the kentons-第8部分

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the　motive　I　had　in　writing　to　her。　　I　can't　even　begin　to　put　into　words
the　feeling　I　have　towards　her。　　It's　as　if　she　was　something　sacred。〃

This　was　the　feeling　Renton　himself　had　towards　his　daughter；　and　for　the
first　time　he　found　himself　on　common　ground　with　the　scapegrace　who
professed　it；　and　whose　light；　mocking　face　so　little　enforced　his
profession。　　If　Bittridge　could　have　spoken　in　the　dark；　his　words　might
have　carried　a　conviction　of　his　sincerity；　but　there；　in　plain　day；
confronting　the　father　of　Ellen；　who　had　every　wish　to　believe　him　true；
the　effect　was　different。　　Deep　within　his　wish　to　think　the　man　honest；
Kenton　recoiled　from　him。　　He　vaguely　perceived　that　it　was　because　she
could　not　think　evil　that　this　wretch　had　power　upon　her；　and　he　was
sensible；　as　he　had　not　been　before；　that　she　had　no　safety　from　him
except　in　absence。　　He　did　not　know　what　to　answer；　he　could　not　repel
him　in　open　terms；　and　still　less　could　he　meet　him　with　any　words　that
would　allow　him　to　resume　his　former　relations　with　his　family。　　He　said；
finally：　〃We　will　let　matters　stand。　　We　are　going　to　Europe　in　a　week；
and　I　shall　not　see　you　again。　　I　will　tell　Mrs。　Kenton　what　you　say。〃

〃Thank　you；　judge。　　And　tell　her　that　I　appreciate　your　kindness　more
than　I　can　say！〃　The　judge　rose　from　his　chair　and　went　towards　the
window；　which　he　had　thrown　open。　　〃Going　to　shut　up？　　Let　me　help　you
with　that　window；　it　seems　to　stick。　　Everything　fast　up…stairs？〃

〃II　think　so；〃　Kenton　hesitated。

〃I'll　just　run　up　and　look；〃　said　Bittridge；　and　he　took　the　stairs　two
at　a　time；　before　Kenton　could　protest；　when　they　came　out　into　the　hall
together。　　〃It's　all　right；〃　he　reported　on　his　quick　return。　　〃I'll　just
look　round　below　here；〃　and　he　explored　the　ground…floor　rooms　in　turn。　
〃No；　you　hadn't　opened　any　other　window；〃　he　said；　glancing　finally　into
the　library。　　〃Shall　I　leave　this　paper　on　your　table？〃

〃Yes；　leave　it　there；〃　said　Kenton；　helplessly；　and　he　let　Bittridge
close　the　front　door　after　him；　and　lock　it。

〃I　hope　Miss　Lottie　is　well；〃　he　suggested　in　handing　the　key　to　Kenton。　
〃And　Boyne〃　he　added；　with　the　cordiality　of　an　old　family　friend。
〃I　hope　Boyne　has　got　reconciled　to　New　York　a　little。　　He　was　rather
anxious　about　his　pigeons　when　he　left；　I　understand。　　But　I　guess　Dick's
man　has　looked　after　them。　　I'd　have　offered　to　take　charge　of　the
cocoons　myself　if　I'd　had　a　chance。〃　　He　walked；　gayly　chatting；　across
the　intervening　lawn　with　Kenton　to　his　son's　door；　where　at　sight　of　him
bra。　　Richard　Kenton　evanesced　into　the　interior　so　obviously　that
Bittridge　could　not　offer　to　come　in。　　〃Well；　I　shall　see　you　all　when
you　come　back　in　the　fall；　judge；　and　I　hope　you'll　have　a　pleasant
voyage　and　a　good　time　in　Europe。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　said　Kenton；　briefly。

〃Remember　me　to　the　ladies！〃　　and　Bittridge　took　off　his　hat　with　his
left　hand；　while　he　offered　the　judge　his　right。　　〃Well；　good…bye！〃

Kenton　made　what　response　he　could；　and　escaped　in…doors；　where　his
daughter…in…law　appeared　from　the　obscurity　into　which　she　had　retired
from　Bittridge。　　〃Well；　that　follow　does　beat　all！　　How；　in　the　world　did
he　find　you；　father？〃

〃He　came　into　the　house；〃　said　the　judge；　much　abashed　at　his　failure　to
deal　adequately　with　Bittridge。　　He　felt　it　the　more　in　the　presence　of
his　son's　wife。　　〃I　couldn't；　seem　to　get　rid　of　him　in　any　way　short　of
kicking　him　out。〃

〃No；　there's　nothing　equal　to　his　impudence。　　I　do　believe　he　would　have
come　in　here；　if　he　hadn't　seen　me　first。　　Did　you　tell　him　when　you　were
going　back；　father？　　Because　he'd　be　at　the　train　to　see　you　off；　just　as
sure！〃

〃No；　I　didn't　tell　him；〃　said　Kenton；　feeling　move　shaken　now　from　the
interview　with　Bittridge　than　he　had　realized　before。　　He　was　ashamed　to
let　Mary　know　that　he　had　listened　to　Bittridge's　justification；　which　he
now　perceived　was　none；　and　he　would　have　liked　to　pretend　that　he　had
not　silently　condoned　his　offences；　but　Mary　did　not　drive　him　to　these
deceptions　by　any　further　allusions　to　Bittridge。

〃Well；　now；　you　must　go　into　the　sitting…room　and　lie　down　on　the　lounge；
I　promised　Dick　to　make　you。　　Or　would　you　rather　go　up…stairs　to　your
room？〃

〃I　think　I'll　go　to　my　room；〃　said　Kenton。

He　was　asleep　there　on　the　bed　when　Richard　came　home　to　dinner　and
looked　softly　in。　　He　decided　not　to　wake　him；　and　Mary　said　the　sleep
would　do　him　more　good　than　the　dinner。　　At　table　they　talked　him　over；
and　she　told　her　husband　what　she　knew　of　the　morning's　adventure。

〃That　was　pretty　tough　for　father；〃　said　Richard。　　〃I　wouldn't　go　into
the　house　with　him；　because　I　knew　he　wanted　to　have　it　to　himself；　and
then　to　think　of　that　dirty　hound　skulking　in！　　Well；　perhaps　it's　for
the　best。　　It　will　make　it　easier；　for　father　to　go　and　leave　the　place；
and　they've　got　to　go。　　They've　got　to　put　the　Atlantic　Ocean　between
Ellen　and　that　fellow。〃

〃It　does　seem　as　if　something　might　be　done；〃　his　wife　rebelled。

〃They've　done　the　best　that　could　be　done；〃　said　Richard。　　〃And　if　that
skunk　hasn't　got　some　sort　of　new　hold　upon　father；　I　shall　be　satisfied。　
The　worst　of　it　is　that　it　will　be　all　over　town　in　an　hour　that
Bittridge　has　made　up　with　us。　　I　don't　blame　father；　he　couldn't　help
it；　he　never　could　be　rude　to　anybody。〃

〃I　think　I'll　try　if　I　can't　be　rude　to　Mr。　Bittridge；　if　he　ever
undertakes　to　show　in　my　pretence　that　he　has　made　it　up　with　us；〃　said
Mary。

Richard　tenderly　found　out　from　his　father's　shamefaced　reluctance；
later；　that　no　great　mischief　had　been　done。　　But　no　precaution　on　his
part　availed　to　keep　Bittridge　from　demonstrating　the　good　feeling
between　himself　and　the　Kentons　when　the　judge　started　for　New　York　the
next　afternoon。　　He　was　there　waiting　to　see　him　off；　and　he　all　but　took
the　adieus　out　of　Richard's　hands。　　He　got　possession　of　the　judge's
valise；　and　pressed　past　the　porter　into　the　sleeping…car　with　it；　and
remained　lounging　on　the　arm　of　the　judge's　seat；　making　conversation
with　him　and　Richard　till　the　train　began　to　move。　　Then　he　ran　outside；
and　waved　his　hand　to　the　judge's　window　in　farewell；　before　all　that
leisure　of　Tuskingum　which　haunted　the　arrival　and　departure　of　the
trains。

Mary　Kenton　was　furious　when　her　husband　came　home　and　reported　the　fact
to　her。

〃How　in　the　world　did　he　find　out　when　father　was　going？〃

〃He　must　have　come　to　all　the　through　trains　since　he　say　him　yesterday。　
But　I　think　even　you　would　have　been　suited；　Mary；　if　you　had　seen　his
failure　to　walk　off　from　the　depot　arm…in…arm　with　me：

〃I　wouldn't　have　been　suited　with　anything　short　of　your　knocking；　him
down；　Dick。〃

〃Oh；　that　wouldn't　have　done；〃　said　Richard。　　After　a　while　he　added；
patiently；　〃Ellen　is　making　a　good　deal　of　trouble　for　us。〃

This　was　what　Mary　was　thinking　herself；　and　it　was　what　she　might　have
said；　but　since　Dick　had　said　it　she　was　obliged　to　protest。　　〃She　isn't
to　blame　for　it。〃

〃Oh；　I　know　she　isn't　to　blame。〃




V。

The　father　of　the　unhappy　girl　was　of　the　same　mixed　mind　as　he　rode
sleeplessly　back　to　New　York　in　his　berth；　and　heard　the　noises　of
slumber　all　round　him。　　From　time　to　time　he　groaned　softly；　and　turned
from　one　cheek　to　the　other。　　Every　half…hour　or　so　he　let　his　window…
curtain　fly　up；　and　lay　watching　the　landscape　fleeting　past；　and　then　he
pulled　the　curtain　down　again　and　tried　to　sleep。　　After　passing　Albany
he　dozed；　but　at　Poughkeepsie　a　zealous　porter　called　him　by　mistake；　and
the　rest　of　the　way　to　New　York　he　sat　up　in　the　smoking…room。　　It　seemed
a　long　while　since　he　had　drowsed；　the　thin　nap　had　not　rested　him；　and
the　old　face　that　showed　itself　in　the　glass；　with　the　frost　of　a　two
days'　beard　on　it；　was　dry…eyed　and　limply　squared　by　the　fall　of　the
muscles　at　the　corners　of　the　chin。

He　wondered　how　he　should　justify　to　his　wife　the　thing　which　he　felt　as
accountable　for　having　happened　to　him　as　if　he　could　have　prevented　it。　
It　would　not　have　happened；　of　course；　if　he　had　not　gone　to　Tuskingum；
and　she　could　say　that　to　him；　now　it　seemed　to　him　that　his　going；　which
had　been　so　imperative　before　he　went；　was　altogether　needless。　　Nothing
but　harm　had　come　of　it；　and　it　had　been　a　selfish　indulgence　of　a
culpable　weakness。

It　was　a　little　better　for　Kenton　when　he　found　himself　with　his　family；
and　they　went　down　together　to　the　breakfast　which　the　mother　had　engaged
the　younger　children　to　make　as　pleasant　as　they　could　for　their　father；
and　not　worry　him　with　talk　about　Tuskingum。　　They　had；　in　fact；　got　over
their　first　season　of　homesickness；　and　were　postponing　their　longing　for
Tuskingum　till　their　return　from　Europe；　when　they　would　all　go　straight
out　there。　　Kenton　ran　the　gauntlet　of　welcome　from　the　black　elevator…
boys　and　bell…boys　and　the　head…waiter；　who　went　before　him　to　pull　out
the　judge's　chair；　with　commanding　frowns　to　his　underlings　to　do　the
like　for　the　rest　of　the　family；　and　as　his　own　clumsy　Irish　waiter　stood
behind　his　chair；　breathing　heavily　upon　the　judge's　head；　he　gave　his
order　for　breakfast；　with　a　curious　sense　of　having　got　home　again　from
some　strange　place。　　He　satisfied　Boyne　that　his　pigeons　and　poultry　had
been　well　cared　for　through　the　winter；　and　he　told　Lottie　that　he　had
not　met　much　of　anybody　except　Dick's　family；　before　he　recollected
seeing　half　a　dozen　of　her　young　men　at　differed　times。　　She　was　not　very
exacting　about　them　and　her　mind　seemed　set　upon　Europe；　or　at　least　she
talked　of　nothing　else。　　Ellen　was　quiet　as　she　always　was；　but　she
smiled　gently　on　her　father；　and　Mrs。　Kenton　told　him　of　the　girl's
preparations　for　going；　and　congratulated　herself　on　their　wisdom　in
having　postponed　their　sailing；　in　view　of　all　they　had　to　do；　and　she
made　Kenton　feel　that　everything　was　in　the　best　possible　shape。　　As　soon
as　she　got　him　alone　in　their　own　room；　she　said；　〃Well；　what　is　it；
poppa？〃

Then　he　had　to　tell　her；　and　she　listened　with　ominous　gravity。　　She　did
not　say　that　now　he　could　see　how　much　better　it　would　have　been　if　he
had　not　gone；　but　she　made　him　say　it　for