the turmoil-第32章

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That　night；　Bibbs　sat　writing　in　his　note…book。



Music　can　come　into　a　blank　life；　and　fill　it。　　Everything　that　is　　beautiful

is　music；　if　you　can　listen。



There　is　no　gracefulness　like　that　of　a　graceful　woman　at　a　grand　piano。

There　is　a　swimming　loveliness　of　line　that　seems　to　merge　with　the　　running

of　the　sound；　and　you　seem；　as　you　watch　her；　to　see　what　you　are　　hearing　and

to　hear　what　you　are　seeing。



There　are　women　who　make　you　think　of　pine　woods　coming　down　to　a　　sparkling

sea。　　The　air　about　such　a　woman　is　bracing；　and　when　she　is　　near　you；　you

feel　strong　and　ambitious；　you　forget　that　the　world　　doesn't　like　you。　　You

think　that　perhaps　you　are　a　great　fellow；　after　　all。　　Then　you　come　away　and

feel　like　a　boy　who　has　fallen　in　love　with　　his　Sunday…school　teacher。

You'll　be　whipped　for　itand　ought　to　be。



There　are　women　who　make　you　think　of　Diana；　crowned　with　the　moon。　　But　　they

do　not　have　the　〃Greek　profile。〃　　I　do　not　believe　Helen　of　Troy　had　　a　〃Greek

profile〃；　they　would　not　have　fought　about　her　if　her　nose　had　　been　quite

that　long。　　The　Greek　nose　is　not　the　adorable　nose。　　The　　adorable　nose　is

about　an　eighth　of　an　inch　shorter。



Much　of　the　music　of　Wagner；　it　appears；　is　not　suitable　to　the　piano。

Wagner　was　a　composer　who　could　interpret　into　music　such　things　as　the

primitive　impulses　of　humanityhe　could　have　made　a　machine…shop　into　　music。

But　not　if　he　had　to　work　in　it。　　Wagner　was　always　dealing　in　　immensitiesa

machine…shop　would　have　put　a　majestic　lump　in　so　grand　　a　gizzard　as　that。



There　is　a　mystery　about　pianos；　it　seems。　　Sometimes　they　have　to　be　　〃sent

away。〃　　That　is　how　some　people　speak　of　the　penitentiary。　　〃Sent　　away〃　is　a

euphuism　for　〃sent　to　prison。〃　　But　pianos　are　not　sent　to　　prison；　and　they

are　not　sent　to　the　tunerthe　tuner　is　sent　to　them。　　　Why　are　pianos　〃sent

away〃and　where？



Sometimes　a　glorious　day　shines　into　the　most　ordinary　and　useless　life。

Happiness　and　beauty　come　caroling　out　of　the　air　into　the　gloomy　house　　of

that　life　as　if　some　stray　angel　just　happened　to　perch　on　the　　roof…tree；

resting　and　singing。　　And　the　night　after　such　a　day　is　　lustrous　and　splendid

with　the　memory　of　it。　　Music　and　beauty　and　　kindnessthose　are　the　three

greatest　things　God　can　give　us。　　To　　bring　them　all　in　one　day　to　one　who

expected　nothingah！　the　heart　　that　received　them　should　be　as　humble　as　it

is　thankful。　　But　it　is　hard　　to　be　humble　when　one　is　so　rich　with　new

memories。　　It　is　impossible　to　be　　humble　after　a　day　of　glory。



Yesthe　adorable　nose　is　more　than　an　eighth　of　an　inch　shorter　than　　the

Greek　nose。　　It　is　a　full　quarter　of　an　inch　shorter。



There　are　women　who　will　be　kinder　to　a　sick　tramp　than　to　a　conquering　　hero。

But　the　sick　tramp　had　better　remember　that's　what　he　is。　　Take　　care；　take

care！　　Humble's　the　word！





That　〃mystery　about　pianos〃　which　troubled　Bibbs　had　been　a　mystery　to　　Mr。

Vertrees；　and　it　was　being　explained　to　him　at　about　the　time　Bibbs　　scribbled

the　reference　to　it　in　his　notes。　　Mary　had　gone　up…stairs　upon　　Bibbs's

departure　at　ten　o'clock；　and　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Vertrees　sat　until　　after　midnight

in　the　library；　talking。　　And　in　all　that　time　they　found　　not　one　cheerful

topic；　but　became　more　depressed　with　everything　and　　with　every　phase　of

everything　that　they　discussedno　extraordinary　　state　of　affairs　in　a　family

which　has　always　〃held　up　its　head；〃　only　to　　arrive　in　the　end　at　a　point

where　all　it　can　do　is　to　look　on　helplessly　　at　the　processes　of　its　own

financial　dissolution。　　For　that　was　the　　point　which　this　despairing　couple

had　reachedthey　could　do　nothing　　except　look　on　and　talk　about　it。　　They

were　only　vaporing；　and　they　knew　　it。



〃She　needn't　to　have　done　that　about　her　piano；〃　vapored　Mr。　Vertrees。　　　〃We

could　have　managed　somehow　without　it。　　At　least　she　ought　to　have　　consulted

me；　and　if　she　insisted　I　could　have　arranged　the　details　with　　thethe

dealer。〃



〃She　thought　that　it　might　beannoying　for　you；〃　Mrs。　Vertrees　　explained。

〃Really；　she　planned　for　you　not　to　know　about　it　until　they　　had

removeduntil　after　to…morrow；　that　is；　but　I　decided　toto　　mention　it。

You　see；　she　didn't　even　tell　me　about　it　until　this　　morning。　　She　has

another　ides；　too；　I'm　afraid。　　It'sit's〃



〃Well？〃　he　urged；　as　she　found　it　difficult　to　go　on。



〃Her　other　idea　isthat　is；　it　wasI　think　it　can　be　avoided；　of　　courseit

was　about　her　furs。〃



〃No！〃　he　exclaimed；　quickly。　　〃I　won't　have　it！　　You　must　see　to　that。　　　I'd

rather　not　talk　to　her　about　it；　but　you　mustn't　let　her。〃



〃I'll　try　not；〃　his　wife　promised。　　〃Of　course；　they're　very　handsome。〃



〃All　the　more　reason　for　her　to　keep　them！〃　he　returned；　irritably。　　　〃We're

not　THAT　far　gone；　I　think！〃



〃Perhaps　not　yet；〃　Mrs。　Vertrees　said。　　〃She　seems　to　be　troubled　about

thethe　coal　matter　andabout　Tilly。　　Of　course　the　piano　will　take　　care　of

some　things　like　those　for　a　while　and〃



〃I　don't　like　it。　　I　gave　her　the　piano　to　play　on；　not　to〃



〃You　mustn't　be　distressed　about　it　in　ONE　way；〃　she　said；　comfortingly。

〃She　arranged　with　thewith　the　purchaser　that　the　men　will　come　for　　it

about　half　after　five　in　the　afternoon。　　The　days　are　so　short　now　　it's

really　quite　winter。〃



〃Oh；　yes；〃　he　agreed；　moodily。　　〃So　far　as　that　goes　people　have　a　right　　to

move　a　piece　of　furniture　without　stirring　up　the　neighbors；　I　　suppose；　even

by　daylight。　　I　don't　suppose　OUR　neighbors　are　paying　much　　attention　just

now；　though　I　hear　Sheridan　was　back　in　his　office　early　　the　morning　after

the　funeral。〃



Mrs。　Vertrees　made　a　little　sound　of　commiseration。　　〃I　don't　believe　　that

was　because　he　wasn't　suffering；　though。　　I'm　sure　it　was　only　　because　he

felt　his　business　was　so　important。　　Mary　told　me　he　seemed　　wrapped　up　in　his

son's　succeeding；　and　that　was　what　he　bragged　about　　most。　　He　isn't　vulgar

in　his　boasting；　I　understand；　he　doesn't　talk　a　　great　deal　about　hishis

actual　moneythough　there　was　something　　about　blades　of　grass　that　I　didn't

comprehend。　　I　think　he　meant　　something　about　his　energybut　perhaps　not。

No；　his　bragging　usually　　seemed　to　be　not　so　much　a　personal　vainglory　as

about　his　family　and　the　　greatness　of　this　city。〃



〃'Greatness　of　this　city'！〃　Mr。　Vertrees　echoed；　with　dull　bitterness。　　　〃It's

nothing　but　a　coal…hole！　　I　suppose　it　looks　'great'　to　the　man　who　　has　the

luck　to　make　it　work　for　him。　　I　suppose　it　looks　'great'　to　any　　YOUNG　man；

too；　starting　out　to　make　his　fortune　out　of　it。　　The　fellows　　that　get　what

they　want　out　of　it　say　it's　'great；'　and　everybody　else　　gets　the　habit。　　But

you　have　a　different　point　of　view　if　it's　the　city　　that　got　what　it　wanted

out　of　you！　　Of　course　Sheridan　says　it's　'great'。〃



Mrs。　Vertrees　seemed　unaware　of　this　unusual　outburst。　　〃I　believe；〃　she

began；　timidly；　〃he　doesn't　boast　ofthat　is；　I　understand　he　has　　never

seemed　so　interested　in　thethe　other　one。〃



Her　husband's　face　was　dark；　but　at　that　a　heavier　shadow　fell　upon　it；　　he

looked　more　haggard　than　before。　　〃'The　other　one'；〃　he　repeated；　　averting

his　eyes。　　〃You　meanyou　mean　the　third　sonthe　one　that　　was　here　this

evening？〃



〃Yes；　thethe　youngest；〃　she　returned；　her　voice　so　feeble　it　was　　almost　a

whisper。



And　then　neither　of　them　spoke　for　several　long　minutes。　　Nor　did　either　　look

at　the　other　during　that　silence。



At　last　Mr。　Vertrees　contrived　to　cough；　but　not　convincingly。　　〃What

ahwhat　was　it　Mary　said　about　him　out　in　the　hall；　when　she　came　　in　this

afternoon？　　I　heard　you　asking　her　something　about　him；　but　she　　answered　in

such　a　low　voice　I　didn'tahhappen　to　catch　it。〃



〃Sheshe　didn't　say　much。　　All　she　said　was　this：　I　asked　her　if　she　　had

enjoyed　her　walk　with　him；　and　she　said；　'He's　the　most　wistful　　creature　I've

ever　known。'〃



〃Well？〃



〃That　was　all。