the turmoil-第27节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！





〃But　you're　not　really　talking　to　me；〃　said　Mary。　　〃You're　just　thinking

aloud。〃



〃No；〃　he　returned；　gravely。　　〃I'm　not　thinking　at　all；　I'm　only　making　　vocal

sounds　because　I　believe　it's　more　mannerly。　　I　seem　to　be　the　　subject　of

what　little　meaning　they　possess；　and　I'd　like　to　change　it；　　but　I　don't　know

how。　　I　haven't　any　experience　in　talking；　and　I　don't　　know　how　to　manage

it。〃



〃You　needn't　change　the　subject　on　my　account；　Mr。　Sheridan；〃　she　said。　　　〃Not

even　if　you　really　talked　about　yourself。〃　　She　turned　her　face　　toward　him　as

she　spoke；　and　Bibbs　caught　his　breath；　he　was　pathetically　　amazed　by　the

look　she　gave　him。　　It　was　a　glowing　look；　warmly　friendly　　and　understanding；

and；　what　almost　shocked　him；　it　was　an　eagerly　　interested　look。　　Bibbs　was

not　accustomed　to　anything　like　that。



〃IyouII'm〃　he　stammered；　and　the　faint　color　in　his　cheeks　　grew

almost　vivid。



She　was　still　looking　at　him；　and　she　saw　the　strange　radiance　that　came　　into

his　face。　　There　was　something　about　him；　too；　that　explained　how　　〃queer〃

many　people　might　think　him；　but　he　did　not　seem　〃queer〃　to　Mary　　Vertrees；　he

seemed　the　most　quaintly　natural　person　she　had　ever　met。



He　waited；　and　became　coherent。　　〃YOU　say　something　now；〃　he　said。　　〃I　　don't

even　belong　in　the　chorus；　and　here　I　am；　trying　to　sing　the　funny　　man's

solo！　　You〃



〃No；〃　she　interrupted。　　〃I'd　rather　play　your　accompaniment。〃



〃I'll　stop　and　listen　to　it；　then。〃



〃Perhaps〃　she　began；　but　after　pausing　thoughtfully　she　made　a　gesture　　with

her　muff；　indicating　a　large　brick　church　which　they　were　　approaching。　　〃Do

you　see　that　church；　Mr。　Sheridan？〃



〃I　suppose　I　could；〃　he　answered　in　simple　truthfulness；　looking　at　her。

〃But　I　don't　want　to。　　Once；　when　I　was　ill；　the　nurse　told　me　I'd　better　　say

anything　that　was　on　my　mind；　and　I　got　the　habit。　　The　other　reason　　I　don't

want　to　see　the　church　is　that　I　have　a　feeling　it's　where　you're　　going；　and

where　I'll　be　sent　back。〃



She　shook　her　head　in　cheery　negation。　　〃Not　unless　you　want　to　be。　　　Would

you　like　to　come　with　me？〃



〃Whywhyyes；〃　he　said。　　〃Anywhere！〃　　And　again　it　was　apparent　　that　he

spoke　in　simple　truthfulness。



〃Then　comeif　you　care　for　organ　music。　　The　organist　is　an　old　friend　　of

mine；　and　sometimes　he　plays　for　me。　　He's　a　dear　old　man。　　He　had　a　　degree

from　Bonn；　and　was　a　professor　afterward；　but　he　gave　up　　everything　for

music。　　That's　he；　waiting　in　the　doorway。　　He　looks　like　　Beethoven；　doesn't

he？　　I　think　he　knows　that；　perhaps；　and　enjoys　it　a　　little。　　I　hope　so。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Bibbs；　as　they　reached　the　church　steps。　　〃I　think　Beethoven

would　like　it；　too。　　It　must　be　pleasant　to　look　like　other　people。〃



〃I　haven't　kept　you？〃　Mary　said　to　the　organist。



〃No；　no；〃　he　answered；　heartily。　　〃I　would　not　mind　so　only　you　should　　shooer

come！〃



〃This　is　Mr。　Sheridan；　Dr。　Kraft。　　He　has　come　to　listen　with　me。〃



The　organist　looked　bluntly　surprised。　　〃Iss　that　SO？〃　he　exclaimed。　　　〃Well；

I　am　glad　if　you　wish　him；　and　if　he　can　stant　my　liddle　playink。　　　He　iss

musician　himself；　then；　of　course。〃



〃No；〃　said　Bibbs；　as　the　three　entered　the　church　together。　　〃II　　played

theI　tried　to　play〃　　Fortunately　he　checked　himself；　he　had　　been　about　to

offer　the　information　that　he　had　failed　to　master　the　　jews'…harp　in　his

boyhood。　　〃No；　I'm　not　a　musician；〃　he　contented　　himself　with　saying。



〃What？〃　Dr。　Kraft's　surprise　increased。　　〃Young　man；　you　are　fortunate！　　　I

play　for　Miss　Vertrees；　she　comes　always　alone。　　You　are　the　first。　　　You　are

the　first　one　EVER！〃



They　had　reached　the　head　of　the　central　aisle；　and　as　the　organist　　finished

speaking　Bibbs　stopped　short；　turning　to　look　at　Mary　Vertrees　　in　a　dazed　way

that　was　not　of　her　preceiving；　for；　though　she　stopped　　as　he　did；　her　gaze

followed　the　organist；　who　was　walking　away　from　　them　toward　the　front　of　the

church；　shaking　his　white　Beethovian　mane　　roguishly。



〃It's　false　pretenses　on　my　part；〃　Bibbs　said。　　〃You　mean　to　be　kind　to　　the

sick；　but　I'm　not　an　invalid　any　more。　　I'm　so　well　I'm　going　back　to　　work　in

a　few　days。　　I'd　better　leave　before　he　begins　to　play；　hadn't　　I？〃



〃No；〃　said　Mary；　beginning　to　walk　forward。　　〃Not　unless　you　don't　like　　great

music。〃



He　followed　her　to　a　seat　about　half…way　up　the　aisle　while　Dr。　Kraft

ascended　to　the　organ。　　It　was　an　enormous　one；　the　procession　of　pipes

ranging　from　long；　starveling　whistles　to　thundering　fat　guns；　they　　covered

all　the　rear　wall　of　the　church；　and　the　organist's　figure；　　reaching　its　high

perch；　looked　like　that　of　some　Lilliputian　magician　　ludicrously　daring　the

attempt　to　conrol　a　monster　certain　to　overwhelm　　him。



〃This　afternoon　some　Handel！〃　he　turned　to　shout。



Mary　nodded。　　〃Will　you　like　that？〃　she　asked　Bibbs。



〃I　don't　know。　　I　never　heard　any　except　'Largo。'　　I　don't　know　anything

about　music。　　I　don't　even　know　how　to　pretend　I　do。　　If　I　knew　enough　　to

pretend；　I　would。〃



〃No；〃　said　Mary；　looking　at　him　and　smiling　faintly；　〃you　wouldn't。〃



She　turned　away　as　a　great　sound　began　to　swim　and　tremble　in　the　air；　　the

hugh　empty　space　of　the　church　filled　with　it；　and　the　two　people　　listening

filled　with　it；　the　universe　seemed　to　fill　and　thrill　with　　it。　　The　two　sat

intensely　still；　the　great　sound　all　round　about　them；　　while　the　church　grew

dusky；　and　only　the　organist's　lamp　made　a　tiny　　star　of　light。　　His　white

head　moved　from　side　to　side　beneath　it　　rhythmically；　or　lunged　and　recovered

with　the　fierceness　of　a　duelist　　thrusting；　but　he　was　magnificently　the

master　of　his　giant；　and　it　sang　　to　his　magic　as　he　bade　it。



Bibbs　was　swept　away　upon　that　mighty　singing。　　Such　a　thing　was　wholly

unknown　to　him；　there　had　been　no　music　in　his　meager　life。　　Unlike　the　　tale；

it　was　the　Princess　Bedrulbudour　who　had　brought　him　to　the　　enchanted　cave；

and　thatfor　Bibbswas　what　made　its　magic　　dazing。　　It　seemed　to　him　a

long；　long　time　since　he　had　been　walking　　home　drearily　from　Dr。　Gurney's

office；　it　seemed　to　him　that　he　had　　set　out　upon　a　happy　journey　since　then；

and　that　he　had　reached　　another　planet；　where　Mary　Vertrees　and　he　sat　alone

together　listening　　to　a　vast　choiring　of　invisible　soldiers　and　holy　angels。

There　were　　armies　of　voices　about　them　singing　praise　and　thanksgiving；　and

yet　　they　were　alone。　　It　was　incredible　that　the　walls　of　the　church　were

not　the　boundaries　of　the　universe；　to　remain　so　for　ever；　incredible　　that

there　was　a　smoky　street　just　yonder；　where　housemaids　were　　bringing　in

evening　papers　from　front　steps　and　where　children　were　　taking　their　last

spins　on　roller…skates　before　being　haled　indoors　for　　dinner。



He　had　a　curious　sense　of　communication　with　his　new　friend。　　He　knew　it

could　not　be　so；　and　yet　he　felt　as　if　all　the　time　he　spoke　to　her；　　saying：

〃You　hear　this　strain？　　You　hear　that　strain？　　You　know　the　dream　　that　these

sounds　bring　to　me？〃　　And　it　seemed　to　him　as　though　she　　answered

continually：　〃I　hear！　　I　hear　that　strain；　and　I　hear　the　new　　one　that　you

are　hearing　now。　　I　know　the　dream　that　these　sounds　bring　　to　you。　　Yes；　yes；

I　hear　it　all！　　We　heartogether！〃



And　though　the　church　grew　so　dim　that　all　was　mysterious　shadow　except　　the

vague　planes　of　the　windows　and　the　organist's　light；　with　the　white　　head

moving　beneath　it；　Bibbs　had　no　consciousness　that　the　girl　sitting　　beside

him　had　grown　shadowy；　he　seemed　to　see　her　as　plainly　as　ever　in　　the

darkness；　though　he　did　not　look　at　her。　　And　all　the　mighty　chanting　　of　the

organ's　multitudinous　voices　that　afternoon　seemed　to　Bibbs　to　be　　chorusing

of　her　and　interpreting　her；　singing　her　thoughts　and　singing　　for　him　the

world　of　humble　gratitude　that　was　in　his　heart　because　she　　was　so　kind　to

him。　　It　all　meant　Mary。





But　when　she　asked　him　what　it　meant；on　their　homeward　way；　he　was　　silent。

They　had　come　a　few　paces　from　the　church　without　speaking；　　walking　slowly。



〃I'll　tell　you　what　it　meant　to　me；〃　she　said；　as　he　did　not　immediately

reply。　　〃Almost　any　music　of　Handel's　always　means　one　thing　above　all　　others

to　me：　courage！　　That's　it。　　It　makes　cowardice　of　whining　seem　so

infinitesimalit　makes　MOST　things　in　our　hustling　little　lives　seem

infinitesimal。〃



〃Yes；〃　he　said。　　〃It　seems　odd；　doesn't　it；　that　people　down…town　are

hurrying　to　trains　and　hanging　to　straps　in　trolley…cars；　weltering　every　　way

to　get　home　and　feed　and　sleep　so　they　can　get　down…town　to…morrow。　　　And　yet

there　isn't　anything　down　there　worth　getting　to。　　They're　like　　servants

drudging　to　keep　the　house　going；　and　believing　the　drudgery　　itself　is　the

great　thing。　　They　make　so　much　noise　and　fuss　and　dirt　　they　forget　that　the

house　was　meant　to　live　in。　　The　housework　has　to　be　　done；　but　the　people　who

do　it　have　been　so　ov