the kentons-第41部分

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〃No。　　I'm　glad　you　made　me　see　it。　　You're　all　right；　Sarah；　and　you'll
find　that　it　will　all　come　out　all　right。　　You　needn't　be　afraid　I'll
bungle　it。　　I　shall　use　discretion。　　Go〃

〃I　shall　not　stir　a　step　from　this　parlor！　　You've　got　back　all　your
spirit；　dear；〃　said　the　old　wife；　with　young　pride　in　her　husband。
〃But　I　must　say　that　Ellen　is　putting　more　upon　you　than　she　has　any
right　to。　　I　think　she　might　tell　him　herself。〃

〃No；　it's　our　businessmy　business。　　We　allowed　her　to　get　in　for　it。　
She's　quite　right　about　it。　　We　must　not　let　him　commit　himself　to　her
till　he　knows　the　thing　that　most　puts　her　to　shame。　　It　isn't　enough　for
us　to　say　that　it　was　really　no　shame。　　She　feels　that　it　casts　a　sort　of
stainyou　know　what　I　mean；　Sarah；　and　I　believe　I　can　make　this　young
man　know。　　If　I　can't；　so　much　the　worse　for　him。　　He　shall　never　see
Ellen　again。〃

〃Oh；　Rufus！〃

〃Do　you　think　he　would　be　worthy　of　her　if　he　couldn't？〃

〃I　think　Ellen　is　perfectly　ridiculous。〃

〃Then　that　shows　that　I　am　right　in　deciding　not　to　leave　this　thing　to
you。　　I　feel　as　she　does　about　it；　and　I　intend　that　he　shall。〃

〃Do　you　intend　to　let　her　run　the　chance　of　losing　him？〃

〃That　is　what　I　intend　to　do。〃

〃Well；　then；　I'll　tell　you　what：　I　am　going　to　stay　right　here。　　We　will
both　see　him；　it's　right　for　us　to　do　it。〃　　But　at　a　rap　on　the　parlor
door　Mrs。　Kenton　flew　to　that　of　her　own　room；　which　she　closed　upon　her
with　a　sort　of　Parthian　whimper；　〃Oh；　do　be　careful；　Rufus！〃

Whether　Kenton　was　careful　or　not　could　never　be　known；　from　either
Kenton　himself　or　from　Breckon。　　The　judge　did　tell　him　everything；　and
the　young　man　received　the　most　damning　details　of　Ellen's　history　with　a
radiant　absence　which　testified　that　they　fell　upon　a　surface　sense　of
Kenton；　and　did　not　penetrate　to　the　all…pervading　sense　of　Ellen　herself
below。　　At　the　end　Kenton　was　afraid　he　had　not　understood。

〃You　understand；〃　he　said；　〃that　she　could　not　consent　to　see　you　before
you　knew　just　how　weak　she　thought　she　had　been。〃　　The　judge　stiffened　to
defiance　in　making　this　humiliation。　　〃I　don't　consider；　myself；　that　she
was　weak　at　all。〃

〃Of　course　not！〃　　Breckon　beamed　back　at　him。

〃I　consider　that　throughout　she　acted　with　the　greatestgreatest　And
that　in　that　affair；　when　he　behaved　with　thatthat　outrageous
impudence；　it　was　because　she　had　misled　the　scoundrel　by　her　kindness；
her　forbearance；　her　wish　not　to　do　him　the　least　shadow　of　injustice；
but　to　give　him　every　chance　of　proving　himself　worthy　of　her　tolerance；
and〃

The　judge　choked；　and　Breckon　eagerly　asked；　〃And　shall　Imay　I　see　her
now？〃

〃Whyyes；〃　the　judge　faltered。　　〃If　you're　sure〃

〃What　about？〃　　Breckon　demanded。

〃I　don't　know　whether　she　will　believe　that　I　have　told　you。〃

〃I　will　try　to　convince　her。　　Where　shall　I　see　her？〃

〃I　will　go　and　tell　her　you　are　here。　　I　will　bring　her〃

Kenton　passed　into　the　adjoining　room；　where　his　wife　laid　hold　of　him；
almost　violently。　　〃You　did　it　beautifully；　Rufus；〃　she　huskily
whispered；　〃and　I　was　so　afraid　you　would　spoil　everything。　　Oh；　how
manly　you　were；　and　how　perfect　he　was！　　But　now　it's　my　turn；　and　I　will
go　and　bring　Ellen　You　will　let　me；　won't　you？〃

〃You　may　do　anything　you　please；　Sarah。　　I　don't　want　to　have　any　more　of
this；〃　said　the　judge　from　the　chair　he　had　dropped　into。

〃Well；　then；　I　will　bring　her　at　once；〃　said　Mrs。　Kenton；　staying　only　in
her　gladness　to　kiss　him　on　his　gray　head；　he　received　her　embrace　with　a
superficial　sultriness　which　did　not　deceive　her。

Ellen　came　back　without　her　mother；　and　as　soon　as　she　entered　the　room；
and　Breckon　realized　that　she　had　come　alone；　he　ran　towards　her　as　if　to
take　her　in　his　arms。　　But　she　put　up　her　hand　with　extended　fingers；　and
held　him　lightly　off。

〃Did　poppa　tell　you？〃　she　asked；　with　a　certain　defiance。　　She　held　her
head　up　fiercely；　and　spoke　steadily；　but　he　could　see　the　pulse　beating
in　her　pretty　neck。

〃Yes；　he　told　me〃

〃Andwell？〃

〃Oh；　I　love　you；　Ellen〃

〃That　isn't　it。　　Did　you　care？〃

Breckon　had　an　inspiration；　an　inspiration　from　the　truth　that　dwelt　at
the　bottom　of　his　soul　and　had　never　yet　failed　to　save　him。　　He　let　his
arms　fall　and　answered；　desperately：　〃Yes；　I　did。　　I　wished　it　hadn't
happened。〃　　He　saw　the　pulse　in　her　neck　cease　to　beat；　and　he　swiftly
added；　〃But　I　know　that　it　happened　just　because　you　were　yourself；　and
were　so〃

〃If　you　had　said　you　didn't　care；〃　she　breathlessly　whispered；　〃I　would
never　have　spoken　to　you。　　He　felt　a　conditional　tremor　creeping　into　the
fingers　which　had　been　so　rigid　against　his　breast。　　〃I　don't　see　how　I
lived　through　it！　　Do　you　think　you　can？〃

〃I　think　so；〃　he　returned；　with　a　faint；　far　suggestion　of　levity　that
brought　from　her　an　imperative；　imploring

〃Don't！〃

Then　he　added；　solemnly；　〃It　had　no　more　to　do　with　you；　Ellen；　than　an
offence　from　some　hateful　animal〃

〃Oh；　how　good　you　are！〃　　The　fingers　folded　themselves；　and　her　arms
weakened　so　that　there　was　nothing　to　keep　him　from　drawing　her　to　him。
〃Whatwhat　are　you　doing？〃　　she　asked；　with　her　face　smothered　against
his。

〃Oh；　Ell…en；　Ellen；　Ellen！　　Oh；　my　love；　my　dearest；　my　best！〃

〃But　I　have　been　such　a　fool！〃　she　protested；　imagining　that　she　was
going　to　push　him　from　her；　but　losing　herself　in　him　more　and　more。

〃Yes；　yes；　darling！　　I　know　it。　　That's　why　I　love　you　so！〃




XXVI。

〃There　is　just　one　thing；〃　said　the　judge；　as　he　wound　up　his　watch　that
night；　〃that　makes　me　a　little　uneasy　still。〃

Mrs。　Kenton；　already　in　her　bed　turned　her　face　upon　him　with　a
despairing　〃Tchk！　　Dear！　　What　is　it？　　I　thought　we　had　talked　over
everything；〃

〃We　haven't　got　Lottie's　consent　yet。〃

〃Well；　I　think　I　see　myself　asking　Lottie！〃　　Mrs。　　Kenton　began；　before
she　realized　her　husband's　irony。　　She　added；　〃How　could　you　give　me　such
a　start？〃

〃Well；　Lottie　has　bossed　us　so　long　that　I　couldn't　help　mentioning　it；〃
said　the　judge。

It　was　a　lame　excuse；　and　in　its　most　potential　implication　his
suggestion　proved　without　reason。　　If　Lottie　never　gave　her　explicit
approval　to　Ellen's　engagement；　she　never　openly　opposed　it。　　She　treated
it；　rather；　with　something　like　silent　contempt；　as　a　childish　weakness
on　Ellen's　part　which　was　beneath　her　serious　consideration。　　Towards
Breckon；　her　behavior　hardly　changed　in　the　severity　which　she　had
assumed　from　the　moment　she　first　ceased　to　have　any　use　for　him。
〃I　suppose　I　will　have　to　kiss　him；〃　she　said；　gloomily；　when　her　mother　
told　her　that　he　was　to　be　her　brother；　and　she　performed　the　rite　with
as　much　coldness　as　was　ever　put　in　that　form　of　affectionate　welcome。　
It　is　doubtful　if　Breckon　perfectly　realized　its　coldness；　he　never　knew
how　much　he　enraged　her　by　acting　as　if　she　were　a　little　girl；　and
saying　lightly；　almost　trivially；　〃I'm　so　glad　you're　going　to　be　a
sister　to　me。〃

With　Ellen；　Lottie　now　considered　herself　quits；　and　from　the　first　hour
of　Ellen's　happiness　she　threw　off　all　the　care　with　all　the　apparent
kindness　which　she　had　used　towards　her　when　she　was　a　morbid　invalid。　
Here　again；　if　Lottie　had　minded　such　a　thing；　she　might　have　been　as
much　vexed　by　Ellen's　attitude　as　by　Breckon's。　　Ellen　never　once　noticed
the　withdrawal　of　her　anxious　oversight；　or　seemed　in　the　least　to　miss
it。　　As　much　as　her　meek　nature　would　allow；　she　arrogated　to　herself　the
privileges　and　prerogatives　of　an　elder　sister；　and　if　it　had　been
possible　to　make　Lottie　ever　feel　like　a　chit；　there　were　moments　when
Ellen's　behavior　would　have　made　her　feel　like　a　chit。　　It　was　not　till
after　their　return　to　Tuskingum　that　Lottie　took　her　true　place　in
relation　to　the　affair；　and　in　the　preparations　for　the　wedding；　which
she　appointed　to　be　in　the　First　Universalist　Church；　overruling　both　her
mother's　and　sister's　preferences　for　a　home　wedding；　that　Lottie　rose　in
due　authority。　　Mrs。　Kenton　had　not　ceased　to　feel　quelled　whenever　her
younger　daughter　called　her　mother　instead　of　momma；　and　Ellen　seemed　not
really　to　care。　　She　submitted　the　matter　to　Breckon；　who　said；　〃Oh　yes；
if　Lottie　wishes；〃　and　he　laughed　when　Ellen　confessed；　〃Well；　I　said
we　would。〃

With　the　lifting　of　his　great　anxiety；　he　had　got　back　to　that　lightness
which　was　most　like　him；　and　he　could　not　always　conceal　from　Lottie
herself　that　he　regarded　her　as　a　joke。　　She　did　not　mind　it；　she　said；
from　such　a　mere　sop　as；　in　the　vast　content　of　his　love；　he　was。

This　was　some　months　after　Lottie　had　got　at　Scheveningen　from　Mr。
Plumpton　that　letter　which　decided　her　that　she　had　no　use　for　him。　
There　came　the　same　day；　and　by　the　same　post　with　it；　a　letter　from　one
of　her　young　men　in　Tuskingum；　who　had　faithfully　written　to　her　all　the
winter　before；　and　had　not　intermitted　his　letters　after　she　went　abroad。　
To　Kenton　he　had　always　seemed　too　wise　if　not　too　good　for　Lottie；　but
Mrs。　Kenton；　who　had　her　own　doubts　of　Lottie；　would　not　allow　this　when
it　came　to　the　question；　and　said；　woundedly；　that　she　did　not　see　why
Lottie　was　not　fully　his　equal　in　every　way。

〃Well；〃　the　judge　suggested；　〃she　isn't　the　first　young　lawyer　at　the
Tuskingum　bar。〃

〃Well；　I　wouldn't　wish　her　to　be；〃　said　Mrs。　Kenton；　who　did　not　often
make　jokes。

〃Well；　I　don't　know　that　I　would；〃　her　husband　assented；　and　he　added；
〃Pretty　good；　Sarah。〃

〃Lottie；〃　her　mother　summed　up；　〃is　practical；　and　she　is　very　neat。　　She
won't　let　Mr。　Elroy　go　around　looking　so　slovenly。　　I　hope　she　will　make
him　have　his　hair　cut；　and　not　look　as　if　it　were　bitten　off。　　And　I
don't　believe　he's　had　his　boots　blacked　since〃

〃He　was　born；〃　the　judge　proposed；　and　she　assented。

〃Yes。　　She　is　very　saving；　and　he　is　wasteful。　　It　will　be　a　very　good
match。　　You　can　let　them　build　on　the　other　corner　of　the　lot；　if　Ellen
is　going　to　be　in　New　York。　　I　would　miss　Lottie　more　than　Ellen　about
the　housekeeping；　though　the　dear　knows　I　will　miss　them　both　badly
enough。〃

〃Well；　you　can　break　off　their　engagements；〃　said　the　judge。

As　yet；　and　until　Ellen　was　off　her　hands；　Lottie　would　not　allow　Mr。
Elroy　to　consid