
by describing his appearance and his manner； and by rehashing the
story of the fight in the French village。 Also； of course； they
republished some of his verses。 The Lances of Dawn appeared in a
special edition in honor of its author's reappearance on this
earth。
〃Yes sir；〃 continued Captain Zelotes； 〃the reception committee was
consider'ble disappointed。 They'd have met you with the Orham band
if they'd had their way。 I told 'em you'd heard all the band music
you wanted in camp； I guessed likely； and you'd rather come home
quiet。 There was goin' to be some speeches； too； but I had them
put off。〃
〃Thanks； Grandfather。〃
〃Um…hm。 I had a notion you wouldn't hanker for speeches。 If you
do Issy'll make one for you 'most any time。 Ever since you got
into the papers Issy's been swellin' up like a hot pop…over with
pride because you and he was what he calls chummies。 All last
summer Issachar spent his evenin's hangin' around the hotel waitin'
for the next boarder to mention your name。 Sure as one did Is was
ready for him。 'Know him？' he'd sing out。 'Did I know Al
Speranza？ ME？ Well； now say！' And so on； long as the feller
would listen。 I asked him once if he ever told any of 'em how you
ducked him with the bucket of water。 He didn't think I knew about
that and it kind of surprised him； I judged。〃
Albert smiled。 〃Laban told you about it； I suppose；〃 he said。
〃What a kid trick that was； wasn't it？〃
The captain turned his head and regarded him for an instant。 The
old twinkle was in his eye when he spoke。
〃Wouldn't do a thing like that now； Al； I presume likely？〃 he said。
〃Feel a good deal older now； eh？〃
Albert's answer was seriously given。
〃Sometimes I feel at least a hundred and fifty；〃 he replied。
〃Humph！ 。 。 。 Well； I wouldn't feel like that。 If you're a
hundred and fifty I must be a little older than Methuselah was in
his last years。 I'm feelin' younger to…day； younger than I have
for quite a spell。 Yes； for quite a spell。〃
His grandson put a hand on his knee。 〃Good for you； Grandfather；〃
he said。 〃Now tell me more about Labe。 Do you know I think the
old chap's sticking by his pledge is the bulliest thing I've heard
since I've been home。〃
So they talked of Laban and of Rachel and of South Harniss
happenings until the train drew up at the platform of that station。
And upon that platform stepped Albert to feel his grandmother's
arms about him and her voice； tremulous with happiness； at his ear。
And behind her loomed Mrs。 Ellis； her ample face a combination of
smiles and tears； 〃all sunshine and fair weather down below but
rainin' steady up aloft；〃 as Captain Lote described it afterwards。
And behind her； like a foothill in the shadow of a mountain； was
Laban。 And behind Laban No； that is a mistakein front of
Laban and beside Laban and in front of and beside everyone else
when opportunity presented was Issachar。 And Issachar's expression
and bearings were wonderful to see。 A stranger； and there were
several strangers amid the group at the station； might have gained
the impression that Mr。 Price； with of course a very little help
from the Almighty； was responsible for everything。
〃Why； Issy！〃 exclaimed Albert； when they shook hands。 〃You're
here； too； eh？〃
Mr。 Price's already protuberant chest swelled still further。 His
reply had the calmness of finality。
〃Yes； sir；〃 said Issy； 〃I'm here。 'Who's goin' to look out for Z。
Snow and Co。 if all hands walks out and leaves 'em？' Labe says。 'I
don't know；' says I； 'and I don't care。 I'm goin' to that depot to
meet Al Speranzy and if Z。 Snow and Co。 goes to pot while I'm gone
I can't help it。 I have sacrificed；' I says； 'and I stand ready to
sacrifice pretty nigh everything for my business； but there's
limits and this is one of 'em。 I'm goin' acrost to that depot to
meet him；' says I； 'and don't you try to stop me； Labe Keeler。'〃
〃Great stuff； Is！〃 said Albert； with a laugh。 〃What did Labe say
to that？〃
〃What was there for him to say？ He could see I meant it。 Course
he hove out some of his cheap talk； but it didn't amount to
nothin'。 Asked if I wan't goin' to put up a sign sayin' when I'd
be back； so's to ease the customers' minds。 'I don't know when
I'll be back；' I says。 'All right；' says he； 'put that on the
sign。 That'll ease 'em still more。' Just cheap talk 'twas。 He
thinks he's funny； but I don't pay no attention to him。〃
Others came to shake hands and voice a welcome。 The formal
reception； that with the band； had been called off at Captain
Zelotes's request； but the informal one was； in spite of the rain；
which was now much less heavy； quite a sizable gathering。
The Reverend Mr。 Kendall held his hand for a long time and talked
much； it seemed to Albert that he had aged greatly since they last
met。 He wandered a bit in his remarks and repeated himself several
times。
〃The poor old gentleman's failin' a good deal； Albert；〃 said Mrs。
Snow； as they drove home together； he and his grandparents； three
on the seat of the buggy behind Jessamine。 〃H
