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the kentons-第15部分
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smooth hair。 When he laughed; which was often; his color brightened。
Boyne was named last; and then Mr。 Breckon said; with a smile that showed
all his white teeth; 〃Oh yes; Mr。 Boyne and I are friends alreadyever
since we found ourselves room…mates;〃 and but for us; as Lottie
afterwards noted; they might never have known Boyne was rooming with him;
and could easily have made all sorts of insulting remarks about Mr。
Breckon in their ignorance。
The possibility seemed to delight Mr。 Breckon; he invited her to make all
the insulting remarks she could think of; any way; and professed himself
a loser; so far as her real opinion was withheld from him by reason of
his rashness in giving the facts away。 In the electrical progress of
their acquaintance she had begun walking up and down the promenade with
him after they came up from breakfast; her mother had gone to Ellen; the
judge had been made comfortable in his steamer…chair; and Boyne had been
sent about his business。
〃I will try to think some up;〃 she promised him; 〃as soon as I HAVE any
real opinion of you;〃 and he asked her if he might consider that a
beginning。
She looked at him out of her indomitable blue eyes; and said; 〃If it
hadn't been for your card; and the Reverend on it; I should have said you
were an actor。〃
〃Well; well;〃 said Mr。 Breckon; with a laugh; perhaps I am; in a way。
I oughtn't to be; of course; but if a minister ever forces himself; I
suppose he's acting。〃
〃I don't see;〃 said Lottie; instantly availing herself of the opening;
〃how you can get up and pray; Sunday after Sunday; whether you feel like
it or not。〃
The young man said; with another laugh; but not so gay; 〃 Well; the case
has its difficulties。〃
〃Or perhaps you just read prayers;〃 Lottie sharply conjectured。
〃No;〃 he returned; 〃I haven't that advantageif you think it one。
I'm a sort of a Unitarian。 Very advanced; too; I'm afraid。〃
〃Is that a kind of Universalist?〃
〃Notnot exactly。 There's an old jokeI'm not sure it's very good
which distinguishes between the sects。 It's said that the Universalists
think God is too good to damn them; and the Unitarians think they are too
good to be damned。〃 Lottie shrank a little from him。 〃Ah!〃 he cried;
〃you think it sounds wicked。 Well; I'm sorry。 I'm not clerical enough
to joke about serious things。〃
He looked into her face with a pretended anxiety。 〃Oh; I don't know;〃
she said; with a little scorn。 〃I guess if you can stand it; I can。〃
〃I'm not sure that I can。 I'm afraid it's more in keeping with an
actor's profession than my own。 Why;〃 he added; as if to make a
diversion; 〃should you have thought I was an actor?〃
〃I suppose because you were clean…shaved; and your pronunciation。 So
Englishy。〃
〃Is it? Perhaps I ought to be proud。 But I'm not an Englishman。 I am a
plain republican American。 May I ask if you are English?〃
〃Oh!〃 said Lottie。 〃As if you thought such a thing。 We're from Ohio。〃
Mr。 Breckon said; 〃Ah!〃 Lottie could not make out in just what sense。
By this time they were leaning on the rail of the promenade; looking over
at what little was left of Long Island; and she said; abruptly: 〃I think
I will go and see how my father is getting along。〃
〃Oh; do take me with you; Miss Kenton!〃 Mr: Breckon entreated。 〃I am
feeling very badly about that poor old joke。 I know you don't think well
of me for it; and I wish to report what I've been saying to your father;
and let him judge me。 I've heard that it's hard to live up to Ohio
people when you're at your best; and I do hope you'll believe I have not
been quite at my best。 Will you let me come with you?〃
Lottie did not know whether he was making fun of her or not; but she
said; 〃Oh; it's a free country;〃 and allowed him to go with her。
His preface made the judge look rather grave; but when he came to the
joke; Kenton laughed and said it was not bad。
〃Oh; but that isn't quite the point;〃 said Mr。 Breckon。 〃The question is
whether I am good in repeating it to a young lady who was seeking serious
instruction on a point of theology。〃
〃I don't know what she would have done with the instruction if she had
got it;〃 said the judge; dryly; and the young man ventured in her behalf:
〃It would be difficult for any one to manage; perhaps。〃
〃Perhaps;〃 Kenton assented; and Lottie could see that he was thinking
Ellen would know what to do with it。
She resented that; and she was in the offence that girls feel when their
elders make them the subject of comment with their contemporaries。
〃Well; I'll leave you to discuss it alone。 I'm going to Ellen;〃 she
said; the young man vainly following her a few paces; with apologetic
gurgles of laughter。
〃That's right;〃 her father consented; and then he seized the opening to
speak about Ellen。 〃My eldest daughter is something of an invalid; but I
hope we shall have her on deck before the voyage is over。 She is more
interested in those matters than her sister。〃
〃Oh!〃 Mr。 Breckon interpolated; in a note of sympathetic interest。 He
could not well do more。
It was enough for Judge Kenton; who launched himself upon the celebration
of Ellen's gifts and qualities with a simple…hearted eagerness which he
afterwards denied when his wife accused him of it; but justified as
wholly safe in view of Mr。 Breckon's calling and his obvious delicacy of
mind。 It was something that such a person would understand; and Kenton
was sure that he had not unduly praised the girl。 A less besotted parent
might have suspected that he had not deeply interested his listener; who
seemed glad of the diversion operated by Boyne's coming to growl upon his
father; 〃Mother's bringing Ellen up。〃
〃Oh; then; I mustn't keep your chair;〃 said the minister; and he rose
promptly from the place he had taken beside the judge; and got himself
away to the other side of the ship before the judge could frame a fitting
request for him to stay。
〃If you had;〃 Mrs。 Kenton declared; when he regretted this to her;
〃I don't know what I would have done。 It's bad enough for him to hear
you bragging about the child without being kept to help take care of her;
or keep her amused; as you call it。 I will see that Ellen is kept amused
without calling upon strangers。〃 She intimated that if Kenton did not
act with more self…restraint she should do little less than take Ellen
ashore; and abandon him to the voyage alone。 Under the intimidation he
promised not to speak of Ellen again。
At luncheon; where Mr。 Breckon again devoted himself to Lottie; he and
Ellen vied in ignoring each other after their introduction; as far as
words went。 The girl smiled once or twice at what he was saying to her
sister; and his glance kindled when it detected her smile。 He might be
supposed to spare her his conversation in her own interest; she looked so
little able to cope with the exigencies of the talk he kept going。
When he addressed her she answered as if she had not been listening; and
he turned back to Lottie。 After luncheon he walked with her; and their
acquaintance made such a swift advance that she was able to ask him if he
laughed that way with everybody。
He laughed; and then he begged her pardon if he had been rude。
〃Well; I don't see what there is to laugh at so much。 When you ask me a
thing I tell you just what I think; and it seems to set you off in a
perfect gale。 Don't you expect people to say what they think?〃
〃I think it's beautiful;〃 said the young man; going into the gale;
and I've got to expecting it of you; at any rate。 Butbut it's always
so surprising! It isn't what you expect of people generally; is it?〃
〃I don't expect it of you;〃 said Lottie。
〃No?〃 asked Mr。 Breckon; in another gale。 〃Am I so uncandid?〃
〃I don't know about uncandid。 But I should say you were slippery。〃
At this extraordinary criticism the young man looked graver than he had
yet been able to do since the beginning of their acquaintance。 He said;
presently; 〃I wish you would explain what you mean by slippery。〃
〃You're as close as a trap!〃
〃Really?〃
〃It makes me tired。〃
〃If you're not too tired now I wish you would say how。〃
〃Oh; you understand well enough。 You've got me to say what I think about
all sorts of things; and you haven't expressed your opinion on a single;
solitary point?〃
Lottie looked fiercely out to sea; turning her face so as to keep him
from peering around into it in the way he had。 For that reason; perhaps;
he did not try to do so。 He answered; seriously: 〃I believe you are
partly right。 I'm afraid I haven't seemed quite fair。 Couldn't you
attribute my closeness to something besides my slipperiness?〃 He began
to laugh again。 〃Can't you imagine my being interested in your opinions
so much more than my own that I didn't care to express mine?〃
Lottie said; impatiently; 〃Oh; pshaw!〃 She had hesitated whether to say;
〃Rats!〃
〃But now;〃 he pursued; 〃if you will suggest some point on which I can
give you an opinion; I promise solemnly to do so;〃 but he was not very
solemn as he spoke。
〃Well; then; I will;〃 she said。 〃Don't yon think it's very strange; to
say the least; for a minister to be always laughing so much?〃
Mr。 Breckon gave a peal of delight; and answered; 〃Yes; I certainly do。〃
He controlled himself so far as to say: 〃Now I think I've been pretty
open with you; and I wish you'd answer me a question。 Will you?〃
〃Well; I willone;〃 said Lottie。
〃It may be two or three; but I'll begin with one。 Why do you think a
minister ought to be more serious than other men?〃
〃Why? Well; I should think you'd know。 You wouldn't laugh at a funeral;
would you?〃
〃I've been at some funerals where it would have been a relief to laugh;
and I've wanted to cry at some weddings。 But you think it wouldn't do?〃
〃Of course it wouldn't。 I should think you'd know as much as that;〃 said
Lottie; out of patience with him。
〃But a minister isn't always marrying or burying people; and in the;
intervals; why shouldn't he be setting them an example of harmless
cheerfulness?〃
〃He ought to be thinking more about the other world; I should say。〃
〃Well; if he believes there is another world〃
〃W
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