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！
interest which seemed to be growing up between Ellen and the young
minister。 By this time they had learned not to expect too much of any
turn she might take； she reverted to a mood as suddenly as she left it。
They could not quite make out Breckon himself； he was at least as great a
puzzle to them as their own child was。
〃It seems；〃 said Mrs。 Kenton； in their first review of the affair； after
Boyne had done a brother's duty in trying to bring Ellen under their
mother's censure； 〃that he was the gentleman who discussed the theatre
with Boyne at the vaudeville last winter。 Boyne just casually mentioned
it。 I was so provoked！〃
〃I don't see what bearing the fact has；〃 the judge remarked。
〃Why； Boyne liked him very much that night； but now he seems to feel very
much as Lottie does about him。 He thinks he laughs too much。〃
〃I don't know that there's much harm in that；〃 said the judge。 〃And I
shouldn't value Boyne's opinion of character very highly。〃
〃I value any one's intuitionsespecially children's。〃
〃Boyne's in that middle state where he isn't quite a child。 And so is
Lottie； for that matter。〃
〃That is true；〃 their mother assented。 〃And we ought to be glad of
anything that takes Ellen's mind off herself。 If I could only believe
she was forgetting that wretch！〃
〃Does she ever speak of him？〃
〃She never hints of him； even。 But her mind may be full of him all the
time。〃
The judge laughed impatiently。 〃It strikes me that this young Mr。
Breckon hasn't much advantage of Ellen in what Lottie calls closeness！〃
〃Ellen has always been very reserved。 It would have been better for her
if she hadn't。 Oh； I scarcely dare to hope anything！ Rufus； I feel that
in everything of this kind we are very ignorant and inexperienced。〃
〃Inexperienced！〃 Renton retorted。 〃I don't want any more experience of
the kind Ellen has given us。〃
〃I don't mean that。 I meanthis Mr。 Breckon。 I can't tell what
attracts him in the child。 She must appear very crude and uncultivated
to him。 You needn't resent it so！ I know she's read a great deal； and
you've made her think herself intellectualbut the very simple…
heartedness of the way she would show out her reading would make such a
young man see that she wasn't like the girls he was used to。 They would
hide their intellectuality； if they had any。 It's no use your trying to
fight it Mr。 Kenton。 We are country people； and he knows it。〃
〃Tuskingum isn't country！〃 the judge declared。
〃It isn't city。 And we don't know anything about the world； any of us。
Oh； I suppose we can read and write！ But we don't know the a； b； c of
the things he； knows。 He； belongs to a kind of societyof people
in New York that I had glimpses of in the winter； but that I never
imagined before。 They made me feel very belated and benightedas if I
hadn't； read or thought anything。 They didn't mean to； but I couldn't
help it； and they couldn't。〃
〃Youyou've been frightened out of your propriety by what you've seen in
New York；〃 said her husband。
〃I've been frightened； certainly。 And I wish you had been； too。 I wish
you wouldn't be so conceited about Ellen。 It scares me to see you so。
Poor； sick thing； her looks are all gone！ You must see that。 And she
doesn't dress like the girls he's used to。 I know we've got her things
in New York； but she doesn't wear them like a New…Yorker。 I hope she
isn't going in for MORE unhappiness！〃
At the thought of this the judge's crest fell。 〃Do you believe she's
getting interested in him？〃 he asked； humbly。
〃No； no； I don't say that。 But promise me you won't encourage her in it。
And don't； for pity's sake； brag about her to him。〃
〃No； I won't；〃 said the judge； and he tacitly repented having done so。
The weather had changed； and when he went up from this interview with his
wife in their stateroom he found a good many people strung convalescently
along the promenade on their steamer…chairs。 These； so far as they were
women； were of such sick plainness that when he came to Ellen his heart
throbbed with a glad resentment of her mother's aspersion of her health
and beauty。 She looked not only very well； and very pretty； but in a gay
red cap and a trig jacket she looked； to her father's uncritical eyes；
very stylish。 The glow left his heart at eight of the empty seat beside
her。
〃Where is Lottie？〃 he asked； though it was not Lottie's whereabouts
that interested him。
〃Oh； she's walking with Mr。 Breckon somewhere；〃 said Ellen。
〃Then she's made up her mind to tolerate him； has she？〃 the father
asked； more lightly than he felt。
Ellen smiled。 〃That wasn't anything very serious； I guess。 At any rate；
she's walking with him。〃
〃What book is that？〃 he asked； of the volume she was tilting back and
forth under her hand。
She showed it。 〃One of his。 He brought it up to amuse me； he said。〃
〃While he was amusing himself with Lottie；〃 thought the judge； in his
jealousy for her。 〃It is going the same old way。 Well！〃 What he said
aloud was； 〃And is it amusing you？〃
〃I haven't looked at it yet；〃 said the girl。 〃It's amusing enough to
watch the sea。 Oh； poppa！ I never thought I should care so much for
it。〃
〃And you're glad we came？〃
〃I don't want to think about that。 I just want to know that I'm here。〃
She pressed his arm gently； significantly； where he sat provisionally in
the chair beside her； and he was afraid to speak lest he should scare
away the hope her words gave him。
He merely said； 〃Well； well！〃 and waited for her to speak further。 But
her impulse had exhausted itself； as if her spirit were like one of those
weak forms of life which spend their strength in a quick run or flight；
and then rest to gather force for another。 〃Where's Boyne？〃 he asked；
after waiting for her to speak。
〃He was here a minute ago。 He's been talking with some of the deck
passengers that are going home because they couldn't get on in America。
Doesn't that seem pitiful； poppa？ I always thought we had work enough
for the whole world。〃
〃Perhaps these fellows didn't try very hard to find it；〃 said the judge。
〃Perhaps；〃 she assented。
〃I shouldn't want you to get to thinking that it's all like New York。
Remember how comfortable everybody is in Tuskingum。〃
〃Yes；〃 she said； sadly。 〃How far off Tuskingum seems！〃
〃Well； don't forget about it； and remember that wherever life is simplest
and purest and kindest； that is the highest civilization。〃
〃How much like old times it seems to hear you talk that way； poppa！
I should think I was in the library at home。 And I made you leave it！〃
she sighed。
〃Your mother was glad of any excuse。 And it will do us all good； if we
take it in the right way；〃 said the judge； with a didactic severity that
did not hide his pang from her。
〃Poor poppa！〃 she said。
He went away； saying that he was going to look Lottie up。 His simple
design was to send Lottie to her mother； so that Breckon might come back
to Ellen； but he did not own this to himself。
Lottie returned from another direction with Boyne； and Ellen said；
〃Poppa's gone to look for you。〃
〃Has he？〃 asked Lottie； dropping decisively