the turmoil-第58节

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a　colossus　of　steel　and　wholly　blackened　with　soot。　　But　Bibbs　carried　his

fancy　furtherfor　there　was　still　a　little　poet　lingering　in　the　back　of　his

headand　he　thought　that　up　over　the　clouds；　unseen　from　below；　the　giant

labored　with　his　hands　in　the　clean　sunshine；　and　Bibbs　had　a　glimpse　of　what

he　made　thereperhaps　for　a　fellowship　of　the　children　of　the　children　that

were　children　nowa　noble　and　joyous　city；　unbelievably　white〃



It　was　the　telephone　that　called　him　from　his　vision。　　It　rang　fiercely。



He　lifted　the　thing　from　his　desk　and　answeredand　as　the　small　voice　inside

it　spoke　he　dropped　the　receiver　with　a　crash。　　He　trembled　violently　as　he

picked　it　up；　but　he　told　himself　he　was　wronghe　had　been　mistakenyet　it

was　a　startlingly　beautiful　voice；　startlingly　kind；　too；　and　ineffably　like

the　one　he　hungered　most　to　hear。



〃Who？〃　he　said；　his　own　voice　shakinglike　his　hand。



〃Mary。〃



He　responded　with　two　hushed　and　incredulous　words：　〃IS　IT？〃



There　was　a　little　thrill　of　pathetic　half…laughter　in　the　instrument。

〃BibbsI　wanted　tojust　to　see　if　you〃



〃YesMary？〃



〃I　was　looking　when　you　were　so　nearly　run　over。　　I　saw　it；　Bibbs。　　They　said

you　hadn't　been　hurt；　they　thought；　but　I　wanted　to　know　for　myself。〃



〃No；　no；　I　wasn't　hurt　at　allMary。　　It　was　father　who　came　nearer　it。　He

saved　me。〃



〃Yes；　I　saw；　but　you　had　fallen。　　I　couldn't　get　through　the　crowd　until　you

had　gone。　　And　I　wanted　to　KNOW。〃



〃Marywould　youhave　minded？〃　he　said。



There　was　a　long　interval　before　she　answered。



〃Yes。〃



〃Then　why〃



〃Yes；　Bibbs？〃



〃I　don't　know　what　to　say；〃　he　cried。　　〃It's　so　wonderful　to　hear　your　voice

againI'm　shaking；　MaryII　don't　knowI　don't　know　anything　except　that　I

AM　talking　to　you！　　It　IS　youMary？〃



〃Yes；　Bibbs！〃



〃MaryI've　seen　you　from　my　window　at　homeonly　five　times　since　I　since

then。　　You　lookedoh；　how　can　I　tell　you？　　It　was　like　a　man　chained　in　a

cave　catching　a　glimpse　of　the　blue　sky；　Mary。　　Mary；　won't　youlet　me　see

you　againnear？　　I　think　I　could　make　you　really　forgive　meyou'd　have　to〃



〃I　DIDthen。〃



〃Nonot　reallyor　you　wouldn't　have　said　you　couldn't　see　me　any　more。〃



〃That　wasn't　the　reason。〃　　The　voice　was　very　low。



〃Mary；〃　he　said；　even　more　tremulously　than　before；　〃I　can'tyou　COULDN'T

mean　it　was　becauseyou　can't　mean　it　was　because　you　care？〃



There　was　no　answer。



〃Mary？〃　he　called；　huskily。　　〃If　you　mean　THATyou'd　let　me　see　you

wouldn't　you？〃



And　now　the　voice　was　so　low　he　could　not　be　sure　it　spoke　at　all；　but　if　it

did；　the　words　were；　〃Yes；　Bibbsdear。〃



But　the　voice　was　not　in　the　instrumentit　was　so　gentle　and　so　light；　so

almost　nothing；　it　seemed　to　be　made　of　airand　it　came　from　the　air。



Slowly　and　incredulously　he　turnedand　glory　fell　upon　his　shining　eyes。　　The

door　of　his　father's　room　had　opened。



Mary　stood　upon　the　threshold。








THE　END