the kentons-第16部分

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〃He　ought　to　be　thinking　more　about　the　other　world；　I　should　say。〃

〃Well；　if　he　believes　there　is　another　world〃

〃Why！　　Don't　you？〃　　she　broke　out　on　him。

Mr。　Breckon　ruled　himself　and　continued〃as　strenuously　and
unquestionably　as　he　ought；　he　has　greater　reason　than　other　men　for
gayety　through　his　faith　in　a　happier　state　of　being　than　this。　　That's
one　of　the　reasons　I　use　against　myself　when　I　think　of　leaving　off
laughing。　　Now；　Miss　Kenton；〃　he　concluded；　〃for　such　a　close　and
slippery　nature；　I　think　I've　been　pretty　frank；〃　and　he　looked　round　and
down　into　her　face　with　a　burst　of　laughter　that　could　be　heard　an　the
other　side　of　the　ship。　　He　refused　to　take　up　any　serious　topic　after
that；　and　he　returned　to　his　former　amusement　of　making　her　give　herself
away。

That　night　Lottie　came　to　her　room　with　an　expression　so　decisive　in　her
face　that　Ellen；　following　it　with　vague；　dark　eyes　as　it　showed　itself
in　the　glass　at　which　her　sister　stood　taking　out　the　first　dismantling
hairpins　before　going　to　bed；　could　not　fail　of　something　portentous　in
it。

〃Well；〃　said　Lottie；　with　severe　finality；　〃I　haven't　got　any　use　for
THAT　young　man　from　this　time　out。　　Of　all　the　tiresome　people；　he
certainly　takes　the　cake。　　You　can　have　him；　Ellen；　if　you　want　him。〃

〃What's　the　matter　with　him？〃　　asked　Ellen；　with　a　voice　in　sympathy　with
the　slow　movement　of　her　large　eyes　as　she　lay　in　her　berth；　staring　at
Lottie。

〃There's　everything　the　matter；　that　oughtn't　to　be。　　He's　too　trivial
for　anything：　I　like　a　man　that's　serious　about　one　thing　in　the
universe；　at　least；　and　that's　just　what　Mr。　Breckon　isn't。〃　　She　went　at
such　length　into　his　disabilities　that　by　the　time　she　returned　to　the
climax　with　which　she　started　she　was　ready　to　clamber　into　the　upper
berth；　and　as　she　snapped　the　electric　button　at　its　head　she　repeated；
〃He's　trivial。〃

〃Isn't　it　getting　rough？〃　asked　Ellen。　　〃The　ship　seems　to　be　tipping。〃

〃Yes；　it　is；〃　said　Lottie；　crossly。　　〃Good…night。〃

If　the　Rev。　Mr。　Breckon　was　making　an　early　breakfast　in　the　hope　of
sooner　meeting　Lottie；　who　had　dismissed　him　the　night　before　without
encouraging　him　to　believe　that　she　wished　ever　to　see　him　again；　he　was
destined　to　disappointment。　　The　deputation　sent　to　breakfast　by　the
paradoxical　family　whose　acquaintance　he　had　made　on　terms　of　each
forbidding　intimacy；　did　not　include　the　girl　who　had　frankly　provoked
his　confidence　and　severely　snubbed　it。　　He　had　left　her　brother　very
sea…sick　in　their　state…room；　and　her　mother　was　reported　by　her　father
to　be　feeling　the　motion　too　much　to　venture　out。　　The　judge　was；　in
fact；　the　only　person　at　table　when　Breckon　sat　down；　but　when　he　had
accounted　for　his　wife's　absence；　and　confessed　that　he　did　not　believe
either　of　his　daughters　was　coming；　Ellen　gainsaid　him　by　appearing　and
advancing　quite　steadily　along　the　saloon　to　the　place　beside　him。　　It
had　not　gone　so　far　as　this　in　the　judge's　experience　of　a　neurotic
invalid　without　his　learning　to　ask　her　no　questions　about　herself。　　He
had　always　a　hard　task　in　refraining；　but　he　had　grown　able　to　refrain；
and　now　he　merely　looked　unobtrusively　glad　to　see　her；　and　asked　her
where　Lottie　was。

〃Oh；　she　doesn't　want　any　breakfast；　she　says。　　Is　momma　sick；　too？
Where's　Boyne？〃

The　judge　reported　as　to　her　mother；　and　Mr。　Breckon；　after　the　exchange
of　a　silent　salutation　with　the　girl；　had　a　gleeful　moment　in　describing
Boyne's　revolt　at　the　steward's　notion　of　gruel。　　〃I'm　glad　to　see　you　so
well；　Miss　Kenton；〃　he　concluded。

〃I　suppose　I　will　be　sick；　too；　if　it　gets　rougher；〃　she　said；　and　she
turned　from　him　to　give　a　rather　compendious　order　to　the　table　steward。

〃Well；　you've　got　an　appetite；　Ellen；〃　her　father　ventured。

〃I　don't　believe　I　will　eat　anything；〃　she　checked　him；　with　a　falling
face。

Breckon　came　to　the　aid　of　the　judge。　　〃If　you're　not　sick　now；　I
prophesy　you　won't　be；　Miss　Kenton。　　It　can't　get　much　rougher；　without
doing　something　uncommon。〃

〃Is　it　a　storm？〃　　she　asked；　indifferently。

〃It's　what　they　call　half　a　gale；　I　believe。　　I　don't　know　how　they
measure　it。〃

She　smiled　warily　in　response　to　his　laugh；　and　said　to　her　father；　〃Are
you　going　up　after　breakfast；　poppa？〃

〃Why；　if　you　want　to　go；　Ellen〃

〃Oh；　I　wasn't　asking　for　that；　I　am　going　back　to　Lottie。　　But　I　should
think　you　would　like　the　air。　　Won't　it　do　you　good？〃

〃I'm　all　right；〃　said　the　judge；　cheered　by　her　show　of　concern　for　some
one　else。　　〃I　suppose　it's　rather　wet　on　deck？〃　　he　referred　himself　to
Breckon。

〃Well；　not　very；　if　you　keep　to　the　leeward。　　She　doesn't　seem　a　very　wet
boat。〃

〃What　is　a　wet　boat〃　Ellen　asked；　without　lifting　her　sad　eyes。

〃Well；　really；　I'm　afraid　it's　largely　a　superstition。　　Passengers　like
to　believe　that　some　boats　are　less　liable　to　ship　seasto　run　into
wavesthan　others；　but　I　fancy　that's　to　give　themselves　the　air　of　old
travellers。〃

She　let　the　matter　lapse　so　entirely　that　he　supposed　she　had　forgotten
it　in　all　its　bearings；　when　she　asked；　〃Have　you　been　across　many
times？〃

〃Not　many…four　or　five。〃

〃This　is　our　first　time；〃　she　volunteered。

〃I　hope　it　won't　be　your　last。　　I　know　you　will　enjoy　it。〃　　She　fell
listless　again；　and　Breckon　imagined　he　had　made　a　break。　　〃Not；〃　he
added；　with　an　endeavor　for　lightness；　〃that　I　suppose　you're　going　for
pleasure　altogether。　　Women；　nowadays；　are　above　that；　I　understand。　
They　go　abroad　for　art's　sake；　and　to　study　political　economy；　and
history；　and　literature〃

〃My　daughter；〃　the　judge　interposed；　〃will　not　do　much　in　that　way；　I
hope。〃

The　girl　bent　her　head　over　her　plate　and　frowned。

〃Oh；　then；〃　said　Breckon；　〃I　will　believe　that　she's　going　for　purely
selfish　enjoyment。　　I　should　like　to　be　justified　in　making　that　my
object　by　a　good　example。〃

Ellen　looked　up　and　gave　him　a　look　that　cut　him　short　in　his　glad　note。　
The　lifting　of　her　eyelids　was　like　the　rise　of　the　curtain　upon　some
scene　of　tragedy　which　was　all　the　more　impressive　because　it　seemed
somehow　mixed　with　shame。　　This　poor　girl；　whom　he　had　pitied　as　an
invalid；　was　a　sufferer　from　some　spiritual　blight　more　pathetic　than
broken　health。　　He　pulled　his　mind　away　from　the　conjecture　that　tempted
it　and　went　on：　〃One　of　the　advantages　of　going　over　the　fourth　or　fifth
time　is　that　you're　relieved　from　a　discoverer's　duties　to　Europe。　　I've
got　absolutely　nothing　before　me　now；　but　at　first　I　had　to　examine　every
object　of　interest　on　the　Continent；　and　form　an　opinion　about　thousands
of　objects　that　had　no　interest　for　me。　　I　hope　Miss　Kenton　will　take
warning　from　me。〃

He　had　not　addressed　Ellen　directly；　and　her　father　answered：　〃We　have　no
definite　plans　as　yet；　but　we　don't　mean　to　overwork　ourselves　even　if
we've　come　for　a　rest。　　I　don't　know；〃　he　added；　〃but　we　had　better　spend
our　summer　in　England。　　It's　easier　getting　about　where　you　know　the
language。

The　judge　seemed　to　refer　his　ideas　to　Breckon　for　criticism；　and　the
young　man　felt　authorized　to　say；　〃Oh；　so　many　of　them　know　the　language
everywhere　now；　that　it's　easy　getting　about　in　any　country。〃

〃Yes；　I　suppose　so；〃　the　judge　vaguely　deferred。

〃Which；〃　Ellen　demanded　of　the　young　man　with　a　nervous　suddenness；　〃do
you　think　is　the　most　interesting　country？〃

He　found　himself　answering　with　equal　promptness；　〃Oh；　Italy；　of　course。〃

〃Can　we　go　to　Italy；　poppa？〃　　asked　the　girl。

〃I　shouldn't　advise　you　to　go　there　at　once〃　Breckon　intervened；　smiling。　
〃You'd　find　it　Pretty　hot　there　now。　　Florence；　or　Rome；　or　Naples〃you
can't　think　of　them。〃

〃We　have　it　pretty　hot　in　Central　Ohio；〃　said　the　judge；　with　latent
pride　in　his　home　climate；　〃What　sort　of　place　is　Holland？〃

〃Oh；　delightful！　　And　the　boat　goes　right　on　to　Rotterdam；　you　know。〃

〃Yes。　　We　had　arranged　to　leave　it　at　Boulogne；〃　but　we　could　change。
Do　you　think　your　mother　would　like　Holland？〃　　The　judge　turned　to　his
daughter。

〃I　think　she　would　like　Italy　better。　　She's　read　more　about　it；〃　said
the　girl。

〃Rise　of　the　Dutch　Republic；〃　her　father　suggested。

〃Yea；　I　know。　　But　she's　read　more　about　Italy！〃

〃Oh；　well；〃　Breckon　yielded；　〃the　Italian　lakes　wouldn't　be　impossible。　
And　you　might　find　Venice　fairly　comfortable。〃

〃We　could　go　to　Italy；　then；〃　said　the　judge　to　his　daughter；　〃if　your
mother　prefers。〃

Breckon　found　the　simplicity　of　this　charming；　and　he　tasted　a　yet　finer
pleasure　in　the　duplicity；　for　he　divined　that　the　father　was　seeking
only　to　let　his　daughter　have　her　way　in　pretending　to　yield　to　her
mother's　preference。

It　was　plain　that　the　family's　life　centred；　as　it　ought；　about　this　sad；
sick　girl；　the　heart　of　whose　mystery　he　perceived；　on　reflection；　he　had
not　the　wish　to　pluck　out。　　He　might　come　to　know　it；　but　he　would　not
try　to　know　it；　if　it　offered　itself　he　might　even　try　not　to　know　it。　
He　had　sometimes　found　it　more　helpful　with　trouble　to　be　ignorant　of　its
cause。

In　the　mean　time　he　had　seen　that　these　Kentons　were　sweet；　good　people；
as　he　phrased　their　quality　to　himself。　　He　had　come　to　terms　of
impersonal　confidence　the　night　before　with　Boyne；　who　had　consulted　him
upon　many　more　problems　and　predicaments　of　life　than　could　have　yet
beset　any　boy's　experience；　probably　with　the　wish　to　make　provision　for
any　possible　contingency　of　the　future。　　The　admirable　principles　which
Boyne　evolved　for　his　guidance　from　their　conversation　were　formulated
with　a　gravity　which　Breckon　could　outwardly　respect　only　by　stifling　his
laughter　in　his　pillow。　　He　rather　liked　the　way　Lottie　had　tried　to
weigh　him　in　her　balance　and　found　him；　as　it　were；　of　an　imponderable
levity。　　With　his　sense　of　being　really　very　light　at　most　times；　and
with　most　people；　he　was　aware　of　having　been　particularly　light　with
Lottie；　of　having　been　slippery；　of　having；　so　far　as　responding　to　her
frankness　was　concerned；　been　close。　　He　relished　the　unsparing　honesty
with　which　she　had　denounced　him；　and　though　he　did　not　yet　know　his
outcast　condition　with　relation　to　her；　he　could　not　think　of　her　without
a　smile　of　wholly　disintereste