the turmoil-第26章

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A　maid　appeared　at　the　lower　end　of　the　hall。　　〃Dinner　is　ready；〃　she　　said；

and；　giving　the　troubled　pair　one　glance；　went　demurely　into　the　　dining…room。

Roscoe　disregarded　the　interruption。



〃I　intend　to　know　exactly　what　has　been　going　on；〃　he　declared。　　〃I　mean　　to

know　just　what〃



Sibyl　jumped　up；　almost　touching　him；　standing　face　to　face　with　him。



〃Oh；　you　DO！〃　she　cried；　shrilly。　　〃You　mean　to　know　just　what's　what；　do

you？　　You　listen　to　your　sister　insinuating　ugly　things　about　your　wife；　　and

then　you　come　home　making　a　scene　before　the　servants　and　humiliating　　me　in

their　presence！　　Do　you　suppose　that　Irish　girl　didn't　hear　every　　word　you

said？　　You　go　in　there　and　eat　your　dinner　alone！　　Go　on！　　Go　　and　eat　your

dinner　alonebecause　I　won't　eat　with　you！〃



And　she　broke　away　from　the　detaining　grasp　he　sought　to　fasten　upon　her；　　and

dashed　up　the　stairway；　panting。　　He　heard　the　door　of　her　room　slam

overhead；　and　the　sharp　click　of　the　key　in　the　lock。





At　seven　o'clock　on　the　last　morning　of　that　month；　Sheridan；　passing　　through

the　upper　hall　on　his　way　to　descend　the　stairs　for　breakfast；　　found　a　couple

of　scribbled　sheets　of　note…paper　lying　on　the　floor。　　A　　window　had　been　open

in　Bibbs's　room　the　evening　before；　he　had　left　his　　note…book　on　the

silland　the　sheets　were　loose。　　The　door　was　open；　　and　when　Bibbs　came　in

and　closed　it；　he　did　not　notice　that　the　two　　sheets　had　blown　out　into　the

hall。　　Sheridan　recognized　the　handwriting　　and　put　the　sheets　in　his　coat

pocket；　intending　to　give　them　to　George　　or　Jackson　for　return　to　the　owner；

but　he　forgot　and　carried　them　　down…town　with　him。　　At　noon　he　found　himself

alone　in　his　office；　and；　　having　a　little　leisure；　remembered　the　bits　of

manuscript；　took　them　　out；　and　glanced　at　them。　　A　grance　was　enough　to

reveal　that　they　were　　not　epistolary。　　Sheridan　would　not　have　read　a

〃private　letter〃　that　　came　into　his　possession　in　that　way；　though　in　a

〃matter　of　business〃　he　　might　have　felt　it　his　duty　to　take　advantage　of　an

opportunity　afforded　　in　any　manner　whatsoever。　　Having　satisfied　himself　that

Bibbs's　　scribblings　were　only　a　sample　of　the　kind　of　writing　his　son

preferred　　to　the　machine…shop；　he　decided；　innocently　enough；　that　he　would

be　　justified　in　reading　them。



It　appears　that　a　lady　will　nod　pleasantly　upon　some　windy　generalization　　of

a　companion；　and　will　wear　the　most　agreeable　expression　of　accepting　　it　as

the　law；　and　thendays　afterward；　when　the　thing　is　a　mummy　to　　its

promulgatorshe　will　inquire　out　of　a　clear　sky：　〃WHY　did　you　say　　that　the

people　down…town　have　nothing　in　life　that　a　chicken　hasn't？　　　What　did　you

mean？〃　　And　she　may　say　it　in　a　manner　that　makes　a　sensible　　reply　very

difficultyou　will　be　so　full　of　wonder　that　she　remembered　　so　seriously。



Yet；　what　does　the　rooster　lack？　　He　has　food　and　shelter；　he　is　warm　in

winter；　his　wives　raise　not　one　fine　family　for　him；　but　dozens。　　He　has　　a

clear　sky　over　him；　he　breathes　sweet　air；　he　walks　in　his　April　　orchard

under　a　roof　of　flowers。　　He　must　die；　violently　perhaps；　but　　quickly。　　Is

Midas's　cancer　a　better　way？　　The　rooster's　wives　and　　children　must　die。　　Are

those　of　Midas　immortal？　　His　life　is　shorter　than　　the　life　of　Midas；　but

Midas's　life　is　only　a　sixth　as　long　as　that　of　　the　Galapagos　tortoise。



The　worthy　money…worker　takes　his　vacation　so　that　he　may　refresh　himself

anew　for　the　hard　work　of　getting　nothing　that　the　rooster　doesn't　get。　　　The

office…building　has　an　elevator；　the　rooster　flies　up　to　the　bough。　　　Midas

has　a　machine　to　take　him　to　his　work；　the　rooster　finds　his　worm　　underfoot。

The　〃business　man〃　feels　a　pressure　sometimes；　without　knowing　　why；　and　sits

late　at　wine　after　the　day's　labor；　next　morning　he　curses　his　　head　because

it　interferes　with　the　workhe　swears　never　to　relieve　　that　pressure　again。

The　rooster　has　no　pressure　and　no　wine；　this　　difference　is　in　his　favor。



The　rooster　is　a　dependent；　he　depends　upon　the　farmer　and　the　weather。

Midas　is　a　dependent；　he　depends　upon　the　farmer　and　the　weather。　　The

rooster　thinks　only　of　the　moment；　Midas　provides　for　to…morrow。　　What　　does

he　provide　for　to…morrow？　　Nothing　that　the　rooster　will　not　have　　without

providing。



The　rooster　and　the　prosperous　worker：　they　are　born；　they　grub；　they　　love；

they　grub　and　love　grubbing；　they　grub　and　they　die。　　Neither　knows　　beauty；

neither　knows　knowledge。　　And　after　all；　when　Midas　dies　and　the　　rooster

dies；　there　is　one　thing　Midas　has　had　and　rooster　has　not。　　　Midas　has　had

the　excitement　of　accumulating　what　he　has　grubbed；　and　that　　has　been　his

life　and　his　love　and　his　god。　　He　cannot　take　that　god　　with　him　when　he

dies。　　I　wonder　if　the　worthy　gods　are　those　we　can　take　　with　us。



Midas　must　teach　all　to　be　as　Midas；　the　young　must　be　raised　in　his

religion



The　manuscript　ended　there；　and　Sheridan　was　not　anxious　for　more。　　He

crumpled　the　sheets　into　a　ball；　depositing　it　（with　vigor）　in　a　　waste…basket

beside　him；　then；　rising；　he　consulted　a　Cyclopedia　of　　Names；　which　a

book…agent　had　somehow　sold　to　him　years　before；　a　volume　　now　first　put　to

use　for　the　location　of　〃Midas。〃　　Having　read　the　　legend；　Sheridan　walked　up

and　down　the　spacious　office；　exhaling　the　　breath　of　contempt。　〃Dam'　fool！〃

he　mumbled。　　But　this　was　no　new　thought；　nor　was　the　contrariness　of　Bibbs's

notes　a　surpise　to　him；　and　presently　he　dismissed　the　matter　from　his　mind。



He　felt　very　lonely；　and　this　was；　daily；　his　hardest　hour。　　For　a　long　time

he　and　Jim　had　lunched　together　habitually。　　Roscoe　preferred　a　club　luncheon；

but　Jim　and　his　father　almost　always　went　to　a　small　restaurant　near　the

Sheridan　Building；　where　they　spent　twenty　minutes　in　the　consumption　of　food；

and　twenty　in　talk；　with　cigars。　　Jim　came　for　his　father　every　day；　at　five

minutes　after　twelve；　and　Sheridan　was　again　in　his　office　at　five　minutes

before　one。　　But　now　that　Jim　no　longer　came；　Sheridan　remained　alone　in　his

office；　he　had　not　gone　out　to　lunch　since　Jim's　death；　nor　did　he　have

anything　sent　to　himhe　fasted　until　evening。



It　was　the　time　he　missed　Jim　personally　the　mostthe　voice　and　eyes　and

handshake；　all　brisk　and　alert；　all　business…like。　　But　these　things　were　not

the　keenest　in　Sheridan's　grief；　his　sense　of　loss　went　far　deeper。　　Roscoe

was　dependable；　a　steady　old　wheel…horse；　and　that　was　a　great　comfort；　but　it

was　in　Jim　that　Sheridan　had　most　happily　perceived　his　own　likeness。　　Jim　was

the　one　who　would　have　been　surest　to　keep　the　great　property　growing　greater；

year　by　year。　　Sheridan　had　fallen　asleep；　night　after　night；　picturing　what

the　growth　would　be　under　Jim。　　He　had　believed　that　Jim　was　absolutely

certain　to　be　one　of　the　biggest　men　in　the　country。　　Well；　it　was　all　up　to

Roscoe　now！



That　reminded　him　of　a　question　he　had　in　mind　to　ask　Roscoe。　　It　was　a

question　Sheridan　considered　of　no　present　importance；　but　his　wife　had

suggested　itthough　vaguelyand　he　had　meant　to　speak　to　Roscoe　about　it。

However；　Roscoe　had　not　come　into　his　father's　office　for　several　days；　and

when　Sheridan　had　seen　his　son　at　home　there　had　been　no　opportunity。



He　waited　until　the　greater　part　of　his　day's　work　was　over；　toward　four

o'clock；　and　then　went　down　to　Roscoe's　office；　which　was　on　a　lower　floor。

He　found　several　men　waiting　for　business　interviews　in　an　outer　room　of　the

series　Roscoe　occupied；　and　he　supposed　that　he　would　find　his　son　busy　with

others；　and　that　his　question　would　have　to　be　postponed；　but　when　he　entered

the　door　marked　〃R。　C。　Sheridan。　　Private；〃　Roscoe　was　there　alone。



He　was　sitting　with　his　back　to　the　door；　his　feet　on　a　window…sill；　and　he

did　not　turn　as　his　father　opened　the　door。



〃Some　pretty　good　men　out　there　waitin'　to　see　you；　my　boy；〃　said　Sheridan。

〃What's　the　matter？〃



〃Nothing；〃　Roscoe　answered　indistinctly；　not　moving。



〃Well；　I　guess　that's　all　right；　too。　　I　let　'em　wait　sometimes　myself！　　I

just　wanted　to　ask　you　a　question；　but　I　expect　it　'll　keep；　if　you're　workin'

something　out　in　your　mind！〃



Roscoe　made　no　reply；　and　his　father；　who　had　turned　to　the　door；　paused　with

his　hand　on　the　knob；　staring　curiously　at　the　motionless　figure　in　the　chair。

Usually　the　son　seemed　pleased　and　eager　when　he　came　to　the　office。　　〃You're

all　right；　ain't　you？〃　said　Sheridan。　　〃Not　sick；　are　you？〃



〃No。〃



Sheridan　was　puzzled；　then；　abruptly；　he　decided　to　ask　his　question。　　〃I

wanted　to　talk　to　you　about　that　young　Lamhorn；〃　he　said。　　〃I　guess　your

mother　thinks　he's　comin'　to　see　Edith　pretty　often；　and　you　known　him　longer

'n　any　of　us；　so〃



〃I　won't；〃　said　Roscoe；　thickly〃I　won't　say　a　dam'　thing　about　him！〃



Sheridan　uttered　an　exclamation　and　walked　quickly　to　a　position　near　the

window　where　he　could　see　his　son's　face。　　Roscoe's　eyes　were　bloodshot　and

vacuous；　his　hair　was　disordered；　his　mouth　was　distorted；　and　he　was　deathly

pale。　　The　father　stood　aghast。



〃By　George！〃　he　muttered。　　〃ROSCOE！〃



〃My　name；〃　said　Roscoe。　　〃Can'　help　that。〃



〃ROSCOE！〃　　Blank　astonishment　was　Sheridan's　first　sensation。　　Probably

nothing　in　the　world　could　have　more　amazed　his　than　to　find　Roscoethe

steady　old　wheel…horsein　this　condition。　　〃How'd　you　GET　this　way？〃　he

demanded。　　〃You　caught　cold　and　took　too　much　for　it？〃



For　reply　Roscoe　laughed　hoarsely。　　〃Yeuh！　　Cold！　　I　been　drinkun　all　time；

lately。　　Firs'　you　notice　it？〃



〃By　George！〃　cried　Sheridan。　　〃I　THOUGHT　I'd　smelt　it　on　you　a　good　deal

lately；　but　I　wouldn't　'a'　believed　you'd　take　more'n　was　good　for　you。　Boh！

To　see　you　like　a　common　hog！〃



Roscoe　chuckled　and　threw　out　his　right　arm　in　a　meaningless　gensture。　〃Hog！〃

he　repeated；　chuckling。



〃Yes；　a　hog！〃　said　Sheridan；　angrily。　　〃In　business　hours！　　I　don't　object　to

anybody's　takin'　a　drink　if　you　wants　to；　out　o'　business　hours；　nor；　if　a　man

keeps　his　work　right　up　to　the　scratch；　I　wouldn't　be　the　one　to　baste　him　if

he　got　good　an'　drunk　once　in　two；　three　years；　maybe。　　It　ain't　MY　way。　　I

let　it　alone；　but　I　never　believed　in　forcin'　my　way　on　a　grown…up　son　in

moral　matters。　　I　guess　I　was　wrong！　　You　think　them　men　out　there　are　waitin'

to　talk　business　with　a　drunkard？　　You　think　you　can　come　to　your　office　and

do　business　drunk？　　By　George！　　I　wonder　how　often　this　has　been　happening　and

me　not　on　to　it！　　I'll　have　a　look　over　your　books　to…morrow；　and　I'll〃



Roscoe　stumbled　to　his　feet；　laughing　wildly；　and　stood　swaying；　contriving　to

hold　himself　in　position　by　clutching　the　back　of　the　heavy　chair　in　which　he

had　been　sitting。



〃Hoohoorah！〃　he　cried。　　〃'S　my　principles；　too。　　Be　drunkard　all　you　want

tooutside　business　hours。　　Don'　for　Gossake　le'n'thing　innerfere　business

hours！　　Business！　　Thassit！　　You're