the turmoil-第20章

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some　feeling　which　she　wishes　to　conceal；　there　is　not　uncommonly　　developed　a

phenomenon　of　duality　comparable　to　the　effect　obtained　by　　placing　two

mirrors　opposite　each　other；　one　clear　and　the　other　flawed。　　　In　this　case；

particularly；　Sibyl　had　an　imperfect　consciousness　　　of　　Mary。　　The　Mary

Vertrees　that　she　saw　was　merely　something　to　be　cozened　　to　her　own　frantic

purposea　Mary　Vertrees　who　was　incapable　of　　penetrating　that　purpose。

Sibyl　sat　there　believing　that　she　was　　projecting　the　image　of　herself　that

she　desired　to　project；　never　　dreaming　that　with　every　word；　every　look；　and

every　gesture　she　was　more　　and　more　fully　disclosing　the　pitiable　truth　to

the　clear　eyes　of　Mary。　　　And　the　Sibyl　that　Mary　saw　was　an　overdressed

woman；　in　manner　half　　rustic；　and　in　mind　as　shallow　as　a　pan；　but　possessed

by　emotions　that　　appeared　to　be　strongperhaps　even　violent。　　What　those

emotions　were　　Mary　had　not　guessed；　but　she　began　to　suspect。



〃And　Edith's　life　WOULD　be　spoiled；〃　Sibyl　continued。　　〃It　would　be　a

dreadful　thing　for　the　whole　family。　　She's　the　very　apple　of　Father

Sheridan's　eye；　and　he's　as　proud　of　her　as　he　is　of　Jim　and　Roscoe。　　It

would　be　a　horrible　thing　for　him　to　have　her　marry　a　man　like　Robert

Lamhorn；　but　he　doesn't　KNOW　anything　about　him；　and　if　somebody　　doesn't　tell

him；　what　I'm　most　afraid　of　is　that　Edith　might　get　his　　consent　and　hurry　on

the　wedding　before　he　finds　out；　and　then　it　would　　be　too　late。　　You　see；

Miss　Vertrees；　it's　very　difficult　for　me　to　　decide　just　what　it's　my　duty　to

do。〃



〃I　see；〃　said　Mary；　looking　at　her　thoughtfully；　〃Does　Miss　Sheridan　seem

toto　care　very　much　about　him？〃



〃He's　deliberately　fascinated　her；〃　returned　the　visitor；　beginning　to

breathe　quickly　and　heavily。　　〃Oh；　she　wasn't　difficult！　　She　knew　she　　wasn't

in　right　in　this　town；　and　she　was　crazy　to　meet　the　people　that　　were；　and

she　thought　he　was　one　of　'em。　　But　that　was　only　the　start　　that　made　it　easy

for　himand　he　didn't　need　it。　　He　could　have　done　　it；　anyway！〃　Sibyl　was

launched　now；　her　eyes　were　furious　and　her　voice　　shook。　　〃He　went　after　her

deliberately；　the　way　he　does　everything；　he's　　as　cold…blooded　as　a　fish。

All　he　cares　about　is　his　own　pleasure；　and　　lately　he's　decided　it　would　be

pleasant　to　get　hold　of　a　piece　of　real　　moneyand　there　was　Edith！　　And

he'll　marry　her！　　Nothing　on　earth　can　　stop　him　unless　he　finds　out　she　won't

HAVE　any　money　if　she　marries　him；　　and　the　only　person　that　could　make　him

understand　that　is　Father　　Sheridan。　　Somehow；　that's　got　to　be　managed；

because　Lamhorn　is　going　to　　hurry　it　on　as　fast　as　he　can。　　He　told　me　so

last　night。　　He　said　he　was　　going　to　marry　her　the　first　minute　he　could

persuade　her　to　itand　　little　Edith's　all　ready　to　be　persuaded！〃　　Sibyl's

eyes　flashed　green　　again。　　〃And　he　swore　he'd　do　it；〃　she　panted。　　〃He　swore

he'd　marry　　Edith　Sheridan；　and　nothing　on　earth　could　stop　him！〃



And　then　Mary　understood。　　Her　lips　parted　and　she　stared　at　the　babbling

creature　incredulously；　a　sudden　vivid　　picture　in　her　mind；　a　canvas　of

unconscious　Sibyl's　painting。　　Mary　beheld　it　with　pity　and　horror：　she　　saw

Sibyl　clinging　to　Robert　Lamhorn；　raging；　in　a　whisper；　perhaps　for　Roscoe

might　have　been　in　the　house；　or　servants　might　have　head。　　　She　saw　Sibyl

entreating；　beseeching；　threatening　despairingly；　and　　Lamhorntired　of

herfirst　evasive；　then　brutally　letting　her　have　　the　truth；　and　at　last；

infuriated；　〃swearing〃　to　marry　her　rival。　　If　　Sibyl　had　not　babbled　out　the

word　〃swore〃　it　might　have　been　less　plain。



The　poor　woman　blundered　on；　wholly　unaware　of　what　he　had　confessed。　　　〃You

see；〃　she　said；　more　quietly；　〃whatever's　going　to　be　done　ought　to　　done

right　away。　　I　went　over　and　told　Mother　Sheridan　what　I'd　heard　　about

Lamhornoh；　I　was　open　and　aboveboard！　　I　told　her　right　before　　Edith。　　I

think　it　ought　all　to　be　done　with　perfect　frankness；　because　　nobody　can　say

it　isn't　for　the　girl's　own　good　and　what　her　best　friend　　would　do。　　But

Mother　Sheridan's　under　Edith's　thumb；　and　she's　afraid　to　　ever　come　right

out　with　anything。　　Father　Sheridan's　different。　　Edith　　can　get　anything　she

wants　out　of　him　in　the　way　of　money　or　ordinary　　indulgence；　but　when　it

comes　to　a　matter　like　this　he'd　be　a　steel　　rock。　　If　it's　a　question　of　his

will　against　anybody　else's　he'd　make　　his　will　rule　if　it　killed　'em　both！

Now；　he'd　never　in　the　world　let　　Lamhorn　come　near　the　house　again　if　he　knew

his　reputation。　　So；　you　　see；　somebody's　got　to　tell　him。　　It　isn't　a　very

easy　position　for　me；　　is　it；　Miss　Vertrees？〃



〃No；〃　said　Mary；　gravely。



〃Well；　to　be　frank；〃　said　Sibyl；　smiling；　〃that's　why　I've　come　to　you。〃



〃To　ME！〃　　Mary　frowned。



Sibyl　rippled　and　cooed　again。　　〃There　isn't　ANYBODY　even　made　such　a　hit

with　Father　Sheridan　in　his　life　as　you　have。　　And　of　course　we　ALL　hope

you're　not　going　to　be　exactly　an　outsider　in　the　affairs　of　the　　family！〃

（This　sally　with　another　and　louder　effect　of　laughter。）　　〃And　　if　it's　MY

duty；　why；　in　a　way；　I　think　it　might　be　thought　yours；　too。〃



〃No；　no！〃　exclaimed　Mary；　sharply。



〃Listen；〃　said　Sibyl。　　〃Now　suppose　I　go　to　Father　Sheridan　with　this　　story；

and　Edith　says　it's　not　true；　suppose　she　says　Lamhorn　has　a　good　　reputation

and　that　I'm　repeating　irresponsible　gossip；　or　suppose　　（what's　most　likely）

she　loses　her　temper　and　says　I　invented　it；　then　　what　am　I　going　to　do？

Father　Sheridan　doesn't　know　Mrs。　Kittersby　and　　her　daughter；　and　they're　out

of　the　question；　anyway。　　But　suppose　I　　could　say：　'All　right；　if　you　want

proof；　ask　Miss　Vertrees。　　She　came　　with　me；　and　she's　waiting　in　the　next

room　right　now；　to〃



〃No；　no；〃　said　Mary；　quickly。　　〃You　mustn't〃



〃Listen　just　a　minute　more；〃　Sibyl　urged；　confidingly。　　She　was　on　easy

ground　now；　to　her　own　mind；　and　had　no　doubt　of　her　success。　　〃You　　naturally

don't　want　to　begin　by　taking　part　in　a　family　quarrel；　but　if　　YOU　take　part

in　it；　it　won't　be　one。　　You　don't　know　yourself　what　　weight　you　carry　over

there；　and　no　one　would　have　the　right　to　say　you　　did　it　except　out　of　the

purest　kindness。　　Don't　you　see　that　Jim　and　his　　father　would　admire　you　all

the　more　for　it？　　Miss　Vertrees；　listen！　　　Don't　you　see　we　OUGHT　to　do　it；

you　and　I？　　Do　you　suppose　Robert　　Lamhorn　cares　a　snap　of　his　finger　for　her？

Do　you　suppose　a　man　like　　him　would　LOOK　at　Edith　Sheridan　if　it　wasn't　for

the　money？〃　　And　again　　Sibyl's　emotion　rose　to　the　surface。　　〃I　tell　you　he's

after　nothing　on　　earth　but　to　get　his　finger　in　that　old　man's　money…pile；

over　there；　　next　door！　　He'd　marry　ANYBODY　to　do　it。　　Marry　Edith？〃　she

cried。　　〃I　　tell　you　he'd　marry　their　nigger　cook　for　THAT！〃



She　stopped；　afraidat　the　wrong　timethat　she　had　been　too　　vehement；　but　a

glace　at　Mary　reassured　her；　and　Sibyl　decided　that　she　　had　produced　the

effect　she　wished。　　Mary　was　not　looking　at　her；　she　was　　staring　straight

before　her　at　the　wall；　her　eyes　wide　and　shining。　　She　　became　visibly　a

little　paler　as　Sibyl　looked　at　her。



〃After　nothing　on　earth　but　to　get　his　finger　in　that　old　man's　　money…pile；

over　there；　next　door！〃　　The　voice　was　vulgar；　the　words　were　　vulgarand　the

plain　truth　was　vulgar！　　How　it　rang　in　Mary　Vertrees's　　ears！　　The　clear

mirror　had　caught　its　own　image　clearly　in　the　flawed　　one　at　last。



Sibyl　put　forth　her　best　bid　to　clench　the　matter。　　She　offered　her　　bargain。

〃Now　don't　you　worry；〃　she　said；　sunnily；　〃about　this　setting　　Edith　against

you。　　She'll　get　over　it　after　a　while；　anyway；　but　if　she　　tried　to　be

spiteful　and　make　it　uncomfortable　for　you　when　you　drop　in　　over　there；　or

managed　so　as　to　sort　of　leave　you　out；　why；　I've　got　a　　house；　and　Jim　likes

to　come　there。　　I　don't　THINK　Edith　WOULD　be　that　　way；　she's　too　crazy　to

have　you　take　her　around　with　the　smart　crowd；　　but　if　she　DID；　you　needn't

worry。