earlderrbiggers.thehousewithoutakey-第12部分

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ve　had　satisfactions。　And　one　of　them　arose　from　that　meeting　on　the　shore　of　Apiang。　It's　long　past　my　bed　hour　…　I　must　say　good　night。〃
　He　moved　away。　John　Quincy　sat　turning　this　horror　over　and　over　in　his　mind。　A　Winterslip　in　the　blackbirding　business！　That　was　pretty。　He　wished　he　was　back　on　Beacon　Street。
　〃Sweet　little　dig　for　me；〃　the　old　lady　was　muttering　indignantly。　〃That　about　the　missionaries　in　Hawaii。　And　he　needn't　be　so　cocky。　If　Dan　Winterslip　dropped　blackbirding；　it　was　only　because　he'd　found　something　more　profitable；　I　fancy。〃　She　stood　up　suddenly。　〃At　last；〃　she　said。
　John　Quincy　rose　and　stood　beside　her。　Far　away　a　faint　yellow　eye　was　winking。　For　a　moment　the　old　lady　did　not　speak。
　〃Well；　that's　that；〃　she　said　finally；　in　a　low　voice。　〃I've　seen　Diamond　Head　again。　Good　night；　my　boy。〃
　〃Good　night；〃　John　Quincy　answered。
　He　stood　alone　by　the　rail。　The　pace　of　the　President　Tyler　was　slowing　perceptibly。　The　moon　came　from　behind　a　cloud；　crept　back　again。　A　sort　of　unholy　calm　was　settling　over　the　hot；　airless；　deep　blue　world。　The　boy　felt　a　strange　restlessness　in　his　heart。
　He　ascended　to　the　boat　deck；　seeking　a　breath　of　air。　There；　in　a　secluded　spot；　he　came　upon　Barbara　and　Jennison　…　and　stopped；　shocked。　His　cousin　was　in　the　man's　arms；　and　their　bizarre　costumes　added　a　weird　touch　to　the　scene。　They　did　not　see　John　Quincy；　for　in　their　world　at　that　moment　there　were　only　two。　Their　lips　were　crushed　together；　fiercely　…
　John　Quincy　fled。　Good　lord！　He　had　kissed　a　girl　or　two　himself；　but　it　had　been　nothing　like　that。
　He　went　to　the　rail　outside　his　stateroom。　Well；　what　of　it？　Barbara　was　nothing　to　him；　a　cousin；　yes；　but　one　who　seemed　to　belong　to　an　alien　race。　He　had　sensed　that　she　was　in　love　with　Jennison；　this　was　no　surprise。　Why　did　he　feel　that　frustrated　pang　deep　in　his　heart？　He　was　engaged　to　Agatha　Parker。
　He　gripped　the　rail；　and　sought　to　see　again　Agatha's　aristocratic　face。　But　it　was　blurred；　indistinct。　All　Boston　was　blurred　in　his　memory。　The　blood　of　the　roaming　Winterslips；　the　blood　that　led　on　to　blackbirding　and　hot　breathless　kisses　in　the　tropic　night　…　was　it　flowing　in　his　veins　too？　Oh；　lord　…　he　should　have　stayed　at　home　where　he　belonged。
　Bowker；　the　steward；　came　along。　〃Well；　here　we　are；〃　he　said。　〃We'll　anchor　in　twelve　fathoms　and　wait　for　the　pilot　and　the　doctor　in　the　morning。　I　heard　they'd　been　having　Kona　weather　out　this　way；　but　I　imagine　this　is　the　tail　end　of　it。　There'll　be　a　moon　shortly；　and　by　dawn　the　old　trades　will　be　on　the　job　again；　God　bless　them。〃
　John　Quincy　did　not　speak。　〃I've　returned　all　your　books；　sir；〃　the　steward　went　on；　〃except　that　one　by　Adams　on　Revolutionary　New　England。　It's　a　mighty　interesting　work。　I　intend　to　finish　it　to…night；　so　I　can　give　it　to　you　before　you　go　ashore。〃
　〃Oh；　that's　all　right；〃　John　Quincy　said。　He　pointed　to　dim　harbor　lights　in　the　distance。　〃Honolulu's　over　there；　I　take　it。〃
　〃Yeah　…　several　miles　away。　A　dead　town；　sir。　They　roll　up　the　sidewalks　at　nine。　And　let　me　give　you　a　tip。　Keep　away　from　the　okolehau。〃
　〃The　what？〃　asked　John　Quincy。
　〃The　okolehau。　A　drink　they　sell　out　here。〃
　〃What's　it　made　of？〃
　〃There；〃　said　Bowker；　〃you　have　the　plot　for　a　big　mystery　story。　What　is　it　made　of？　Judging　by　the　smell；　of　nothing　very　lovely。　A　few　gulps；　and　you　hit　the　ceiling　of　eternity。　But　oh；　boy　…　when　you　drop！　Keep　off　it；　sir。　I'm　speaking　as　one　who　knows。〃
　〃I'll　keep　off　it；〃　John　Quincy　promised。
　Bowker　disappeared。　John　Quincy　remained　by　the　rail；　that　restless　feeling　growing　momentarily。　The　moon　was　hidden　still；　the　ship　crept　along　through　the　muggy　darkness。　He　peered　across　the　black　waters　toward　the　strange　land　that　awaited　him。
　Somewhere　over　there；　Dan　Winterslip　waited　for　him　too。　Dan　Winterslip；　blood　relative　of　the　Boston　Winterslips；　and　ex…blackbirder。　For　the　first　time；　the　boy　wished　he　had　struck　first　in　that　dark　attic　in　San　Francisco；　wished　he　had　got　that　strong　box　and　cast　it　overboard　in　the　night。　Who　could　say　what　new　scandal；　what　fresh　blot　on　the　honored　name　of　Winterslip；　might　have　been　averted　had　he　been　quicker　with　his　fists？
　As　John　Quincy　turned　and　entered　his　cabin；　he　made　a　firm　resolution。　He　would　linger　but　briefly　at　this；　his　journey's　end。　A　few　days　to　get　his　breath；　perhaps；　and　then　he　would　set　out　again　for　Boston。　And　Aunt　Minerva　would　go　with　him；　whether　she　wanted　to　or　not。
　
　CHAPTER　VI　
　Beyond　The　Bamboo　Curtain
　
　HAD　JOHN　QUINCY　been　able　to　see　his　Aunt　Minerva　at　that　moment；　he　would　not　have　been　so　sure　that　he　could　persuade　her　to　fall　in　with　his　plans。　He　would；　indeed；　have　been　profoundly　shocked　at　the　picture　presented　by　his　supposedly　staid　and　dignified　relative。
　For　Miss　Minerva　was　sitting　on　a　grass　mat　in　a　fragrant　garden　in　the　Hawaiian　quarter　of　Honolulu。　Pale　golden　Chinese　lanterns；　inscribed　with　scarlet　letters；　hung　above　her　head。　Her　neck　was　garlanded　with　ropes　of　buff　ginger　blossoms　twined　with　maile。　The　sleepy；　sensuous　music　of　ukulele　and　steel　guitar　rose　on　the　midnight　air　and　before　her；　in　a　cleared　space　under　the　date　palms；　Hawaiian　boys　and　girls　were　performing　a　dance　she　would　not　be　able　to　describe　in　great　detail　when　she　got　back　to　Beacon　Street。
　Miss　Minerva　was；　in　her　quiet　way；　very　happy。　One　of　the　ambitions　of　her　life　had　been　realized；　and　she　was　present　at　a　luau；　or　native　Hawaiian　feast。　Few　white　people　are　privileged　to　attend　this　intimate　ceremony；　but　Honolulu　friends　had　been　invited　on　this　occasion；　and　had　asked　her　to　go　with　them。　At　first　she　had　thought　she　must　refuse；　for　Dan　was　expecting　Barbara　and　John　Quincy　on　Monday　afternoon。　When　on　Monday　evening　he　had　informed　her　that　the　President　Tyler　would　not　land　its　passengers　until　the　next　day；　she　had　hastened　to　the　telephone　and　asked　to　reconsider　her　refusal。
　And　she　was　glad　she　had。　Before　her；　on　another　mat；　lay　the　remnants　of　a　dinner　unique　in　her　experience。　Dan　had　called　her　a　good　sport；　and　she　had　this　evening　proved　him　to　be　correct。　Without　a　qualm　she　had　faced　the　queer　food　wrapped　in　brown　bundles；　she　had　tasted　everything；　poi　served　in　individual　calabashes；　chicken　stewed　in　cocoanut　milk；　squid　and　shrimps；　limu；　or　sea…weed；　even　raw　fish。　She　would　dream　tonight！
　Now　the　feasting　had　given　way　to　the　dance。　The　moonlight　was　tracing　lacy　patterns　on　the　lawn；　the　plaintive　wail　of　the　music　rose　ever　louder；　the　Hawaiian　young　people；　bashful　at　first　in　the　presence　of　strangers；　were　bashful　no　longer。　Miss　Minerva　closed　her　eyes　and　leaned　back　against　the　trunk　of　a　tall　palm。　Even　in　Hawaiian　love　songs　there　is　a　note　of　hopeless　melancholy；　it　touched　her　emotions　as　no　symphony　ever　could。　A　curtain　was　lifted　and　she　was　looking　into　the　past；　the　primitive；　barbaric　past　of　these　Islands　in　the　days　before　the　white　men　came。
　A　long；　heart…breaking　crescendo；　and　the　music　stopped；　the　swaying　bodies　of　the　dancers　were　momentarily　still。　It　seemed　to　Miss　Minerva's　friends　an　opportune　moment　to　depart。　They　entered　the　house　and　in　the　stuffy　little　parlor；　took　leave　of　their　brown；　smiling　host　and　hostess。　The　baby　whose　arrival　in　the　world　was　the　inspiration　for　the　luau　awoke　for　a　second　and　smiled　at　them　too。　Outside　in　the　narrow　street　their　car　was　waiting。
　Through　silent；　deserted　Honolulu　they　motored　toward　Waikiki。　As　they　passed　the　Judiciary　Building　on　King　Street；　the　clock　in　the　tower　struck　the　hour　of　one。　She　had　not　been　out　so　late；　Miss　Minerva　reflected；　since　that　night　when　a　visiting　pany　sang　Parsifal　at　the　Boston　Opera　House。
　The　iron　gates　that　guarded　the　drive　at　Dan's　house　were　closed。　Leaving　the　car　at　the　curb；　Miss　Minerva　bade　her　friends　good　night　and　started　up　the　walk　toward　the　front　door。　The　evening　had　thrilled　her；　and　she　moved　with　the　long　confident　stride　of　youth。　Dan's　scarlet　garden　was　shrouded　in　darkness；　for　the　moon；　which　had　been　playing　an　in…and…out　game　with　the　fast…moving　clouds　all　evening；　was　again　obscured。　Exotic　odors　assailed　her　nostr