winesburg,ohio-第23章

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mond；　a　quiet　passionate　man　extraordinarily　admired　by　his　neighbors；　had　been　killed　in　a　street　fight　with　the　editor　of　a　newspaper　in　Toledo；　Ohio。　　The　fight　concerned　the　publication　of　Clarence　Richmond's　name　coupled　with　that　of　a　woman　school　teacher；　and　as　the　dead　man　had　begun　the　row　by　firing　upon　the　editor；　the　effort　to　punish　the　slayer　was　unsuccessful。　　After　the　quarryman's　death　it　was　found　that　much　of　the　money　left　to　him　had　been　squandered　in　specula…　tion　and　in　insecure　investments　made　through　the　influence　of　friends。

Left　with　but　a　small　income；　Virginia　Richmond　had　settled　down　to　a　retired　life　in　the　village　and　to　the　raising　of　her　son。　　Although　she　had　been　deeply　moved　by　the　death　of　the　husband　and　fa…　ther；　she　did　not　at　all　believe　the　stories　concerning　him　that　ran　about　after　his　death。　　To　her　mind；　the　sensitive；　boyish　man　whom　all　had　instinctively　loved；　was　but　an　unfortunate；　a　being　too　fine　for　everyday　life。　　〃You'll　be　hearing　all　sorts　of　stories；　but　you　are　not　to　believe　what　you　hear；〃　she　said　to　her　son。　　〃He　was　a　good　man；　full　of　tenderness　for　everyone；　and　should　not　have　tried　to　be　a　man　of　affairs。　　No　matter　how　much　I　were　to　plan　and　dream　of　your　future；　I　could　not　imagine　anything　better　for　you　than　that　you　turn　out　as　good　a　man　as　your　father。〃

Several　years　after　the　death　of　her　husband；　Vir…　ginia　Richmond　had　become　alarmed　at　the　growing　demands　upon　her　income　and　had　set　herself　to　the　task　of　increasing　it。　　She　had　learned　stenogra…　phy　and　through　the　influence　of　her　husband's　friends　got　the　position　of　court　stenographer　at　the　county　seat。　　There　she　went　by　train　each　morning　during　the　sessions　of　the　court；　and　when　no　court　sat；　spent　her　days　working　among　the　rosebushes　in　her　garden。　　She　was　a　tall；　straight　figure　of　a　woman　with　a　plain　face　and　a　great　mass　of　brown　hair。

In　the　relationship　between　Seth　Richmond　and　his　mother；　there　was　a　quality　that　even　at　eighteen　had　begun　to　color　all　of　his　traffic　with　men。　　An　almost　unhealthy　respect　for　the　youth　kept　the　mother　for　the　most　part　silent　in　his　presence。　When　she　did　speak　sharply　to　him　he　had　only　to　look　steadily　into　her　eyes　to　see　dawning　there　the　puzzled　look　he　had　already　noticed　in　the　eyes　of　others　when　he　looked　at　them。

The　truth　was　that　the　son　thought　with　remark…　able　clearness　and　the　mother　did　not。　　She　expected　from　all　people　certain　conventional　reactions　to　life。　A　boy　was　your　son；　you　scolded　him　and　he　trem…　bled　and　looked　at　the　floor。　　When　you　had　scolded　enough　he　wept　and　all　was　forgiven。　　After　the　weeping　and　when　he　had　gone　to　bed；　you　crept　into　his　room　and　kissed　him。

Virginia　Richmond　could　not　understand　why　her　son　did　not　do　these　things。　　After　the　severest　repri…　mand；　he　did　not　tremble　and　look　at　the　floor　but　instead　looked　steadily　at　her；　causing　uneasy　doubts　to　invade　her　mind。　　As　for　creeping　into　his　room　after　Seth　had　passed　his　fifteenth　year；　she　would　have　been　half　afraid　to　do　anything　of　the　kind。

Once　when　he　was　a　boy　of　sixteen；　Seth　in　com…　pany　with　two　other　boys　ran　away　from　home。　　The　three　boys　climbed　into　the　open　door　of　an　empty　freight　car　and　rode　some　forty　miles　to　a　town　where　a　fair　was　being　held。　　One　of　the　boys　had　a　bottle　filled　with　a　combination　of　whiskey　and　blackberry　wine；　and　the　three　sat　with　legs　dan…　gling　out　of　the　car　door　drinking　from　the　bottle。　Seth's　two　companions　sang　and　waved　their　hands　to　idlers　about　the　stations　of　the　towns　through　which　the　train　passed。　　They　planned　raids　upon　the　baskets　of　farmers　who　had　come　with　their　fam…　ilies　to　the　fair。　　〃We　will　five　like　kings　and　won't　have　to　spend　a　penny　to　see　the　fair　and　horse　races；〃　they　declared　boastfully。

After　the　disappearance　of　Seth；　Virginia　Rich…　mond　walked　up　and　down　the　floor　of　her　home　filled　with　vague　alarms。　　Although　on　the　next　day　she　discovered；　through　an　inquiry　made　by　the　town　marshal；　on　what　adventure　the　boys　had　gone；　she　could　not　quiet　herself。　　All　through　the　night　she　lay　awake　hearing　the　clock　tick　and　telling　herself　that　Seth；　like　his　father；　would　come　to　a　sudden　and　violent　end。　　So　determined　was　she　that　the　boy　should　this　time　feel　the　weight　of　her　wrath　that；　although　she　would　not　allow　the　marshal　to　interfere　with　his　adventure；　she　got　out　a　pencil　and　paper　and　wrote　down　a　series　of　sharp；　sting…　ing　reproofs　she　intended　to　pour　out　upon　him。　The　reproofs　she　committed　to　memory；　going　about　the　garden　and　saying　them　aloud　like　an　actor　memorizing　his　part。

And　when；　at　the　end　of　the　week；　Seth　returned；　a　little　weary　and　with　coal　soot　in　his　ears　and　about　his　eyes；　she　again　found　herself　unable　to　reprove　him。　　Walking　into　the　house　he　hung　his　cap　on　a　nail　by　the　kitchen　door　and　stood　looking　steadily　at　her。　　〃I　wanted　to　turn　back　within　an　hour　after　we　had　started；〃　he　explained。　　〃I　didn't　know　what　to　do。　　I　knew　you　would　be　bothered；　but　I　knew　also　that　if　I　didn't　go　on　I　would　be　ashamed　of　myself。　　I　went　through　with　the　thing　for　my　own　good。　　It　was　uncomfortable；　sleeping　on　wet　straw；　and　two　drunken　Negroes　came　and　slept　with　us。　　When　I　stole　a　lunch　basket　out　of　a　farmer's　wagon　I　couldn't　help　thinking　of　his　chil…　dren　going　all　day　without　food。　　I　was　sick　of　the　whole　affair；　but　I　was　determined　to　stick　it　out　until　the　other　boys　were　ready　to　come　back。〃

〃I'm　glad　you　did　stick　it　out；〃　replied　the　mother；　half　resentfully；　and　kissing　him　upon　the　forehead　pretended　to　busy　herself　with　the　work　about　the　house。

On　a　summer　evening　Seth　Richmond　went　to　the　New　Willard　House　to　visit　his　friend；　George　Willard。　　It　had　rained　during　the　afternoon；　but　as　he　walked　through　Main　Street；　the　sky　had　partially　cleared　and　a　golden　glow　lit　up　the　west。　　Going　around　a　corner；　he　turned　in　at　the　door　of　the　hotel　and　began　to　climb　the　stairway　leading　up　to　his　friend's　room。　　In　the　hotel　office　the　proprietor　and　two　traveling　men　were　engaged　in　a　discussion　of　politics。

On　the　stairway　Seth　stopped　and　listened　to　the　voices　of　the　men　below。　　They　were　excited　and　talked　rapidly。　　Tom　Willard　was　berating　the　travel…　ing　men。　　〃I　am　a　Democrat　but　your　talk　makes　me　sick；〃　he　said。　　〃You　don't　understand　McKinley。　McKinley　and　Mark　Hanna　are　friends。　　It　is　impossi…　ble　perhaps　for　your　mind　to　grasp　that。　　If　anyone　tells　you　that　a　friendship　can　be　deeper　and　bigger　and　more　worth　while　than　dollars　and　cents；　or　even　more　worth　while　than　state　politics；　you　snicker　and　laugh。〃

The　landlord　was　interrupted　by　one　of　the　guests；　a　tall；　grey…mustached　man　who　worked　for　a　wholesale　grocery　house。　　〃Do　you　think　that　I've　lived　in　Cleveland　all　these　years　without　knowing　Mark　Hanna？〃　he　demanded。　　〃Your　talk　is　piffle。　Hanna　is　after　money　and　nothing　else。　　This　McKin…　ley　is　his　tool。　　He　has　McKinley　bluffed　and　don't　you　forget　it。〃

The　young　man　on　the　stairs　did　not　linger　to　hear　the　rest　of　the　discussion；　but　went　on　up　the　stairway　and　into　the　little　dark　hall。　　Something　in　the　voices　of　the　men　talking　in　the　hotel　office　started　a　chain　of　thoughts　in　his　mind。　　He　was　lonely　and　had　begun　to　think　that　loneliness　was　a　part　of　his　character；　something　that　would　always　stay　with　him。　　Stepping　into　a　side　hall　he　stood　by　a　window　that　looked　into　an　alleyway。　　At　the　back　of　his　shop　stood　Abner　Groff；　the　town　baker。　　His　tiny　bloodshot　eyes　looked　up　and　down　the　alley…　way。　　In　his　shop　someone　called　the　baker；　who　pretended　not　to　hear。　　The　baker　had　an　empty　milk　bottle　in　his　hand　and　an　angry　sullen　look　in　his　eyes。

In　Winesburg；　Seth　Richmond　was　called　the　〃deep　one。〃　〃He's　like　his　father；〃　men　said　as　he　went　through　the　streets。　　〃He'll　break　out　some　of　these　days。　　You　wait　and　see。〃

The　talk　of　the　town　and　the　respect　with　which　men　and　boys　instinctively　greeted　him；　as　all　men　greet　silent　people；　had　affected　Seth　Richmond's　outlook　on　life　and　on　himself。　　He；　like　most　boys；　was　deeper　than　boys　are　given　credit　for　being；　but　he　was　not　what　the　men　of　the　town；　and　even　his　mother；　thought　him　to