the turmoil-第43章

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hardest　worker　that　works　FOR　you。　　But　you　don't　know　what　work　is；　yet。　　All

you've　ever　done　was　just　stand　around　and　feed　a　machine　a　child　could

handle；　and　then　come　home　and　take　a　bath　and　go　callin'。　　I　tell　you　you're

up　against　a　mighty　different　proposition　now；　and　if　you're　worth　your

saltand　you　never　showed　any　signs　of　it　yetnot　any　signs　that　stuck　out

enough　　to　bang　somebody　on　the　head　and　make　'em　sit　up　and　take

noticewell；　I　want　to　say；　right　here　and　nowand　you　better　listen；

because　I　want　to　say　just　what　I　DO　say。　　I　say〃



He　meandered　to　a　full　stop。　　His　mouth　hung　open；　and　his　mind　was　a　hopeless

blank。



Bibbs　looked　up　patientlyan　old；　old　look。　　〃Yes；　father；　I'm　listening。〃



〃That's　all；〃　said　Sheridan；　frowning　heavily。　　〃That's　all　I　came　to　say；　and

you　better　see　't　you　remember　it！〃



He　shook　his　head　warningly；　and　went　out；　closing　the　door　behind　him　with　a

crash。　　However；　no　sound　of　footsteps　indicated　his　departure。　　He　stopped

just　outside　the　door；　and　stood　there　a　minute　or　more。　　Then　abruptly　he

turned　the　knob　and　exhibited　to　his　son　a　forehead　liberally　covered　with

perspiration。



〃Look　here；〃　he　said；　crossly。　　〃That　girl　over　yonder　wrote　Jim　a　letter　〃



〃I　know；〃　said　Bibbs。　　〃She　told　me。〃



〃Well；　I　thought　you　needn't　feel　so　much　upset　about　it〃　　The　door　closed

on　his　voice　as　he　withdrew；　but　the　conclusion　of　the　sentence　was

nevertheless　audible〃if　you　knew　she　wouldn't　have　Jim；　either。〃



And　he　stamped　his　way　down…stairs　to　tell　his　wife　to　quit　her　frettin'　and

not　bother　him　with　any　more　fool's　errands。　　She　was　about　to　inquire　what

Bibbs　〃said；〃　but　after　a　second　thought　she　decided　not　to　speak　at　all。　　She

merely　murmured　a　wordless　assent；　and　verbal　communication　was　given　over

between　them　for　the　rest　of　that　afternoon。



Bibbs　and　his　father　were　gone　when　Mrs。　Sheridan　woke；　the　next　morning；　and

she　had　a　dreary　day。　　She　missed　Edith　woefully；　and　she　worried　about　what

might　be　taking　place　in　the　Sheridan　Building。　　She　felt　that　everything

depended　on　how　Bibbs　〃took　hold；〃　and　upon　her　husband's　return　in　the

evening　she　seized　upon　the　first　opportunity　to　ask　him　how　things　had　gone。

He　was　non…committal。　　What　could　anybody　tell　by　the　first　day？　　He'd　seen

plenty　go　at　things　well　enough　right　at　the　start　and　then　blow　up。　　Pretty

near　anybody　could　show　up　fair　the　first　day　or　so。　　There　was　a　big　job

ahead。　　This　material；　such　as　it　wasBibbs；　in　facthad　to　be　broken　in　to

handling　the　work　Roscoe　had　done；　and　then；　at　least　as　an　overseer；　he　must

take　Jim's　position　in　the　Realty　Company　as　well。　　He　told　her　to　ask　him

again　in　a　month。



But　during　the　course　of　dinner　she　gathered　from　some　disjointed　remarks　of

his　that　he　and　Bibbs　had　lunched　together　at　the　small　restaurant　where　it

had　been　Sheridan's　custom　to　lunch　with　Jim；　and　she　took　this　to　be　an

encouraging　sign。　　Bibbs　went　to　his　room　as　soon　as　they　left　the　table；　and

her　husband　was　not　communicative　after　reading　his　paper。



She　became　an　anxious　spectator　of　Bibbs's　progress　as　a　man　of　business；

although　it　was　a　progress　she　could　glimpse　but　dimly　and　only　in　the

evening；　through　his　remarks　and　his　father's　at　dinner。　　Usually　Bibbs　was

silent；　except　when　directly　addressed；　but　on　the　first　evening　of　the　third

week　of　his　new　career　he　offered　an　opinion　which　had　apparently　been　the

subject　of　previous　argument。



〃I'd　like　you　to　understand　just　what　I　meant　about　those　storage…rooms；

father；〃　he　said；　as　Jackson　placed　his　coffee　before　him。　　〃Abercrombie

agreed　with　me；　but　you　wouldn't　listen　to　him。〃



〃You　can　talk；　if　you　want　to；　and　I'll　listen；〃　Sheridan　returned；　〃but　you

can't　show　me　that　Jim　ever　took　up　with　a　bad　thing。　　The　roof　fell　because

it　hadn't　had　time　to　settle　and　on　account　of　weather　conditions。　　I　want

that　building　put　just　the　way　Jim　planned　it。〃



〃You　can't　have　it；〃　said　Bibbs。　　〃You　can't；　because　Jim　planned　for　the

building　to　stand　up；　and　it　won't　do　it。　　The　other　onethe　one　that　didn't

fallis　so　shot　with　cracks　we　haven't　dared　use　it　for　storage。　It　won't

stand　weight。　　There's　only　one　thing　to　do：　get　both　buildings　down　as

quickly　as　we　can；　and　build　over。　　Brick's　the　best　and　cheapest　in　the　long

run　for　that　type。〃



Sheridan　looked　sarcastic。　　〃Fine！　　What　we　goin'　to　do　for　storage…rooms

while　we're　waitin'　for　those　few　bricks　to　be　laid？〃



〃Rent；〃　Bibbs　returned；　promptly。　　〃We'll　lose　money　if　we　don't　rent；

anyhowthey　were　waiting　so　long　for　you　to　give　the　warehouse　matter　your

attention　after　the　roof　fell。　　You　don't　know　what　an　amount　of　stuff　they've

got　piled　up　on　us　over　there。　　We'd　have　to　rent　until　we　could　patch　up

those　process　perilsand　the　Krivitch　Manufacturing　Company's　plant　is　empty；

right　across　the　street。　　I　took　an　option　on　it　for　us　this　morning。〃



Sheridan's　expression　was　queer。　　〃Look　here！〃　he　said；　sharply。　　〃Did　you　go

and　do　that　without　consulting　me？〃



〃It　didn't　cost　anything；〃　said　Bibbs。　　〃It's　only　until　to…morrow　afternoon

at　two　o'clock。　　I　undertook　to　convince　you　before　then。〃



〃Oh；　you　did？〃　　Sheridan's　tone　was　sardonic。　　〃Well；　just　suppose　you

couldn't　convince　me。〃



〃I　can；　thoughand　I　intend　to；〃　said　Bibbs；　quietly。　　〃I　don't　think　you

understand　the　condition　of　those　buildings　you　want　patched　up。〃



〃Now；　see　here；〃　said　Sheridan；　with　slow　emphasis；　〃suppose　I　had　my　mind　set

about　this。　　JIM　thought　they'd　stand；　and　suppose　it　waswell；　kind　of　a

matter　of　sentiment　with　me　to　prove　he　was　right。〃



Bibbs　looked　at　him　compassionately。　　〃I'm　sorry　if　you　have　a　sentiment　about

it；　father；〃　he　said。　　〃But　whether　you　have　or　not　can't　make　a　difference。

You'll　get　other　people　hurt　if　you　trust　that　process；　and　that　won't　do。

And　if　you　want　a　monument　to　Jim；　at　least　you　want　one　that　will　stand。

Besides；　I　don't　think　you　can　reasonably　defend　sentiment　in　this　particular

kind　of　affair。〃



〃Oh；　you　don't？〃



〃No；　but　I'm　sorry　you　didn't　tell　me　you　felt　it。〃



Sheridan　was　puzzled　by　his　son's　tone。　　〃Why　are　you　'sorry'？〃　he　asked；

curiously。



〃Because　I　had　the　building　inspector　up　there；　this　noon；〃　said　Bibbs；　〃and　I

had　him　condemn　both　those　buildings。〃



〃What？〃



〃He'd　been　afraid　to　do　it　before；　until　he　heard　from　usafraid　you'd　see　he

lost　his　job。　　But　he　can't　un…condemn　themthey've　got　to　come　down　now。〃



Sheridan　gave　him　a　long　and　piercing　stare　from　beneath　lowered　brows。

Finally　he　said；　〃How　long　did　they　give　you　on　that　option　to　convince　me？〃



〃Until　two　o'clock　to…morrow　afternoon。〃



〃All　right；〃　said　Sheridan；　not　relaxing。　　〃I'm　convinced。〃



Bibbs　jumped　up。　　〃I　thought　you　would　be。　　I'll　telephone　the　Krivitch　agent。

He　gave　me　the　option　until　to…morrow；　but　I　told　him　I'd　settle　it　this

evening。〃



Sheridan　gazed　after　him　as　he　left　the　room；　and　then；　though　his　expression

did　not　alter　in　the　slightest；　a　sound　came　from　him　that　startled　his　wife。

It　had　been　a　long　time　since　she　had　heard　anything　resembling　a　chuckle　from

him；　and　this　soundalthough　it　was　grim　and　drybore　that　resemblance。



She　brightened　eagerly。　　〃Looks　like　he　was　startin'　right　well；　don't　it；

papa？〃



〃Startin'？　　Lord！　　He　got　me　on　the　hip！　　Why；　HE　knew　what　I　wanted　that's

why　he　had　the　inspector　up　there；　so　't　he'd　have　me　beat　before　we　even

started　to　talk　about　it。　　And　did　you　hear　him？　　'Can't　reasonably　defend

SENTIMENT！'　　And　the　way　he　says　'Us'：　'Took　an　option　for　Us'！　　'Stuff　piled

up　on　Us'！〃



There　was　always　an　alloy　for　Mrs。　sheridan。　　〃I　don't　just　like　the　way　he

looks；　though；　papa。〃



〃Oh；　there's　got　to　be　something！　　Only　one　chick　left　at　home；　so　you　start

to　frettin'　about　IT！〃



〃No。　　He's　changed。　　There's　kind　of　a　settish　look　to　his　face；　and〃



〃I　guess　that's　the　common　sense　comin'　out　on　him；　then；〃　said　Sheridan。

〃You'll　see　symptoms　like　that　in　a　good　many　business　men；　I　expect。〃



〃Well；　and　he　don't　have　as　good　color　as　he　was　gettin'　before。　　And　he'd

begun　to　fill　out　some；　but〃



Sheridan　gave　forth　another　dry　chuckle；　and；　going　round　the　table　to　her；

patted　her　upon　the　shoulder　with　his　left　hand；　his　right　being　still　heavily

bandaged；　though　he　no　longer　wore　a　sling。　　〃That's　the　way　it　is　with　you；

mammagot　to　take　your　frettin'　out　one　way　if　you　don't　another！〃



〃No。　　He　don't　look　well。　　It　ain't　exactly　the　way　he　looked　when　he　begun　to

get　sick　that　time；　but　he　kind　o'　seems　to　be　losin'；　some　way。〃



〃Yes；　he　may　'a'　lost　something；〃　said　Sheridan。　　〃I　expect　he's　lost　a　whole

lot　o'　foolishness　besides　his　God…forsaken　notions　about　writin'　poetry

and〃



〃No；〃　his　wife　persisted。　　〃I　mean　he　looks　right　peakid。　　And　yesterday；　when

he　was　settin'　with　us；　he　kept　lookin'　out　the　window。　　He　wasn't　readin'。〃



〃Well；　why　shouldn't　he　look　out　the　window？〃



〃He　was　lookin'　over　there。　　He　never　read　a　word　all　afternoon；　I　don't

believe。〃



〃Look；　here！〃　said　Sheridan。　　〃Bibbs　might　'a'　kept　goin'　on　over　there　the

rest　of　his　life；　moonin'　on　and　on；　but　what　he　heard　Sibyl　say　did　one　big

thing；　anyway。　　It　woke　him　up　out　of　his　trance。　　Well；　he　had　to　go　and　bust

clean　out　with　a　bang；　and　that　stopped　his　goin'　over　there；　and　it　stopped

his　poetry；　but　I　reckon　he's　begun　to　get　pretty　fair　pay　for　what　he　lost。

I　guess　a　good　many　young　men　have　had　to　get　over　worries　like　his；　they　got

to　lose　SOMETHING　if　they're　goin'　to　keep　ahead　o'　the　procession

nowadaysand　it　kind　o'　looks　to　me；　mamma；　like　Bibbs　might　keep　quite　a

considerable　long　way　ahead。　　Why；　a　year　from　now　I'll　bet　you　he　won't　know

there　ever　WAS　such　a　thing　as　poetry！　And　ain't　he　funny？　　He　wanted　to　stick

to　the　shop　so's　he　could　'think'！　What　he　meant　was；　think　about　something

useless。　　Well；　I　guess　he's　keepin'　his　ming　pretty　occupied　the　other　way

these　days。　　Yes；　sir；　it　took　a　pretty　fair…sized　shock　to　get　him　out　of　his

trance；　but　it　certainly　did　the　business。〃　　He　patted　his　wife's　shoulder

again；　and　then；　without　any　prefatory　symptoms；　broke　into　a　boisterous

laugh。



〃Honest；　mamma；　he　works　like　a　gorilla！〃





And　so　Bibbs　sat　in　the　porch　of　the　temple　with　the　money…changers。　　But　no

One　came　to　scourge　him　forth；　for　this　was　the　temple　of　Bigness；　and　the

changing　of　money　was　holy　worship　and　true　religion。　　The　priests　wore　that

〃settish〃　look　Bibbs's　mother　had　seen　beginning　to　develop　about　his　mouth

and　eyesa　wary　look　which　she　could　not　define；　but　it　comes　with　service　at

the　temple；　and　it　was　the　more　marked　upon　Bibbs　for　his　sharp　awakening　to

the　necessities　of　that　servicce。



He　did　as　little　〃useless〃　thinking　as　possible；　giving　himself　no　time