cabin fever-第3节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
rie had been rocking back and forth； crying and magnifying the quarrel as she dwelt upon it； and putting a new and sinister meaning into Bud's ill…considered utterances。 By the time Bud was thinking only of the bargain car's hidden faults； Marie had reached the white heat of resentment that demanded vigorous action。 Marie was packing a suitcase and meditating upon the scorching letter she meant to write。
Judging from the effect which the letter had upon Bud； it must have been a masterpiece of its kind。 He threw the box of chocolates into the wood…box； crawled out of the window by which he had entered； and went down town to a hotel。 If the house wasn't good enough for Marie； let her go。 He could go just as fast and as far as she could。 And if she thought he was going to hot…foot it over to her mother's and whine around and beg her to come home； she had another think coming。
He wouldn't go near the darn place again； except to get his clothes。 He'd bust up the joint； by thunder。 He'd sell off the furniture and turn the house over to the agent again； and Marie could whistle for a home。 She had been darn glad to get into that house； he remembered； and away from that old cat of a mother。 Let her stay there now till she was darn good and sick of it。 He'd just keep her guessing for awhile； a week or so would do her good。 Well； he wouldn't sell the furniturehe'd just move it into another house； and give her a darn good scare。 He'd get a better one； that had a porcelain bathtub instead of a zinc one； and a better porch； where the kid could be out in the sun。 Yes； sir； he'd just do that little thing； and lay low and see what Marie did about that。 Keep her guessingthat was the play to make。
Unfortunately for his domestic happiness； Bud failed to take into account two very important factors in the quarrel。 The first and most important one was Marie's mother； who； having been a widow for fifteen years and therefore having acquired a habit of managing affairs that even remotely concerned her； assumed that
Marie's affairs must be managed also。 The other factor was Marie's craving to be coaxed back to smiles by the man who drove her to tears。 Marie wanted Bud to come and say he was sorry； and had been a brute and so forth。 She wanted to hear him tell how empty the house had seemed when he returned and found her gone。 She wanted him to be good and scared with that letter。 She stayed awake until after midnight； listening for his anxious footsteps； after midnight she stayed awake to cry over the inhuman way he was treating her； and to wish she was dead； and so forth； also because the baby woke and wanted his bottle； and she was teaching him to sleep all night without it； and because the baby had a temper just like his father。
His father's temper would have yielded a point or two； the next day； had it been given the least encouragement。 For instance； he might have gone over to see Marie before he moved the furniture out of the house； had he not discovered an express wagon standing in front of the door when he went home about noon to see if Marie had come back。 Before he had recovered to the point of profane speech； the express man appeared； coming out of the house； bent nearly double under the weight of Marie's trunk。 Behind him in the doorway Bud got a glimpse of Marie's mother。
That settled it。 Bud turned around and hurried to the nearest drayage company； and ordered a domestic wrecking crew to the scene； in other words； a packer and two draymen and a dray。 He'd show 'em。 Marie and her mother couldn't put anything over on him he'd stand over that furniture with a sheriff first。
He went back and found Marie's mother still there； packing dishes and doilies and the like。 They had a terrible row； and all the nearest neighbors inclined ears to doors ajargetting an earful； as Bud contemptuously put it。 He finally led Marie's mother to the front door and set her firmly outside。 Told her that Marie had come to him with no more than the clothes she had； and that his money had bought every teaspoon and every towel and every stick of furniture in the darned place； and he'd be everlastingly thus…and…so if they were going to strong…arm the stuff off him now。 If Marie was too good to live with him； why； his stuff was too good for her to have。
Oh； yes； the neighbors certainly got an earful； as the town gossips proved when the divorce suit seeped into the papers。 Bud refused to answer the proceedings； and was therefore ordered to pay twice as much alimony as he could afford to pay； more； in fact； than all his domestic expense had amounted to in the fourteen months that he had been married。 Also Marie was awarded the custody of the child and； because Marie's mother had represented Bud to be a violent man who was a menace to her daughter's safetyand proved it by the neighbors who had seen and heard so muchBud was served with a legal paper that wordily enjoined him from annoying Marie with his presence。
That unnecessary insult snapped the last thread of Bud's regret for what had happened。 He sold the furniture and the automobile； took the money to the judge that had tried the case； told the judge a few wholesome truths； and laid the pile of money on the desk。
〃That cleans me out； Judge；〃 he said stolidly。 〃I wasn't such a bad husband； at that。 I got sorebut I'll bet you get sore yourself and tell your wife what…for； now and then。 I didn't get a square deal； but that's all right。 I'm giving a better deal than I got。 Now you can keep that money and pay it out to Marie as she needs it； for herself and the kid。 But for the Lord's sake； Judge； don't let that wildcat of a mother of hers get her fingers into the pile！ She framed this deal； thinking she'd get a haul outa me this way。 I'm asking you to block that little game。 I've held out ten dollars； to eat on till I strike something。 I'm clean； they've licked the platter and broke the dish。 So don't never ask me to dig up any more； because I won'tnot for you nor no other darn man。 Get that。〃
This； you must know； was not in the courtroom； so Bud was not fined for contempt。 The judge was a married man himself； and he may have had a sympathetic understanding of Bud's position。 At any rate he listened unofficially； and helped Bud out with the legal part of it； so that Bud walked out of the judge's office financially free； even though he had a suspicion that his freedom would not bear the test of prosperity； and that Marie's mother would let him alone only so long as he and prosperity were strangers。
CHAPTER THREE。 TEN DOLLARS AND A JOB FOB BUD
To withhold for his own start in life only one ten…dollar bill from fifteen hundred dollars was spectacular enough to soothe even so bruised an ego as Bud Moore carried into the judge's office。 There is an anger which carries a person to the extreme of self…sacrifice； in the subconscious hope of exciting pity for one so hardly used。 Bud was boiling with such an anger； and it demanded that he should all but give Marie the shirt off his back； since she had demanded so muchand for so slight a cause。
Bud could not see for the life of him why Marie should have quit for that little ruction。 It was not their first quarrel； nor their worst； certainly he had not expected it to be their last。 Why； he asked the high heavens； had she told him to bring home a roll of cotton； if she was going to leave him？ Why had she turned her back on that little home； that had seemed to mean as much to her as it had to him？
Being kin to primitive man； Bud could only bellow rage when he should have analyzed calmly the situation。 He should have seen that Marie too had cabin fever； induced by changing too suddenly from carefree girlhood to the ills and irks of wifehood and motherhood。 He should have known that she had been for two months wholly dedicated to the small physical wants of their baby； and that if his nerves were fraying with watching that incessant servitude； her own must be close to the snapping point； had snapped； when dusk did not bring him home repentant。
But he did not know； and so he blamed Marie bitterly for the wreck of their home； and he flung down all his worldly goods before her； and marched off feeling self…consciously proud of his martyrdom。 It soothed him paradoxically to tell himself that he was 〃cleaned〃； that Marie had ruined him absolutely； and that he was just ten dollars and a decent suit or two of clothes better off than a tramp。 He was tempted to go back and send the ten dollars after the rest of the fifteen hundred； but good sense prevailed。 He would have to borrow money for his next meal； if he did that； and Bud was touchy about such things。
He kept the ten dollars therefore； and went down to the garage where he felt most at home； and stood there with his hands in his pockets and the corners of his mouth tipped downwardnormally they had a way of tipping upward； as though he was secretly amused at somethingand his eyes sullen； though they carried tiny lines at the corners to show how they used to twinkle。 He took the ten…dollar bank note from his pocket； straightened out the wrinkles and looked at it disdainfully。 As plainly as though he spoke； his face told what he was thinking about it： that this was what a woman had brought him to！ He
