earlderrbiggers.thehousewithoutakey-第4章

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　savagely　ripped　the　fragment　to　bits。
　Again　he　got　up　and　wandered　about。　He　had　intended　paying　a　call　down　the　beach；　but　that　quiet　presence　in　the　room　above　…　Boston　in　its　more　tolerant　guise　but　Boston　still　…　gave　him　pause。
　He　returned　to　the　lanai。　There；　under　a　mosquito　netting；　was　the　cot　where　he　preferred　to　sleep；　his　dressing…room　was　near　at　hand。　However；　it　was　too　early　for　bed。　He　stepped　through　the　door　on　to　the　beach。　Unmistakable；　the　soft　treacherous　breath　of　the　Kona　fanned　his　cheek　…　the　〃sick　wind〃　that　would　pile　the　breakers　high　along　the　coast　and　blight　temporarily　this　Island　paradise。　There　was　no　moon；　the　stars　that　usually　seemed　so　friendly　and　so　close　were　now　obscured。　The　black　water　rolled　in　like　a　threat。　He　stood　staring　out　into　the　dark　…　out　there　to　the　crossroads　where　paths　always　crossed　again。　If　you　gave　them　time　…　if　you　only　gave　them　time　…
　As　he　turned　back；　his　eyes　went　to　the　algaroba　tree　beyond　the　wire；　and　he　saw　the　yellow　flare　of　a　match。　His　brother　Amos。　He　had　a　sudden　friendly　feeling　for　Amos；　he　wanted　to　go　over　and　talk　to　him；　talk　of　the　far　days　when　they　played　together　on　this　beach。　No　use；　he　knew。　He　sighed；　and　the　screen　door　of　the　lanai　banged　behind　him　…　the　screen　door　without　a　lock　in　a　land　where　locks　are　few。
　Tired；　he　sat　in　the　dark　to　think。　His　face　was　turned　toward　the　curtain　of　bamboo　between　him　and　the　living…room。　On　that　curtain　a　shadow　appeared；　was　motionless　a　second；　then　vanished。　He　caught　his　breath　…　again　the　shadow。　〃Who's　there？〃　he　called。
　A　huge　brown　arm　was　thrust　through　the　bamboo。　A　friendly　brown　face　was　framed　there。
　〃Your　fruit　I　put　on　the　table；〃　said　Kamaikui。　〃I　go　to　bed　now。〃
　〃Of　course。　Go　ahead。　Good　night。〃
　The　woman　withdrew。　Dan　Winterslip　was　furious　with　himself。　What　was　the　matter　with　him；　anyhow？　He　who　had　fought　his　way　through　unspeakable　terrors　in　the　early　days　…　nervous　…　on　edge　…
　〃Getting　old；〃　he　muttered。　〃No；　by　heaven　…　it's　the　Kona。　That's　it。　The　Kona。　I'll　be　all　right　when　the　trades　blow　again。〃
　When　the　trades　blew　again！　He　wondered。　Here　at　the　crossroads　one　could　not　be　sure。
　
　CHAPTER　II　
　The　High　Hat
　
　JOHN　QUINCY　WINTERSLIP　walked　aboard　the　ferry　at　Oakland　feeling　rather　limp　and　weary。　For　more　than　six　days　he　had　been　marooned　on　sleepers　…　his　pause　at　Chicago　had　been　but　a　flitting　from　one　train　to　another　…　and　he　was　fed　up。　Seeing　America　first　…　that　was　what　he　had　been　doing。　And　what　an　appalling　lot　of　it　there　was！　He　felt　that　for　an　eternity　he　had　been　staring　at　endless　plains；　dotted　here　and　there　by　unesthetic　houses　the　inmates　of　which　had　unquestionably　never　heard　a　symphony　concert。
　Ahead　of　him　ambled　a　porter；　bearing　his　two　suitcases；　his　golf　clubs　and　his　hat…box。　One　of　the　man's　hands　was　gone　…　chewed　off；　no　doubt；　in　some　amiable　frontier　scuffle。　In　its　place　he　wore　a　steel　hook。　Well；　no　one　could　question　the　value　of　a　steel　hook　to　a　man　in　the　porter's　profession。　But　how　quaint　…　and　western！
　The　boy　indicated　a　spot　by　the　rail　on　the　forward　deck；　and　the　porter　began　to　unload。　Carefully　selecting　the　man's　good　hand；　John　Quincy　dropped　into　it　a　tip　so　generous　as　to　result　in　a　touching　of　hook　to　cap　in　a　weird　salute。　The　object　of　this　attention　sank　down　amid　his　elaborate　trappings；　removed　the　straw　hat　from　his　perspiring　head；　and　tried　to　figure　out　just　what　had　happened　to　him。
　Three　thousand　miles　from　Beacon　Street；　and　two　thousand　miles　still　to　go！　Why；　he　inquired　sourly　of　his　usually　pleasant　self；　had　he　ever　agreed　to　make　this　absurd　expedition　into　heathen　country？　Here　it　was　late　June；　Boston　was　at　its　best。　Tennis　at　Longwood；　long　mild　evenings　in　a　single　shell　on　the　Charles；　weekends　and　golf　with　Agatha　Parker　at　Magnolia。　And　if　one　must　travel；　there　was　Paris。　He　hadn't　seen　Paris　in　two　years　and　had　been　rather　planning　a　quick　run　over；　when　his　mother　had　put　this　preposterous　notion　into　his　head。
　Preposterous　…　it　was　all　of　that。　Traveling　five　thousand　miles　just　as　a　gentle　hint　to　Aunt　Minerva　to　return　to　her　calm；　well…ordered　life　behind　purple　window…panes　on　Beacon　Street。　And　was　there　any　chance　that　his　strong…minded　relative　would　take　the　hint？　Not　one　in　a　thousand。　Aunt　Minerva　was　accustomed　to　do　as　she　pleased　…　he　had　an　unfortable；　shocked　recollection　of　one　occasion　when　she　had　said　she　would　do　as　she　damn　well　pleased。
　John　Quincy　wished　he　was　back。　He　wished　he　was　crossing　Boston　mon　to　his　office　on　State　Street；　there　to　put　out　a　new　issue　of　bonds。　He　was　not　yet　a　member　of　the　firm　…　that　was　an　honor　accorded　only　to　Winterslips　who　were　bald　and　a　little　stooped　…　but　his　heart　was　in　his　work。　He　put　out　a　bond　issue　with　loving　apprehension；　waiting　for　the　verdict　as　a　playwright　waits　behind　the　scenes　on　a　first　night。　Would　those　First　Mortgage　Sixes　go　over　big；　or　would　they　flop　at　his　feet？
　The　hoarse　boom　of　a　ferry　whistle　recalled　John　Quincy　to　his　present　unbelievable　location　on　the　map。　The　boat　began　to　move。　He　was　dimly　conscious　of　a　young　person　of　feminine　gender　who　came　and　sat　at　his　side。　Away　from　the　slip　and　out　into　the　harbor　the　ferry　carried　John　Quincy；　and　he　suddenly　sat　up　and　took　notice；　for　he　was　never　blind　to　beauty；　no　matter　where　he　encountered　it。
　And　he　was　encountering　beauty　now。　The　morning　air　was　keen　and　dry　and　bright。　Spread　out　before　him　was　that　harbor　which　is　like　a　tired　navigator's　dream　e　true。　They　passed　Goat　Island；　and　he　heard　the　faint　echo　of　a　bugle；　he　saw　Tamalpias　lifting　its　proud　head　toward　the　sparkling　sky；　he　turned；　and　there　was　San　Francisco　scattered　blithely　over　its　many　hills。
　The　ferry　plowed　on；　and　John　Quincy　sat　very　still。　A　forest　of　masts　and　steam　funnels　…　here　was　the　water…front　that　had　supplied　the　atmosphere　for　those　romantic　tales　that　held　him　spellbound　when　he　was　a　boy　at　school　…　a　quiet　young　Winterslip　whom　the　gypsy　strain　had　missed。　Now　he　could　distinguish　a　bark　from　Antwerp；　a　great　liner　from　the　Orient；　a　five…masted　schooner　that　was　reminiscent　of　those　supposedly　forgotten　stories。　Ships　from　the　Treaty　Ports；　ships　from　cocoanut　islands　in　southern　seas。　A　picture　as　intriguing　and　colorful　as　a　back　drop　in　a　theater　…　but　far　more　real。
　Suddenly　John　Quincy　stood　up。　A　puzzled　look　had　e　into　his　calm　gray　eyes。　〃I　…　I　don't　understand；〃　he　murmured。
　He　was　startled　by　the　sound　of　his　own　voice。　He　hadn't　intended　to　speak　aloud。　In　order　not　to　appear　too　utterly　silly；　he　looked　around　for　some　one　to　whom　he　might　pretend　he　had　addressed　that　remark。　There　was　no　one　about　…　except　the　young　person　who　was　obviously　feminine　and　therefore　not　to　be　informally　accosted。
　John　Quincy　looked　down　at　her。　Spanish　or　something　like　that；　blue…black　hair；　dark　eyes　that　were　alight　now　with　the　amusement　she　was　striving　to　hide；　a　delicate　oval　face　tanned　a　deep　brown。　He　looked　again　at　the　harbor　…　beauty　all　about　the　boat；　and　beauty　on　it。　Much　better　than　traveling　on　trains！
　The　girl　looked　up　at　John　Quincy。　She　saw　a　big；　broad…shouldered　young　man　with　a　face　as　innocent　as　a　child's。　A　bit　of　friendliness；　she　decided　instantly；　would　not　be　misunderstood。
　〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　she　said。
　〃Oh　…　I　…　I'm　sorry；〃　he　stammered。　〃I　didn't　mean　…　I　spoke　without　intending　…　I　said　I　didn't　understand　…〃
　〃You　didn't　understand　what？〃
　〃A　most　amazing　thing　has　happened；〃　he　continued。　He　sat　down；　and　waved　his　hand　toward　the　harbor。　〃I've　been　here　before。〃
　She　looked　perplexed。　〃Lots　of　people　have；〃　she　admitted。
　〃But　…　you　see　…　I　mean　…　I've　never　been　here　before。〃
　She　moved　away　from　him。　〃Lots　of　people　haven't。〃　She　admitted　that；　too。
　John　Quincy　took　a　deep　breath。　What　was　this　discussion　he　had　got　into；　anyhow？　He　had　a　quick　impulse　to　lift　his　hat　gallantly　and　walk　away；　letting　the　whole　matter　drop。　But　no；　he　came　of　a　race　that　sees　things　through。
　〃I'm　from　Boston；〃　he　said。
　〃Oh；〃　said　the　girl。　That　explained　everything。
　〃And　what　I'm　trying　to　make　clear　…　althou