the portygee-第70章

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will　have　to　marry　her；　at　least；　I　see　no　way　to　prevent　it。〃

〃Humph！〃　grunted　Fosdick。　　〃And　after　that　I'll　have　to　support
them；　I　suppose。〃

〃Probablyunless　you　want　your　only　child　to　starve。〃

〃Well；　I　must　say；　Henrietta〃

〃You　needn't；　for　there　is　nothing　more　TO　say。　　We're　in　it　and；
whether　we　like　it　or　not；　we　must　make　the　best　of　it。　　To　do
anything　now　except　appear　joyful　about　it　would　be　to　make
ourselves　perfectly　ridiculous。　　We　can't　do　that；　and　you　know
it。〃

Her　husband　still　looked　everything　but　contented。

〃So　far　as　the　young　fellow　himself　goes；〃　he　said；　〃I　like　him；
rather。　　I've　talked　with　him　only　once；　of　course；　and　then　he　and
I　weren't　agreeing　exactly。　　But　I　liked　him；　nevertheless。　　If　he
were　anything　but　a　fool　poet　I　should　be　more　reconciled。〃

He　was　snubbed　immediately。　　〃THAT；〃　declared　Mrs。　Fosdick；　with
decision；　〃is　the　only　thing　that　makes　him　possible。〃

So　Mrs。　Fosdick's　welcome　was　whole…handed　if　not　whole…hearted。
And　her　husband's　also　was　cordial　and　intimate。　　The　only　member
of　the　Fosdick　household　who　did　not　regard　the　guest　with　favor
was　Googoo。　　That　aristocratic　bull…pup　was　still　irreconcilably
hostile。　　When　Albert　attempted　to　pet　him　he　appeared　to　be
planning　to　devour　the　caressing　hand；　and　when　rebuked　by　his
mistress　retired　beneath　a　davenport；　growling　ominously。　　Even
when　ignominiously　expelled　from　the　room　he　growled　and　cast
longing　backward　glances　at　the　Speranza　ankles。　　No；　Googoo　did
not　dissemble；　Albert　was　perfectly　sure　of　his　standing　in
Googoo's　estimation。

Dinner　that　evening　was　a　trifle　more　formal　than　he　had　expected；
and　he　was　obliged　to　apologize　for　the　limitations　of　his
wardrobe。　　His　dress　suit　of　former　days　he　had　found　much　too
dilapidated　for　use。　　Besides；　he　had　outgrown　it。

〃I　thought　I　was　thinner；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　think　I　am。　　But　I　must
have　broadened　a　bit。　　At　any　rate；　all　the　coats　I　left　behind
won't　do　at　all。　　I　shall　have　to　do　what　Captain　Snow；　my
grandfather；　calls　'refit'　here　in　New　York。　　In　a　day　or　two　I
hope　to　be　more　presentable。〃

Mrs。　Fosdick　assured　him　that　it　was　quite　all　right；　really。
Madeline　asked　why　he　didn't　wear　his　uniform。　　〃I　was　dying　to　see
you　in　it；〃　she　said。　　〃Just　think；　I　never　have。〃

Albert　laughed。　　〃You　have　been　spared；〃　he　told　her。　　〃Mine　was
not　a　triumph；　so　far　as　fit　was　concerned。　　Of　course；　I　had　a
complete　new　rig　when　I　came　out　of　the　hospital；　but　even　that　was
not　beautiful。　　It　puckered　where　it　should　have　bulged　and　bulged
where　it　should　have　been　smooth。〃

Madeline　professed　not　to　believe　him。

〃Nonsense！〃　she　declared。　　〃I　don't　believe　it。　　Why；　almost　all
the　fellows　I　know　have　been　in　uniform　for　the　past　two　years　and
theirs　fitted　beautifully。〃

〃But　they　were　officers；　weren't　they；　and　their　uniforms　were
custom　made。〃

〃Why；　I　suppose　so。　　Aren't　all　uniforms　custom　made？〃

Her　father　laughed。　　〃Scarcely；　Maddie；〃　he　said。　　〃The　privates
have　their　custom…made　by　the　mile　and　cut　off　in　chunks　for　the
individual。　　That　was　about　it；　wasn't　it；　Speranza？〃

〃Just　about；　sir。〃

Mrs。　Fosdick　evidently　thought　that　the　conversation　was　taking　a
rather　low　tone。　　She　elevated　it　by　asking　what　his　thoughts　were
when　taken　prisoner　by　the　Germans。　　He　looked　puzzled。

〃Thoughts；　Mrs。　Fosdick？〃　he　repeated。　　〃I　don't　know　that　I
understand；　exactly。　　I　was　only　partly　conscious　and　in　a　good
deal　of　pain　and　my　thoughts　were　rather　incoherent；　I'm　afraid。〃

〃But　when　you　regained　consciousness；　you　know。　　What　were　your
thoughts　then？　　Did　you　realize　that　you　had　made　the　great
sacrifice　for　your　country？　　Risked　your　life　and　forfeited　your
liberty　and　all　that　for　the　cause？　　Wasn't　it　a　great　satisfaction
to　feel　that　you　had　done　that？〃

Albert's　laugh　was　hearty　and　unaffected。　　〃Why；　no；〃　he　said。　　〃I
think　what　I　was　realizing　most　just　then　was　that　I　had　made　a
miserable　mess　of　the　whole　business。　　Failed　in　doing　what　I　set
out　to　do　and　been　taken　prisoner　besides。　　I　remember　thinking；
when　I　was　clear…headed　enough　to　think　anything；　'You　fool；　you
spent　months　getting　into　this　war；　and　then　got　yourself　out　of　it
in　fifteen　minutes。'　　And　it　WAS　a　silly　trick；　too。〃

Madeline　was　horrified。

〃What　DO　you　mean？〃　she　cried。　　〃Your　going　back　there　to　rescue
your　comrade　a　silly　trick！　　The　very　thing　that　won　you　your　Croix
de　Guerre？〃

〃Why；　yes；　in　a　way。　　I　didn't　save　Mike；　poor　fellow〃

〃Mike！　　Was　his　name　Mike？〃

〃Yes；　Michael　Francis　Xavier　Kelly。　　A　South　Boston　Mick　he　was；
and　one　of　the　finest；　squarest　boys　that　ever　drew　breath。　　Well；
poor　Mike　was　dead　when　I　got　to　him；　so　my　trip　had　been　for
nothing；　and　if　he　had　been　alive　I　could　not　have　prevented　his
being　taken。　　As　it　was；　he　was　dead　and　I　was　a　prisoner。　　So
nothing　was　gained　and；　for　me；　personally；　a　good　deal　was　lost。
It　wasn't　a　brilliant　thing　to　do。　　But；〃　he　added　apologetically；
〃a　chap　doesn't　have　time　to　think　collectively　in　such　a　scrape。
And　it　was　my　first　real　scrap　and　I　was　frightened　half　to　death；
besides。〃

〃Frightened！　　Why；　I　never　heard　anything　so　ridiculous！　　What〃

〃One　moment；　Madeline。〃　　It　was　Mrs。　Fosdick　who　interrupted。　　〃I
want　to　askerAlbert　a　question。　　I　want　to　ask　him　if　during
his　long　imprisonment　he　composedwrote；　you　know。　　I　should　have
thought　the　sights　and　experiences　would　have　forced　one　to　express
one's　selfthat　is；　one　to　whom　the　gift　of　expression　was　so
generously　granted；〃　she　added；　with　a　gracious　nod。

Albert　hesitated。

〃Why；　at　first　I　did；〃　he　said。　　〃When　I　first　was　well　enough　to
think；　I　used　to　try　to　writeverses。　　I　wrote　a　good　many。
Afterwards　I　tore　them　up。〃

〃Tore　them　up！〃　　Both　Mrs。　and　Miss　Fosdick　uttered　this　exclamation。

〃Why；　yes。　　You　see；　they　were　such　rot。　　The　things　I　wanted　to
write　about；　the　things　_I_　had　seen　and　was　seeing；　thethe
fellows　like　Mike　and　their　pluck　and　all　thatwell；　it　was　all
too　big　for　me　to　tackle。　　My　jingles　sounded；　when　I　read　them
over；　like　tunes　on　a　street　piano。　_I_　couldn't　do　it。　　A　genius
might　have　been　equal　to　the　job；　but　I　wasn't。〃

Mrs。　Fosdick　glanced　at　her　husband。　　There　was　something　of
alarmed　apprehension　in　the　glance。　　Madeline's　next　remark　covered
the　situation。　　It　expressed　the　absolute　truth；　so　much　more　of
the　truth　than　even　the　young　lady　herself　realized　at　the　time。

〃Why；　Albert　Speranza；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃I　never　heard　you　speak　of
yourself　and　your　work　in　that　way　before。　　AlwaysALWAYS　you　have
had　such　complete；　such　splendid　confidence　in　yourself。　　You　were
never　afraid　to　attempt　ANYTHING。　　You　MUST　not　talk　so。　　Don't　you
intend　to　write　any　more？〃

Albert　looked　at　her。　　〃Oh；　yes；　indeed；〃　he　said　simply。　　〃That　is
just　what　I　do　intend　to　door　try　to　do。〃

That　evening；　alone　in　the　library；　he　and　Madeline　had　their　first
long；　intimate　talk；　the　first　since　those　daysto　him　they　seemed
as　far　away　as　the　last　centurywhen　they　walked　the　South　Harniss
beach　together；　walked　beneath　the　rainbows　and　dreamed。　　And　now
here　was　their　dream　coming　true。

Madeline；　he　was　realizing　it　as　he　looked　at　her；　was　prettier
than　ever。　　She　had　grown　a　little　older；　of　course；　a　little　more
mature；　but　surprisingly　little。　　She　was　still　a　girl；　a　very；
very　pretty　girl　and　a　charming　girl。　　And　he

〃What　are　you　thinking　about？〃　she　demanded　suddenly。

He　came　to　himself。　　〃I　was　thinking　about　you；〃　he　said。　　〃You　are
just　as　you　used　to　be；　just　as　charming　and　just　as　sweet。　　You
haven't　changed。〃

She　smiled　and　then　pouted。

〃I　don't　know　whether　to　like　that　or　not；〃　she　said。　　〃Did　you
expect　to　find　me　lesscharming　and　the　rest？〃

〃Why；　no；　of　course　not。　　That　was　clumsy　on　my　part。　　What　I　meant
was　thatwell；　it　seems　ages；　centuries；　since　we　were　together
there　on　the　Capeand　yet　you　have　not　changed。〃

She　regarded　him　reflectively。

〃You　have；〃　she　said。

〃Have　what？〃

〃Changed。　　You　have　changed　a　good　deal。　　I　don't　know　whether　I
like　it　or　not。　　Perhaps　I　shall　be　more　certain　by　and　by。　　Now
show