the kentons-第27部分

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

〃But　I　don't　know　what　it　is；〃　she　protested；　with　a　reflected　smile。

〃I　was　in　hopes　Miss　Rasmith　might　have　told　you。　　Well；　it　is　simply
this；　and　you　will　see　that　I'm　not　quite　the　universal　favorite　she's
been　making　you　fancy　me。　　There　is　a　rift　in　my　lute；　a　schism　in　my
little　society；　which　is　so　little　that　I　could　not　have　supposed　there
was　enough　of　it　to　break　in　two。　　There　are　some　who　think　their
lecturerfor　that's　what　I　amount　toought　to　be　an　older；　if　not　a
graver　man。　　They　are　in　the　minority；　but　they're　in　the　right；　I'm
afraid；　and　that's　why　I　happen　to　be　here　telling　you　all　this。　　It's
a　question　of　whether　I　ought　to　go　back　to　New　York　or　stay　in　London；
where　there's　been　a　faint　call　for　me。〃　　He　saw　the　girl　listening
devoutly；　with　that　flattered　look　which　a　serious　girl　cannot　keep　out
of　her　face　when　a　man　confides　a　serious　matter　to　her。　　〃I　might　safely
promise　to　be　older；　but　could　I　keep　my　word　if　I　promised　to　be　graver？　
That's　the　point。　　If　I　were　a　Calvinist　I　might　hold　fast　by　faith；　and
fight　it　out　with　that；　or　if　I　were　a　Catholic　I　could　cast　myself　upon
the　strength　of　the　Church；　and　triumph　in　spite　of　temperament。　　Then　it
wouldn't　matter　whether　I　was　grave　or　gay；　it　might　be　even　better　if　I
were　gay。　　But；〃　he　went　on；　in　terms　which；　doubtless；　were　not　then　for
the　first　time　formulated　in　his　mind；　〃being　merely　the　leader　of　a　sort
of　forlorn　hope　in　the　Divine　Goodness；　perhaps　I　have　no　right　to　be　so
cheerful。〃

The　note　of　a　sad　irony　in　his　words　appealed　to　such　indignation　for　him
in　Ellen　as　she　never　felt　for　herself。　　But　she　only　said；　〃I　don't
believe　Poppa　could　take　that　in　the　wrong　way　if　you　told　him。〃

Breckon　stared。　　〃Yes　your　father！　　What　would　he　say？〃

〃I　can't　tell　you。　　But　I'm　sure　he　would　know　what　you　meant。〃

〃And　you；〃　he　pursued；　〃what　should　YOU　say？〃

〃I？　　I　never　thought　about　such　a　thing。　　You　mustn't　ask　me；　if　you're
serious；　and　if　you're　not〃

〃But　I　am；　I　am　deeply　serious。　　I　would　like；　to　know　how　the　case
strikes　you。　　I　shall　be　so　grateful　if　you　will　tell　me。〃

〃I'm　sorry　I　can't；　Mr。　Breckon。　　Why　don't　you　ask　poppa？〃

〃No；　I　see　now　I　sha'n't　be　able。　　I　feel　too　much；　after　telling　you；　as
if　I　had　been　posing。　　The　reality　has　gone　out　of　it　all。　　And　I'm
ashamed。〃

〃You　mustn't　be；〃　she　said；　quietly；　and　she　added；　〃I　suppose　it　would
be　like　a　kind　of　defeat　if　you　didn't　go　back？〃

〃I　shouldn't　care　for　the　appearance　of　defeat；〃　he　said；　courageously。　
〃The　great　question　is；　whether　somebody　else　wouldn't　be　of　more　use　in
my　place。〃

〃Nobody　could　be；〃　said　she；　in　a　sort　of　impassioned　absence；　and　then
coming　to　herself；　〃I　mean；　they　wouldn't　think　so；　I　don't　believe。〃

〃Then　you　advise〃

〃No；　no！　　I　can't；　I　don't。　　I'm　not　fit　to　have　an　opinion　about　such　a
thing；　it　would　be　crazy。　　But　poppa〃

They　were　at　the　door　of　the　gangway；　and　she　slipped　within　and　left
him。　　His　nerves　tingled；　and　there　was　a　glow　in　his　breast。　　It　was
sweet　to　have　surprised　that　praise　from　her；　though　he　could　not　have
said　why　he　should　value　the　praise　or　a　girl　of　her　open　ignorance　and
inexperience　in　everything　that　would　have　qualified　her　to　judge　him。　
But　he　found　himself　valuing　it　supremely；　and　wonderingly　wishing　to　be
worthy　of　it。




XVII。

Ellen　discovered　her　father　with　a　book　in　a　distant　corner　of　the
dining…saloon；　which　he　preferred　to　the　deck　or　the　library　for　his
reading；　in　such　intervals　as　the　stewards；　laying　and　cleaning　the
tables；　left　him　unmolested　in　it。　　She　advanced　precipitately　upon　him；
and　stood　before　him　in　an　excitement　which；　though　he　lifted　his　dazed
eyes　to　it　from　his　page；　he　was　not　entirely　aware　of　till　afterwards。　
Then　he　realized　that　her　cheeks　were　full　of　color；　and　her　eyes　of
light；　and　that　she　panted　as　if　she　had　been　running　when　she　spoke。

〃Poppa；〃　she　said；　〃there　is　something　that　Mr。　Breckon　wants　to　speak　to
youto　ask　you　about。　　He　has　asked　me；　but　I　want　you　to　see　him；　for　I
think　he　had　better　tell　you　himself。〃

While　he　still　stared　at　her　she　was　as　suddenly　gone　as　she　had　come；
and　he　remained　with　his　book；　which　the　meaning　had　as　suddenly　left。　
There　was　no　meaning　in　her　words；　except　as　he　put　it　into　them；　and
after　he　had　got　it　in　he　struggled　with　it　in　a　sort　of　perfunctory
incredulity。　　It　was　not　impossible；　it　chiefly　seemed　so　because　it
seemed　too　good　to　be　true；　and　the　more　he　pondered　it　the　more
possible；　if　not　probable；　it　became。　　He　could　not　be　safe　with　it　till
he　had　submitted　it　to　his　wife；　and　he　went　to　her　while　he　was　sure　of
repeating　Ellen's　words　without　varying　from　them　a　syllable。

To　his　astonishment；　Mrs。　Kenton　was　instantly　convinced。　　〃Why；　of
course；〃　she　said；　〃it　can't　possibly　mean　anything　else。　　Why　should　it
be　so　very　surprising？　　The　time　hasn't　been　very　long；　but　they've　been
together　almost　every　moment；　and　he　was　taken　with　her　from　the　very
beginningI　could　see　that。　　Put　on　your　other　coat；〃　she　said；　as　she
dusted　the　collar　of　the　coat　the　judge　was　wearing。　　〃He'll　be　looking
you　up；　at　once。　　I　can't　say　that　it's　unexpected；〃　and　she　claimed　a
prescience　in　the　matter　which　all　her　words　had　hitherto　denied。

Kenton　did　not　notice　her　inconsistency。　　〃If　it　were　not　so　exactly　what
I　wished；〃　he　said；　〃I　don't　know　that　I　should　be　surprised　at　it
myself。　　Sarah；　if　I　had　been　trying　to　imagine　any　one　for　Ellen；　I
couldn't　have　dreamed　of　a　person　better　suited　to　her　than　this　young
man。　　He's　everything　that　I　could　wish　him　to　be。　　I've　seen　the
pleasure　and　comfort　she　took　in　his　way　from　the　first　moment。　　He
seemed　to　make　her　forget　Do　you　suppose　she　has　forgotten　that
miserable　wretch　Do　you　think〃

〃If　she　hadn't；　could　she　be　letting　him　come　to　speak　to　you？　　I　don't
believe　she　ever　really　cared　for　Bittridgeor　not　after　he　began
flirting　with　Mrs。　Uphill。〃　　She　had　no　shrinking　from　the　names　which
Kenton　avoided　with　disgust。　　〃The　only　question　for　you　is　to　consider
what　you　shall　say　to　Mr。　Breckon。〃

〃Say　to　him？　　Why；　of　course；　if　Ellen　has　made　up　her　mind；　there's　only
one　thing　I　can　say。〃

〃Indeed　there　is！　　He　ought　to　know　all　about　that　disgusting　Bittridge
business；　and　you　have　got　to　tell　him。〃

〃Sarah；　I　couldn't。　　It　is　too　humiliating。　　How　would　it　do　to　refer　him
to　You　could　manage　that　part　so　much　better。　　I　don't　see　how　I　could
keep　it　from　seeming　an　indelicate　betrayal　of　the　poor　child〃

〃Perhaps　she's　told　him　herself；〃　Mrs。　Kenton　provisionally　suggested。

The　judge　eagerly　caught　at　the　notion。　　〃Do　you　think　so？　　It　would　be
like　her！　　Ellen　would　wish　him　to　know　everything。〃

He　stopped；　and　his　wife　could　see　that　he　was　trembling　with　excitement。　
〃We　must　find　out。　　I　will　speak　to　Ellen〃

〃Andyou　don't　think　I'd　better　have　the　talk　with　him　first？〃

〃Certainly　not！〃

〃Why；　Rufus！　　You　were　not　going　to　look　him　up？〃

〃No；〃　he　hesitated；　but　she　could　see　that　some　such　thing　had　been　on
his　mind。

〃Surely；〃　she　said；　〃you　must　be　crazy！〃　　But　she　had　not　the　heart　to
blight　his　joy　with　sarcasm；　and　perhaps　no　sarcasm　would　have　blighted
it。

〃I　merely　wondered　what　I　had　better　say　in　case　he　spoke　to　me　before
you　saw　Ellenthat's　all。　　Sarah！　　I　couldn't　have　believed　that
anything　could　please　me　so　much。　　But　it　does　seem　as　if　it　were　the
assurance　of　Ellen's　happiness；　and　she　has　deserved　it；　poor　child！　　If
ever　there　was　a　dutiful　and　loving　daughterat　least　before　that
wretched　affairshe　was　one。〃

〃She　has　been　a　good　girl；〃　Mrs。　Kenton　stoically　admitted。

〃And　they　are　very　well　matched。　　Ellen　is　a　cultivated　woman。　　He　never
could　have　cause　to　blush　for　her；　either　her　mind　or　her　manners；　in　any
circle　of　society；　she　would　do　him　credit　under　any　and　all
circumstances。　　If　it　were　Lottie〃

〃Lottie　is　all　right；〃　said　her　mother；　in　resentment　of　his　preference；
but　she　could　not　help　smiling　at　it。　　〃Don't　you　be　foolish　about　Ellen。　
I　approve　of　Mr。　Breckon　as　much　as　you　do。　　But　it's　her　prettiness　and
sweetness　that's　taken　his　fancy；　and　not　her　wisdom；　if　she's　got　him。〃

〃If　she's　got　him？〃

〃Well；　you　know　what　I　mean。　　I'm　not　saying　she　hasn't。　　Dear　knows；　I
don't　want　to！　　I　feel　just　as　you　do　about　it。　　I　think　it's　the
greatest　piece　of　good　fortune；　coming　on　top　of　all　our　trouble　with
her。　　I　couldn't　have　imagined　such　a　thing。〃

He　was　instantly　appeased。　　〃Are　you　going　to　speak　with　Ellen〃　he
radiantly　inquired。

〃I　will　see。　　There's　no　especial　hurry；　is　there？〃

〃Only；　if　he　should　happen　to　meet　me〃

〃You　can　keep　out　of　his　way；　I　reckon。　　Or　You　can　put　him　off；
somehow。〃

〃Yes；〃　Kenton　returned；　doubtfully。　　〃Don't；〃　he　added；　〃be　too　blunt
with　Ellen。　　You　know　she　didn't　say　anything　explicit　to　me。〃

〃I　think　I　will　know　how　to　manage；　Mr。　　Kenton。〃

〃Yes；　of　course；　Sarah。　　I'm　not　saying　that。〃

Breckon　did　not　apparently　try　to　find　the　judge　before　lunch；　and　at
table　he　did　not　seem　especially　devoted　to　Ellen　in　her　father's　jealous
eyes。　　He　joked　Lottie；　and　exchanged　those　passages　or　repartee　with　her
in　which　she　did　not　mind　using　a　bludgeon　when　she　had　not　a　rapier　at
hand；　it　is　doubtful　if　she　was　very　sensible　of　the　difference。　　Ellen
sat　by　in　passive　content；　smiling　now　and　then；　and　Boyne　carried　on　a
dignified　conversation　with　Mr。　Pogis；　whom　he　had　asked　to　lunch　at　his
table；　and　who　listened　with　one　ear　to　the　vigorous　retorts　of　Lottie　in
her　combat　with　Breckon。

The　judge　witnessed　it　all　with　a　grave　displeasure；　more　and　more
painfully　apparent　to　his　wife。　　She　could　see　the　impatience；　the
gathering　misgiving；　in　his　face；　and　she　perceived　that　she　must　not　let
this　come　to　conscious　dissatisfaction　with　Breckon；　she　knew　her　husband
capable　of　indignation　with　trifling　which　would　complicate　the
situation；　if　it　came　to　that。　　She　decided　to　speak　with　Ellen　as　soon
as　possible；　and　she　meant　to　follow　h