the kentons-第40部分

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and　tell　him　that　of　course〃

〃I　will　do　nothing　of　the　kind；　Sarah！　　What　are　you　thinking　of？〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　know　what　I'm　thinking　of！　　I　must　see　Ellen；　I　suppose。　
I'll　go　to　her　now。　　Oh；　dear；　if　she　doesn'tif　she　lets　such　a　chance
slip　through　her　fingers　But　she's　quite　likely　to；　she's　so　obstinate！　
I　wonder　what　she'll　want　us　to　do。〃

She　fled　to　her　daughter's　room　and　found　Boyne　there；　sitting　beside　his
sister's　bed；　giving　her　a　detailed　account　of　his　adventure　of　the　day
before；　up　to　the　moment　Mr。　Breckon　met　him；　in　charge　of　the
detectives。　　Up　to　that　moment；　it　appeared　to　Boyne；　as　nearly　as　he
could　recollect；　that　he　had　not　broken　down；　but　had　behaved　himself
with　a　dignity　which　was　now　beginning　to　clothe　his　whole　experience。　
In　the　retrospect；　a　quiet　heroism　characterized　his　conduct；　and　at　the
moment　his　mother　entered　the　room　he　was　questioning　Ellen　as　to　her
impressions　of　his　bearing　when　she　first　saw　him　in　the　grasp　of　the
detectives。

His　mother　took　him　by　the　arm；　and　said；　〃I　want　to　speak　with　Ellen；
Boyne；〃　and　put　him　out　of　the　door。

Then　she　came　back　and　sat　down　in　his　chair。　〃Ellen。　　Mr。　Breckon　has
been　speaking　to　your　father。　　Do　you　know　what　about？〃

〃About　his　going　back　to　New　York？〃　the　girl　suggested。

Her　mother　kept　her　patience　with　difficulty。　　〃No；　not　about　that。　
About　you！　　He's　asked　your　fatherI　can't　understand　yet　why　he　did　it；
only　he's　so　delicate　and　honorable；　and　goodness　known　we　appreciate　it…
…whether　he　can　tell　you　thatthat〃　　It　was　not　possible　for　such　a
mother　as　Mrs。　Kenton　to　say　〃He　loves　you〃；　it　would　have　sounded　as　she
would　have　said；　too　sickish；　and　she　compromised　on：　〃He　likes　you；　and
wants　to　ask　you　whether　you　will　marry　him。　　And；　Ellen；〃　she　continued；
in　the　ample　silence　which　followed；　〃if　you　don't　say　you　will；　I　will
have　nothing　more　to　do　With　such　a　simpleton。　　I　have　always　felt　that
you　behaved　very　foolishly　about　Mr。　Bittridge；　but　I　hoped　that　when　you
grew　older　you　would　see　it　as　we　did；　andand　behave　differently。　　And
now；　if；　after　all　we've　been　through　with　you；　you　are　going　to　say　that
you　won't　have　Mr。　Breckon〃

Mrs。　Kenton　stopped　for　want　of　a　figure　that　would　convey　all　the
disaster　that　would　fall　upon　Ellen　in　such　an　event；　and　she　was　given
further　pause　when　the　girl　gently　answered；　〃I'm　not　going　to　say　that；
momma。〃

〃Then　what　in　the　world　are　you　going　to　say？〃　Mrs。　　Kenton　demanded。

Ellen　had　turned　her　face　away　on　the　pillow；　and　now　she　answered；
quietly；　〃When　Mr。　Breckon　asks　me　I　will　tell　him。〃

〃Well；　you　had　better！〃　　her　mother　threatened　in　return；　and　she　did　not
realize　the　falsity　of　her　position　till　she　reported　Ellen's　words　to
the　judge。

Well；　Sarah；　I　think　she　had　you　there；〃　he　said；　and　Mrs。　Kenton　then
said　that　she　did　not　care；　if　the　child　was　only　going　to　behave
sensibly　at　last；　and　she　did　believe　she　was。

〃Then　it's　all　right〃　said　the　judge；　and　he　took　up　the　Tuskingum
Intelligencer；　lying　till　then　unread　in　the　excitements　which　had
followed　its　arrival　the　day　before；　and　began　to　read　it。

Mrs。　　Kenton　sat　dreamily　watching　him；　with　her　hands　fallen　in　her　lap。　
She　suddenly　started　up；　with　the　cry；　〃Good　gracious！　What　are　we　all
thinking　of？〃

Kenton　stared　at　her　over　the　top　of　his　paper。　　〃How；　thinking　of？〃

〃Why　Mr。　Breckon！　　He　must　be　crazy　to　know　what　we've　decided；　poor
fellow！〃

〃Oh；〃　said　the　judge；　folding　the　Intelligencer　on　his　knee。　　〃I　had
forgotten。　　Somehow；　I　thought　it　was　all　settled。〃

Mrs；　Kenton　took　his　paper　from　him；　and　finished　folding　it。　　〃It　hasn't
begun　to　be　settled。　　You　must　go　and　let　him　know。〃

〃Won't　he　look　me　up？〃　　the　judge　suggested。

〃You　must　look　him　up。　　Go　at　once　dear！　　Think　how　anxious　he　must　be！〃

Kenton　was　not　sure　that　Breckon　looked　very　anxious　when　he　found　him　on
the　brick　promenade　before　the　Kurhaus；　apparently　absorbed　in　noting　the
convulsions　of　a　large；　round　German　lady　in　the　water；　who　must　have
supposed　herself　to　be　bathing。　　But　perhaps　the　young　man　did　not　see
her；　the　smile　on　his　face　was　too　vague　for　such　an　interest　when　he
turned　at　Kenton's　approaching　steps。

The　judge　hesitated　for　an　instant；　in　which　the　smile　left　Breckon's
face。　　〃I　believe　that's　all　right；　Mr。　Breckon；〃　he　said。　　〃You'll　find
Mrs。　Kenton　in　our　parlor；〃　and　then　the　two　men　parted；　with　an　〃Oh；
thank　you！〃　from　Breckon；　who　walked　back　towards　the　hotel；　and　left
Kenton　to　ponder　upon　the　German　lady；　as　soon　as　he　realized　that　she
was　not　a　barrel；　the　judge　continued　his　walk　along　the　promenade；
feeling　rather　ashamed。

Mrs。　Kenton　had　gone　to　Ellen's　room　again　when　she　had　got　the　judge　off
upon　his　mission。　　She　rather　flung　in　upon　her。　　〃Oh；　you　are　up！〃　she
apologized　to　Ellen's　back。　　The　girl's　face　was　towards　the　glass；　and
she　was　tilting　her　head　to　get　the　effect　of　the　hat　on　it；　which　she
now　took　off。

〃I　suppose　poppa's　gone　to　tell　him；〃　she　said；　sitting　tremulously　down。

〃Didn't　you　want　him　to？〃　　her　mother　asked；　stricken　a　little　at　sight
of　her　agitation。

〃Yes；　I　wanted　him　to；　but　that　doesn't　make　it　any　easier。　　It　makes　it
harder。　　Momma！〃

〃Well；　Ellen？〃

〃You　know　you've　got　to　tell　him；　first。〃

〃Tell　him？〃　　Mrs。　Kenton　repeated；　but　she　knew　what　Ellen　meant。

〃AboutMr。　Bittridge。　　All　about　it。　　Every　single　thing。　　About　his
kissing　me　that　night。〃

At　the　last　demand　Mrs。　Kenton　was　visibly　shaken　in　her　invisible　assent
to　the　girl's　wish。　　〃Don't　you　think；　Ellen；　that　you　had　better　tell
him　thatsome　time？〃

〃No；　now。　　And　you　must　tell　him。　　You　let　me　go　to　the　theatre　with
him。〃　　The　faintest　shadow　of　resentment　clouded　the　girl's　face；　but
still　Mrs。　Kenton；　thought　she　knew　her　own　guilt；　could　not　yield。

〃Why；　Ellen；〃　she　pleaded；　not　without　a　reproachful　sense　of　vulgarity
in　such　a　plea；　〃don't　you　suppose　HE　everkissed　any　one？〃

〃That　doesn't　concern　me；　momma；〃　said　Ellen；　without　a　trace　of
consciousness　that　she　was　saying　anything　uncommon。　　〃If　you　won't　tell
him；　then　that　ends　it。　　I　won't　see　him。〃

〃Oh；　well！〃　　her　mother　sighed。　　〃I　will　try　to　tell　him。　　But　I'd　rather
be　whipped。　　I　know　he'll　laugh　at　me。〃

〃He　won't　laugh　at　you；〃　said　the　girl；　confidently；　almost　comfortingly。　
〃I　want　him　to　know　everything　before　I　meet　him。　　I　don't　want　to　have　a
single　thing　on　my　mind。　　I　don't　want　to　think　of　myself！〃

Mrs。　Kenton　understood　the　womansoul　that　spoke　in　these　words。　
〃Well；〃　she　said；　with　a　deep；　long　breath；　〃be　ready；　then。〃

But　she　felt　the　burden　which　had　been　put　upon　her　to　be　so　much　more
than　she　could　bear　that　when　she　found　her　husband　in　their　parlor　she
instantly　resolved　to　cast　it　upon　him。　　He　stood　at　the　window　with　his
hat　on。

〃Has　Breckon　been　here　yet？〃　　he　asked。

〃Have　you　seen　him　yet？〃　　she　returned。

〃Yes；　and　I　thought　he　was　coming　right　here。　　But　perhaps　he　stopped　to
screw　his　courage　up。　　He　only　knew　how　little　it　needed　with　us！〃

〃Well；　now；　it's　we　who've　got　to　have　the　courage。　　Or　you　have。　　Do　you
know　what　Ellen　wants　to　have　done？〃　　Mrs。　Kenton　put　it　in　these
impersonal　terms；　and　as　a　preliminary　to　shirking　her　share　of　the
burden。

〃She　doesn't　want　to　have　him　refused？〃

〃She　wants　to　have　him　told　all　about　Bittridge。〃

After　a　momentary　revolt　the　judge　said；　〃Well；　that's　right。　　It's　like
Ellen。〃

〃There's　something　else　that's　more　like　her；〃　said　Mrs。　Kenton；
indignantly。　　〃She　wants　him　to　told　about　what　Bittridge　did　that　night
about　him　kissing　her。〃

The　judge　looked　disgusted　with　his　wife　for　the　word；　then　he　looked
aghast。　　〃About〃

〃Yes；　and　she　won't　have　a　word　to　say　to　him　till　he　is　told；　and　unless
he　is　told　she　will　refuse　him。〃

〃Did　she　say　that？〃

〃No；　but　I　know　she　will。〃

〃If　she　didn't　say　she　would；　I　think　we　may　take　the　chances　that　she
won't。〃

〃No；　we　mustn't　take　any　such　chances。　　You　must　tell　him。〃

〃I？　　No；　I　couldn't　manage　it。　　I　have　no　tact；　and　it　would　sound　so
confoundedly　queer；　coming　from　one　man　to　another。　　It　would　be
indelicate。　　It's　something　that　nobody　but　a　woman　Why　doesn't　she
tell　him　herself？〃

〃She　won't。　　She　considers　it　our　part；　and　something　we　ought　to　do
before　he　commits　himself。〃

〃Very　well；　then；　Sarah；　you　must　tell　him。　　You　can　manage　it　so　it
won't　by　soqueer。

〃That　is　just　what　I　supposed　you　would　say；　Mr。　Kenton；　but　I　must　say　I
didn't　expect　it　of　you。　　I　think　it's　cowardly。〃

〃Look　out；　Sarah！　　I　don't　like　that　word。〃

〃Oh；　I　suppose　you're　brave　enough　when　it　comes　to　any　kind　of　danger。　
But　when　it　comes　to　taking　the　brunt　of　anything　unpleasant〃

〃It　isn't　unpleasantit's　queer。〃

〃Why　do　you　keep　saying　that　over　and　over？　　There's　nothing　queer　about
it。　　It's　Ellenish　but　isn't　it　right？〃

〃It's　right；　yes；　I　suppose。　　But　it's　squeamish。〃

〃I　see　nothing　squeamish　about　it。　　But　I　know　you're　determined　to　leave
it　to　me；　and　so　I　shall　do　it。　　I　don't　believe　Mr。　Breckon　will　think
it's　queer　or　squeamish。〃

〃I've　no　doubt　he'll　take　it　in　the　right　way；　you'll　know　how　to〃
Kenton　looked　into　his　hat；　which　he　had　taken　off　and　then　put　it　on
again。　　His　tone　and　his　manner　were　sufficiently　sneaking；　and　he　could
not　make　them　otherwise。　　It　was　for　this　reason；　no　doubt；　that　he　would
not　prolong　the　interview。

〃Oh　yes；　go！〃　　said　Mrs。　Kenton；　as　he　found　himself　with　his　hand　on　the
door。　　〃Leave　it　all　to　me；　do！〃　　and　he　was　aware　of　skulking　out　of　the
room。　　By　the　time　that　it　would　have　taken　him　so　long　as　to　walk　to　the
top　of　the　grand　stairway　he　was　back　again。　　〃He's　coming！〃　　he　said；
breathlessly。　　〃I　saw　him　at　the　bottom　of　the　stairs。　　Go　into　your　room
and　wash　your　eyes。　　I'LL　tell　him。〃

〃No；　no；　Rufus！　　Let　me！　　It　will　be　much　better。　　You'll　be　sure　to
bungle　it。〃

〃We　must　risk　that。　　You　were　quite　right；　Sarah。　　It　would　have　been
cowardly　in　me　to　let　you　do　it。〃

〃Rufus！　　You　know　I　didn't　mean　it！　　Surely　you're　not　resenting　that？〃

〃No。　　I'm　glad　you　made　me　see　it。　　You're　all　right；　Sarah；　and