the turmoil-第47章

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I　wouldn't　speak　of　her　as　'that　woman；'　because　she's　your　daughter…in…law

and　going　to　stay　that　way。　　She　didn't　do　anything　wicked。　　It　was　a　shock　to

me；　and　I　don't　deny　it；　to　find　what　she　had　doneencouraging　that　fellow　to

hang　around　her　after　he　began　trying　to　flirt　with　her；　and　losing　her　head

over　him　the　way　she　did。　　I　don't　deny　it　was　a　shock　and　that　it　'll　always

be　a　hurt　inside　of　me　I'll　never　get　over。　　But　it　was　my　fault；　I　didn't

understand　a　woman's　nature。〃　　Poor　Roscoe　spoke　in　the　most　profound　and

desolate　earnest。　　〃A　woman　craves　society；　and　gaiety；　and　meeting　attractive

people；　and　traveling。　　Well；　I　can't　give　her　the　other　things；　but　I　can

give　her　the　travelingreal　traveling；　not　just　going　to　Atlantic　City　or　New

Orleans；　the　way　she　has；　two；　three　times。　　A　woman　has　to　have　something　in

her　life　besides　a　business　man。　　And　that's　ALL　I　was。　　I　never　understood

till　I　heard　her　talking　when　she　was　so　sick；　and　I　believe　if　you'd　heard

her　then　you　wouldn't　speak　so　hard…heartedly　about　her；　I　believe　you　might

have　forgiven　her　like　I　have。　　That's　all。　　I　never　cared　anything　for　any

girl　but　her　in　my　life；　but　I　was　so　busy　with　business　I　put　it　ahead　of

her。　　I　never　THOUGHT　about　her；　I　was　so　busy　thinking　business。　　Well；　this

is　where　it's　brought　us　toand　now　when　you　talk　about　'business'　to　me　I

feel　the　way　you　do　when　anybody　talks　about　Gurney　to　you。　　The　word

'business'　makes　me　dizzyit　makes　me　honestly　sick　at　the　stomach。　　I

believe　if　I　had　to　go　down…town　and　step　inside　that　office　door　I'd　fall

down　on　the　floor；　deathly　sick。　　You　talk　about　a　'month's　vacation'　and　I

get　just　as　sick。　　I'm　rattledI　can't　planI　haven't　got　any　planscan't

make　any；　except　to　take　my　girl　and　get　just　as　far　away　from　that　office　as

I　canand　stay。　　We're　going　to　Japan　first；　and　if　we〃



His　father　rustled　the　paper。　　〃I　said　good…by；　Roscoe。〃



〃Good…by；〃　said　Roscoe；　listlessly。





Sheridan　waited　until　he　heard　the　sound　of　the　outer　door　closing；　then　he

rose　and　pushed　a　tiny　disk　set　in　the　wall。　　Jackson　appeared。



〃Has　Bibbs　got　home　from　work？〃



〃Mist'　Bibbs？　　No；　suh。〃



〃Tell　him　I　want　to　see　him；　soon　as　he　comes。〃



〃Yessuh。〃



Sheridan　returned　to　his　chair　and　fixed　his　attention　fiercely　upon　the

newspaper。　　He　found　it　difficult　to　pursue　the　items　beyond　their　explanatory

rubricsthere　was　nothing　unusual　or　startling　to　concentrate　his　attention：



　　　　　　　〃Motorman　Puts　Blame　on　Brakes。　　Three　Killed　when　Car　Slides。〃

　　　　　　　〃Burglars　Make　Big　Haul。〃　　〃Board　Works　Approve　Big　Car…line

　　　　　　　Extension。〃　　〃Hold…up　Men　Injure　Two。　　Man　Found　in　Alley；　Skull

　　　　　　　Fractured。〃　　〃Sickening　Story　Told　in　Divorce　Court。〃　　〃Plan　New

　　　　　　　Eighteen…story　Structure。〃　　〃School…girl　Meets　Death　under

　　　　　　　Automobile。〃　　〃Negro　Cuts　Three。　　One　Dead。〃　　〃Life　Crushed　Out。

　　　　　　　Third　Elevator　Accident　in　Same　Building　Causes　Action　by

　　　　　　　Coroner。〃　　〃Declare　Militia　will　be　Menace。　　Polish　Societies

　　　　　　　Protest　to　Governor　in　Church　Rioting　Case。〃　　〃Short　3；500　in

　　　　　　　Accounts；　Trusted　Man　Kills　Self　with　Drug。〃　　〃Found　Frozen。

　　　　　　　Family　Without　Food　or　Fuel。　　Baby　Dead　when　Parents　Return　Home

　　　　　　　from　Seeking　Work。〃　　〃Minister　Returned　from　Trip　Abroad　Lectures

　　　　　　　on　Big　Future　of　Our　City。　　Sees　Big　Improvement　during　Short

　　　　　　　Absence。　　Says　No　European　City　Holds　Candle。〃

（Sheridan　nodded　approvingly　here。）



Bibbs　came　through　the　hall　whistling；　and　entered　the　room　briskly。　〃Well；

father；　did　you　want　me？〃



〃Yes。　　Sit　down。〃　　Sheridan　got　up；　and　Bibbs　took　a　seat　by　the　fire；　holding

out　his　hands　to　the　crackling　blaze；　for　it　was　cold　outdoors。



〃I　came　within　seven　of　the　shop　record　to…day；〃　he　said。　　〃I　handled　more

strips　thand　any　other　workman　has　any　day　this　month。　　The　nearest　to　me　is

sixteen　behind。〃



〃There！〃　exclaimed　his　father；　greatly　pleased。　　〃What'd　I　tell　you？　　I'd　like

to　hear　Gurney　hint　again　that　I　wasn't　right　in　sending　you　there　I　would

just　like　to　hear　him！　　And　youain't　you　ashamed　of　makin'　such　a　fuss　about

it？　　Ain't　you？〃



〃I　didn't　go　at　it　in　the　right　spirit　the　other　time；〃　Bibbs　said；　smiling

brightly；　his　face　ruddy　in　the　cheerful　firelight。　　〃I　didn't　know　the

difference　it　meant　to　like　a　thing。〃



〃Well；　I　guess　I've　pretty　thoroughly　vindicated　my　judgement。　　I　guess　I

HAVE！　　I　said　the　shop　'd　be　good　for　you；　and　it　was。　　I　said　it　wouldn't

hurt　you；　and　it　hasn't。　　It's　been　just　exactly　what　I　said　it　would　be。

Ain't　that　so？〃



〃Looks　like　it！〃　Bibbs　agreed；　gaily。



〃Well；　I'd　like　to　know　any　place　I　been　wrong；　first　and　last！　　Instead　o'

hurting　you；　it's　been　the　makin'　of　youphysically。　　You're　a　good　inch

taller'n　what　I　am；　and　you'd　be　a　bigger　man　than　what　I　am　if　you'd　get　some

flesh　on　your　bones；　and　you　ARE　gettin'　a　little。　　Physically；　it's　started

you　out　to　be　the　huskiest　one　o'　the　whole　family。　　Now；　then；

mentallythat's　different。　　I　don't　say　it　unkindly；　Bibbs；　but　you　got　to　do

something　for　yourself　mentally；　just　like　what's　begun　physically。　　And　I'm

goin'　to　help　you。〃



Sheridan　decided　to　sit　down　again。　　He　brought　his　chair　close　to　his　son's；

and；　leaning　over；　tapped　Bibbs's　knee　confidentially。　　〃I　got　plans　for　you；

Bibbs；〃　he　said。



Bibbs　instantly　looked　thoroughly　alarmed。　　He　drew　back。　　〃II'm　all　right

now；　father。〃



〃Listen。〃　　Sheridan　settled　himself　in　his　chair；　and　spoke　in　the　tone　of　a

reasonable　man　reasoning。　　〃Listen　here；　Bibbs。　　I　had　another　blow　to…day；

and　it　was　a　hard　one　and　right　in　the　face；　though　I　HAVE　been　expectin'　it


some　little　time　back。　　Well；　it's　got　to　be　met。　　Now　I'll　be　frank　with　you。

As　I　said　a　minute　ago；　mentally　I　couldn't　ever　called　you　exactly　strong。

You　been　a　little　weak　both　ways；　most　of　your　life。　　Not　but　what　I　think　you

GOT　a　mentality；　if　you'd　learn　to　use　it。　You　got　will…power；　I'll　say　that

for　you。　　I　never　knew　boy　or　man　that　could　be　stubbornernever　one　in　my

life！　　Now；　then；　you've　showed　you　could　learn　to　run　that　machine　best　of

any　man　in　the　shop；　in　no　time　at　all。　　That　looks　to　me　like　you　could　learn

to　do　other　things。　　I　don't　deny　but　what　it's　an　encouragin'　sign。　　I　don't

deny　that；　at　all。　　Well；　that　helps　me　to　think　the　case　ain't　so　hopeless　as

it　looks。　　You're　all　I　got　to　meet　this　blow　with；　but　maybe　you　ain't　as

poor　material　as　I　thought。　　Your　tellin'　me　about　comin'　within　seven　strips

of　the　shop's　record　to…day　looks　to　me　like　encouragin'　information　brought

in　at　just　about　the　right　time。　　Now；　then；　I'm　goin'　to　give　you　a　raise。　　I

wanted　to　send　you　straight　on　up　through　the　shopsa　year　or　two；　maybe

but　I　can't　do　it。　　I　lost　Jim；　and　now　I've　lost　Roscoe。　　He's　quit。　He's

laid　down　on　me。　　If　he　ever　comes　back　at　all；　he'll　be　a　long　time　pickin'

up　the　strings；　and；　anyway；　he　ain't　the　man　I　thought　he　was。　　I　can't　count

on　him。　　I　got　to　have　SOMEBODY　I　KNOW　I　can　count　on。　　And　I'm　down　to　this：

you're　my　last　chance。　　Bibbs；　I　got　to　learn　you　to　use　what　brains　you　got

and　see　if　we　can't　develop　'em　a　little。　　Who　knows？　And　I'm　goin'　to　put　my

time　in　on　it。　　I'm　goin'　to　take　you　right　down…town　with　ME；　and　I　won't　be

hard　on　you　if　you're　a　little　slow　at　first。　　And　I'm　goin'　to　do　the　big

thing　for　you。　　I'm　goin'　to　make　you　feel　you　got　to　do　the　big　thing　for　me；

in　return。　　I've　vindicated　my　policy　with　you　about　the　shop；　and　now　I'm

goin'　to　turn　right　around　and　swing　you　'way　over　ahead　of　where　the　other

boys　started；　and　I'm　goin'　to　make　an　appeal　to　your　ambition　that　'll　make

you　dizzy！〃　　He　tapped　his　son　on　the　knee　again。　　〃Bibbs；　I'm　goin'　to　start

you　off　this　way：　I'm　goin'　to　make　you　a　director　in　the　Pump　Works　Company；

I'm　goin'　to　make　you　vice…president　of　the　Realty　Company　and　a

vice…president　of　the　Trust　Comp