the kentons-第29部分

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appreciable　distance；　where　he　did　not　escape　a　final　stab　from　Lottie。

〃Oh；　do　give　me　a　rose　out　of　that；〃　she　entreated；　in　travestied
imploring；　as　he　stood　looking　at　a　withered　bouquet　which　the　steward
had　brought　up　with　his　rugs。

〃I'm　takin'　it　home；〃　he　explained；　coldly。

〃And　I　want　to　take　a　rose　back　to　New　York。　　I　want　to　give　it　to　a
friend　of　mine　there。〃

Mr。　Pogis　hesitated。　　Then　he　asked；　〃A　man？〃　　〃Well；　rather！〃　　said
Lottie。

He　answered　nothing；　but　looked　definitively　down　at　the　flowers　in　his
hand。

〃Oh；　I　say！〃　　Lottie　exulted。

Boyne　remained　fixed　in　fealty　to　the　Rasmiths；　with　whom　Breckon　was
also　talking　as　Mrs。　Kenton　came　up　with　the　judge。　　She　explained　how
sorry　her　daughter　Ellen　was　at　not　being　able　to　say　goodbye；　she　was
still　not　at　all　well；　and　the　ladies　received　her　excuses　with　polite
patience。　　Mrs。　Rasmith　said　she　did　not　know　what　they　should　do　without
Boyne；　and　Miss　Rasmith　put　her　arm　across　his　shoulders　and　pulled　him
up　to　her；　and　implored；　〃Oh；　give　him　to　me；　Mrs。　Kenton！〃

Boyne　stole　an　ashamed　look　at　his　mother；　and　his　father　said；　with　an
unbending　to　Breckon　which　must　have　been　the　effect　of　severe
expostulation　from　Mrs。　Kenton；　〃I　suppose　you　and　the　ladies　will　go　to
Paris　together。〃

〃Why；　no；〃　Breckon　said；　and　he　added；　with　mounting　confusion；　〃II　had
arranged　to　keep　on　to　Rotterdam。　　I　was　going　to　mention　it。〃

〃Keep　on　to　Rotterdam！〃　　Mrs。　Rasmith's　eyes　expressed　the　greatest
astonishment。

〃Why；　of　course；　mother！〃　　said　her　daughter。　　〃Don't　you　know？　　Boyne
told　us。〃

Boyne；　after　their　parting；　seized　the　first　chance　of　assuring　his
mother　that　he　had　not　told　Miss　Rasmith　that；　for　he　had　not　known　it；
and　he　went　so　far　in　her　condemnation　to　wonder　how　she　could　say　such
a　thing。　　His　mother　said　it　was　not　very　nice；　and　then　suggested　that
perhaps　she　had　heard　it　from　some　one　else；　and　thought　it　was　he。　　She
acquitted　him　of　complicity　with　Miss　Rasmith　in　forbearing　to　contradict
her；　and　it　seemed　to　her　a　fitting　time　to　find　out　from　Boyne　what　she
honestly　could　about　the　relation　of　the　Rasmiths　to　Mr。　Breckon。　　It　was
very　little　beyond　their　supposition；　which　every　one　else　had　shared；
that　he　was　going　to　land　with　them　at　Boulogne；　and　he　must　have　changed
his　mind　very　suddenly。　　Boyne　had　not　heard　the　Rasmiths　speak　of　it。　
Miss　Rasmith　never　spoke　of　Mr。　Breckon　at　all；　but　she　seemed　to　want　to
talk　of　Ellen；　she　was　always　asking　about　her；　and　what　was　the　matter
with　her；　and　how　long　she　had　been　sick。

〃Boyne；〃　said　his　mother；　with　a　pang；　〃you　didn't　tell　her　anything
about　Ellen？〃

〃Momma！〃　said　the　boy；　in　such　evident　abhorrence　of　the　idea　that　she
rested　tranquil　concerning　it。　　She　paid　little　attention　to　what　Boyne
told　her　otherwise　of　the　Rasmiths。　　Her　own　horizon　were　so　limited　that
she　could　not　have　brought　home　to　herself　within　them　that　wandering
life　the　Rasmiths　led　from　climate　to　climate　and　sensation　to　sensation；
with　no　stay　so　long　as　the　annually　made　in　New　York；　where　they
sometimes　passed　months　enough　to　establish　themselves　in　giving　and
taking　tea　in　a　circle　of　kindred　nomads。　　She　conjectured　as　ignorantly
as　Boyne　himself　that　they　were　very　rich；　and　it　would　not　have
enlightened　her　to　know　that　the　mother　was　the　widow　of　a　California
politician；　whom　she　had　married　in　the　sort　of　middle　period　following
upon　her　less　mortuary　survival　of　Miss　Rasmith's　father；　whose　name　was
not　Rasmith。

What　Mrs。　Kenton　divined　was　that　they　had　wanted　to　get　Breckon；　and
that　so　far　as　concerned　her　own　interest　in　him　they　had　wanted　to　get
him　away　from　Ellen。　　In　her　innermost　self…confidences　she　did　not
permit　herself　the　notion　that　Ellen　had　any　right　to　him；　but　still　it
was　a　relief　to　have　them　off　the　ship；　and　to　have　him　left。　　Of　all　the
witnesses　of　the　fact；　she　alone　did　not　find　it　awkward。　　Breckon
himself　found　it　very　awkward。　　He　did　not　wish　to　be　with　the　Rasmiths；
but　he　found　it　uncomfortable　not　being　with　them；　under　the
circumstances；　and　he　followed　them　ashore　in　tingling　reveries　of
explanation　and　apology。　　He　had　certainly　meant　to　get　off　at　Boulogne；
and　when　he　had　suddenly　and　tardily　made　up　his　mind　to　keep　on　to
Rotterdam；　he　had　meant　to　tell　them　as　soon　as　he　had　the　labels　on　his
baggage　changed。　　He　had　not　meant　to　tell　them　why　he　had　changed　his
mind；　and　he　did　not　tell　them　now　in　these　tingling　reveries。　　He　did
not　own　the　reason　in　his　secret　thoughts；　for　it　no　longer　seemed　a
reason；　it　no　longer　seemed　a　cause。　　He　knew　what　the　Rasmiths　would
think；　but　he　could　easily　make　that　right　with　his　conscience；　at　least；
by　parting　with　the　Kentons　at　Rotterdam；　and　leaving　them　to　find　their
unconducted　way　to　any　point　they　chose　beyond。　　He　separated　himself
uncomfortably　from　them　when　the　tender　had　put　off　with　her　passengers
and　the　ship　had　got　under　way　again；　and　went　to　the　smoking…room；　while
the　judge　returned　to　his　book　and　Mrs。　Kenton　abandoned　Lottie　to　her
own　devices；　and　took　Boyne　aside　for　her　apparently　fruitless　inquiries。

They　were　not　really　so　fruitless　but　that　at　the　end　of　them　she　could
go　with　due　authority　to　look　up　her　husband。　　She　gently　took　his　book
from　him　and　shut　it　up。　　〃Now；　Mr。　Kenton；〃　she　began；　〃if　you　don't　go
right　straight　and　find　Mr。　Breckon　and　talk　with　him；　II　don't　know
what　I　will　do。　　You　must　talk　to　him〃

〃About　Ellen？〃　　the　judge　frowned。

〃No；　certainly　not。　　Talk　with　him　about　anything　that　interests　you。　　Be
pleasant　to　him。　　Can't　you　see　that　he's　going　on　to　Rotterdam　on　our
account？〃

〃Then　I　wish　he　wasn't。　　There's　no　use　in　it。〃

〃No　matter！　　It's　polite　in　him；　and　I　want　you　to　show　him　that　you
appreciate　it。〃

〃Now　see　here；　Sarah；〃　said　the　judge；　〃if　you　want　him　shown　that　we
appreciate　his　politeness　why　don't　you　do　it　yourself？〃

〃I？　　Because　it　would　look　as　if　you　were　afraid　to。　　It　would　look　as　if
we　meant　something　by　it。〃

〃Well；　I　am　afraid；　and　that's　just　what　I'm　afraid　of。　　I　declare；　my
heart　comes　into　my　mouth　whenever　I　think　what　an　escape　we　had。　　I
think　of　it　whenever　I　look　at　him；　and　I　couldn't　talk　to　him　without
having　that　in　my　mind　all　the　time。　　No；　women　can　manage　those　things
better。　　If　you　believe　he　is　going　along　on　our　account；　so　as　to　help
us　see　Holland；　and　to　keep　us　from　getting　into　scrapes；　you're　the　one
to　make　it　up　to　him。　　I　don't　care　what　you　say　to　show　him　our
gratitude。　　I　reckon　we　will　get　into　all　sorts　of　trouble　if　we're　left
to　ourselves。　　But　if　you　think　he's　stayed　because　he　wants　to　be　with
Ellen；　and〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　KNOW　what　I　think！　　And　that's　silly　I　can't　talk　to　him。　
I'm　afraid　it'll　seem　as　if　we　wanted　to　flatter　him；　and　goodness　knows
we　don't　want　to。　　Or；　yes；　we　do！　　I'd　give　anything　if　it　was　true。　
Rufus；　do　you　suppose　he　did　stay　on　her　account？　　My；　oh；　my！　　If　I
could　only　think　so！　　Wouldn't　it　be　the　best　thing　in　the　world　for　the
poor　child；　and　for　all　of　us？　　I　never　saw　anybody　that　I　liked　so　much。
But　it's　too　good　to　be　true。〃

〃He's　a　nice　fellow；　but　I　don't　think　he's　any　too　good　for　Ellen。〃

〃I'm　not　saying　he　is。　　The　great　thing　is　that　he's　good　enough；　and
gracious　knows　what　will　happen　if　she　meets　some　other　worthless　fellow；
and　gets　befooled　with　him！　　Or　if　she　doesn't　take　a　fancy　to　some　one；
and　goes　back　to　Tuskingum　without　seeing　any　one　else　she　likes；　there
is　that　awful　wretch；　and　when　she　hears　what　Dick　did　to　himshe's　just
wrong…headed　enough　to　take　up　with　him　again　to　make　amends　to　him。　　Oh；
dear　oh；　dear！　　I　know　Lottie　will　let　it　out　to　her　yet！〃

The　judge　began　threateningly；　〃You　tell　Lottie　from　me〃

〃What？〃　　said　the　girl　herself；　who　had　seen　her　father　and　mother
talking　together　in　a　remote　corner　of　the　music…room　and　had　stolen
light…footedly　upon　them　just　at　this　moment。

〃Lottie；　child；〃　said　her　mother；　undismayed　at　Lottie's　arrival　in　her
larger　anxiety；　〃I　wish　you　would　try　and　be　agreeable　to　Mr。　Breckon。　
Now　that　he's　going　on　with　us　to　Holland；　I　don't　want　him　to　think
we're　avoiding　him。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Oh；　because。〃

〃Because　you　want　to　get　him　for　Ellen？〃

〃Don't　be　impudent；〃　said　her　father。　　〃You　do　as　your　mother　bids　you。〃

〃Be　agreeable　to　that　old　Breckon？　　I　think　I　see　myself！　　I'd　sooner
read！　　I'm　going　to　get　a　book　now。〃　　She　left　them　as　abruptly　as　she
had　come　upon　them；　and　ran　across　to　the　bookcase；　where　she　remained
two　stepping　and　peering　through　the　glass　doors　at　the　literature
within；　in　unaccustomed　question　concerning　it。

〃She's　a　case；〃　said　the　judge；　looking　at　her　not　only　with　relenting；
but　with　the　pride　in　her　sufficiency　for　all　the　exigencies　of　life
which　he　could　not　feel　in　Ellen。　　〃She　can　take　care　of　herself。〃

〃Oh　yes；〃　Mrs。　Kenton　sadly　assented；　I　don't　think　anybody　will　ever
make　a　fool　of　Lottie。〃

〃It's　a　great　deal　more　likely　to　be　the　other　way；〃　her　father
suggested。

〃I　think　Lottie　is　conscientious；〃　Mrs。　Kenton　protested。　　〃She　wouldn't
really　fool　with　a　man。〃

〃No；　she's　a　good　girl；〃　the　judge　owned。

〃It's　girls　like　Ellen　who　make　the　trouble　and　the　care。　　They　are　too
good；　and　you　have　to　think　some　evil　in　this　world。　　Well！〃　　She　rose
and　gave　her　husband　back　his　book。

〃Do　you　know　where　Boyne　is？〃

〃No。　　Do　you　want　him　to　be　pleasant　to　Mr。　Breckon？〃

〃Somebody　has　got　to。　　But　it　would　be　ridiculous　if　nobody　but　Boyne
was。〃

She　did　not　find　Boyne；　after　no　very　exhaustive　search；　and　the　boy　was
left　to　form　his　bearing　towards　Breckon　on　the　behavior　of　the　rest　of
his　family。　　As　this　continued　helplessly　constrained　both　in　his　father
and　mother；　and　voluntarily　repellent　in　Lottie；　Boyne　decided　upon　a
blend　of　conduct　which　left　Breckon　in　greater　and　greater　doubt　of　his
wisdom　in　keeping　on　to　Rotterdam。　　There　was　no　good　reason　which　he
would　have　been　willing　to　give　himself；　from　the　beginning。　　It　had　been
an　impulse；　suddenly　coming　upon　him　in　the　baggage…room　where　he　had
gone　to　get　something　out　of　his　trunk；　and