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！
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 consider himself engaged to her。 His conditional devotion did
not debar him from a lover's rights； and； until Breckon came on from New
York to be married； there was much more courtship of Lottie than of Ellen
in the house。 But Lottie saved herself in the form if not the fact； and
as far as verbal terms were concerned； she was justified by them in
declaring that she would not have another sop hanging round。
It was Boyne； and Boyne alone； who had any misgivings in regard to
Ellen's engagement； and these were of a nature so recondite that when he
came to impart them to his mother； before they left Scheveningen； and
while there was yet time for that conclusion which his father suggested
to Mrs。 Kenton too late； Boyne had an almost hopeless difficulty in
stating them。 His approaches； even； were so mystical that his mother was
forced to bring him to book sharply。
〃Boyne； if you don't tell me right off just what you mean； I don't know
what I will do to you！ What are you driving at； for pity's sake？ Are
you saying that she oughtn't to be engaged to Mr。 Breckon？〃
〃No； I'm not saying that； momma；〃 said Boyne； in a distress that caused
his mother to take a reef in her impatience。
〃Well； what are you saying； then？〃
〃Why； you know how Ellen is； momma。 You know how conscientious andand
sensitive。 Or； I don't mean sensitive； exactly。〃
〃Well？〃
〃Well； I don't think she ought to be engaged to Mr。 Breckon out of
gratitude。〃
〃Gratitude？〃
〃Yes。 I just know that she thinksor it would be just like herthat he
saved me that day。 But he only met me about a second before we came to
her and poppa； and the officers were taking me right along towards them。〃
Mrs。 Kenton held herself stormily in； and he continued： 〃I know that he
translated for us before the magistrate； but the magistrate could speak a
little English； and when he saw poppa he saw that it was all right；
anyway。 I don't want to say anything against Mr。 Breckon； and I think he
behaved as well any one could； but if Ellen is going to marry him out of
gratitude for saving me〃
Mrs。 Kenton could hold in no longer。 〃And is this what you've been
bothering the life half out of me for； for the last hour？〃
〃Well； I thought you ought to look at it in that light； momma。〃
〃Well； Boyne；〃 said his mother； 〃sometimes I think you're almost a fool！〃
and she turned her back upon her son and left him。
Boyne's place in the Kenton family； for which he continued to have the
highest regard； became a little less difficult； a little less
incompatible with his self…respect as time went on。 His spirit； which
had lagged a little after his body in stature； began； as his father said；
to catch up。 He no longer nourished it so exclusively upon heroical
romance as he had during the past year； and after his return to Tuskingum
he went into his brother Richard's once； and manifested a certain
curiosity in the study of the law。 He read Blackstone； and could give a
fair account of his impressions of English