the turmoil-第55节

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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　much　for　you　as

if　you　let　'em　alone。　　I　don't　believe　it's　any　use；　and　I　couldn't　do　it　if

it　was。〃



He　sighed　with　resignation。　　〃All　right；　mamma。　　That's　all。〃　　Then；　in　a

livelier　tone；　he　said：　〃Ole　Gurney　took　the　bandages　off　my　hand　this

morning。　　All　healed　up。　　Says　I　don't　need　'em　any　more。〃



〃Why；　that's　splendid；　papa！〃　she　cried；　beaming。　　〃I　was　afraidLet's　see。〃



She　came　toward　him；　but　he　rose；　still　keeping　his　hand　in　his　pocket。　〃Wait

a　minute；〃　he　said；　smiling。　　〃Now　it　may　give　you　just　a　teeny　bit　of　a

shock；　but　the　fact　iswell；　you　remember　that　Sunday　when　Sibyl　came　over

here　and　made　all　that　fuss　about　nothin'it　was　the　day　after　I　got　tired　o'

that　statue　when　Edith's　telegram　came〃



〃Let　me　see　your　hand！〃　she　cried。



〃Now　wait！〃　he　said；　laughing　and　pushing　her　away　with　his　left　hand。　〃The

truth　is；　mamma；　that　I　kind　o'　slipped　out　on　you　that　morning；　when　you

wasn't　lookin'；　and　went　down　to　ole　Gurney's　officehe'd　told　me　to；　you

seeand；　well；　it　doesn't　AMOUNT　to　anything。〃　　And　he　held　out；　for　her

inspection；　the　mutilated　hand。　　〃You　see；　these　days　when　it's　all　dictatin'；

anyhow；　nobody　'd　mind　just　a　couple　o'〃



He　had　to　jump　for　hershe　went　over　backward。　　For　the　second　time　in　her

life　Mrs。　Sheridan　fainted。





It　was　a　full　hour　later　when　he　left　her　lying　upon　a　couch　in　her　own　room；

still　lamenting　intermittently；　though　he　assured　her　with　heat　that　the

〃fuss〃　she　was　making　irked　him　far　more　than　his　physical　loss。　　He　permitted

her　to　think　that　he　meant　to　return　directly　to　his　office；　but　when　he　came

out　to　the　open　air　he　told　the　chauffeur　in　attendance　to　await　him　in　front

of　Mr。　Vertrees's　house；　whither　he　himself　proceeded　on　foot。



Mr。　Vertrees　had　taken　the　sale　of　half　of　his　worthless　stock　as　manna　in　the

wilderness；　it　came　from　heavenby　what　agency　he　did　not　particularly

question。　　The　broker　informed　him　that　〃parties　were　interested　in　getting

hold　of　the　stock；〃　and　that　later　there　might　be　a　possible　increase　in　the

value　of　the　large　amount　retained　by　his　client。　It　might　go　〃quite　a　ways

up〃　within　a　year　or　so；　he　said；　and　he　advised　〃sitting　tight〃　with　it。　　Mr。

Vertrees　went　home　and　prayed。



He　rose　from　his　knees　feeling　that　he　was　surely　coming　into　his　own　again。

It　was　more　than　a　mere　gasp　of　temporary　relief　with　him；　and　his　wife　shared

his　optimism；　but　Mary　would　not　let　him　buy　back　her　piano；　and　as　for

fursspring　was　on　the　way；　she　said。　　But　they　paid　the　butcher；　the　baker；

and　the　candlestick…maker；　and　hired　a　cook　once　more。　It　was　this　servitress

who　opened　the　door　for　Sheridan　and　presently　assured　him　that　Miss　Vertrees

would　〃be　down。〃



He　was　not　the　man　to　conceal　admiration　when　he　felt　it；　and　he　flushed　and

beamed　as　Mary　made　her　appearance；　almost　upon　the　heels　of　the　cook。　She　had

a　look　of　apprehension　for　the　first　fraction　of　a　second；　but　it　vanished　at

the　sight　of　him；　and　its　place　was　taken　in　her　eyes　by　a　soft　brilliance；

while　color　rushed　in　her　cheeks。



〃Don't　be　surprised；〃　he　said。　　〃Truth　is；　in　a　way　it's　sort　of　on　business　I

looked　in　here。　　It　'll　only　take　a　minute；　I　expect。〃



〃I'm　sorry；〃　said　Mary。　　〃I　hoped　you'd　come　because　we're　neighbors。〃



He　chuckled。　　〃Neighbors！　　Sometimes　people　don't　see　so　much　o'　their

neighbors　as　they　used　to。　　That　is；　I　hear　solately。〃



〃You'll　stay　long　enough　to　sit　down；　won't　you？〃



〃I　guess　I　could　manage　that　much。〃　　And　they　sat　down；　facing　each　other　and

not　far　apart。



〃Of　course；　it　couldn't　be　called　business；　exactly；〃　he　said；　more　gravely。

〃Not　at　all；　I　expect。　　But　there's　something　o'　yours　it　seemed　to　me　I　ought

to　give　you；　and　I　just　thought　it　was　better　to　bring　it　myself　and　explain

how　I　happened　to　have　it。　　It's　thisthis　letter　you　wrote　my　boy。〃　　He

extended　the　letter　to　her　solomnly；　in　his　left　hand；　and　she　took　it　gently

from　him。　　〃It　was　in　his　mail；　after　he　was　hurt。　　You　knew　he　never　got　it；

I　expect。〃



〃Yes；〃　she　said；　in　a　low　voice。



He　sighed。　　〃I'm　glad　he　didn't。　　Not；〃　he　added；　quickly〃not　but　what　you

did　just　right　to　send　it。　　You　did。　　You　couldn't　acted　any　other　way　when　it

came　right　down　TO　it。　　There　ain't　any　blame　comin'　to　youyou　were

above…board　all　through。〃



Mary　said；　〃Thank　you；〃　almost　in　a　whisper；　and　with　her　head　bowed　low。



〃You'll　have　to　excuse　me　for　readin'　it。　　I　had　to　take　charge　of　all　his

mail　and　everything；　I　didn't　know　the　handwritin'；　and　I　read　it　all　once　I

got　started。〃



〃I'm　glad　you　did。〃



〃Well〃he　leaned　forward　as　if　to　rise〃I　guess　that's　about　all。　　I　just

thought　you　ought　to　have　it。〃



〃Thank　you　for　bringing　it。〃



He　looked　at　her　hopefully；　as　if　he　thought　and　wished　that　she　might　have

something　more　to　say。　　But　she　seemed　not　to　be　aware　of　this　glance；　and　sat

with　her　eyes　fixed　sorrowfully　upon　the　floor。



〃Well；　I　expect　I　better　be　gettin'　back　to　the　office；〃　he　said；　rising

desperately。　　〃I　toldI　told　my　partner　I'd　be　back　at　two　o'clock；　and　I

guess　he'll　think　I'm　a　poor　business　man　if　he　catches　me　behind　time。　I　got

to　walk　the　chalk　a　mighty　straight　line　these　dayswith　THAT　fellow　keepin'

tabs　on　me！〃



Mary　rose　with　him。　　〃I've　always　heard　YOU　were　the　hard　driver。〃



He　guffawed　derisively。　　〃Me？　　I'm　nothin'　to　that　partner　o'　mine。　　You

couldn't　guess　to　save　your　life　how　he　keeps　after　me　to　hold　up　my　end　o'

the　job。　　I　shouldn't　be　surprised　he'd　give　me　the　grand　bounce　some　day；　and

run　the　whole　circus　by　himself。　　You　know　how　he　isonce　he　goes　AT　a

thing！〃



〃No；〃　she　smiled。　　〃I　didn't　know　you　had　a　partner。　　I'd　always　heard〃



He　laughed；　looking　away　from　her。　　〃It's　just　my　way　o'　speakin'　o'　that　boy

o'　mine；　Bibbs。〃



He　stood　then；　expectant；　staring　out　into　the　hall　with　an　air　of　careless

geniality。　　He　felt　that　she　certainly　must　at　least　say；　〃How　　　IS　Bibbs？〃

but　she　said　nothing　at　all；　though　he　waited　until　the　silence　became

embarrassing。



〃Well；　I　guess　I　better　be　gettin'　down　there；〃　he　said；　at　last。　　〃He　might

worry。〃



〃Good…byand　thank　you；〃　said　Mary。



〃For　what？〃



〃For　the　letter。〃



〃Oh；〃　he　said；　blankly。　　〃You're　welcome。　　Good…by。〃



Mary　put　out　her　hand。　　〃Good…by。〃



〃You'll　have　to　excuse　my　left　hand；〃　he　said。　　〃I　had　a　little　accident　to

the　other　one。〃



She　gave　a　pitying　cry　as　she　saw。　　〃Oh；　poor　Mr。　Sheridan！〃



〃Nothin'　at　all！　　Dictate　everything　nowadays；　anyhow。〃　　He　laughed　jovially。

〃Did　anybody　tell　you　how　it　happened？〃



〃I　heard　you　hurt　your　hand；　but　nonot　just　how。〃



〃It　was　this　way；〃　he　began；　and　both；　as　if　unconsciously；　sat　down　again。

〃You　may　not　know　it；　but　I　used　to　worry　a　good　deal　about　the　youngest　o'　my

boysthe　one　that　used　to　come　to　see　you　sometimes；　after　Jimthat　is；　I

mean　Bibbs。　　He's　the　one　I　spoke　of　as　my　partner；　and　the　truth　is　that's

what　it's　just　about　goin'　to　amount　to；　one　o'　these　daysif　his　health

holds　out。　　Well；　you　remember；　I　expect；　I　had　him　on　a　machine　over　at　a

plant　o'　mine；　and　sometimes　I'd　kind　o'　sneak　in　there　and　see　how　he　was

gettin'　along。　　Take　a　doctor　with　me　sometimes；　because　Bibbs　never　WAS　so

robust；　you　might　say。　　Ole　Doc　GurneyI　guess　maybe　you　know　him？　　Tall；

thin　man；　acts　sleepy〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Well；　one　day　I　an'　ole　Doc　Gurney；　we　were　in　there；　and　I　undertook　to　show

Bibbs　how　to　run　his　machine。　　He　told　me　to　look　out；　but　I　wouldn't　listen；

and　I　didn't　look　outand　that's　how　I　got　my　hand　hurt；　tryin'　to　show　Bibbs

how　to　do　something　he　knew　how　to　do　and　I　didn't。　　Made　me　so　mad　I　just

wouldn't　even　admit　to　myself　it　WAS　hurtand　so；　by　and　by；　ole　Doc　Gurney

had　to　take　kind　o'　radical　measures　with　me。　　He's　a　right　good　doctor；　too。

Don't　you　think　so；　Miss　Vertrees？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Yes；　he　is　so！〃　　Sheridan　now　had　the　air　of　a　rambling　talker　and　gossip

with　all　day　on　his　hands。　　〃Take　him　on　Bibbs's　case。　　I　was　talkin'　about

Bibbs's　case　with　him　this　morning。　　Well；　you'd　laugh　to　hear　the　way　ole

Gurney　talks　about　THAT！　　'Course　he　IS　just　as　much　a　friend　as　he　is

doctorand　he　takes　as　much　interest　in　Bibbs　as　if　he　was　in　the　family。　　He

says　Bibbs　isn't　anyways　bad　off　YET；　and　he　thinks　he　could　stand　the　pace

and　get　fat　on　it　ifwell；　this　is　what'd　made　YOU　laugh　if　you'd　been　there；

Miss　Vertreeshonest　it　would！〃　　He　paused　to　chuckle；　and　stole　a　glance　at

her。　　She　was　gazing　straight　before　her　at　the　wall；　her　lips　were　parted；

andvisiblyshe　was　breathing　heavily　and　quickly。　　He　feared　that　she　was

growing　furiously　angry；　but　he　had　led　to　what　he　wanted　to　say；　and　he　went

on；　determined　now　to　say　it　all