the kentons-第26部分

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saying　it；　that　he　had　made　up　his　mind　never　to　marry；　and　that　was　the
reason　why　he　felt　himself　so　safe　in　being　the　nicest　sort　of　friend。　
He　was　safe；　Miss　Rasmith　philosophized；　but　whether　other　people　were　so
safe　was　a　different　question。　　There　were　girls　who　were　said　to　be
dying　for　him；　but　of　course　those　things　were　always　said　about　a
handsome　young　minister。　　She　had　frankly　taken　him　on　his　own　ground；
from　the　beginning；　and　she　believed　that　this　was　what　he　liked。　　At　any
rate；　they　had　agreed　that　they　were　never　to　be　anything　but　the　best　of
friends；　and　they　always　had　been。

Mrs。　Kenton　came　and　shyly　took　the　chair　on　Miss　Rasmith's　other　side；
and　Miss　Rasmith　said　they　had　been　talking　about　Mr。　Breckon；　and　she
repeated　what　she　had　been　saying　to　Ellen。　　Mrs。　Kenton　assented　more
openly　than　Ellen　could　to　her　praises；　but　when　she　went　away；　and　her
daughter　sat　passive；　without　comment　or　apparent　interest；　the　mother
drew　a　long；　involuntary　sigh。

〃Do　you　like　her；　Ellen？〃

〃She　tries　to　be　pleasant；　I　think。〃

〃Do　you　think　she　really　knows　much　about　Mr。　Breckon？〃

〃Oh　yes。　　Why　not？　　She　belongs　to　his　church。〃

〃He　doesn't　seem　to　me　like　a　person　who　would　have　a　parcel　of　girls
tagging　after　him。〃

〃That　is　what　they　do　in　the　East；　Boyne　says。〃

〃I　wish　she　would　let　Boyne　alone。　　She　is　making　a　fool　of　the　child。　
He's　round　with　her　every　moment。　　I　think　she　ought　to　be　ashamed；　such
an　old　thing！〃

Ellen　chose　to　protest；　or　thought　it　fair　to　do　so。　　〃I　don't　believe
she　is　doing　him　any　harm。　　She　just　lets　him　talk　out；　and　everybody
else　checks　him　up　so。　　It　was　nice　of　her　to　come　and　talk　with　me；　when
we　had　all　been　keeping　away　from　her。　　Perhaps　he　sent　her；　though。　　She
says　they　have　always　been　such　good　friends　because　she　wouldn't　be
anything　else　from　the　beginning。〃

〃I　don't　see　why　she　need　have　told　you　that。〃

〃Oh；　it　was　just　to　show　he　was　run　after。　　I　wonder　if　he　thinks　we　are
running　after　him？　　Momma；　I　am　tired　of　him！　　I　wish　he　wouldn't　speak
to　me　any　more。〃

〃Why！　do　you　really　dislike　him；　Ellen？〃

〃No；　not　dislike　him。　　But　it　tires　me　to　have　him　trying　to　amuse　me。　
Don't　you　understand？〃

Mrs。　Kenton　said　yes；　she　understood；　but　she　was　clear　only　of　the　fact
that　Ellen　seemed　flushed　and　weak　at　that　moment。　　She　believed　that　it
was　Miss　Rasmith　and　not　Mr。　Breckon　who　was　to　blame；　but　she　said：
〃Well；　you　needn't　worry　about　it　long。　　It　will　only　be　a　day　or　two　now
till　we　get　to　Boulogne；　and　then　he　will　leave　us。　　Hadn't　you　better　go
down　now；　and　rest　awhile　in　your　berth？　　I　will　bring　your　things。〃

Ellen　rose；　pulling　her　wraps　from　her　skirts　to　give　them　to　her　mother。　
A　voice　from　behind　said　between　their　meeting　shoulders：　〃Oh；　are　you
going　down？　　I　was　just　coming　to　beg　Miss　Kenton　to　take　a　little　walk
with　me；〃　and　they　looked　round　together　and　met　Breckon's　smiling　face。

〃I'm　afraid；〃　Mrs。　Kenton　began；　and　then；　like　a　well…trained　American
mother；　she　stopped　and　left　the　affair　to　her　daughter。

〃Do　you　think　you　can　get　down　with　them；　momma？〃　　the　girl　asked；　and
somehow　her　mother's　heart　was　lightened　by　her　evasion；　not　to　call　it
uncandor。　　It　was　at　least　not　morbid；　it　was　at　least　like　other　girls；
and　Mrs。　Kenton　imparted　what　comfort　there　was　in　it　to　the　judge；　when
he　asked　where　she　had　left　Ellen。

〃Not　that　it's　any　use；〃　she　sighed；　when　she　had　seen　him　share　it　with
a　certain　shamefacedness。　　〃That　woman　has　got　her　grip　on　him；　and　she
doesn't　mean　to　let　go。〃

Kenton　understood　Miss　Rasmith　by　that　woman；　but　he　would　not　allow
himself　to　be　so　easily　cast　down。　　This　was　one　of　the　things　that
provoked　Mrs。　Kenton　with　him；　when　he　had　once　taken　hope　he　would　not
abandon　it　without　reason。　　〃I　don't　see　any　evidence　of　her　having　her
grip　on　him。　　I've　noticed　him；　and　he　doesn't　seem　attentive　to　her。
I　should　say　he　tried　to　avoid　her。　　He　certainly　doesn't　avoid　Ellen。〃

〃What　are　you　thinking　of；　Rufus？〃

〃What　are　you？　　You　know　we'd　both　be　glad　if　he　fancied　her。〃

〃Well；　suppose　we　would？　　I　don't　deny　it。　　He　is　one　of　the　most
agreeable　gentlemen　I　ever　saw；　one　of　the　kindest　and　nicest。〃

〃He's　more　than　that；〃　said　the　judge。　　〃I've　been　sounding　him　on
various　points；　and　I　don't　see　where　he's　wrong。　　Of　course；　I　don't
know　much　about　his　religious　persuasion；　if　it　is　one；　but　I　think　I'm　a
pretty　fair　judge　of　character；　and　that　young　man　has　character。　　He
isn't　a　light　person；　though　he　likes　joking　and　laughing；　and　he
appreciates　Ellen。〃

〃Yes；　so　do　we。　　And　there's　about　as　much　prospect　of　his　marrying　her。　
Rufus；　it's　pretty　hard！　　She's　just　in　the　mood　to　be　taken　with　him；
but　she　won't　let　herself；　because　she　knows　it's　of　no　use。　　That　Miss
Rasmith　has　been　telling　her　how　much　he　is　run　after；　and　I　could　see
that　that　settled　it　for　Ellen　as　plainly　as　if　she　said　so。　　More
plainly；　for　there's　enough　of　the　girl　in　her　to　make　her　say　one　thing
when　she　means　another。　　She　was　just　saying　she　was　sick　of　him；　and
never　wanted　to　speak　to　him　again；　when　he　came　up　and　asked　her　to
walk；　and　she　went　with　him　instantly。　　I　knew　what　she　meant。　　She
wasn't　going　to　let　him　suppose　that　anything　Miss　Rasmith　had　said　was
going　to　change　her。〃

〃Well；　then；〃　said　the　judge；　〃I　don't　see　what　you're　scared　at。〃

I'm　not　SCARED。　　But；　oh；　Rufus！　　It　can't　come　to　anything！　　There　isn't
time！〃　　An　hysterical　hope　trembled　in　her　asseveration　of　despair　that
made　him　smile。

〃I　guess　if　time's　all　that's　wanted〃

〃He　is　going　to　get　off　at　Boulogne。〃

〃Well；　we　can　get　off　there；　too。〃

〃Rufus；　if　you　dare　to　think　of　such　a　thing！〃

〃I　don't。　　But　Europe　isn't　so　big　but　what　he　can　find　us　again　if　he
wants　to。〃

〃Ah；　if　he　wants　to！〃

Ellen　seemed　to　have　let　her　mother　take　her　languor　below　along　with　the
shawls　she　had　given　her。　　Buttoned　into　a　close　jacket；　and　skirted
short　for　the　sea；　she　pushed　against　the　breeze　at　Breckon's　elbow　with
a　vigor　that　made　him　look　his　surprise　at　her。　　Girl…like；　she　took　it
that　something　was　wrong　with　her　dress；　and　ran　herself　over　with　an
uneasy　eye。

Then　he　explained：　〃I　was　just　thinking　how　much　you　were　like　Miss
Lottie…if　you'll　excuse　my　being　so　personal。　　And　it　never　struck　me
before。〃

〃I　didn't　suppose　we　looked　alike；〃　said　Ellen。

〃No；　certainly。　　I　shouldn't　have　taken　you　for　sisters。　　And　yet；　just
now；　I　felt　that　you　were　like　her。　　You　seem　so　much　stronger　this
morningperhaps　it's　that　the　voyage　is　doing　you　good。　　Shall　you　be
sorry　to　have　it　end？〃

〃Shall　you？　　That's　the　way　Lottie　would　answer。〃

Breckon　laughed。　　〃Yes；　it　is。　　I　shall　be　very　sorry。　　I　should　be
willing　to　have　it　rough　again；　it　that　would　make　it　longer。　　I　liked
it's　being　rough。　　We　had　it　to　ourselves。〃　　He　had　not　thought　how　that
sounded；　but　if　it　sounded　particular；　she　did　not　notice　it。

She　merely　said；　〃I　was　surprised　not　to　be　seasick；　too。〃

〃And　should　you　be　willing　to　have　it　rough　again？〃

〃You　wouldn't　see　anything　more　of　your　friends；　then。〃

〃Ah；　yes；　Miss　Rasmith。　　She　is　a　great　talker；　Did　you　find　her
interesting？〃

〃She　was　very　interesting。〃

〃Yes？　　What　did　she　talk　about？〃

Ellen　realized　the　fact　too　late　to　withhold　〃Why；　about　you。〃

〃And　was　that　what　made　her　interesting？〃

〃Now；　what　would　Lottie　say　to　such　a　thing　as　that？〃　　asked　Ellen；
gayly。

〃Something　terribly　cutting；　I'm　afraid。　　But　don't　you！　　From　you　I
don't　want　to　believe　I　deserve　it；　no　matter　what　Miss　Rasmith　said　me。〃

〃Oh；　she　didn't　say　anything　very　bad。　　Unless　you　mind　being　a　universal
favorite。〃

〃Well；　it　makes　a　man　out　rather　silly。〃

〃But　you　can't　help　that。〃

〃Now　you　remind　me　of　Miss　Lottie　again！〃

〃But　I　didn't　mean　that；〃　said　Ellen；　blushing　and　laughing。　　〃I　hope　you
wouldn't　think　I　could　be　so　pert。〃

〃I　wouldn't　think　anything　that　wasn't　to　your　praise；〃　said　Breckon；　and
a　pause　ensued；　after　which　the　words　he　added　seemed　tame　and　flat。
〃I　suspect　Miss　Rasmith　has　been　idealizing　the　situation。　　At　any　rate；
I　shouldn't　advise　you　to　trust　her　report　implicitly。　　I'm　at　the　head
of　a　society；　you　know；　ethical　or　sociological；　or　altruistic；　whatever
you　choose　to　call　it；　which　hasn't　any　very　definite　object　of　worship；
and　yet　meets　every　Sunday　for　a　sort　of　worship；　and　I　have　to　be　in　the
pulpit。　　So　you　see？〃

Ellen　said；　〃I　think　I　understand；〃　with　a　temptation　to　smile　at　the
ruefulness　of　his　appeal。

Breckon　laughed　for　her。　　〃That's　the　mischief　and　the　absurdity　of　it。　
But　it　isn't　so　bad　as　it　seems。　　They're　really　most　of　them　hard…headed
people；　and　those　that　are　not　couldn't　make　a　fool　of　a　man　that　nature
hadn't　begun　with。　　Still；　I'm　not　very　well　satisfied　with　my　work　among
themthat　is；　I'm　not　satisfied　with　myself。〃　　He　was　talking　soberly
enough；　and　he　did　not　find　that　she　was　listening　too　seriously。　　〃I'm
going　away　to　see　whether　I　shall　come　back。〃　　He　looked　at　her　to　make
sure　that　she　had　taken　his　meaning；　and　seemed　satisfied　that　she　had。　
〃I'm　not　sure　that　I'm　fit　for　any　sort　of　ministry；　and　I　may　find　the
winter　in　England　trying　to　find　out。　　I　was　at　school　in　England；　you
know。〃

Ellen　confessed　that　she　had　not　known　that。

〃Yes；　I　suppose　that's　what　made　me　seem　'so　Englishy'　the　first　day　to
Miss　Lottie；　as　she　called　it。　　But　I'm　straight　enough　American　as　far
as　parentage　goes。　　Do　you　think　you　will　be　in　England…later？〃

〃I　don't　know。　　If　poppa　gets　too　homesick　we　will　go　back　in　the　fall。〃

〃Miss　Kenton；〃　said　the　young　man；　abruptly；　〃will　you　let　me　tell　you
how　much　I　admire　and　revere　your　father？〃

Tears　came　into　her　eyes　and　her　throat　swelled。　　〃But　you　don't　know；〃
she　begun；　and　then　she　stopped。

〃I　have　been　wanting　to　submit　something　to　his　judgment；　but　I've　been
afraid。　　I　might　seem　to　be　fishing　for　his　favor。〃

〃Poppa　wouldn't　think　anything　that　was　unjust；〃　said　Ellen；　gravely。

〃Ah；〃　Breckon　laughed；　〃I　suspect　that　I　should　rather　have　him　unjust。　
I　wish　you'd　tell　me　what　he　would