the portygee- 第18部分

Rachel；　in　her　Sunday　black；　bulked　large　beside　him。　　As　Captain
Zelotes　said；　the　pair　looked　like　〃a　tug　takin'　a　liner　out　to
sea。〃



CHAPTER　V


Outside　of　the　gates　of　the　Snow　place　Albert　was　making　many
acquaintances　and　a　few　friends。　　After　church　on　Sundays　his
grandmother　had　a　distressful　habit　of　suddenly　seizing　his　arm　or
his　coat…tail　as　he　was　hurrying　toward　the　vestibule　and　the
sunshine　of　outdoors；　and　saying：　　〃Oh；　Albert；　just　a　minute！
Here's　somebody　you　haven't　met　yet；　I　guess。　　Elsie〃or　Nellie　or
Mabel　or　Henry　or　Charlie　or　George；　whichever　it　happened　to　be
〃this　is　my　grandson；　Albert　Speranza。〃　　And　the　young　person　to
whom　he　was　thus　introduced　would；　if　a　male；　extend　a　hesitating
hand；　give　his　own　an　embarrassed　shake；　smile　uncertainly　and　say；
〃Yeseryes。　　Pleased　to　meet　you。〃　　Or；　if　of　the　other　sex；
would　blush　a　little　and　venture　the　observation　that　it　was　a
lovely　morning；　and　wasn't　the　sermon　splendid。

These　Sabbath　introductions　led　to　week…day；　or　rather　week…
evening；　meetings。　　The　principal　excitement　in　South　Harniss　was
〃going　for　the　mail。〃　　At　noon　and　after　supper　fully　one…half　of
the　village　population　journeyed　to　the　post　office。　　Albert's
labors　for　Z。　Snow　and　Co。　prevented　his　attending　the　noon
gatheringshis　grandfather　usually　got　the　morning　mailbut　he
early　formed　the　habit　of　sauntering　〃down　street〃　in　the　evening
if　the　weather　was　not　too　cold　or　disagreeable。　　There　he　was
certain　to　find　groups　of　South　Harniss　youth　of　both　sexes；
talking；　giggling；　skylarking　and　flirting。　　Sometimes　he　joined
one　or　the　other　of　these　groups；　quite　as　often　he　did　not；　but
kept　aloof　and　by　himself；　for　it　may　as　well　be　acknowledged　now；
if　it　is　not　already　plain；　that　the　son　of　Miguel　Carlos　Speranza
had　inherited　a　share　of　his　father's　temperament　and　self…esteem。
The　whim　of　the　moment　might　lead　him　to　favor　these　young　people
with　his　society；　but　he　was　far　from　considering　himself　under
obligation　to　do　so。　　He　had　not　the　least　idea　that　he　was　in　any
way　a　snob；　he　would　have　hotly　resented　being　called　one；　but　he
accepted　his　estimate　of　his　own　worth　as　something　absolute　and
certain；　to　be　taken　for　granted。

Now　this　attitude　of　mind　had　its　dangers。　　Coupled　with　its
possessor's　extraordinary　good　looks；　it　was　fascinating　to　a　large
percentage　of　the　village　girls。　　The　Speranza　eyes　and　the
Speranza　curls　and　nose　and　chin　were；　when　joined　with　the　easy
condescension　of　the　Speranza　manner；　a　combination　fatal　to　the
susceptible。　　The　South　Harniss　〃flappers；〃　most　of　them；　enthused
over　the　new　bookkeeper　in　the　lumber　office。　　They　ogled　and
giggled　and　gushed　in　his　presence；　and　he　was　tolerant　or　bored；
just　as　he　happened　to　be　feeling　at　the　moment。　　But　he　never
displayed　a　marked　interest　in　any　one　of　them；　for　the　very　good
reason　that　he　had　no　such　interest。　　To　him　they　were　merely
girls；　nice　enough　in　their　way；　perhaps；　but　that　way　not　his。
Most　of　the　town　young　fellows　of　his　age　he　found　had　a　〃girl〃　and
almost　every　girl　had　a　〃fellow〃；　there　was　calf　love　in　abundance；
but　he　was　a　different　brand　of　veal。

However；　a　great　man　must　amuse　himself；　and　so　he　accepted
invitations　to　church　socials　and　suppers　and　to　an　occasional
dance　or　party。　　His　style　of　dancing　was　not　that　of　South　Harniss
in　the　winter。　　It　was　common　enough　at　the　hotel　or　the　〃tea
house〃　in　July　and　August　when　the　summer　people　were　there；　but
not　at　the　town　hall　at　the　Red　Men's　Annual　Ball　in　February。　　A
fellow　who　could　foxtrot　as　he　could　swept　all　before　him。　　Sam
Thatcher；　of　last　year's　class　in　the　high　school；　but　now　clerking
in　the　drug　store；　who　had　hitherto　reigned　as　the　best　〃two…
stepper〃　in　town；　suddenly　became　conscious　of　his　feet。　　Then；
too；　the　contents　of　the　three　trunks　which　had　been　sent　on　from
school　were　now　in　evidence。　　No　Boston　or　Brockton　〃Advanced
Styles〃　held　a　candle　to　those　suits　which　the　tailor　of　the　late
Miguel　Carlos　had　turned　out　for　his　patron's　only　son。　　No　other
eighteen…year…older　among　the　town's　year…around　residents
possessed　a　suit　of　evening　clothes。　　Albert　wore　his　〃Tux〃　at　the
Red　Men's　Ball　and　hearts　palpitated　beneath　new　muslin　gowns　and
bitter　envy　stirred　beneath　the　Brockton　〃Advanced　Styles。〃

In　consequence；　by　spring　the　social　status　of　Albert　Speranza
among　those　of　his　own　age　in　the　village　had　become　something
like　this：　　He　was　in　high　favor　with　most　of　the　girls　and　in
corresponding　disfavor　with　most　of　the　young　fellows。　　The　girls；
although　they　agreed　that　he　was　〃stand…offish　and　kind　of　queer；〃
voted　him　〃just　lovely；　all　the　same。〃　　Their　envious　beaux
referred　to　him　sneeringly　among　themselves　as　a　〃stuck…up　dude。〃
Some　one　of　them　remembered　having　been　told　that　Captain　Zelotes；
years　before；　had　been　accustomed　to　speak　of　his　hated　son…in…law
as　〃the　Portygee。〃　　Behind　his　back　they　formed　the　habit　of
referring　to　their　new　rival　in　the　same　way。　　The　first　time
Albert　heard　himself　called　a　〃Portygee〃　was　after　prayer　meeting
on　Friday　evening；　when；　obeying　a　whim；　he　had　walked　home　with
Gertie　Kendrick；　quite　forgetful　of　the　fact　that　Sam　Thatcher；　who
aspired　to　be　Gertie's　〃steady；〃　was　himself　waiting　on　the　church
steps　for　that　privilege。

Even　then　nothing　might　have　come　of　it　had　he　and　Sam　not　met　in
the　path　as　he　was　sauntering　back　across　lots　to　the　main　road
and　home。　　It　was　a　brilliant　moonlight　night　and　the　pair　came
together；　literally；　at　the　bend　where　the　path　turns　sharply
around　the　corner　of　Elijah　Doane's　cranberry　shanty。　　Sam；　plowing
along；　head　down　and　hands　in　his　pockets；　swung　around　that　corner
and　bumped　violently　into　Albert；　who；　a　cigarette　between　his
lipsout　here　in　the　fields；　away　from　civilization　and　Captain
Zelotes；　was　a　satisfyingly　comfortable　place　to　smoke　a　cigarette
was　dreaming　dreams　of　a　future　far　away　from　South　Harniss。　　Sam
had　been　thinking　of　Gertie。　　Albert　had　not。　　She　had　been　a　mere
incident　of　the　evening；　he　had　walked　home　with　her　because　he
happened　to　be　in　the　mood　for　companionship　and　she　was　rather
pretty　and　always　talkative。　　His　dreams　during　the　stroll　back
alone　in　the　moonlight　had　been　of　lofty　things；　of　poetry　and　fame
and　high　emprise；　giggling　Gerties　had　no　place　in　them。　　It　was
distinctly　different　with　Sam　Thatcher。

They　crashed　together；　gasped　and　recoiled。

〃Oh；　I'm　sorry！〃　exclaimed　Albert。

〃Can't　you　see　where　you're　goin'；　you　darned　Portygee　half…breed？〃
demanded　Sam。

Albert；　who　had　stepped　past　him；　turned　and　came　back。

〃What　did　you　say？〃　he　asked。

〃I　said　you　was　a　darned　half…breed；　and　you　are。　　You're　a　no…good
Portygee；　like　your　father。〃

It　was　all　he　had　time　to　say。　　For　the　next　few　minutes　he　was　too
busy　to　talk。　　The　Speranzas；　father　and　son；　possessed　temperament；
also　they　possessed　temper。　　Sam's　face；　usually　placid　and
good…natured；　for　Sam　was　by　no　means　a　bad　fellow　in　his　way；　was
fiery　red。　　Albert's；　on　the　contrary；　went　perfectly　white。　　He
seemed　to　settle　back　on　his　heels　and　from　there　almost　to　fly　at
his　insulter。　　Five　minutes　or　so　later　they　were　both　dusty　and
dirty　and　dishevelled　and　bruised；　but　Sam　was　pretty　thoroughly
licked。　　For　one　thing；　he　had　been　taken　by　surprise　by　his
adversary's　quickness；　for　another；　Albert's　compulsory　training　in
athletics　at　school　gave　him　an　advantage。　　He　was　by　no　means　an
unscarred　victor；　but　victor　he　was。　　Sam　was　defeated；　and　very
much　astonished。　　He　leaned　against　the　cranberry　house　and　held　on
to　his　nose。　　It　had　been　a　large　nose　in　the　beginning；　it　was
larger　now。

Albert　stood　before　him；　his　facewhere　it　was　not　a　pleasing
combination　of　black　and　bluestill　white。

〃If　youif　you　speak　of　my　father　or　me　again　like　that；〃　he
panted；　〃I'llI'll　kill　you！〃

Then　he　strode　off；　a　bit　wobbly　on　his　legs；　but　with　dignity。

Oddly　enough；　no　one　except　the　two　most　interested　ever　knew　of
this　encounter。　　Albert；　of　course；　did　not　tell。　　He　was　rather
ashamed　of　it。　　For　the　son　of　Miguel　Carlos　Speranza　to　conquer
dragons　was　a　worthy　and　heroic　business；　but　there　seemed　to　be
mighty　little　heroism　in　licking　Sam　Thatcher　behind　'Lije　Doane's
cranberry　shack。　　And　Sam　did　not　tell。　　Gertie　next　day　confided
that　she　didn't　care　two　cents　for　that　stuck…up　Al　Speranza；
anyway；　she　had　let　him　see　her　home　only　because　Sam　had　danced　so
many　times　with　Elsie　Wixon　at　the　ball　that　night。　　So　Sam　said
nothing　concerning　the　fight；　explaining　the　condition　of　his　nose
by　saying　that　he　had　run　into　something　in　the　dark。　　And　he　did
not　appear　to　hold　a　grudge　against　his　conqueror；　on　the　contrary
when　others　spoke　of　the　latter　as　a　〃sissy；〃　Sam　defended　him。
〃He　may　be　a　dude；〃　said　Sam；　〃I　don't　say　he　ain't。　　But　he　ain't
no　sissy。〃

When　pressed　to　tell　why　he　was　so　certain；　his　answer　was：
〃Because　he　don't　act　like　one。〃　　It　was　not　a　convincing　answer；
the　general　opinion　being　that　that　was　exactly　how　Al　Speranza　did
act。

There　was　one　young　person　in　the　village　toward　whom　Albe