the turmoil-第54节

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striving　to　forward　the　personal　ambitions　of　their　owners。　　The　control　of

the　city　lay　not　with　them；　but　was　usually　obtained　by　giving　the　hordes　of

negroes　gin…money；　and　by　other　largesses。　　The　revenues　of　the　people　were

then　distributed　as　fairly　as　possible　among　a　great　number　of　men　who　had

assisted　the　winning　side。　　Names　and　titles　of　offices　went　with　many　of　the

prizes；　and　most　of　these　title…holders　were　expected　to　present　a　busy

appearance　at　times；　and；　indeed；　some　among　them　did　work　honestly　and

faithfully。



Bibbs　had　been　very　ignorant。　　All　these　simple　things；　so　well　known　and

customary；　astonished　him　at　first；　and　oncein　a　brief　moment　of　forgetting

that　he　was　done　with　writinghe　thought　that　if　he　had　known　them　and

written　of　them；　how　like　a　satire　the　plainest　relation　of　them　must　have

seemed！　　Strangest　of　all　to　him　was　the　vehement　and　sincere　patriotism。　　On

every　side　he　heard　itit　was　a　permeation；　the　newest　school…child　caught

it；　though　just　from　Hungary　and　learning　to　stammer　a　few　words　of　the　local

language。　　Everywhere　the　people　shouted　of　the　power；　the　size；　the　riches；

and　the　growth　of　their　city。　　Not　only　that；　they　said　that　the　people　of

their　city　were　the　greatest；　the　〃finest；〃　the　strongest；　the　Biggest　people

on　earth。　　They　cited　no　authorities；　and　felt　the　need　of　none；　being

themselves　the　people　thus　celebrated。　　And　if　the　thing　was　questioned；　or　if

it　was　hinted　that　there　might　be　one　small　virtue　in　which　they　were　not

perfect　and　supreme；　they　wasted　no　time　examining　themselves　to　see　if　what

the　critic　said　was　true；　but　fell　upon　him　and　hooted　him　and　cursed　him；　for

they　were　sensitive。　　So　Bibbs；　learning　their　ways　and　walking　with　them；

harkened　to　the　voice　of　the　people　and　served　Bigness　with　them。　　For　the

voice　of　the　people　is　the　voice　of　their　god。



Sheridan　had　made　the　room　next　to　his　own　into　an　office　for　Bibbs；　and　the

door　between　the　two　rooms　usually　stood　openthe　father　had　established　that

intimacy。　　One　morning　in　February；　when　Bibbs　was　alone；　Sheridan　came　in；

some　sheets　of　typewritten　memoranda　in　his　hand。



〃Bibbs；〃　he　said；　〃I　don't　like　to　butt　in　very　often　this　way；　and　when　I　do

I　usually　wish　I　hadn'tbut　for　Heaven's　sake　what　have　you　been　buying　that

ole　busted　inter…traction　stock　for？〃



Bibbs　leaned　back　from　his　desk。　　〃For　eleven　hundred　and　fifty…five　dollars。

That's　all　it　cost。〃



〃Well；　it　ain't　worth　eleven　hundred　and　fifty…five　cents。　　You　ought　to　know

that。　　I　don't　get　your　idea。　　That　stuff's　deader　'n　Adam's　cat！〃



〃It　might　be　worth　somethingsome　day。〃



〃How？〃



〃It　mightn't　be　so　deadnot　if　We　went　into　it；〃　said　Bibbs；　coolly。



〃Oh！〃　　Sheridan　considered　this　musingly；　then　he　said；　〃Who'd　you　buy　it

from？〃



〃A　brokerFansmith。〃



〃Well；　he　must　'a'　got　it　from　one　o'　the　crowd　o'　poor　ninnies　that　was

soaked　with　it。　　Don't　you　know　who　owned　it？〃



〃Yes；　I　do。〃



〃Ain't　sayin'；　though？　　That　it？　　What's　the　matter？〃



〃It　belonged　to　Mr。　Vertrees；〃　said　Bibbs；　shortly；　applying　himself　to　his

desk。



〃So！〃　　Sheridan　gazed　down　at　his　son's　thin　face。　　〃Excuse　me；〃　he　said。

〃Your　business。〃　　And　he　went　back　to　his　own　room。　　But　presently　he　looked

in　again。



〃I　reckon　you　won't　mind　lunchin'　alone　to…day〃he　was　shuffling　himself　into

his　overcoat〃because　I　just　thought　I'd　go　up　to　the　house　and　get　THIS　over

with　mamma。〃　　He　glanced　apologetically　toward　his　right　hand　as　it　emerged

from　the　sleeve　of　the　overcoat。　　The　bandages　had　been　removed；　finally；　that

morning；　revealing　but　three　fingers　the　forefinger　and　the　finger　next　to

it　had　been　amputated。　　〃She's　bound　to　make　an　awful　fuss；　and　it　better

spoil　her　lunch　than　her　dinner。　I'll　be　back　about　two。〃



But　he　calculated　the　time　of　his　arrival　at　the　New　House　so　accurately　that

Mrs。　Sheridan's　lunch　was　not　disturbed；　and　she　was　rising　from　the　lonely

table　when　he　came　into　the　dining…room。　　He　had　left　his　overcoat　in　the

hall；　but　he　kept　his　hands　in　his　trousers　pockets。



〃What's　the　matter；　papa？〃　she　asked；　quickly。　　〃Has　anything　gone　wrong？　You

ain't　sick？〃



〃Me！〃　　He　laughed　loudly。　　〃Me　SICK？〃



〃You　had　lunch？〃



〃Didn't　want　any　to…day。　　You　can　give　me　a　cup　o'　coffe；　though。〃



She　rang；　and　told　George　to　have　coffee　made；　and　when　he　had　withdrawn　she

said　querulously；　〃I　just　know　there's　something　wrong。〃



〃Nothin'　in　the　world；〃　he　responed；　heartily；　taking　a　seat　at　the　head　of

the　table。　　〃I　thought　I'd　talk　over　a　notion　o'　mine　with　you；　that's　all。

It's　more　women…folks'　business　than　what　it　is　man's；　anyhow。〃



〃What　about？〃



〃Why；　ole　Doc　Gurney　was　up　at　the　office　this　morning　awhile〃



〃To　look　at　your　hand？　　How's　he　say　it's　doin'？〃



〃Fine！　　Well；　he　went　in　and　sat　around　with　Bibbs　awhile〃



Mrs。　Sheridan　nodded　pessimistically。　　〃I　guess　it's　time　you　had　him；　too。　　I

KNEW　Bibbs〃



〃Now；　mamma；　hold　your　horses！　　I　wanted　him　to　look　Bibbs　over　BEFORE

anything's　the　matter。　　You　don't　suppose　I'm　goin'　to　take　any　chances　with

BIBBS；　do　you？　　Well；　afterwards；　I　shut　the　door；　and　I　an'　ole　Gurney　had　a

talk。　　He's　a　mighty　disagreeable　man；　he　rubbed　it　in　on　me　what　he　said

about　Bibbs　havin'　brains　if　he　ever　woke　up。　　Then　I　thought　he　must　want　to

get　something　out　o'　me；　he　go　so　flatteringfor　a　minute！　　'Bibbs　couldn't

help　havin'　business　brains；'　he　says；　'bein'　YOUR　son。　　Don't　be　surprised；'

he　says'don't　be　surprised　at　his　makin'　a　success；'　he　says。　　'He　couldn't

get　over　his　heredity；　he　couldn't　HELP　bein'　a　business　successonce　you　got

him　into　it。　　It's　in　his　blood。　　Yes；　sir'　he　says；　'it　doesn't　need　MUCH

brains；'　he　says；　'an　only　third…rate　brains；　at　that；'　he　says；　'but　it　does

need　a　special　KIND　o'　brains；'　he　says；　'to　be　a　millionaire。　　I　mean；'　he

says；　'when　a　man's　given　a　start。　　If　nobody　gives　him　a　start；　why；　course

he's　got　to　have　luck　AND　the　right　kind　o'　brains。　　The　only　miracle　about

Bibbs；'　he　says；　'is　where　he　got　the　OTHER　kind　o'　brainsthe　brains　you

made　him　quit　usin'　and　throw　away。'〃



〃But　what'd　he　say　about　his　health？〃　Mrs。　Sheridan　demanded；　impatiently；　as

George　placed　a　cup　of　coffee　before　her　husband。　　Sheridan　helped　himself　to

cream　and　sugar；　and　began　to　sip　the　coffee。



〃I'm　comin'　to　that；〃　he　returned；　placidly。　　〃See　how　easy　I　manage　this　cup

with　my　left　hand；　mamma？〃



〃You　been　doin'　that　all　winter。　　What　did〃



〃It's　wonderful；〃　he　interrupted；　admiringly；　〃what　a　fellow　can　do　with　his

left　hand。　　I　can　sign　my　name　with　mine　now；　well's　I　ever　could　with　my

right。　　It　came　a　little　hard　at　first；　but　now；　honest；　I　believe　I　RATHER

sign　with　my　left。　That's　all　I　ever　have　to　write；　anywayjust　the

signature。　　Rest's　all　dictatin'。〃　　He　blew　across　the　top　of　the　cup

unctuously。　　〃Good　coffee；　mamma！　　Well；　about　Bibbs。　　Ole　Gurney　says　he

believes　if　Bibbs　could　somehow　get　back　to　the　state　o'　mind　he　was　in　about

the　machine…shopthat　is；　if　he　could　some　way　get　to　feelin'　about　business

the　way　he　felt　about　the　shopnot　the　poetry　and　writin'　part；　but〃　　He

paused；　supplementing　his　remarks　with　a　motion　of　his　head　toward　the　old

house　next　door。　　〃He　says　Bibbs　is　older　and　harder　'n　what　he　was　when　he

broke　down　that　time；　and　besides；　he　ain't　the　kind　o'　dreamy　way　he　was

thenand　I　should　say　he　AIN'T！　　I'd　like　'em　to　show　ME　anybody　his　age

that's　any　wider　awake！　　But　he　says　Bibbs's　health　never　need　bother　us　again

if〃



Mrs。　Sheridan　shook　her　head。　　〃I　don't　see　any　help　THAT　way。　　You　know

yourself　she　wouldn't　have　Jim。〃



〃Who's　talkin'　about　her　havin'　anybody？　　But；　my　Lord！　she　might　let　him　LOOK

at　her！　　She　needn't　'a'　got　so　mad；　just　because　he　asked　her；　that　she　won't

let　him　come　in　the　house　any　more。　　He's　a　mighty　funny　boy；　and　some　ways　I

reckon　he's　pretty　near　as　hard　to　understand　as　the　Bible；　but　Gurney　kind　o'

got　me　in　the　way　o'　thinkin'　that　if　she'd　let　him　come　back　and　set　around

with　her　an　evening　or　two　sometimesnot　reg'lar；　I　don't　meanwhyWell；　I

just　thought　I'd　see　what　YOU'D　think　of　it。　　There　ain't　any　way　to　talk

about　it　to　Bibbs　himselfI　don't　suppose　he'd　let　you；　anyhowbut　I　thought

maybe　you　could　kind　o'　slip　over　there　some　day；　and　sort　o'　fix　up　to　have　a

little　talk　with　her；　and　kind　o'　hint　around　till　you　see　how　the　land　lays；

and　ask　her　〃



〃ME！〃　　Mrs。　Sheridan　looked　both　helpless　and　frightened。　　〃No。〃　　She　shook

her　head　decidedly。　　〃It　wouldn't　do　any　good。〃



〃You　won't　try　it？〃



〃I　won't　risk　her　turnin'　me　out　o'　the　house。　　Some　way；　that's　what　I

believe　she　did　to　Sibyl；　from　what　Roscoe　said　once。　　No；　I　CAN'Tand；

what's　more；　it　'd　only　make　things　worse。　　If　people　find　out　you're　runnin'

after　'em　they　think　you're　cheap；　and　then　they　won't　do　as　m