the turmoil-第11节

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a　cheery　outcry：　〃Oh！　I　mustn't　be　calling　him　names！　　If　he's　trying　to　make

Edith　like　him；　I　ought　to　respect　him　as　a　colleague。〃



〃I　don't　understand　a　thing　you're　talking　about；〃　Mrs。　Vertrees　complained。



〃All　the　better！　　Well；　he's　a　bad　lot；　that　Lamhorn　boy；　everybody's　always

known　that；　but　the　Sheridans　don't　know　the　everybodies　that　know。　　He　sat

between　Edith　and　Mrs。　Roscoe　Sheridan。　　SHE'S　like　those　people　you　wondered

about　at　the　theater；　the　last　time　we　wentdressed　in　ball…gowns；　bound　to

show　their　clothes　and　jewels　SOMEwhere！　　She　flatters　the　father；　and　so　did

I；　for　that　matterbut　not　that　way。　　I　treated　him　outrageously！〃



〃Mary！〃



〃That's　what　flattered　him。　　After　dinner　he　made　the　whole　regiment　of　us

follow　him　all　over　the　house；　while　he　lectured　like　a　guide　on　the　Palatine。

He　gave　dimensions　and　costs；　and　the　whole　b'ilin'　of　'em　listened　as　if　they

thought　he　intended　to　make　them　a　present　of　the　house。　　What　he　was　proudest

of　was　the　plumbing　and　that　Bay　of　Naples　panorama　in　the　hall。　　He　made　us

look　at　all　the　plumbingbath…rooms　and　everywhere　elseand　then　he　made　us

look　at　the　Bay　of　Naples。　　He　said　it　was　a　hundred　and　eleven　feet　long；　but

I　think　it's　more。　　And　he　led　us　all　into　the　　ready…made　library　to　see　a

poem　Edith　had　taken　a　prize　with　at　school。　　　They'd　had　it　printed　in　gold

letters　and　framed　in　mother…of…pearl。　　But　the　poem　itself　was　rather　simple

and　wistful　and　nicehe　read　it　to　us；　though　Edith　tried　to　stop　him。　　She

was　modest　about　it；　and　said　she'd　never　written　anything　else。　　And　then；

after　a　while；　Mrs。　Roscoe　Sheridan　asked　me　to　come　across　the　street　to　her

house　with　themher　husband　and　Edith　and　Mr。　Lamhorn　and　Jim　Sheridan〃



Mrs。　Vertrees　was　shocked。　　〃'Jim'！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃Mary；　PLEASE〃



〃Of　course；〃　said　Mary。　　〃I'll　make　it　as　easy　for　you　as　I　can；　mamma。　　Mr。

James　Sheridan；　Junior。　　We　went　over　there；　and　Mrs。　Roscoe　explained　that

'the　men　were　all　dying　for　a　drink；'　though　I　noticed　that　Mr。　Lamhorn　was

the　only　one　near　death's　door　on　that　account。　　Edith　and　Mrs。　Roscoe　said

they　knew　I'd　been　bored　at　the　dinner。　　They　were　objectionably　apologetic

about　it；　and　they　seemed　to　think　NOW　we　were　going　to　have　a　'good　time'　to

make　up　for　it。　　But　I　hadn't　been　bored　at　the　dinner；　I'd　been　amused；　and

the　'good　time'　at　Mrs。　Roscoe's　was　horribly；　horribly　stupid。〃



〃But；　Mary；〃　her　mother　began；　〃isis〃　　And　she　seemed　unable　to　complete

the　question。



〃Never　mind；　mamma。　I'll　say　it。　　Is　Mr。　James　Sheridan；　Junior；　stupid？　　I'm

sure　he's　not　at　all　stupid　about　business。　　OtherwiseOh；　what　right　have　I

to　be　calling　people　'stupid'　because　they're　not　exactly　my　kind？　　On　the　big

dinner…table　they　had　enormous　icing　models　of　the　Sheridan　Building〃



〃Oh；　no！〃　　Mrs。　Vertrees　cried。　　〃Surely　not！〃



〃Yes；　and　two　other　things　of　that　kindI　don't　know　what。　　But；　after　all；　I

wondered　if　they　were　so　bad。　　If　I'd　been　at　a　dinner　at　a　palace　in　Italy；

and　a　relief　or　inscription　on　one　of　the　old　silver　peices　had　referred　to

some　great　deed　or　achievement　of　the　family；　I　shouldn't　have　felt　superior；

I'd　have　thought　it　picturesque　and　statelyI'd　have　been　impressed。　　And

what's　the　real　difference？　　The　icing　is　temporary；　and　that's　much　more

modest；　isn't　it？　　And　why　is　it　vulgar　to　feel　important　more　on　account　of

something　you've　done　yourself　than　because　of　something　one　of　your　ancestors

did？　　Besides；　if　we　go　back　a　few　generations；　we've　all　got　such　hundreds　of

ancestors　it　seems　idiotic　to　go　picking　out　one　or　two　to　be　proud　of

ourselves　about。　　Well；　then；　mamma；　I　managed　not　to　feel　superior　to　Mr。

James　Sheridan；　Junior；　because　he　didn't　see　anything　out　of　place　in　the

Sheridan　Building　in　sugar。〃



Mrs。　Vertrees's　expression　had　lost　none　of　its　anxiety　pending　the　conclusion

of　this　lively　bit　of　analysis；　and　she　shook　her　head　gravely。　　〃My　dear；

dear　child；〃　she　said；　〃it　seems　to　meIt　looksI'm　afraid〃



〃Say　as　much　of　it　as　you　can；　mamma；〃　said　Mary；　encouragingly。　　〃I　can　get

it；　if　you'll　just　give　me　one　key…word。〃



〃Everything　you　say；〃　Mrs。　Vertrees　began；　timidly；　〃seems　to　have　the　air　of

It　is　as　if　you　were　seeking　toto　make　yourself〃



〃Oh；　I　see！　　You　mean　I　sound　as　if　I　were　trying　to　force　myself　to　like

him。〃



〃Not　exactly；　Mary。　　That　wasn't　quite　what　I　meant；〃　said　Mrs。　Vertrees；

speaking　direct　untruth　with　perfect　unconsciousness。　　〃But　you　said　that

that　you　found　the　latter　part　of　the　evening　at　young　Mrs。　Sheridan's

unentertaining〃



〃And　as　Mr。　James　Sheridan　was　there；　and　I　saw　more　of　him　than　at　dinner；

and　had　a　horribly　stupid　time　in　spite　of　that；　you　think　I〃　　And　then　it

was　Mary　who　left　the　deduction　unfinished。



Mrs。　Vertrees　nodded；　and　though　both　the　mother　and　the　daughter　understood；

Mary　felt　it　better　to　make　the　understanding　definite。



〃Well；〃　she　asked；　gravely；　〃is　there　anything　else　I　can　do？　　You　and　papa

don't　want　me　to　do　anything　that　distresses　me；　and　so；　as　this　is　the　only

thing　to　be　done；　it　seems　it's　up　to　me　not　to　let　it　distress　me。　　That's

all　there　is　about　it。　isn't　it？〃



〃But　nothing　MUST　distress　you！〃　the　mother　cried。



〃That's　what　I　say！〃　said　Mary；　cheerfully。　　〃And　so　it　doesn't。　　It's　all

right。〃　　She　rose　and　took　her　cloak　over　her　arm；　as　if　to　go　to　her　own

room。　　But　on　the　way　to　the　door　she　stopped；　and　stood　leaning　against　the

foot　of　the　bed；　contemplating　a　threadbare　rug　at　her　feet。　　〃Mother；　you've

told　me　a　thousand　times　that　it　doesn't　really　matter　whom　a　girl　marries。〃



〃No；　no！〃　Mrs。　Vertrees　protested。　　〃I　never　said　such　a〃



〃No；　not　in　words；　I　mean　what　you　MEANT。　　It's　true；　isn't　it；　that　marriage

really　is　'not　a　bed　of　roses；　but　a　field　of　battle'？　　To　get　right　down　to

it；　a　girl　could　fight　it　out　with　anybody；　couldn't　she？　　One　man　as　well　as

another？〃



〃Oh；　my　dear！　　I'm　sure　your　father　and　I〃



〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　Mary；　indulgently。　　〃I　don't　mean　you　and　papa。　　But　isn't　it

propinquity　that　makes　marriages？　　So　many　people　say　so；　there　must　be

something　in　it。〃



〃Mary；　I　can't　bear　for　you　to　talk　like　that。〃　　And　Mrs。　Vertrees　lifted

pleading　eyes　to　her　daughtereyes　that　begged　to　be　spared。　　〃It　sounds

almost　reckless！〃



Mary　caught　the　appeal；　came　to　her；　and　kissed　her　gaily。　　〃Never　fret；　dear！

I'm　not　likely　to　do　anything　I　don't　want　to　doI've　always　been　too

thorough…going　a　little　pig！　　And　if　it　IS　propinquity　that　does　our　choosing

for　us；　well；　at　least　no　girl　in　the　world　could　ask　for　more　than　THAT！　How

could　there　be　any　more　propinquity　than　the　very　house　next　door？〃



She　gave　her　mother　a　final　kiss　and　went　gaily　all　the　way　to　the　door　this

time；　pausing　for　her　postscript　with　her　hand　on　the　knob。　　〃Oh；　the　one　that

caught　me　looking　in　the　window；　mamma；　the　youngest　one〃



〃Did　he　speak　of　it？〃　Mrs。　Vertrees　asked；　apprehensively。



〃No。　　He　didn't　speak　at　all；　that　I　saw；　to　any　one。　　I　didn't　meet　him。　But

he　isn't　insane；　I'm　sure；　or　if　he　is；　he　has　long　intervals　when　he's　not。

Mr。　James　Sheridan　mentioned　that　he　lived　at　home　when　he　was　'well　enough'；

and　it　may　be　he's　only　an　invalid。　　He　looks　dreadfully　ill；　but　he　has

pleasant　eyes；　and　it　struck　me　that　ifif　one　were　in　the　Sheridan

family〃she　laughed　a　little　ruefully〃he　might　be　interesting　to　talk　to

sometimes；　when　there　was　too　much　stocks　and　bonds。　　I　didn't　see　him　after

dinner。〃



〃There　must　be　something　wrong　with　him；〃　said　Mrs。　Vertrees。　　〃They'd　have

introduced　him　if　there　wasn't。〃



〃I　don't　know。　　He's　been　ill　so　much　and　away　so　muchsometimes　people　like

that　just　don't　seem　to　'count'　in　a　family。　　His　father　spoke　of　sending　him

back　to　a　machine…shop　or　some　sort；　I　suppose　he　meant　when　the　poor　thing

gets　better。　　I　glanced　at　him　just　then；　when　Mr。　Sheridan　mentioned　him；　and

he　happened　to　be　looking　straight　at　me；　and　he　was　pathetic…looking　enough

before　that；　but　the　most　tragic　change　came　over　him。　He　seemed　just　to　die；

right　there　at　the　table！〃



〃You　mean　when　his　father　spoke　of　sending　him　to　the　shop　place？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Mr。　Sheridan　must　be　very　unfeeling。〃



〃No；〃　said　Mary；　thoughtfully；　〃I　don't　think　he　is；　but　he　might　be

uncomprehending；　and　certainly　he's　the　kind　of　man　to　do　anything　he　once

sets　out　to　do。　　But　I　wish　I　hadn't　been　looking　at　that　poor　boy　just　then！

I'm　afraid　I'll　keep　remembering〃



〃I　wouldn't。〃　　Mrs。　Vertrees　smiled　faintly；　and　in　her　smile　there　was　the

remotest　ghost　of　a　genteel　roguishness。　　〃I'd　keep　my　mind　on　pleasanter

things；　Mary。〃



Mary　laughed　and　nodded。　　〃Yes；　indeed！　　Plenty　pleasant　enough；　and　probably；

if　all　were　known；　too　goodeven　for　me！〃



And　when　she　had　gone　Mrs。　Vertrees　drew　a　long　breath；　as　if　a　burden　were