the turmoil-第42章
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Edith had given him secret instructions and that it had been his pride and
pleasure to fulfil them to the letter。
Sibyl stiffened in her chair； her lips parted； and she watched with curious
eyes the vanishing back of the white jacket。
〃What's that？〃 she asked； in a low voice； but sharply。
〃Here's another right pretty record；〃 said Mrs。 Sheridan； affecting with
patent nervousnessnot to hear。 And she unloosed the music。
Sibyl bit her lip and began to tap her chin with the brooch。 After a little
while she turned to Bibbs； who reposed at half…length in a gold chair； with
his eyes closed。
〃Where did Edith go？〃 she asked； curiously。
〃Edith？〃 he repeated； opening his eyes blankly。 〃Is she gone？〃
Sibyl got up and stood in the doorway。 She leaned against the casing； still
tapping her chin with the brooch。 Her eyes were dilating； she was suddenly at
high tension； and her expression had become one of sharp excitement。 She
listens intently。
When the record was spun out she could hear Sheridan rumbling in the library；
during the ensuing silence； and Roscoe's voice； querulous and husky； 〃I won't
say anything at all。 I tell you； you might just as well let me alone！〃
But there were other sound： a rustling and murmur； whispering； low protesting
cadences in a male voice。 And as Mrs。 Sheridan started another record； a
sudden； vital resolve leaped like fire in the eyes of Sibyl。 She walked down
the hall and straight into the smoking…room。
Lamhorn and Edith both sprang to their feet； separating。 Edith became
instantly deathly white with a rage that set her shaking from head to foot；
and Lamhorn stuttered as he tried to speak。
But Edith's shaking was not so violent as Sibyl's； nor was her face so white。
At sight of them and of their embrace； all possible consequences became
nothing to Sibyl。 She courtesied； holding up her skirts and contorting her
lips to the semblance of a smile。
〃Sit just as you wereboth of you！〃 she said。 And then to Edith： 〃Did you
tell my husband I had been telephoning to Lamhorn？〃
〃You march out of here！〃 said Edith； fiercely。 〃March straight out of here！〃
Sibyl leveled a forefinger at Lamhorn。
〃Did you tell her I'd been telphoning you I wanted you to come？〃
〃Oh； good God！〃 Lamhorn said。 〃Hush！〃
〃You knew she'd tell my husband； DIDN'T you？〃 she cried。 〃You knew that！〃
〃HUSH！〃 he begged； panic…stricken。
〃That was a MANLY thing to do！ Oh； it was like a gentleman！ You wouldn't
comeyou wouldn't even come for five minutes to hear what I had to say！ You
were TIRED of what I had to say！ You'd heard it all a thousand times before；
and you wouldn't come！ No！ No！ NO！〃 she stormed。 〃You wouldn't even come for
five minutes； but you could tell that little cat！ And SHE told my husband！
You're a MAN！〃
Edith saw in a flash that the consequences of battle would be ruinous to
Sibyl； and the furious girl needed no further temptation to give way to her
feelings。 〃Get out of this house！〃 she shrieked。 〃This is my father's house。
Don't you dare speak to Robert like that！〃
〃No！ No！ I mustn't SPEAK〃
〃Don't you DARE！〃
Edith and Sibyl began to scream insults at each other simultaneously； fronting
each other； their furious faces close。 Their voices shrilled and rose and
crackedthey screeched。 They could be heard over the noise of the
phonograph； which was playing a brass…band selection。 They could be heard all
over the house。 They were heard in the kitchen； they could have been heard in
the cellar。 Neither of them cared for that。
〃You told my husband！〃 screamed Sibyl； bringing her face still closer to
Edith's。 〃You told my husband！ This man put THAT in you hands to strike me
with！ HE did！〃
〃I'll tell your husband again！ I'll tell him everything I know！ It's TIME
your husband〃
They were swept asunder by a bandaged hand。 〃Do you want the neighbors in？〃
Sheridan thundered。
There fell a shocking silence。 Frenzied Sibyl saw her husband and his mother
in the doorway； and she understood what she had done。 She moved slowly toward
the door； then suddenly she began to run。 She ran into the hall； and through
it； and out of the house。 Roscoe followed her heavily； his eyes on the
ground。
〃NOW THEN！〃 said Sheridan to Lamhorn。
The words were indefinite； but the voice was not。 Neither was the vicious
gesture of the bandaged hand； which concluded its orbit in the direction of
the door in a manner sufficient for the swift dispersal of George and Jackson
and several female servants who hovered behind Mrs。 Sheridan。 They fled
lightly。
〃Papa； papa！〃 wailed Mrs。 Sheridan。 〃Look at your hand！ You'd oughtn't to
been so rough with Edie； you hurt your hand on her shoulder。 Look！〃
There was； in fact； a spreading red stain upon the bandages at the tips of the
fingers； and Sheridan put his hand back in the sling。 〃Now then！〃 he
repeated。 〃You goin' to leave my house？〃
〃He will NOT！〃 sobbed Edith。 〃Don't you DARE order him out！〃
〃Don't you bother； dear；〃 said Lamhorn； quietly。 〃He doesn't understand。 YOU
mustn't be troubled。〃 Pallor was becoming to him； he looked very handsome；
and as he left the room he seemed in the girl's distraught eyes a persecuted
noble； indifferent to the rabble yawping insult at his heels the rabble
being enacted by her father。
〃Don't come back； either！〃 said； Sheridan； realistic in this impersonation。
〃Keep off the premises！〃 he called savagely into the hall。 〃This family's
through with you！〃
〃It is NOT！〃 Edith cried； breaking from her mother。 〃You'll SEE about that！
You'll find out！ You'll find out what 'll happen！ What's HE done？ I guess if
I can stand it； it's none of YOUR business； is it？ What's HE done； I'd like
to know？ You don't know anything about it。 Don't you s'pose he told ME？ She
was crazy about him soon as he began going there； and he flirted with her a
little。 That's everything he did； and it was before he met ME！ After that he
wouldn't； and it wasn't anything； anyway he never was serious a minute about
it。 SHE wanted it to be serious； and she was bound she wouldn't give him up。
He told her long ago he cared about me； but she kept persecuting him and〃
〃Yes；〃 said Sheridan； sternly； 〃that's HIS side of it！ That 'll do！ He
doesn't come in this house again！〃
〃You look out！〃 Edith cried。
〃Yes； I'll look out！ I'd 'a' told you to…day he wasn't to be allowed on the
premises； but I had other things on my mind。 I had Abercrombie look up this
young man privately； and he's no 'count。 He's no 'count on earth！ He's no
good！ He's NOTHIN'！ But it wouldn't matter if he was George Washington；
after what's happened and what I've heard to…night！〃
〃But； papa；〃 Mrs。 Sheridan began； 〃if Edie says it was all Sibyl's fault；
makin' up to him； and he never encouraged her much； nor〃
〃'S enough！〃 he roared。 〃He keeps off these premises！ And if any of you so
much as ever speak his name to me again〃
But Edith screamed； clapping her hands over her ears to shut out the sound of
his voice； and ran up…stairs； sobbing loudly； followed by her mother。 However；
Mrs。 Sheridan descended a few minutes later and joined her husband in the
library。 Bibbs； still sitting in his gold chair； saw her pass； roused himself
from reverie； and strolled in after her。
〃She locked her door；〃 said Mrs。 Sheridan； shaking her head woefully。 〃She
wouldn't even answer me。 They wasn't a sound from her room。〃
〃Well；〃 said her husband； 〃she can settle her mind to it。 She never speaks to
that fellow again； and if he tries to telephone her to…morrow Here！ You
tell the help if he calls up to ring off and say it's my orders。 No； you
needn't。 I'll tell 'em myself。〃
〃Better not；〃 said Bibbs； gently。
His father glared at him。
〃It's no good；〃 said Bibbs。 〃Mother； when you were in love with father 〃
〃My
