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the turmoil-第34节

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you〃



〃Can't you SEE him?〃 Bibbs interrupted; a faint ripple of hilarity in his

voice。  〃If he could understand what you're sayingand if you can imagine his

taking such a notion; he's have had R。 T。 Bloss put up posters all over the

country: 'Read B。 Sheridan。  Read the Poet with a Punch!' No。 It's just as

well he never got theBut what's the use?  I've never written anything worth

printing; and I never shall。〃



〃You could!〃 she said。



〃That's because you've never seen the poor little things I've tried to do。〃



〃You wouldn't let me; but I KNOW you could!  Ah; it's a pity!〃



〃It isn't;〃 said BIBBS; honestly。  〃I never couldbut you're the kindest lady

in this world; Miss Vertrees。〃



She gave him a flashing glance; and it was as kind as he said she was。 〃That

sounds wrong;〃 she said; impulsively。  〃I mean 'Miss Vertrees。' I've thought

of you by your first name ever since I met you。  Wouldn't you rather call me

'Mary'?〃



Bibbs was dazzled; he drew a long; deep breath and did not speak。



〃Wouldn't you?〃 she asked; without a trace of coquetry。



〃If I CAN!〃 he said; in a low voice。



〃Ah; that's very pretty!〃 she laughed。  〃You're such an honest person; it's

pleasant to have you gallant sometimes; by way of variety。〃  She became grave

again immediately。  〃I hear myself laughing as if it were some one else。  It

sounds like laughter on the eve of a great calamity。〃 She got up restlessly;

crossed the room and leaned against the wall; facing him。  〃You've GOT to go

back to that place?〃



He nodded。



〃And the other time you did it〃



〃Just over it;〃 said Bibbs。  〃Two years。  But I don't mind the prospect of a

repetition so much as〃



〃So much as what?〃 she prompted; as he stopped。



Bibbs looked up at her shyly。  〃I want to say it; butbut I come to a dead

balk when I try。  I〃



〃Go on。  Say it; whatever it is;〃 she bade him。  〃You wouldn't know how to say

anything I shouldn't like。〃



〃I doubt if you'd either like or dislike what I want to say;〃 he returned;

moving uncomfortably in his chair and looking at his feethe seemed to feel

awkward; thoroughly。  〃You see; all my lifeuntil I met youif I ever felt

like saying anything; I wrote it instead。  Saying things is a new trick for

me; and thiswell; it's just this:  I used to feel as if I hadn't ever had

any sort of a life at all。  I'd never been of use to anything or anybody; and

I'd never had anything; myself; except a kind of haphazard thinking。  But now

it's differentI'm still of no use to anybody; and I don't see any prospect

of being useful; but I have had something for myself。  I've had a beautiful

and happy experience; and it makes my life seem to beI mean I'm glad I've

lived it!  That's all; it's your letting me be near you sometimes; as you

have; this strange; beautiful; happy little while!〃



He did not once look up; and reached silence; at the end of what he had to

say; with his eyes still awkwardly regarding his feet。  She did not speak; but

a soft rustling of her garments let him know that she had gone back to her

chair again。  The house was still; the shabby old room was so quiet that the

sound of a creaking in the wall seemed sharp and loud。



And yet; when Mary spoke at last; her voice was barely audible。  〃If you think

it has beenhappyto be friends with meyou'd want toto make it last。〃



〃Yes;〃 said Bibbs; as faintly。



〃You'd want to go on being my friend as long as we live; wouldn't you?〃



〃Yes;〃 he gulped。



〃But you make that kind of speech to me because you think it's over。〃



He tried to evade her。  〃Oh; a day…laborer can't come in his overalls〃



〃No;〃 she interrupted; with a sudden sharpness。  〃You said what you did

because you think the shop's going to kill you。〃



〃No; no!〃



〃Yes; you do think that!〃  She rose to her feet again and came and stood

before him。  〃Or you think it's going to send you back to the sanitarium。

Don't deny it; Bibbs。  There!  See how easily I call you that!  You see I'm a

friend; or I couldn't do it。  Well; if you meant what you said and you did

mean it; I know it!you're not going to go back to the sanitarium。  The shop

sha'n't hurt you。  It sha'n't!〃



And now Bibbs looked up。  She stood before him; straight and tall; splendid in

generous strength; her eyes shining and wet。



〃If I mean THAT much to you;〃 she cried; 〃they can't harm you!  Go back to the

shopbut come to me when your day's work is done。  Let the machines crash

their sixty…eight times a minute; but remember each crash that deafens you is

that much nearer the evening and me!〃



He stumbled to his feet。  〃You say〃 he gasped。



〃Every evening; dear Bibbs!〃



He could only stare; bewildered。



〃EVERY evening。  I want you。  They sha'n't hurt you again!〃  And she held out

her hand to him; it was strong and warm in his tremulous clasp。  〃If I could;

I'd go and feed the strips of zinc to the machine with you;〃 she said。  〃But

all day long I'll send my thoughts to you。  You must keep remembering that

your friend stands beside you。  And when the work is done won't the night

make up for the day?〃



Light seemed to glow from her; he was blinded by that radiance of kindness。

But all he could say was; huskily; 〃To think you're there with mestanding

beside the old zinc…eater〃



And they laughed and looked at each other; and at last Bibbs found what it

meant not to be alone in the world。  He had a friend。





When he came into the New House; a few minutes later; he found his father

sitting alone by the library fire。  Bibbs went in and stood before him。 〃I'm

cured; father;〃 he said。  〃When do I go back to the shop?  I'm ready。〃



The desolate and grim old man did not relax。  〃I was sittin' up to give you a

last chance to say something like that。  I reckon it's about time! I just

wanted to see if you'd have manhood enough not to make me take you over there

by the collar。  Last night I made up my mind I'd give you just one more day。

Well; you got to it before I didpretty close to the eleventh hour!  All

right。  Start in to…morrow。  It's the first o' the month。  Think you can get

up in time?〃



〃Six o'clock;〃 Bibbs responded; briskly。  〃And I want to tell youI'm going

in a 'cheerful spirit。'  As you said; I'll go and I'll 'like it'!〃



〃That's YOUR lookout!〃 his father grunted。  〃They'll put you back on the

clippin'…machine。  You get nine dollars a week。〃



〃More than I'm worth; too;〃 said Bibbs; cheerily。  〃That reminds me; I didn't

mean YOU by 'Midas' in that nonsense I'd been writing。  I meant〃



〃Makes a hell of a lot o' difference what you meant!〃



〃I just wanted you to know。  Good night; father。〃



〃G'night!〃



The sound of the young man's footsteps ascending the stairs became inaudible;

and the house was quiet。  But presently; as Sheridan sat staring angrily at

the fire; the shuffling of a pair of slipers could be heard descending; and

Mrs。 Sheridan made her appearance; her oblique expression and the state of her

toilette being those of a person who; after trying unsuccessfully to sleep on

one side; has got up to look for burglars。



〃Papa!〃 she exclaimed; drowsily。  〃Why'n't you go to bed?  It must be goin' on

'leven o'clock!〃



She yawned; and seated herself near him; stretching out her hands to the fire。

〃What's the matter?〃 she asked; sleep and anxiety striving sluggishly with

each other in her voice。  〃I knew you were worried all dinner…time。  You got

something new on your mind besides Jim's bein' taken away like he was。  What's

worryin' you now; papa?〃



〃Nothin'。〃



She jeered feebly。  〃N' tell ME that!  You sat up to see Bibbs; didn't you?〃



〃He starts in at the shop again to…morrow morning;〃 said Sheridan。



〃Just the same as he did before?〃



〃Just pre…CISELY!〃



〃Howhow long you goin' to keep him at it; papa?〃 she asked; timidly。



〃Until he KNOWS something!〃  The unhappy man struck his palms together; then

got to his feet and began to pace the room; as was his wont when he talked。

〃He'll go back to the machine he couldn't learn to tend properly in the six

months he was there; and he'll stick to it till he DOES learn it!  Do you

suppose that lummix ever asked himself WHY I want him to learn it?  No!  And I

ain't a…goin' to tell him; either!  When he went there I had 'em set him on

the simplest machine we gotand he stuck there!  How much prospect would

there be of his learnin' to run the whole business if he can't run the easiest

machine in it?  I sent him there to make him THOROUGH。  And what happened?  He

didn't LIKE it!  That boy's whole life; there's been a settin' up o' something

mulish that's against everything I want him to do。  I don't know what it is;

but it's got to be worked out of him。  Now; labor ain't any more a simple

question than what it was when we were young。  My idea is that; outside o'

union troubles; the man that can manage workin'…in men is t

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