the turmoil-第40章

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it？〃



〃I　reckon　I　better　adopt　some　decent　young　man；〃　his　father　returned。　〃I'd

bring　Bibbs　up　here　and　put　him　in　your　place　if　he　was　fit。　　I　would！〃



〃Better　do　it；〃　Roscoe　assently；　sullenly。



〃When　'd　you　begin　this　thing？〃



〃I　always　did　drink　a　little。　　Ever　since　I　grew　up；　that　is。〃



〃Leave　that　talk　out！　　You　know　what　I　mean。〃



〃Well；　I　don't　know　as　I　ever　had　too　much　in　office　hoursuntil　the　other

day。〃



Sheridan　began　cutting。　　〃It's　a　lie。　　I've　had　Ray　Wills　up　from　your　office。

He　didn't　want　to　give　you　away；　but　I　put　the　hooks　into　him；　and　he　came

through。　　You　were　drunk　twice　before　and　couldn't　work。　　You　been　leavin'

your　office　for　drinks　every　few　hours　for　the　last　three　weeks。　　I　been　over

your　books。　　Your　office　is　way　behind。　　You　haven't　done　any　work；　to　count；

in　a　month。〃



〃All　right；〃　said　Roscoe；　drooping　under　the　torture。　　〃It's　all　true。〃



〃What　you　goin'　to　do　about　it？〃



Roscoe's　head　was　sunk　between　his　shoulders。　　〃I　can't　stand　very　much　talk

about　it；　father；〃　he　said；　pleadingly。



〃No！〃　Sheridan　cried。　　〃Neither　can　I！　　What　do　you　think　it　means　to　ME？〃　He

dropped　into　the　chair　at　his　big　desk；　groaning。　　〃I　can't　stand　to　talk

about　it　any　more'n　you　can　to　listen；　but　I'm　goin'　to　find　out　what's　the

matter　with　you；　and　I'm　goin'　to　straighten　you　out！〃





Roscoe　shook　his　head　helplessly。



〃You　can't　straighten　me　out。〃



〃See　here！〃　said　Sheridan。　　〃Can　you　go　back　to　your　office　and　stay　sober

to…day；　while　I　get　my　work　done；　or　will　I　have　to　hire　a　couple　o'　huskies

to　follow　you　around　and　knock　the　whiskey　out　o'　your　hand　if　they　see　you

tryin'　to　take　it？〃



〃You　needn't　worry　about　that；〃　said　Roscoe；　looking　up　with　a　faint

resentment。　　〃I'm　not　drinking　because　I've　got　a　thirst。〃



〃Well；　what　have　you　got？〃



〃Nothing。　　　Nothing　you　can　do　anything　about。　　Nothing；　I　tell　you。〃



〃We'll　see　about　that！〃　said　Sheridan；　harshly。　　　〃Now　I　can't　fool　with　you

to…day；　　and　you　get　up　out　o'　that　chair　and　get　out　o'　my　office。　You　bring

your　wife　to　dinner　to…morrow。　　You　didn't　come　last　Sunday　but　you　come

to…morrow。　　I'll　talk　this　out　with　you　when　the　women…folks　are　workin'　the

phonograph；　after　dinner。　　Can　you　keep　sober　till　then？　You　better　be　sure；

because　I'm　going　to　send　Abercrombie　down　to　your　office　every　little　while；

and　he'll　let　me　know。〃



Roscoe　paused　at　the　door。　　〃You　told　Abercrombie　about　it？〃　he　asked。



〃TOLD　him！〃　　And　Sheridan　laughed　hideously。　　〃Do　you　suppose　there's　an

elevator…boy　in　the　whole　dam'　building　that　ain't　on　to　you？〃



Roscoe　settled　his　hat　down　over　his　eyes　and　went　out。





〃WHO　looks　a　mustang　in　the　eye？　Changety；　chang；　chang！　Bash！　Crash！　BANG！〃



So　sang　Bibbs；　his　musical　gaieties　inaudible　to　his　fellow…workmen　because　of

the　noise　of　the　machinery。　　He　had　discovered　long　ago　that　the　uproar　was

rhythmical；　and　it　had　been　intolerable；　but　now；　on　the　afternoon　of　the

fourth　day　of　his　return；　he　was　accompanying　the　swing　and　clash　of　the

metals　with　jubilant　vaquero　fragments；　mingling　improvisations　of　his　own

among　them；　and　mocking　the　zinc…eater's　crash　with　vocal　imitations：



Fearless　and　bold；　Chang！　Bash！　Behold！　With　a　leap　from　the　ground　To　the

saddle　in　a　bound；　And　awayand　away！　Hi…YAY！　WHO　looks　a　chang；　chang；　bash；

crash；　bang！　WHO　cares　a　dash　how　you　bash　and　you　crash？　NIGHT'S　on　the　way

EACH　time　I　say；　Hi…YAY！　Crash；　chang！　Bash；　chang！　Chang；　bang；　BANG！



The　long　room　was　ceaselessly　thundering　with　metallic　sound；　the　air　was

thick　with　the　smell　of　oil；　the　floor　trembled　perpetually；　everything　was

implacably　in　motionnowhere　was　there　a　rest　for　the　dizzied　eye。　The　first

time　he　had　entered　the　place　Bibbs　had　become　dizzy　instantly；　and　six　months

of　it　had　only　added　increasing　nausea　to　faintness。　　But　he　felt　neither　now。

〃ALL　DAY　LONG　I'LL　SEND　MY　THOUGHTS　TO　YOU。　　YOU　MUST　KEEP　REMEMBERING　THAT

YOUR　FRIEND　STANDS　BESIDE　YOU。〃　　He　saw　her　there　beside　him；　and　the　greasy；

roaring　place　became　suffused　with　radiance。　　The　poet　was　happy　in　his

machine…shop；　he　was　still　a　poet　there。　　And　he　fed　his　old　zinc…eater；　and

sang：



Awayand　away！　Hi…YAH！　Crash；　bash；　crash；　bash；　CHANG！　Wild　are　his　eyes；

Fiercely　he　dies！　Hi…YAH！　Crash；　bash；　bang！　　Bash；　CHANG！　Ready　to　fling　Our

gloves　in　the　ring



He　was　unaware　of　a　sensation　that　passed　along　the　lines　of　workmen。　Their

great　master　had　come　among　them；　and　they　grinned　to　see　him　standing　with

Dr。　Gurney　behind　the　unconscious　Bibbs。　　Sheridan　nodded　to　those　nearest

himhe　had　personal　acquaintance　with　nearly　all　of　them　but　he　kept　his

attention　upon　his　son。　　Bibbs　worked　steadily；　never　turning　from　his

machine。　　Now　and　then　he　varied　his　musical　programme　with　remarks　addressed

to　the　zinc…eater。



〃Go　on；　you　old　crash…basher！　　Chew　it　up！　　It's　good　for　you；　if　you　don't


try　to　bolt　your　vittles。　　Fletcherize；　you　pig！　　That's　right　YOU'LL　never

get　a　lump　in　your　gizzard。　　Want　some　more？　　Here's　a　nice；　shiny　one。〃



The　words　were　indistinguishable；　but　Sheridan　inclined　his　head　to　Gurney's

ear　and　shouted　fiercely：　〃Talkin'　to　himself！　　By　George！〃



Gurney　laughed　reassuringly；　and　shook　his　head。



Bibbs　returned　to　song：



Chang！　Chang；　bash；　chang！　It's　I！　WHO　looks　a　mustang　in　the　eye？　Fearless

and　bo



His　father　grasped　him　by　the　arm。　　〃Here！〃　he　shouted。　　〃Let　ME　show　you　how

to　run　a　strip　through　there。　　The　foreman　says　you're　some　better'n　you　used

to　be；　but　that's　no　way　to　handleGet　out　the　way　and　let　me　show　you　once。〃



〃Better　be　careful；〃　Bibbs　warned　him；　stepping　to　one　side。



〃Careful？　　Boh！〃　　Sheridan　seized　a　strip　of　zinc　from　the　box。　　〃What　you

talkin'　to　yourself　about？　　Tryin'　to　make　yourself　think　you're　so　abused

you're　goin'　wrong　in　the　head？〃



〃'Abused'？　　No！〃　shouted　Bibbs。　　〃I　was　SINGINGbecause　I　'like　it'！　　I　told

you　I'd　come　back　and　'like　it。'〃



Sheridan　may　not　have　understood。　　At　all　events；　he　made　no　reply；　but　began

to　run　the　strip　of　zinc　through　the　machine。　　He　did　it　awkwardly　and　with

bad　results。



〃Here！〃　he　shouted。　　〃This　is　the　way。　　Watch　how　I　do　it。　　There's　nothin'　to

it；　if　you　put　your　mind　on　it。〃　　By　his　own　showing　then　his　mind　was　not

upon　it。　　He　continued　to　talk。　　〃All　you　got　to　look　out　for　is　to　keep　it

pressed　over　to〃



〃Don't　run　your　hand　up　with　it；〃　Bibbs　vociferated；　leaning　toward　him。



〃Run　nothin'！　　You　GOT　to〃



〃Look　out！〃　shouted　Bibbs　and　Gurney　together；　and　they　both　sprang　forward。

But　Sheridan's　right　hand　had　followed　the　strip　too　far；　and　the　zinc…eater

had　bitten　off　the　tips　of　the　first　and　second　fingers。　He　swore　vehemently；

and　wrung　his　hand；　sending　a　shower　of　red　drops　over　himself　and　Bibbs；　but

Gurney　grasped　his　wrist；　and　said；　sharply：



〃Come　out　of　here。　　Come　over　to　the　lavatory　in　the　office。　　Bibbs；　fetch　my

bag。　　It's　in　my　machine；　outside。〃



And　when　Bibbs　brought　the　bag　to　the　washroom　he　found　the　doctor　still

grasping　Sheridan's　wrist；　holding　the　injured　hand　over　a　basin。　Sheridan　had

lost　color；　and　temper；　too。　　He　glared　over　his　shoulder　at　his　son　as　the

latter　handed　the　bag　to　Gurney。



〃You　go　on　back　to　your　work；〃　he　said。　　〃I've　had　worse　snips　than　that　from

a　pencil…sharpener。〃



〃Oh　no；　you　haven't！〃　said　Gurney。



〃I　have；　too！〃　Sheridan　retorted；　angrily。　　〃Bibbs；　you　go　on　back　to　your

work。　　There's　no　reason　to　stand　around　here　watchin'　ole　Doc　Gurney　tryin'

to　keep　himself　awake　workin'　on　a　scratch　that　only　needs　a　little

court…plaster。　　I　slipped；　or　it　wouldn't　happened。　　You　get　back　on　your

job。〃



〃All　right；〃　said　Bibbs。



〃HERE！〃　　Sheridan　bellowed；　as　his　son　was　passing　out　of　the　door。　　〃You

watch　out　when　you're　runnin'　that　machine！　　You　hear　what　I　say？　　I　slipped；