the kentons-第19部分

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〃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　thing　we
all　know　it　will　be　another　case　of　Bittridge！〃　　Ellen　winced；　but　Lottie
had　no　pity。　　〃You　don't　know　it；　because　you　don't　know　anything；　and
I'm　not　blaming　you；　but　if　you　let　that　simpletonI　don't　care　if　he　is
a　minister！go　'round　with　you　when　your　family　are　all　sick　abed；
you'll　be　having　the　whole　ship　to　look　after　you。〃

〃Be　still；　Lottie！〃　　cried　Ellen。　　〃You　are　awful；〃　and；　with　a　flaming
face；　she　escaped　from　the　state…room。

She　did　not　know　where　else　to　go；　and　she　beat　along　the　sides　of　the
corridor　as　far　as　the　dining…saloon。　　She　had　a　dim　notion　of　trying　to
go　up　into　the　music…room　above；　but　a　glance　at　the　reeling　steep　of　the
stairs　forbade。　　With　her　wraps　on　her　arm　and　her　sea…cap　in　her　hand；
she　stood　clinging　to　the　rail…post。

Breckon　came　out　of　the　saloon。　　〃Oh；　Miss　Kenton；〃　he　humbly　entreated；
〃don't　try　to　go　on　deck！　　It's　rougher　than　ever。〃

〃I　was　going　to　the　music…room；〃　she　faltered。

〃Let　me　help　you；　then；〃　he　said　again。　　They　mounted　the　gangway…steps；
but　this　time　with　his　hand　under　her　elbow；　and　his　arm　alert　as　before
in　a　suspended　embrace　against　her　falling。

She　had　lost　the　initiative　of　her　earlier　adventure；　she　could　only
submit　herself　to　his　guidance。　　But　he　almost　outdid　her　in　meekness；
when　he　got　her　safely　placed　in　a　corner　whence　she　could　not　be　easily
flung　upon　the　floor。　　〃You　must　have　found　it　very　stuffy　below；　but；
indeed；　you'd　better　not　try　going　out。〃

〃Do　you　think　it　isn't　safe　here？〃　　she　asked。

〃Oh　yes。　　As　long　as　you　keep　quiet。　　May　I　get　you　something　to　read？
They　seem　to　have　a　pretty　good　little　library。〃

They　both　glanced　at　the　case　of　books；　from　which　the　steward…librarian
was　setting　them　the　example　of　reading　a　volume。

〃No；　I　don't　want　to　read。　　You　musn't　let　me　keep　you　from　it。〃

〃Well；　one　can　read　any　time。　　But　one　hasn't　always　the　chance　to　say
that　one　is　ashamed。　　Don't　pretend　you　don't　understand；　Miss　Kenton！
I　didn't　really　mean　anything。　　The　temptation　to　let　you　exaggerate　my
disability　was　too　much　for　me。　　Say　that　you　despise　me！　　It　would　be
such　a　comfort。〃

〃Weren't　you　hurt？〃

〃A　littlea　little　more　than　a　little；　but　not　half　so　much　as　I
deservednot　to　the　point　of　not　being　able　to　cut　up　my　meat。　　Am　I
forgiven？　　I'll　promise　to　cut　up　all　your　meat　for　you　at　dinner！　　Ah；
I'm　making　it　worse！〃

〃Oh　no。　　Please　don't　speak　of　it〃

〃Could　you　forbid　my　thinking　of　it；　too？〃　　He　did　not　wait　for　her　to
answer。　　〃Then　here　goes　！　　One；　two；　three；　and　the　thought　is　banished
forever。　　Now　what　shall　we　speak　of；　or　think　of？　　We　finished　up　the
weather　pretty　thoroughly　this　morning。　　And　if　you　have　not　the　weather
and　the　ship's　run　when　you're　at　sea；　why；　you　are　at　sea。　　Don't　you
think　it　would　be　a　good　plan；　when　they　stick　those　little　flags　into
the　chart；　to　show　how　far　we've　come　in　the　last　twenty…four　hours；　if
they'd　supply　a　topic　for　the　day？　　They　might　have　topics　inscribed　on
the　flags…standard　topics；　that　would　serve　for　any　voyage。　　We　might
leave　port　with　Historysay；　personal　history；　that　would　pave　the　way
to　a　general　acquaintance　among　the　passengers。　　Then　Geography；　and　if
the　world　is　really　round；　and　what　keeps　the　sea　from　spilling。　　Then
Politics；　and　the　comparative　advantages　of　monarchical　and　republican
governments；　for　international　discussion。　　Then　Pathology；　and　whether
you're　usually　sea…sick；　and　if　there　is　any　reliable　remedy。　　Thenfor
those　who　are　still　upPoetry　and　Fiction；　whether　women　really　like
Kipling；　and　what　kind　of　novels　you　prefer。　　There　ought　to　be　about　ten
topics。　　These　boats　are　sometimes　very　slow。　　Can't　you　suggest
something；　Miss　Kenton？　　There　is　no　hurry！　　We've　got　four　to　talk　over；
for　we　must　bring　up　the　arrears；　you　know。　　And　now　we'll　begin　with
personal　history。　　Your　sister　doesn't　approve　of　me；　does　she？〃

〃My　sister？〃　　Ellen　faltered；　and；　between　the　conscience　to　own　the　fact
and　the　kindness　to　deny　it；　she　stopped　altogether。

〃I　needn't　have　asked。　　She　told　me　so　herself；　in　almost　as　many　words。　
She　said　I　was　slippery；　and　as　close　as　a　trap。　　Miss　Kenton！　　I　have
the　greatest　wish　to　know　whether　I　affect　you　as　both　slippery　and
close！〃

〃I　don't　always　know　what　Lottie　means。〃

〃She　means　what　she　says；　and　I　feel　that　I　am　under　condemnation　till　I
reform。　　I　don't　know　how　to　stop　being　slippery；　but　I'm　determined　to
stop　being　close。　　Will　you　tell　her　that　for　me？　　Will　you　tell　her　that
you　never　met　an　opener；　franker　person？of　course；　except　herself！and
that　so　far　from　being　light　I　seemed　to　you　particularly　heavy？　　Say
that　I　did　nothing　but　talk　about　myself；　and　that　when　you　wanted　to
talk　about　yourself　you　couldn't　get　in　a　word　edgewise。　　Do　try；　now；
Miss　Kenton；　and　see　if　you　can！　　I　don't　want　you　to　invent　a　character
for　me；　quite。〃

〃Why；　there's　nothing　to　say　about　me；〃　she　began　in　compliance　with　his
gayety；　and　then　she　fell　helpless　from　it。

〃Well；　then；　about　Tuskingum。　　I　should　like　to　hear　about　Tuskingum；　so
much！〃

〃I　suppose　we　like　it　because　we've　always　lived　there。　　You　haven't　been
much　in　the　West；　have　you？〃

〃Not　as　much　as　I　hope　to　be。〃　　He　had　found　that　Western　people　were
sometimes　sensitive　concerning　their　section　and　were　prepared　to　resent
complacent　ignorance　of　it。　　〃I've　always　thought　it　must　be　very
interesting。〃

〃It　isn't；〃　said　the　girl。　　〃At　least；　not　like　the　East。　　I　used　to　be
provoked　when　the　lecturers　said　anything　like　that；　but　when　you've　been
to　New　York　you　see　what　they　mean。〃

〃The　lecturers？〃　　he　queried。

〃They　always　stayed　at　our　house　when　they　lectured　in　Tuskingum。〃

〃Ah！　　Oh　yes；〃　said　Breckon；　grasping　a　situation　of　which　he　had　heard
something；　chiefly　satirical。　　〃Of　course。　　And　is　your　fatheris　Judge
Kenton　literary？　　Excuse　me！〃

〃Only　in　his　history。　　He's　writing　the　history　of　his　regiment；　or　he
gets　the　soldiers　to　write　down　all　they　can　remember　of　the　war；　and
then　he　puts　their　stories　together。〃

〃How　delightful！〃　　said　Breckon。　　〃And　I　suppose　it's　a　great　pleasure　to
him。〃

〃I　don't　believe　it　is；〃　said　Ellen。　　〃Poppa　doesn't　believe　in　war　any
more。〃

〃Indeed！〃　　said　Breckon。　〃That　is　very　interesting。〃

〃Sometimes　when　I'm　helping　him　with　it〃

〃Ah；　I　knew　you　must　help　him！〃

〃And　he　comes　to　a　place　where　there　has　been　a　dreadful　slaughter；　it
seems　as　if　he　felt　worse　about　it　than　I　did。　　He　isn't　sure　that　it
wasn't　all　wrong。　　He　thinks　all　war　is　wrong　now。〃

〃Is　hehas　he　become　a　follower　of　Tolstoy？〃

〃He's　read　him。　　He　says　he's　the　only　man　that　ever　gave　a　true　account
of　battles；　but　he　had　thought　it　all　out　for　himself　before　he　read
Tolstoy　about　fighting。　　Do　you　think　it　is　right　to　revenge　an　injury？〃

〃Why；　surely　not！〃　　said　Breckon；　rather　startled。

〃That　is　what　we　say；〃　the　girl　pursued。　　〃But　if　some　one　had　injured
youabused　your　confidence；　andinsulted　you；　what　would　you　do？〃

〃I'm　not　sure　that　I　understand；〃　Breckon　began。　　The　inquiry　was
superficially　impersonal；　but　he　reflected　that　women　are　never
impersonal；　or　the　sons　of　women；　for　that　matter；　and　he　suspected　an
intimate　ground。　　His　suspicions　were　confirmed　when　Miss　Kenton　said：
〃It　seems　easy　enough　to　forgive　anything　that's　done　to　yourself；　but　if
it's　done　to　some　one　else；　too；　have　you　the　rightisn't　it　wrong　to
let　it　go？〃

〃You　think　the　question　of　justice　might　come　in　then？　　Perhaps　it　ought。　
But　what　is　justice？　　And　where　does　your　duty　begin　to　be　divided？〃
He　saw　her　following　him　with　alarming　intensity；　and　he　shrank　from　the
responsibility　before　him。　　What　application　might　not　she　make　of　his
words　in　the　case；　whatever　it　was；　which　he　chose　not　to　imagine？
〃To　tell　you　the　truth；　Miss　Kenton；　I'm　not　very　clear　on　that　point
I'm　not　sure　that　I'm　disinterested。〃

〃Disinterested？〃

〃Yes；　you　know　that　I　abused　your　confidence　at　luncheon；　and　until　I
know　whether　the　wrong　involved　any　one　else〃　He　looked　at　her　with
hovering　laughter　in　his　eyes　which　took　wing　at　the　reproach　in　hers。　
〃But　if　we　are　to　be　serious〃

〃Oh　no；〃　she　said；　〃it　isn't　a　serious　matter。〃　　But　in　the　helplessness
of　her　sincerity　she　could　not　carry　it　off　lightly；　or　hide　from　him
that　she　was　disappointed。

He　tried　to　make　talk　about　other　things。　　She　responded　vaguely；　and
when　she　had　given　herself　time　she　said　she　believed　she　would　go　to
Lottie；　she　was　quite　sure　she　could　get　down　the　stairs　alone。　　He
pursued　her　anxiously；　politely；　and　at　the　head　of　her　corridor　took
leave　of　her　with　a　distinct　sense　of　having　merited　his　dismissal。

〃I　see　what　you　mean；　Lottie；〃　she　said；　〃about　Mr。　Breckon。〃

Lottie　did　not　turn　her　head　on　the　pillow。　　〃Has　it　taken　you　the　whole
day　to　find　it　out？〃




XII。

The　father　and　the　mother　had　witnessed　with　tempered　satisfaction　the
interest　which　seemed　to　be　growing　up　between　Ellen　and　the　young
minister。　　By　this　time　they　had　learned　not　to　expect　too　much　of　any
turn　she　might　take；　she　reverted　to　a　mood　as　suddenly　as　she　left　it。　
They　could　not　quite　make　out　Breckon　himself；　he　was　at　least　as　great　a
puzzle　to　them　as　their　own　child　was。

〃It　seems；〃　said　Mrs。　Kenton；　in　their　first　review　of　the　affair；　after
Boyne　had　done　a　brother's　duty　in　trying　to　bring　Ellen　under　their
mother's　censure；　〃that　he　was　the　gentleman　who　discussed　the　theatre
with　Boyne　at　the　vaudeville　last　winter。　　Boyne　just　casually　mentioned
it。　　I　was　so　provoked！〃

〃I　don't　see　what　bearing　the　fact　has；〃　the　judge　remarked。

〃Why；　Boyne　liked　him　very　much　that　night；　but　now　he　seems　to　feel　very
much　as　Lottie　does　about　him。　　He　thinks　he　laughs　too　much。〃

〃I　don't　know　that　there's　much　harm　in　that；〃　said　the　judge。　　〃And　I
shouldn't　value　Boyne's　opinion　of　character　very　highly。〃

〃I　value　any　one's　intuitionsespecially　children's。〃

〃Boyne's　in　that　middle　state　where　he　isn't　quite　a　child。　　An