the kentons-第6部分

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me　so　silly　and　weak？〃

〃You　are　not　silly　and　weak；〃　said　her　mother；　fondly；　and　she　bent　over
the　girl　and　would　have　kissed　her；　but　Ellen　averted　her　face　with　a
piteous　〃Don't！〃　and　Mrs。　Kenton　went　out　and　ordered　her　breakfast
brought　back。

She　did　not　go　in　to　make　her　eat　it；　as　she　would　have　done　in　the
beginning　of　the　girl's　trouble；　they　had　all　learned　how　much　better　she
was　for　being　left　to　fight　her　battles　with　herself　singlehanded。
Mrs。　Kenton　waited　in　the　parlor　till　her　husband　same　in；　looking　gloomy
and　tired。　　He　put　his　hat　down　and　sank　into　a　chair　without　speaking。　
〃Well？〃　　she　said。

〃We　have　got　to　lose　the　price　of　the　ticket；　if　we　give　it　back。　　I
thought　I　had　better　talk　with　you　first；〃　said　Kenton；　and　he　explained
the　situation。

〃Then　you　had　better　simply　have　it　put　off　till　the　next　steamer。
I　have　been　talking　with　Ellen；　and　she　doesn't　want　to　stay。　　She　wants
to　go。〃　　His　wife　took　advantage　of　Kenton's　mute　amaze　（in　the　nervous
vagaries　even　of　the　women　nearest　him　a　man　learns　nothing　from
experience）　to　put　her　own　interpretation　on　the　case；　which；　as　it　was
creditable　to　the　girl's　sense　and　principle；　he　found　acceptable　if　not
imaginable。　　〃And　if　you　will　take　my　advice；〃　she　ended；　〃you　will　go
quietly　back　to　the　steamship　office　and　exchange　your　ticket　for　the
next　steamer；　or　the　one　after　that；　if　you　can't　get　good　rooms；　and
give　Ellen　time　to　get　over　this　before　she　leaves。　　It　will　be　much
better　for　her　to　conquer　herself　than　to　run　away；　for　that　would　always
give　her　a　feeling　of　shame；　and　if　she　decides　before　she　goes；　it　will
strengthen　her　pride　and　self…respect；　and　there　will　be　less　danger
when　we　come　back。〃

〃Do　you　think　he's　going　to　keep　after　her！〃

〃How　can　I　tell？　　He　will　if　he　thinks　it's　to　his　interest；　or　he　can
make　anybody　miserable　by　it。〃

Kenton　said　nothing　to　this；　but　after　a　while　he　suggested；　rather
timorously；　as　if　it　were　something　he　could　not　expect　her　to　approve；
and　was　himself　half　ashamed　of；　〃I　believe　if　I　do　put　it　off；　I'll　run
out　to　Tuskingum　before　we　sail；　and　look　after　a　little　matter　of
business　that　I　don't　think　Dick　can　attend　to　so　well。〃

His　wife　knew　why　he　wanted　to　go；　and　in　her　own　mind　she　had　already
decided　that　if　he　should　ever　propose　to　go；　she　should　not　gainsay　him。　
She　had；　in　fact；　been　rather　surprised　that　he　had　not　proposed　it
before　this；　and　now　she　assented；　without　taxing　him　with　his　real
motive；　and　bringing　him　to　open　disgrace　before　her。　　She　even　went
further　in　saying：　〃Very　well；　then　you　had　better　go。　　I　can　get　on　very
well　here；　and　I　think　it　will　leave　Ellen　freer　to　act　for　herself　if
you　are　away。　　And　there　are　some　things　in　the　house　that　I　want；　and
that　Richard　would　be　sure　to　send　his　wife　to　get　if　I　asked　him；　and　I
won't　have　her　rummaging　around　in　my　closets。　　I　suppose　you　will　want
to　go　into　the　house？〃

〃I　suppose　so；〃　said　Renton；　who　had　not　let　a　day　pass；　since　he　left
his　house；　without　spending　half　his　homesick　time　in　it。　　His　wife
suffered　his　affected　indifference　to　go　without　exposure；　and　trumped　up
a　commission　for　him；　which　would　take　him　intimately　into　the　house。




IV

The　piety　of　his　son　Richard　had　maintained　the　place　at　Tuskingum　in
perfect　order　outwardly；　and　Kenton's　heart　ached　with　tender　pain　as　he
passed　up　the　neatly　kept　walk　from　the　gate；　between　the　blooming　ranks
of　syringas　and　snowballs；　to　his　door；　and　witnessed　the　faithful　care
that　Richard's　hired　man　had　bestowed　upon　every　detail。　　The　grass
between　the　banks　of　roses　and　rhododendrons　had　been　as　scrupulously
lawn…mowered　and　as　sedulously　garden…hosed　as　if　Kenton　himself　had　been
there　to　look　after　its　welfare；　or　had　tended　the　shrubbery　as　he　used
to　do　in　earlier　days　with　his　own　hand。　　The　oaks　which　he　had　planted
shook　out　their　glossy　green　in　the　morning　gale；　and　in　the　tulip…trees；
which　had　snowed　their　petals　on　the　ground　in　wide　circles　defined　by
the　reach　of　their　branches；　he　heard　the　squirrels　barking；　a　red…bird
from　the　woody　depths　behind　the　house　mocked　the　cat…birds　in　the
quince…trees。　　The　June　rose　was　red　along　the　trellis　of　the　veranda；
where　Lottie　ought　to　be　sitting　to　receive　the　morning　calls　of　the
young　men　who　were　sometimes　quite　as　early　as　Kenton's　present　visit　in
their　devotions；　and　the　sound　of　Ellen's　piano；　played　fitfully　and
absently　in　her　fashion；　ought　to　be　coming　out　irrespective　of　the　hour。　
It　seemed　to　him　that　his　wife　must　open　the　door　as　his　steps　and　his
son's　made　themselves　heard　on　the　walk　between　the　box　borders　in　their
upper　orchard；　and　he　faltered　a　little。

〃Look　here；　father；〃　said　his　son；　detecting　his　hesitation。　　〃Why　don't
you　let　Mary　come　in　with　you；　and　help　you　find　those　things？〃

〃No；　no；〃　said　Kenton；　sinking　into　one　of　the　wooden　seats　that　flanked
the　door…way。　　〃I　promised　your　mother　that　I　would　get　them　myself。　　You
know　women　don't　like　to　have　other　women　going　through　their　houses。〃

〃Yes；　but　Mary！〃　　his　son　urged。

〃Ah！　　It's　just　Mary；　with　her　perfect　housekeeping；　that　your　mother
wouldn't　like　to　have　see　the　way　she　left　things；〃　said　Kenton；　and　he
smiled　at　the　notion　of　any　one　being　housekeeper　enough　to　find　a　flaw
in　his　wife's。　　〃My；　but　this　is　pleasant！〃　　he　added。　　He　took　off　his
hat　and　let　the　breeze　play　through　the　lank；　thin　hair　which　was　still
black　on　his　fine；　high　forehead。　　He　was　a　very　handsome　old　man；　with　a
delicate　aquiline　profile；　of　the　perfect　Roman　type　which　is　perhaps
oftener　found　in　America　than　ever　it　was　in　Rome。　　〃You've　kept　it　very
nice；　Dick；〃　he　said；　with　a　generalizing　wave　of　his　hat。

〃Well；　I　couldn't　tell　whether　you　would　be　coming　back　or　not；　and　I
thought　I　had　better　be　ready　for　you。〃

〃I　wish　we　were；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃and　we　shall　be；　in　the　fall；　or　the
latter　part　of　the　summer。　　But　it's　better　now　that　we　should　goon
Ellen's　account。〃

〃Oh；　you'll　enjoy　it；〃　his　son　evaded　him。

〃You　haven't　seen　anything　of　him　lately？〃　　Kenton　suggested。

〃He　wasn't　likely　to　let　me　see　anything　of　him；〃　returned　the　son。

〃No；〃　said　the　father。　　〃Well！〃　　He　rose　to　put　the　key　into　the　door；
and　his　son　stepped　down　from　the　little　porch　to　the　brick　walk。

〃Mary　will　have　dinner　early；　father；　and　when　you've　got　through　here；
you'd　better　come　over　and　lie　down　a　while　beforehand。〃

Kenton　had　been　dropped　at　eight　o'clock　from　a　sleeper　on　the　Great
Three；　and　had　refused　breakfast　at　his　son's　house；　upon　the　plea　that
the　porter　had　given　him　a　Southern　cantaloupe　and　a　cup　of　coffee　on　the
train；　and　he　was　no　longer　hungry。

〃All　right；〃　he　said。　　〃I　won't　be　longer　than　I　can　help。〃　　He　had　got
the　door　open　and　was　going　to　close　it　again。

His　son　laughed。　　〃Better　not　shut　it；　father。　　It　will　let　the　fresh　air
in。〃

〃Oh；　all　right；〃　said　the　old　man。

The　son　lingered　about；　giving　some　orders　to　the　hired　man　in　the
vegetable　garden；　for　an　excuse；　in　the　hope　that　his　father　might　change
his　mind　and　ask　him　to　come　into　the　house　with　him；　he　felt　it　so
forlorn　for　him　to　be　going　through　those　lifeless　rooms　alone。　　When　he
looked　round；　and　saw　his　father　holding　the　door　ajar；　as　if　impatiently
waiting　for　him　to　be　gone；　he　laughed　and　waved　his　hand　to　him。　　〃All
right；　father？　　I'm　going　now。〃　　But　though　he　treated　the　matter　so
lightly　with　his　father；　he　said　grimly　to　his　wife；　as　he　passed　her　on
their　own　porch；　on　his　way　to　his　once；　〃I　don't　like　to　think　of　father
being　driven　out　of　house　and　home　this　way。〃

〃Neither　do　I；　Dick。　　But　it　can't　be　helped；　can　it？〃

〃I　think　I　could　help　it；　if　I　got　my　hands　on　that　fellow　once。〃

〃No；　you　couldn't；　Dick。　　It's　not　he　that's　doing　it。　　It's　Ellen；　you
know　that　well　enough；　and　you've　just　got　to　stand　it。〃

〃Yes；　I　suppose　so；〃　said　Richard　Kenton。

〃Of　course；　my　heart　aches　for　your　poor　old　father；　but　so　it　would　if
Ellen　had　some　kind　of　awful　sickness。　　It　is　a　kind　of　sickness；　and　you
can't　fight　it　any　more　than　if　she　really　was　sick。〃

〃No；〃　said　the　husband；　dejectedly。　　〃You　just　slip　over　there；　after　a
while；　Mary；　if　father's　gone　too　long；　will　you？　　I　don't　like　to　have
him　there　alone。〃

〃'Deed　and　'deed　I　won't；　Dick。　　He　wouldn't　like　it　at　all；　my　spying
round。　　Nothing　can　happen　to　him；　and　I　believe　your　mother's　just　made
an　excuse　to　send　him　after　something；　so　that　he　can　be　in　there　alone；
and　realize　that　the　house　isn't　home　any　more。　　It　will　be　easier　for
him　to　go　to　Europe　when　he　finds　that　out。　　I　believe　in　my　heart　that
was　her　idea　in　not　wanting　me　to　find　the　things　for　him；　and　I'm　not
going　to　meddle　myself。〃

With　the　fatuity　of　a　man　in　such　things；　and　with　the　fatuity　of　age
regarding　all　the　things　of　the　past；　Kenton　had　thought　in　his
homesickness　of　his　house　as　he　used　to　be　in　it；　and　had　never　been　able
to　picture　it　without　the　family　life。　　As　he　now　walked　through　the
empty　rooms；　and　up　and　down　the　stairs；　his　pulse　beat　low　as　if　in　the
presence　of　death。　　Everything　was　as　they　had　left　it；　when　they　went
out　of　the　house；　and　it　appeared　to　Kenton　that　nothing　had　been　touched
there　since；　though　when　he　afterwards　reported　to　his　wife　that　there
was　not　a　speck　of　dust　anywhere　she　knew　that　Mary　had　been　going
through　the　house；　in　their　absence；　not　once　only；　but　often；　and　she
felt　a　pang　of　grateful　jealousy。　　He　got　together　the　things　that　Mrs。
Kenton　had　pretended　to　want；　and　after　glancing　in　at　the　different
rooms；　which　seemed　to　be　lying　stealthily　in　wait　for　him；　with　their
emptiness　and　silence；　he　went　down…stairs　with　the　bundle　he　had　made；
and　turned　into　his　library。　　He　had　some　thought　of　looking　at　the
collections　for　his　history；　but；　after　pulling　open　one　of　the　drawers
in　which　they　were　stored；　he　pushed　it　to　again；　and　sank　listlessly
into　his　leather…covered　swivel…chair；　which　stood　in　its　place　before
the　wide　writing…table；　and　seemed　to　have　had　him　in　it　before　he　sat
down。　　The　table　was　bare；　except　for　the　books　and　document