Part 14 (1/2)
My father looked at her sharply, almost suspiciously
”How are you here?” he demanded quickly, ”Did not Brutus lock your door?”
”The lock was very rusty,” she answered
”Indeed?” said o did you find it out?”
”Only a lanced at her narrowly, and finally shrugged his shoulders As I look back on it, it was his first mistake
”Then I fear you have not seen arded his remark
”Pray do not be alarlad to see you, but just at present--” he raised his voice to drown the din of the knocker--”just at present your appearance, I fear, is a trifle indiscreet It is not the paper they wish, Mademoiselle It is merely myself, your humble servant, they require But pray calet neither Let in our callers, Brutus”
He took her hand and bowed over it very low, and looked for an instant into her eyes, with a faint hint of curiosity
”And you?” she asked ”You have it still?”
”Temporarily, yes,” he answered ”Show Mademoiselle a chair, my son, over there behind me, where you both can witness the little drama Perhaps it is as well she caotten his days as a house servant Erect and unco toward us by the door
”Mr Penfield!” he called ”Captain Tracy! Captain Brown! Major Proctor!
Mr Lane! Captain Dexter!”
”So,” said Major Proctor, ”you still have your damned party roup before ri, as befitted rity As I watched the at their errand Why should they, of all people have paid this call? There was not one who did not own his shi+ps and counting house, not one as not a leading trader in our seaport In all the years I had known theiven ive one And yet, here they were calling on my father
It was an odd contradiction of the lesson books that of all theThough er, his clothes were hter hand If I had coers, I should have expected kindness and understanding frolance was keener Indeed, there was none who looked entleman There was no ravely polite salute
”This,” said , ”is indeed a pleasure I had hoped for this honor, and yet the years have so often disappointed me that I had only hoped”
Captain Tracy, short and squat, his hands held out in the way old sailors have, as though ready instinctively to grasp some rope or bulwark, thrust a bull neck forward, and peered at my father with little, reddened eyes, opened in wide incredulity
”You what?” he demanded hoarsely
”I said, Captain Tracy, that I hoped,”--and entlemen?”
”No,” said Major Proctor
”I have always noted,” ure The clireed with you”
Major Proctor launched on a savage rejoinder, but Mr Penfield leaned towards him with a whispered admonition
”I take it,” he said to my father, ”that you did not read our letter Youso”
”I a,” said my father, ”and I found your letter--pardon my rudeness--but I ”