the turmoil-第36章

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are；　I'll　take　you　with　me　Monday　morning；　and　I'll　work　you　and　learn

youyes；　and　I'll　lam　you；　if　I　got　tountil　I've　made　something　out　of　you

that's　fit　to　be　called　a　business　man！　　I'll　keep　at　you　while　I'm　able　to

stand；　and　if　I　have　to　lay　down　to　die　I'll　be　whisperin'　at　you　till　they

get　the　embalmin'…fluid　into　me！　　Now　go　on；　and　don't　let　me　hear　from　you

again　till　you　can　come　and　tell　me　you've　waked　up；　you　poor；　pitiful；

dandelion…pickin'　SLEEP…WALKER！〃



Bibbs　gave　him　a　queer　look。　　There　was　something　like　reproach　in　it；　for

once；　but　there　was　more　than　thathe　seemed　to　be　startled　by　his　father's

last　word。





There　was　sleet　that　evening；　with　a　whopping　wind；　but　neither　this　storm　nor

that　other　which　so　imminently　threatened　him　held　place　in　the　consciousness

of　Bibbs　Sheridan　when　he　came　once　more　to　the　presence　of　Mary。　　All　was

right　in　his　world　has　he　sat　with　her；　reading　Maurice　Maeterlinck's　Alladine

and　Palomides。　　The　sorrowful　light　of　the　gas…jet　might　have　been　May　morning

sunshine　flashing　amber　and　rose　through　the　glowing　windows　of　the

Sainte…Chapelle；　it　was　so　bright　for　Bibbs。　　And　while　the　zinc…eater　held

out　to　bring　him　such　golden　nights　as　these；　all　the　king's　horses　and　all

the　king's　men　might　not　serve　to　break　the　spell。



Bibbs　read　slowly；　but　in　a　reasonable　manner；　as　if　he　were　talking；　and

Mary；　looking　at　him　steadily　from　beneath　her　curved　fingers；　appeared　to

discover　no　fault。　　It　had　grown　to　be　her　habit　to　look　at　him　whenever　there

was　an　opportunity。　　It　may　be　said；　in　truth；　that　while　they　were　together；

and　it　was　light；　she　looked　at　him　all　the　time。



When　he　came　to　the　end　of　Alladine　and　Palomides　they　were　silent　a　little

while；　considering　together；　then　he　turned　back　the　pages　and　said：　　〃There's

something　I　want　to　read　over。　　This：



　　　　　　　You　would　think　I　threw　a　window　open　on　the　dawn。。。She　has　a　soul

　　　　　　　that　can　be　seen　around　herthat　takes　you　in　its　arms　like　an

　　　　　　　ailing　child　and　without　saying　anything　to　you　consoles　you　for

　　　　　　　everything。。。。　　I　shall　never　understand　it　all。　　I　do　not　know

　　　　　　　how　it　can　all　be；　but　my　knees　bend　in　spite　of　me　when　I　speak

　　　　　　　of　it　。。。



He　stopped　and　looked　at　her。



〃You　boy！〃　said　Mary；　not　very　clearly。



〃Oh　yes；〃　he　returned。　　〃But　it's　trueespecially　my　knees！〃



〃You　boy！〃　she　murmured　again；　blushing　charmingly。　　〃You　might　read　another

line　over。　　The　first　time　I　ever　saw　you；　Bibbs；　you　were　looking　into　a

mirror。　　Do　it　again。　　But　you　needn't　read　itI　can　give　it　to　you：　〃A

little　Greek　slave　that　came　from　the　heart　of　Arcady！〃



〃I！　　I'm　one　of　the　hands　at　the　Pump　Worksand　going　to　stay　one；　unless　I

have　to　decide　to　study　plumbing。〃



〃No。〃　　She　shook　her　head。　　〃You　love　and　want　what's　beautiful　and　delicate

and　serene；　it's　really　art　that　you　want　in　your　life；　and　have　always

wanted。　　You　seemed　to　me；　from　the　first；　the　most　wistful　person　I　had　ever

known；　and　that's　what　you　were　wistful　for。〃



Bibbs　looked　doubtful　and　more　wistful　than　ever；　but　after　a　moment　or　two

the　matter　seemed　to　clarify　itself　to　him。　　〃Why；　no；〃　he　said；　〃I　wanted

something　else　more　than　that。　　I　wanted　you。〃



〃And　here　I　am！〃　she　laughed；　completely　understanding。　〃I　think　we're　like

those　two　in　The　Cloister　and　the　Hearth。　　I'm　just　the　rough　Burgundian

cross…bow　man；　Denys；　who　followed　that　gentle　Gerard　and　told　everybody　that

the　devil　was　dead。〃



〃He　isn't；　though；〃　said　Bibbs；　as　a　hoarse　little　bell　in　the　next　room　began

a　series　of　snappings　which　proved　to　be　ten；　upon　count。　　〃He　gets　into　the

clock　whenever　I'm　with　you。〃　　And；　sighing　deeply；　he　rose　to　go。



〃You're　always　very　prompt　about　leaving　me。〃



〃II　try　to　be；〃　he　said。　　〃It　isn't　easy　to　be　careful　not　to　risk

everything　by　giving　myself　a　little　more　at　a　time。　　If　I　ever　saw　you　look

tired〃



〃Have　you　ever？〃



〃Not　yet。　　You　always　lookyou　always　look〃



〃How？〃



〃Care…free。　　That's　it。　　Except　when　you　feel　sorry　for　me　about　something；

you　always　have　that　splendid　look。　　It　puts　courage　into　people　to　see　it。

If　I　had　a　struggle　to　face　I'd　keep　remembering　that　lookand　I'd　never　give

up！　　It's　a　brave　look；　too；　as　though　gaiety　might　be　a　kind　of　gallantry　on

your　part；　and　yet　I　don't　quite　understand　why　it　should　be；　either。〃　　He

smiled　quizzically；　looking　down　upon　her。　　〃Mary；　you　haven't　a　'secret

sorrow；'　have　you？〃



For　answer　she　only　laughed。



〃No；〃　he　said；　〃I　can't　imagine　you　with　a　care　in　the　world。　　I　think　that's

why　you　were　so　kind　to　meyou　have　nothing　but　happiness　in　your　own　life；

and　so　you　could　spare　time　to　make　my　troubles　turn　to　happiness；　too。　　But

there's　one　little　time　in　the　twenty…four　hours　when　I'm　not　happy。　　It's

now；　when　I　have　to　say　good　night。　　I　feel　dismal　every　time　it　comesand

then；　when　I've　left　the　house；　there's　a　bad　little　blankness；　a　black　void；

as　though　I　were　temporarily　dead；　and　it　lasts　until　I　get　it　established　in

my　mind　that　I'm　really　beginning　another　day　that's　to　end　with　YOU　again。

Then　I　cheer　up。　　But　now's　the　bad　timeand　I　must　go　through　it；　and

sogood　night。〃　　And　he　added　with　a　pungent　vehemence　of　which　he　was　little

aware；　〃I　hate　it！〃



〃Do　you？〃　she　said；　rising　to　go　to　the　door　with　him。　　But　he　stood

motionless；　gazing　at　her　wonderingly。



〃Mary！　　Your　eyes　are　so〃　　He　stopped。



〃Yes？〃　　But　she　looked　quickly　away。



〃I　don't　know；〃　he　said。　　〃I　thought　just　then〃



〃What　did　you　think？〃



〃I　don't　knowit　seemed　to　me　that　there　was　something　I　ought　to

understandand　didn't。〃



She　laughed　and　met　his　wondering　gaze　again　frankly。　　〃My　eyes　are　pleased；〃

she　said。　　〃I'm　glad　that　you　miss　me　a　little　after　you　go。〃



〃But　to…morrow's　coming　faster　than　other　days　if　you'll　let　it；〃　he　said。



She　inclined　her　head。　　〃Yes。　　I'll'let　it'！〃



〃Going　to　church；〃　said　Bibbs。　　〃It　IS　going　to　church　when　I　go　with　you！〃



She　went　to　the　front　door　with　him；　she　always　went　that　far。　　They　had

formed　a　little　code　of　leave…taking；　by　habit；　neither　of　them　ever　speaking

of　it；　but　it　was　always　the　same。　　She　always　stood　in　the　doorway　until　he

reached　the　sidewalk；　and　there　he　always　turned　and　looked　back；　and　she

waved　her　hand　to　him。　　Then　he　went　on；　halfway　to　the　New　House；　and　looked

back　again；　and　Mary　was　not　in　the　doorway；　but　the　door　was　open　and　the

light　shone。　　It　was　as　if　she　meant　to　tell　him　that　she　would　never　shut　him

out；　he　could　always　see　that　friendly　light　of　the　open　doorwayas　if　it

were　open　for　him　to　come　back；　if　he　would。　　He　could　see　it　until　a　wing　of

the　New　House　came　between；　when　he　went　up　the　path。　　The　open　doorway　seemed

to　him　the　beautiful　symbol　of　her　friendshipof　her　thought　of　him；　a　symbol

of　herself　and　of　her　ineffable　kindness。



And　she　kept　the　door　openeven　to…night；　though　the　sleet　and　fine　snow

swept　in　upon　her　bare　throat　and　arms；　and　her　brown　hair　was　strewn　with

tiny　white　stars。　　His　heart　leaped　as　he　turned　and　saw　that　she　was　there；

waving　her　hand　to　him；　as　if　she　did　not　know　that　the　storm　touched　her。

When　he　had　gone　on；　Mary　did　as　she　always　didshe　went　into　an　unlit　room

across　the　hall　from　that　in　which　they　had　spent　the　evening；　and；　looking

from　the　window；　watched　him　until　he　was　out　of　sight。　　The　storm　made　that

difficult　to…night；　but　she　caught　a　glimpse　of　him　under　the　street…lamp　that

stood　between　the　two　houses；　and　saw　that　he　turned　to　look　back　again。

Then；　and　not　before；　she　looked　at　the　upper　windows　of　Roscoe's　house　across

the　street。　　They　were　dark。　Mary　waited；　but　after　a　little　while　she　closed

the　front　door　and　returned　to　her　window。　　A　moment　later　two　of　the　upper

windows　of　Roscoe's　house　flashed　into　light　and　a　hand　lowered　the　shade　of

one　of　them。　　Mary　felt　the　cold　thenit　was　the　third　night　she　had　seen

those　windows　lighted　and　the　shade　lowered；　just　after　Bibbs　had　gone。



But　Bibbs　had　no　glance　to　spare　for　Roscoe's　windows。　　He　stopped　for　his

last　look　back　at　the　open　door；　and；　with　a　thin　mantle　of　white　already　upon

his　shoulders；　made　his　way；　gasping　in　the　wind；　to　the　lee　of　the　sheltering

wing　of　the　New　House。



A　stricken　George；　muttering　hoarsely；　admitted　him；　and　Bibbs　became　aware　of

a　paroxysm　within　the　house。　　Terrible　sounds　came　from　the　library：　Sheridan

cursing　as　never　before；　his　wife　sobbing；　her　voice　rising　to　an　agonized

squeal　of　protest　upon　each　of　a　series　of　muffled　detonations　the

outrageous　thumping　of　a　bandaged　hand　upon　wood；　　then　Gurney；　sharply

imperious；　〃Keep　your　hand　in　that　sling！　　Keep　your　hand　in　that　sling；　I

say！〃



〃LOOK！〃　George　gasped；　delighted　to　play　herald　for　so　important　a　tragedy；

and　he　renewed　upon　his　face　the　ghastly　expression　with　which　he　had　first

beheld　the　ruins　his　calamitous　gesture　laid　before　the　eyes　of　Bibbs。　　〃Look

at　'at　lamidal　statue！〃



Gazing　down　the　hall；　Bibbs　saw　heroic　wreckage；　seemingly　Byzantine　painted

colossal　fragments　of　the　shattered　torso；　appallingly　human；　and　gilded　and

silvered　heaps　of　magnificence　strewn　among　ruinous　palms　like　the　spoil　of　a

barbarians'　battle。　　There　had　been　a　massacre　in　the　oasis　the　Moor　had

been　hurled　headlong　from　his　pedestal。



〃He　hit　'at　ole　lamidal　statue；〃　said　George。　　〃POW！〃



〃My　father？〃



〃YESshu！　　POW！　he　hit　'er！　　An'　you'　ma　run　tell　me　git　doctuh　quick　's　I　kin

telefoamshe　sho'　you'　pa　goin'　bus'　a　blood…vessel。　　He　ain't　takin'　on

'tall　NOW。　　He　ain't　nothin'　'tall　to　what　he　was　'while　ago。　You　done　miss'

it；　Mist'　Bibbs。　　Doctuh　got　him　all　quiet'　down；　to　what　he　was。　　POW！　he　hit

'er！　　Yessuh！〃　　He　took　Bibbs's　coat　and　proffered　a　crumpled　telegraph　form。

〃Here　what　come；〃　he　said。　　〃I　pick　'er　up　when　he　done　stompin'　on　'er。　　You

read　'er；　Mist'　Bibbsyou'　ma　tell　me　tuhn　'er　ovuh　to　you　soon's　you　come

in。〃



Bibbs　read　the　telegram　quickly。　　It　was　from　New　York　and　addressed　to　Mrs。

Sheridan。



　　　　　　　Sure　you　will　all　approve　step　have　taken　as　was　so　wretched　my

　　　　　　　health　would　probably　suffered　severely　Robert　and　I　were　married

　　　　　　　this　afternoon　thought　best　have　quiet　wedding　absolutely　sure　you

　　　　　　　will　understand　wisdom　of　step　when　you　know　Robert　better　am

　　　　　　　happiest　woman　in　world　are　leaving　for　Florida　will　wire　address

　　　　　　　when　settled　will　remain　till　spring　love　to　all　father　will　like

　　　　　　　him　too　when　knows　him　like　I　do　he　is　just　ideal。

　　　　　　　Edith　Lamhorn。



George　departed；　and　Bibbs　was　left　gazing　upon　chaos　and　listening　to

thunder。　　He　could　not　reach　the　stairway　without　passing　the　open　doors　of

the　library；　and　he　was　convinced　that　the　mere　glimpse　of　him；　just　then；

would　prove　nothing　less