the kentons-第38章

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！


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　law　to　his　father。　　He　had
quite　outlived　the　period　of　entomological　research；　and　he　presented　his
collections　of　insects　（somewhat　moth…eaten）　to　his　nephew；　on　whom　he
also　bestowed　his　postage…stamp　album；　Mary　Kenton　accepted　them　in
trust；　the　nephew　being　of　yet　too　tender　years　for　their　care。　　In　the
preoccupations　of　his　immediate　family　with　Ellen's　engagement；　Boyne
became　rather　close　friends　with　his　sister…in…law；　and　there　were　times
when　he　was　tempted　to　submit　to　her　judgment　the　question　whether　the
young　Queen　of　Holland　did　not　really　beckon　to　him　that　day。　　But
pending　the　hour　when　he　foresaw　that　Lottie　should　come　out　with　the
whole　story；　in　some　instant　of　excitement；　Boyne　had　not　quite　the　heart
to　speak　of　his　experience。　　It　assumed　more　and　more　respectability　with
him；　and　lost　that　squalor　which　had　once　put　him　to　shame　while　it　was
yet　new。　　He　thought　that　Mary　might　be　reasoned　into　regarding　him　as
the　hero　of　an　adventure；　but　he　is　still　hesitating　whether　to　confide
in　her。　　In　the　meantime　she　knows　all　about　it。　　Mary　and　Richard　both
approved　of　Ellen's　choice；　though　they　are　somewhat　puzzled　to　make　out
just　what　Mr。　Breckon's　religion　is；　and　what　his　relations　to　his　charge
in　New　York　may　be。　　These　do　not　seem　to　them　quite　pastoral；　and　he
himself　shares　their　uncertainty。　　But　since　his　flock　does　not　include
Mrs。　Rasmith　and　her　daughter；　he　is　content　to　let　the　question　remain
in　abeyance。　　The　Rasmiths　are　settled　in　Rome　with　an　apparent
permanency　which　they　have　not　known　elsewhere　for　a　long　time；　and　they
have　both　joined　in　the　friendliest　kind　of　letter　on　his　marriage　to
their　former　pastor；　if　that　was　what　Breckon　was。　　They　have　professed
to　know　from　the　first　that　he　was　in　love　with　Ellen；　and　that　he　is　in
love　with　her　now　is　the　strong　present　belief　of　his　flock；　if　they　are
a　flock；　and　if　they　may　be　said　to　have　anything　so　positive　as　a　belief
in　regard　to　anything。

Judge　Kenton　has　given　the　Elroys　the　other　corner　of　the　lot；　and　has
supplied　them　the　means　of　building　on　it。　　Mary　and　Lottie　run
diagonally　into　the　home…house　every　day；　and　nothing　keeps　either　from
coming　into　authority　over　the　old　people　except　the　fear　of　each　other
in　which　they　stand。　　The　Kentons　no　longer　make　any　summer　journeys；
but　in　the　winter　they　take　Boyne　and　go　to　see　Ellen　in　New　York。　　They
do　not　stay　so　long　as　Mrs。　Kenton　would　like。　　As　soon　as　they　have
fairly　seen　the　Breckons；　and　have　settled　comfortably　down　in　their
pleasant　house　on　West　Seventy…fourth　Street；　she　detects　him　in　a　secret
habit　of　sighing；　which　she　recognizes　as　the　worst　symptom　of
homesickness；　and　then　she　confides　to　Ellen　that　she　supposes　Mr。　Kenton
will　make　her　go　home　with　him　before　long。　　Ellen　knows　it　is　useless　to
interfere。　　She　even　encourages　her　father's　longings；　so　far　as
indulging　his　clandestine　visits　to　the　seedsman's；　and　she　goes　with　him
to　pick　up　second…hand　books　about　Ohio　in　the　War　at　the　dealers'；　who
remember　the　judge　very　flatteringly。

As　February　draws　on　towards　March　it　becomes　impossible　to　detain
Kenton。　　His　wife　and　son　return　with　him　to　Tuskingum；　where　Lottie　has
seen　to　the　kindling　of　a　good　fire　in　the　furnace　against　their　arrival；
and　has　nearly　come　to　blows　with　Mary　about　provisioning　them　for　the
first　dinner。　　Then　Mrs。　Kenton　owns；　with　a　comfort　which　she　will　not
let　her　husband　see；　that　there　is　no　place　like　home；　and　they　take　up
their　life　in　the　place　where　they　have　been　so　happy　and　so　unhappy。　　He
reads　to　her　a　good　deal　at　night；　and　they　play　a　game　of　checkers
usually　before　they　go　to　bed；　she　still　cheats　without　scruple；　for；　as
she　justly　says；　he　knows　very　well　that　she　cannot　bear　to　be　beaten。

The　colonel；　as　he　is　still　invariably　known　to　his　veterans；　works
pretty　faithfully　at　the　regimental　autobiography；　and　drives　round　the
country；　picking　up　material　among　them；　in　a　buggy　plastered　with　mud。　
He　has　imagined；　since　his　last　visit　to　Breckon；　who　dictates　his
sermons；　if　they　are　sermons；　taking　a　stenographer　with　him；　and　the
young　lady；　who　is　in　deadly　terror　of　the　colonel's　driving；　is　of　the
greatest　use　to　him；　in　the　case　of　veterans　who　will　not　or　cannot　give
down　（as　they　say　in　their　dairy…country　parlance）；　and　has　already
rescued　many　reminiscences　from　perishing　in　their　faltering　memories。　
She　writes　them　out　in　the　judge's　library　when　the　colonel　gets　home；
and　his　wife　sometimes　surprises　Mr。　Kenton　correcting　them　there　at
night　after　she　supposes　he　has　gone　to　bed。

Since　it　has　all　turned　out　for　the　best　concerning　Bittridge；　she　no
longer　has　those　pangs　of　self…reproach　for　Richard's　treatment　of　him
which　she　suffered　while　afraid　that　if　the　fact　came　to　Ellen's
knowledge　it　might　make　her　refuse　Breckon。　　She　does　not　find　her
daughter's　behavior　in　the　matter　so　anomalous　as　it　appears　to　the
judge。

He　is　willing　to　account　for　it　on　the　ground　of　that　inconsistency　whi