the turmoil-第35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！
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 the man that's been
one himself。 Well； I set Bibbs to learn the men and to learn the business；
and HE set himself to balk on the first job！ That's what he did； and the
balk's lasted close on to three years。 If he balks again I'm just done with
him！ Sometimes I feel like I was pretty near done with everything； anyhow！〃
〃I knew there was something else；〃 said Mrs。 Sheridan； blinking over a yawn。
〃You better let it go till to…morrow and get to bed now'less you'll tell
me？〃
〃Suppose something happened to Roscoe；〃 he said。 〃THEN what'd I have to look
forward to？ THEN what could I depend on to hold things together？ A lummix！
A lummix that hasn't learned how to push a strip o' zinc along a groove！〃
〃Roscoe？〃 she yawned。 〃You needn't worry about Roscoe； papa。 He's the
strongest child we had。 I never did know anybody keep better health than he
does。 I don't believe he's even had a cold in five years。 You better go up
to bed； papa。〃
〃Suppose something DID happen to him； though。 You don't know what it means；
keepin' property together these daysjust keepin' it ALIVE； let alone makin'
it grow the way I do。 I've seen too many estates hacked away in chunks； big
and little。 I tell you when a man dies the wolves come out o' the woods； pack
after pack； to see what they can tear off for themselves； and if that dead
man's chuldern ain't on the job； night and day； everything he built 'll get
carried off。 Carried off？ I've seen a big fortune behave like an ash…barrel
in a cyclonethere wasn't even a dust…heap left to tell where it stood！ I've
seen it； time and again。 My Lord！ when I think o' such things comin' to ME！
It don't seem like I deserved itno man ever tried harder to raise his boys
right than I have。 I planned and planned and planned how to bring 'em up to
be guards to drive the wolves off； and how to be builders to build； and build
bigger。 I tell you this business life is no fool's job nowadaysa man's got
to have eyes in the back of his head。 You hear talk； sometimes； 'd make you
think the millennium had comebut right the next breath you'll hear somebody
hollerin' about 'the great unrest。' You BET there's a 'great unrest'！ There
ain't any man alive smart enough to see what it's goin' to do to us in the
end； nor what day it's got set to bust loose； but it's frothin' and bubblin'
in the boiler。 This country's been fillin' up with it from all over the world
for a good many years； and the old camp…meetin' days are dead and done with。
Church ain't what it used to be。 Nothin's what it used to beeverything's
turned up from the bottom； and the growth is so big the roots stick out in the
air。 There's an awful ruction goin' on； and you got to keep hoppin' if you're
goin' to keep your balance on the top of it。 And the schemers！ They run like
bugs on the bottom of a boardafter any piece o' money they hear is loose。
Fool schemes and crooked schemes； the fool ones are the most and the worst！
You got to FIGHT to keep your money after you've made it。 And the woods are
full o' mighty industrious men that's got only one motto： 'Get the other
fellow's money before he gets yours！' And when a man's built as I have； when
he's built good and strong； and made good things grow and prosperTHOSE are
the fellows that lay for the chance to slide in and sneak the benefit of it
and put their names to it！ And what's the use of my havin' ever been born； if
such a thing as that is goin' to happen？ What's the use of my havin' worked
my life and soul into my business； if it's all goin' to be dispersed and
scattered soon as I'm in the ground？〃
He strode up and down the long room； gesticulatinglittle regarding the
troubled and drowsy figure by the fireside。 His throat rumbled thunderously；
the words came with stormy bitterness。 〃You think this is a time for young
men to be lyin' on beds of ease？ I tell you there never was such a time
before； there never was such opportunity。 The sluggard is despoiled while he
sleepsyes； by George！ if a may lays down they'll eat him before he
wakes！but the live man can build straight up till he touches the sky！ This
is the business man's day； it used to be the soldier's day and the statesman's
day； but this is OURS！ And it ain't a Sunday to go fishin'it's turmoil！
turmoil！and you got to go out and live it and breathe it and MAKE it
yourself； or you'll only be a dead man walkin' around dreamin' you're alive。
And that's what my son Bibbs has been doin' all his life； and what he'd rather
do now than go out and do his part by me。 And if anything happens to
Roscoe〃
〃Oh； do stop worryin' over such nonsense；〃 Mrs。 Sheridan interrupted；
irritated into sharp wakefulness for the moment。 〃There isn't anything goin'
to happen to Roscoe； and you're just tormentin' yourself about nothin'。
Aren't you EVER goin' to bed？〃
Sheridan halted。 〃All right； mamma；〃 he said； with a vast sigh。 〃Let's go
up。〃 And he snapped off the electric light； leaving only the rosy glow of the
fire。
〃Did you speak to Roscoe？〃 she yawned； rising lopsidedly in her drowsiness。
〃Did you mention about what I told you the other evening？〃
〃No。 I will to…morrow。〃
But Roscoe did not come down…town the next day； nor the next； nor did Sheridan
see fit to enter his son's house。 He waited。 Then； on the fourth day of the
month； Roscoe walked into his father's office at nine in the morning； when
Sheridan happened to be alone。
〃They told me down…stairs you'd left word you wanted to see me。〃
〃Sit down；〃 said Sheridan； rising。
Roscoe sat。 His father walked close to him； sniffed suspiciously； and then
walked away； smiling bitterly。 〃Boh！〃 he exclaimed。 〃Still at it！〃
〃Yes；〃 said Roscoe。 〃I've had a couple of drinks this morning。 What about
it？〃
〃I reckon I better adopt some decent young man；〃 his father returned。 〃I'd
bring Bibbs up here and put him in your place if he was fit。 I would！〃
〃Better do it；〃 Roscoe assently； sullenly。
〃When 'd you begin this thing？〃
〃I always did drink a little。 Ever since I grew up； that is。〃
〃Leave that talk out！ You know what I mean。〃
〃Well； I don't know as I ever had too much in office hoursuntil the other
day。〃
Sheridan began cutting。 〃It's a lie。 I've had Ray Wills up from your office。
He didn't want to give you away； but I put the hooks into him； and he came
through。 You were drunk twice before and couldn't work。 You been leavin'
your office for drinks every few hours for the last three weeks。 I been over
your books。 Your office is way behind。 You haven't done any work； to count；
in a month。〃
〃All right；〃 said Roscoe； drooping under the torture。 〃It's all true。〃
〃What you goin' to do about it？〃
Roscoe's head was sunk between his shoulders。 〃I can't stand very much talk
about it； father；〃 he said； pleadingly。
〃No！〃 Sheridan cried。 〃Neither can I！ What do you think it means to ME？〃 He
dropped into the chair at his big desk； groaning。 〃I can't stand to talk
about it any more'n you can to listen； but I'm goin' to find out what's the
matter with you； and I'm goin' to straighten you out！〃
Roscoe shook his head helplessly。
〃You can't straighten me out。〃
〃See here！〃 said Sheridan。 〃Can you go back to your office and stay sober
to…day； while I get my work done； or will I have to hire a couple o' huskies
to follow you around and knock the whiskey out o' your hand if they see you
tryin' to take it？〃
〃You needn't worry about that；〃 said Roscoe； looking up with a faint
resentment。 〃I'm not drinking because I've got a thirst。〃
〃Well； what have you got？〃
〃Nothing。 Nothing you can do anything about。 Nothing； I tell you。〃
〃We'll see about that！〃 said Sheridan； harshly。 〃Now I can't fool with you
to…day； and you get up out o' that chair and get out o' my office。 You bring
your wife to dinner to…morrow。 You didn't come last Sunday but you come
to…morrow。 I'll talk this out with you when the women…folks are workin' the
phonograph； after dinner。 Can you keep sober till then？ You better be sure；
because I'm going to send Abercrombie down to your office every little while；
and he'll let me know。〃
Roscoe paused at the door。 〃You told Abercrombie about it？〃 he asked。
〃TOLD him！〃 And Sheridan laughed hideously。 〃Do you suppose there's an
elevator…boy in the whole dam' building that ain't on to you？〃
Roscoe settled his hat down over his eyes and went out。
〃WHO looks a mustang in the eye？ Changety； chang； chang！ Bash！ Crash！ BANG！〃
So sang Bibbs； his musical gaieties inaudible to his fellow…workmen because of
the noise of the machinery。 He had discovered long ago that the uproar was
rhythmical； and it had been intolerable； but now； on the afternoon of th
