the turmoil-第6章

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unity　with　him　that　she　had　long　ago　become　unconscious　of　her　existence　as　a

thing　separate　from　his。　　She　invariably　perceived　his　moods；　and　nursed　him

through　them　when　she　did　not　share　them；　and　she　gave　him　a　profound　sympathy

with　the　inmost　spirit　and　purpose　of　his　being；　even　though　she　did　not

comprehend　it　and　partook　of　it　only　as　a　spectator。　　They　had　known　but　one

actual　altercation　in　their　lives；　and　that　was　thirty　years　past；　in　the

early　days　of　Sheridan's　struggle；　when；　in　order　to　enhance　the　favorable

impression　he　believed　himself　to　be　making　upon　some　capitalists；　he　had

thought　it　necessary　to　accompany　them　to　a　performance　of　〃The　Black　Crook。〃

But　she　had　not　once　referred　to　this　during　the　last　ten　years。



Mrs。　Sheridan's　manner　was　hurried　and　inconsequent；　her　clothes　rustled　more

than　other　women's　clothes；　she　seemed　to　wear　too　many　at　a　time　and　to　be

vaguely　troubled　by　them；　and　she　was　patting　a　skirt　down　over　some　unruly

internal　dissension　at　the　moment　she　opened　Bibbs's　door。



At　sight　of　the　recumbent　figure　she　began　to　close　the　door　softly；

withdrawing；　but　the　young　man　had　heard　the　turning　of　the　knob　and　the

rustling　of　skirts；　and　he　opened　his　eyes。



〃Don't　go；　mother；〃　he　said。　　〃I'm　not　asleep。〃　　He　swung　his　long　legs　over

the　side　of　the　bed　to　rise；　but　she　set　a　hand　on　his　shoulder；　restraining

him；　and　he　lay　flat　again。



〃No；〃　she　said；　bending　over　to　kiss　his　cheek；　〃I　just　come　for　a　minute；　but

I　want　to　see　how　you　seem。　　Edith　said〃



〃Poor　Edith！〃　he　murmured。　　〃She　couldn't　look　at　me。　　She〃



〃Nonsense！〃　　Mrs。　Sheridan；　having　let　in　the　light　at　a　window；　came　back　to

the　bedside。　　〃You　look　a　great　deal　better　than　what　you　did　before　you　went

to　the　sanitarium；　anyway。　　It's　done　you　good；　a　body　can　see　that　right

away。　　You　need　fatting　up；　of　course；　and　you　haven't　got　much　color〃



〃No；〃　he　said；　〃I　haven't　much　color。〃



〃But　you　will　have　when　you　get　your　strength　back。〃



〃Oh　yes！〃　he　responded；　cheerfully。　　〃THEN　I　will。〃



〃You　look　a　great　deal　better　than　what　I　expected。〃



〃Edith　must　have　a　great　vocabulary！〃　he　chuckled。



〃She's　too　sensitive；〃　said　Mrs。　Sheridan；　〃and　it　makes　her　exaggerate　a

little。　　What　about　your　diet？〃



〃That's　all　right。　　They　told　me　to　eat　anything。〃



〃Anything　at　all？〃



〃Wellanything　I　could。〃



〃That's　good；〃　she　said；　nodding。　　〃They　mean　for　you　just　to　build　up　your

strength。　　That's　what　they　told　me　the　last　time　I　went　to　see　you　at　the

sanitarium。　　You　look　better　than　what　you　did　then；　and　that's　only　a　little

time　ago。　　How　long　was　it？〃



〃Eight　months；　I　think。〃



〃No；　it　couldn't　be。　　I　know　it　ain't　THAT　long；　but　maybe　it　was　longer　'n　I

thought。　　And　this　last　month　or　so　I　haven't　had　scarcely　even　time　to　write

more　than　just　a　line　to　ask　how　you　were　gettin'　along；　but　I　told　Edith　to

write；　the　weeks　I　couldn't；　and　I　asked　Jim　to；　too；　and　they　both　said　they

would；　so　I　suppose　you've　kept　up　pretty　well　on　the　home　news。〃



〃Oh　yes。〃



〃What　I　think　you　need；〃　said　the　mother；　gravely；　〃is　to　liven　up　a　little

and　take　an　interest　in　things。　　That's　what　papa　was　sayin'　this　morning；

after　we　got　your　telegram；　and　that's　what　'll　stimilate　your　appetite；　too。

He　was　talkin'　over　his　plans　for　you〃



〃Plans？〃　　Bibbs；　turning　on　his　side；　shielded　his　eyes　from　the　light　with

his　hand；　so　that　he　might　see　her　better。　　〃What〃　　He　paused。　　〃What　plans

is　he　making　for　me；　mother？〃



She　turned　away；　going　back　to　the　window　to　draw　down　the　shade。　　〃Well；　you

better　talk　it　over　with　HIM；〃　she　said；　with　perceptible　nervousness。　　〃He

better　tell　you　himself。　　I　don't　feel　as　if　I　had　any　call；　exactly；　to　go

into　it；　and　you　better　get　to　sleep　now；　anyway。〃　　She　came　and　stood　by　the

bedside　once　more。　　〃But　you　must　remember；　Bibbs；　whatever　papa　does　is　for

the　best。　　He　loves　his　chuldern　and　wants　to　do　what's　right　by　ALL　of　'em

and　you'll　always　find　he's　right　in　the　end。〃



He　made　a　little　gesture　of　assent；　which　seemed　to　content　her；　and　she

rustled　to　the　door；　turning　to　speak　again　after　she　had　opened　it。　　〃You　get

a　good　nap；　now；　so　as　to　be　all　rested　up　for　to…night。〃



〃Youyou　meanhe〃　Bibbs　stammered；　having　begun　to　speak　too　quickly。

Checking　himself；　he　drew　a　long　breath；　then　asked；　quietly；　〃Does　father

expect　me　to　come　down…stairs　this　evening？〃



〃Well；　I　think　he　does；〃　she　answered。　　〃You　see；　it's　the　'house…warming；'　as

he　calls　it；　and　he　said　he　thinks　all　our　chuldern　ought　to　be　around　us；　as

well　as　the　old　friends　and　other　folks。　　It's　just　what　he　thinks　you

needto　take　an　interest　and　liven　up。　　You　don't　feel　too　bad　to　come　down；

do　you？〃



〃Mother？〃



〃Well？〃



〃Take　a　good　look　at　me；〃　he　said。



〃Oh；　see　here！〃　she　cried；　with　brusque　cheerfulness。　　〃You're　not　so　bad　off

as　you　think　you　are；　Bibbs。　　You're　on　the　mend；　and　it　won't　do　you　any　harm

to　please　your〃



〃It　isn't　that；〃　he　interrupted。　　〃Honestly；　I'm　only　afraid　it　might　spoil

somebody's　appetite。　　Edith〃



〃I　told　you　the　child　was　too　sensitive；〃　she　interrupted；　in　turn。　　〃You're　a

plenty　good…lookin'　enough　young　man　for　anybody！　　You　look　like　you　been

through　a　long　spell　and　begun　to　get　well；　and　that's　all　there　is　to　it。〃



〃All　right。　　I'll　come　to　the　party。　　If　the　rest　of　you　can　stand　it；　I　can！〃



〃It　'll　do　you　good；〃　she　returned；　rustling　into　the　hall。　　〃Now　take　a　nap；

and　I'll　send　one　o'　the　help　to　wake　you　in　time　for　you　to　get　dressed　up

before　dinner。　　You　go　to　sleep　right　away；　now；　Bibbs！〃



Bibbs　was　unable　to　obey；　though　he　kept　his　eyes　closed。　　Something　she　had

said　kept　running　in　his　mind；　repeating　itself　over　and　over　interminably。

〃His　plans　for　youhis　plans　for　youhis　plans　for　youhis　plans　for　you〃

And　then；　taking　the　place　of　〃his　plans　for　you；〃　after　what　seemed　a　long；

long　while；　her　flurried　voice　came　back　to　him　insistently；　seeming　to

whisper　in　his　ear：　　〃He　loves　his　chuldernhe　loves　his　chuldernhe　loves

his　chuldern〃〃you'll　find　he's　always　rightyou'll　find　he's　always

right〃　　Until　at　last；　as　he　drifted　into　the　state　of　half…dreams　and

distorted　realities；　the　voice　seemed　to　murmur　from　beyond　a　great　black　wing

that　came　out　of　the　wall　and　stretched　over　his　bedit　was　a　black　wing

within　the　room；　and　at　the　same　time　it　was　a　black　cloud　crossing　the　sky；

bridging　the　whole　earth　from　pole　to　pole。　　It　was　a　cloud　of　black　smoke；

and　out　of　the　heart　of　it　came　a　flurried　voice　whispering　over　and　over；

〃His　plans　for　youhis　plans　for　youhis　plans　for　you〃　　And　then　there

was　nothing。



He　woke　refreshed；　stretched　himself　gingerlyas　one　might　have　a　care

against　too　quick　or　too　long　a　pull　upon　a　frayed　elasticand；　getting　to

his　feet；　went　blinking　to　the　window　and　touched　the　shade　so　that　it　flew

up；　letting　in　a　pale　sunset。



He　looked　out　into　the　lemon…colored　light　and　smiled　wanly　at　the　next　house；

as　Edith's　grandiose　phrase　came　to　mind；　〃the　old　Vertrees　country　mansion。〃

It　stood　in　a　broad　lawn　which　was　separated　from　the　Sheridans'　by　a　young

hedge；　and　it　was　a　big；　square；　plain　old　box　of　a　house　with　a　giant

salt…cellar　atop　for　a　cupola。　　Paint　had　been　spared　for　a　long　time；　and　no

one　could　have　put　a　name　to　the　color　of　it；　but　in　spite　of　that　the　place

had　no　look　of　being　out　at　heel；　and　the　sward　was　as　neatly　trimmed　as　the

Sheridans'　own。



The　separating　hedge　ran　almost　beneath　Bibbs's　windowfor　this　wing　of　the

New　House　extended　here　almost　to　the　edge　of　the　lotand；　directly　opposite

the　window；　the　Vertreeses'　lawn　had　been　graded　so　as　to　make　a　little　knoll

upon　which　stood　a　small　rustic　〃summer…house。〃　　It　was　almost　on　a　level　with

Bibbs's　window　and　not　thirty　feet　away；　and　it　was　easy　for　him　to　imagine

the　present　dynasty　of　Ve