the kentons-第43部分

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smiling　round　in　the　morning；　like　butter　wouldn't　melt　in　your　mouths。　
That　seems　to　be　the　Kenton　way。　　Anybody　can　pull　our　noses；　or　get　us
arrested　that　wants　to；　and　we　never　squeak。〃　　She　went　on　a　long　time　to
this　purpose；　Mrs。　Kenton　listening　with　an　air　almost　of　conviction；　and
Ellen　patiently　bearing　it　as　a　right　that　Lottie　had　in　a　matter　where
she　had　been　otherwise　ignored。

The　judge　broke　out；　not　upon　Lottie；　but　upon　his　wife。　　〃Good　heavens；
Sarah；　can't　you　make　the　child　hush？〃

Lottie　answered　for　her　mother；　with　a　crash　of　nerves　and　a　gush　of
furious　tears：　〃Oh；　I've　got　to　hush；　I　suppose。　　It's　always　the　way
when　I'm　trying　to　keep　up　the　dignity　of　the　family。　　I　suppose　it　will
be　cabled　to　America；　and　by　tomorrow　it　will　be　all　over　Tuskingum　how
Boyne　was　made　a　fool　of　and　got　arrested。　　But　I　bet　there's　one　person
in　Tuskingum　that　won't　have　any　remarks　to　make；　and　that's　Bittridge。　
Not；　as　long　as　Dick's　there　he　won't。〃

〃Lottie！〃　　cried　her　mother；　and　her　father　started　towards　her；　while
Ellen　still　sat　patiently　quiet。

〃Oh；　well！〃　　Lottie　submitted。　　〃But　if　Dick　was　here　I　know　this　Trannel
wouldn't　get　off　so　smoothly。　　Dick　would　give　him　a　worse　cowhiding　than
he　did　Bittridge。〃

Half　the　last　word　was　lost　in　the　bang　of　the　door　which　Lottie　slammed
behind　her；　leaving　her　father　and　mother　to　a　silence　which　Ellen　did
not　offer　to　break。　　The　judge　had　no　heart　to　speak；　in　his　dismay；　and
it　was　Mrs。　Kenton　who　took　the　word。

〃Ellen；〃　she　began；　with　compassionate　gentleness；　〃　we　tried　to　keep　it
from　you。　　We　knew　how　you　would　feel。　　But　now　we　have　got　to　tell　you。　
Dick　did　cowhide　him　when　he　got　back　to　Tuskingum。　　Lottie　wrote　out　to
Dick　about　it；　how　Mr。　Bittridge　had　behaved　in　New　York。　　Your　father
and　I　didn't　approve　of　it；　and　Dick　didn't　afterwards；　but；　yes；　he　did
do　it。〃

〃I　knew　it；　momma；〃　said　Ellen；　sadly。

〃You　knew　it！　　How？〃

〃That　other　letter　I　got　when　we　first　cameit　was　from　his　mother。〃

〃Did　she　tell〃

〃Yes。　　It　was　terrible　she　seemed　to　feel　so。　　And　I　was　sorry　for　her。　
I　thought　I　ought　to　answer　it；　and　I　did。　　I　told　her　I　was　sorry；　too。　
I　tried　not　to　blame　Richard。　　I　don't　believe　I　did。　　And　I　tried　not　to
blame　him。　　She　was　feeling　badly　enough　without　that。〃

Her　father　and　mother　looked　at　each　other；　they　did　not　speak；　and　she
asked；　〃Do　you　think　I　oughtn't　to　have　written？〃

Her　father　answered；　a　little　tremulously：　〃You　did　right；　Ellen。　　And　I
am　sure　that　you　did　it　in　just　the　right　way。〃

〃I　tried　to。　　I　thought　I　wouldn't　worry　you　about　it。〃

She　rose；　and　now　her　mother　thought　she　was　going　to　say　that　it　put　an
end　to　everything；　that　she　must　go　back　and　offer　herself　as　a　sacrifice
to　the　injured　Bittridges。　　Her　mind　had　reverted　to　that　moment　on　the
steamer　when　Ellen　told　her　that　nothing　had　reconciled　her　to　what　had
happened　with　Bittridge　but　the　fact　that　all　the　wrong　done　had　been
done　to　themselves；　that　this　freed　her。　　In　her　despair　she　could　not
forbear　asking；　〃What　did　you　write　to　her；　Ellen？〃

〃Nothing。　　I　just　said　that　I　was　very　sorry；　and　that　I　knew　how　she
felt。　　I　don't　remember　exactly。〃

She　went　up　and　kissed　her　mother。　　She　seemed　rather　fatigued　than
distressed；　and　her　father　asked　her。　　〃Are　you　going　to　bed；　my　dear？〃

〃Yes；　I'm　pretty　tired；　and　I　should　think　you　would　be；　too；　poppa。　
I'll　speak　to　poor　Boyne。　　Don't　mind　Lottie。　　I　suppose　she　couldn't
help　saying　it。〃　　She　kissed　her　father；　and　slipped　quietly　into　Boyne's
room；　from　which　they　could　hear　her　passing　on　to　her　own　before　they
ventured　to　say　anything　to　each　other　in　the　hopeful　bewilderment　to
which　she　had　left　them。

〃Well？〃　　said　the　judge。

〃Well？〃　　Mrs。　Kenton　returned；　in　a　note　of　exasperation；　as　if　she　were
not　going　to　let　herself　be　forced　to　the　initiative。

〃I　thought　you　thought〃

〃I　did　think　that。　　Now　I　don't　know　what　to　think。　　We　have　got　to
wait。〃

〃I'm　willing　to　wait　for　Ellen！〃

〃She　seems；〃　said　Mrs。　Kenton；　〃to　have　more　sense　than　both　the　other
children　put　together；　and　I　was　afraid〃

〃She　might　easily　have　more　sense　than　Boyne；　or　Lottie；　either。〃

〃Well；　I　don't　know；〃　Mrs。　Kenton　began。　　But　she　did　not　go　on　to　resent
the　disparagement　which　she　had　invited。　　〃What　I　was　afraid　of　was　her
goodness。　　It　was　her　goodness　that　got　her　into　the　trouble；　to　begin
with。　　If　she　hadn't　been　so　good；　that　fellow　could　never　have　fooled
her　as　he　did。　　She　was　too　innocent。〃

The　judge　could　not　forbear　the　humorous　view。　　〃Perhaps　she's　getting
wickeder；　or　not　so　innocent。　　At　any　rate；　she　doesn't　seem　to　have　been
take　in　by　Trannel。〃

〃He　didn't　pay　any　attention　to　her。　　He　was　all　taken　up　with　Lottie。〃

〃Well；　that　was　lucky。　　Sarah；〃　said　the　judge；　〃do　you　think　he　is　like
Bittridge？〃

〃He's　made　me　think　of　him　all　the　time。〃

〃It's　curious；〃　the　judge　mused。　　〃I　have　always　noticed　how　our　faults
repeat　themselves；　but　I　didn't　suppose　our　fates　would　always　take　the
same　shape；　or　something　like　it。〃　　Mrs。　Kenton　stared　at　him。　　〃When
this　other　one　first　made　up　to　us　on　the　boat　my　heart　went　down。　　I
thought　of　Bittridge　so。〃

〃Mr。　Breckon？〃

〃Yes；　the　same　lightness；　the　same　sort　of　trifling　Didn't　you　notice
it？〃

〃Noyes；　I　noticed　it。　　But　I　wasn't　afraid　for　an　instant。　　I　saw　that
he　was　good。〃

〃Oh！〃

〃What　I'm　afraid　of　now　is　that　Ellen　doesn't　care　anything　about　him。〃

〃He　isn't　wicked　enough？〃

〃I　don't　say　that。　　But　it　would　be　too　much　happiness　to　expect　in　one
short　life。〃

The　judge　could　not　deny　the　reasonableness　of　her　position。　　He　could
only　oppose　it。　　〃Well；　I　don't　think　we've　had　any　more　than　our　share
of　happiness　lately。〃

No　one　except　Boyne　could　have　made　Trannel's　behavior　a　cause　of
quarrel；　but　the　other　Kentons　made　it　a　cause　of　coldness　which　was
quite　as　effective。　　In　Lottie　this　took　the　form　of　something　so　active；
so　positive；　that　it　was　something　more　than　a　mere　absence　of　warmth。　
Before　she　came　clown　to　breakfast　the　next　morning　she　studied　a　stare
in　her　mirror；　and　practised　it　upon　Trannel　so　successfully　when　he　came
up　to　speak　to　her　that　it　must　have　made　him　doubt　whether　he　had　ever
had　her　acquaintance。　　In　his　doubt　he　ventured　to　address　her；　and　then
Lottie　turned　her　back　upon　him　in　a　manner　that　was　perfectly
convincing。　　He　attempted　a　smiling　ease　with　Mrs。　Kenton　and　the　judge；
but　they　shared　neither　his　smile　nor　his　ease；　and　his　jocose　questions
about　the　end　of　yesterday's　adventures；　which　he　had　not　been　privy　to；
did　not　seem　to　appeal　to　the　American　sense　of　humor　in　them。　　Ellen　was
not　with　them；　nor　Boyne；　but　Trannel　was　not　asked　to　take　either　of　the
vacant　places　at　the　table；　even　when　Breckon　took　one　of　them；　after　a
decent　exchange　of　civilities　with　him。　　He　could　only　saunter　away　and
leave　Mrs。　Kenton　to　a　little　pang。

〃Tchk！〃　she　made。　　〃I'm　sorry　for　him！〃

〃So　am　I；〃　said　the　judge。　　〃But　he　will　get　over　itonly　too　soon；　I'm
afraid。　　I　don't　believe　he's　very　sorry　for　himself。〃

They　had　not　advised　with　Breckon；　and　he　did　not　feel　authorized　to　make
any　comment。　　He　seemed　preoccupied；　to　Mrs。　Kenton's　eye；　when　she
turned　it　upon　him　from　Trannel's　discomfited　back；　lessening　in　the
perspective；　and　he　answered　vaguely　to　her　overture　about　his　night's
rest。　　Lottie　never　made　any　conversation　with　Breckon；　and　she　now　left
him　to　himself；　with　some　remnants　of　the　disapproval　which　she　found　on
her　hands　after　crushing　Trannel。　　It　could　not　be　said　that　Breckon　was
aware　of　her　disapproval；　and　the　judge　had　no　apparent　consciousness　of
it。　　He　and　Breckon　tried　to　make　something　of　each　other；　but　failed；
and　it　all　seemed　a　very　defeating　sequel　to　Mrs。　Kenton　after　the
triumphal　glow　of　the　evening　before。　　When　Lottie　rose；　she　went　with
her；　alleging　her　wish　to　see　if　Boyne　had　eaten　his　breakfast。　　She
confessed；　to　Breckon's　kind　inquiry；　that　Boyne　did　not　seem　very　well；
and　that　she　had　made　him　take　his　breakfast　in　his　room；　and　she　did　not
think　it　necessary　to　own；　even　to　so　friendly　a　witness　as　Mr。　Breckon；
that　Boyne　was　ashamed　to　come　down；　and　dreaded　meeting　Trannel　so　much
that　she　was　giving　him　time　to　recover　his　self…respect　and　courage。

As　soon　as　she　and　Lottie　were　gone　Breckon　began；　rather　more　formidably
than　he　liked；　but　helplessly　so：　〃Judge　Kenton；　I　should　be　glad　of　a
few　moments　with　you　onon　an　importanton　a　matter　that　is　important
to　me。〃

〃Well；〃　said　the　judge；　cautiously。　　Whatever　was　coming；　he　wished　to
guard　himself　from　the　mistake　that　he　had　once　so　nearly　fallen　into；
and　that　still　made　him　catch　his　breath　to　think　of。　　〃How　can　I　be　of
use　to　you？〃

〃I　don't　know　that　you　can　be　of　any　useI　don't　know　that　I　ought　to
speak　to　you。　　But　I　thought　you　might　perhaps　save　me　fromsave　my
taking　a　false　step。〃

He　looked　at　Kenton　as　if　he　would　understand；　and　Kenton　supposed　that
he　did。　　He　said；　〃My　daughter　once　mentioned　your　wish　to　talk　with　me。〃

〃Your　daughter？〃　　Breckon　stared　at　him　in　stupefaction。