the turmoil-第27章
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the theater and places; and often not even at the house for dinner。 Right
the evening before he got hurt he had his dinner at some miser'ble rest'rant
down by the Pump Works; he was so set on overseein' the night work and
gettin' everything finished up right to the minute he told papa he would。 I
reckon you might 'a' put in more time with Jim if there'd been more
opportunity; Bibbs。 I expect you feel almost as if you scarcely really knew
him right well。〃
〃I suppose I really didn't; mother。 He was busy; you see; and I hadn't much
to say about the things that interested him; because I don't know much about
them。〃
〃It's a pity! Oh; it's a pity!〃 she moaned。 〃And you'll have to learn to
know about 'em NOW; Bibbs! I haven't said much to you; because I felt it was
all between your father and you; but I honestly do believe it will just kill
him if he has to have any more trouble on top of all this! You mustn't LET
him; Bibbsyou mustn't! You don't know how he's grieved over you; and now
he can't stand any morehe just can't! Whatever he says for you to do; you
DO it; Bibbs; you DO it! I want you to promise me you will。〃
〃I would if I could;〃 he said; sorrowfully。
〃No; no! Why can't you?〃 she cried; clutching his arm。 〃He wants you to go
back to the machine…shop and〃
〃And'like it!〃 said Bibbs。
〃Yes; that's itto go in a cheerful spirit。 Dr。 Gurney said it wouldn't
hurt you if you went in a cheerful spiritthe doctor said that himself;
Bibbs。 So why can't you do it? Can't you do that much for your father? You
ought to think what he's done for YOU。 You got a beautiful house to live in;
you got automobiles to ride in; you got fur coats and warm clothes; you been
taken care of all your life。 And you don't KNOW how he worked for the money
to give all these things to you! You don't DREAM what he had to go through
and what he risked when we were startin' out in life; and you never WILL
know! And now this blow has fallen on him out of a clear sky; and you make
it out to be a hardship to do like he wants you to! And all on earth he asks
is for you to go back to the work in a cheerful spirit; so it won't hurt you!
That's all he asks。 Look; Bibbs; we're gettin' back near home; but before we
get there I want you to promise me that you'll do what he asks you to。
Promise me!〃
In her earnestness she cleared away her black veil that she might see him
better; and it blew out on the smoky wind。 He readjusted it for her before
he spoke。
〃I'll go back in as cheerful a spirit as I can; mother;〃 he said。
〃There!〃 she exclaimed; satisfied。 〃That's a good boy! That's all I wanted
you to say。〃
〃Don't give me any credit;〃 he said; ruefully。 〃There isn't anything else
for me to do。〃
〃Now; don't begin talkin' THAT way!〃
〃No; no;〃 he soothed her。 〃We'll have to begin to make the spirit a cheerful
one。 We may〃 They were turning into their own driveway as he spoke; and
he glanced at the old house next door。 Mary Vertrees was visible in the
twilight; standing upon the front steps; bareheaded; the door open behind
her。 She bowed gravely。
〃'We may'what?〃 asked Mrs。 Sheridan; with a slight impatience。
〃What is it; mother?〃
〃You said; 'We may;' and didn't finish what you were sayin'。〃
〃Did I?〃 said Bibbs; blankly。 〃Well; what WERE we saying?〃
〃Of all the queer boys!〃 she cried。 〃You always were。 Always! You haven't
forgot what you just promised me; have you?〃
〃No;〃 he answered; as the car stopped。 〃No; the spirit will be as cheerful
as the flesh will let it; mother。 It won't do to behave like〃
His voice was low; and in her movement to descend from the car she failed to
here his final words。
〃Behave like who; Bibbs?〃
〃Nothing。〃
But she was fretful in her grief。 〃You said it wouldn't do to behave like
SOMEBODY。 Behave like WHO?〃
〃It was just nonsense;〃 he explained; turning to go in。 〃An obscure person I
don't think much of lately。〃
〃Behave like WHO?〃 she repeated; and upon his yielding to her petulant
insistence; she made up her mind that the only thing to do was to tell Dr。
Gurney about it。
〃Like Bildad the Shuhite!〃 was what Bibbs said。
The outward usualness of things continued after dinner。 It was Sheridan's
custom to read the evening paper beside the fire in the library; while his
wife; sitting near by; either sewed (from old habit) or allowed herself to be
repeatedly baffled by one of the simpler forms of solitaire。 To…night she
did neither; but sat in her customary chair; gazing at the fire; while
Sheridan let the unfolded paper rest upon his lap; though now and then he
lifted it; as if to read; and let it fall back upon his knees again。 Bibbs
came in noiselessly and sat in a corner; doing nothing; and from a
〃reception…room〃 across the hall an indistinct vocal murmur became just
audible at intervals。 Once; when this murmur grew louder; under stress of
some irrepressible merriment; Edith's voice could be heard〃Bobby; aren't
you awful!〃 and Sheridan glanced across at his wife appealingly。
She rose at once and went into the 〃reception…room〃; there was a flurry of
whispering; and the sound of tiptoeing in the hallEdith and her suitor
changing quarters to a more distant room。 Mrs。 Sheridan returned to her
chair in the library。
〃They won't bother you any more; papa;〃 she said; in a comforting voice。
〃She told me at lunch he'd 'phoned he wanted to come up this evening; and I
said I thought he'd better wait a few days; but she said she'd already told
him he could。〃 She paused; then added; rather guiltily: 〃I got kind of a
notion maybe Roscoe don't like him as much as he used to。 Maybe maybe you
better ask Roscoe; papa。〃 And as Sheridan nodded solemnly; she concluded; in
haste: 〃Don't say I said to。 I might be wrong about it; anyway。〃
He nodded again; and they sat for some time in a silence which Mrs。 Sheridan
broke with a little sniff; having fallen into a reverie that brought tears。
〃That Miss Vertrees was a good girl;〃 she said。 〃SHE was all right。〃
Her husband evidently had no difficulty in following her train of thought;
for he nodded once more; affirmatively。
〃Did youHow did you fix it about thethe Realty Company?〃 she faltered。
〃Did you
He rose heavily; helping himself to his feet by the arms of his chair。 〃I
fixed it;〃 he said; in a husky voice。 〃I moved Cantwell up; and put Johnston
in Cantwell's place; and split up Johnston's work among the four men with
salaries high enough to take it。〃 He went to her; put his hand upon her
shoulder; and drew a long; audible; tremulous breath。 〃It's my bedtime;
mamma; I'm goin' up。〃 He dropped the hand from her shoulder and moved slowly
away; but when he reached the door he stopped and spoke again; without
turning to look at her。 〃The Realty Company 'll go right on just the same;〃
he said。 〃It's likeit's like sand; mamma。 It puts me in mind of chuldern
playin' in a sand…pile。 One of 'em sticks his finger in the sand and makes a
hole; and another of 'em 'll pat the place with his hand; and all the little
grains of sand run in and fill it up and settle against one another; and
then; right away it's flat on top again; and you can't tell there ever was a
hole there。 The Realty Company 'll go on all right; mamma。 There ain't
anything anywhere; I reckon; that wouldn't go right onjust the same。〃
And he passed out slowly into the hall; then they heard his heavy tread upon
the stairs。
Mrs。 Sheridan; rising to follow him; turned a piteous face to her son。 〃It's
so forlong;〃 she said; chokingly。 〃That's the first time he spoke since he
came in the house this evening。 I know it must 'a' hurt him to hear Edith
laughin' with that Lamhorn。 She'd oughtn't to let him come; right the very
first evening this way; she