the kentons-第28部分

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situation；　if　it　came　to　that。　　She　decided　to　speak　with　Ellen　as　soon
as　possible；　and　she　meant　to　follow　her　to　her　state…room　when　they　left
the　table。　　But　fate　assorted　the　pieces　in　the　game　differently。　　Boyne
walked　over　to　the　place　where　Miss　Rasmith　was　sitting　with　her　mother；
Lottie　and　Mr。　Pogis　went　off　to　practise　duets　together；　terrible；　four…
…handed　torments　under　which　the　piano　presently　clamored；　and　Ellen
stood　for　a　moment　talked　to　by　Mr。　Breckon；　who　challenged　her　then　for
a　walk　on　deck；　and　with　whom　she　went　away　smiling。

Mrs。　Kenton　appealed　with　the　reflection　of　the　girl's　happiness　in　her
face　to　the　frowning　censure　in　her　husband's；　but　Kenton　spoke　first。　
〃What　does　he　mean？〃　　he　demanded；　darkly。　　〃If　he　is　making　a　fool　of
her　he'll　find　that　that　game　can't　be　played　twice；　with　impunity。　
Sarah；　I　believe　I　should　choke　him。〃

〃Mr。　　Kenton！〃　　she　gasped；　and　she　trembled　in　fear　of　him；　even　while
she　kept　herself　with　difficulty　from　shaking　him　for　his　folly。　　〃Don't
say　such　a　thing！　　Can't　you　see　that　they　want　to　talk　it　over？　　If　he
hasn't　spoken　to　you　it's　because　he　wants　to　know　how　you　took　what　she
said。〃　　Seeing　the　effect　of　these　arguments；　she　pursued：　〃Will　you
never　have　any　sense？　　I　will　speak　to　Ellen　the　very　minute　I　get　her
alone；　and　you　have　just　got　to　wait。　　Don't　you　suppose　it's　hard　for
me；　too？　　Have　I　got　nothing　to　bear？〃

Kenton　went　silently　back　to　his　book；　which　he　took　with　him　to　the
reading…room；　where　from　time　to　time　his　wife　came　to　him　and　reported
that　Ellen　and　Breckon　were　still　walking　up　and　down　together；　or　that
they　were　sitting　down　talking；　or　were　forward；　looking　over　at　the
prow；　or　were　watching　the　deck…passengers　dancing。　　Her　husband　received
her　successive　advices　with　relaxing　interest；　and　when　she　had　brought
the　last　she　was　aware　that　the　affair　was　entirely　in　her　hands　with　all
the　responsibility。　　After　the　gay　parting　between　Ellen　and　Breckon；
which　took　place　late　in　the　afternoon；　she　suffered　an　interval　to
elapse　before　she　followed　the　girl　down　to　her　state…room。　　She　found
her　lying　in　her　berth；　with　shining　eyes　and　glad；　red　cheeks；　she　was
smiling　to　herself。

〃That　is　right；　Ellen；〃　her　mother　said。　　〃　You　need　rest　after　your　long
tramp。〃

〃I'm　not　tired。　　We　were　sitting　down　a　good　deal。　　I　didn't　think　how
late　it　was。　　I'm　ever　so　much　better。　　Where's　Lottie？〃

〃Off　somewhere　with　that　young　Englishman；〃　said　Mrs。　Kenton；　as　if　that
were　of　no　sort　of　consequence。　　〃Ellen；〃　she　added；　abruptly；　trying
within　a　tremulous　smile　to　hide　her　eagerness；　〃what　is　this　that　Mr。
Breckon　wants　to　talk　with　your　father　about？〃

〃Mr。　Breckon？　　With　poppa？〃

〃Yes；　certainly。　　You　told　him　this　morning　that　Mr。　Breckon〃

〃Oh！　　Oh　yes！〃　　said　Ellen；　as　if　recollecting　something　that　had　slipped
her　mind。　　〃He　wants　poppa　to　advise　him　whether　to　go　back　to　his
congregation　in　New　York　or　not。〃

Mrs。　Kenton　sat　in　the　corner　of　the　sofa　next　the　door；　looking　into　the
girl's　face　on　the　pillow　as　she　lay　with　her　arms　under　her　head。　　Tears
of　defeat　and　shame　came　into　her　eyes；　and　she　could　not　see　the　girl's
light　nonchalance　in　adding：

〃But　he　hasn't　got　up　his　courage　yet。　　He　thinks　he'll　ask　him　after
dinner。　　He　says　he　doesn't　want　poppa　to　think　he's　posing。　　I　don't
know　what　he　means。〃

Mrs。　Kenton　did　not　speak　at　once。　　Her　bitterest　mortification　was　not
for　herself；　but　for　the　simple　and　tender　father…soul　which　had　been　so
tried　already。　　She　did　not　know　how　he　would　bear　it；　the
disappointment；　and　the　cruel　hurt　to　his　pride。　　But　she　wanted　to　fall
on　her　knees　in　thankfulness　that　he　had　betrayed　himself　only　to　her。

She　started　in　sudden　alarm　with　the　thought。　　〃Where　is　he　now
Mr。　Breckon？〃

〃He's　gone　with　Boyne　down　into　the　baggage…room。〃

Mrs。　Kenton　sank　back　in　her　corner；　aware　now　that　she　would　not　have
had　the　strength　to　go　to　her　husband　even　to　save　him　from　the　awful
disgrace　of　giving　himself　away　to　Breckon。　　〃And　was　that　all？〃　　she
faltered。

〃All？〃

〃That　he　wanted　to　speak　to　your　father　about？〃

She　must　make　irrefragably　sure；　for　Kenton's　sake；　that　she　was　not
misunderstanding。

〃Why；　of　course！　　What　else？　　Why；　momma！　what　are　you　crying　about？〃

〃I'm　not　crying；　child。　　Just　some　foolishness　of　your　father's。　　He
understoodhe　thought〃　Mrs。　Kenton　began　to　laugh　hysterically。　　〃But
you　know　how　ridiculous　he　is；　and　he　supposed　No；　I　won't　tell　you！〃

It　was　not　necessary。　　The　girl's　mind；　perhaps　because　it　was　imbued
already　with　the　subject；　had　possessed　itself　of　what　filled　her
mother's。　　She　dropped　from　the　elbow　on　which　she　had　lifted　herself；
and　turned　her　face　into　the　pillow；　with　a　long　wail　of　shame。




XVIII。

Mrs。　Kenton's　difficulties　in　setting　her　husband　right　were　indefinitely
heightened　by　the　suspicion　that　the　most　unsuspicious　of　men　fell　into
concerning　Breckon。　　Did　Breckon　suppose　that　the　matter　could　be　turned
off　in　that　way？　he　stupidly　demanded；　and　when　he　was　extricated　from
this　error　by　his　wife's　representation　that　Breckon　had　not　changed　at
all；　but　had　never　told　Ellen　that　he　wished　to　speak　with　him　of
anything　but　his　returning　to　his　society；　Kenton　still　could　not　accept
the　fact。　　He　would　have　contended　that　at　least　the　other　matter　must
have　been　in　Breckon's　mind；　and　when　he　was　beaten　from　this　position；
and　convinced　that　the　meaning　they　had　taken　from　Ellen's　words　had
never　been　in　any　mind　but　their　own；　he　fell　into　humiliation　so　abject
that　he　could　hide　it　only　by　the　hauteur　with　which　he　carried　himself
towards　Breckon　when　they　met　at　dinner。　　He　would　scarcely　speak　to　the
young　man；　Ellen　did　not　come　to　the　table；　Lottie　and　Boyne　and　their
friend　Mr。　Pogis　were　dining　with　the　Rasmiths；　and　Mrs。　Kenton　had　to
be；　as　she　felt；　cringingly　kind　to　Breckon　in　explaining　just　the　sort
of　temporary　headache　that　kept　her　eldest　daughter　away。　　He　was　more
than　ordinarily　sympathetic　and　polite；　but　he　was　manifestly　bewildered
by　Kenton's　behavior。　　He　refused　an　hilarious　invitation　from　Mrs。
Rasmith；　when　he　rose　from　table；　to　stop　and　have　his　coffee　with　her　on
his　way　out　of　the　saloon。　　His　old　adorer　explained　that　she　had　ordered
a　small　bottle　of　champagne　in　honor　of　its　being　the　night　before　they
were　to　get　into　Boulogne；　and　that　he　ought　to　sit　down　and　help　her
keep　the　young　people　straight。　　Julia；　she　brokenly　syllabled；　with　the
gay　beverage　bubbling　back　into　her　throat；　was　not　the　least　use；　she
was　worse　than　any。　　Julia　did　not　look　it；　in　the　demure　regard　which
she　bent　upon　her　amusing　mother；　and　Breckon　persisted　in　refusing。　　He
said　he　thought　he　might　safely　leave　them　to　Boyne；　and　Mrs。　Rasmith
said　into　her　handkerchief；　〃Oh　yes！　　Boyne！〃　　and　pressed　Boyne's　sleeve
with　her　knobbed　and　jewelled　fingers。

It　was　evident　where　most　of　the　small　bottle　had　gone；　but　Breckon　was
none　the　cheerfuller　for　the　spectacle　of　Mrs。　Rasmith。　　He　could　not
have　a　moment's　doubt　as　to　the　sort　of　work　he　had　been　doing　in　New
York　if　she　were　an　effect　of　it；　and　he　turned　his　mind　from　the　sad
certainty　back　to　the　more　important　inquiry　as　to　what　offence　his　wish
to　advise　with　Judge　Kenton　could　have　conveyed。　　Ellen　had　told　him　in
the　afternoon　that　she　had　spoken　with　her　father　about　it；　and　she　had
not　intimated　any　displeasure　or　reluctance　on　him；　but　apparently　he　had
decided　not　to　suffer　himself　to　be　approached。

It　might　be　as　well。　　Breckon　had　not　been　able　to　convince　himself　that
his　proposal　to　consult　Judge　Kenton　was　not　a　pose。　　He　had　flashes　of
owning　that　it　was　contemplated　merely　as　a　means　of　ingratiating　himself
with　Ellen。　　Now；　as　he　found　his　way　up　and　down　among　the　empty
steamer…chairs；　he　was　aware；　at　the　bottom　of　his　heart；　of　not　caring
in　the　least　for　Judge　Kenton's　repellent　bearing；　except　as　it　possibly；
or　impossibly；　reflected　some　mood　of　hers。　　He　could　not　make　out　her
not　coming　to　dinner；　the　headache　was　clearly　an　excuse；　for　some　reason
she　did　not　wish　to　see　him；　he　argued；　with　the　egotism　of　his
condition。

The　logic　of　his　conclusion　was　strengthened　at　breakfast　by　her
continued　absence；　and　this　time　Mrs。　Kenton　made　no　apologies　for　her。　
The　judge　was　a　shade　less　severe；　or　else　Breckon　did　not　put　himself　so
much　in　the　way　to　be　withheld　as　he　had　the　night　before。　　Boyne　and
Lottie　carried　on　a　sort　of　muted　scrap；　unrebuked　by　their　mother；　who
seemed　too　much　distracted　in　some　tacit　trouble　to　mind　them。　　From　time
to　time　Breckon　found　her　eyes　dwelling　upon　him　wonderingly；
entreatingly；　she　dropped　them；　if　she　caught　his；　and　colored。

In　the　afternoon　it　was　early　evident　that　they　were　approaching
Boulogne。　　The　hatch　was　opened　and　the　sailors　began　getting　up　the
baggage　of　the　passengers　who　were　going　to　disembark。　　It　seemed　a　long
time　for　everybody　till　the　steamer　got　in；　those　going　ashore　sat　on
their　hand…baggage　for　an　hour　before　the　tug　came　up　to　take；　them　off。　
Mr。　Pogis　was　among　them；　he　had　begun　in　the　forenoon　to　mark　the
approaching　separation　between　Lottie　and　himself　by　intervals　of
unmistakable　withdrawal。　　Another　girl　might　have　cared；　but　Lottie　did
not　care；　for　her　failure　to　get　a　rise　out　of　him　by　her　mockingly
varied　〃Oh；　I　say！〃　　and　〃Well；　rather！〃　　In　the　growth　of　his　dignified
reserve　Mr。　Pogis　was　indifferent　to　jeers。　　By　whatever　tradition　of
what　would　or　would　not　do　he　was　controlled　in　relinquishing　her
acquaintance；　or　whether　it　was　in　obedience　to　some　imperative　ideal；　or
some　fearful　domestic　influence　subtly　making　itself　felt　from　the　coasts
of　his　native　island；　or　some　fine　despair　of　equalling　the　imagined
grandeur　of　Lottie's　social　state　in　Tuskingum　by　anything　he　could　show
her　in　England；　it　was　certain　that　he　was　ending　with　Lottie　then　and
there。　　At　the　same　time　he　was　carefully　defining　himself　from　the
Rasmiths；　with　whom　he　must　land。　　He　had　his　state…room　things　put　at　an
appreciable　distance；　where　he　did　not　escape　a　final　stab　from　Lottie。

〃O