the turmoil-第40节

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〃Ah；　don't　you　see？〃　he　cried。　　〃I　want　it　to　last　for　a　thousand；　thousand

years；　just　as　it　is！　　You've　made　me　so　rich；　I'm　a　miser。　　I　wouldn't　have

one　thing　differentnothing；　nothing！〃



〃Dear　Bibbs！〃　she　said；　and　laughed　happily。





Bibbs　continued　to　live　in　the　shelter　of　his　dream。　　He　had　told　Edith；　after

his　ineffective　effort　to　be　useful　in　her　affairs；　that　he　had　decided　that

he　was　〃a　member　of　the　family〃；　but　he　appeared　to　have　relapsed　to　the

retired　list　after　that　one　attempt　at　participancyhe　was　far　enough

detached　from　membership　now。　　These　were　turbulent　days　in　the　New　House；　but

Bibbs　had　no　part　whatever　in　the　turbulencehe　seemed　an　absent…minded

stranger；　present　by　accident　and　not　wholly　aware　that　he　was　present。　　He

would　sit；　faintly　smiling　over　pleasant　imaginings　and　dear　reminiscences　of

his　own；　while　battle　raged　between　Edith　and　her　father；　or　while　Sheridan

unloosed　jeremiads　upon　the　sullen　Roscoe；　who　drank　heavily　to　endure　them。

The　happy　dreamer　wandered　into　storm…areas　like　a　somnambulist；　and　wandered

out　again　unawakened。　　He　was　sorry　for　his　father　and　for　Roscoe；　and　for

Edith　and　for　Sibyl；　but　their　sufferings　and　outcries　seemed　far　away。



Sibyl　was　under　Gurney's　care。　　Roscoe　had　sent　for　him　on　Sunday　night；　not

long　after　Bibbs　returned　the　abandoned　wraps；　and　during　the　first　days　of

Sibyl's　illness　the　doctor　found　it　necessary　to　be　with　her　frequently；　and

to　install　a　muscular　nurse。　　And　whether　he　would　or　no；　Gurney　received　from

his　hysterical　patient　a　variety　of　pungent　information　which　would　have

staggered　anybody　but　a　family　physician。　Among　other　things　he　was　given　to

comprehend　the　change　in　Bibbs；　and　why　the　zinc…eater　was　not　putting　a　lump

in　the　operator's　gizzard　as　of　yore。



Sibyl　was　not　deliriousshe　was　a　thin　little　ego　writhing　and　shrieking　in

pain。　　Life　had　hurt　her；　and　had　driven　her　into　hurting　herself；　her

condition　was　only　the　adult's　terrible　exaggeration　of　that　of　a　child　after

a　bad　bruisethere　must　be　screaming　and　telling　mother　all　about　the　hurt

and　how　it　happened。　　Sibyl　babbled　herself　hoarse　when　Gurney　withheld

morphine。　　She　went　from　the　beginning　to　the　end　in　a　breath。　　No　protest

stopped　her；　nothing　stopped　her。



〃You　ought　to　let　me　die！〃　she　wailed。　　〃It's　cruel　not　to　let　me　die！　What

harm　have　I　ever　done　to　anybody　that　you　want　to　keep　me　alive？　Just　look　at

my　life！　　I　only　married　Roscoe　to　get　away　from　home；　and　look　what　that　got

me　into！look　where　I　am　now！　　He　brought　me　to　this　town；　and　what　did　I

have　in　my　life　but　his　FAMILY？　　And　they　didn't　even　know　the　right　crowd！

If　they　had；　it　might　have　been　SOMETHING！　　I　had　nothingnothingnothing　in

the　world！　　I　wanted　to　have　a　good　time　and　how　could　I？　　Where's　any　good

time　among　these　Sheridans？　　They　never　even　had　wine　on　the　table！　　I　thought

I　was　marrying　into　a　rich　family　where　I'd　meet　attractive　people　I'd　read

about；　and　travel；　and　go　to　dancesand；　oh；　my　Lord！　all　I　got　was　these

Sheridans！　　I　did　the　best　I　could；　I　did；　indeed！　　Oh；　I　DID！　　I　just　tried

to　live。　　Every　woman's　got　a　right　to　live；　some　time　in　her　life；　I　guess！

Things　were　just　beginning　to　look　brighterwe'd　moved　up　here；　and　that

frozen　crowd　across　the　street　were　after　Jim　for　their　daughter；　and　they'd

have　started　us　with　the　right　peopleand　then　I　saw　how　Edith　was　getting

him　away　from　me。　　She　did　it；　too！　　She　got　him！　　A　girl　with　money　can　do

that　to　a　married　womanyes；　she　can；　every　time！　　And　what　could　I　do？　　What

can　any　woman　do　in　my　fix？　　I　couldn't　do　ANYTHING　but　try　to　stand　itand　I

couldn't　stand　it！　　I　went　to　that　iciclethat　Vertrees　girland　she　could

have　helped　me　a　little；　and　it　wouldn't　have　hurt　her。　　It　wouldn't　have　done

her　any　harm　to　help　me　THAT　little！　She　treated　me　as　if　I'd　been　dirt　that

she　wouldn't　even　take　the　trouble　to　sweep　out　of　her　house！　　Let　her　WAIT！〃

Sibyl's　voice；　hoarse　from　babbling；　became　no　more　than　a　husky　whisper；

though　she　strove　to　make　it　louder。　　She　struggled　half　upright；　and　the

nurse　restrained　her。　〃I'd　get　up　out　of　this　bed　to　show　her　she　can't　do

such　things　ot　me！　　I　was　absolutely　ladylike；　and　she　walked　out　and　left　me

there　alone！　She'll　SEE！　　She　started　after　Bibbs　before　Jim's　casket　was

fairly　underground；　and　she　thinks　she's　landed　that　poor　loonbut　she'll

see！　She'll　see！　　If　I'm　ever　able　to　walk　across　the　street　again　I'll　show

her　how　to　treat　a　woman　in　trouble　that　comes　to　her　for　help！　　It　wouldn't

have　hurt　her　anyit　wouldn'tit　wouldn't。　　And　Edith　needn't　have　told　what

she　told　Roscoeit　wouldn't　have　hurt　her　to　let　me　alone。　　And　HE　told　her　I

bored　himtelephoning　him　I　wanted　to　see　him。　　He　needn't　have　done　it！　　He

needn'tneedn't〃　　Her　voice　grew　fainter；　for　that　while；　with　exhaustion；

though　she　would　go　over　it　all　again　as　soon　as　her　strength　returned。　　She

lay　panting。　　Then；　seeing　her　husband　standing　disheveled　in　the　doorway；

〃Don't　come　in；　Roscoe；〃　she　murmured。　　〃I　don't　want　to　see　you。〃　　And　as　he

turned　away　she　added；　〃I'm　kind　of　sorry　for　you；　Roscoe。〃



Her　antagonist；　Edith；　was　not　more　coherent　in　her　own　wailings；　and　she　had

the　advantage　of　a　mother　for　listener。　　She　had　also　the　disadvantage　of　a

mother　for　duenna；　and　Mrs。　Sheridan；　under　her　husband's　sharp　tutelage；

proved　an　effective　one。　　Edith　was　reduced　to　telephoning　Lamhorn　from　shops

whenever　she　could　juggle　her　mother　into　a　momentary　distraction　over　a

counter。



Edith　was　incomparably　more　in　love　than　before　Lamhorn's　expulsion。　　Her

whole　being　was　nothing　but　the　determination　to　hurdle　everything　that

separated　her　from　him。　　She　was　in　a　state　that　could　be　altered　by　only　the

lightest　and　most　delicate　diplomacy　of　suggestion；　but　Sheridan；　like　legions

of　other　parents；　intensified　her　passion　and　fed　it　hourly　fuel　by　opposing

to　it　an　intolerable　force。　　He　swore　she　should　cool；　and　thus　set　her　on

fire。



Edith　planned　neatly。　　She　fought　hard；　every　other　evening；　with　her　father；

and　kept　her　bed　between　times　to　let　him　see　what　his　violence　had　done　to

her。　　Then；　when　the　mere　sight　of　her　set　him　to　breathing　fast；　she　said

pitiably　that　she　might　bear　her　trouble　better　if　she　went　away；　it　was

impossible　to　be　in　the　same　town　with　Lamhorn　and　not　think　always　of　him。

Perhaps　in　New　York　she　might　forget　a　little。　　She　had　written　to　a　school

friend；　established　quietly　with　an　aunt　in　apartmentsand　a　month　or　so　of

theaters　and　restaurants　might　bring　peace。　　Sheridan　shouted　with　relief；　he

gave　her　a　copious　cheque；　and　she　left　upon　a　Monday　morning；　wearing　violets

with　her　mourning　and　having　kissed　everybody　good…by　except　Sibyl　and　Bibbs。

She　might　have　kissed　Bibbs；　but　he　failed　to　realize　that　the　day　of　her

departure　had　arrived；　and　was　surprised；　on　returning　from　his　zinc…eater；

that　evening；　to　find　her　gone。　　〃I　suppose　they'll　be　maried　ther；〃　he　said；

casually。



Sheridan；　seated；　warming　his　stockinged　feet　at　the　fire；　jumped　up；　fuming。

〃Either　you　go　out　o'　here；　or　I　will；　Bibbs！〃　he　snorted。　　〃I　don't　want　to

be　in　the　same　room　with　the　particular　kind　of　idiot　you　are！　　She's　through

with　that　riff…raff；　　all　she　needed　was　to　be　kept　away　from　him　a　few　weeks；

and　I　KEPT　her　away；　and　it　did　the　business。　For　Heaven's　sake；　go　on　out　o'

here！〃



Bibbs　obeyed　the　gesture　of　a　hand　still　bandaged。　　And　the　black　silk　sling

was　still　round　Sheridan's　neck；　but　not　word　of　Gurney's　and　no　excruciating

twinge　of　pain　could　keep　Sheridan's　hand　in　the　sling。　　The　wounds；　slight

enough　originally；　had　become　infected　the　first　time　he　had　dislodged　the

bandages；　and　healing　was　long　delayed。　　Sheridan　had　the　habit　of　gesture；　he

could　not　〃take　time　to　remember；〃　he　said；　that　he　must　be　careful；　and　he

had　also　a　curious　indignation　with　his　hurt；　he　refused　to　pay　it　the

compliment　of　admitting　its　existence。



The　Saturday　following　Edith's　departure　Gurney　came　to　the　Sheridan　Building

to　dress　the　wounds　and　to　have　a　talk　with　Sheridan　which　the　doctor　felt　had

become　necessary。　　But　he　was　a　little　before　the　appointed　time　and　was

obliged　to　wait　a　few　minutes　in　an　anteroom　there　was　a　directors'　meeting

of　some　sort　in　Sheridan's　office。　　The　door　was　slightly　ajar；　leaking

cigar…smoke　and　oratory；　the　latter　all　Sheridan's；　and　Gurney　listened。



〃No；　sir；　no；　sir；　no；　sir！〃　he　heard　the　big　voice　rumbling；　and　then；

breaking　into　thunder；　〃I　tell　you　NO！　　Some　o'　you　men　make　me　sick！　You'd

lose　your　confidence　in　Almighty　God　if　a　doodle…bug　flipped　his　hind　leg　at

you！　　You　say　money's　tight　all　over　the　country。　　Well；　what　if　it　is？

There's　no　reason　for　it　to　be　tight；　and　it's　not　goin'　to　keep　OUR　money

tight！　　You're　always　runnin'　to　the　woodshed　to　hide　your　nickels　in　a　crack

because　some　fool　newspaper　says