the portygee-第76章

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parsonage。　　He　was　doing　nothing　in　particular　and　it　would　be　a
pleasure；　he　said。　　Mr。　Kendall　protested　for　the　first　minute　or
so　but　then　forgot　just　what　the　protest　was　all　about　and　rambled
garrulously　on　about　affairs　in　the　parish。　　He　had　failed　in　other
faculties；　but　his　flow　of　language　was　still　unimpeded。　　They
entered　the　gate　of　the　parsonage。　　Albert　put　the　basket　on　the
upper　step。

〃There；〃　he　said；　〃now　I　must　go。　　Good　morning；　Mr。　Kendall。〃

〃Oh；　but　you　aren't　going？　　You　must　come　in　a　moment。　　I　want　to
give　you　the　manuscript　of　that　sermon　of　mine　on　the　casting　down
of　Baal；　that　is　the　one　in　which　I　liken　the　military　power　of
Germany　to　the　brazen　idol　which。　。　。　。　　Just　a　moment；　Albert。
The　manuscript　is　in　my　desk　and。　。　。　。　　Oh；　dear　me；　the　door　is
locked。　。　。　。　　Helen；　Helen！〃

He　was　shaking　the　door　and　shouting　his　daughter's　name。　　Albert
was　surprised　and　not　a　little　disturbed。　　It　had　not　occurred　to
him　that　Helen　could　be　at　home。　　It　is　true　that　before　he　left
for　New　York　his　grandmother　had　said　that　she　was　planning　to
return　home　to　be　with　her　father；　but　since　then　he　had　heard
nothing　more　concerning　her。　　Neither　of　his　grandparents　had
mentioned　her　name　in　their　letters；　nor　since　his　arrival　the　day
before　had　they　mentioned　it。　　And　Mr。　Kendall　had　not　spoken　of
her　during　their　walk　together。　　Albert　was　troubled　and　taken
aback。　　In　one　way　he　would　have　liked　to　meet　Helen　very　much
indeed。　　They　had　not　met　since　before　the　war。　　But　he　did　not；
somehow；　wish　to　meet　her　just　then。　　He　did　not　wish　to　meet
anyone　who　would　speak　of　Madeline；　or　ask　embarrassing　questions。
He　turned　to　go。

〃Another　time；　Mr。　Kendall；〃　he　said。　　〃Good　morning。〃

But　he　had　gone　only　a　few　yards　when　the　reverend　gentleman　was
calling　to　him　to　return。

〃Albert！　　Albert！〃　called　Mr。　Kendall。

He　was　obliged　to　turn　back；　he　could　do　nothing　else；　and　as　he
did　so　the　door　opened。　　It　was　Helen　who　opened　it　and　she　stood
there　upon　the　threshold　and　looked　down　at　him。　　For　a　moment；　a
barely　perceptible　interval；　she　looked；　then　he　heard　her　catch
her　breath　quickly　and　saw　her　put　one　hand　upon　the　door　jamb　as
if　for　support。　　The　next；　and　she　was　running　down　the　steps；　her
hands　outstretched　and　the　light　of　welcome　in　her　eyes。

〃Why；　Albert　Speranza！〃　she　cried。　　〃Why；　ALBERT！〃

He　seized　her　hands。　　〃Helen！〃　he　cried；　and　added　involuntarily；
〃My；　but　it's　good　to　see　you　again！〃

She　laughed　and　so　did　he。　　All　his　embarrassment　was　gone。　　They
were　like　two　children；　like　the　boy　and　girl　who　had　known　each
other　in　the　old　days。

〃And　when　did　you　get　here？〃　she　asked。　　〃And　what　do　you　mean　by
surprising　us　like　this？　　I　saw　your　grandfather　yesterday　morning
and　he　didn't　say　a　word　about　your　coming。〃

〃He　didn't　know　I　was　coming。　　I　didn't　know　it　myself　until　the
day　before。　　And　when　did　you　come？　　Your　father　didn't　tell　me　you
were　here。　　I　didn't　know　until　I　heard　him　call　your　name。〃

He　was　calling　it　again。　　Calling　it　and　demanding　attention　for
his　precious　codfish。

〃Yes；　Father；　yes；　in　a　minute；　〃　she　said。　　Then　to　Albert；　〃Come
in。　　Oh；　of　course　you'll　come　in。〃

〃Why；　yes；　if　I　won't　be　interfering　with　the　housekeeping。〃

〃You　won't。　　Yes；　Father；　yes；　I'm　coming。　　Mercy；　where　did　you
get　such　a　wonderful　fish？　　Come　in；　Albert。　　As　soon　as　I　get
Father's　treasure　safe　in　the　hands　of　Maria　I'll　be　back。　　Father
will　keep　you　company。　　No；　pardon　me；　I　am　afraid　he　won't；　he's
gone　to　the　kitchen　already。　　And　I　shall　have　to　go；　too；　for　just
a　minute。　　I'll　hurry。〃

She　hastened　to　the　kitchen；　whither　Mr。　Kendall；　tugging　the　fish
basket；　had　preceded　her。　　Albert　entered　the　little　sitting…room
and　sat　down　in　a　chair　by　the　window。　　The　room　looked　just　as　it
used　to　look；　just　as　neat；　just　as　homelike；　just　as　well　kept。
And　when　she　came　back　and　they　began　to　talk；　it　seemed　to　him
that　she；　too；　was　just　as　she　used　to　be。　　She　was　a　trifle　less
girlish；　more　womanly　perhaps；　but　she　was　just　as　good　to　look　at；
just　as　bright　and　cheerful　and　in　her　conversation　she　had　the
same　quietly　certain　way　of　dealing　directly　with　the　common…sense
realities　and　not　the　fuss　and　feathers。　　It　seemed　to　him　that　she
had　not　changed　at　all；　that　she　herself　was　one　of　the　realities；
the　wholesome　home　realities；　like　Captain　Zelotes　and　Olive　and
the　old　house　they　lived　in。　　He　told　her　so。　　She　laughed。

〃You　make　me　feel　as　ancient　as　the　pyramids；〃　she　said。

He　shook　his　head。　　〃I　am　the　ancient；〃　he　declared。　　〃This　war
hasn't　changed　you　a　particle；　Helen；　but　it　has　handed　me　an　awful
jolt。　　At　times　I　feel　as　if　I　must　have　sailed　with　Noah。　　And　as
if　I　had　wasted　most　of　the　time　since。〃

She　smiled。　　〃Just　what　do　you　mean　by　that？〃　she　asked。

〃I　meanwell；　I　don't　know　exactly　what　I　do　mean；　I　guess。　　I
seem　to　have　an　unsettled　feeling。　　I'm　not　satisfied　with　myself。
And　as　I　remember　myself；〃　he　added；　with　a　shrug；　〃that　condition
of　mind　was　not　usual　with　me。〃

She　regarded　him　for　a　moment　without　speaking；　with　the　appraising
look　in　her　eyes　which　he　remembered　so　well；　which　had　always
reminded　him　of　the　look　in　his　grandfather's　eyes；　and　which　when
a　boy　he　resented　so　strongly。

〃Yes；〃　she　said　slowly；　〃I　think　you　have　changed。　　Not　because
you　say　you　feel　so　much　older　or　because　you　are　uneasy　and
dissatisfied。　　So　many　of　the　men　I　talked　with　at　the　camp
hospital；　the　men　who　had　been　over　there　and　had　been　wounded；　as
you　were；　said　they　felt　the　same　way。　　That　doesn't　mean　anything；
I　think；　except　that　it　is　dreadfully　hard　to　get　readjusted　again
and　settle　down　to　everyday　things。　　But　it　seems　to　me　that　you
have　changed　in　other　ways。　　You　are　a　little　thinner；　but　broader；
too；　aren't　you？　　And　you　do　look　older；　especially　about　the　eyes。
And；　of　coursewell；　of　course　I　think　I　do　miss　a　little　of　the
Albert　Speranza　I　used　to　know；　the　young　chap　with　the　chip　on　his
shoulder　for　all　creation　to　knock　off。〃

〃Young　jackass！〃

〃Oh；　no　indeed。　　He　had　his　good　points。　　But　there！　we're　wasting
time　and　we　have　so　much　to　talk　about。　　Youwhy；　what　am　I
thinking　of！　　I　have　neglected　the　most　important　thing　in　the
world。　　And　you　have　just　returned　from　New　York；　too。　　Tell　me；
how　is　Madeline　Fosdick？〃

〃She　is　well。　　But　tell　me　about　yourself。　　You　have　been　in　all
sorts　of　war　work；　haven't　you。　　Tell　me　about　it。〃

〃Oh；　my　work　didn't　amount　to　much。　　At　first　I　'Red　Crossed'　in
Boston；　then　I　went　to　Devens　and　spent　a　long　time　in　the　camp
hospital　there。〃

〃Pretty　trying；　wasn't　it？〃

〃Whyyes；　some　of　it　was。　　When　the　'flu'　epidemic　was　raging　and
the　poor　fellows　were　having　such　a　dreadful　time　it　was　bad
enough。　　After　that　I　was　sent　to　Eastview。　　In　the　hospital　there
I　met　the　boys　who　had　been　wounded　on　the　other　side　and　who
talked　about　old　age　and　dissatisfaction　and　uneasiness；　just　as
you　do。　　But　MY　work　doesn't　count。　　You　are　the　person　to　be
talked　about。　　Since　I　have　seen　you　you　have　become　a　famous　poet
and　a　hero　and〃

〃Don't！〃

She　had　been　smiling；　now　she　was　very　serious。

〃Forgive　me；　Albert；〃　she　said。　　〃We　have　been　joking；　you　and　I；
but　there　was　a　time　when　wewhen　your　friends　did　not　joke。　　Oh；
Albert；　if　you　could　have　seen　the　Snow　place　as　I　saw　it　then。　　It
was　as　if　all　the　hope　and　joy　and　everything　worth　while　had　been
crushed　out　of　it。　　Your　grandmother；　poor　little　woman；　was　brave
and　quiet；　but　we　all　knew　she　was　trying　to　keep　up　for　Captain
Zelotes'　sake。　　And　heAlbert；　you　can　scarcely　imagine　how　the
news　of　your　death　changed　him。　。　。　。　　Ah！　well；　it　was　a　hard
time；　a　dreadful　time　forfor　every　one。〃

She　paused　and　he；　turning　to　look　at　her；　saw　that　there　were
tears　in　her　eyes。　　He　knew　of　her　affection　for　his　grandparents
and　theirs　for　her。　　Before　he　could　speak　she　was　smiling　again。

〃But　now　that　is　all　over；　isn't　it？〃　she　said。　　〃And　the　Snows　are
the　happiest　people　in　the　country；　I　do　believe。　　AND　the　proudest；
of　course。　　So　now　you　must　tell　me　all　about　it；　ab