the turmoil-第24章

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lip　quivering；　　Edith　wept　audibly；　Mrs。　Sheridan　leaned　in　half　collapse

against　her　　husband；　but　Bibbs　knew　that　his　father　was　the　one　who　cared。



It　was　over。　　Men　in　overalls　stepped　forward　with　their　shovels；　and　　Bibbs

nodded　quickly　to　Roscoe；　making　a　slight　gesture　toward　the　line　　of　waiting

carriages。　　Roscoe　understoodBibbs　would　stay　and　see　the　　grave　filled；　the

rest　were　to　go。　　The　groups　began　to　move　away　over　　the　turf；　wheels　creaked

on　the　graveled　drive；　and　one　by　one　the　　carriages　filled　and　departed；　the

horses　setting　off　at　a　walk。　　Bibbs　　gazed　steadfastly　at　the　workmen；　he

knew　that　his　father　kept　looking　　back　as　he　went　toward　the　carriage；　and

that　was　a　thing　he　did　not　want　　to　see。　　But　after　a　little　while　there　were

no　sounds　of　wheels　or　hoofs　　on　the　gravel；　and　Bibbs；　glancing　up；　saw　that

every　one　had　gone。　　A　　coupe　had　been　left　for　him；　the　driver　dozing

patiently。



The　workmen　placed　the　flowers　and　wreaths　upon　the　mound　and　about　it；　　and

Bibbs　altered　the　position　of　one　or　two　of　these；　then　stood　looking

thoughtfully　at　the　grotesque　brilliancy　of　that　festal…seeming　hillock

beneath　the　darkening　November　sky。　　〃It's　too　bad！〃　he　half　whispered；　　his

lips　forming　the　wordsand　his　meaning　was　that　it　was　too　bad　　that　the

strong　brother　had　been　the　one　to　go。　　For　this　was　his　last　　thought　before

he　walked　to　the　coupe　and　saw　Mary　Vertrees　standing；　all　　alone；　on　the

other　side　of　the　drive。



She　had　just　emerged　from　a　grove　of　leafless　trees　that　grew　on　a　slope

where　the　tombs　were　many；　and　behind　her　rose　a　multitude　of　the　　barbaric

and　classic　shapes　we　so　strangely　strew　about　our　graveyards：　　urn…crowned

columns　and　stone…draped　obelisks；　shop…carved　angels　and　　shop…carved

children　poising　on　pillars　and　shafts；　all　liftingin　　unthought

pathostheir　blind　stoniness　toward　the　sky。　　Against　such　a　　background；

Bibbs　was　not　incongruous；　with　his　figure；　in　black；　so　long　　and　slender；

and　his　face　so　long　and　thin　and　white；　nor　was　the　　undertaker's　coupe　out

of　keeping；　with　the　shabby　driver　dozing　on　the　　box　and　the　shaggy　horses

standing　patiently　in　attitudes　without　hope　　and　without　regret。　　But　for

Mary　Vertrees；　here　was　a　grotesque　setting　　she　was　a　vivid；　living

creature　of　a　beautiful　world。　　And　a　　graveyard　is　not　the　place　for　people

to　look　charming。



She　also　looked　startled　and　confused；　but　not　more　startled　and　confused

than　Bibbs。　　In　〃Edith's〃　poem　he　had　declared　his　intention　of　hiding　　his

heart　〃among　the　stars〃；　and　in　his　boyhood　one　day　he　had　　successfully

hidden　his　body　in　the　coal…pile。　　He　had　been　no　comrade　of　　other　boys　or　of

girls；　and　his　acquaintances　of　a　recent　period　were　　only　a　few

fellow…invalids　and　the　nurses　at　the　Hood　Sanitarium。　　All　　his　life　Bibbs

had　kept　himself　to　himselfhe　was　but　a　shy　onlooker　　in　the　world。

Nevertheless；　the　startled　gaze　he　bent　upon　the　　unexpected　lady　before　him

had　causes　other　than　his　shyness　and　her　　unexpectedness。　　For　Mary　Vertrees

had　been　a　shining　figure　in　the　　little　world　of　late　given　to　the　view　of

this　humble　and　elusive　　outsider；　and　spectators　sometimes　find　their　hearts

beating　faster　than　　those　of　the　actors　in　the　spectacle。　　Thus　with　Bibbs

now。　　He　started　　and　stared；　he　lifted　his　hat　with　incredible　awkwardness；

his　fingers　　fumbling　at　his　forehead　before　they　found　the　brim。



〃Mr。　Sheridan；〃　said　Mary；　〃I'm　afraid　you'll　have　to　take　me　home　with　　you。

I〃　　She　stopped；　not　lacking　a　momentary　awkwardness　of　her　own。



〃Whywhyyes；〃　Bibbs　stammered。　　〃I'llI'll　be　deWon't　you　　get　in？〃



In　that　manner　and　in　that　place　they　exchanged　their　first　words。　　Then　　Mary

withour　more　ado　got　into　the　coupe；　and　Bibbs　followed；　closing　the　　door。



〃You're　very　kind；〃　she　said；　somewhat　breathlessly。　　〃I　should　have　had　　to

walk；　and　it's　beginning　to　get　dark。　　It's　three　miles；　I　think。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Bibbs。　　〃Itit　is　beginning　to　get　dark。　　II　noticed　　that。〃



〃I　ought　to　tell　youI〃　Mary　began；　confusedly。　　She　bit　her　lip；　　sat

silent　a　moment；　then　spoke　with　composure。　　〃It　must　seem　odd；　my〃



〃No；　no！〃　Bibbs　protested；　earnestly。　　〃Not　in　thein　the　least。〃



〃It　does；　though；〃　said　Mary。　　〃I　had　not　intended　to　come　to　the　　cemetery；

Mr。　Sheridan；　but　one　of　the　men　in　charge　at　the　house　came　　and　whispered　to

me　that　'the　family　wished　me　to'I　think　your　sister　　sent　him。　　So　I　came。

But　when　we　reached　here　Ioh；　I　felt　that　　perhaps　I〃



Bibbs　nodded　gravely。　　〃Yes；　yes；〃　he　murmured。



〃I　got　out　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　carriage；〃　she　continued。　　〃I　mean

opposite　fromfrom　where　all　of　you　were。　　And　I　wandered　off　over　in　　the

other　direction；　and　I　didn't　realize　how　little　timeit　takes。　　　From　where

I　was　I　couldn't　see　the　carriages　leavingat　least　I　　didn't　notice　them。

So　when　I　got　back；　just　now；　you　were　the　only　one　　here。　　I　didn't　know　the

other　people　in　the　carriage　I　came　in；　and　of　　course　they　didn't　think　to

wait　for　me。　　That's　why〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Bibbs；　〃I〃　　And　that　seemed　all　he　had　to　say　just　then。



Mary　looked　out　through　the　dusty　window。　　〃I　think　we'd　better　be　going

home；　if　you　please；〃　she　said。



〃Yes；〃　Bibbs　agreed；　not　moving。　　〃It　will　be　dark　before　we　get　there。〃



She　gave　him　a　quick　little　glance。　　〃I　think　you　must　be　very　tired；　Mr。

Sheridan；　and　I　know　you　have　reason　to　be；〃　she　said；　gently。　　〃If　　you'll

let　me；　I'll〃　　And　without　explaining　her　purpose　she　opened　　the　door　on

her　side　of　the　coupe　and　leaned　out。



Bibbs　started　in　blank　perplexity；　not　knowing　what　she　meant　to　do。



〃Driver！〃　she　called；　in　her　clear　voice；　loudly。　　〃Driver！　We'd　like　to

start；　please！　　Driver！　　Stop　at　the　house　just　north　of　Mr。　Sheridan's；

please。〃　　The　wheels　began　to　move；　and　she　leaned　back　beside　Bibbs　once

more。　　〃I　noticed　that　he　was　asleep　when　we　got　in；〃　she　said。　　　〃I　　suppose

they　have　a　great　deal　of　night　work。〃



Bibbs　drew　a　long　breath　and　waited　till　he　could　command　his　voice。　　　〃I've

never　been　able　to　apologize　quickly；〃　he　said；　with　his　accustomed　　slowness；

〃because　if　I　try　to　I　stammer。　　My　brother　Roscoe　whipped　me　　once；　when　we

were　boys；　for　stepping　on　his　slate…pencil。　　It　took　me　so　　long　to　tell　him

it　was　an　accident；　he　finished　before　I　did。〃



Mary　Vertrees　had　never　heard　anything　quite　like　the　drawling；　gentle　　voice

or　the　odd　implication　that　his　not　noticing　the　motionless　state　　of　their

vehicle　was　an　〃accident。〃　　She　had　formed　a　casual　impression　　of　him；　not

without　sympathy；　but　at　once　she　discovered　that　he　was　　unlike　any　of　her

cursory　and　vague　imaginings　of　him。　　And　suddenly　she　　saw　a　picture　he　had

not　intended　to　paint　for　sympathy：　a　sturdy　boy　　hammering　a　smaller；　sickly

boy；　and　the　sickly　boy　unresentful。　　Not　　that　picture　alone；　others　flashed

before　her。　　Instantaneously　she　had　a　　glimpse　of　Bibbs's　life　and　into　his

life。　　　She　had　a　queer　feeling；　new　　to　her　experience；　of　knowing　him

instantly。　　It　startled　her　a　litttle；　　and　then；　with　some　surprise；　she

realized　that　she　was　glad　he　had　sat　so　　long；　after　getting　into　the　coupe；

before　he　noticed　that　it　had　not　　started。　　What　she　did　not　realize；

however；　was　that　she　had　made　no　　response　to　his　apology；　and　they　passed

out　of　the　cemetery　gates；　　neither　having　spoken　again。



Bibbs　was　so　content　with　the　silence　he　did　not　know　that　it　was　　silence。

The　dusk；　gathering　in　their　small　inclosure；　was　filled　with　a　　rich　presence

for　him；　and　presently　it　was　so　dark　that　neither　of　the　　two　could　see　the

other；　nor　did　even　their　garments　touch。　　But　neither　　had　any　sense　of　being

alone。　　The　wheels　creaked　steadily；　rumbling　　presently　on　paved　streeets；

there　were　the　sounds；　as　from　a　distance；　of　　the　plod…plod　of　the　horses；

and　sometimes　the　driver　became　audible；　　coughing　asthmatically；　or　saying；