the kentons-第2章

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Ellen；　who　had　their　honor　and　friendship；　had　no　charm　for　them。　　No　one
seemed　drawn　to　her　as　they　were　drawn　to　her　sister　till　a　man　came　who
was　not　one　of　the　most　cultivated　in　Tuskingum；　and　then　it　was　doubtful
whether　she　was　not　first　drawn　to　him。　　She　was　too　transparent　to　hide
her　feeling　from　her　father　and　mother；　who　saw　with　even　more　grief　than
shame　that　she　could　not　hide　it　from　the　man　himself；　whom　they　thought
so　unworthy　of　it。

He　had　suddenly　arrived　in　Tuskingum　from　one　of　the　villages　of　the
county；　where　he　had　been　teaching　school；　and　had　found　something　to　do
as　reporter　on　the　Tuskingum　'Intelligencer'；　which　he　was　instinctively
characterizing　with　the　spirit　of　the　new　journalism；　and　was　pushing　as
hardily　forward　on　the　lines　of　personality　as　if　he　had　dropped　down　to
it　from　the　height　of　a　New　York　or　Chicago　Sunday　edition。　　The　judge
said；　with　something　less　than　his　habitual　honesty；　that　he　did　not　mind
his　being　a　reporter；　but　he　minded　his　being　light　and　shallow；　he
minded　his　being　flippant　and　mocking；　he　minded　his　bringing　his
cigarettes　and　banjo　into　the　house　at　his　second　visit。　　He　did　not　mind
his　push；　the　fellow　had　his　way　to　make　and　he　had　to　push；　but　he　did
mind　his　being　all　push；　and　his　having　come　out　of　the　country　with　as
little　simplicity　as　if　he　had　passed　his　whole　life　in　the　city。　　He　had
no　modesty；　and　he　had　no　reverence；　he　had　no　reverence　for　Ellen
herself；　and　the　poor　girl　seemed　to　like　him　for　that。

He　was　all　the　more　offensive　to　the　judge　because　he　was　himself　to
blame　for　their　acquaintance；　which　began　when　one　day　the　fellow　had
called　after　him　in　the　street；　and　then　followed　down　the　shady　sidewalk
beside　him　to　his　hour；　wanting　to　know　what　this　was　he　had　heard　about
his　history；　and　pleading　for　more　light　upon　his　plan　in　it。　　At　the
gate　he　made　a　flourish　of　opening　and　shutting　it　for　the　judge；　and
walking　up　the　path　to　his　door　he　kept　his　hand　on　the　judge's　shoulder
most　offensively；　but　in　spite　of　this　Kenton　had　the　weakness　to　ask　him
in；　and　to　call　Ellen　to　get　him　the　most　illustrative　documents　of　the
history。

The　interview　that　resulted　in　the　'Intelligencer'　was　the　least　evil
that　came　of　this　error。　　Kenton　was　amazed；　and　then　consoled；　and　then
afflicted　that　Ellen　was　not　disgusted　with　it；　and　in　his　conferences
with　his　wife　he　fumed　and　fretted　at　his　own　culpable　folly；　and　tried
to　get　back　of　the　time　he　had　committed　it；　in　that　illusion　which
people　have　with　trouble　that　it　could　somehow　be　got　rid　of　if　it　could
fairly　be　got　back　of；　till　the　time　came　when　his　wife　could　no　longer
share　his　unrest　in　this　futile　endeavor。

She　said；　one　night　when　they　had　talked　late　and　long；　〃That　can't　be
helped　now；　and　the　question　is　what　are　we　going　to　do　to　stop　it。〃

The　judge　evaded　the　point　in　saying；　〃The　devil　of　it　is　that　all　the
nice　fellows　are　afraid　of　her；　they　respect　her　too　much；　and　the　very
thing　which　ought　to　disgust　her　with　this　chap　is　what　gives　him　his
power　over　her。　　I　don't　know　what　we　are　going　to　do；　but　we　must　break
it　off；　somehow。〃

〃We　might　take　her　with　us　somewhere；〃　Mrs。　Kenton　suggested。

〃Run　away　from　the　fellow？　　I　think　I　see　myself！　　No；　we　have　got　to
stay　and　face　the　thing　right　here。　　But　I　won't　have　him　about　the　house
any　more；　understand　that。　　He's　not　to　be　let　in；　and　Ellen　mustn't　see
him；　you　tell　her　I　said　so。　　Or　no！　　I　will　speak　to　her　myself。〃　　His
wife　said　that　he　was　welcome　to　do　that；　but　he　did　not　quite　do　it。　　He
certainly　spoke　to　his　daughter　about　her；　lover；　and　he　satisfied
himself　that　there　was　yet　nothing　explicit　between　them。　　But　she　was　so
much　less　frank　and　open　with　him　than　she　had　always　been　before　that　he
was　wounded　as　well　as　baffled　by　her　reserve。　　He　could　not　get　her　to
own　that　she　really　cared　for　the　fellow；　but　man　as　he　was；　and　old　man
as　he　was；　he　could　not　help　perceiving　that　she　lived　in　a　fond　dream　of
him。

He　went　from　her　to　her　mother。　　〃If　he　was　only　one…half　the　man　she
thinks　he　is！〃he　ended　his　report　in　a　hopeless　sigh。

〃You　want　to　give　in　to　her！〃　his　wife　pitilessly　interpreted。　　〃Well；
perhaps　that　would　be　the　best　thing；　after　all。〃

〃No；　no；　it　wouldn't；　Sarah；　it　would　be　the　easiest　for　both　of　us；　I
admit；　but　it　would　be　the　worst　thing　for　her。　　We've　got　to　let　it　run
along　for　a　while　yet。　　If　we　give　him　rope　enough　he　may　hang　himself；
there's　that　chance。　　We　can't　go　away；　and　we　can't　shut　her　up；　and　we
can't　turn　him　out　of　the　house。　　We　must　trust　her　to　find　him　out　for
herself。〃

〃She'll　never　do　that；〃　said　the　mother。　　〃Lottie　says　Ellen　thinks　he's
just　perfect。　　He　cheers　her　up；　and　takes　her　out　of　herself。　　We've
always　acted　with　her　as　if　we　thought　she　was　different　from　other
girls；　and　he　behaves　to　her　as　if　she　was　just　like　all　of　them；　just　as
silly；　and　just　as　weak；　and　it　pleases　her；　and　flatters　her；　she　likes
it。〃

〃Oh；　Lord！〃　groaned　the　father。　　〃I　suppose　she　does。〃

This　was　bad　enough；　it　was　a　blow　to　his　pride　in　Ellen；　but　there　was
something　that　hurt　him　still　worse。　　When　the　fellow　had　made　sure　of
her；　he　apparently　felt　himself　so　safe　in　her　fondness　that　he　did　not
urge　his　suit　with　her。　　His　content　with　her　tacit　acceptance　gave　the
bitterness　of　shame　to　the　promise　Kenton　and　his　wife　had　made　each
other　never　to　cross　any　of　their　children　in　love。　　They　were　ready　now
to　keep　that　promise　for　Ellen；　if　he　asked　it　of　them；　rather　than
answer　for　her　lifelong　disappointment；　if　they　denied　him。　　But；
whatever　he　meant　finally　to　do；　he　did　not　ask　it；　he　used　his　footing
in　their　house　chiefly　as　a　basis　for　flirtations　beyond　it。　　He　began　to
share　his　devotions　to　Ellen　with　her　girl　friends；　and　not　with　her　girl
friends　alone。　　It　did　not　come　to　scandal；　but　it　certainly　came　to
gossip　about　him　and　a　silly　young　wife；　and　Kenton　heard　of　it　with　a
torment　of　doubt　whether　Ellen　knew　of　it；　and　what　she　would　do；　he
would　wait　for　her　to　do　herself　whatever　was　to　be　done。　　He　was　never
certain　how　much　she　had　heard　of　the　gossip　when　she　came　to　her　mother；
and　said　with　the　gentle　eagerness　she　had；　〃Didn't　poppa　talk　once　of
going　South　this　winter？〃

〃He　talked　of　going　to　New　York；〃　the　mother　answered；　with　a　throb　of
hope。

〃Well；〃　the　girl　returned；　patiently；　and　Mrs。　Kenton　read　in　her
passivity　an　eagerness　to　be　gone　from　sorrow　that　she　would　not　suffer
to　be　seen；　and　interpreted　her　to　her　father　in　such　wise　that　he　could
not　hesitate。




II。

If　such　a　thing　could　be　mercifully　ordered；　the　order　of　this　event　had
certainly　been　merciful；　but　it　was　a　cruel　wrench　that　tore　Kenton　from
the　home　where　he　had　struck　such　deep　root。　　When　he　actually　came　to
leave　the　place　his　going　had　a　ghastly　unreality；　which　was　heightened
by　his　sense　of　the　common　reluctance。　　No　one　wanted　to　go；　so　far　as　he
could　make　out；　not　even　Ellen　herself；　when　he　tried　to　make　her　say　she
wished　it。　　Lottie　was　in　open　revolt；　and　animated　her　young　men　to　a
share　in　the　insurrection。　　Her　older　brother　was　kindly　and　helpfully
acquiescent；　but　he　was　so　far　from　advising　the　move　that　Kenton　had
regularly　to　convince　himself　that　Richard　approved　it；　by　making　him　say
that　it　was　only　for　the　winter　and　that　it　was　the　best　way　of　helping
Ellen　get　rid　of　that　fellow。　　All　this　did　not　enable　Kenton　to　meet　the
problems　of　his　younger　son；　who　required　him　to　tell　what　he　was　to　do
with　his　dog　and　his　pigeons；　and　to　declare　at　once　how　he　was　to
dispose　of　the　cocoons　he　had　amassed　so　as　not　to　endanger　the　future　of
the　moths　and　butterflies　involved　in　them。　　The　boy　was　so　fertile　in
difficulties　and　so　importunate　for　their　solution；　that　he　had　to　be
crushed　into　silence　by　his　father；　who　ached　in　a　helpless　sympathy　with
his　reluctance。

Kenton　came　heavily　upon　the　courage　of　his　wife；　who　was　urging　forward
their　departure　with　so　much　energy　that　he　obscurely　accused　her　of
being　the　cause　of　it；　and　could　only　be　convinced　of　her　innocence　when
she　offered　to　give　the　whole　thing　up　if　he　said　so。　　When　he　would　not
say　so；　she　carried　the　affair　through　to　the　bitter　end；　and　she　did　not
spare　him　some；　pangs　which　she　perhaps　need　not　have　shared　with　him。　
But　people　are　seldom　man　and　wife　for　half　their　lives　without　wishing
to　impart　their　sufferings　as　well　as　their　pleasures　to　each　other；　and
Mrs。　Kenton；　if　she　was　no　worse；　was　no　better　than　other　wives　in
pressing　to　her　husband's　lips　the　cup　that　was　not　altogether　sweet　to
her　own。　　She　went　about　the　house　the　night　before　closing　it；　to　see
that　everything　was　in　a　state　to　be　left；　and　then　she　came　to　Kenton　in
his　library；　where　he　had　been　burning　some　papers　and　getting　others
ready　to　give　in　charge　to　his　son；　and　sat　down　by　his　cold　hearth　with
him；　and　wrung　his　soul　with　the　tale　of　the　last　things　she　had　been
doing。　　When　she　had　made　him　bear　it　all；　she　began　to　turn　the　bright
side　of　the　affair　to　him。　　She　praised　the　sense　and　strength　of　Ellen；
in　the　course　the　girl　had　taken　with　herself；　and　asked　him　if　he；
really　thought　they　could　have　done　less　for　her　than　they　were　doing。　
She　reminded　him　that　they　were　not　running　away　from　the　fellow；　as　she
had　once　thought　they　must；　but　Ellen　was　renouncing　him；　and　putting　him
out　of　her　sight　till　she　could　put　him　out　of　her　mind。　　She　did　not
pretend　that　the　girl　had　done　this　yet；　but　it　was　everything　that　she
wished　to　do　it；　and　saw　that　it　was　best。　　Then　she　kissed　him　on　his
gray　head；　and　left　him　alone　to　the　first　ecstasy　of　his　homesickness。

It　was　better　when　they　once　got　to　New　York；　and　were　settled　in　an
apartment　of　an　old…fashioned　down…town　hotel。　　They　thought　themselves
very　cramped　in　it；　and　they　were　but　little　easier　when　they　found　that
the　apartments　over　and　under　them　were　apparently　thought　spacious　for
families　of　twice　their　numbers。　　It　was　the　very　quietest　place　in　the
whole　city；　but　Kenton　was　used　to　the　stillness　of　Tuskingum；　where；
since　people　no　longer　kept　hens；　the　nights　were　stiller　than　in　the
country　itself；　and　for　a　week　he　slept　badly。　　Otherwise；　as　soon　as
they　got　used　to　living　in　six　rooms　instead　of　seventeen；　they　were
really　very　comfortable。

He　could　see　that　his　wife　was　glad　of　the　release　from　housekeeping；　and
she　was　growing　gayer　and　seemed　to　be　growing　younger　in　the　inspiration
of　the　great；　good…natured　town。　　They　had　first　come　to　New　York　on
their　wedding　journey；　but　since　that　visit　she　had　always　let　him　go
alone　on　his　business　errands　to　the　East；　these　had　grown　less　and　less
frequent；　and　he　had　not　seen　New　York　for　ten　or　twelve　years。　　He　could
have　waited　as　much　longer；　but　he　liked　her　pleasure　in　the　place；　and
with　the　homesickness　always　lurking　at　his　heart　he　went　about　with　her
to　the　amusements　which　she　frequented；　as　she　said；　to　help　Ellen　take
her　mind　off　herself。　　At　the　play　and　the　opera　he　sat　thinking　of　the
silent；　lonely　house　at　Tuakingum；　dark　among　its　leafless　maples；