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