the turmoil-第29节
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me； and if she insisted I could have arranged the details with thethe
dealer。〃
〃She thought that it might beannoying for you；〃 Mrs。 Vertrees explained。
〃Really； she planned for you not to know about it until they had
removeduntil after to…morrow； that is； but I decided toto mention it。
You see； she didn't even tell me about it until this morning。 She has
another ides； too； I'm afraid。 It'sit's〃
〃Well？〃 he urged； as she found it difficult to go on。
〃Her other idea isthat is； it wasI think it can be avoided； of courseit
was about her furs。〃
〃No！〃 he exclaimed； quickly。 〃I won't have it！ You must see to that。 I'd
rather not talk to her about it； but you mustn't let her。〃
〃I'll try not；〃 his wife promised。 〃Of course； they're very handsome。〃
〃All the more reason for her to keep them！〃 he returned； irritably。 〃We're
not THAT far gone； I think！〃
〃Perhaps not yet；〃 Mrs。 Vertrees said。 〃She seems to be troubled about
thethe coal matter andabout Tilly。 Of course the piano will take care of
some things like those for a while and〃
〃I don't like it。 I gave her the piano to play on； not to〃
〃You mustn't be distressed about it in ONE way；〃 she said； comfortingly。
〃She arranged with thewith the purchaser that the men will come for it
about half after five in the afternoon。 The days are so short now it's
really quite winter。〃
〃Oh； yes；〃 he agreed； moodily。 〃So far as that goes people have a right to
move a piece of furniture without stirring up the neighbors； I suppose； even
by daylight。 I don't suppose OUR neighbors are paying much attention just
now； though I hear Sheridan was back in his office early the morning after
the funeral。〃
Mrs。 Vertrees made a little sound of commiseration。 〃I don't believe that
was because he wasn't suffering； though。 I'm sure it was only because he
felt his business was so important。 Mary told me he seemed wrapped up in his
son's succeeding； and that was what he bragged about most。 He isn't vulgar
in his boasting； I understand； he doesn't talk a great deal about hishis
actual moneythough there was something about blades of grass that I didn't
comprehend。 I think he meant something about his energybut perhaps not。
No； his bragging usually seemed to be not so much a personal vainglory as
about his family and the greatness of this city。〃
〃'Greatness of this city'！〃 Mr。 Vertrees echoed； with dull bitterness。 〃It's
nothing but a coal…hole！ I suppose it looks 'great' to the man who has the
luck to make it work for him。 I suppose it looks 'great' to any YOUNG man；
too； starting out to make his fortune out of it。 The fellows that get what
they want out of it say it's 'great；' and everybody else gets the habit。 But
you have a different point of view if it's the city that got what it wanted
out of you！ Of course Sheridan says it's 'great'。〃
Mrs。 Vertrees seemed unaware of this unusual outburst。 〃I believe；〃 she
began； timidly； 〃he doesn't boast ofthat is； I understand he has never
seemed so interested in thethe other one。〃
Her husband's face was dark； but at that a heavier shadow fell upon it； he
looked more haggard than before。 〃'The other one'；〃 he repeated； averting
his eyes。 〃You meanyou mean the third sonthe one that was here this
evening？〃
〃Yes； thethe youngest；〃 she returned； her voice so feeble it was almost a
whisper。
And then neither of them spoke for several long minutes。 Nor did either look
at the other during that silence。
At last Mr。 Vertrees contrived to cough； but not convincingly。 〃What
ahwhat was it Mary said about him out in the hall； when she came in this
afternoon？ I heard you asking her something about him； but she answered in
such a low voice I didn'tahhappen to catch it。〃
〃Sheshe didn't say much。 All she said was this： I asked her if she had
enjoyed her walk with him； and she said； 'He's the most wistful creature I've
ever known。'〃
〃Well？〃
〃That was all。 He IS wistful…looking； and so fragilethough he doesn't seem
quite so much so lately。 I was watching Mary from the window when she went
out to…day； and he joined her； and if I hadn't known about him I'd have
thought he had quite an interesting face。〃
〃If you 'hadn't known about him'？ Known what？〃
〃Oh； nothing； of course；〃 she said； hurriedly。 〃Nothing definite； that is。
Mary said decidely； long ago； that he's not at all insane； as we thought at
first。 It's onlywell； of course it IS odd； their attitude about him。 I
suppose it's some nervous trouble that makes himperhaps a little queer at
times； so that he can't apply himself to anythingor perhaps does odd
things。 But； after all； of course； we only have an impression about it。 We
don't knowthat is； positively。 I〃 She paused； then went on： 〃I didn't
know just how to askthat isI didn't mention it to Mary。 I didn'tI〃
The poor lady floundered pitifully； concluding with a mumble。 〃So soon
afterafter thethe shock。〃
〃I don't think I've caught more than a glimpse of him；〃 said Mr。 Vertrees。
〃I wouldn't know him if I saw him； but your impression of him is〃 He broke
off suddenly； springing to his feet in agitation。 〃I can't image heroh；
NO！〃 he gasped。 And he began to pace the floor。 〃A half…witted epileptic！〃
〃No； no！〃 she cried。 〃He may be all right。 We〃
〃Oh； it's horrible！ I can't〃 He threw himself back into his chair again；
sweeping his hands across his face； then letting them fall limply at his
sides。
Mrs。 Vertrees was tremulous。 〃You mustn't give way so；〃 she said； inspired
for once almost to direct discourse。 〃Whatever Mary might think of doing； it
wouldn't be on her own account； it would be on ours。 But if WE
shouldshould consider it； that wouldn't be on OUR own account。 It isn't
because we think of ourselves。〃
〃Oh God； no！〃 he groaned。 〃Not for us！ We can go to the poorhouse； but Mary
can't be a stenographer！〃
Sighing； Mrs。 Vertrees resumed her obliqueness。 〃Of course；〃 she murmured；
〃it all seems very premature； speculating about such things； but I had a
queer sort of feeling that she seemed quite interested inthis 〃 She had
almost said 〃in this one；〃 but checked herself。 〃In this young man。 It's
natural； of course； she is always so strong and well； and he ishe seems to
be； that israther appealing to thethe sympathies。〃
〃Yes！〃 he agreed； bitterly。 〃Precisely。 The sympathies！〃
〃Perhaps；〃 she faltered〃perhaps you might feel easier if I could have a
little talk with some one？〃
〃With whom？〃
〃I had thought ofnot going about it too brusquely； of course； but perhaps
just waiting for his name to be mentioned； if I happened to be talking with
somebody that knew the familyand then I might find a chance to say that I
was sorry to hear he'd been ill so much； and Something of that kind
perhaps？〃
〃You don't know anybody that knows the family。〃
〃Yes。 That iswell； in a way； of course； one OF the family。 That Mrs。
Roscoe Sheridan is not athat is； she's rather a pleasant…faced little
woman； I think； and of course rather ordinary。 I think she is interested
aboutthat is； of course； she'd be anxious to be more intimate with Mary；
naturally。 She's always looking over here from her house； she was looking
out the window this afternoon when Mary went out； I noticedthough I don't
think Mary saw her。 I'm sure she wouldn't think it out of place toto be
frank about matters。 She called the other day； and Mary must rather like
hershe said that evening that the call had done her good。 Don't you think
it might be wise？〃
〃Wise？ I don't know。 I feel the whole matter is impossible。〃
〃Yes； so do I；〃 she returned； promptly。 〃It isn't really a thing we should
be considering seriously； of course。 Still〃
〃I should say not！ But possibly〃
Thus they skirmished up and down the field； but before they turned the lights
out and went up…stairs it was thoroughly understood between them that Mrs。
Vertrees should seek the earliest opportunity to obtain definite information
from Sibyl Sheridan concerning the mental and physical status of Bibbs。 And
if he were subject to attacks of lunacy； the unhappy pair decided to prevent
the sacrifice they supposed their daughter intended to make of herself。
Altogether； if there were spiteful ghosts in the old house that night；
eavesdropping upon the woeful comedy； they must have died anew of laughter！
Mrs。 Vertrees's opportunity occurred the very next afternoon。 Darkness had
fallen； and the piano…movers had come。 They were carrying the piano down the
front steps； and Mrs。 Vertrees was standing in the open doorway behind them；
preparing to withdraw； when she heard a sharp exclamation； and Mrs。 Roscoe
Sheridan； bareheaded； emerged from the shadow into the light of the doorway。
〃Good gracious！〃 she c
