earlderrbiggers.thehousewithoutakey-第6章

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　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　years　matter？　This　is　a　young　cousin　of　mine；　John　Quincy　Winterslip；　of　Boston。　Ah　…　er　…　just　what　is　your　title　now？〃
　〃Captain。　I'm　in　the　Admiralty。〃
　〃Really？　Captain　Arthur　Temple　Cope；　John　Quincy。〃　Roger　turned　to　the　Englishman。　〃You　were　a　midshipman；　I　believe；　when　we　met　in　Honolulu。　I　was　talking　to　Dan　about　you　not　a　year　ago　…〃
　An　expression　of　intense　dislike　crossed　the　captain's　face。　〃Ah；　yes；　Dan。　Alive　and　prospering；　I　presume？〃
　〃Oh；　yes；〃　answered　Roger。
　〃Isn't　it　damnable；〃　remarked　Cope；　〃how　the　wicked　thrive？〃
　An　unfortable　silence　fell。　John　Quincy　was　familiar　with　the　frankness　of　Englishmen；　but　he　was　none　the　less　annoyed　by　this　open　display　of　hostility　toward　his　prospective　host。　After　all；　Dan's　last　name　was　Winterslip。
　〃Ah　…　er　…　have　a　cigarette；〃　suggested　Roger。
　〃Thank　you　…　have　one　of　mine；〃　said　Cope；　taking　out　a　silver　case。　〃Virginia　tobacco；　though　they　are　put　up　in　Piccadilly。　No？　And　you；　sir　…〃　He　held　the　case　before　John　Quincy；　who　refused　a　bit　stiffly。
　The　captain　nonchalantly　lighted　up。　〃I　beg　your　pardon　…　what　I　said　about　your　cousin；〃　he　began。　〃But　really；　you　know　…〃
　〃No　matter；〃　said　Roger　cordially。　〃Tell　me　what　you're　doing　here。〃
　〃On　my　way　to　Hawaii；〃　explained　the　captain。　〃Sailing　at　three　to…day　on　the　Australian　boat。　A　bit　of　a　job　for　the　Admiralty。　From　Honolulu　I　drop　down　to　the　Fanning　Group　…　a　little　flock　of　islands　that　belongs　to　us；〃　he　added　with　a　fine　paternal　air。
　〃A　possible　coaling　station；〃　smiled　Roger。
　〃My　dear　fellow　…　the　precise　nature　of　my　mission　is；　of　course；　a　secret。〃　Captain　Cope　looked　suddenly　at　John　Quincy。　〃By　the　way；　I　once　knew　a　very　charming　girl　from　Boston。　A　relative　of　yours；　no　doubt。〃
　〃A　…　a　girl；〃　repeated　John　Quincy；　puzzled。
　〃Minerva　Winterslip。〃
　〃Why；〃　said　John　Quincy；　amazed；　〃you　mean　my　Aunt　Minerva。〃
　The　captain　smiled。　〃She　was　no　one's　aunt　in　those　days；〃　he　said。　〃Nothing　auntish　about　her。　But　that　was　in　Honolulu　in　the　'eighties　…　we'd　put　in　there　on　the　old　wooden　Reliance　…　the　poor　unlucky　ship　was　limping　home　crippled　from　Samoa。　Your　aunt　was　visiting　at　that　port　…　there　were　dances　at　the　palace；　swimming　parties　…　ah；　me；　to　be　young　again。〃
　〃Minerva's　in　Honolulu　now；〃　Roger　told　him。
　〃No　…　really？〃
　〃Yes。　She's　stopping　with　Dan。〃
　〃With　Dan。〃　The　captain　was　silent　for　a　moment。　〃Her　husband　…〃
　〃Minerva　never　married；〃　Roger　explained。
　〃Amazing；〃　said　the　captain。　He　blew　a　ring　of　smoke　toward　the　paneled　ceiling。　〃The　more　shame　to　the　men　of　Boston。　My　time　is　hardly　my　own；　but　I　shall　hope　to　look　in　on　her。〃　He　rose。　〃This　was　a　bit　of　luck　…　meeting　you　again；　old　chap。　I'm　due　aboard　the　boat　very　shortly　…　you　understand；　of　course。〃　He　bowed　to　them　both；　and　departed。
　〃Fine　fellow；〃　Roger　said；　staring　after　him。　〃Frank　and　British；　but　a　splendid　chap。〃
　〃I　wasn't　especially　pleased；〃　John　Quincy　admitted；　〃by　the　way　he　spoke　of　Cousin　Dan。〃
　Roger　laughed。　〃Better　get　used　to　it；〃　he　advised。　〃Dan　is　not　passionately　beloved。　He's　climbed　high；　you　know；　and　he's　trampled　down　a　few　on　his　way　up。　By　the　way；　he　wants　you　to　do　an　errand　for　him　here　in　San　Francisco。〃
　〃Me！〃　cried　John　Quincy。　〃An　errand？〃
　〃Yes。　You　ought　to　feel　flattered。　Dan　doesn't　trust　everybody。　However；　it's　something　that　must　wait　until　dark。〃
　〃Until　dark；〃　repeated　the　puzzled　young　man　from　Boston。
　〃Precisely。　In　the　meantime　I　propose　to　show　you　about　town。〃
　〃But　…　you're　busy。　I　couldn't　think　of　taking　you　away　…〃
　Roger　laid　his　hand　on　John　Quincy's　shoulder。　〃My　boy；　no　westerner　is　ever　too　busy　to　show　a　man　from　the　East　about　his　city。　I've　been　looking　forward　to　this　chance　for　weeks。　And　since　you　insist　on　sailing　tomorrow　at　ten；　we　must　make　the　most　of　our　time。〃
　Roger　proved　an　adept　at　making　the　most　of　one's　time　in　San　Francisco。　After　an　exhilarating　afternoon　of　motoring　over　the　town　and　the　surrounding　country；　he　brought　John　Quincy　back　to　the　house　at　six；　urging　him　to　dress　quickly　for　a　dinner　of　which　he　apparently　had　great　hopes。
　The　boy's　trunk　was　in　his　room；　and　as　he　put　on　a　dinner　coat　he　looked　forward　with　lively　anticipation　to　a　bit　of　San　Francisco　night　life　in　Roger's　pany。　When　he　came　down…stairs　his　host　was　waiting；　a　distinguished　figure　in　his　dinner　clothes；　and　they　set　out　blithely　through　the　gathering　dusk。
　〃Little　place　I　want　you　to　try；〃　Roger　explained　as　they　sat　down　at　a　table　in　a　restaurant　that　was　outwardly　of　no　special　note。　〃Afterward　we'll　look　in　on　that　musical　show　at　the　Columbia。〃
　The　restaurant　more　than　justified　Roger's　hopes　of　it。　John　Quincy　began　to　glow　with　a　warm　friendly　feeling　for　all　the　world；　particularly　this　city　by　the　western　gate。　He　did　not　think　of　himself　as　a　stranger　here。　He　wasn't　a　stranger；　anyhow。　The　sensation　he　had　first　experienced　in　the　harbor　returned　to　him。　He　had　been　here　before；　he　was　treading　old　familiar　ground。　In　far；　forgotten；　happy　times　he　had　known　the　life　of　this　city's　streets。　Strange；　but　true。　He　spoke　to　Roger　about　it。
　Roger　smiled。　〃A　Winterslip；　after　all；〃　he　said。　〃And　they　told　me　you　were　just　a　sort　of　…　of　Puritan　survival。　My　father　used　to　know　that　sensation　you　speak　of；　only　he　felt　it　whenever　he　entered　a　new　town。　Might　be　something　in　reincarnation；　after　all。〃
　〃Nonsense；〃　said　John　Quincy。
　〃Probably。　Just　the　blood　of　the　roaming　Winterslips　in　your　veins。〃　He　leaned　across　the　table。　〃How　would　you　like　to　e　to　San　Francisco　to　live？〃
　〃Wha　…　what？〃　asked　John　Quincy；　startled。
　〃I'm　getting　along　in　years；　and　I'm　all　alone。　Lots　of　financial　details　in　my　office　…　take　you　in　there　and　let　you　look　after　them。　Make　it　worth　your　while。〃
　〃No；　no；　thank　you；〃　said　John　Quincy　firmly。　〃I　belong　back　east。　Besides；　I　could　never　persuade　Agatha　to　e　out　here。〃
　〃Agatha　who？〃
　〃Agatha　Parker　…　the　girl　I'm　engaged　to　…　in　a　way。　Been　sort　of　understood　between　us　for　several　years。　No；〃　he　added；　〃I　guess　I'd　better　stay　where　I　belong。〃
　Roger　Winterslip　looked　his　disappointment。　〃Probably　had；〃　he　admitted。　〃I　fancy　no　girl　with　that　name　would　follow　you　here。　Though　a　girl　worth　having　will　follow　her　man　anywhere　…　but　no　matter。〃　He　studied　John　Quincy　keenly　for　a　moment。　〃I　must　have　been　wrong　about　you；　anyhow。〃
　John　Quincy　felt　a　sudden　resentment。　〃Just　what　do　you　mean　by　that？〃　he　inquired。
　〃In　the　old　days；〃　Roger　said；　〃Winterslips　were　the　stuff　of　which　pioneers　are　made。　They　didn't　cling　to　the　apron…strings　of　civilization。　They　got　up　some　fine　morning　and　nonchalantly　strolled　off　beyond　the　horizon。　They　lived　…　but　there；　you're　of　another　generation。　You　can't　understand。〃
　〃Why　can't　I？〃　demanded　John　Quincy。
　〃Because　the　same　old　rut　has　evidently　been　good　enough　for　you。　You've　never　known　a　thrill。　Or　have　you？　Have　you　ever　forgot　to　go　to　bed　because　of　some　utterly　silly　reason　…　because；　for　example；　you　were　young　and　the　moon　was　shining　on　a　beach　lapped　by　southern　seas？　Have　you　ever　lied　like　a　gentleman　to　protect　a　woman　not　worth　the　trouble？　Ever　made　love　to　the　wrong　girl？〃
　〃Of　course　not；〃　said　John　Quincy　stiffly。
　〃Ever　run　for　your　life　through　crooked　streets　in　the　rowdy　quarter　of　a　strange　town？　Ever　fought　with　a　ship's　officer　…　the　old…fashioned　kind　with　fists　like　flying　hams？　Ever　gone　out　on　a　man　hunt　and　when　you　got　your　quarry　cornered；　leaped　upon　him　with　no　weapon　but　your　bare　hands？　Have　you　ever　…〃
　〃The　type　of　person　you　describe；〃　John　Quincy　cut　in；　〃is　hardly　admirable。〃
　〃Probably　not；〃　Roger　agreed。　〃And　yet　…　those　are　incidents　from　my　own　past；　my　boy。〃　He　regarded　John　Quincy　sadly。　〃Yes；　I　must　have　been　wrong　about　you。　A　Puritan　survival　after　all。〃
　John　Quincy　deigned　no　reply。　There　was　an　odd　light　in　the　older　man's　eyes　…　was　Roger　secretly　laughing　at　him？　He　appeared　to　be；　and　the　boy　resented　it。
　But　he　forgot　to　be　resentful　at　the