the turmoil-第48章

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

vice…president　of　the　Trust　Company！〃



Bibbs　jumped　to　his　feet；　blanched。　　〃Oh　no！〃　he　cried。



Sheridan　took　his　dismay　to　be　the　excitement　of　sudden　joy。　　〃Yes；　sir！　And

there's　some　pretty　fat　little　salaries　goes　with　those　vice…presidencies；　and

a　pinch　o'　stock　in　the　Pump　Company　with　the　directorship。　　You　thought　I　was

pretty　mean　about　the　shopoh；　I　know　you　did！but　you　see　the　old　man　can

play　it　both　ways。　　And　so　right　now；　the　minute　you've　begun　to　make　good　the

way　I　wanted　you　to；　I　deal　from　the　new　deck。　　And　I'll　keep　on　handin'　it

out　bigger　and　bigger　every　time　you　show　me　you're　big　enough　to　play　the

hand　I　deal　you。　　I'm　startin'　you　with　a　pretty　big　one；　my　boy！〃



〃But　I　don'tI　don'tI　don't　want　it！〃　Bibbs　stammered。



〃What　'd　you　say？〃　　Sheridan　thought　he　had　not　heard　aright。



〃I　don't　want　it；　father。　　I　thank　youI　do　thank　you〃



Sheridan　looked　perplexed。　　〃What's　the　matter　with　you？　　Didn't　you

understand　what　I　was　tellin'　you？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃You　sure？　　I　reckon　you　didn't。　　I　offered〃



〃I　know；　I　know！　　But　I　can't　take　it。〃



〃What's　the　matter　with　you？〃　　Sheridan　was　half　amazed；　half　suspicious。

〃Your　head　feel　funny？〃



〃I've　never　been　quite　so　sane　in　my　life；〃　said　Bibbs；　〃as　I　have　lately。　And

I've　got　just　what　I　want。　　I'm　living　exactly　the　right　life。　　I'm　earning　my

daily　bread；　and　I'm　happy　in　doing　it。　　My　wages　are　enough。　I　don't　want　any

more　money；　and　I　don't　deserve　any〃



〃Damnation！〃　　Sheridan　sprang　up。　　〃You've　turned　Socialist！　　You　been

listening　to　those　fellows　down　there；　and　you〃



〃No；　sir。　　I　think　there's　a　great　deal　in　what　they　say；　but　that　isn't　it。〃



Sheridan　tried　to　restrain　his　growing　fury；　and　succeeded　partially。　〃Then

what　is　it？　　What's　the　matter？〃



〃Nothing；〃　he　son　returned；　nervously。　　〃Nothingexcept　that　I'm　content。　　I

don't　want　to　change　anything。〃



〃Why　not？〃



Bibbs　had　the　incredible　folly　to　try　to　explain。　　〃I'll　tell　you；　father；　if

I　can。　　I　know　it　may　be　hard　to　understand〃



〃Yes；　I　think　it　may　be；〃　said　Sheridan；　grimly。　　〃What　you　say　usually　is　a

LITTLE　that　way。　　Go　on！〃



Perturbed　and　distressed；　Bibbs　rose　instinctively；　he　felt　himself　at　every

possible　disadvantage。　　He　was　a　sleeper　clinging　to　a　dreama　rough　hand

stretched　to　shake　him　and　waken　him。　　He　went　to　a　table　and　made　vague

drawings　upon　it　with　a　finger；　and　as　he　spoke　he　kept　his　eyes　lowered。

〃You　weren't　altogether　right　about　the　shopthat　is；　in　one　way　you　weren't；

father。〃　　He　glanced　up　apprehensively。　　Sheridan　stood　facing　him；

expressionless；　and　made　no　attempt　to　interrupt。　〃That's　difficult　to

explain；〃　Bibbs　continued；　lowering　his　eyes　again；　to　follow　the　tracings　of

his　finger。　　〃II　believe　the　shop　might　have　done　for　me　this　time　if　I

hadn'tif　something　hadn't　helped　me　to　oh；　not　only　to　bear　it；　but　to　be

happy　in　it。　　Well；　I　AM　happy　in　it。　I　want　to　go　on　just　as　I　am。　　And　of

all　things　on　earth　that　I　don't　want；　I　don't　want　to　live　a　business　lifeI

don't　want　to　be　drawn　into　it。　I　don't　think　it　IS　livingand　now　I　AM

living。　　I　have　the　healthful　toiland　I　can　think。　　In　business　as　important

as　yours　I　couldn't　think　anything　but　business。　　I　don'tI　don't　think

making　money　is　worth　while。〃



〃Go　on；〃　said　Sheridan；　curtly；　as　Bibbs　paused　timidly。



〃It　hasn't　seemed　to　get　anywhere；　that　I　can　see；〃　said　Bibbs。　　〃You　think

this　city　is　rich　and　powerfulbut　what's　the　use　of　its　being　rich　and

powerful？　　They　don't　teach　the　children　any　more　in　the　schools　because　the

city　is　rich　and　powerful。　　They　teach　them　more　than　they　used　to　because

some　peoplenot　rich　and　powerful　peoplehave　thought　the　thoughts　to　teach

the　children。　　And　yet　when　you've　been　reading　the　paper　I've　heard　you

objecting　to　the　children　being　taught　anything　except　what　would　help　them　to

make　money。　　You　said　it　was　wasting　the　taxes。　　You　want　them　taught　to　make

a　living；　but　not　to　live。　　When　I　was　a　little　boy　this　wasn't　an　ugly　town；

now　it's　hideous。　What's　the　use　of　being　big　just　to　be　hideous？　　I　mean　I

don't　think　all　this　has　meant　really　going　aheadit's　just　been　getting

bigger　and　dirtier　and　noisier。　　Wasn't　the　whole　country　happier　and　in　many

ways　wiser　when　it　was　smaller　and　cleaner　and　quieter　and　kinder？　　I　know　you

think　I'm　an　utter　fool；　father；　but；　after　all；　though；　aren't　business　and

politics　just　the　housekeeping　part　of　life？　　And　wouldn't　you　despise　a　woman

that　not　only　made　her　housekeeping　her　ambition；　but　did　it　so　noisily　and

dirtily　that　the　whole　neighborhood　was　in　a　continual　turmoil　over　it？　　And

supposed　she　talked　and　thought　about　her　housekeeping　all　the　time；　and　was

always　having　additions　built　to　her　house　when　she　couldn't　keep　clean　what

she　already　had；　and　suppose；　with　it　all；　she　made　the　house　altogether

unpeaceful　and　unlivable〃



〃Just　one　minute！〃　　Sheridan　interrupted；　adding；　with　terrible　courtesy；　〃If

you　will　permit　me？　　Have　you　ever　been　right　about　anything？〃



〃I　don't　quite〃



〃I　ask　the　simple　question：　Have　you　ever　been　right　about　anything　whatever

in　the　course　of　your　life？　　Have　you　ever　been　right　upon　any　subject　or

question　you've　thought　about　and　talked　about？　　Can　you　mention　one　single

time　when　you　were　proved　to　be　right？〃



He　was　flourishing　the　bandaged　hand　as　he　spoke；　but　Bibbs　said　only；　〃If

I've　always　been　wrong　before；　surely　there's　more　chance　that　I'm　right　about

this。　　It　seems　reasonable　to　suppose　something　would　be　due　to　bring　up　my

average。〃



〃Yes；　I　thought　you　wouldn't　see　the　point。　　And　there's　another　you　probably

couldn't　see；　but　I'll　take　the　liberty　to　mention　it。　　You　been　balkin'　all

your　life。　　Pretty　much　everything　I　ever　wanted　you　to　do；　you'd　let　out　SOME

kind　of　a　holler；　like　you　are　nowand　yet　I　can't　seem　to　remember　once　when

you　didn't　have　to　lay　down　and　do　what　I　said。　But　go　on　with　your　remarks

about　our　city　and　the　business　of　this　country。　　Go　on！〃



〃I　don't　want　to　be　a　part　of　it；〃　said　Bibbs；　with　unwonted　decision。　　〃I

want　to　keep　to　myself；　and　I'm　doing　it　now。　　I　couldn't；　if　I　went　down

there　with　you。　　I'd　be　swallowed　into　it。　　I　don't　care　for　money　enought

to〃



〃No；〃　his　father　interrupted；　still　dangerously　quiet。　　〃You've　never　had　to

earn　a　living。　　Anybody　could　tell　that　by　what　you　say。　　Now；　let　me　remind

you：　you're　sleepin'　in　a　pretty　good　bed；　you're　eatin'　pretty　fair　food；

you're　wearin'　pretty　fine　clothes。　　Just　suppose　one　o'　these　noisy

housekeepersme；　for　instancedecided　to　let　you　do　your　own　housekeepin'。

May　I　ask　what　your　proposition　would　be？〃



〃I'm　earning　nine　dollars　a　week；〃　said　Bibbs；　sturdily。　　〃It's　enough。　　I

shouldn't　mind　at　all。〃



〃Who's　payin'　you　that　nine　dollars　a　week？〃



〃My　work！〃　Bibbs　answered。　　〃And　I've　done　so　well　on　that　clipping…machine　I

believe　I　could　work　up　to　fifteen　or　even　twenty　a　week　at　another　job。　　I

could　be　a　fair　plumber　in　a　few　months；　I'm　sure。　I'd　rather　have　a　trade

than　be　in　businessI　should；　infinitely！〃



〃You　better　set　about　learnin'　one　pretty　dam'　quick！〃　　But　Sheridan　struggled

with　his　temper　and　again　was　partially　successful　in　controlling　it。　　〃You

better　learn　a　trade　over　Sunday；　because　you're　either　goin'　down　with　me　to

my　office　Monday　morningoryou　can　go　to　plumbing！〃



〃All　right；〃　said　Bibbs；　gently。　　〃I　can　get　along。〃



Sheridan　raised　his　hands　sardonically；　as　in　prayer。　　〃O　God；〃　he　said；　〃this

boy　was　crazy　enough　before　he　began　to　earn　his　nine　dollars　a　week；　and　now

his　money's　gone　to　his　head！　　Can't　You　do　nothin'　for　him？〃　　Then　he　flung

his　hands　apart；　palms　outward；　in　a　furious　gesture　of　dismissal。　　〃Get　out

o'　this　room！　　You　got　a　skull　that's　thicker'n　a　whale's　thigh…bone；　but　it's

cracke