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the turmoil-第19节

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watch againand twenty…five minutes had elapsed since she had  looked at it

before。



She went into the hall; glanced over her shoulder oddly; then she let  herself

softly out of the front door; and went across the street to her  own house。



Roscoe met her upon the threshold; gloomily。  〃Saw you from the window;〃  he

explained。  〃You must find a lot to say to that old lady。〃



〃What old lady?〃



〃Mrs。 Vertrees。  I been waiting for you a long time; and I saw the  daughter

come out; fifteen minutes ago; and post a letter; and then walk  on up the

street。  Don't stand out on the porch;〃 he said; crossly。   〃Come in here。

There's something it's come time I'll have to talk to you  about。  Come in!〃



But as she was moving to obey he glanced across at his father's house and

started。  He lifted his hand to shield his eyes from the setting sun;  staring

fixedly。  〃Something's the matter over there;〃 he muttered; and  then; more

loudly; as alarm came into his voice; he said; 〃What's the  matter over

there?〃



Bibbs dashed out of the gate in an automobile set at its hightest speed;  and

as he saw Roscoe he made a genture singularly eloquent of calamity;  and was

lost at once in a cloud of dust down the street。  Edith had  followed part of

the way down the drive; and it could be seen that she  was crying bitterly。

She lifted both arms to Roscoe; summoning him。



〃By George!〃 gasped Roscoe。  〃I believe somebody's dead!〃



And he started for the New House at a run。





Sheridan had decided to conclude his day's work early that afternoon; and  at

about two o'clock he left his office with a man of affairs from  foreign

parts; who had traveled far for a business conference with  Sheridan and his

colleagues。  Herr Favre; in spite of his French name;  was a gentleman of

Bavaria。  It was his first visit to our country; and  Sheridan took pleasure

in showing him the sights of the country's finest  city。  They got into an

open car at the main entrance of the Sheridan  Building; and were driven

first; slowly and momentously; through the  wholesale district and the retail

district; then more rapidly they  inspected the packing…houses and the

stock…yards; then skirmished over  the 〃park system〃 and 〃boulevards〃; and

after that whizzed through the  〃residence section〃 on their way to the

factories and foundries。



〃All cray;〃 observed Herr Favre; smilingly。



〃'Cray'?〃 echoed Sheridan。  〃I don't know what you mean。 'Cray'?〃



〃No white;〃 said Herr Favre; with a wave of his hand toward the long rows  of

houses on both sides of the street。  〃No white lace window…curtains;  all cray

lace window…curtains。〃



〃Oh。 I see!〃  Sheridan laughed indulgently。  〃You mean 'GRAY。'  No; they

ain't; they're white。  I never saw any gray ones。〃



Herr Favre shook his head; much amused。  〃There are NO white ones;〃 he  said。

〃There is no white ANYTHING in your city; no white  window…curtains; no white

house; no white peeble!〃  He pointed upward。   〃Smoke!〃  Then he sniffed the

air and clasped his nose between forefinger  and thumb。  〃Smoke!  Smoke

ef'rywhere。  Smoke in your insites。〃  He  tapped his chest。  〃Smoke in your

lunks!〃



〃Oh!  SMOKE!〃  Sheridan cried with gusto; drawing in a deep breath and

patently finding it delicious。  〃You BET we got smoke!〃



〃Exbensif!〃 said Herr Favre。  〃Ruins foliage; ruins fabrics。  Maybe in  summer

it iss not so bad; but I wonder your wifes will bear it。〃



Sheridan laughed uproariously。  〃They know it means new spring hats for 'em!〃



〃They must need many; too!〃 said the vistior。  〃New hats; new all things;  but

nothing white。  In Munchen we could not do it; we are a safing peeble。〃



〃Where's that?〃



〃In Munchen。  You say 'Munich。'〃



〃Well; I never been to Munich; but I took in the Mediterranean trip; and  I

tell you; outside o' some right good scenery; all I saw was mighty  dirty and

mighty shiftless and mighty run…down at the heel。  Now comin'  right down TO

it; Mr。 Farver; wouldn't you rather live here in this town  than in Munich?  I

know you got more enterprise up there than the part of  the old country I saw;

and I know YOU'RE a live business man and you're  associated with others like

you; but when it comes to LIVIN' in a place;  wouldn't you heap rather be here

than over there?〃



〃For me;〃 said Herr Favre; 〃no。  Here I should not think I was living。   It

would be like the miner who goes into the mine to work; nothing else。〃



〃We got a good many good citizens here from your part o' the world。  THEY

like it。〃



〃Oh yes。〃  And Herr Favre laughed deprecatingly。  〃The first generation;  they

bring their Germany with them; then; after that; they are Americans;  like

you。〃  He tapped his host's big knee genially。  〃You are patriot; so  are

they。〃



〃Well; I reckon you must be a pretty hot little patriot yourself; Mr。

Farver!〃 Sheridan exclaimed; gaily。  〃You certainly stand up for your own

town; if you stick to sayin' you'd rather live there than you would  here。

Yes; SIR!  You sure are some patriot to say THATafter you've  seen our city!

It ain't reasonable in you; but I must say I kind of  admire you for it; every

man ought to stick up for his own; even when he  sees the other fellow's got

the goods on him。  Yet I expect way down deep  in your heart; Mr。 Farver;

you'd rather live right here than any place  else in the world; if you had

your choice。  Man alive! this is God's  country; Mr。 Farver; and a blind man

couldn't help seein' it!  You  couldn't stand where you do in a business way

and NOT see it。  Soho;  boy!  Here we are。  This is the big works; and I'll

show you something  now that 'll make your eyes stick out!〃



They had arrived at the Pump Works; and for an hour Mr。 Favre was  personally

conducted and personally instructed by the founder and  president; the buzzing

queen bee of those buzzing hives。



〃Now I'll take you for a spin in the country;〃 said Sheridan; when at  last

they came out to the car again。  〃We'll take a breezer。〃  But; with  his foot

on the step; he paused to hail a neat young man who came out of  the office

smiling a greeting。   〃Hello; young fellow!〃 Sheridan said;  heartily。  〃On

the job; are you ; Jimmie?  Ha!  They don't catch you OFF  of it very often; I

guess; though I do hear you go automobile…ridin' in  the country sometimes

with a mighty fine…lookin' girl settin' up beside  you!〃  He roared with

laughter; clapping his son upon the shoulder。   〃That's all right with meif

it is with HER!  So; Jimmie?  Well; when  we goin' to move into your new

warehouses?  Monday?〃



〃Sunday; if you want to;〃 said Jim。



〃No!〃 cried his father; delighted。  〃Don't tell me you're goin' to keep  your

word about dates!  That's no way to do contractin'!  Never heard of  a

contractor yet didn't want more time。〃



〃They'll be all ready for you on the minute;〃 said Jim。  〃I'm going over  both

of 'em now; with Links and Sherman; from foundation to roof。  I  guess they'll

pass inspection; too!〃



〃Well; then; when you get through with that;〃 said his father; 〃you go and

take your girl out ridin'。  By George! you've earned it!  You tell her  you

stand high with ME!〃  He stepped into the car; waving a waggish  farewell; and

when the wheels were in motion again; he turned upon his  companion a broad

face literally shining with pride。  〃That's my boy  Jimmie!〃 he said。



〃Fine young man; yes;〃 said Herr Favre。



〃I got two o' the finest boys;〃 said Sheridan; 〃I got two o' the finest  boys

God ever made; and that's a fact; Mr。 Farver!  Jim's the oldest; and  I tell

you they got to get up the day before if they expect to catch HIM  in bed!  My

other boy; Roscoe; he's always to the good; too; but Jim's a  wizard。  You saw

them two new…process warehouses; just about finished?   Well; JIM built 'em。

I'll tell you about that; Mr。 Farver。〃  And he  recited this history;

describing the new process at length; in fact; he  had such pride in Jim's

achievement that he told Herr Favre all about it  more than once。



〃Fine young man; yes;〃 repeated the good Munchner; three…quarters of an  hour

later。  They were many miles out in the open country by this time。



〃He is that!〃 said Sheridan; adding; as if confidentially: 〃I got a fine

family; Mr。 Farverfine chuldern。  I got a daughter now; you take her  and

put her anywhere you please; and she'll shine up with ANY of 'em。   There's

culture and refinement and society in this town by the car…load;  and here

lately she's been gettin' right in the thick of ither and my

daughter…in…law; both。  I got a mighty fine daughter…in…law; Mr。 Farver。   I'm

goin' to get you up for a meal with us before you leave town; and  you'll

seeand; well; sir; from all I hear the two of 'em been holdin'  their own

with the best。  Myself; I and the wife never had time for much  o' that kind

o' doin's; but it's all right and good for the chuldern; and  my daughter

she

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