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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

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