the portygee-第83章
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part your back hair； besides。 One time there I didn't know but
I'd have to reef； cal'late I would if I'd known how to reef an
automobile。〃
〃Is the car running as well as ever？〃 asked Albert。
〃You bet you！ Took all but two of those hills on full steam and
never slowed down a mite。 Think of goin' to Trumet and back in a
forenoon； and havin' time enough to do the talkin' I went to do
besides。 Why； Jess would have needed the whole day to make the
down cruise； to say nothin' of the return trip。 Well； the old
gal's havin' a good rest now； nothin' much to do but eat and sleep。
She deserves it； she's been a good horse for your grandma and me。〃
He rubbed his hands before the stove and chuckled。
〃Olive's still scared to death for fear I'll get run into； or run
over somebody or somethin'；〃 he observed。 〃I tell her I can
navigate that car now the way I used to navigate the old President
Hayes； and I could do that walkin' in my sleep。 There's a little
exaggeration there；〃 he added； with a grin。 〃It takes about all my
gumption when I'm wide awake to turn the flivver around in a narrow
road； but I manage to do it。 。 。 。 Well； what are you doin' in
here； Al？〃 he added。 〃Readin' the Item's prophesy about how big
your majority's goin' to be？〃
Albert smiled。 〃I dropped in here to wait for you； Grandfather；〃
he replied。 〃The novel…writing mill wasn't working particularly
well； so I gave it up and took a walk。〃
〃To the parsonage； I presume likely？〃
〃Well； I did stop there for a minute or two。〃
〃You don't say！ I'm surprised to hear it。 How is Helen this
mornin'？ Did she think you'd changed much since you saw her last
night？〃
〃I don't know。 She didn't say so if she did。 She sent her love to
you and Grandmother〃
〃What she had left over； you mean。〃
〃And said to tell you not to tire yourself out electioneering for
me。 That was good advice； too。 Grandfather； don't you know that
you shouldn't motor all the way to Trumet and back a morning like
this？ I'd rathermuch rather go without the votes than have you
do such things。〃
Captain Zelotes seated himself in his desk chair。
〃But you ain't goin' to do without 'em；〃 he chuckled。 Obed Nye
he's chairman of the Trumet committeefiggers you'll have a five…
to…one majority。 He told me to practice callin' you 'the
Honorable' because that's what you'd be by Tuesday night of week
after next。 And next winter Mother and I will be takin' a trip to
Washin'ton so as to set in the gallery and listen to you makin'
speeches。 We'll be some consider'ble proud of you； too； boy；〃 he
added； with a nod。
His grandson looked away； out of the window； over the bleak yard
with its piles of lumber。 The voice of Issacher raised in
expostulation with the driver of Cahoon's 〃truck…wagon〃 could be
faintly heard。
〃I shall hate to leave you and Grandmother and the old place；〃 he
said。 〃If I am elected〃
〃WHEN you're elected； there isn't any 'if。'〃
〃Well； all right。 I shall hate to leave South Harniss。 Every
person I really care for will be here。 Helenand you people at
home。〃
〃It's too bad you and Helen can't be married and go to Washin'ton
together。 Not to stay permanent；〃 he added quickly； 〃but just
while Congress is in session。 Your grandma says then she'd feel as
if you had somebody to look after you。 She always figgers； you
know； that a man ain't capable of lookin' out for himself。 There'd
ought to be at least one woman to take care of him； see that he
don't get his feet wet and goes to meetin' reg'lar and so on； if
there could be two； so much the better。 Mother would have made a
pretty good Mormon； in some ways。〃
Albert laughed。 〃Helen feels she must stay with her father for the
present；〃 he said。 〃Of course she is right。 Perhaps by and by we
can find some good capable housekeeper to share the responsibility；
but not this winter。 IF I am sent to Washington I shall come back
often； you may be sure。〃
〃When ARE you cal'latin' to be married； if that ain't a secret？〃
〃Perhaps next spring。 Certainly next fall。 It will depend upon
Mr。 Kendall's health。 But； Grandfather； I do feel rather like a
deserter； going off and leaving you here〃
〃Good Lord！ You don't cal'late I'M breakin' down； runnin' strong
to talk and weakenin' everywhere else； like old Minister Kendall；
do you？〃
〃Well； hardly。 But 。 。 。 well； you see； I have felt a little
ungrateful ever since I came back from the war。 In a way I am
sorry that I feel I must give myself entirely to my writingand my
political work。 I wish I might have gone on here in this office；
accepted that partnership you would have given me〃
〃You can have it yet； you know。 Might take it and just keep it to
fall back on in case that story…mill of yours busts altogether or
all hands in Ostable County go crazy and vote the wrong ticket。
Just take it and wait。 Always well to have an anchor ready to let
go； you know。〃
〃Thanks； but that wouldn't be fair。 I wish I MIGHT have taken it
for your sake。 I wish for your sake I were so constituted as to be
good for something at it。 Of course I don't mean by that that I
should be willing to give up my writingbutwell； you see；
Grandfather； I owe you an awful lot in this world 。 。 。 and I know
you had set your heart on my being your partner in Z。 Snow and Co。
I know you're disappointed。〃
Captain Lote did not answer instantly。 He seemed to be thinking。
Then he opened a drawer in his desk and took out a box of cigars
similar to those he had offered the Honorable Fletcher Fosdick on
the occasion of their memorable interview。
〃Smoke； Al？〃 he asked。 Albert declined because of the nearness to
dinner time； but the captain； who never permitted meals or anything
else to interfere with his smoking； lighted one of the cigars and
leaned back in his chair； puffing steadily。
〃We…ll； Al；〃 he said slowly； 〃I'll tell you about that。 There was
a timeI'll own up that there was a time when the idea you wasn't
goin' to turn out a business man and the partner who would take
over this concern after I got my clearance papers was a notion I
wouldn't let myself think of for a minute。 I wouldn't THINK of it；
that's all。 But I've changed my mind about that； as I have about
some other things。〃 He paused； tugged at his beard； and then
added； 〃And I guess likely I might as well own up to the whole
truth while I'm about it： I didn't change it because I wanted to；
but because I couldn't help it'twas changed for me。〃
He made this statement more as if he were thinking aloud than as if
he expected a reply。 A moment later he continued。
〃Yes； sir；〃 he said； 〃'twas changed for me。 And；〃 with a shrug；
〃I'd rather prided myself that when my mind was made up it stayed
that way。 Butbut； well； consarn it； I've about come to the
conclusion that I was a pig…headed old fool； Al； in some ways。〃
〃Nonsense； Grandfather。 You are the last man to〃
〃Oh； I don't mean a candidate for the feeble…minded school。 There
ain't been any Snows put there that I can remember； not our branch
of 'em； anyhow。 But； consarn it； II〃 he was plainly finding
it hard to express his thought； 〃Iwell； I used to think I knew
consider'ble； had what I liked to think was good； hard sense。
'Twas hard enough； I cal'latepretty nigh petrified in spots。〃
Albert laid a hand on his knee。
〃Don't talk like that；〃 he replied impulsively。 〃I don't like to
hear you。〃
〃Don't you？ Then I won't。 But； you see； Al； it bothers me。 Look
how I used to talk about makin' up poetry and writin' yarns and all
that。 Used to call it silliness and a waste of time； I didworse
names than that； generally。 And look what you're makin' at it in
money； to say nothin' of its shovin' you into Congress； and keepin'
the newspapers busy printin' stuff about you。 。 。 。 Well； well；〃
with a sigh of resignation； 〃I don't understand it yet； but know
it's so； and if I'd had my pig…headed way 'twouldn't have been so。
It's a dreadful belittlin' feelin' to a man at my time of life； a
man that's commanded ten…thousand…ton steamers and handled crews
and bossed a business like this。 It makes him wonder how many
other fool things he's done。 。 。 。 Wh
