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！
outcast condition with relation to her； he could not think of her without
a smile of wholly disinterested liking。 He did not know； as a； man of
earlier date would have known； all that the little button in the judge's
lapel meant； but he knew that it meant service in the civil war； a
struggle which he vaguely and impersonally revered； though its details
were of much the same dimness for him as those of the Revolution and the
War of 1812。 The modest distrust which had grown upon the bold self…
confidence of Kenton's earlier manhood could not have been more tenderly
and reverently imagined； and Breckon's conjecture of things suffered for
love's sake against sense and conviction in him were his further tribute
to a character which existed； of course； mainly in this conjecture。 It
appeared to him that Kenton was held not only in the subjection to his
wife's； judgment； which befalls； and doubtless becomes； a man after many
years of marriage； but that he was in the actual performance of more than
common renunciation of his judgment in deference to the good woman。 She
in turn； to be sure； offered herself a sacrifice to the whims of the sick
girl； whose worst whim was having no wish that could be ascertained； and
who now； after two days of her mother's devotion； was cast upon her own
resources by the inconstant barometer。 It had become apparent that Miss
Kenton was her father's favorite in a special sense； and that his partial
affection for her was of much older date than her mother's。 Not less
charming than her fondness for her father was the openness with which she
disabled his wisdom because of his partiality to her。
X
When they left the breakfast table the first morning of the rough
weather； Breckon offered to go on deck with Miss Kenton； and put her
where she could see the waves。 That had been her shapeless ambition；
dreamily expressed with reference to some time； as they rose。 Breckon
asked； 〃Why not now？〃 and he promised to place her chair on deck where
she could enjoy the spectacle safe from any seas the boat might ship。
Then she recoiled； and she recoiled the further upon her father's
urgence。 At the foot of the gangway she looked wistfully up the reeling
stairs； and said that she saw her shawl and Lottie's among the others
solemnly swaying from the top railing。 〃Oh； then；〃 Breckon pressed her；
〃you could be made comfortable without the least trouble。〃
〃I ought to go and see how Lottie is getting along；〃 she murmured。
Her father said he would see for her； and on this she explicitly
renounced her ambition of going up。 〃You couldn't do anything；〃 she
said； coldly。
〃If Miss Lottie is very sea…sick she's beyond all earthly aid；〃 Breckon
ventured。 〃She'd better be left to the vain ministrations of the
stewardess。〃
Ellen looked at him in apparent distrust of his piety； if not of his
wisdom。 〃I don't believe I could get up the stairs；〃 she said。
〃Well；〃 he admitted； 〃they're not as steady as landgoing stairs。〃 Her
father discreetly kept silence； and； as no one offered to help her； she
began to climb the crazy steps； with Breckon close behind her in latent
readiness for her fall。
From the top she called down to the judge； 〃Tell momma I will only stay a
minute。〃 But later； tucked into her chair on the lee of the bulkhead；
with Breckon bracing himself against it beside her； she showed no
impatience to return。 〃Are they never higher than that〃 she required of
him； with her wan eyes critically on the infinite procession of the
surges。
〃They must be；〃 Breckon answered； 〃if there's any truth in common report。
I've heard of their running mountains high。 Perhaps they used rather low
mountains to measure them by。 Or the measurements may not have been very
exact。 But common report never leaves much to the imagination。〃
〃That was the way at Niagara；〃 the girl assented； and Breckon obligingly
regretted that he had never been there。 He thought it in good taste that
she should not tell him he ought to go。 She merely said； 〃I was there
once with poppa；〃 and did not press her advantage。 〃Do they think；〃 she
asked； 〃 that it's going to be a very long voyage？〃
〃I haven't been to the smoking…roomthat's where most of the thinking is
done on such points； the ship's officers never seem to know about it
since the weather changed。 Should you mind it greatly？〃
〃I wouldn't care if it never ended；〃 said the girl； with such a note of
dire sincerity that Breckon instantly changed his first mind as to her
words implying a pose。 She took any deeper implication from them in
adding； 〃I didn't know I should like being at sea。〃
〃Well； if you're not sea…sick；〃 be assented； 〃there are not many
pleasanter things in life。〃
She suggested； 〃I suppose I'm not well enough to be sea…sick。〃 Then she
seemed to become aware of something provisional in his attendance； and
she said； 〃You mustn't stay on my account。 I can get down when I want
to。〃
〃Do let me stay；〃 he entreated； 〃unless you'd really rather not；〃 and as
there was no chair immediately attainable； he crouched on the deck beside
hers。
〃It makes me think；〃 she said； and he perceived that she meant the sea；
〃of the cold…white； heavy plunging foam in 'The Dream of Fair Women。'
The words always seemed drenched！〃
〃Ah； Tennyson； yes；〃 said Breckon； with a disposition to smile at the
simple…heartedness of the literary allusion。 〃Do young ladies read
poetry much in Ohio？〃
〃I don't believe they do；〃 she answered。 〃Do they anywhere？〃
〃That's one of the things I should like to know。 Is Tennyson your
favorite poet？〃
〃I don't believe I have any；〃 said Ellen。 〃I used to like Whither； and
Emerson； aid Longfellow； too。〃
〃Used to！ Don't you now？〃
〃I don't read them so much now；〃 and she made a pause； behind which he
fancied her secret lurked。 But he shrank from knowing it if he might。
〃You're all great readers in your family；〃 he suggested； as a polite
diversion。
〃Lottie isn't；〃 she answered； dreamily。 〃She hates it。〃
〃Ah； I referred more particularly to the others；〃 said Breckon； and he
began to laugh； and then checked himself。 〃Your mother； and the judge
and your brother〃
〃Boyne reads about insects；〃 she admitted。
〃He told me of his collection of cocoons。 He seems to be afraid it has
suffered in his absence。〃
〃I'm afraid it has；〃 said Ellen； and then remained silent。
〃There！〃 the young man broke out； pointing seaward。 〃That's rather a
fine one。 Doesn't that realize your idea of something mountains high？
Unless your mountains are very high in Ohio！〃
〃It is grand。 And the gulf between！ But we haven't any in our part。
It's all level。 Do you believe the tenth wave is larger than the rest？〃
〃Why； the difficulty is to know which the tenth wave is； or when to begin
counting。〃
〃Yes；〃 said the girl； and she added； vaguely： 〃I suppose it's like
everything else in that。 We have to make…believe before we can believe
anything。〃
〃Something like an hypothesis certainly seems necessary；〃 Breckon
assented； with a smile for the gravity of their discourse。 〃We shouldn't
have the atomic theory without it。〃 She did not say anything； and he
decided that the atomic theory was beyond the range of her reading。
He tried to be more concrete。 〃We have to make…believe in ourselves
before we can believe； don't we？ And then we sometimes find we are
wrong！〃 He laughed； but she asked； with tragical seriousness：
〃And what ought you to do when you find out you are mistaken in
yourself？〃
〃That's what I'm trying to decide；〃 he replied。 〃Sometimes I feel like
renouncing myself altogether； but usually I give myself another chance。
I dare say if I hadn't been so forbearing I might have agreed with your
sister about my unfitness for the ministry。〃
〃With Lottie？〃
〃She thinks I laugh too much！〃
〃I don't see why a minister shouldn't laugh if he feels like it。 And if
there's something to laugh at。〃
〃Ah； that's just the point！ Is there ever anything to laugh at？ If we
looked closely enough at things； oughtn't we rather to cry？〃 He laughed
in retreat from the serious proposition。 〃But it wouldn't do to try
making each