the portygee-第68章

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Albert　was　looking　at　the　check　and　the　royalty　statement。

〃So　this　is　why　I　couldn't　get　any　satisfaction　from　the　publisher；〃
he　observed。　　〃I　wrote　him　two　or　three　times　about　my　royalties；
and　he　put　me　off　each　time。　　I　began　to　think　there　weren't　any。〃

Captain　Zelotes　smiled。　　〃That's　your　grandma's　doin's；〃　he
observed。　　〃The　check　came　to　us　a　good　while　ago；　when　we　thought
you　waswaswell；　when　we　thought〃

〃Yes。　　Surely；　I　understand；〃　put　in　Albert；　to　help　him　out。

〃Yes。　　That's　when　'twas。　　And　Mother；　she　was　so　proud　of　it；
because　you'd　earned　it；　Al；　that　she　kept　it　and　kept　it；　showin'
it　to　all　hands　andand　so　on。　　And　then　when　we　found　out　you
wasn'tthat　you'd　be　home　some　time　or　otherwhy；　then　she
wouldn't　let　me　put　it　in　the　bank　for　you　because　she　wanted　to
give　it　to　you　herself。　　That's　what　she　said　was　the　reason。　　I
presume　likely　the　real　one　was　that　she　wanted　to　flap　it　in　my
face　every　time　she　crowed　over　my　bad　prophesyin'；　which　was　about
three　times　a　day　and　four　on　Sundays。〃

〃Zelotes　Snow；　the　idea！〃

〃All　right；　Mother；　all　right。　　Anyhow；　she　got　me　to　write　your
publisher　man　and　ask　him　not　to　give　you　any　satisfaction　about
those　royalties；　so's　she　could　be　the　fust　one　to　paralyze　you
with　'em。　　And；〃　with　a　frank　outburst；　〃if　you　ain't　paralyzed；
Al；　I　own　up　that　_I_　am。　　Three　thousand　poetry　profits　beats　me。
_I_　don't　understand　it。〃

His　wife　sniffed。　　〃Of　course　you　don't；〃　she　declared。　　〃But
Albert　does。　　And　so　do　I；　only　I　think　it　ought　to　have　been　ever
and　ever　so　much　more。　　Don't　you；　yourself；　Albert？〃

The　author　of　The　Lances　of　Dawn　was　still　looking　at　the　statement
of　its　earnings。

〃Approximately　eighteen　thousand　sold　at　fifteen　cents　royalty；〃　he
observed。　　〃Humph！　　Well；　I'll　be　hanged！〃

〃But　you　said　it　would　be　twenty…five　cents；　not　fifteen；〃
protested　Olive。　　〃In　your　letter　when　the　book　was　first　talked
about　you　said　so。〃

Albert　smiled。　　〃Did　I？〃　he　observed。　　〃Well；　I　said　a　good　many
things　in　those　days；　I'm　afraid。　　Fifteen　cents　for　a　first　book；
especially　a　book　of　verse；　is　fair　enough；　I　guess。　　But　eighteen
thousand　SOLD！　　That　is　what　gets　me。〃

〃You　mean　you　think　it　ought　to　be　a　lot　more。　　So　do　I；　Albert；
and　so　does　Rachel。　　Why；　we　like　it　a　lot　better　than　we　do　David
Harum。　　That　was　a　nice　book；　but　it　wasn't　lovely　poetry　like
yours。　　And　David　Harum　sold　a　million。　　Why　shouldn't　yours　sell
as　many？　　Only　eighteen　thousandwhy　are　you　lookin'　at　me　so
funny？〃

Her　grandson　rose　to　his　feet。　　〃Let's　let　well　enough　alone；
Grandmother；〃　he　said。　　〃Eighteen　thousand　will　do；　thank　you。
I'm　like　Grandfather；　I'm　wondering　who　on　earth　bought　them。〃

Mrs。　Snow　was　surprised　and　a　little　troubled。

〃Why；　Albert；〃　she　said；　〃you　act　kind　ofkind　of　queer；　seems　to
me。　　You　talk　as　if　your　poetry　wasn't　beautiful。　　You　know　it　is。
You　used　to　say　it　was；　yourself。〃

He　interrupted　her。　　〃Did　I；　Grandmother？〃　he　said。　　〃All　right；
then；　probably　I　did。　　Let's　walk　about　the　old　place　a　little。　　I
want　to　see　it　all。　　By　George；　I've　been　dreaming　about　it　long
enough！〃

There　were　callers　that　afternoon；　friends　among　the　townsfolk；　and
more　still　after　supper。　　It　was　latelate　for　South　Harniss；　that
iswhen　Albert；　standing　in　the　doorway　of　the　bedroom　he　nor　they
had　ever　expected　he　would　occupy　again；　bade　his　grandparents　good
night。　　Olive　kissed　him　again　and　again　and；　speech　failing　her；
hastened　away　down　the　hall。　　Captain　Zelotes　shook　his　hand；
opened　his　mouth　to　speak；　shut　it　again；　repeated　both　operations；
and　at　last　with　a　brief；　〃Well；　good　night；　Al；〃　hurried　after　his
wife。　　Albert　closed　the　door；　put　his　lamp　upon　the　bureau；　and
sat　down　in　the　big　rocker。

In　a　way　the　night　was　similar　to　that　upon　which　he　had　first
entered　that　room。　　It　had　ceased　raining；　but　the　wind；　as　on　that
first　night；　was　howling　and　whining　about　the　eaves；　the　shutters
rattled　and　the　old　house　creaked　and　groaned　rheumatically。　　It
was　not　as　cold　as　on　that　occasion；　though　by　no　means　warm。　　He
remembered　how　bare　and　comfortless　he　had　thought　the　room。　　Now
it　looked　almost　luxurious。　　And　he　had　been　homesick；　or　fancied
himself　in　that　condition。　　Compared　to　the　homesickness　he　had
known　during　the　past　eighteen　months　that　youthful　seizure　seemed
contemptible　and　quite　without　excuse。　　He　looked　about　the　room
again；　looked　long　and　lovingly。　　Then；　with　a　sigh　of　content；
drew　from　his　pocket　the　two　letters　which　had　lain　upon　the
sitting…room　table　when　he　arrived；　opened　them　and　began　to　read。

Madeline　wrote；　as　always；　vivaciously　and　at　length。　　The　maternal
censorship　having　been　removed；　she　wrote　exactly　as　she　felt。　　She
could　scarcely　believe　he　was　really　going　to　be　at　home　when　he
received　this；　at　home　in　dear；　quaint；　queer　old　South　Harniss。
Just　think；　she　had　not　seen　the　place　for　ever　and　ever　so　long；
not　for　over　two　years。　　How　were　all　the　funny；　odd　people　who
lived　there　all　the　time？　　Did　he　remember　how　he　and　she　used　to
go　to　church　every　Sunday　and　sit　through　those　dreadful；　DREADFUL
sermons　by　that　prosy　old　minister　just　as　an　excuse　for　meeting
each　other　afterward？　　She　was　SO　sorry　she　could　not　have　been
there　to　welcome　her　hero　when　he　stepped　from　the　train。　　If　it
hadn't　been　for　Mother's　poor　nerves　she　surely　would　have　been。
He　knew　it；　didn't　he？　　Of　course　he　did。　　But　she　should　see　him
soon　〃because　Mother　is　planning　already　to　come　back　to　New　York
in　a　few　weeks　and　then　you　are　to　run　over　immediately　and　make　us
a　LONG　visit。　　And　I　shall　be　so　PROUD　of　you。　　There　are　lots　of
Army　fellows　down　here　now；　officers　for　the　most　part。　　So　we
dance　and　are　very　gaythat　is；　the　other　girls　are；　I；　being　an
engaged　young　lady；　am　very　circumspect　and　demure；　of　course。
Mother　carries　The　Lances　about　with　her　wherever　she　goes；　to　teas
and　such　things；　and　reads　aloud　from　it　often。　　Captain　Blanchard；
he　is　one　of　the　family's　officer　friends；　is　crazy　about　your
poetry；　dear。　　He　thinks　it　WONDERFUL。　　You　know　what　_I_　think　of
it；　don't　you；　and　when　I　think　that　_I_　actually　helped　you；　or
played　at　helping　you　write　some　of　it！

〃And　I　am　WILD　to　see　your　war　cross。　　Some　of　the　officers　here
have　themthe　crosses；　I　meanbut　not　many。　　Captain　Blanchard
has　the　military　medal；　and　he　is　almost　as　modest　about　it　as　you
are　about　your　decoration。　　I　don't　see　how　you　CAN　be　so　modest。
If　_I_　had　a　Croix　de　Guerre　I　should　want　EVERY　ONE　to　know　about
it。　　At　the　tea　dance　the　other　afternoon　there　was　a　British　major
who〃

And　so　on。　　The　second　letter　was　really　a　continuation　of　the
first。　　Albert　read　them　both　and；　after　the　reading　was　finished；
sat　for　some　time　in　the　rocking　chair；　quite　regardless　of　the
time　and　the　cold；　thinking。　　He　took　from　his　pocketbook　a
photograph；　one　which　Madeline　had　sent　him　months　before；　which
had　reached　him　while　he　lay　in　the　French　hospital　after　his
removal　from　the　German　camp。　　He　looked　at　the　pretty　face　in　the
photograph。　　She　looked　just　as　he　remembered　her；　almost　exactly
as　she　had　looked　more　than　two　years　before；　smiling；　charming；
carefree。　　She　had　not；　apparently；　grown　older；　those　age…long
months　had　not　changed　her。　　He　rose　and　regarded　his　own
reflection　in　the　mirror　of　the　bureau。　　He　was　surprised；　as　he
was　constantly　being　surprised；　to　see　that　he；　too；　had　not
changed　greatly　in　personal　appearance。

He　walked　about　the　room。　　His　grandmother　had　told　him　that　his
room　was　just　as　he　had　left　it。　　〃I　wouldn't　change　it；　Albert；〃
she　said；　〃even　when　we　thought　youyou　wasn't　comin'　back。　　I
couldn't　touch　it；　somehow。　　I　kept　thinkin'；　'Some　day　I　will。
Pretty　soon　I　MUST。'　　But　I　never　did；　and　now　I'm　so　glad。〃

He　wandered　back　to　the　bureau　and　pulled　open　the　upper　drawers。
In　those　drawers　were　so　many　things；　things　which　he　had　kept
there；　either　deliberately　or　because　he　was　too　indolent　to
destroy　them。　　Old　dance　cards；　invitations；　and　a　bundle　of
photographs；　snapshots。　　He　removed　the　rubber　band　from　the　bundle
and　st