the turmoil-第54章

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They　said　no　more　until　they　came　to　her　gate。　　As　they　drifted　slowly　to　a

stop；　the　door　of　Roscoe's　house　opened；　and　Roscoe　came　out　with　Sibyl；　who

was　startlingly　pale。　　She　seemed　little　enfeebled　by　her　illness；　however；

walking　rather　quickly　at　her　husband's　side　and　not　taking　his　arm。　　The　two

crossed　the　street　without　appearing　to　see　Mary　and　her　companion；　and

entering　the　New　House；　were　lost　to　sight。　　Mary　gazed　after　them　gravely；

but　Bibbs；　looking　at　Mary；　did　not　see　them。



〃Mary；〃　he　said；　〃you　seem　very　serious。　　Is　anything　bothering　you？〃



〃No；　Bibbs。〃　　And　she　gave　him　a　bright；　quick　look　that　made　him　instantly

unreasonably　happy。



〃I　know　you　want　to　go　in〃　he　began。



〃No。　　I　don't　want　to。〃



〃I　mustn't　keep　you　standing　her；　and　I　mustn't　go　in　with　youbutI　just

wanted　to　sayI've　seemed　very　stupid　to　myself　this　morning；　grumbling　about

soot　and　all　thatwhile　all　the　time　IMary；　I　think　it's　been　the　very

happiest　of　all　the　hours　you've　given　me。　　I　do。　　And　I　don't　know　just

whybut　it's　seemed　to　me　that　it　was　one　I'd　always　remember。　　And　you；〃　he

added；　falteringly；　〃you　look　soso　beautiful　to…day！〃



〃It　must　have　been　the　soot　on　my　cheek；　Bibbs。〃



〃Mary；　will　you　tell　me　something？〃　he　asked。



〃I　think　I　will。〃



〃It's　something　I've　had　a　lot　of　theories　about；　but　none　of　them　ever　just

fits。　　You　used　to　wear　furs　in　the　fall；　but　now　it's　so　much　colder；　you

don'tyou　never　wear　them　at　all　any　more。　　Why　don't　you？〃



Her　eyes　fell　for　a　moment；　and　she　grew　red。　　Then　she　looked　up　gaily。

〃Bibbs；　if　I　tell　you　the　answer　will　you　promise　not　to　ask　any　more

questions？〃



〃Yes。　　Why　did　you　stop　wearing　them？〃



〃Because　I　found　I'd　be　warmer　without　them！〃　　She　caught　his　hand　quickly　in

her　own　for　an　instant；　laughed　into　his　eyes；　and　ran　into　the　house。





It　is　the　consoling　attribute　of　unused　books　that　their　decorative　warmth

will　so　often　make　even　a　ready…made　library　the　actual　〃living…room〃　of　a

family　to　whom　the　shelved　volumes　are　indeed　sealed。　　Thus　it　was　with

Sheridan；　who　read　nothing　except　newspapers；　business　letters；　and　figures；

who　looked　upon　books　as　he　looked　upon　bric…a…brac　or　crocheting　when　he

was　at　home；　and　not　abed　or　eating；　he　was　in　the　library。



He　stood　in　the　many…colored　light　of　the　stained…glass　window　at　the　far　end

of　the　long　room；　when　Roscoe　and　his　wife　came　in；　and　he　exhaled　a

solemnity。　　His　deference　to　the　Sabbath　was　manifest；　as　always；　in　the

length　of　his　coat　and　the　closeness　of　his　Saturday…night　shave；　and　his

expression；　to　match　this　religious　pomp；　was　more　than　Sabbatical；　but　the

most　dismaying　of　his　demonstrations　was　his　keeping　his　hand　in　his　sling。



Sibyl　advanced　to　the　middle　of　the　room　and　halted　there；　not　looking　at　him；

but　down　at　her　muff；　in　which；　it　could　be　seen；　her　hands　were　nervously

moving。　　Roscoe　went　to　a　chair　in　another　part　of　the　room。　There　was　a

deadly　silence。



But　Sibyl　found　a　shaky　voice；　after　an　interval　of　gulping；　though　she　was

unable　to　lift　her　eyes；　and　the　darkling　lids　continued　to　veil　them。　She

spoke　hurriedly；　like　an　ungifted　child　reciting　something　committed　to

memory；　but　her　sincerity　was　none　the　less　evident　for　that。



〃Father　Sheridan；　you　and　mother　Sheridan　have　always　been　so　kind　to　me；　and

I　would　hate　to　have　you　think　I　don't　appreciate　it；　from　the　way　I　acted。

I've　come　to　tell　you　I　am　sorry　for　the　way　I　did　that　night；　and　to　say　I

know　as　well　as　anybody　the　way　I　behaved；　and　it　will　never　happen　again；

because　it's　been　a　pretty　hard　lesson；　and　when　we　come　back；　some　day；　I

hope　you'll　see　that　you've　got　a　daughter…in…law　you　never　need　to　be　ashamed

of　again。　　I　want　to　ask　you　to　excuse　me　for　the　way　I　did；　and　I　can　say　I

haven't　any　feelings　toward　Edith　now；　but　only　wish　her　happiness　and　good　in

her　new　life。　　I　thank　you　for　all　your　kindness　to　me；　and　I　know　I　made　a

poor　return　for　it；　but　if　you　can　overlook　the　way　I　behaved　I　know　I　would

feel　a　good　deal　happierand　I　know　Roscoe　would；　too。　　I　wish　to　promise　not

to　be　as　foolish　in　the　future；　and　the　same　error　would　never　occur　again　to

make　us　all　so　unhappy；　if　you　can　be　charitable　enought　to　excuse　it　this

time。〃



He　looked　steadily　at　her　without　replying；　and　she　stood　before　him；　never

lifting　her　eyes；　motionless；　save　where　the　moving　fur　proved　the　agitation

of　her　hands　within　the　muff。



〃All　right；〃　he　said　at　last。



She　looked　up　then　with　vast　relief；　though　there　was　a　revelation　of　heavy

tears　when　the　eyelids　lifted。



〃Thank　you；〃　she　said。　　〃There's　something　elseabout　something　differentI

want　to　say　to　you；　but　I　want　mother　Sheridan　to　hear　it；　too。〃



〃She's　up…stairs　in　her　room；〃　said　Sheridan。　　〃Roscoe〃



Sibyl　interrupted。　　She　had　just　seen　Bibbs　pass　through　the　hall　and　begin　to

ascend　the　stairs；　and　in　a　flash　she　instinctively　perceived　the　chance　for

precisely　the　effect　she　wanted。



〃No；　let　me　go；〃　she　said。　　〃I　want　to　speak　to　her　a　minute　first；　anyway。〃



And　she　went　away　quickly；　gaining　the　top　of　the　stairs　in　time　to　see　Bibbs

enter　his　room　and　close　the　door。　　Sibyl　knew　that　Bibbs；　in　his　room；　had

overheard　her　quarrel　with　Edith　in　the　hall　outside；　for　bitter　Edith；

thinking　the　more　to　shame　her；　had　subsequently　informed　her　of　the

circumstance。　　Sibyl　had　just　remembered　this；　and　with　the　recollection　there

had　flashed　the　thoughtout　of　her　own　experience　that　people　are　often

much　more　deeply　impressed　by　words　they　overhear　than　by　words　directly

addressed　to　them。　　Sibyl　intended　to　make　it　impossible　for　Bibbs　not　to

overhear。　　She　did　not　hesitateher　heart　was　hot　with　the　old　sore；　and　she

believed　wholly　in　the　justice　of　her　cause　and　in　the　truth　of　what　she　was

going　to　say。　　Fate　was　virtuous　at　times；　it　had　delivered　into　her　hands　the

girl　who　had　affronted　her。



Mrs。　Sheridan　was　in　her　own　room。　　The　approach　of　Sibyl　and　Roscoe　had

driven　her　from　the　library；　for　she　had　miscalculated　her　husband's　mood；　and

she　felt　that　if　he　used　his　injured　hand　as　a　mark　of　emphasis　again；　in　her

presence；　she　would　（as　she　thought　of　it）　〃have　a　fit　right　there。〃　　She

heard　Sibyl's　step；　and　pretended　to　be　putting　a　touch　to　her　hair　before　a

mirror。



〃I　was　just　coming　down；〃　she　said；　as　the　door　opened。



〃Yes；　he　wants　you　to；〃　said　Sibyl。　　〃It's　all　right；　mother　Sheridan。　He's

forgiven　me。〃



Mrs。　Sheridan　sniffed　instantly；　tears　appeared。　　She　kissed　her

daughter…in…law's　cheek；　then；　in　silence；　regarded　the　mirror　afresh；　wiped

her　eyes；　and　applied　powder。



〃And　I　hope　Edith　will　be　happy；〃　Sibyl　added；　inciting　more　applications　of

Mrs。　Sheridan's　handkerchief　and　powder。



〃Yes；　yes；〃　murmured　the　good　woman。　　〃We　mustn't　make　the　worst　of　things。〃



〃Well；　there　was　something　else　I　had　to　say；　and　he　wants　you　to　hear　it；

too；〃　said　Sibyl。　　〃We　better　go　down；　mother　Sheridan。〃



She　led　the　way；　Mrs。　Sheridan　following　obediently；　but　when　they　came　to　a

spot　close　by　Bibbs's　door；　Sibyl　stopped。　　〃I　want　to　tell　you　about　it

first；〃　she　said；　abruptly。　　〃It　isn't　a　secret；　of　course；　in　any　way；　it's

something　the　whole　family　has　to　know；　and　the　sooner　the　whole　family　knows

it　the　better。　　It's　something　it　wouldn't　be　RIGHT　for　us　ALL　not　to

understand；　and　of　course　father　Sheridan　most　of　all。　　But　I　want　to　just

kind　of　go　over　it　first　with　you；　it　'll　kind　of　help　me　to　see　I　got　it　all

stratight。　　I　haven't　got　any　reason　for　saying　it　except　the　good　of　the

family；　and　it's　nothing　to　me；　one　way　or　the　other；　of　course；　except　for

that。　　I　oughtn't　to　've　behaved　the　way　I　did　that　night；　and　it　seems　to　me

if　there's　anything　I　can　do　to　help　the　family；　I　ought　to；　because　it　would

help　show　I　felt　the　right　way。　　Well；　what　I　want　to　do　is　to　tell　t