captains courageous-第28部分

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spoil　the　golden　days。

〃Well；　as　far　as　I　can　make　out；　this　business　is　a　sort　of
song…and…dance　act；　whacked　up　for　the　summer　boarders。　Disko
don't　think　much　of　it；　he　says；　because　they　take　up　a　collection
for　the　widows　and　orphans。　Disko's　independent。　Haven't　you
noticed　that？〃

〃Well…yes。　A　little。　In　spots。　Is　it　a　town　show；　then？〃

〃The　summer　convention　is。　They　read　out　the　names　of　the
fellows　drowned　or　gone　astray　since　last　time；　and　they　make
speeches；　and　recite；　and　all。　Then；　Disko　says；　the　secretaries　of
the　Aid　Societies　go　into　the　back　yard　and　fight　over　the　catch。
The　real　show；　he　says；　is　in　the　spring。　The　ministers　all　take　a
hand　then；　and　there　aren't　any　summer　boarders　around。〃

〃I　see；〃　said　Cheyne；　with　the　brilliant　and　perfect　comprehension
of　one　born　into　and　bred　up　to　city　pride。　〃We'll　stay　over　for
Memorial　Day；　and　get　off　in　the　afternoon。〃

〃Guess　I'll　go　down　to　Disko's　and　make　him　bring　his　crowd　up
before　they　sail。　I'll　have　to　stand　with　them；　of　course。〃

〃Oh；　that's　it；　is　it；〃　said　Cheyne。　〃I'm　only　a　poor　summer　boarder；　
and　you're〃

〃A　Banker…full…blooded　Banker；〃　Harvey　called　back　as　he　boarded
a　trolley；　and　Cheyne　Went　on　with　his　blissful　dreams　for　the
future。

Disko　had　no　use　for　public　functions　where　appeals　were　made
for　charity；　but　Harvey　pleaded　that　the　glory　of　the　day　would　be
lost；　so　far　as　he　was　concerned；　if　the　We're　Heres　absented
themselves。　Then　Disko　made　conditions。　He　had　heard…it　was
astonishing　how　all　the　world　knew　all　the　world's　business　along
the　water…front…he　had　heard　that　a　〃Philadelphia　actress…woman〃
was　going　to　take　part　in　the　exercises；　and　he　mistrusted　that　she
would　deliver　〃Skipper　Ireson's　Ride。〃　Personally；　he　had　as　little
use　for　actresses　as　for　summer　boarders；　but　justice　was　justice；
and　though　he　himself　（here　Dan　giggled）　had　once　slipped　up　on
a　matter　of　judgment；　this　thing　must　not　be。　So　Harvey　came　back
to　East　Gloucester；　and　spent　half　a　day　explaining　to　an　amused
actress　with　a　royal　reputation　on　two　seaboards　the　inwardness　of
the　mistake　she　contemplated；　and　she　admitted　that　it　was　justice；
even　as　Disko　had　said。

Cheyne　knew　by　old　experience　what　would　happen；　but　anything
of　the　nature　of　a　public　palaver　as　meat　and　drink　to　the　man's
soul。　He　saw　the　trolleys　hurrying　west；　in　the　hot；　hazy　morning；
full　of　women　in　light　summer　dresses；　and　white…faced
straw…hatted　men　fresh　from　Boston　desks；　the　stack　of　bicycles
outside　the　post~office；　the　come…and…go　of　busy　officials；　greeting
one　another；　the　slow　flick　and　swash　of　bunting　in　the　heavy　air；
and　the　important　man　with　a　hose　sluicing　the　brick　sidewalk。

〃Mother；〃　he　said　suddenly；　〃don't　you　remember…after　Seattle　was
burned　out…and　they　got　her　going　again？〃

Mrs。　Cheyne　nodded；　and　looked　critically　down　the　crooked　street
Like　her　husband；　she　understood　these　gatherings；　all　the　West
over；　and　compared　them　one　against　another。　The　fishermen
began　to　mingle　with　the　crowd　about　the　town…hall　doors…blue…
jowled　Portuguese；　their　women　bare…headed　or　shawled　for　the　
most　part；　clear…eyed　Nova　Scotians；　and　men　of　the　Maritime　
Provinces；　French；　Italians；　Swedes；　and　Danes；　with　outside　crews
of　coasting　schooners；　and　everywhere　women　in　black；　who
saluted　one　another　with　gloomy　pride；　for　this　was　their　day　of
great　days。　And　there　were　ministers　of　many　creeds　；…pastors　of
great；　gilt…edged　congregations；　at　the　seaside　for　a　rest；　with
shepherds　of　the　regular　work；…from　the　priests　of　the　Church　on
the　Hill　to　bush…bearded　ex…sailor　Lutherans；　hail…fellow　with　the
men　of　a　score　of　boats。　There　were　owners　of　lines　of　schooners；
large　contributors　to　the　societies；　and　small　men；　their　few　craft
pawned　to　the　mastheads；　with　bankers　and　marine…insurance
agents；　captains　of　tugs　and　water…boats；　riggers；　fitters；　lumpers；
salters；　boat…builders；　and　coopers；　and　all　the　mixed　population　of
the　water…front。

They　drifted　along　the　line　of　seats　made　gay　with　the　dresses　of
the　summer　boarders；　and　one　of　the　town　officials　patrolled　and
perspired　till　he　shone　all　over　with　pure　civic　pride。　Cheyne　had
met　him　for　five　minutes　a　few　days　before；　and　between　the　two
there　was　entire　understanding。

〃Well；　Mr。　Cheyne；　and　what　d'you　think　of　our　city？　…Yes；
madam；　you　can　sit　anywhere　you　please。…You　have　this　kind　of
thing　out　West；　I　presume？〃

〃Yes；　but　we　aren't　as　old　as　you。〃

〃That's　so；　of　course。　You　ought　to　have　been　at　the　exercises　when
we　celebrated　our　two　hundred　and　fiftieth　birthday。　I　tell　you；　Mr。
Cheyne；　the　old　city　did　herself　credit。〃

〃So　I　heard。　It　pays；　too。　What's　the　matter　with　the　town　that　it
don't　have　a　first…class　hotel；　though？〃

〃…Bight　over　there　to　the　left；　Pedro。　Heaps　o'　room　for　you　and
your　crowd。…Why；　that's　what　I　tell　'em　all　the　time；　Mr。　Cheyne。
There's　big　money　in　it；　but　I　presume　that　don't　affect　you　any。
What　we　want　is

A　heavy　hand　fell　on　his　broadcloth　shoulder；　and　the　flushed
skipper　of　a　Portland　coal…and…ice　coaster　spun　him　half　round。
〃What　in　thunder　do　you　fellows　mean　by　clappin'　the　law　on　the
town　when　all　decent　men　are　at　sea　this　way？　Heh？　Town's　dry　as
a　bone；　an'　smells　a　sight　worse　sence　I　quit。　'Might　ha'　left　us　one　
saloon　for　soft　drinks；　anyway。〃

〃Don't　seem　to　have　hindered　your　nourishment　this　morning；
Carsen。　I'll　go　into　the　politics　of　it　later。　Sit　down　by　the　door　and
think　over　your　arguments　till　I　come　back。〃

〃What　good　is　arguments　to　me？　In　Miquelon　champagne's
eighteen　dollars　a　case　and…〃　The　skipper　lurched　into　his　seat
as　an　organ…prelude　silenced　him。

〃Our　new　organ；〃　said　the　official　proudly　to　Cheyne。

'Cost　us　four　thousand　dollars；　too。　We'll　have　to　get　back　to
high…license　next　year　to　pay　for　it。　I　wasn't　going　to　let　the
ministers　have　all　the　religion　at　their　convention。　Those　are　some
of　our　orphans　standing　up　to　sing。　My　wife　taught　'em。　See　you
again　later；　Mr。　Cheyne。　I'm　wanted　on　the　platform。〃

High；　clear；　and　true；　children's　voices　bore　down　the　last　noise　of
those　settling　into　their　places。

〃　O　all　ye　Works　of　the　Lord；　bless　ye　the　Lord：　praise　him　and
magnify　him　for　ever！〃

The　women　throughout　the　hall　leaned　forward　to　look　as　the
reiterated　cadences　filled　the　air。　Mrs。　Cheyne；　with　some　others；
began　to　breathe　short；　she　had　hardly　imagined　there　were　so
many　widows　in　the　world；　and　instinctively　searched　for　Harvey。
He　had　found　the　We're　Heres　at　the　back　of　the　audience；　and　was
standing；　as　by　right；　between　Dan　and　Disko。　Uncle　Salters；
returned　the　night　before　with　Penn；　from　Pamlico　Sound；　received
him　suspiciously。

〃Hain't　your　folk　gone　yet？〃　he　grunted。　〃What　are　you　doin'　here；
young　feller？〃

〃0　ye　Seas　and　Floods；　bless　ye　the　Lord：　praise　him；　and　magnify
him　for　ever！〃

〃Hain't　he　good　right？〃　said　Dan。　〃He's　bin　there；　same　as　the　rest
of　us。〃

〃Not　in　them　clothes；〃　Salters　snarled。

〃Shut　your　head；　Salters；〃　said　Disko。　〃Your　bile's　gone　back　on
you。　Stay　right　where　ye　are；　Harve。〃

Then　up　and　spoke　the　orator　of　the　occasion；　another　pillar　of　the
municipality；　bidding　the　world　welcome　to　Gloucester；　and
incidentally　pointing　out　wherein　Gloucester　excelled　the　rest　of
the　world。　Then　he　turned　to　the　sea…wealth　of　the　city；　and　spoke
of　the　price　that　must　be　paid　for　the　yearly　harvest。　They　would
hear　later　the　names　of　their　lost　dead　one　hundred　and　seventeen
of　them。　（The　widows　stared　a　little；　and　looked　at　one　another
here。）　Gloucester　could　not　boast　any　overwhelming　mills　or
factories。　Her　sons　worked　for　such　wage　as　the　sea　gave；　and　they
all　knew　that　neither　Georges　nor　the　Banks　were　cow…pastures。
The　utmost　that　folk　ashore　could　accomplish　was　to　help　the
widows　and　the　orphans；　and　after　a　few　general　remarks　he　took
this　opportunity　of　thanking；　in　the　name　of　the　city；　those　who　had
so　public…spiritedly　consented　to　participate　in　the　excercises　of
the　occasion。

〃I　jest　despise　the　beggin'　pieces　in　it；〃　growled　Disko。　〃It　don't
give　folk　a　fair　notion　of　us。〃

〃Ef　folk　won't　be　fore…handed　an'　put　by　when　they've　the　chance；〃
returned　Salters；　〃it　stands　in　the　nature　o'　things　they　hev　to　be
'shamed。　You　take　warnin'　by　that；　young　feller。　Riches　endureth
but　for　a　season；　ef　you　scatter　them　araound　on　lugsuries

〃But　to　lose　everything；　everything；〃　said　Penn。　〃What　can　you　do
then？　Once　I〃…the　watery　blue　eyes　stared　up　and　down　as　if
looking　for　something　to　steady　them〃once　I　read…in　a　book；　I
think~f　a　boat　where　every　one　was　run　down…except　some
one…and　he　said　to　me…〃

〃Shucks！〃　said　Salters；　cutting　in。　〃You　read　a　little　less　an'　take
more　int'rust　in　your　vittles；　and　you'll　come　nearer　earnin'　your
keep；　Penn。〃

Harvey；　jammed　among　the　fishermen；　felt　a　creepy；　crawly；
tingling　thrill　that　began　in　the　back　of　his　neck　and　ended　at　his
boots。　He　was　cold；　too；　though　it　was　a　stifling　day。

'That　the　actress　from　Philadelphia？〃　said　Disko　Troop；　scowling
at　the　platform。　〃You've　fixed　it　about　old　man　Ireson；　hain't　ye；
Harve？　Ye　know　why　naow。〃

It　was　not　〃Ireson's　Ride〃　that　the　woman　delivered；　but　some　sort
of　poem　about　a　fishing…port　called　Brixham　and　a　fleet　of　trawlers
beating　in　against　storm　by　night；　while　the　women　made　a　guiding
fire　at　the　head　of　the　quay　with　everything　they　could　lay　hands
on。

〃They　took　the　grandma's　blanket；　
Who　shivered　and　bade　them　go；
They　took　the　baby's　cradle；
Who　could　not　say　them　no。〃

〃Whew！〃　said　Dan；　peering　over　Long　Jack's　shoulder。　〃That's
great！　Must　ha'　bin　expensive；　though。〃

〃Ground…hog　case；〃　said　the　Galway　man。　〃Badly　lighted　port；
Danny。〃

〃And　knew　not　all　the　while　
If　they　were　lighting　a　bonfire　
Or　only　a　funeral　pile。〃

The　wonderful　voice　took　hold　of　people　by　their　heartstrings；　and
when　she　told　how　the　drenched　crews　were　flung　ashore；　living
and　dead；　and　they　carried　the　bodies　to　the　glare　of　the　fires；
asking：　〃Child；　is　this　your　father？〃　or　〃Wife；　is　this　your　man？〃
you　could　hear　hard　breathing　all　over　the　benches。

　
〃And　when　the　boa