the kentons-第33部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


sat　in　the　royal　box；　with　her　mother　and　her　ladies　behind　her；　and
wondered　and　blushed　to　wonder　if　she　had　noticed　him　when　be　bowed；　or
if　his　chivalric　devotion　in　applauding　her　when　the　audience　rose　to
receive　her　had　been　more　apparent　than　that　of　others；　whether　it　had
seemed　the　heroic　act　of　setting　forth　at　the　head　of　her　armies；　to　beat
back　a　German　invasion；　which　it　had　essentially　been；　with　his
instantaneous　return　as　victor；　and　the　Queen's　abdication　and　adoption
of　republican　principles　under　conviction　of　his　reasoning；　and　her
idolized　consecration　as　the　first　chief　of　the　Dutch　republic。　　His
cheeks　glowed；　and　he　quaked　at　heart　lest　Lottie　should　surprise　his
thoughts　and　expose　them　to　that　sarcastic　acquaintance；　who　proved　to　be
a　medical　student　resting　at　Scheveningen　from　the　winter's　courses　and
clinics　in；　Vienna。　　He　had　already　got　on　to　many　of　Boyne　s　curves；　and
had　sacrilegiously　suggested　the　Queen　of　Holland　when　he　found　him
feeding　his　fancy　on　the　modern　heroical　romances；　he　advised　him　as　an
American　adventurer　to　compete　with　the　European　princes　paying　court　to
her。　　So　thin　a　barrier　divided　that　malign　intelligence　from　Boyne's
most　secret　dreams　that　he　could　never　feel　quite　safe　from　him；　and　yet
he　was　always　finding　himself　with　him；　now　that　he　was　separated　from
Miss　Rasmith；　and　Mr。　Breckon　was　taken　up　so　much　with　Ellen。　　On　the
ship　he　could　put　many　things　before　Mr。　Breckon　which　must　here　perish
in　his　breast；　or　suffer　the　blight　of　this　Mr。　Trannel's　raillery。　　The
student　sat　near　the　Kentons　at　table；　and　he　was　no　more　reverent　of　the
judge's　modest　convictions　than　of　Boyne's　fantastic　preoccupations。　　The
worst　of　him　was　that　you　could　not　help　liking　him：　he　had　a　fascination
which　the　boy　felt　while　he　dreaded　him；　and　now　and　then　he　did
something　so　pleasant　that　when　he　said　something　unpleasant　you　could
hardly　believe　it。

At　the　end　of　the　concert；　when　he　rose　and　stood　with　all　the　rest；
while　the　royal　party　left　their　box；　and　the　orchestra　played　the　Dutch
national　hymn；　he　said；　in　a　loud　whisper；　to　Boyne：　〃Now's　your　time；　my
boy！　　Hurry　out　and　hand　her　into　her　carriage！〃

Boyne　fairly　reeled　at　the　words　which　translated　a　passage　of　the　wild
drama　playing　itself　in　his　brain；　and　found　little　support　in　bidding
his　tormentor；　〃Shut　up！〃　　The　retort；　rude　as　it　was；　seemed
insufficient；　but　Boyne　tried　in　vain　to　think　of　something　else。　　He
tried　to　punish　him　by　separating　Lottie　from　him；　but　failed　as　signally
in　that。　　She　went　off　with　him；　and　sat　in　a　windstuhl　facing　his　the
rest　of　the　afternoon；　with　every　effect　of　carrying　on。

Boyne　was　helpless；　with　his　mother　against　it；　when　he　appealed　to　her
to　let　him　go　and　tell　Lottie　that　she　wanted　her。　　Mrs。　Kenton　said　that
she　saw　no　harm　in　it；　that　Ellen　was　sitting　in　like　manner　with　Mr。
Breckon。

〃Mr。　Breckon　is　very　different；　and　Ellen　knows　how　to　behave；〃　he　urged；
but　his　mother　remained　unmoved；　or　was　too　absent　about　something　to
take　any　interest　in　the　matter。　　In　fact；　she　was　again　unhappy　about
Ellen；　though　she　put　on　such　an　air　of　being　easy　about　her。　　Clearly；
so　far　as　her　maternal　surmise　could　fathom　the　case；　Mr。　Breckon　was
more　and　more　interested　in　Ellen；　and　it　was　evident　that　the　child　was
interested　in　him。　　The　situation　was　everything　that　was　acceptable　to
Mrs。　Kenton；　but　she　shuddered　at　the　cloud　which　hung　over　it；　and　which
might　any　moment　involve　it。　　Again　and　again　she　had　made　sure　that
Lottie　had　given　Ellen　no　hint　of　Richard's　ill…advised　vengeance　upon
Bittridge；　but　it　was　not　a　thing　that　could　be　kept　always；　and　the
question　was　whether　it　could　be　kept　till　Ellen　had　accepted　Mr。　Breckon
and　married　him。　　This　was　beyond　the　question　of　his　asking　her　to　do
so；　but　it　was　so　much　more　important　that　Mrs。　Kenton　was　giving　it　her
attention　first；　quite　out　of　the　order　of　time。　　Besides；　she　had　every
reason；　as　she　felt；　to　count　upon　the　event。　　Unless　he　was　trifling
with　Ellen；　far　more　wickedly　than　Bittridge；　he　was　in　love　with　her；
and　in　Mrs。　Kenton's　simple　experience　and　philosophy　of　life；　being　in
love　was　briefly　preliminary　to　marrying。　　If　she　went　with　her　anxieties
to　her　husband；　she　had　first　to　reduce　him　from　a　buoyant　optimism
concerning　the　affair　before　she　could　get　him　to　listen　seriously。
When　this　was　accomplished　he　fell　into　such　despair　that　she　ended　in
lifting　him　up　and　supporting　him　with　hopes　that　she　did　not　feel
herself。　　What　they　were　both　united　in　was　the　conviction　that　nothing
so　good　could　happen　in　the　world；　but　they　were　equally　united　in　the
old　American　tradition　that　they　must　not　lift　a　finger　to　secure　this
supreme　good　for　their　child。

It　did　not　seem　to　them　that　leaving　the　young　people　constantly　to
themselves　was　doing　this。　　They　interfered　with　Ellen　now　neither　more
nor　less　than　they　had　interfered　with　her　as　to　Bittridge；　or　than　they
would　have　interfered　with　her　in　the　case　of　any　one　else。　　She　was
still　to　be　left　entirely　to　herself　in　such　matters；　and　Mrs。　Kenton
would　have　kept　even　her　thoughts　off　her　if　she　could。　　She　would　have
been　very　glad　to　give　her　mind　wholly　to　the　study　of　the　great　events
which　had　long　interested　her　here　in　their　scene；　but　she　felt　that
until　the　conquest　of　Mr。　Breckon　was　secured　beyond　the　hazard　of
Ellen's　morbid　defection　at　the　supreme　moment；　she　could　not　give　her
mind　to　the　history　of　the　Dutch　republic。

〃Don't　bother　me　about　Lottie；　Boyne；〃　she　said。　　I　have　enough　to　think
of　without　your　nonsense。　　If　this　Mr。　Trannel　is　an　American；　that　is
all　that　is　necessary。　　We　are　all　Americans　together；　and　I　don't
believe　it　will　make　remark；　Lottie's　sitting　on　the　beach　with　him。〃

〃I　don't　see　how　he's　different　from　that　Bittridge；〃　said　Boyne。　　〃He
doesn't　care　for　anything；　and　he　plays　the　banjo　just　like　him。〃

Mrs。　Kenton　was　too　troubled　to　laugh。　　She　said；　with　finality；　〃Lottie
can　take　care　of　herself；〃　and　then　she　asked；　〃Boyne；　do　you　know　whom
Ellen's　letters　were　from？〃

〃One　was　from　Bessie　Pearl〃

〃Yes；　she　showed　me　that。　　But　you　don't　know　who　the　other　was　from？〃

〃No；　she　didn't　tell　me。　　You　know　how　close　Ellen　is。〃

〃Yes；〃　the　mother　sighed；　〃she　is　very　odd。〃

Then　she　added；　〃Don't　you　let　her　know　that　I　asked　you　about　her
letters。〃

〃No；〃　said　Boyne。　　His　audience　was　apparently　at　an　end；　but　he　seemed
still　to　have　something　on　his　mind。　　〃Momma；〃　he　began　afresh。

〃Well？〃　she　answered；　a　little　impatiently。

〃Nothing。　　Only　I　got　to　thinking；　Is　a　person　able　to　control　their
their　fancies？〃

〃Fancies　about　what？〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　know。　　About　falling　in　love。〃　　Boyne　blushed。

〃Why　do　you　want　to　know？　　You　musn't　think　about　such　things；　a　boy　like
you！　　It's　a　great　pity　that　you　ever　knew　anything　about　that　Bittridge
business。　　It's　made　you　too　bold。　　But　it　seems　to　have　been　meant　to
drag　us　down　and　humiliate　us　in　every　way。〃

〃Well；　I　didn't　try　to　know　anything　about　it；〃　Boyne　retorted。

〃No；　that's　true；〃　his　mother　did　him　the　justice　to　recognize。　　〃Well；
what　is　it　you　want　to　know？〃　　Boyne　was　too　hurt　to　answer　at　once；　and
his　mother　had　to　coax　him　a　little。　　She　did　it　sweetly；　and　apologized
to　him　for　saying　what　she　had　said。　　After　all；　he　was　the　youngest；　and
her　baby　still。　　Her　words　and　caresses　took　effect　at　last；　and　he
stammered　out；　〃Is　everybody　so；　or　is　it　only　the　Kentons　that　seem　to
be　always　puttingwell；　their　affectionswhere　it's　perfectly　useless？〃

His　mother　pushed　him　from　her。　　〃Boyne；　are　you　silly　about　that
ridiculous　old　Miss　Rasmith？〃

〃No！〃　　Boyne　shouted；　savagely；　〃I'm　NOT！〃

〃Who　is　it；　then？〃

〃I　sha'n't　tell　you！〃　　Boyne　said；　and　tears　of　rage　and　shame　came　into
his　eyes。





XXI。

In　his　exile　from　his　kindred；　for　it　came　practically　to　that；　Boyne　was
able　to　add　a　fine　gloom　to　the　state　which　he　commonly　observed　with
himself　when　he　was　not　giving　way　to　his　morbid　fancies　or　his　morbid
fears；　and　breaking　down　in　helpless　subjection　to　the　nearest　member　of
his　household。　　Lottie　was　so　taken　up　with　her　student　that　she　scarcely
quarrelled　with　him　any　more；　and　they　had　no　longer　those　moments　of
union　in　which　they　stood　together　against　the　world。　　His　mother　had
cast　him　off；　as　he　felt；　very　heartlessly；　though　it　was　really　because
she　could　not　give　his　absurdities　due　thought　in　view　of　the　hopeful
seriousness　of　Ellen's　affair；　and　Boyne　was　aware　that　his　father　at　the
best　of　times　was　ignorant　of　him　when　he　was　not　impatient　of　him。　
These　were　not　the　best　of　times　with　Judge　Kenton；　and　Boyne　was　not　the
first　object　of　his　impatience。　　In　the　last　analysis　he　was　living　until
he　could　get　home；　and　so　largely　in　the　hope　of　this　that　his　wife　at
times　could　scarcely　keep　him　from　taking　some　step　that　would　decide　the
matter　between　Ellen　and　Breckon　at　once。　　They　were　tacitly　agreed　that
they　were　waiting　for　nothing　else；　and；　without　making　their　agreement
explicit；　she　was　able　to　quell　him　by　asking　what　he　expected　to　do　in
case　there　was　nothing　between　them？　　Was　he　going　to　take　the　child　back
to　Tuskingum；　which　was　the　same　as　taking　her　back　to　Bittridge？　it　hurt
her　to　confront　him　with　this　question；　and　she　tried　other　devices　for
staying　and　appeasing　him。　　She　begged　him　now；　seeing　Boyne　so　forlorn；
and　hanging　about　the　hotel　alone；　or　moping　over　those　ridiculous　books
of　his；　to　go　off　with　the　boy　somewhere　and　see　the　interesting　places
within　such　easy　reach；　like　Leyden　and　Delft　if　he　cared　nothing　for　the
place　where　William　the　Silent　was　shot；　he　ought　to　see　the　place　that
the　Pilgrims　started　from。　　She　had　counted　upon　doing　those　places
herself；　with　her　husband；　and　it　was　in　a　sacrifice　of　her　ideal　that
she　now　urged　him　to　go　with　Boyne。　　But　her　preoccupation　with　Ellen's
affair　forbade　her　self…abandon　to　those　high　historical　interests　to
which　she　urged　his　devotion。　She　might　have　gone　with　him　and　Boyne；　but
then　she　must　have　left　the　larger　half　of　her　divided　mind　with