earlderrbiggers.thehousewithoutakey-第5章

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　〃I'm　from　Boston；〃　he　said。
　〃Oh；〃　said　the　girl。　That　explained　everything。
　〃And　what　I'm　trying　to　make　clear　…　although　of　course　there's　no　reason　why　I　should　have　dragged　you　into　it　…〃
　〃None　whatever；〃　she　smiled。　〃But　go　on。〃
　〃Until　a　few　days　ago　I　was　never　west　of　New　York；　never　in　my　whole　life；　you　understand。　Been　about　New　England　a　bit；　and　abroad　a　few　times；　but　the　West　…〃
　〃I　know。　It　didn't　interest　you。〃
　〃I　wouldn't　say　that；〃　protested　John　Quincy　with　careful　politeness。　〃But　there　was　such　a　lot　of　it　…　exploring　it　seemed　a　hopeless　undertaking。　And　then　…　the　family　thought　I　ought　to　go；　you　see　…　so　I　rode　and　rode　on　trains　and　was　…　you'll　pardon　me　…　a　bit　bored。　Now　…　I　e　into　this　harbor；　I　look　around　me；　and　I　get　the　oddest　feeling。　I　feel　that　I've　been　here　before。〃
　The　girl's　face　was　sympathetic。　〃Other　people　have　had　that　experience；〃　she　told　him。　〃Choice　souls；　they　are。　You've　been　a　long　time　ing；　but　you're　home　at　last。〃　She　held　out　a　slim　brown　hand。　〃Wele　to　your　city；〃　she　said。
　John　Quincy　solemnly　shook　hands。　〃Oh；　no；〃　he　corrected　gently。　〃Boston's　my　city。　I　belong　there；　naturally。　But　this　…　this　is　familiar。〃　He　glanced　northward　at　the　low　hills　sheltering　the　Valley　of　the　Moon；　then　back　at　San　Francisco。　〃Yes；　I　seem　to　have　known　my　way　about　here　once。　Astonishing；　isn't　it？〃
　〃Perhaps　…　some　of　your　ancestors　…〃
　〃That's　true。　My　grandfather　came　out　here　when　he　was　a　young　man。　He　went　home　again　…　but　his　brothers　stayed。　It's　the　son　of　one　of　them　I'm　going　to　visit　in　Honolulu。〃
　〃Oh　…　you're　going　on　to　Honolulu？〃
　〃To…morrow　morning。　Have　you　ever　been　there？〃
　〃Ye　…　es。〃　Her　dark　eyes　were　serious。　〃See　…　there　are　the　locks　…　that's　where　the　East　begins。　The　real　East。　And　Telegraph　Hill　…〃　she　pointed；　no　one　in　Boston　ever　points；　but　she　was　so　lovely　John　Quincy　overlooked　it　…　〃and　Russian　Hill　and　the　Fairmont　on　Nob　Hill。〃
　〃Life　must　be　full　of　ups　and　downs；〃　he　ventured　lightly。　〃Tell　me　about　Honolulu。　Sort　of　a　wild　place；　I　imagine？〃
　She　laughed。　〃I'll　let　you　discover　for　yourself　how　wild　it　is；〃　she　told　him。　〃Practically　all　the　leading　families　came　originally　from　your　beloved　New　England。　'Puritans　with　a　touch　of　sun；'　my　father　calls　them。　He's　clever；　my　father；〃　she　added；　in　an　odd　childish　tone　that　was　wistful　and　at　the　same　time　challenging。
　〃I'm　sure　of　it；〃　said　John　Quincy　heartily。　They　were　approaching　the　Ferry　Building　and　other　passengers　crowded　about　them。　〃I'd　help　you　with　that　suitcase　of　yours；　but　I've　got　all　this　truck。　If　we　could　find　a　porter　…〃
　〃Don't　bother；〃　she　answered。　〃I　can　manage　very　well。〃　She　was　staring　down　at　John　Quincy's　hat　box。　〃I　…　I　suppose　there's　a　silk　hat　in　there？〃　she　inquired。
　〃Naturally；〃　replied　John　Quincy。
　She　laughed　…　a　rich；　deep…throated　laugh。　John　Quincy　stiffened　slightly。　〃Oh；　forgive　me；〃　she　cried。　〃But　…　a　silk　hat　in　Hawaii！〃
　John　Quincy　stood　erect。　The　girl　had　laughed　at　a　Winterslip。　He　filled　his　lungs　with　the　air　sweeping　in　from　the　open　spaces；　the　broad　open　spaces　where　men　are　men。　A　weird　reckless　feeling　came　over　him。　He　stooped；　picked　up　the　hat　box；　and　tossed　it　calmly　over　the　rail。　It　bobbed　indignantly　away。　The　crowd　closed　in；　not　wishing　to　miss　any　further　exhibition　of　madness。
　〃That's　that；〃　said　John　Quincy　quietly。
　〃Oh；〃　gasped　the　girl；　〃you　shouldn't　have　done　it！〃
　And　indeed；　he　shouldn't。　The　box　was　an　expensive　one；　the　gift　of　his　admiring　mother　at　Christmas。　And　the　topper　inside；　worn　in　the　gloaming　along　the　water　side　of　Beacon　Street；　had　been　known　to　add　a　touch　of　distinction　even　to　that　distinguished　scene。
　〃Why　not？〃　asked　John　Quincy。　〃The　confounded　thing's　been　a　nuisance　ever　since　I　left　home。　And　besides　we　do　look　ridiculous　at　times；　don't　we？　We　easterners？　A　silk　hat　in　the　tropics！　I　might　have　been　mistaken　for　a　missionary。〃　He　began　to　gather　up　his　luggage。　〃Shan't　need　a　porter　any　more；〃　he　announced　gaily。　〃I　say　…　it　was　awfully　kind　of　you　…　letting　me　talk　to　you　like　that。〃
　〃It　was　fun；〃　she　told　him。　〃I　hope　you're　going　to　like　us　out　here。　We're　so　eager　to　be　liked；　you　know。　It's　almost　pathetic。〃
　〃Well；〃　smiled　John　Quincy；　〃I've　met　only　one　Californian　to　date。　But　…〃
　〃Yes？〃
　〃So　far；　so　good！〃
　〃Oh；　thank　you。〃　She　moved　away。
　〃Please　…　just　a　moment；〃　called　John　Quincy。　〃I　hope　…　I　mean；　I　wish　…〃
　But　the　crowd　surged　between　them。　He　saw　her　dark　eyes　smiling　at　him　and　then；　irrevocably　as　the　hat；　she　drifted　from　his　sight。
　
　CHAPTER　III　
　Midnight　On　Russian　Hill
　
　A　FEW　MOMENTS　later　John　Quincy　stepped　ashore　in　San　Francisco。　He　had　taken　not　more　than　three　steps　across　the　floor　of　the　Ferry　Building　when　a　dapper　Japanese　chauffeur　pushed　through　the　crowd　and　singling　out　the　easterner　with　what　seemed　uncanny　perspicacity；　took　plete　charge　of　him。
　Roger　Winterslip；　the　chauffeur　announced；　was　too　busy　to　meet　ferries；　but　had　sent　word　that　the　boy　was　to　go　up　to　the　house　and　after　establishing　himself　fortably　there；　join　his　host　for　lunch　down…town。　Gratified　to　feel　solid　ground　once　more　beneath　his　feet；　John　Quincy　followed　the　chauffeur　to　the　street。　San　Francisco　glittered　under　the　morning　sun。
　〃I　always　thought　this　was　a　foggy　town；〃　John　Quincy　said。
　The　Japanese　grinned。　〃Maybe　fog　will　e；　maybe　it　will　not。　Just　now　one　time　maybe　it　will　not。　Please。〃　He　held　open　the　car　door。
　Through　bright　streets　where　life　appeared　to　flow　with　a　pleasant　rhythm；　they　bowled　along。　Beside　the　curbs　stood　the　colorful　carts　of　the　flower　venders；　unnecessarily　painting　the　lily　of　existence。　Weary　traveler　though　he　was；　John　Quincy　took　in　with　every　breath　a　fresh　supply　of　energy。　New　ambitions　stirred　within　him；　bigger；　better　bond　issues　than　ever　before　seemed　ridiculously　easy　of　attainment。
　Roger　Winterslip　had　not　been　among　those　lured　to　suburban　life　down　the　peninsula；　he　resided　in　bachelor　solitude　on　Nob　Hill。　It　was　an　ancient；　battered　house　viewed　from　without；　but　within；　John　Quincy　found；　were　all　known　forts。　A　bent　old　Chinese　man　showed　him　his　room　and　his　heart　leaped　up　when　he　beheld；　at　last；　a　veritable　bath。
　At　one　o'clock　he　sought　out　the　office　where　his　relative　carried　on；　with　conspicuous　success；　his　business　as　an　engineer　and　builder。　Roger　proved　a　short　florid　man　in　his　late　fifties。
　〃Hello；　son；〃　he　cried　cordially。　〃How's　Boston？〃
　〃Every　one　is　quite　well；〃　said　John　Quincy。　〃You're　being　extremely　kind　…〃
　〃Nonsense。　It's　a　pleasure　to　see　you。　e　along。〃
　He　took　John　Quincy　to　a　famous　club　for　lunch。　In　the　grill　he　pointed　out　several　well…known　writers。　The　boy　was　not　unduly　impressed；　for　Longfellow；　Whittier　and　Lowell　were　not　among　them。　Nevertheless　it　was　a　pleasant　place；　the　service　perfect；　the　food　of　an　excellence　rare　on　the　codfish　coast。
　〃And　what；〃　asked　Roger　presently；　〃do　you　think　of　San　Francisco？〃
　〃I　like　it；〃　John　Quincy　said　simply。
　〃No？　Do　you　really　mean　that？〃　Roger　beamed。　〃Well；　it's　the　sort　of　place　that　ought　to　appeal　to　a　New　Englander。　It's　had　a　history；　brief；　but　believe　me；　my　boy；　one　crowded　hour　of　glorious　life。　It's　sophisticated；　knowing；　subtle。　Contrast　it　with　other　cities　…　for　instance；　take　Los　Angeles　…〃
　He　was　off　on　a　favorite　topic　and　he　talked　well。
　〃Writers；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃are　for　ever　paring　cities　to　women。　San　Francisco　is　the　woman　you　don't　tell　the　folks　at　home　an　awful　lot　about。　Not　that　she　wasn't　perfectly　proper　…　I　don't　mean　that　…　but　her　stockings　were　just　a　little　thinner　and　her　laugh　a　little　gayer　…　people　might　misunderstand。　Besides；　the　memory　is　too　precious　to　talk　about。　Hello。〃
　A　tall；　lean；　handsome　Englishman　was　crossing　the　grill　on　his　way　out。　〃Cope！　Cope；　my　dear　fellow！〃　Roger　sped　after　him　and　dragged　him　back。　〃I　knew　you　at　once；〃　he　was　saying；　〃though　it　must　be　more　than　forty　years　since　I　last　saw　you。〃
　The　Britisher　dropped　into　a　chair。　He　smiled　a　wry　smile。　〃My　dear　old　chap；〃　he　said。　〃Not　so　literal；　if　you　don't　mind。〃
　〃Rot！〃　protested　Roger。　〃What　do　ye