the kentons-第14部分

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that　she's　so　disgusted　with　him　that　she　will　never　look　at　him　again；
and　if　it's　brought　her　to　that　I　should　think　his　kissing　her　the
greatest　blessing　in　the　world　to　us　all。　　Yes；　Ellen！〃

Mrs。　Kenton　hurried　off　at　a　faint　call　from　the　girl's　room；　and　when
she　came　again　she　sat　down　to　a　long　discussion　of　the　situation　with
her　husband；　while　she　slowly　took　down　her　hair　and　prepared　it　for　the
night。　　Her　conclusion；　which　she　made　her　husband's；　was　that　it　was
most　fortunate　they　should　be　sailing　so　soon；　and　that　it　was　the
greatest　pity　they　were　not　sailing　in　the　morning。　　She　wished　him　to
sleep；　whether　she　slept　herself　or　not；　and　she　put　the　most　hopeful
face　possible　upon　the　matter。　　〃One　thing　you　can　rest　assured　of；
Rufus；　and　that　is　that　it's　all　over　with　Ellen。　　She　may　never　speak　to
you　about　him；　and　you　mustn't　ever　mention　him；　but　she　feels　just　as
you　could　wish。　　Does　that　satisfy　you？　　Some　time　I　will　tell　you　all
she　says。〃

〃I　don't　care　to　hear；〃　said　Kenton。　　〃All　I　want　is　for　him　to　keep　away
from　me。　　I　think　if　he　spoke　to　me　I　should　kill　him。〃

〃Rufus！〃

〃I　can't　help　it；　Sarah。　　I　feel　outraged　to　the　bottom　of　my　soul。　　I
could　kill　him。〃

Mrs。　Kenton　turned　her　head　and　looked　steadfastly　at　him　over　her
shoulder。　　〃If　you　strike　him；　if　you　touch　him；　Mr。　Kenton；　you　will
undo　everything　that　the　abominable　wretch　has　done　for　Ellen；　and　you
will　close　my　mouth　and　tie　my　hands。　　Will　you　promise　that　under　no
provocation　whatever　will　you　do　him　the　least　harm？　　I　know　Ellen　better
than　you　do；　and　I　know　that　you　will　make　her　hate　you　unless〃

〃Oh；　I　will　promise。　　You　needn't　be　afraid。　　Lord　help　me！〃　　Kenton
groaned。　　〃I　won't　touch　him。　　But　don't　expect　me　to　speak　to　him。〃

〃No；　I　don't　expect　that。　　He　won't　offer　to　speak　to　you。〃

They　slept；　and　in　the　morning　she　stayed　to　breakfast　with　Ellen　in
their　apartment；　and　let　her　husband　go　down　with　their　younger　children。　
She　could　trust　him　now；　whatever　form　his　further　trial　should　take；　and
he　felt　that　he　was　pledging　himself　to　her　anew；　when　Bittridge　came
hilariously　to　meet　him　in　the　reading…room；　where　he　went　for　a　paper
after　breakfast。

〃Ah；　judge！〃　　said　the　young　man；　gayly。　　〃Hello；　Boyne！〃　　he　added　to
the　boy；　who　had　come　with　his　father；　Lottie　had　gone　directly　up…stairs
from　the　breakfast…room。　　〃I　hope　you're　all　well　this　morning？　　Play　not
too　much　for　Miss　Ellen？〃

Kenton　looked　him　in　the　face　without　answering；　and　then　tried　to　get
away　from　him；　but　Bittridge　followed　him　up；　talking；　and　ignoring　his
silence。

〃It　was　a　splendid　piece；　judge。　　You　must　take　Mrs。　Kenton。　　I　know
you'll　both　like　it。　　I　haven't　ever　seen　Miss　Ellen　so　interested。　　I
hope　the　walk　home　didn't　fatigue　her。　　I　wanted　to　get　a　cab；　but　she
would　walk：　　The　judge　kept　moving　on；　with　his　head　down。　　He　did　not
speak；　and　Bittridge　was　forced　to　notice　his　silence。　　〃Nothing　the
matter；　I　hope；　with　Miss　Ellen；　judge？〃

〃Go　away；〃　said　the　judge；　in　a　low　voice；　fumbling　the　head　of　his
stick。

〃Why；　what's　up？〃　　asked　Bittridge；　and　he　managed　to　get　in　front　of
Kenton　and　stay　him　at　a　point　where　Kenton　could　not　escape。　　It　was　a
corner　of　the　room　to　which　the　old　man　had　aimlessly　tended；　with　no
purpose　but　to　avoid　him：

〃I　wish　you　to　let　me　alone；　sir；〃　said　Kenton　at　last。　　〃I　can't　speak
to　you。〃

〃I　understand　what　you　mean；　judge；〃　said　Bittridge；　with　a　grin；　all　the
more　maddening　because　it　seemed　involuntary。　　〃But　I　can　explain
everything。　　I　just　want　a　few　words　with　you。　　It's　very　important；　it's
life　or　death　with　me；　sir；〃　he　said；　trying　to　look　grave。　　〃Will　you
let　me　go　to　your　rooms　with　you？〃

Kenton　made　no　reply。

Bittridge　began　to　laugh。　　〃Then　let's　sit　down　here；　or　in　the　ladies'
parlor。　　It　won't　take　me　two　minutes　to　make　everything　right。　　If　you
don't　believe　I'm　in　earnest　I　know　you　don't　think　I　am；　but　I　can
assure　youWill　you　let　me　speak　with　you　about　Miss　Ellen？〃

Still　Kenton　did　not　answer；　shutting　his　lips　tight；　and　remembering　his
promise　to　his　wife。

Bittridge　laughed；　as　if　in　amusement　at　what　he　had　done。　　〃Judge；　let
me　say　two　words　to　you　in　private！　　If　you　can't　now；　tell　me　when　you
can。　　We're　going　back　this　evening；　mother　and　I　are；　she　isn't　well；
and　I'm　not　going　to　take　her　to　Washington。　　I　don't　want　to　go　leaving
you　with　the　idea　that　I　wanted　to　insult　Miss　Ellen。　　I　care　too　much
for　her。　　I　want　to　see　you　and　Mrs。　Kenton　about　it。　　I　do；　indeed。　　And
won't　you　let　me　see　you；　somewhere？〃

Kenton　looked　away；　first　to　one　side　and　then　to　another；　and　seemed
stifling。

〃Won't　you　speak　to　me！　　Won't　you　answer　me？　　See　here！　　I'd　get　down　on
my　knees　to　you　if　it　would　do　you　any　good。　　Where　will　you　talk　with
me？〃

〃Nowhere！〃　　shouted　Kenton。　　〃Will　you　go　away；　or　shall　I　strike　you
with　my　stick？〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　think；〃　said　Bittridge；　and　suddenly；　in　the　wantonness　of
his　baffled　effrontery；　he　raised　his　hand　and　rubbed　the　back　of　it　in
the　old　man's　face。

Boyne　Kenton　struck　wildly　at　him；　and　Bittridge　caught　the　boy　by　the
arm　and　flung　him　to　his　knees　on　the　marble　floor。　　The　men　reading　in
the　arm…chairs　about　started　to　their　feet；　a　porter　came　running；　and
took　hold　of　Bittridge。　　〃Do　you　want　an　officer；　Judge　Kenton？〃　he
panted。

〃No；　no！〃　　Kenton　answered；　choking　and　trembling。　　〃Don't　arrest　him。
I　wish　to　go　to　my　rooms；　that's　all。　　Let　him　go。　　Don't　do　anything
about　it。〃

〃I'll　help　you；　judge；〃　said　the　porter。　　〃Take　hold　of　this　fellow；〃　he
said　to　two　other　porters　who　came　up。　　〃Take　him　to　the　desk；　and　tell
the　clerk　he　struck　Judge　Kenton；　but　the　judge　don't　want　him　arrested。〃

Before　Kenton　reached　the　elevator　with　Boyne；　who　was　rubbing　his　knees
and　fighting　back　the　tears；　he　heard　the　clerk's　voice　saying；　formally；
to　the　porters；　〃Baggage　out　of　35　and　37〃　and　adding；　as　mechanically；
to　Bittridge：　〃Your　rooms　are　wanted。　　Get　out　of　them　at　once！〃

It　seemed　the　gathering　of　neighborhood　about　Kenton；　where　he　had　felt
himself　so　unfriended；　against　the　outrage　done　him；　and　he　felt　the
sweetness　of　being　personally　championed　in　a　place　where　he　had　thought
himself　valued　merely　for　the　profit　that　was　in　him；　his　eyes　filled；
and　his　voice　failed　him　in　thanking　the　elevator…boy　for　running　before
him　to　ring　the　bell　of　his　apartment。




VIII。

The　next　day；　in　Tuskingum；　Richard；　Kenton　found　among　the　letters　of
his　last　mail　one　which　he　easily　knew　to　be　from　his　sister　Lottie；　by
the　tightly　curled…up　handwriting；　and　by　the　unliterary　look　of　the
slanted　and　huddled　address　of　the　envelope：　The　only　doubt　he　could　have
felt　in　opening　it　was　from　the　unwonted　length　at　which　she　had　written
him；　Lottie　usually　practised　a　laconic　brevity　in　her　notes；　which　were
suited　to　the　poverty　of　her　written　vocabulary　rather　than　the　affluence
of　her　spoken　word。

　　　　　〃Dear　Dick〃　＇her　letter　ran；　tripping　and　stumbling　in　its　course＇；
　　　　　〃I　have　got　to　tell　you　about　something　that　has　just　happened　here；
　　　　　and　you　needent　laugh　at　the　speling；　or　the　way　I　tell　it；　but　just
　　　　　pay　attention　to　the　thing　itself；　if　you　please。　　That　disgusting
　　　　　Bittridge　has　been　here　with　his　horrid　wiggy　old　mother；　and　momma
　　　　　let　him　take　Ellen　to　the　theatre。　　On　the　way　home　he　tried　to　make
　　　　　her　promise　she　would　marry　him　and　at　the　door　he　kissed　her。　　They
　　　　　had　an　awful　night　with　her　hiseterics；　and　I　heard　momma　going　in
　　　　　and　out；　and　trying　to　comfort　her　till　daylight；　nearly。　　In　the
　　　　　morning　I　went　down　with　poppy　and　Boyne　to　breakfast；　and　after　I
　　　　　came　up；　father　went　to　the　reading…room　to　get　a　paper；　and　that
　　　　　Bittridge　was　there　waiting　for　him；　and　wanted　to　speak　with　him
　　　　　about　Ellen。　　Poppa　wouldent　say　a　word　to　him；　and　he　kept
　　　　　following　poppa　up；　to　make　him。　　Boyne　says　be　wouldent　take　no　for
　　　　　an　ansir；　and　hung　on　and　hungon；　till　poppa　threatened　to　hitt　him
　　　　　with　his　cane。　　Then　he　saw　it　was　no　use；　and　he　took　his　hand　and
　　　　　rubbed　it　in　poppa's　face；　and　Boyne　believes　he　was　trying　to　pull
　　　　　poppa's　nose。　　Boyne　acted　like　I　would　have　done；　he　pounded
　　　　　Bittridge　in　the　back；　but　of　course　Bittridge　was　too　strong　for
　　　　　him；　and　threw　him　on　the　floor；　and　Boyne　scraped　his　knee　so　that
　　　　　it　bledd。　　Then　the　porters　came　up；　and　caught　Bittridge；　and
　　　　　wanted　to　send　for　a　policeman；　but　father　wouldent　let　them；　and
　　　　　the　porters　took　Bittridge　to　the　desk　and　the　clerk　told　him　to　get
　　　　　out　instantly　and　they　left　as　soon　as　old　Wiggy　could　get　her
　　　　　things　on。　　I　don't　know　where　they　went；　but　he　told　poppa　they
　　　　　were　going　home　to…day　any　way。　　Now；　Dick；　I　don't　know　what　you
　　　　　will　want　to　do；　and　I　am　not　going　to　put　you　up　to　anything；　but　I
　　　　　know　what　I　would　do；　pretty　well；　the　first　time　Bittridge　showed
　　　　　himself　in　Tuskingum。　　You　can　do　just　as　you　please；　and　I　don't
　　　　　ask　you　to　believe　me　if　you're　think　I'm　so　exciteable　that　I　cant
　　　　　tell　the　truth。　　I　guess　Boyn