the turmoil-第24节

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save　whatever　papa　gave　him；　and　put　it　in　the　bank。　　I　　reckon　it　'll　just

about　kill　your　father　to　put　somebody　in　his　place　as　　president　of　the

Realty　Company；　Bibbs。　　I　know　he　can't　move　Roscoe　　over；　he　told　me　last

week　he'd　already　put　as　much　on　Roscoe　as　any　one　　man　could　handle　and　not

go　crazy。　　Oh；　it's　a　pity〃　　She　stopped　to　　wipe　her　eyes。　　〃It's　a　pity

you　didn't　run　more　with　Jim；　Bibbs；　and　　kind　o'　pick　up　his　ways。　　Think

what　it'd　meant　to　papa　now！　You　never　　did　run　with　either　Roscoe　or　Jim　any；

even　before　you　got　sick。　　Of　　course；　you　were　younger；　but　it　always　DID

seem　queerand　you　three　　bein'　brothers　like　that。　　I　don't　believe　I　ever

saw　you　and　Jim　sit　　down　together　for　a　good　talk　in　my　life。〃



〃Mother；　I've　been　away　so　long；〃　Bibbs　returned；　gently。　〃And　since　I　　came

home　I〃



〃Oh；　I　ain't　reproachin'　you；　Bibbs；〃　she　said。　　〃Jim　ain't　been　home　　much　of

an　evening　since　you　got　backwhat　with　his　work　and　callin'　　and　goin'　to

the　theater　and　places；　and　often　not　even　at　the　house　for　　dinner。　　Right

the　evening　before　he　got　hurt　he　had　his　dinner　at　some　　miser'ble　rest'rant

down　by　the　Pump　Works；　he　was　so　set　on　overseein'　　the　night　work　and

gettin'　everything　finished　up　right　to　the　minute　he　　told　papa　he　would。　　I

reckon　you　might　'a'　put　in　more　time　with　Jim　if　　there'd　been　more

opportunity；　Bibbs。　　I　expect　you　feel　almost　as　if　you　　scarcely　really　knew

him　right　well。〃



〃I　suppose　I　really　didn't；　mother。　　He　was　busy；　you　see；　and　I　hadn't　　much

to　say　about　the　things　that　interested　him；　because　I　don't　know　　much　about

them。〃



〃It's　a　pity！　Oh；　it's　a　pity！〃　she　moaned。　　〃And　you'll　have　to　learn　to

know　about　'em　NOW；　Bibbs！　　I　haven't　said　much　to　you；　because　I　felt　it　　was

all　between　your　father　and　you；　but　I　honestly　do　believe　it　will　　just　kill

him　if　he　has　to　have　any　more　trouble　on　top　of　all　this！　　You　　mustn't　LET

him；　Bibbsyou　mustn't！　　You　don't　know　how　he's　grieved　　over　you；　and　now

he　can't　stand　any　morehe　just　can't！　　Whatever　he　　says　for　you　to　do；　you

DO　it；　Bibbs；　you　DO　it！　　I　want　you　to　promise　　me　you　will。〃



〃I　would　if　I　could；〃　he　said；　sorrowfully。



〃No；　no！　　Why　can't　you？〃　she　cried；　clutching　his　arm。　　〃He　wants　you　to　　go

back　to　the　machine…shop　and〃



〃And'like　it！〃　said　Bibbs。



〃Yes；　that's　itto　go　in　a　cheerful　spirit。　　Dr。　Gurney　said　it　　wouldn't

hurt　you　if　you　went　in　a　cheerful　spiritthe　doctor　said　　that　himself；

Bibbs。　　So　why　can't　you　do　it？　　Can't　you　do　that　much　for　　your　father？　　You

ought　to　think　what　he's　done　for　YOU。　　You　got　a　　beautiful　house　to　live　in；

you　got　automobiles　to　ride　in；　you　got　fur　　coats　and　warm　clothes；　you　been

taken　care　of　all　your　life。　　And　you　　don't　KNOW　how　he　worked　for　the　money

to　give　all　these　things　to　you！　　　You　don't　DREAM　what　he　had　to　go　through

and　what　he　risked　when　we　were　　startin'　out　in　life；　and　you　never　WILL

know！　　And　now　this　blow　has　　fallen　on　him　out　of　a　clear　sky；　and　you　make

it　out　to　be　a　hardship　to　　do　like　he　wants　you　to！　　And　all　on　earth　he　asks

is　for　you　to　go　back　　to　the　work　in　a　cheerful　spirit；　so　it　won't　hurt　you！

That's　all　he　　asks。　　Look；　Bibbs；　we're　gettin'　back　near　home；　but　before　we

get　there　　I　want　you　to　promise　me　that　you'll　do　what　he　asks　you　to。

Promise　　me！〃



In　her　earnestness　she　cleared　away　her　black　veil　that　she　might　see　　him

better；　and　it　blew　out　on　the　smoky　wind。　　He　readjusted　it　for　her　　before

he　spoke。



〃I'll　go　back　in　as　cheerful　a　spirit　as　I　can；　mother；〃　he　said。



〃There！〃　she　exclaimed；　satisfied。　　〃That's　a　good　boy！　　That's　all　I　　wanted

you　to　say。〃



〃Don't　give　me　any　credit；〃　he　said；　ruefully。　　〃There　isn't　anything　　else

for　me　to　do。〃



〃Now；　don't　begin　talkin'　THAT　way！〃



〃No；　no；〃　he　soothed　her。　　〃We'll　have　to　begin　to　make　the　spirit　a　　cheerful

one。　　We　may〃　　They　were　turning　into　their　own　driveway　as　　he　spoke；　and

he　glanced　at　the　old　house　next　door。　　Mary　Vertrees　was　　visible　in　the

twilight；　standing　upon　the　front　steps；　bareheaded；　the　　door　open　behind

her。　　She　bowed　gravely。



〃'We　may'what？〃　asked　Mrs。　Sheridan；　with　a　slight　impatience。



〃What　is　it；　mother？〃



〃You　said；　'We　may；'　and　didn't　finish　what　you　were　sayin'。〃



〃Did　I？〃　said　Bibbs；　blankly。　　〃Well；　what　WERE　we　saying？〃



〃Of　all　the　queer　boys！〃　she　cried。　　〃You　always　were。　　Always！　　You　　haven't

forgot　what　you　just　promised　me；　have　you？〃



〃No；〃　he　answered；　as　the　car　stopped。　　〃No；　the　spirit　will　be　as　　cheerful

as　the　flesh　will　let　it；　mother。　　It　won't　do　to　behave　like〃



His　voice　was　low；　and　in　her　movement　to　descend　from　the　car　she　failed　　to

here　his　final　words。



〃Behave　like　who；　Bibbs？〃



〃Nothing。〃



But　she　was　fretful　in　her　grief。　　〃You　said　it　wouldn't　do　to　behave　　like

SOMEBODY。　　Behave　like　WHO？〃



〃It　was　just　nonsense；〃　he　explained；　turning　to　go　in。　　〃An　obscure　　person　I

don't　think　much　of　lately。〃



〃Behave　like　WHO？〃　she　repeated；　and　upon　his　yielding　to　her　petulant

insistence；　she　made　up　her　mind　that　the　only　thing　to　do　was　to　tell　　Dr。

Gurney　about　it。



〃Like　Bildad　the　Shuhite！〃　was　what　Bibbs　said。





The　outward　usualness　of　things　continued　after　dinner。　　It　was　　Sheridan's

custom　to　read　the　evening　paper　beside　the　fire　in　the　　library；　while　his

wife；　sitting　near　by；　either　sewed　（from　old　habit）　　or　allowed　herself　to　be

repeatedly　baffled　by　one　of　the　simpler　forms　　of　solitaire。　　To…night　she

did　neither；　but　sat　in　her　customary　chair；　　gazing　at　the　fire；　while

Sheridan　let　the　unfolded　paper　rest　upon　his　　lap；　though　now　and　then　he

lifted　it；　as　if　to　read；　and　let　it　fall　　back　upon　his　knees　again。　　Bibbs

came　in　noiselessly　and　sat　in　a　　corner；　doing　nothing；　and　from　a

〃reception…room〃　across　the　hall　an　　indistinct　vocal　murmur　became　just

audible　at　intervals。　　Once；　when　　this　murmur　grew　louder；　under　stress　of

some　irrepressible　merriment；　　Edith's　voice　could　be　heard〃Bobby；　aren't

you　awful！〃　and　Sheridan　　glanced　across　at　his　wife　appealingly。



She　rose　at　once　and　went　into　the　〃reception…room〃；　there　was　a　flurry　　of

whispering；　and　the　sound　of　tiptoeing　in　the　hallEdith　and　her　　suitor

changing　quarters　to　a　more　distant　room。　　Mrs。　Sheridan　returned　　to　her

chair　in　the　library。



〃They　won't　bother　you　any　more；　papa；〃　she　said；　in　a　comforting　voice。

〃She　told　me　at　lunch　he'd　'phoned　he　wanted　to　come　up　this　evening；　and　　I

said　I　thought　he'd　better　wait　a　few　days；　but　she　said　she'd　already　　told

him　he　could。〃　　She　paused；　then　added；　rather　guiltily：　〃I　got　kind　　of　a

notion　maybe　Roscoe　don't　like　him　as　much　as　he　used　to。　　Maybe　maybe　you

better　ask　Roscoe；　papa。〃　　And　as　Sheridan　nodded　solemnly；　she　　concluded；　in

haste：　〃Don't　say　I　said　to。　　I　might　be　wrong　about　it；　　anyway。〃



He　nodded　again；　and　they　sat　for　some　time　in　a　silence　which　Mrs。　　Sheridan

broke　with　a　little　sniff；　having　fallen　into　a　reverie　that　　brought　tears。

〃That　Miss　Vertrees　was　a　good　girl；〃　she　said。　　〃SHE　was　　all　right。〃



Her　husband　evidently　had　no　difficulty　in　following　her　train　of　　thought；

for　he　nodded　once　more；　affirmatively。



〃Did　youHow　did　you　fix　it　about　thethe　Realty　Company？〃　she　　faltered。

〃Did　you



He　rose　heavily；　helping　himself　to　his　feet　by　the　arms　of　his　chair。　　　〃I

fixed　it；〃　he　said；　in　a　husky　voice。　　〃I　moved　Cantwell　up；　and　put　　Johnston

in　Cantwell's　place；　and　split　up　Johnston's　work　among　the　four　　men　with

salaries　high　enough　to　take　it。〃　　He　went　to　her；　put　his　hand　　upon　her

shoulder；　and　drew　a　long；　audible；　tremulous　breath。　　〃It's　my　　bedtime；

mamma；　I'm　goin'　up。〃　　He　dropped　the　hand　from　her　shoulder　and　　moved　slowly

away；　but　when　he　reached　the　door　he　stopped　and　spoke　　again；　without

turning　to　look　at　her。　　〃The　Realty　Company　'll　go　right　　on　just　the　same；〃

he　said。　　〃It's　likeit's　like　sand；　mamma。　　It　　puts　me　in　mind　of　chuldern

playin'　in　a　sand…pile。　　One　of　'em　sticks　　his　finger　in　the　sand　and　makes　a

hole；　and　another　of　'em　'll　pat　the　　place　with　his　hand；　and　all　the　little

grains　of　sand　run　in　and　fill　it　　up　and　settle　against　one　another；　and

then；　right　away　it's　flat　on　top　　again；　and　you　can't　tell　there　ever　was　a

hole　there。　　The　Realty　Company　　'll　go　on　all　right；　mamma。　　There　ain't

anything　anywhere；　I　reckon；　　that　wouldn't　go　right　onjust　the　same。〃



And　he　passed　out　slowly　into　the　hall；　then　they　heard　his　heavy　tread　　upon

the　stairs。



Mrs。　Sheridan；　rising　to　follow　him；　turned　a　piteous　face　to　her　son。　　　〃It's

so　forlong；〃　she　said；　chokingly。　　〃That's　the　first　time　he　spoke　　since　he

came　in　the　house　this　evening。　　I　know　it　must　'a'　hurt　him　to　　hear　Edith

laughin'　with　that　Lamhorn。　　She'd　oughtn't　to　let　him　come；　　right　the　very

first　evening　this　w