the kentons-第25章

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New　York；〃　said　her　husband。

〃I've　been　frightened；　certainly。　　And　I　wish　you　had　been；　too。　　I　wish
you　wouldn't　be　so　conceited　about　Ellen。　　It　scares　me　to　see　you　so。　
Poor；　sick　thing；　her　looks　are　all　gone！　　You　must　see　that。　　And　she
doesn't　dress　like　the　girls　he's　used　to。　　I　know　we've　got　her　things
in　New　York；　but　she　doesn't　wear　them　like　a　New…Yorker。　　I　hope　she
isn't　going　in　for　MORE　unhappiness！〃

At　the　thought　of　this　the　judge's　crest　fell。　　〃Do　you　believe　she's
getting　interested　in　him？〃　he　asked；　humbly。

〃No；　no；　I　don't　say　that。　　But　promise　me　you　won't　encourage　her　in　it。　
And　don't；　for　pity's　sake；　brag　about　her　to　him。〃

〃No；　I　won't；〃　said　the　judge；　and　he　tacitly　repented　having　done　so。

The　weather　had　changed；　and　when　he　went　up　from　this　interview　with　his
wife　in　their　stateroom　he　found　a　good　many　people　strung　convalescently
along　the　promenade　on　their　steamer…chairs。　　These；　so　far　as　they　were
women；　were　of　such　sick　plainness　that　when　he　came　to　Ellen　his　heart
throbbed　with　a　glad　resentment　of　her　mother's　aspersion　of　her　health
and　beauty。　　She　looked　not　only　very　well；　and　very　pretty；　but　in　a　gay
red　cap　and　a　trig　jacket　she　looked；　to　her　father's　uncritical　eyes；
very　stylish。　　The　glow　left　his　heart　at　eight　of　the　empty　seat　beside
her。

〃Where　is　Lottie？〃　　he　asked；　though　it　was　not　Lottie's　whereabouts
that　interested　him。

〃Oh；　she's　walking　with　Mr。　Breckon　somewhere；〃　said　Ellen。

〃Then　she's　made　up　her　mind　to　tolerate　him；　has　she？〃　　the　father
asked；　more　lightly　than　he　felt。

Ellen　smiled。　　〃That　wasn't　anything　very　serious；　I　guess。　　At　any　rate；
she's　walking　with　him。〃

〃What　book　is　that？〃　　he　asked；　of　the　volume　she　was　tilting　back　and
forth　under　her　hand。

She　showed　it。　　〃One　of　his。　　He　brought　it　up　to　amuse　me；　he　said。〃

〃While　he　was　amusing　himself　with　Lottie；〃　thought　the　judge；　in　his
jealousy　for　her。　　〃It　is　going　the　same　old　way。　　Well！〃　　What　he　said
aloud　was；　〃And　is　it　amusing　you？〃

〃I　haven't　looked　at　it　yet；〃　said　the　girl。　　〃It's　amusing　enough　to
watch　the　sea。　　Oh；　poppa！　　I　never　thought　I　should　care　so　much　for
it。〃

〃And　you're　glad　we　came？〃

〃I　don't　want　to　think　about　that。　　I　just　want　to　know　that　I'm　here。〃　
She　pressed　his　arm　gently；　significantly；　where　he　sat　provisionally　in
the　chair　beside　her；　and　he　was　afraid　to　speak　lest　he　should　scare
away　the　hope　her　words　gave　him。

He　merely　said；　〃Well；　well！〃　　and　waited　for　her　to　speak　further。　　But
her　impulse　had　exhausted　itself；　as　if　her　spirit　were　like　one　of　those
weak　forms　of　life　which　spend　their　strength　in　a　quick　run　or　flight；
and　then　rest　to　gather　force　for　another。　　〃Where's　Boyne？〃　　he　asked；
after　waiting　for　her　to　speak。

〃He　was　here　a　minute　ago。　　He's　been　talking　with　some　of　the　deck
passengers　that　are　going　home　because　they　couldn't　get　on　in　America。　
Doesn't　that　seem　pitiful；　poppa？　　I　always　thought　we　had　work　enough
for　the　whole　world。〃

〃Perhaps　these　fellows　didn't　try　very　hard　to　find　it；〃　said　the　judge。

〃Perhaps；〃　she　assented。

〃I　shouldn't　want　you　to　get　to　thinking　that　it's　all　like　New　York。　
Remember　how　comfortable　everybody　is　in　Tuskingum。〃

〃Yes；〃　she　said；　sadly。　　〃How　far　off　Tuskingum　seems！〃

〃Well；　don't　forget　about　it；　and　remember　that　wherever　life　is　simplest
and　purest　and　kindest；　that　is　the　highest　civilization。〃

〃How　much　like　old　times　it　seems　to　hear　you　talk　that　way；　poppa！
I　should　think　I　was　in　the　library　at　home。　　And　I　made　you　leave　it！〃　
she　sighed。

〃Your　mother　was　glad　of　any　excuse。　　And　it　will　do　us　all　good；　if　we
take　it　in　the　right　way；〃　said　the　judge；　with　a　didactic　severity　that
did　not　hide　his　pang　from　her。

〃Poor　poppa！〃　she　said。

He　went　away；　saying　that　he　was　going　to　look　Lottie　up。　　His　simple
design　was　to　send　Lottie　to　her　mother；　so　that　Breckon　might　come　back
to　Ellen；　but　he　did　not　own　this　to　himself。

Lottie　returned　from　another　direction　with　Boyne；　and　Ellen　said；
〃Poppa's　gone　to　look　for　you。〃

〃Has　he？〃　asked　Lottie；　dropping　decisively　into　her　chair。　　〃Well；
there's　one　thing；　I　won't　call　him　poppa　any　more。〃

〃What　will　you　call　him？〃　　Boyne　demanded；　demurely。

〃I'll　call　him　father；　it　you　want　to　know；　and　I'm　going　to　call　momma；
mother。　　I'm　not　going　to　have　those　English　laughing　at　us；　and　I　won't
say　papa　and　mamma。　　Everybody　that　knows　anything　says　father　and　mother
now。〃

Boyne　kept　looking　from　one　sister　to　another　during　Lottie's
declaration；　and；　with　his　eyes　on　Ellen；　he　said；　〃It's　true；　Ellen。　
All　the　Plumptons　did。〃　　He　was　very　serious。

Ellen　smiled。　　〃I'm　too　old　to　change。　　I'd　rather　seem　queer　in　Europe
than　when　I　get　back　to　Tuskingum。〃

〃You　wouldn't　be　queer　there　a　great　while；〃　said　Lottie。　　〃They'll　all
be　doing　it　in　a　week　after　I　get　home。〃

Upon　the　encouragement　given　him　by　Ellen；　Boyne　seized　the　chance　of
being　of　the　opposition。　　〃Yes；〃　he　taunted　Lottie；　〃and　you　think
they'll　say　woman　and　man；　for　lady　and　gentleman；　I　suppose。〃

〃They　will　as　soon　as　they　know　it's　the　thing。〃

〃Well；　I　know　I　won't；〃　said　Boyne。　　〃I　won't　call　momma　a　woman。〃

〃It　doesn't　matter　what　you　do；　Boyne　dear；〃　his　sister　serenely　assured
him。

While　he　stood　searching　his　mind　for　a　suitable　retort；　a　young　man；　not
apparently　many　years　his　senior；　came　round　the　corner　of　the　music…
room；　and　put　himself　conspicuously　in　view　at　a　distance　from　the
Kentons。

〃There　he　is；　now；〃　said　Boyne。　　〃He　wants　to　be　introduced　to　Lottie。〃　
He　referred　the　question　to　Ellen；　but　Lottie　answered　for　her。

〃Then　why　don't　you　introduce　him？〃

〃Well；　I　would　if　he　was　an　American。　　But　you　can't　tell　about　these
English。〃　　　He　resumed　the　dignity　he　had　lost　in　making　the　explanation
to　Lottie；　and　ignored　her　in　turning　again　to　Ellen。　　〃What　do　you
think；　Ellen？〃

〃Oh；　don't　know　about　such　things；　Boyne；〃　she　said；　shrinking　from　the
responsibility。

〃Well；　upon　my　word！〃　cried　Lottie。　　〃If　Ellen　can　talk　by　the　hour　with
that　precious　Mr。　Breckon；　and　stay　up　here　along　with　him；　when
everybody　else　is　down　below　sick；　I　don't　think　she　can　have　a　great
deal　to　say　about　a　half…grown　boy　like　that　being　introduced　to　me。〃

〃He's　as　old　as　you　are；〃　said　Boyne；　hotly。

〃Oh！　　I　saw　him　associating　with　you；　and　I　thought　he　was　a　boy；　too。　
Pardon　me！〃　　Lottie　turned　from　giving　Boyne　his　coup…de…grace；　to　plant
a　little　stab　in　Ellen's　breast。　　〃To　be　sure；　now　Mr。　Breckon　has　found
those　friends　of　his；　I　suppose　he　won't　want　to　flirt　with　Ellen　any
more。〃

〃Ah；　ha；　ha！〃　　Boyne　broke　in。　　〃Lottie　is　mad　because　he　stopped　to
speak　to　some　ladies　he　knew。　　Women；　I　suppose　she'd　call　them。〃

〃Well；　I　shouldn't　call　him　a　gentleman；　anyway；〃　said　Lottie。

The　pretty；　smooth…faced；　fresh…faced　young　fellow　whom　their　varying
debate　had　kept　in　abeyance；　looked　round　at　them　over　his　shoulder　as　he
leaned　on　the　rail；　and　seemed　to　discover　Boyne　for　the　first　time。　　He
came　promptly　towards　the　Kentons。

〃Now；〃　said　Lottie；　rapidly；　〃you'll　just　HAVE　to。〃

The　young　fellow　touched　his　cap　to　the　whole　group；　but　he　ventured　to
address　only　Boyne。

〃Every　one　seems　to　be　about　this　morning；〃　he　said；　with　the　cheery
English…rising　infection。

〃Yes；〃　answered　Boyne；　with　such　snubbing　coldness　that　Ellen's　heart　was
touched。

〃It's　so　pleasant；〃　she　said；　〃after　that　dark　weather。〃

〃Isn't　it？〃　cried　the　young　fellow；　gratefully。　　〃One　doesn't　often　get
such　sunshine　as　this　at　sea；　you　know。〃

〃My　sister；　Miss　Kenton；　Mr。　Pogis；〃　Boyne　solemnly　intervened。　　〃And
Miss　Lottie　Kenton。〃

The　pretty　boy　bowed　to　each　in　turn；　but　he　made　no　pretence　of　being
there　to　talk　with　Ellen。　　〃Have　you　been　ill；　too？〃　he　actively
addressed　himself　to　Lottie。

〃No；　just　mad；〃　she　said。　　〃I　wasn't　very　sick；　and　that　made　it　all　the
worse　being　down　in　a　poky　state…room　when　I　wanted　to　walk。〃

〃And　I　suppose　you've　been　making　up　for　lost　time　this　morning？〃

〃Not　half；〃　said　Lottie。

〃Oh；　do　finish　the　half　with　me！〃

L