the make-believe man-第2部分

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slips　of　paper；　on　each　of　which　was　written　the　name　of　a　summer
resort。　　Ten　of　these　places　were　selected　by　Kinney；　and　ten　by
myself。　　Kinney　dramatically　rolled　up　his　sleeve；　and；　plunging
his　bared　arm　into　our　grab…bag；　drew　out　a　slip　of　paper　and　read
aloud：　〃New　Bedford；　via　New　Bedford　Steamboat　Line。〃　　The　choice
was　one　of　mine。

〃New　Bedford！〃　shouted　Kinney。　　His　tone　expressed　the　keenest
disappointment。　　〃It's　a　mill　town！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃It's　full　of
cotton　mills。〃

〃That　may　be；〃　I　protested。　　〃But　it's　also　a　most　picturesque　old
seaport；　one　of　the　oldest　in　America。　　You　can　see　whaling　vessels
at　the　wharfs　there；　and　wooden　figure…heads；　and　harpoons〃

〃Is　this　an　expedition　to　dig　up　buried　cities；〃　interrupted
Kinney；　〃or　a　pleasure　trip？　　I　don't　WANT　to　see　harpoons！　　I
wouldn't　know　a　harpoon　if　you　stuck　one　into　me。　　I　prefer　to　see
hatpins。〃

The　Patience　did　not　sail　until　six　o'clock；　but　we　were　so　anxious
to　put　New　York　behind　us　that　at　five　we　were　on　board。　　Our　cabin
was　an　outside　one　with　two　berths。　　After　placing　our　suit…cases
in　it；　we　collected　camp…chairs　and　settled　ourselves　in　a　cool
place　on　the　boat　deck。　　Kinney　had　bought　all　the　afternoon
papers；　and；　as　later　I　had　reason　to　remember；　was　greatly
interested　over　the　fact　that　the　young　Earl　of　Ivy　had　at　last
arrived　in　this　country。　　For　some　weeks　the　papers　had　been　giving
more　space　than　seemed　necessary　to　that　young　Irishman　and　to　the
young　lady　he　was　coming　over　to　marry。　　There　had　been　pictures　of
his　different　country　houses；　pictures　of　himself；　in　uniform；　in
the　robes　he　wore　at　the　coronation；　on　a　polo　pony；　as　Master　of
Fox…hounds。　　And　there　had　been　pictures　of　Miss　Aldrich；　and　of
HER　country　places　at　Newport　and　on　the　Hudson。　　From　the
afternoon　papers　Kinney　learned　that；　having　sailed　under　his
family　name　of　Meehan；　the　young　man　and　Lady　Moya；　his　sister；　had
that　morning　landed　in　New　York；　but　before　the　reporters　had
discovered　them；　had　escaped　from　the　wharf　and　disappeared。

〃'Inquiries　at　the　different　hotels；'〃　read　Kinney　impressively；
〃'failed　to　establish　the　whereabouts　of　his　lordship　and　Lady
Moya；　and　it　is　believed　they　at　once　left　by　train　for　Newport。'〃

With　awe　Kinney　pointed　at　the　red　funnels　of　the　Mauretania。

〃There　is　the　boat　that　brought　them　to　America；〃　he　said。　　〃I
see；〃　he　added；　〃that　in　this　picture　of　him　playing　golf　he　wears
one　of　those　knit　jackets　the　Eiselbaum　has　just　marked　down　to
three　dollars　and　seventy…five　cents。　　I　wish〃　he　added
regretfully。

〃You　can　get　one　at　New　Bedford；〃　I　suggested。

〃I　wish；〃　he　continued；　〃we　had　gone　to　Newport。　　All　of　our　BEST
people　will　be　there　for　the　wedding。　　It　is　the　most　important
social　event　of　the　season。　　You　might　almost　call　it　an　alliance。〃

I　went　forward　to　watch　them　take　on　the　freight；　and　Kinney
stationed　himself　at　the　rail　above　the　passengers　gangway　where　he
could　see　the　other　passengers　arrive。　　He　had　dressed　himself　with
much　care；　and　was　wearing　his　Yale　hat…band；　but　when　a　very
smart…looking　youth　came　up　the　gangplank　wearing　a　Harvard　ribbon；
Kinney　hastily　retired　to　our　cabin　and　returned　with　one　like　it。
A　few　minutes　later　I　found　him　and　the　young　man　seated　in　camp…
chairs　side　by　side　engaged　in　a　conversation　in　which　Kinney
seemed　to　bear　the　greater　part。　　Indeed；　to　what　Kinney　was　saying
the　young　man　paid　not　the　slightest　attention。　　Instead；　his　eyes
were　fastened　on　the　gangplank　below；　and　when　a　young　man　of　his
own　age；　accompanied　by　a　girl　in　a　dress　of　rough　tweed；　appeared
upon　it；　he　leaped　from　his　seat。　　Then　with　a　conscious　look　at
Kinney；　sank　back。

The　girl　in　the　tweed　suit　was　sufficiently　beautiful　to　cause　any
man　to　rise　and　to　remain　standing。　　She　was　the　most　beautiful
girl　I　had　ever　seen。　　She　had　gray　eyes　and　hair　like　golden…rod；
worn　in　a　fashion　with　which　I　was　not　familiar；　and　her　face　was
so　lovely　that　in　my　surprise　at　the　sight　of　it；　I　felt　a　sudden
catch　at　my　throat；　and　my　heart　stopped　with　awe；　and　wonder；　and
gratitude。

After　a　brief　moment　the　young　man　in　the　real　Harvard　hat…band
rose　restlessly　and；　with　a　nod　to　Kinney；　went　below。　　I　also　rose
and　followed　him。　　I　had　an　uncontrollable　desire　to　again　look　at
the　girl　with　the　golden…rod　hair。　　I　did　not　mean　that　she　should
see　me。　　Never　before　had　I　done　such　a　thing。　　But　never　before
had　I　seen　any　one　who　had　moved　me　so　strangely。　　Seeking　her；　I
walked　the　length　of　the　main　saloon　and　back　again；　but　could　not
find　her。　　The　delay　gave　me　time　to　see　that　my　conduct　was
impertinent。　　The　very　fact　that　she　was　so　lovely　to　look　upon
should　have　been　her　protection。　　It　afforded　me　no　excuse　to
follow　and　spy　upon　her。　　With　this　thought；　I　hastily　returned　to
the　upper　deck　to　bury　myself　in　my　book。　　If　it　did　not　serve　to
keep　my　mind　from　the　young　lady；　at　least　I　would　prevent　my　eyes
from　causing　her　annoyance。

I　was　about　to　take　the　chair　that　the　young　man　had　left　vacant
when　Kinney　objected。

〃He　was　very　much　interested　in　our　conversation；〃　Kinney　said；
〃and　he　may　return。〃

I　had　not　noticed　any　eagerness　on　the　part　of　the　young　man　to
talk　to　Kinney　or　to　listen　to　him；　but　I　did　not　sit　down。

〃I　should　not　be　surprised　a　bit；〃　said　Kinney；　〃if　that　young　man
is　no　end　of　a　swell。　　He　is　a　Harvard　man；　and　his　manner　was　most
polite。　　That；〃　explained　Kinney；　〃is　one　way　you　can　always　tell　a
real　swell。　　They're　not　high　and　mighty　with　you。　　Their　social
position　is　so　secure　that　they　can　do　as　they　like。　　For　instance；
did　you　notice　that　he　smoked　a　pipe？〃

I　said　I　had　not　noticed　it。

For　his　holiday　Kinney　had　purchased　a　box　of　cigars　of　a　quality
more　expensive　than　those　he　can　usually　afford。　　He　was　smoking
one　of　them　at　the　moment；　and；　as　it　grew　less；　had　been　carefully
moving　the　gold　band　with　which　it　was　encircled　from　the　lighted
end。　　But　as　he　spoke　he　regarded　it　apparently　with　distaste；　and
then　dropped　it　overboard。

〃Keep　my　chair；〃　he　said；　rising。　　〃I　am　going　to　my　cabin　to　get
my　pipe。〃　　I　sat　down　and　fastened　my　eyes　upon　my　book；　but
neither　did　I　understand　what　I　was　reading　nor　see　the　printed
page。　　Instead；　before　my　eyes；　confusing　and　blinding　me；　was　the
lovely；　radiant　face　of　the　beautiful　lady。　　In　perplexity　I　looked
up；　and　found　her　standing　not　two　feet　from　me。　　Something　pulled
me　out　of　my　chair。　　Something　made　me　move　it　toward　her。　　I
lifted　my　hat　and　backed　away。　　But　the　eyes　of　the　lovely　lady
halted　me。

To　my　perplexity；　her　face　expressed　both　surprise　and　pleasure。
It　was　as　though　either　she　thought　she　knew　me；　or　that　I　reminded
her　of　some　man　she　did　know。　　Were　the　latter　the　case；　he　must
have　been　a　friend；　for　the　way　in　which　she　looked　at　me　was　kind。
And　there　was；　besides；　the　expression　of　surprise　and　as　though
something　she　saw　pleased　her。　　Maybe　it　was　the　quickness　with
which　I　had　offered　my　chair。　　Still　looking　at　me；　she　pointed　to
one　of　the　sky…scrapers。

〃Could　you　tell　me；〃　she　asked；　〃the　name　of　that　building？〃　　Had
her　question　not　proved　it；　her　voice　would　have　told　me　not　only
that　she　was　a　stranger；　but　that　she　was　Irish。　　It　was
particularly　soft；　low；　and　vibrant。　　It　made　the　commonplace
question　she　asked　sound　as　though　she　had　sung　it。　　I　told　her　the
name　of　the　building；　and　that　farther　uptown；　as　she　would　see
when　we　moved　into　midstream；　there　was　another　still　taller。　　She
listened；　regarding　me　brightly；　as　though　interested；　but　before
her　I　was　embarrassed；　and；　fearing　I　intruded；　I　again　made　a
movement　to　go　away。　　With　another　question　she　stopped　me。　　I
could　see　no　reason　for　her　doing　so；　but　it　was　almost　as　though
she　had　asked　the　question　only　to　detain　me。

〃What　is　that　odd　boat；〃　she　said；　〃pumping　water　into　the　river？〃

I　explained　that　it　was　a　fire…boat　testing　her　hose…lines；　and
then　as　we　moved　into　the　channel　I　gained　courage；　and　found
myself　pointing　out　the　Statue　of　Liberty；　Governors　Island；　and
the　Brooklyn　Bridge。　　The　fact　that　it　was　a　stranger　who　was
talking　did　not　seem　to　disturb　her。　　I　cannot　tell　how　she
conveyed　the　idea；　but　I　soon　felt　that　she　felt；　no　matter　what
unconventional　thing　she　chose　to　do；　people　would　not　be　rude；　or
misunderstand。

I　considered　telling　her　my　name。　　At　first　it　seemed　that　that
would　be　more　polite。　　Then　I　saw　to　do　so　would　be　forcing　myself
upon　her；　that　she　was　interested　in　me　only　as　a　guide　to　New　York
Harbor。

When　we　passed　the　Brooklyn　Navy　Yard　I　talked　so　much　and　so
eagerly　of　the　battle…ships　at　anchor　there　that　the　lady　must　have
thought　I　had　followed　the　sea；　for　she　asked：　〃Are　you　a
sailorman？〃

It　was　the　first　question　that　was　in　any　way　personal。

〃I　used　to　sail　a　catboat；〃　I　said。

My　answer　seemed　to　puzzle　her；　and　she　frowned。　　Then　she　laughed
delightedly；　like　one　having　made　a　discovery。

〃You　don't　say　'sailorman；'〃　she　said。　　〃What　do　you　ask；　over
here；　when　you　want　to　know　if　a　man　is　in　the　navy？〃

She　spoke　as　though　we　were　talking　a　different　language。

〃We　ask　if　he　is　in　the　navy；〃　I　answered。

She　laughed　again　at　that；　quite　as　though　I　had　said　something
clever。

〃And　you　are　not？〃

〃No；〃　I　said；　〃I　am　in　Joyce　&　Carboy's　office。　　I　am　a
stenographer。〃

Again　my　answer　seemed　both　to　puzzle　and　to　surprise　her。　　She
regarded　me　doubtfully。　　I　could　see　that　she　thought；　for　some
reason；　I　was　misleading　her。

〃In　an　office？〃　she　repeated。　　Then；　as　though　she　had　caught　me；
she　said：　〃How　do　you　keep　so　fit？〃　　She　asked　the　question
directly；　as　a　man　would　have　asked　it；　and　as　she　spoke　I　was
conscious　that　her　eyes　were　measuring　me　and　my　shoulders；　as
though　she　were　wondering　to　what　weight　I　could　strip。

〃It's　only　lately　I've　worked　in　an　office；〃　I　said。　　〃Before　that
I　always　worked　out…of…doors；　oystering　and　clamming　and；　in　the
fall；　scalloping。　　And　in　the　summer　I　played　ball　on　a　hotel
nine。〃

I　saw　that　to　the　beautiful　lady　my　explanation　carried　no　meaning
whatsoever；　but　before　I　could　e