the kentons-第18部分

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not　aware　of　the　bruise　on　his　own　arm；　which　afterwards　declared　itself
in　several　primitive　colors。　　〃Don't　tell　them；〃　she　added。　　〃I　want　to
come　up　again。〃

〃Why；　certainly　not；〃　he　consented；　but　Boyne　Kenton；　who　had　been　an
involuntary　witness　of　the　fact　from　a　point　on　the　forward　promenade；
where　he　had　stationed　himself　to　study　the　habits　of　the　stormy　petrel
at　a　moment　so　favorable　to　the　acquaintance　of　the　petrel　（having　left
a　seasick　bed　for　the　purpose）；　was　of　another　mind。　　He　had　been
alarmed；　and；　as　it　appeared　in　the　private　interview　which　he　demanded
of　his　mother；　he　had　been　scandalized。

〃It　is　bad　enough　the　way　Lottie　is　always　going　on　with　fellows。　　And
now；　if　Ellen　is　going　to　begin！〃

〃　But；　Boyne；　child；〃　Mrs。　Kenton　argued；　in　an　equilibrium　between　the
wish　to　laugh　at　her　son　and　the　wish　to　box　his　ears；　〃how　could　she
help　his　catching　her　if　he　was　to　save　her　from　pitching　overboard？〃

〃That's　just　it！　　He　will　always　think　that　she　did　it　just　so　he　would
have　to　catch　her。〃

〃I　don't　believe　any　one　would　think　that　of　Ellen；〃　said　Mrs。　Kenton；
gravely。

〃Momma！　　You　don't　know　what　these　Eastern　fellows　are。　　There　are　so　few
of　them　that　they're　used　to　having　girls　throw　themselves　at　them；　and
they　will　think　anything；　ministers　and　all。　　You　ought　to　talk　to　Ellen；
and　caution　her。　　Of　course；　she　isn't　like　Lottie；　but　if　Lottie's　been
behaving　her　way　with　Mr。　Breckon；　he　must　suppose　the　rest　of　the　family
is　like　her。〃

〃Boyne；〃　said　his　mother；　provisionally；　〃what　sort　of　person　is　Mr。
Breckon？〃

〃Well；　I　think　he's　kind　of　frivolous。〃

〃Do　you；　Boyne？〃

〃I　don't　suppose　he　means　any　harm　by　it；　but　I　don't　like　to　see　a
minister　laugh　so　much。　　I　can't　hardly　get　him　to　talk　seriously　about
anything。　　And　I　just　know　he　makes　fun　of　Lottie。　　I　don't　mean　that　he
always　makes　fun　with　me。　　He　didn't　that　night　at　the　vaudeville；　where
I　first　saw　him。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃Don't　you　remember？　　I　told　you　about　it　last　winter。〃

〃And　was　Mr。　Breckon　that　gentleman？〃

〃Yes；　but　he　didn't　know　who　I　was　when　we　met　here。〃

〃Well；　upon　my　word；　Boyne；　I　think　you　might　have　told　us　before；〃　said
his　mother；　in　not　very　definite　vexation。　　〃Go　along；　now！〃

Boyne　stood　talking　to　his　mother；　with　his　hands；　which　he　had　not　grown
to；　largely　planted　on　the　jambs　of　her　state…room　door。　　She　was　keeping
her　berth；　not　so　much　because　she　was　sea…sick　as　because　it　was　the
safest　place　in　the　unsteady　ship　to　be　in。　　〃Do　you　want　me　to　send
Ellen　to　you！〃

〃I　will　attend　to　Ellen；　Boyne；〃　his　mother　snubbed　him。　　〃How　is
Lottie？〃

〃I　can't　tell　whether　she's　sick　or　not。　　I　went　to　see　about　her　and　she
motioned　me　away；　and　fairly　screamed　when　I　told　her　she　ought　to　keep
out　in　the　air。　　Well；　I　must　be　going　up　again　myself；　or〃

Before　lunch；　Boyne　had　experienced　the　alternative　which　he　did　not
express；　although　his　theory　and　practice　of　keeping　in　the　open　air
ought　to　have　rendered　him　immune。　　Breckon　saw　his　shock　of　hair；　and
his　large　eyes；　like　Ellen's　in　their　present　gloom；　looking　out　of　it　on
the　pillow　of　the　upper　berth；　when　he　went　to　their　room　to　freshen
himself　for　the　luncheon；　and　found　Boyne　averse　even　to　serious
conversation：　He　went　to　lunch　without　him。　　None　of　the　Kentons　were　at
table；　and　he　had　made　up　his　mind　to　lunch　alone　when　Ellen　appeared；
and　came　wavering　down　the　aisle　to　the　table。　　He　stood　up　to　help　her；
but　seeing　how　securely　she　stayed　herself　from　chair　to　chair　he　sank
down　again。

〃Poppy　is　sick；　too；　now；〃　she　replied；　as　if　to　account　for　being　alone。

〃And　you're　none　the　worse　for　your　little　promenade？〃　　The　steward　came
to　Breckon's　left　shoulder　with　a　dish；　and　after　an　effort　to　serve
himself　from　it　he　said；　with　a　slight　gasp；　〃The　other　side；　please。〃　
Ellen　looked　at　him；　but　did　not　speak；　and　he　made　haste　to　say：　〃The
doctor　goes　so　far　as　to　admit　that　its　half　a　gale。　　I　don't　know　just
what　measure　the　first　officer　would　have　for　it。　　But　I　congratulate　you
on　a　very　typical　little　storm；　Miss　Kenton；　perfectly　safe；　but　very
decided。　　A　great　many　people　cross　the　Atlantic　without　anything　half　as
satisfactory。　　There　is　either　too　much　or　too　little　of　this　sort　of
thing。〃　　He　went　on　talking　about　the　weather；　and　had　got　such　a
distance　from　the　point　of　beginning　that　he　had　cause　to　repent　being
brought　back　to　it　when　she　asked：

〃Did　the　doctor　think；　you　were　hurt？〃

〃Well；　perhaps　I　ought　to　be　more　ashamed　than　I　am；〃　said　Breckon。
〃But　I　thought　I　had　better　make　sure。　　And　it's　only　a　bruise〃

〃Won't　you　let　ME　help　you！〃　she　asked；　as　another　dish　intervened　at　his
right。　　〃I　hurt　you。〃

Breckon　laughed　at　her　solemn　face　and　voice。　　〃If　you'll　exonerate
yourself　first；〃　he　answered：　〃I　couldn't　touch　a　morsel　that　conveyed
confession　of　the　least　culpability　on　your　part。　　Do　you　consent？
Otherwise；　I　pass　this　dish。　　And　really　I　want　some！〃

〃Well；〃　she　sadly　consented；　and　he　allowed　her　to　serve　his　plate。

〃More　yet；　please；〃　he　said。　　〃A　lot！〃

〃Is　that　enough？〃

〃Well；　for　the　first　helping。　　And　don't　offer　to　cut　it　up　for　me！　　My
proud　spirit　draws　the　line　at　cutting　up。　　Besides；　a　fork　will　do　the
work　with　goulash。〃

〃Is　that　what　it　is？〃　　she　asked；　but　not　apparently　because　she　cared　to
know。

〃Unless　you　prefer　to　naturalize　it　as　stew。　　It　seems　to　have　come　in
with　the　Hungarian　bands。　　I　suppose　you　have　them　in〃

〃Tuskingum？　　No；　it　is　too　small。　　But　I　heard　them　at　a　restaurant　in
New　York　where　my　brother　took　us。〃

〃In　the　spirit　of　scientific　investigation？　　It's　strange　how　a　common
principle　seems　to　pervade　both　the　Hungarian　music　and　cookingthe　same
wandering　airs　and　flavorswild；　vague；　lawless　harmonies　in　both。　　Did
you　notice　it？〃

Ellen　shook　her　head。　　The　look　of　gloom　which　seemed　to　Breckon　habitual
in　it　came　back　into　her　face；　and　he　had　a　fantastic　temptation　to　see
how　far　he　could　go　with　her　sad　consciousness　before　she　should　be　aware
that　he　was　experimenting　upon　it。　　He　put　this　temptation　from　him；　and
was　in　the　enjoyment　of　a　comfortable　self…righteousness　when　it　returned
in　twofold　power　upon　him　with　the　coming　of　some　cutlets　which
capriciously　varied　the　repast。

〃Ah；　now；　Miss　Kenton；　if　you　were　to　take　pity　on　my　helplessness！〃

〃Why；　certainly！〃　　She　possessed　herself　of　his　plate；　and　began　to　cut
up　the　meat　for　him。　　〃Am　I　making　the　bites　too　small？〃　　she　asked；　with
an　upward　glance　at　him。

〃Well；　I　don't　know。　　Should　you　think　so？〃　　he　returned；　with　a　smile
that　out…measured　the　morsels　on　the　plate　before　her。

She　met　his　laughing　eyes　with　eyes　that　questioned　his　honesty；　at　first
sadly；　and　then　indignantly。　　She　dropped　the　knife　and　fork　upon　the
plate　and　rose。

〃Oh；　Miss　Kenton！〃　he　penitently　entreated。

But　she　was　down　the　slanting　aisle　and　out　of　the　reeling　door　before　he
could　decide　what　to　do。




XI。

It　seemed　to　Breckon　that　he　had　passed　through　one　of　those　accessions
of　temperament；　one　of　those　crises　of　natural　man；　to　put　it　in　the
terms　of　an　older　theology　than　he　professed；　that　might　justify　him　in
recurring　to　his　original　sense　of　his　unfitness　for　his　sacred　calling；
as　he　would　hardly　ham　called　it：　He　had　allowed　his　levity　to　get　the
better　of　his　sympathy；　and　his　love　of　teasing　to　overpower　that　love　of
helping　which　seemed　to　him　his　chief　right　and　reason　for　being　a
minister：　To　play　a　sort　of　poor　practical　joke　upon　that　melancholy　girl
（who　was　also　so　attractive）　was　not　merely　unbecoming　to　him　as　a
minister；　it　was　cruel；　it　was　vulgar；　it　was　ungentlemanly。　　He　could
not　say　less　than　ungentlemanly；　for　that　seemed　to　give　him　the　only
pang　that　did　him　any　good。　　Her　absolute　sincerity　had　made　her　such　an
easy　prey　that　he　ought　to　have　shrunk　from　the　shabby　temptation　in
abhorrence。

It　is　the　privilege　of　a　woman；　whether　she　wills　it　or　not；　to　put　a　man
who　is　in　the　wrong　concerning　her　much　further　in　the　wrong　than　he
could　be　from　his　offence。　　Breckon　did　not　know　whether　he　was　suffering
more　or　less　because　he　was　suffering　quite　hopelessly；　but　he　was　sure
that　he　was　suffering　justly；　and　he　was　rather　glad；　if　anything；　that
he　must　go　on　suffering。　　His　first　impulse　had　been　to　go　at　once　to
Judge　Kenton　and　own　his　wrong；　and　take　the　consequencesin　fact；
invite　them。　　But　Breckon　forbore　for　two　reasons：　one；　that　he　had
already　appeared　before　the　judge　with　the　confession　of　having　possibly
made　an　unclerical　joke　to　his　younger　daughter；　the　other；　that　the
judge　might　not　consider　levity　towards　the　elder　so　venial；　and　though
Breckon　wished　to　be　both　punished　and　pardoned；　in　the　final　analysis；
perhaps；　he　most　wished　to　be　pardoned。　　Without　pardon　he　could　see　no
way　to　repair　the　wrong　he　had　done。　　Perhaps　he　wished　even　to　retrieve
himself　in　the　girl's　eyes；　or　wished　for　the　chance　of　trying。

Ellen　went　away　to　her　state…room　and　sat　down　on　the　sofa　opposite
Lottie；　and　she　lost　herself　in　a　muse　in　which　she　was　found　by　the
voice　of　the　sufferer　in　the　berth。

〃If　you　haven't　got　anything　better　to　do　than　come　in　here　and　stare　at
me；　I　wish　you　would　go　somewhere　else　and　stare。　　I　can　tell　you　it
isn't　any　joke。〃

〃I　didn't　know　I　was　staring　at　you；〃　said　Ellen；　humbly。

〃It　would　be　enough　to　have　you　rising　and　sinking　there；　without　your
staring　at　all：　If　you're　going　to　stay；　I　wish　you'd　lie　down。　　I　don't
see　why　you're　so　well；　anyway；　after　getting　us　all　to　come　on　this
wild…goose　chase。〃

〃I　know；　I　know；〃　Ellen　strickenly　deprecated。　　〃But　I'm　not　going　to
stay。　　I　jest　came　for　my　things。〃

〃Is　that　giggling　simpleton　sick？　　I　hope　he　is！〃

〃Mr。　Breckon？〃　Ellen　asked；　though　she　knew　whom　Lottie　meant。　　〃No；　he
isn't　sick。　　He　was　at　lunch。〃

〃Was　poppa？〃

〃He　was　at　breakfast。〃

〃And　momma？〃

〃She　and　Boyne　are　both　in　bed。　　I　don't　know　whether　they're　very　sick。〃

〃Well；　then；　I'll　just　tell　you　what；　Ellen　Kenton！〃　　Lottie　sat　up　in
accusal。　　〃You　were　staring　at　something　he　said；　and　the　first