the turmoil-第36节

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rhythmical；　and　it　had　been　intolerable；　but　now；　on　the　afternoon　of　the

fourth　day　of　his　return；　he　was　accompanying　the　swing　and　clash　of　the

metals　with　jubilant　vaquero　fragments；　mingling　improvisations　of　his　own

among　them；　and　mocking　the　zinc…eater's　crash　with　vocal　imitations：



Fearless　and　bold；　Chang！　Bash！　Behold！　With　a　leap　from　the　ground　To　the

saddle　in　a　bound；　And　awayand　away！　Hi…YAY！　WHO　looks　a　chang；　chang；　bash；

crash；　bang！　WHO　cares　a　dash　how　you　bash　and　you　crash？　NIGHT'S　on　the　way

EACH　time　I　say；　Hi…YAY！　Crash；　chang！　Bash；　chang！　Chang；　bang；　BANG！



The　long　room　was　ceaselessly　thundering　with　metallic　sound；　the　air　was

thick　with　the　smell　of　oil；　the　floor　trembled　perpetually；　everything　was

implacably　in　motionnowhere　was　there　a　rest　for　the　dizzied　eye。　The　first

time　he　had　entered　the　place　Bibbs　had　become　dizzy　instantly；　and　six　months

of　it　had　only　added　increasing　nausea　to　faintness。　　But　he　felt　neither　now。

〃ALL　DAY　LONG　I'LL　SEND　MY　THOUGHTS　TO　YOU。　　YOU　MUST　KEEP　REMEMBERING　THAT

YOUR　FRIEND　STANDS　BESIDE　YOU。〃　　He　saw　her　there　beside　him；　and　the　greasy；

roaring　place　became　suffused　with　radiance。　　The　poet　was　happy　in　his

machine…shop；　he　was　still　a　poet　there。　　And　he　fed　his　old　zinc…eater；　and

sang：



Awayand　away！　Hi…YAH！　Crash；　bash；　crash；　bash；　CHANG！　Wild　are　his　eyes；

Fiercely　he　dies！　Hi…YAH！　Crash；　bash；　bang！　　Bash；　CHANG！　Ready　to　fling　Our

gloves　in　the　ring



He　was　unaware　of　a　sensation　that　passed　along　the　lines　of　workmen。　Their

great　master　had　come　among　them；　and　they　grinned　to　see　him　standing　with

Dr。　Gurney　behind　the　unconscious　Bibbs。　　Sheridan　nodded　to　those　nearest

himhe　had　personal　acquaintance　with　nearly　all　of　them　but　he　kept　his

attention　upon　his　son。　　Bibbs　worked　steadily；　never　turning　from　his

machine。　　Now　and　then　he　varied　his　musical　programme　with　remarks　addressed

to　the　zinc…eater。



〃Go　on；　you　old　crash…basher！　　Chew　it　up！　　It's　good　for　you；　if　you　don't


try　to　bolt　your　vittles。　　Fletcherize；　you　pig！　　That's　right　YOU'LL　never

get　a　lump　in　your　gizzard。　　Want　some　more？　　Here's　a　nice；　shiny　one。〃



The　words　were　indistinguishable；　but　Sheridan　inclined　his　head　to　Gurney's

ear　and　shouted　fiercely：　〃Talkin'　to　himself！　　By　George！〃



Gurney　laughed　reassuringly；　and　shook　his　head。



Bibbs　returned　to　song：



Chang！　Chang；　bash；　chang！　It's　I！　WHO　looks　a　mustang　in　the　eye？　Fearless

and　bo



His　father　grasped　him　by　the　arm。　　〃Here！〃　he　shouted。　　〃Let　ME　show　you　how

to　run　a　strip　through　there。　　The　foreman　says　you're　some　better'n　you　used

to　be；　but　that's　no　way　to　handleGet　out　the　way　and　let　me　show　you　once。〃



〃Better　be　careful；〃　Bibbs　warned　him；　stepping　to　one　side。



〃Careful？　　Boh！〃　　Sheridan　seized　a　strip　of　zinc　from　the　box。　　〃What　you

talkin'　to　yourself　about？　　Tryin'　to　make　yourself　think　you're　so　abused

you're　goin'　wrong　in　the　head？〃



〃'Abused'？　　No！〃　shouted　Bibbs。　　〃I　was　SINGINGbecause　I　'like　it'！　　I　told

you　I'd　come　back　and　'like　it。'〃



Sheridan　may　not　have　understood。　　At　all　events；　he　made　no　reply；　but　began

to　run　the　strip　of　zinc　through　the　machine。　　He　did　it　awkwardly　and　with

bad　results。



〃Here！〃　he　shouted。　　〃This　is　the　way。　　Watch　how　I　do　it。　　There's　nothin'　to

it；　if　you　put　your　mind　on　it。〃　　By　his　own　showing　then　his　mind　was　not

upon　it。　　He　continued　to　talk。　　〃All　you　got　to　look　out　for　is　to　keep　it

pressed　over　to〃



〃Don't　run　your　hand　up　with　it；〃　Bibbs　vociferated；　leaning　toward　him。



〃Run　nothin'！　　You　GOT　to〃



〃Look　out！〃　shouted　Bibbs　and　Gurney　together；　and　they　both　sprang　forward。

But　Sheridan's　right　hand　had　followed　the　strip　too　far；　and　the　zinc…eater

had　bitten　off　the　tips　of　the　first　and　second　fingers。　He　swore　vehemently；

and　wrung　his　hand；　sending　a　shower　of　red　drops　over　himself　and　Bibbs；　but

Gurney　grasped　his　wrist；　and　said；　sharply：



〃Come　out　of　here。　　Come　over　to　the　lavatory　in　the　office。　　Bibbs；　fetch　my

bag。　　It's　in　my　machine；　outside。〃



And　when　Bibbs　brought　the　bag　to　the　washroom　he　found　the　doctor　still

grasping　Sheridan's　wrist；　holding　the　injured　hand　over　a　basin。　Sheridan　had

lost　color；　and　temper；　too。　　He　glared　over　his　shoulder　at　his　son　as　the

latter　handed　the　bag　to　Gurney。



〃You　go　on　back　to　your　work；〃　he　said。　　〃I've　had　worse　snips　than　that　from

a　pencil…sharpener。〃



〃Oh　no；　you　haven't！〃　said　Gurney。



〃I　have；　too！〃　Sheridan　retorted；　angrily。　　〃Bibbs；　you　go　on　back　to　your

work。　　There's　no　reason　to　stand　around　here　watchin'　ole　Doc　Gurney　tryin'

to　keep　himself　awake　workin'　on　a　scratch　that　only　needs　a　little

court…plaster。　　I　slipped；　or　it　wouldn't　happened。　　You　get　back　on　your

job。〃



〃All　right；〃　said　Bibbs。



〃HERE！〃　　Sheridan　bellowed；　as　his　son　was　passing　out　of　the　door。　　〃You

watch　out　when　you're　runnin'　that　machine！　　You　hear　what　I　say？　　I　slipped；

or　I　wouldn't　got　scratched；　but　youYOU'RE　liable　to　get　your　whole　hand　cut

off！　　You　keep　your　eyes　open！〃



〃Yes；　sir。〃　　And　Bibbs　returned　to　the　zinc…eater　thoughtfully。



Half　an　hour　later；　Gurney　touched　him　on　the　shoulder　and　beckoned　him

outside；　where　conversation　was　possible。　　〃I　sent　him　home；　Bibbs。　　He'll

have　to　be　careful　of　that　hand。　　Go　get　your　overalls　off。　　I'll　take　you　for

a　drive　and　leave　you　at　home。〃



〃Can't；〃　said　Bibbs。　　〃Got　to　stick　to　my　job　till　the　whistle　blows。〃



〃No；　you　don't；〃　the　doctor　returned；　smothering　a　yawn。　　〃He　wants　me　to　take

you　down　to　my　office　and　give　you　an　overhauling　to　see　how　much　harm　these

four　days　on　the　machine　have　done　you。　　I　guess　you　folks　have　got　that　old

man　pretty　thoroughly　upset；　between　you；　up　at　your　house！　But　I　don't　need

to　go　over　you。　　I　can　see　with　my　eyes　half　shut〃



〃Yes；〃　Bibbs　interrupted；　〃that's　what　they　are。〃



〃I　say　I　can　see　you're　starting　out；　at　least；　in　good　shape。　　What's　made

the　difference？〃



〃I　like　the　machine；〃　said　Bibbs。　　〃I've　made　a　friend　of　it。　　I　serenade　it

and　talk　to　it；　and　then　it　talks　back　to　me。〃



〃Indeed；　indeed？　　What　does　it　say？〃



〃What　I　want　to　hear。〃



〃Well；　well！〃　　The　doctor　stretched　himself　and　stamped　his　foot　repeatedly。

〃Better　come　along　and　take　a　drive　with　me。　　You　can　take　the　time　off　that

he　allowed　for　the　examination；　and〃



〃Not　at　all；〃　said　Bibbs。　　〃I'm　going　to　stand　by　my　old　zinc…eater　till　five

o'clock。　　I　tell　you　I　LIKE　it！〃



〃Then　I　suppose　that's　the　end　of　your　wanting　to　write。〃



〃I　don't　know　about　that；〃　Bibbs　said；　thoughtfully；　〃but　the　zinc…eater

doesn't　interfere　with　my　thinking；　at　least。　　It's　better　than　being　in

business；　I'm　sure　of　that。　　I　don't　want　anything　to　change。　　I'd　be　content

to　lead　just　the　life　I'm　leading　now　to　the　end　of　my　days。〃



〃You　do　beat　the　devil！〃　exclaimed　Gurney。　　〃Your　father's　right　when　he　tells

me　you're　a　mystery。　　Perhaps　the　Almighty　knew　what　He　was　doing　when　He　made

you；　but　it　takes　a　lot　of　faith　to　believe　it！　　Well；　I'm　off。　　Go　on　back　to

your　murdering　old　machine。〃　　He　climbed　into　his　car；　which　he　operated

himself；　but　he　refrained　from　setting　it　immediately　in　motion。　　〃Well；　I

rubbed　it　in　on　the　old　man　that　you　had　warned　him　not　to　slide　his　hand

along　too　far；　and　that　he　got　hurt　because　he　didn't　pay　attention　to　your

warning；　and　because　he　was　trying　to　show　you　how　to　do　something　you　were

already　doing　a　great　deal　better　than　he　could。　You　tell　him　I'll　be　around

to　look　at　it　and　change　the　dressing　to…morrow　morning。　　Good…by。〃



But　when　he　paid　the　promised　visit；　the　next　morning；　he　did　more　than　change

the　dressing　upon　the　damaged　hand。　　The　injury　was　severe　of　its　kind；　and

Gurney　spent　a　long　time　over　it；　though　Sheridan　was　rebellious　and　scornful；

being　brought　to　a　degree　of　tractability　only　by　means　of　horrible　threats

and　talk　of　amputation。　　However；　he　appeared　at　the　dinner…table　with　his

hand　supported　in　a　sling；　which　he　seemed　to　regard　as　an　indignity；　while

the　natural　inquiries　upon　the　subject　evidently　struck　him　as　deliberate

insults。　　Mrs。　Sheridan；　having　been　unable　to　contain　her　solicitude　several

times　during　the　day；　and　having　been　checked　each　time　in　a　manner　that

blanched　her　cheek；　hastened　to　warn　Roscoe　and　Sibyl；　upon　their　arrival　at

five；　to　omit　any　reference　to　the　injury　and　to　avoid　even　looking　at　the

sling　if　they　possibly　could。



The　Sheridans　dined　on　Sundays　at　five。　　Sibyl　had　taken　pains　not　to　arrive

either　before　or　after　the　hand　was　precisely　on　the　hour；　and　the　members　of

the　family　were　all　seated　at　the　table　within　two　minutes　after　she　and

Roscoe　had　entered　the　house。



It　was　a　glum　gathering；　overhung　with　portents。　　The　air　seemed　charged；

awaiting　any　tiny　ignition　to　explode；　and　Mrs。　Sheridan's　expressi