the turmoil-第31章
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〃Sit just as you wereboth of you！〃 she said。 And then to Edith： 〃Did you
tell my husband I had been telephoning to Lamhorn？〃
〃You march out of here！〃 said Edith； fiercely。 〃March straight out of here！〃
Sibyl leveled a forefinger at Lamhorn。
〃Did you tell her I'd been telphoning you I wanted you to come？〃
〃Oh； good God！〃 Lamhorn said。 〃Hush！〃
〃You knew she'd tell my husband； DIDN'T you？〃 she cried。 〃You knew that！〃
〃HUSH！〃 he begged； panic…stricken。
〃That was a MANLY thing to do！ Oh； it was like a gentleman！ You wouldn't
comeyou wouldn't even come for five minutes to hear what I had to say！ You
were TIRED of what I had to say！ You'd heard it all a thousand times before；
and you wouldn't come！ No！ No！ NO！〃 she stormed。 〃You wouldn't even come for
five minutes； but you could tell that little cat！ And SHE told my husband！
You're a MAN！〃
Edith saw in a flash that the consequences of battle would be ruinous to
Sibyl； and the furious girl needed no further temptation to give way to her
feelings。 〃Get out of this house！〃 she shrieked。 〃This is my father's house。
Don't you dare speak to Robert like that！〃
〃No！ No！ I mustn't SPEAK〃
〃Don't you DARE！〃
Edith and Sibyl began to scream insults at each other simultaneously； fronting
each other； their furious faces close。 Their voices shrilled and rose and
crackedthey screeched。 They could be heard over the noise of the
phonograph； which was playing a brass…band selection。 They could be heard all
over the house。 They were heard in the kitchen； they could have been heard in
the cellar。 Neither of them cared for that。
〃You told my husband！〃 screamed Sibyl； bringing her face still closer to
Edith's。 〃You told my husband！ This man put THAT in you hands to strike me
with！ HE did！〃
〃I'll tell your husband again！ I'll tell him everything I know！ It's TIME
your husband〃
They were swept asunder by a bandaged hand。 〃Do you want the neighbors in？〃
Sheridan thundered。
There fell a shocking silence。 Frenzied Sibyl saw her husband and his mother
in the doorway； and she understood what she had done。 She moved slowly toward
the door； then suddenly she began to run。 She ran into the hall； and through
it； and out of the house。 Roscoe followed her heavily； his eyes on the
ground。
〃NOW THEN！〃 said Sheridan to Lamhorn。
The words were indefinite； but the voice was not。 Neither was the vicious
gesture of the bandaged hand； which concluded its orbit in the direction of
the door in a manner sufficient for the swift dispersal of George and Jackson
and several female servants who hovered behind Mrs。 Sheridan。 They fled
lightly。
〃Papa； papa！〃 wailed Mrs。 Sheridan。 〃Look at your hand！ You'd oughtn't to
been so rough with Edie； you hurt your hand on her shoulder。 Look！〃
There was； in fact； a spreading red stain upon the bandages at the tips of the
fingers； and Sheridan put his hand back in the sling。 〃Now then！〃 he
repeated。 〃You goin' to leave my house？〃
〃He will NOT！〃 sobbed Edith。 〃Don't you DARE order him out！〃
〃Don't you bother； dear；〃 said Lamhorn； quietly。 〃He doesn't understand。 YOU
mustn't be troubled。〃 Pallor was becoming to him； he looked very handsome；
and as he left the room he seemed in the girl's distraught eyes a persecuted
noble； indifferent to the rabble yawping insult at his heels the rabble
being enacted by her father。
〃Don't come back； either！〃 said； Sheridan； realistic in this impersonation。
〃Keep off the premises！〃 he called savagely into the hall。 〃This family's
through with you！〃
〃It is NOT！〃 Edith cried； breaking from her mother。 〃You'll SEE about that！
You'll find out！ You'll find out what 'll happen！ What's HE done？ I guess if
I can stand it； it's none of YOUR business； is it？ What's HE done； I'd like
to know？ You don't know anything about it。 Don't you s'pose he told ME？ She
was crazy about him soon as he began going there； and he flirted with her a
little。 That's everything he did； and it was before he met ME！ After that he
wouldn't； and it wasn't anything； anyway he never was serious a minute about
it。 SHE wanted it to be serious； and she was bound she wouldn't give him up。
He told her long ago he cared about me； but she kept persecuting him and〃
〃Yes；〃 said Sheridan； sternly； 〃that's HIS side of it！ That 'll do！ He
doesn't come in this house again！〃
〃You look out！〃 Edith cried。
〃Yes； I'll look out！ I'd 'a' told you to…day he wasn't to be allowed on the
premises； but I had other things on my mind。 I had Abercrombie look up this
young man privately； and he's no 'count。 He's no 'count on earth！ He's no
good！ He's NOTHIN'！ But it wouldn't matter if he was George Washington；
after what's happened and what I've heard to…night！〃
〃But； papa；〃 Mrs。 Sheridan began； 〃if Edie says it was all Sibyl's fault；
makin' up to him； and he never encouraged her much； nor〃
〃'S enough！〃 he roared。 〃He keeps off these premises！ And if any of you so
much as ever speak his name to me again〃
But Edith screamed； clapping her hands over her ears to shut out the sound of
his voice； and ran up…stairs； sobbing loudly； followed by her mother。 However；
Mrs。 Sheridan descended a few minutes later and joined her husband in the
library。 Bibbs； still sitting in his gold chair； saw her pass； roused himself
from reverie； and strolled in after her。
〃She locked her door；〃 said Mrs。 Sheridan； shaking her head woefully。 〃She
wouldn't even answer me。 They wasn't a sound from her room。〃
〃Well；〃 said her husband； 〃she can settle her mind to it。 She never speaks to
that fellow again； and if he tries to telephone her to…morrow Here！ You
tell the help if he calls up to ring off and say it's my orders。 No； you
needn't。 I'll tell 'em myself。〃
〃Better not；〃 said Bibbs； gently。
His father glared at him。
〃It's no good；〃 said Bibbs。 〃Mother； when you were in love with father 〃
〃My goodness！〃 she cried。 〃You ain't a…goin' to compare your father to
that〃
〃Edith feels about him just what you did about father；〃 said Bibbs。 〃And if
YOUR father had told you〃
〃I won't LISTEN to such silly talk！〃 she declared； angrily。
〃So you're handin' out your advice； are you； Bibbs？〃 said Sheridan。 〃What is
it？〃
〃Let her see him all she wants。〃
〃You're a〃 Sheridan gave it up。 〃I don't know what to call you！〃
〃Let her see him all she wants；〃 Bibbs repeated； thoughtfully。 〃You're up
against something too strong for you。 If Edith were a weakling you'd have a
chance this way； but she isn't。 She's got a lot of your determination；
father； and with what's going on inside of her she'll beat you。 You can't
keep her from seeing him； as long as she feels about him the way she does now。
You can't make her think less of him； either。 Nobody can。 Your only chance
is that she'll do it for herself； and if you give her time and go easy she
probably will。 Marriage would do it for her quickest； but that's just what
you don't want； and as you DON'T want it； you'd better 〃
〃I can't stand any more！〃 Sheridan burst out。 〃If it's come to BIBBS advisin'
me how to run this house I better resign。 Mamma； where's that nigger George？
Maybe HE'S got some plan how I better manage my family。 Bibbs； for God's sake
go and lay down！ 'Let her see him all she wants'！ Oh； Lord！ here's wisdom；
here's〃
〃Bibbs；〃 said Mrs。 Sheridan； 〃if you haven't got anything to do； you might
step over and take Sibyl's wraps homeshe left 'em in the hall。 I don't
think you seem to quiet your poor father very much just now。〃
〃All right。〃 And Bibbs bore Sibyl's wraps across the street and delivered
them to Roscoe； who met him at the door。 Bibbs said only； 〃Forgot these；〃
and； 〃Good night； Roscoe；〃 cordially and cheerfully； and returned to the New
House。 His mother and father were still talking in the library； but with
discretion he passed rapidly on and upward to his own room； and there he
proceeded to write in his note…book。
There seems to be another curious thing about Love ＇Bibbs wrote＇。
Love is blind while it lives and only opens its eyes and becomes
very wide awake when it dies。 Let it alone until then。
You cannot reason with love or with any other passion。 The wise
will not wish for lovenor for ambition。 These are passions
and bring others in their trainhatreds and jealousiesall
blind。 Friendship and a quiet heart for the wise。
What a turbulence is love！ It is dangerous for a blind thing to be
turbulent； there are precipices in life。 One would not cross a
mountain…pass with a thick cloth over his eyes。 Lovers do。 Friendship
walks gently and with open eyes。
To walk to church with a friend！ To sit beside her there！ To rise when
she rises； and to touch with one's thumb and fingers the other half of
the hymn…book that she holds！ What lover； with his fierce ways；
could know this transcendent happiness？
Friendship brings everything that heaven could bring。 There is no
labor that cannot become a living rapture if you know that a
friend is thinking of you as you labor。 So you sing at your work。
For the work is part of the thoughts of your friend； so you love
it！
Love is demanding and claiming and insistent。 Friendship is all
kindnessit makes the world glorious with kindness。 What color
you see when you walk with a friend！ You see that the gray sky
is brilliant and shimmering； you see that the smoke has warm
browns and is marvelously sculpturedthe air becomes
iridescent。 You see the gold in brown hair。 Light floods
everything。
When you walk to church with a friend you know that life can give you
nothing richer。 You pray that there will be no change in anything
for ever。
What an adorable thing it is to discover a little foible in your
friend； a bit of vanity that gives you one thing more about her to
adore！ On a cold morning she will perhaps walk to church with you
without her furs； and she will blush and return an evasive answer
when you ask her why she does not wear them。 You will say no
more； because you understand。 She looks beautiful in her furs；
you love their darkness against her cheek； but you comprehend that
they conceal the loveliness of her throat and the fine line of her
chin； and that she also has comprehended this； and； wishing to
look still more bewitching； discards her furs at the risk of
taking cold。 So you hold your peace； and try to look as if you
had not thought it out。
This theory is satisfactory except that it does not account f
