the turmoil-第26章

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Gideon；　reassured　by　Bibbs's　　explanation；　would　have　returned　to　finish　his

quotation　from　Bildad　the　　Shuhite；　but　Bibbs　detained　him；　and　after　a　little

argument　persuaded　　him　to　descend　to　the　dining…room　whither　Bibbs　followed；

after　closing　　the　door　of　his　father's　room。



He　kept　his　eye　on　Gideon　after　dinner；　diplomatically　preventing　several

attempts　on　the　part　of　that　comforter　to　reascend　the　stairs；　and　it　was　　a

relief　to　Bibbs　when　George　announced　that　an　automobile　was　waiting　to

convey　the　ancient　man　and　his　grandson　to　their　train。　　They　were　the　　last

to　leave；　and　when　they　had　gone　Bibbs　went　sighing　to　his　own　room。



He　stretched　himself　wearily　upon　the　bed；　but　presently　rose；　went　to　　the

window；　and　looked　for　a　long　time　at　the　darkened　house　where　Mary　　Vertrees

lived。　　Then　he　open　his　trunk；　took　therefrom　a　small　note…book　　half　filled

with　fragmentary　scribblings；　and　began　to　write：



　　　　　Laughter　after　a　funeral。　　In　this　reaction　people　will　laugh　at

anything　and　at　nothing。　　The　band　plays　a　dirge　on　the　way　to　the　　cemetery；

but　when　it　turns　back；　and　the　mourning　carriages　are　out　of　　hearing；　it

strikes　up；　〃Darktown　is　Out　To…night。〃　　That　is　natural　but　there　are　women

whose　laughter　is　like　the　whirring　of　whips。　　Why　is　　it　that　certain　kinds

of　laughter　seem　to　spoil　something　hidden　away　　from　the　laughers？　　If　they

do　not　know　of　it；　and　have　never　seen　it；　　how　can　their　laughter　hurt　it？

Yet　it　does。　　　Beauty　is　not　out　of　place　among　grave…stones。　　It　is　not

out　of　　place　anywhere。　　But　a　woman　who　has　been　betrothed　to　a　man　would　not

look　beautiful　at　his　funeral。　　A　woman　might　look　beautiful；　though；　at　　the

funeral　of　a　man　whom　she　had　known　and　liked。　　And　in　that　case；　　too；　she

would　probably　not　want　to　talk　if　she　drove　home　from　the　　cemetery　with　his

brother：　nor　would　she　want　the　brother　to　talk。　　　Silence　is　usually　either

stupid　or　timid。　　But　for　a　man　who　stammers　if　　he　tries　to　talk　fast；　and

drawls　so　slowly；　when　he　doesn't　stammer；　　that　nobody　has　time　to　listen　to

him；　silence　is　advisable。　　　Nevertheless；　too　much　silence　is　open　to

suspicion。　　It　may　be　　reticence；　or　it　may　be　a　vacuum。　　It　may　be　dignity；

or　it　may　be　false　　teeth。　　　　Sometimes　an　imperceptible　odor　will　become

perceptible　in　a　　small　inclosure；　such　as　a　closed　carriage。　　The　ghost　of

gasoline　rising　　from　a　lady's　glove　might　be　sweeter　to　the　man　riding　beside

her　than　　all　the　scents　of　Arcady　in　spring。　　It　depends　on　the　ladybut

there　　ARE！　　　　Three　miles　may　be　three　hundred　miles；　or　it　may　be　three

feet。　　　When　it　is　three　feet　you　have　not　time　to　say　a　great　deal　before　you

reach　the　end　of　it。　　Still；　it　may　be　that　one　should　begin　to　speak。　　　　　No　one

could　help　wishing　to　stay　in　a　world　that　holds　some　of　　the　people　that　are

in　this　world。　　There　are　some　so　wonderful　you　do　　not　understand　how　the

dead　COULD　die。　　How　could　they　let　themselves？　　　A　falling　building　does

not　care　who　falls　with　it。　　It　does　not　　choose　who　shall　be　upon　its　roof

and　who　shall　not。　　Silence　CAN　be　golden？　　Yes。　　But　perhaps　if　a　woman

of　the　world　　should　find　herself　by　accident　sitting　beside　a　man　for　the

length　of　　time　it　must　necessarily　take　two　slow　old　horses　to　jog　three

miles；　she　　might　expect　that　man　to　say　something　of　some　sort！　　Even　if　she

thought　　him　a　feeble　hypochondriac；　even　if　she　had　heard　from　others　that　he

was　　a　disappointment　to　his　own　people；　even　if　she　had　seen　for　herself　that

he　was　a　useless　and　irritating　encumbrance　everywhere；　she　might　expect　　him

at　least　to　speakshe　might　expect　him　to　open　his　mouth　and　try　　to　make

sounds；　if　he　only　barked。　　If　he　did　not　even　try；　but　sat　every　　step　of　the

way　as　dumb　as　a　frozen　fish；　she　might　THINK　him　a　frozen　　fish。　　And　she

might　be　right。　　She　might　be　right　if　she　thought　him　　about　as　pleasant　a

companion　asas　Bildad　the　Shuhite！



Bibbs　closed　his　note…book；　replacing　it　in　his　trunk。　　Then；　after　a　　period

of　melancholy　contemplation；　he　undressed；　put　on　a　dressing…gown　　and

slippers；　and　went　softly　out　into　the　hallto　his　father's　door。　　　Upon　the

floor　was　a　tray　which　Bibbs　had　sent　George；　earlier　in　the　　evening；　to

place　upon　a　table　in　Sheridan's　roombut　the　food　was　　untouched。　　Bibbs

stood　listening　outside　the　door　for　several　minutes。　　　There　came　no　sound

from　within；　and　he　went　back　to　his　own　room　and　to　bed。



In　the　morning　he　woke　to　a　state　of　being　hitherto　unknown　in　his

experience。　　Sometimes　in　the　process　of　waking　there　is　a　little　pause

sleep　has　gone；　but　coherent　thought　has　not　begun。　　It　is　a　curious

half…void；　a　glimpse　of　aphasia；　and　although　the　person　experiencing　it　　may

not　know　for　that　instant　his　own　name　or　age　or　sex；　he　may　be　　acutely

conscious　of　depression　or　elation。　　It　is　the　moment；　as　we　say；　　before　we

〃remember〃；　and　for　the　first　time　in　Bibbs's　life　it　came　to　　him　bringing　a

vague　happiness。　　He　woke　to　a　sense　of　new　riches；　he　had　　the　feeling　of　a

boy　waking　to　a　birthday。　　But　when　the　next　moment　　brought　him　his　memory；

he　found　nothing　that　could　explain　his　　exhilaration。　　On　the　contrary；　under

the　circumstances　it　seemed　　grotesquely　unwarranted。　　However；　it　was　a　brief

visitation　and　was　gone　　before　he　had　finished　dressing。　　It　left　a　little

trail；　the　pleased　　recollection　of　it　and　the　puzzle　of　it；　which　remained

unsolved。　　And；　in　　fact；　waking　happily　in　the　morning　is　not　usually　the

result　of　a　drive　　home　from　a　funeral。　　No　wonder　the　sequence　evaded　Bibbs

Sheridan！



His　father　had　gone　when　he　came　down…stairs。　　〃Went　on　down　to　's　　office；

jes'　same；〃　Jackson　informed　him。　　〃Came　sat　breakfas'…table；　all　　by　'mself；

eat　nothin'。　　George　bring　nice　breakfas'；　but　he　di'n'　eat　a　　thing。　　Yessuh；

went　on　down…town；　jes'　same　he　yoosta　do。　　Yessuh；　I　reckon　putty　much

ev'y…thing　goin'　go　on　same　as　it　yoosta　do。〃



It　struck　Bibbs　that　Jackson　was　right。　　The　day　passed　as　other　days　had

passed。　　Mrs。　Sheridan　and　Edith　were　in　black；　and　Mrs。　Sheridan　cried　a

little；　now　and　then；　but　no　other　external　difference　was　to　be　seen。　　　Edith

was　quiet；　but　not　noticeably　depressed；　and　at　lunch　proved　　herself　able　to

argue　with　her　mother　upon　the　propriety　of　receiving　　calls　in　the　earliest

stages　of　〃mourning。〃　　Lunch　was　as　usualfor　　Jim　and　his　father　had　always

lunched　down…townand　the　afternoon　was　　as　usual。　　Bibbs　went　for　his　drive；

and　his　mother　went　with　him；　as　she　　sometimes　did　when　the　weather　was

pleasant。　　Altogether；　the　usualness　　of　things　was　rather　startling　to　Bibbs。



During　the　drive　Mrs。　Sheridan　talked　fragmentarily　of　Jim's　childhood。　　　〃But

you　wouldn't　remember　about　that；〃　she　said；　after　narrating　an　　episode。

〃You　were　too　little。　　He　was　always　a　good　boy；　just　like　　that。　　And　he'd

save　whatever　papa　gave　him；　and　put　it　in　the　bank。　　I　　reckon　it　'll　just

about　kill　your　father　to　put　somebody　in　his　place　as　　president　of　the

Realty　Company；　Bibbs。　　I　know　he　can't　move　Roscoe　　over；　he　told　me　last

week　he'd　already　put　as　much　on　Roscoe　as　any　one　　man　could　handle　and　not

go　crazy。　　Oh；　it's　a　pity〃　　She　stopped　to　　wipe　her　eyes。　　〃It's　a　pity

you　didn't　run　more　with　Jim；　Bibbs；　and　　kind　o'　pick　up　his　ways。　　Think

what　it'd　meant　to　papa　now！　You　never　　did　run　with　either　Roscoe　or　Jim　any；

even　before　you　got　sick。　　Of　　course；　you　were　younger；　but　it　always　DID

seem　queerand　you　three　　bein'　brothers　like　that。　　I　don't　believe　I　ever

saw　you　and　Jim　sit　　down　together　for　a　good　talk　in　my　life。〃



〃Mother；　I've　been　away　so　long；〃　Bibbs　returned；　gently。　〃And　since　I　　came

home　I〃



〃Oh；　I　ain't　reproachin'　you；　Bibbs；〃　she　said。　　〃Jim　ain't　been　home　　much　of

an　evening　since　you　got　backwhat　with　his　work　and　callin'　　and　goin'　to

the　theater　and　places；　and　often　not　even　at　the　house　for　　dinner。　　Right

the　evening　before