winesburg,ohio-第22章

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y。　　I　tell　you；　all　women　are　dead；　my　mother；　your　mother；　that　tall　dark　woman　who　works　in　the　millinery　store　and　with　whom　I　saw　you　walking　about　yesterdayall　of　them；　they　are　all　dead。　　I　tell　you　there　is　something　rotten　about　them。　　I　was　married；　sure。　　My　wife　was　dead　before　she　married　me；　she　was　a　foul　thing　come　out　a　woman　more　foul。　　She　was　a　thing　sent　to　make　life　unbearable　to　me。　　I　was　a　fool；　do　you　see；　as　you　are　now；　and　so　I　married　this　woman。　I　would　like　to　see　men　a　little　begin　to　understand　women。　　They　are　sent　to　prevent　men　making　the　world　worth　while。　　It　is　a　trick　in　Nature。　　Ugh！　They　are　creeping；　crawling；　squirming　things；　they　with　their　soft　hands　and　their　blue　eyes。　　The　sight　of　a　woman　sickens　me。　　Why　I　don't　kill　every　woman　I　see　I　don't　know。〃

Half　frightened　and　yet　fascinated　by　the　light　burning　in　the　eyes　of　the　hideous　old　man；　George　Willard　listened；　afire　with　curiosity。　　Darkness　came　on　and　he　leaned　forward　trying　to　see　the　face　of　the　man　who　talked。　　When；　in　the　gathering　dark…　ness；　he　could　no　longer　see　the　purple；　bloated　face　and　the　burning　eyes；　a　curious　fancy　came　to　him。　Wash　Williams　talked　in　low　even　tones　that　made　his　words　seem　the　more　terrible。　　In　the　darkness　the　young　reporter　found　himself　imagining　that　he　sat　on　the　railroad　ties　beside　a　comely　young　man　with　black　hair　and　black　shining　eyes。　　There　was　something　almost　beautiful　in　the　voice　of　Wash　Wil…　liams；　the　hideous；　telling　his　story　of　hate。

The　telegraph　operator　of　Winesburg；　sitting　in　the　darkness　on　the　railroad　ties；　had　become　a　poet。　Hatred　had　raised　him　to　that　elevation。　　〃It　is　because　I　saw　you　kissing　the　lips　of　that　Belle　Carpenter　that　I　tell　you　my　story；〃　he　said。　　〃What　happened　to　me　may　next　happen　to　you。　　I　want　to　put　you　on　your　guard。　　Already　you　may　be　having　dreams　in　your　head。　　I　want　to　destroy　them。〃

Wash　Williams　began　telling　the　story　of　his　mar…　ried　life　with　the　tall　blonde　girl　with　the　blue　eyes　whom　he　had　met　when　he　was　a　young　operator　at　Dayton；　Ohio。　　Here　and　there　his　story　was　touched　with　moments　of　beauty　intermingled　with　strings　of　vile　curses。　　The　operator　had　married　the　daughter　of　a　dentist　who　was　the　youngest　of　three　sisters。　　On　his　marriage　day；　because　of　his　ability；　he　was　promoted　to　a　position　as　dispatcher　at　an　increased　salary　and　sent　to　an　office　at　Columbus；　Ohio。　　There　he　settled　down　with　his　young　wife　and　began　buying　a　house　on　the　installment　plan。

The　young　telegraph　operator　was　madly　in　love。　With　a　kind　of　religious　fervor　he　had　managed　to　go　through　the　pitfalls　of　his　youth　and　to　remain　virginal　until　after　his　marriage。　　He　made　for　George　Willard　a　picture　of　his　life　in　the　house　at　Colum…　bus；　Ohio；　with　the　young　wife。　　〃in　the　garden　back　of　our　house　we　planted　vegetables；〃　he　said；　〃you　know；　peas　and　corn　and　such　things。　　We　went　to　Columbus　in　early　March　and　as　soon　as　the　days　became　warm　I　went　to　work　in　the　garden。　　With　a　spade　I　turned　up　the　black　ground　while　she　ran　about　laughing　and　pretending　to　be　afraid　of　the　worms　I　uncovered。　　Late　in　April　came　the　planting。　In　the　little　paths　among　the　seed　beds　she　stood　holding　a　paper　bag　in　her　hand。　　The　bag　was　filled　with　seeds。　　A　few　at　a　time　she　handed　me　the　seeds　that　I　might　thrust　them　into　the　warm；　soft　ground。〃

For　a　moment　there　was　a　catch　in　the　voice　of　the　man　talking　in　the　darkness。　　〃I　loved　her；〃　he　said。　　〃I　don't　claim　not　to　be　a　fool。　　I　love　her　yet。　There　in　the　dusk　in　the　spring　evening　I　crawled　along　the　black　ground　to　her　feet　and　groveled　be…　fore　her。　　I　kissed　her　shoes　and　the　ankles　above　her　shoes。　　When　the　hem　of　her　garment　touched　my　face　I　trembled。　　When　after　two　years　of　that　life　I　found　she　had　managed　to　acquire　three　other　lov…　ers　who　came　regularly　to　our　house　when　I　was　away　at　work；　I　didn't　want　to　touch　them　or　her。　I　just　sent　her　home　to　her　mother　and　said　nothing。　There　was　nothing　to　say。　　I　had　four　hundred　dol…　lars　in　the　bank　and　I　gave　her　that。　　I　didn't　ask　her　reasons。　　I　didn't　say　anything。　　When　she　had　gone　I　cried　like　a　silly　boy。　　Pretty　soon　I　had　a　chance　to　sell　the　house　and　I　sent　that　money　to　her。〃

Wash　Williams　and　George　Willard　arose　from　the　pile　of　railroad　ties　and　walked　along　the　tracks　toward　town。　　The　operator　finished　his　tale　quickly；　breathlessly。

〃Her　mother　sent　for　me；〃　he　said。　　〃She　wrote　me　a　letter　and　asked　me　to　come　to　their　house　at　Dayton。　　When　I　got　there　it　was　evening　about　this　time。〃

Wash　Williams'　voice　rose　to　a　half　scream。　　〃I　sat　in　the　parlor　of　that　house　two　hours。　　Her　mother　took　me　in　there　and　left　me。　　Their　house　was　styl…　ish。　　They　were　what　is　called　respectable　people。　There　were　plush　chairs　and　a　couch　in　the　room。　　I　was　trembling　all　over。　　I　hated　the　men　I　thought　had　wronged　her。　　I　was　sick　of　living　alone　and　wanted　her　back。　　The　longer　I　waited　the　more　raw　and　tender　I　became。　　I　thought　that　if　she　came　in　and　just　touched　me　with　her　hand　I　would　perhaps　faint　away。　　I　ached　to　forgive　and　forget。〃

Wash　Williams　stopped　and　stood　staring　at　George　Willard。　　The　boy's　body　shook　as　from　a　chill。　　Again　the　man's　voice　became　soft　and　low。　　〃She　came　into　the　room　naked；〃　he　went　on。　　〃Her　mother　did　that。　　While　I　sat　there　she　was　taking　the　girl's　clothes　off；　perhaps　coaxing　her　to　do　it。　　First　I　heard　voices　at　the　door　that　led　into　a　little　hallway　and　then　it　opened　softly。　　The　girl　was　ashamed　and　stood　perfectly　still　staring　at　the　floor。　　The　mother　didn't　come　into　the　room。　　When　she　had　pushed　the　girl　in　through　the　door　she　stood　in　the　hallway　waiting；　hoping　we　wouldwell；　you　see　waiting。〃

George　Willard　and　the　telegraph　operator　came　into　the　main　street　of　Winesburg。　　The　lights　from　the　store　windows　lay　bright　and　shining　on　the　sidewalks。　　People　moved　about　laughing　and　talk…　ing。　　The　young　reporter　felt　ill　and　weak。　　In　imagi…　nation；　he　also　became　old　and　shapeless。　　〃I　didn't　get　the　mother　killed；〃　said　Wash　Williams；　staring　up　and　down　the　street。　　〃I　struck　her　once　with　a　chair　and　then　the　neighbors　came　in　and　took　it　away。　　She　screamed　so　loud　you　see。　　I　won't　ever　have　a　chance　to　kill　her　now。　　She　died　of　a　fever　a　month　after　that　happened。〃




THE　THINKER

THE　HOUSE　in　which　Seth　Richmond　of　Winesburg　lived　with　his　mother　had　been　at　one　time　the　show　place　of　the　town；　but　when　young　Seth　lived　there　its　glory　had　become　somewhat　dimmed。　　The　huge　brick　house　which　Banker　White　had　built　on　Buck…　eye　Street　had　overshadowed　it。　　The　Richmond　place　was　in　a　little　valley　far　out　at　the　end　of　Main　Street。　　Farmers　coming　into　town　by　a　dusty　road　from　the　south　passed　by　a　grove　of　walnut　trees；　skirted　the　Fair　Ground　with　its　high　board　fence　covered　with　advertisements；　and　trotted　their　horses　down　through　the　valley　past　the　Richmond　place　into　town。　　As　much　of　the　country　north　and　south　of　Winesburg　was　devoted　to　fruit　and　berry　raising；　Seth　saw　wagon…loads　of　berry　pickersboys；　girls；　and　womengoing　to　the　fields　in　the　morning　and　returning　covered　with　dust　in　the　evening。　　The　chattering　crowd；　with　their　rude　jokes　cried　out　from　wagon　to　wagon；　sometimes　irritated　him　sharply。　　He　regretted　that　he　also　could　not　laugh　boisterously；　shout　meaningless　jokes　and　make　of　himself　a　figure　in　the　endless　stream　of　moving；　giggling　activity　that　went　up　and　down　the　road。

The　Richmond　house　was　built　of　limestone；　and；　although　it　was　said　in　the　village　to　have　become　run　down；　had　in　reality　grown　more　beautiful　with　every　passing　year。　　Already　time　had　begun　a　little　to　color　the　stone；　lending　a　golden　richness　to　its　surface　and　in　the　evening　or　on　dark　days　touching　the　shaded　places　beneath　the　eaves　with　wavering　patches　of　browns　and　blacks。

The　house　had　been　built　by　Seth's　grandfather；　a　stone　quarryman；　and　it；　together　with　the　stone　quarries　on　Lake　Erie　eighteen　miles　to　the　north；　had　been　left　to　his　son；　Clarence　Richmond；　Seth's　father。　　Clarence　Richmond；　a　quiet　passionate　man　extraordinarily　admired　by　his　neighbors；　had　been　killed　in　a　street　f