the portygee-第67章
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Snow； as they drove home together； he and his grandparents； three
on the seat of the buggy behind Jessamine。 〃His sermons are pretty
tiresome nowadays； but we put up with 'em because he's been with us
so long。 。 。 。 Ain't you squeezed 'most to death； Albert？ You two
big men and me all mashed together on this narrow seat。 It's lucky
I'm small。 Zelotes ought to get a two…seated carriage； but he
won't。〃
〃Next thing I get； Mother；〃 observed the captain； 〃will be an
automobile。 I'll stick to the old mare here as long as she's able
to navigate； but when she has to be hauled out of commission I'm
goin' to buy a car。 I believe I'm pretty nigh the last man in this
county to drive a horse； as 'tis。 Makes me feel like what Sol
Dadgett calls a cracked teapota 'genuine antique。' One of these
city women will be collectin' me some of these days。 Better look
out； mother。〃
Olive sighed happily。 〃It does me good to hear you joke again；
Zelotes；〃 she said。 〃He didn't joke much； Albert； whilewhen we
thought youyou〃
Albert interrupted in time to prevent the threatened shower。
〃So Mr。 Kendall is not well；〃 he said。 〃I'm very sorry to hear
it。〃
〃Of course you would be。 You and he used to be so friendly when
Helen was home。 Oh； speakin' of Helen； she IS comin' home in a
fortni't or three weeks； so I hear。 She's goin' to give up her
teachin' and come back to be company for her father。 I suppose she
realizes he needs her； but it must be a big sacrifice for her；
givin' up the good position she's got now。 She's such a smart girl
and such a nice one。 Why； she came to see us after the news came
the bad newsand she was so kind and so good。 I don't know what
we should have done without her。 Zelotes says so too； don't you；
Zelotes？〃
Her husband did not answer。 Instead he said： 〃Well； there's home；
Al。 Rachel's there ahead of us and dinner's on the way； judgin' by
the smoke from the kitchen chimney。 How does the old place look to
you； boy？〃
Albert merely shook his head and drew a long breath； but his
grandparents seemed to be quite satisfied。
There were letters and telegrams awaiting him on the table in the
sitting…room。 Two of the letters were postmarked from a town on
the Florida coast。 The telegram also was from that same town。
〃_I_ had one of those things；〃 observed Captain Zelotes； alluding
to the telegram。 〃Fosdick sent me one of those long ones； night…
letters I believe they call 'em。 He wants me to tell you that Mrs。
Fosdick is better and that they cal'late to be in New York before
very long and shall expect you there。 Of course you knew that； Al；
but I presume likely the main idea of the telegram was to help say；
'Welcome home' to you； that's all。〃
Albert nodded。 Madeline and her mother had been in Florida all
winter。 Mrs。 Fosdick's health was not good。 She declared that her
nerves had given way under her frightful responsibilities during
the war。 There was； although it seems almost sacrilege to make
such a statement； a certain similarity between Mrs。 Fletcher
Fosdick and Issachar Price。 The telegram was； as his grandfather
surmised； an expression of welcome and of regret that the senders
could not be there to share in the reception。 The two letters
which accompanied it he put in his pocket to read later on； when
alone。 Somehow he felt that the first hours in the old house
belonged exclusively to his grandparents。 Everything else； even
Madeline's letters； must take second place for that period。
Dinner was； to say the least； an ample meal。 Rachel and Olive had；
as Captain Lote said； 〃laid themselves out〃 on that dinner。 It
began well and continued well and ended best of all； for the
dessert was one of which Albert was especially fond。 They kept
pressing him to eat until Laban； who was an invited guest； was
moved to comment。
〃Humph！〃 observed Mr。 Keeler。 〃I knew 'twas the reg'lar program to
kill the fatted calf when the prodigal got home； but I see now it's
the proper caper to fat up the prodigal to take the critter's place。
No； no； Rachel； I'd like fust…rate to eat another bushel or so to
please you； but somethin'that still； small voice we're always
readin' about； or somethin'seems to tell me 'twouldn't be good
jedgment。 。 。 。 Um…hm。 。 。 。 'Twouldn't be good jedgment。 。 。 。
Cal'late it's right； too。 。 。 。 Yes； yes； yes。〃
〃Now； Cap'n Lote；〃 he added； as they rose from the table； 〃you stay
right to home here for the rest of the day。 I'll hustle back to
the office and see if Issy's importance has bust his b'iler for
him。 So…long； Al。 See you pretty soon。 Got some things to talk
about； you and I have。 。 。 。 Yes； yes。〃
Later； when Rachel was in the kitchen with the dishes； Olive left
the sitting room and reappeared with triumph written large upon her
face。 In one hand she held a mysterious envelope and in the other
a book。 Albert recognized that book。 It was his own； The Lances
of Dawn。 It was no novelty to him。 When first the outside world
and he had reopened communication； copies of that book had been
sent him。 His publisher had sent them； Madeline had sent them； his
grandparents had sent them； comrades had sent them； nurses and
doctors and newspaper men had brought them。 No； The Lances of Dawn
was not a novelty to its author。 But he wondered what was in the
envelope。
Mrs。 Snow enlightened him。 〃You sit right down now； Albert；〃 she
said。 〃Sit right down and listen because I've got somethin' to
tell you。 Yes； and somethin' to show you； too。 Here！ Stop now；
Zelotes！ You can't run away。 You've got to sit down and look on
and listen； too。〃
Captain Zelotes smiled resignedly。 There was； or so it seemed to
his grandson； an odd expression on his face。 He looked pleased；
but not altogether pleased。 However； he obeyed his wife's orders
and sat。
〃Stop； look and listen；〃 he observed。 〃Mother； you sound like a
railroad crossin'。 All right； here I am。 Al； the society of 'What
did I tell you' is goin' to have a meetin'。〃
His wife nodded。 〃Well；〃 she said； triumphantly； 〃what DID I tell
you？ Wasn't I right？〃
The captain pulled his beard and nodded。
〃Right as right could be； Mother；〃 he admitted。 〃Your figgers was
a few hundred thousand out of the way； maybe； but barrin' that you
was perfectly right。〃
〃Well； I'm glad to hear you say so for once in your life。 Albert；〃
holding up the envelope； 〃do you know what this is？〃
Albert； much puzzled； admitted that he did not。 His grandmother
put down the book； opened the envelope and took from it a slip of
paper。
〃And can you guess what THIS is？〃 she asked。 Albert could not
guess。
〃It's a check； that's what it is。 It's the first six months'
royalties； that's what they call 'em； on that beautiful book of
yours。 And how much do you suppose 'tis？〃
Albert shook his head。 〃Twenty…five dollars？〃 he suggested
jokingly。
〃Twenty…five dollars！ It's over twenty…five HUNDRED dollars。 It's
twenty…eight hundred and forty…three dollars and sixty…five cents；
that's what it is。 Think of it！ Almost three thousand dollars！
And Zelotes prophesied that 'twouldn't be more than〃
Her husband held up his hand。 〃Sh…sh！ Sh…sh； Mother；〃 he said。
〃Don't get started on what I prophesied or we won't be through till
doomsday。 I'll give in right off that I'm the worst prophet since
the feller that h'isted the 'Fair and Dry' signal the day afore
Noah's flood begun。 You see；〃 he explained； turning to Albert；
〃your grandma figgered out that you'd probably clear about half a
million on that book of poetry； Al。 I cal'lated 'twan't likely to
be much more'n a couple of hundred thousand； so〃
〃Why； Zelotes Snow！ You said〃
〃Yes； yes。 So I did； Mother； so I did。 You was right and I was
wrong。 Twenty…eight hundred ain't exactly a million； Al； but it's
a darn sight more than I ever cal'lated you'd make from that book。
Or 'most anybody else ever made from any book； fur's that goes；〃 he
added； with a shake of the head。 〃I declare； II don't understand
it yet。 And a poetry book； too！ Who in time BUYS 'em all？ Eh？〃
Albert was looking at the check and the royalty statement。
〃So this is why I couldn
