the kentons-第38部分

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the　side　street。　　A　little　curiosity　straggled　after　him　in　the　shape　of
small　Dutch　boys；　too　short　to　look　over　the　shoulders　of　men　at　the
queens；　and　too　weak　to　make　their　way　through　them　to　the　front；　but　for
them；　Boyne　seemed　alone　in　the　world　with　the　relentless　officers；　who
were　dragging　him　forward　and　hurting　him　so　with　the　grip　of　their　iron
hands。　　He　lifted　up　his　face　to　entreat　them　not　to　hold　him　so　tight；
and　suddenly　it　was　as　if　he　beheld　an　angel　standing　in　his　path。　　It
was　Breckon　who　was　there；　staring　at　him　aghast。

〃Why；　Boyne！〃　　he　cried。

〃Oh；　Mr。　Breckon！〃　　Boyne　wailed　back。　　〃Is　it　you？　　Oh；　do　tell　them　I
didn't　mean　to　do　anything！　　I　thought　she　beckoned　to　me。〃

〃Who？　　Who　beckoned　to　you？〃

〃The　Queen！〃　　Boyne　sobbed；　while　the　detectives　pulled　him　relentlessly
on。

Breckon　addressed　them　suavely　in　their　owe　tongue　which　had　never　come
in　more　deferential　politeness　from　human　lips。　　He　ventured　the　belief
that　there　was　a　mistake；　he　assured　them　that　he　knew　their　prisoner；
and　that　he　was　the　son　of　a　most　respectable　American　family；　whom　they
could　find　at　the　Kurhaus　in　Scheveningen。　　He　added　some　irrelevancies；
and　got　for　all　answer　that　they　had　made　Boyne's　arrest　for　sufficient
reasons；　and　were　taking　him　to　prison。　　If　his　friends　wished　to
intervene　in　his　behalf　they　could　do　so　before　the　magistrate；　but　for
the　present　they　must　admonish　Mr。　Breckon　not　to　put　himself　in　the　way
of　the　law。

〃Don't　go；　Mr。　Breckon！〃　　Boyne　implored　him；　as　his　captors　made　him
quicken　his　pace　after　slowing　a　little　for　their　colloquy　with　Breckon。　
〃Oh；　where　is　poppa？　　He　could　get　me　away。　　Oh；　where　is　poppa？〃

〃Don't！　　Don't　call　out；　Boyne；〃　Breckon　entreated。　　〃Your　father　is
right　here　at　the　end　of　the　street。　　He's　in　the　carriage　there　with
Miss　Kenton。　　I　was　coming　to　look　for　you。　　Don't　cry　out　so！〃

〃No；　no；　I　won't；　Mr。　Breckon。　　I'll　be　perfectly　quiet　now。　　Only　do　get
poppa　quick！　　He　can　tell　them　in　a　minute　that　it's　all　right！〃

He　made　a　prodigious　effort　to　control　himself；　while　Breckon　ran　a
little　ahead；　with　some　wild　notion　of　preparing　Ellen。　　As　he
disappeared　at　the　corner；　Boyne　choked　a　sob　into　a　muffed　bellow；　and
was　able　to　meet　the　astonished　eyes　of　his　father　and　sister　in　this
degree　of　triumph。

They　had　not　in　the　least　understood　Breckon's　explanation；　and；　in　fact；
it　had　not　been　very　lucid。　　At　sight　of　her　brother　strenuously　upheld
between　the　detectives；　and　dragged　along　the　sidewalk；　Ellen　sprang　from
the　carriage　and　ran　towards　him。　　〃Why；　what's　the　matter　with　Boyne？〃　
she　demanded。　　〃Are　you　hurt；　Boyne；　dear？　　Are　they　taking　him　to　the
hospital？〃

Before　he　could　answer；　and　quite　before　the　judge　could　reach　the
tragical　group；　she　had　flung　her　arms　round　Boyne's　neck；　and　was
kissing　his　tear…drabbled　face；　while　he　lamented　back；　〃They're　taking
me　to　prison。〃

〃Taking　you　to　prison？　　I　should　like　to　know　what　for！　　What　are　you
taking　my　brother　to　prison　for？〃　　she　challenged　the　detectives；　who
paused；　bewildered；　while　all　the　little　Dutch　boys　round　admired　this
obstruction　of　the　law；　and　several　Dutch　housewives；　too　old　to　go　out
to　see　the　queens；　looked　down　from　their　windows。　　It　was　wholly
illegal；　but　the　detectives　were　human。　　They　could　snub　such　a　friend　of
their　prisoner　as　Breckon；　but　they　could　not　meet　the　dovelike　ferocity
of　Ellen　with　unkindness。　　They　explained　as　well　as　they　might；　and　at　a
suggestion　which　Kenton　made　through　Breckon；　they　admitted　that　it　was
not　beside　their　duty　to　take　Boyne　directly　to　a　magistrate；　who　could
pass　upon　his　case；　and　even　release　him　upon　proper　evidence　of　his
harmlessness；　and　sufficient　security　for　any　demand　that　justice　might
make　for　his　future　appearance。

〃Then；〃　said　the　judge；　quietly；　〃tell　them　that　we　will　go　with　them。　
It　will　be　all　right；　Boyne。　　Ellen；　you　and　I　will　get　back　into　the
carriage；　and〃

〃No！〃　　Boyne　roared。　　〃Don't　leave　me；　Nelly！〃

〃Indeed；　I　won't　leave　you；　Boyne！　　Mr。　Breckon；　you　get　into　the
carriage　with　poppa；　and　I〃

〃I　think　I　had　better　go　with　you；　Miss　Kenton；〃　said　Breckon；　and　in　a
tender　superfluity　they　both　accompanied　Boyne　on　foot；　while　the　judge
remounted　to　his　place　in　the　carriage　and　kept　abreast　of　them　on　their
way　to　the　magistrate's。




XXIV。

The　magistrate　conceived　of　Boyne's　case　with　a　readiness　that　gave　the
judge　a　high　opinion　of　his　personal　and　national　intelligence。　　He　even
smiled　a　little；　in　accepting　the　explanation　which　Breckon　was　able　to
make　him　from　Boyne；　but　he　thought　his　duty　to　give　the　boy　a　fatherly
warning　for　the　future。　　He　remarked　to　Breckon　that　it　was　well　for
Boyne　that　the　affair　had　not　happened　in　Germany；　where　it　would　have
been　found　a　much　more　serious　matter；　though；　indeed；　he　added；　it　had
to　be　seriously　regarded　anywhere　in　these　times；　when　the　lives　of
sovereigns　were　so　much　at　the　mercy　of　all　sorts　of　madmen　and
miscreants。　　He　relaxed　a　little　from　his　severity　in　his　admonition　to
say　directly　to　Boyne　that　queens；　even　when　they　wished　to　speak　with
people；　did　not　beckon　them　in　the　public　streets。　　When　this　speech
translated　to　Boyne　by　Breckon；　whom　the　magistrate　complimented　on　the
perfection　of　his　Dutch；　Boyne　hung　his　head　sheepishly；　and　could　not　be
restored　to　his　characteristic　dignity　again　in　the　magistrate's
presence。　　The　judge　gratefully　shook　hands　with　the　friendly　justice；
and　made　him　a　little　speech　of　thanks；　which　Breckon　interpreted；　and
then　the　justice　shook　hand　with　the　judge；　and　gracefully　accepted　the
introduction　which　he　offered　him　to　Ellen。　　They　parted　with　reciprocal
praises　and　obeisances；　which　included　even　the　detectives。　　The　judge
had　some　question；　which　he　submitted　to　Breckon；　whether　he　ought　not　to
offer　them　something；　but　Breckon　thought　not。

Breckon　found　it　hard　to　abdicate　the　sort　of　authority　in　which　his
knowledge　of　Dutch　had　placed　him；　and　when　he　protested　that　he　had　done
nothing　but　act　as　interpreter；　Ellen　said；　〃Yes；　but　we　couldn't　have
done　anything　without　you；〃　and　this　was　the　view　that　Mrs。　Kenton　took
of　the　matter　in　the　family　conclave　which　took　place　later　in　the
evening。　　Breckon　was　not　allowed　to　withdraw　from　it；　in　spite　of　many
modest　efforts；　before　she　had　bashfully　expressed　her　sense　of　his
service　to　him；　and　made　Boyne　share　her　thanksgiving。　　She　had　her　arm
about　the　boy's　shoulder　in　giving　Breckon　her　hand；　and　when　Breckon　had
got　away　she　pulled　Boyne　to　her　in　a　more　peremptory　embrace。

〃Now；　Boyne；〃　she　said；　〃I　am　not　going　to　have　any　more　nonsense。　　I
want　to　know　why　you　did　it。〃

The　judge　and　Ellen　had　already　conjectured　clearly　enough；　and　Boyne　did
not　fear　them。　　But　he　looked　at　his　younger　sister　as　he　sulkily
answered；　〃I　am　not　going　to　tell　you　before　Lottie。〃

〃Come　in　here；　then；〃　said　his　mother；　and　she　led　him　into　the　next　room
and　closed　the　door。　　She　quickly　returned　without　him。　　〃Yes；〃　she
began；　〃it's　just　as　I　supposed；　it　was　that　worthless　fellow　who　put　him
up　to　it。　　Of　course；　it　began　with　those　fool　books　he's　been　reading；
and　the　notions　that　Miss　Rasmith　put　into　his　head。　　But　he　never　would
have　done　anything　if　it　hadn't　been　for　Mr。　Trannel。〃

Lottie　had　listened　in　silent　scorn　to　the　whole　proceedings　up　to　this
point；　and　had　refused　a　part　in　the　general　recognition　of　Breckon　as　a
special　providence。　　Now　she　flashed　out　with　a　terrible　volubility：
〃What　did　I　tell　you？　　What　else　could　you　expect　of　a　Cook's　tourist？　
And　mom　mother　wanted　to　make　me　go　with　you；　after　I　told　her　what　he
was！　　Well；　if　I　had　have　gone；　I'll　bet　I　could　have　kept　him　from
playing　his　tricks。　　I'll　bet　he　wouldn't　have　taken　any　liberties；　with
me　along。　　I'll　bet　if　he　had；　it　wouldn't　have　been　Boyne　that　got
arrested。　　I'll　bet　he　wouldn't　have　got　off　so　easily　with　the
magistrate；　either！　　But　I　suppose　you'll　all　let　him　come　bowing　and
smiling　round　in　the　morning；　like　butter　wouldn't　melt　in　your　mouths。　
That　seems　to　be　the　Kenton　way。　　Anybody　can　pull　our　noses；　or　get　us
arrested　that　wants　to；　and　we　never　squeak。〃　　She　went　on　a　long　time　to
this　purpose；　Mrs。　Kenton　listening　with　an　air　almost　of　conviction；　and
Ellen　patiently　bearing　it　as　a　right　that　Lottie　had　in　a　matter　where
she　had　been　otherwise　ignored。

The　judge　broke　out；　not　upon　Lottie；　but　upon　his　wife。　　〃Good　heavens；
Sarah；　can't　you　make　the　child　hush？〃

Lottie　answered　for　her　mother；　with　a　crash　of　nerves　and　a　gush　of
furious　tears：　〃Oh；　I've　got　to　hush；　I　suppose。　　It's　always　the　way
when　I'm　trying　to　keep　up　the　dignity　of　the　family。　　I　suppose　it　will
be　cabled　to　America；　and　by　tomorrow　it　will　be　all　over　Tuskingum　how
Boyne　was　made　a　fool　of　and　got　arrested。　　But　I　bet　there's　one　person
in　Tuskingum　that　won't　have　any　remarks　to　make；　and　that's　Bittridge。　
Not；　as　long　as　Dick's　there　he　won't。〃

〃Lottie！〃　　cried　her　mother；　and　her　father　started　towards　her；　while
Ellen　still　sat　patiently　quiet。

〃Oh；　well！〃　　Lottie　submitted。　　〃But　if　Dick　was　here　I　know　this　Trannel
wouldn't　get　off　so　smoothly。　　Dick　would　give　him　a　worse　cowhiding　than
he　did　Bittridge。〃

Half　the　last　word　was　lost　in　the　bang　of　the　door　which　Lottie　slammed
behind　her；　leaving　her　father　and　mother　to　a　silence　which　Ellen　did
not　offer　to　break。　　The　judge　had　no　heart　to　speak；　in　his　dismay；　and
it　was　Mrs。　Kenton　who　took　the　word。

〃Ellen；〃　she　began；　with　compassionate　gentleness；　〃　we　tried　to　keep　it
from　you。　　We　knew　how　you　would　feel。　　But　now　we　have　got　to　tell　you。　
Dick　did　cowhide　him　when　he　got　back　to　Tuskingum。　　Lottie　wrote　out　to
Dick　about　it；　how　Mr。　Bittridge　had　behaved　in　New　York。　　Your　father
and　I　didn't　approve　of　it；　and　Dick　didn't　afterwards；　but；　yes；　he　did
do　it。〃

〃I　knew　it；　momma；〃　said　Ellen；　sadly。

〃You　knew　it！　　How？〃

〃That　other　letter　I　got　when　we　first　cameit　was　from　his　mother。〃

〃Did　she　tell〃

〃Yes。　　It　was　terrible　she　seemed　to　feel　so。　　And　I　was　sorry　for　her。　
I　thought　I　ought　to