the turmoil-第41节

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because　some　fool　newspaper　says　the　market's　a　little　skeery！　　You　listen　to

every　street…corner　croaker　and　then　come　and　set　here　and　try　to　scare　ME　out

of　a　big　thing！　　We're　IN　on　this　understand？　　I　tell　you　there　never　WAS

better　times。　　These　are　good　times　and　big　times；　and　I　won't　stand　for　any

other　kind　o'　talk。　　This　country's　on　its　feet　as　it　never　was　before；　and

this　city's　on　its　feet　and　goin'　to　stay　there！〃　　And　Gurney　heard　a　series

of　whacks　and　thumps　upon　the　desk。　　〃'Bad　times'！〃　Sheridan　vociferated；　with

accompanying　thumps。　　〃Rabbit　talk！　　These　times　are　glorious；　I　tell　you！

We're　in　the　promised　land；　and　we're　goin'　to　STAY　there！　　That's　all；

gentlemen。　The　loan　goes！〃



The　directors　came　forth；　flushed　and　murmurous；　and　Gurney　hastened　in。　His

guess　was　correct：　　Sheridan　had　been　thumping　the　desk　with　his　right　hand。

The　physician　scolded　wearily；　making　good　the　fresh　damage　as　best　he　might；

and　then　he　said　what　he　had　to　say　on　the　subject　of　Roscoe　and　Sibyl；　his

opinion　meeting；　as　he　expected；　a　warmly　hostile　reception。　But　the　result　of

this　conversation　was　that　by　telephonic　command　Roscoe　awaited　his　father；　an

hour　later；　in　the　library　at　the　New　House。



〃Gurney　says　your　wife's　able　to　travel；〃　Sheridan　said　brusquely；　as　he　came

in。



〃Yes。〃　　Roscoe　occupied　a　deep　chair　and　sat　in　the　dejected　attitude　which

had　become　his　habit。　　〃Yes；　she　is。〃



〃Edith　had　to　leave　town；　and　so　Sibyl　thinks　she'll　have　to；　too！〃



〃Oh；　I　wouldn't　put　it　that　way；〃　Roscoe　protested；　drearily。



〃No；　I　hear　YOU　wouldn't！〃　　There　was　a　bitter　gibe　in　the　father's　voice；　and

he　added：　〃It's　a　good　thing　she's　goin'　abroadif　she'll　stay　there。　　I

shouldn't　think　any　of　us　want　her　here　any　moreyou　least　of　all！〃



〃It's　no　use　your　talking　that　way；〃　said　Roscoe。　　〃You　won't　do　any　good。〃



〃Well；　when　are　you　comin'　back　to　your　office？〃　　Sheridan　used　a　brisker；

kinder　tone。　　〃Three　weeks　since　you　showed　up　there　at　all。　　When　you　goin'

to　be　ready　to　cut　out　whiskey　and　all　the　rest　o'　the　foolishness　and　start

in　again？　　You　ought　to　be　able　to　make　up　for　a　lot　o'　lost　time　and　a　lot　o'

spilt　milk　when　that　woman　takes　herself　out　o'　the　way　and　lets　you　and　all

the　rest　of　us　alone。〃



〃It's　no　use；　father；　I　tell　you。　　I　know　what　Gurney　was　going　to　say　to　you。

I'm　not　going　back　to　the　office。　　I'm　DONE！〃



〃Wait　a　minute　before　you　talk　that　way！〃　　Sheridan　began　his　sentry…go　up　and

down　the　room。　　〃I　suppose　you　know　it's　taken　two　pretty　good　men　about

sixteen　hours　a　day　to　set　things　straight　and　get　'em　runnin'　right　again；

down　in　your　office？〃



〃They　must　be　good　men。〃　　Roscoe　nodded　indifferently。　　〃I　thought　I　was　doing

about　eight　men's　work。　　I'm　glad　you　found　two　that　could　handle　it。〃



〃Look　here！　　If　I　worked　you　it　was　for　your　own　good。　　There　are　plenty　men

drive　harder　'n　I　do；　and〃



〃Yes。　　There　are　some　that　break　down　all　the　other　men　that　work　with　'em。

They　either　die；　or　go　crazy；　or　have　to　quit；　and　are　no　use　the　rest　of

their　lives。　　The　last's　my　case；　I　guess'complicated　by　domestic

difficulties'！〃



〃You　set　there　and　tell　me　you　give　up？〃　Sheridan's　voice　shook；　and　so　did

the　gesticulating　hand　which　he　extended　appealingly　toward　the　despondent

figure。　　〃Don't　do　it；　Roscoe！　　Don't　say　it！　　Say　you'll　come　down　there

again　and　be　a　man！　　This　woman　ain't　goin'　to　trouble　you　any　more。　　The　work

ain't　goin'　to　hurt　you　if　you　haven't　got　her　to　worry　you；　and　you　can　get

shut　o'　this　nasty　whiskey…guzzlin'；　it　ain't　fastened　on　you　yet。　　Don't

say〃



〃It's　no　use　on　earth；〃　Roscoe　mumbled。　　〃No　use　on　earth。〃



〃Look　here！　　If　you　want　another　month's　vacation〃



〃I　know　Gurney　told　you；　so　what's　the　use　talking　about　'vacations'？〃



〃Gurney！〃　　Sheridan　vociferated　the　name　savagely。　　〃It's　Gurney；　Gurney；

Gurney！　　Always　Gurney！　　I　don't　know　what　the　world's　comin'　to　with

everybody　runnin'　around　squealin'；　'The　doctor　says　this；'　and；　'The　doctor

says　that'！　　It　makes　me　sick！　　How's　this　country　expect　to　get　its　Work　done

if　Gurney　and　all　the　other　old　nanny…goats　keep　up　this　blattin''Oh；　oh！

Don't　lift　that　stick　o'　wood；　you'll　ruin　your　NERVES！'　So　he　says　you　got

'nervous　exhaustion　induced　by　overwork　and　emotional　strain。'　　They　always

got　to　stick　the　Work　in　if　they　see　a　chance！　　I　reckon　you　did　have　the

'emotional　strain；'　and　that's　all's　the　matter　with　you。　　You'll　be　over　it

soon's　this　woman's　gone；　and　Work's　the　very　thing　to　make　you　quit　frettin'

about　her。〃



〃Did　Gurney　tell　you　I　was　fit　to　work？〃



〃Shut　up！〃　Sheridan　bellowed。　　〃I'm　so　sick　o'　that　man's　name　I　feel　like

shootin'　anybody　that　says　it　to　me！〃　　He　fumed　and　chafed；　swearing

indistinctly；　then　came　and　stood　before　his　son。　　〃Look　here；　do　you　think

you're　doin'　the　square　thing　by　me？　　Do　you？　　How　much　you　worth？〃



〃I've　got　between　seven　and　eight　thousand　a　year　clear；　of　my　own；　outside

the　salary。　　That　much　is　mine　whether　I　work　or　not。〃



〃It　is？　　You　could　'a　pulled　it　out　without　me；　I　suppose　you　think；　at　your

age？〃



〃No。　But　it's　mine；　and　it's　enough。〃



〃My　Lord！　　It's　about　what　a　Congressman　gets；　and　you　want　to　quit　there！　I

suppose　you　think　you'll　get　the　rest　when　I　kick　the　bucket；　and　all　you　have

to　do　is　lay　back　and　wait！　　You　let　me　tell　you　right　here；　you'll　never　see

one　cent　of　it。　　You　go　out　o'　business　now；　and　what　would　you　know　about

handlin'　it　five　or　ten　or　twenty　years　from　now？　Because　I　intend　to　STAY

here　a　little　while　yet；　my　boy！　　They'd　either　get　it　away　from　you　or　you'd

sell　for　a　nickel　and　let　it　be　split　up　and　〃　　He　whirled　about；　marched　to

the　other　end　of　the　room；　and　stood　silent　a　moment。　　Then　he　said；　solomnly：

〃Listen。　　If　you　go　out　now；　you　leave　me　in　the　lurch；　with　nothin'　on　God's

green　earth　to　depend　on　but　your　brotherand　you　know　what　he　is。　　I've

depended　on　you　for　it　ALL　since　Jim　died。　　Now　you've　listened　to　that　dam'

doctor；　and　he　says　maybe　you　won't　ever　be　as　good　a　man　as　you　were；　and

that　certainly　you　won't　be　for　a　year　or　soprobably　more。　　Now；　that's　all

a　lie。　　Men　don't　break　down　that　way　at　your　age。　　Look　at　ME！　　And　I　tell

you；　you　can　shake　this　thing　off。　　All　you　need　is　a　little　GET…up　and　a

little　gumption。　　Men　don't　go　away　for　YEARS　and　then　come　back　into　MOVING

businesses　like　oursthey　lose　the　strings。　　And　if　you　could；　I　won't　let

youif　you　lay　down　on　me　now；　I　won'tand　that's　because　if　you　lay　down

you　prove　you　ain't　the　man　I　thought　you　were。〃　　He　cleared　his　throat　and

finished　quietly：　〃Roscoe；　will　you　take　a　month's　vacation　and　come　back　and

go　to　it？〃



〃No；〃　said　Roscoe；　listlessly。　　〃I'm　through。〃



〃All　right；〃　said　Sheridan。　　He　picked　up　the　evening　paper　from　a　table；　went

to　a　chair　by　the　fire　and　sat　down；　his　back　to　his　son。　　〃Good…by。〃



Roscoe　rose；　his　head　hanging；　but　there　was　a　dull　relief　in　his　eyes。　〃Best

I　can　do；〃　he　muttered；　seeming　about　to　depart；　yet　lingering。　　〃I　figure　it

out　a　good　deal　like　this；〃　he　said。　　〃I　didn't　KNOW　my　job　was　any　strain；

and　I　managed　all　right；　but　from　what　Gurfrom　what　I　hear；　I　was　just　up　to

the　limit　of　my　nerves　from　overwork；　and　the　the　trouble　at　home　was　the

extra　strain　that's　fixed　me　the　way　I　am。　　I　tried　to　brace；　so　I　could　stand

the　work　and　the　trouble　too；　on　whiskey　and　that　put　the　finish　to　me！

II'm　not　hitting　it　as　hard　as　I　was　for　a　while；　and　I　reckon　pretty　soon；

if　I　can　get　to　feeling　a　little　more　energy；　I　better　try　to　quit　entirelyI

don't　know。　　I'm　all　inand　the　doctor　says　so。　　I　thought　I　was　running

along　fine　up　to　a　few　months　ago；　but　all　the　time　I　was　ready　to　bust；　and

didn't　know　it。　　Now；　then；　I　don't　want　you　to　blame　Sibyl；　and　if　I　were　you

I　wouldn't　speak　of　her　as　'that　woman；'　because　she's　your　daughter…in…law

and　going　to　stay　that　way。　　She　didn't　do　anything　wicked。　　It　was　a　shock　to

me；　and　I　don't　deny　it；　to　find　what　she　had　doneencouraging　that　fellow　to

hang　around　her　after　he　began　trying　to　flirt　with　her；　and　losing　her　head

over　him　the　way　she　did。　　I　don't　deny　it　was　a　shock　and　that　it　'll　always

be　a　hurt　inside　of　me　I'll　never　get　over。　　But　it　was　my　fault；　I　didn't

understand　a　woman's　nature。〃　　Poor　Roscoe　spoke　in　the　most　profound　and

desolate　earnest。　　〃A　woman　craves　society；　and　gaiety；　and　meeting　attractive

people；　and　traveling。　　Well；　I　can't　give　her　the　other　things；　but　I　can

give　her　the　travelingreal　traveling；　not　just　going　to　Atlantic　City　or　New

Orleans；　the　way　she　has；　two；　three　times。　　A　woman　has　to　have　something　in

her　life　besides　a　business　man。　　And　that's　ALL　I　was。　　I　never　understood

till　I　heard　her　talking　when　she　was　so　sick；　and　I　believe　if　you'd　heard

her　then　you　wouldn't　speak　so　hard…heartedly　about　her；　I　believe　you　might