按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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 her； and she would not let him
take comfort in the notion of keeping the fact of his interview with
Bittridge from Ellen。 〃It would be worse than useless。 He will write to
her about it； and then she will know that we have been； concealing it。〃
Kenton was astonished at himself for not having thought of that。 〃And
what are you going to do； Sarah？〃
〃I am going to tell her；〃 said Mrs。 Kenton。
〃Why didn't poppa tell me before？〃 the girl perversely demanded； as soon
as her another had done so。
〃Ellen； you are a naughty child！ I have a great mind not to have a word
more to say to you。 Your father hasn't been in the house an hour。 Did
you want him to speak before Lottie and Boyne！〃
〃I don't see why he didn't tell me himself。 I know there is something
you are keeping back。 I know there is some word〃
〃Oh； yon poor girl！〃 said her mother； melting into pity against all sense
of duty。 〃Have we ever tried to deceive you？〃
〃No；〃 Ellen sobbed； with her face in her hands。 〃Now I will tell you
every word that passed；〃 said Mrs。 Kenton； and she told； as well as she
could remember； all that the judge had repeated from Bittridge。 〃I don't
say he isn't ashamed of himself；〃 she commented at the end。 〃He ought to
be； and； of course； he would be glad to be in with us again when we go
back； but that doesn't alter his character； Ellen。 Still； if you can't
see that yourself； I don't want to make you； and if you would rather go
home to Tuskingum； we will give up the trip to Europe。〃
〃It's too late to do that now；〃 said the girl； in cruel reproach。
Her mother closed her lips resolutely till she could say； 〃Or you can
write to him if you want to。〃
〃I don't want to；〃 said Ellen； and she dragged herself up out of her
chair； and trailed slowly out of the room without looking at her mother。
〃Well？〃 the judge asked； impatiently； when he came in as soon after this
as he decently could。 They observed forms with regard to talking about
Ellen which； after all； were rather for themselves than for her； Mrs。
Kenton； at least； knew that the girl knew when they were talking about
her。
〃She took it as well as I expected。〃
〃What is she going to do？〃
〃She didn't say。 But I don't believe she will do anything。〃
〃I wish I had taken our tickets for next Saturday；〃 said Kenton。
〃Well； we must wait now；〃 said his wife。 〃If he doesn't write to her；
she won't write to him。〃
〃Has she ever answered that letter of his？〃
〃No； and I don't believe she will now。〃
That night Ellen came to her mother and said she need not be afraid of
her writing to Bittridge。 〃He hasn't changed； if he was wrong； by coming
and saying those things to poppa； and nothing has changed。〃
〃That is the way I hoped you would see it； Ellen。〃 Her mother looked
wistfully at her； but the girl left her without letting her satisfy the
longing in the mother's heart to put her arms round her child； and pull
her head down upon her breast for a cry。
Kenton slept better that night than his wife； who was kept awake by a
formless foreboding。 For the week that followed she had the sense of
literally pushing the hours away； so that at times she found herself
breathless； as if from some heavy physical exertion。 At such times she
was frantic with the wish to have the days gone； and the day of their
sailing come； but she kept her impatience from her husband and children；
and especially from Ellen。 The girl was passive enough； she was almost
willing； and in the preparation for their voyage she did her share of the
shopping； and discussed the difficult points of this business with her
mother and sister as if she had really been thinking about it all。 But
her mother doubted if she had； and made more of Ellen's sunken eyes and
thin face than of her intelligent and attentive words。 It was these that
she reported to her husband； whom she kept from talking with Ellen； and
otherwise quelled。
〃Let her alone；〃 she insisted； one morning of the last week。 〃What can
you do by speaking to her about i