the turmoil-第44章

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the　necessities　of　that　servicce。



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

it。　　He　worked　continuously；　keeping　his　thoughts　still　on　his　work　when　he

came　home　at　night；　and　he　talked　of　nothing　whatever　except　his　work。　　But　he

did　not　sing　at　it。　　He　was　often　in　the　streets；　and　people　were　not　allowed

to　sing　in　the　streets。　　They　might　make　any　manner　of　hideous　uproarthey

could　shake　buildings；　they　could　out…thunder　the　thunder；　deafen　the　deaf；

and　kill　the　sick　with　noise；　or　they　could　walk　the　streets　or　drive　through

them　bawling；　squawking；　or　screeching；　as　they　chose；　if　the　noise　was

traceably　connected　with　business；　though　street　musicians　were　not　tolerated；

being　considered　a　nuisance　and　an　interference。　　A　man　or　woman　who　went

singing　for　pleasure　through　the　streetslike　a　crazy　Neopolitanwould　have

been　stopped；　and　belike　locked　up；　for　Freedom　does　not　mean　that　a　citizen

is　allowed　to　do　every　outrageous　thing　that　comes　into　his　head。　　The　streets

were　dangerous　enough；　in　all　conscience；　without　any　singing！　and　the　Motor

Federation　issued　public　warnings　declaring　that　the　pedestrian's　life　was　in

his　own　hands；　and　giving　directions　how　to　proceed　with　the　least　peril。

However；　Bibbs　Sheridan　had　no　desire　to　sing　in　the　streets；　or　anywhere。　He

had　gone　to　his　work　with　an　energy　that；　for　the　start；　at　least；　was　bitter；

and　there　was　no　song　left　in　him。



He　began　to　know　his　active　fellow…citizens。　　Here　and　there　among　them　he

found　a　leisurely；　kind　soul；　a　relic　of　the　old　period　of　neighborliness；

〃pioneer　stock；〃　usually；　and　there　were　menparticularly　among　the　merchants

and　manufacturers〃so　honest　they　leaned　backward〃；　reputations　sometimes

attested　by　stories　of　heroic　sacrifices　to　honor；　nor　were　there　lacking　some

instances　of　generosity　even　nobler。　　Here　and　there；　too；　were　book…men；　in

their　little　leisure；　and；　among　the　Germans；　music…men。　　And　these；　with　the

others；　worshiped　Bigness　and　the　growth；　each　man　serving　for　his　own　sake

and　for　what　he　could　get　out　of　it；　but　all　united　in　their　faith　in　the

beneficence　and　glory　of　their　god。



To　almost　all　alike　that　service　stood　as　the　most　important　thing　in　life；

except　on　occasion　of　some　such　vital；　brief　interregnum　as　the　dangerous

illness　of　a　wife　or　child。　　In　the　way　of　〃relaxation〃　some　of　the　servers

took　golf；　some　took　fishing；　some　took　〃shows〃a　mixture　of　infantile　and

negroid　humor；　stockings；　and　tin　music；　some　took　an　occasional　debauch；　some

took　trips；　some　took　cards；　and　some　took　nothing。　　The　high　priests　were

vigilant　to　watch　that　no　〃relaxation〃　should　affect　the　service。　　When　a　man

attended　to　anything　outside　his　business；　eyes　were　upon　him；　his　credit　was

in　dangerthat　is；　his　life　was　in　danger。　　And　the　old　priests　were　as

ardent　as　the　young　ones；　the　million　was　as　eager　to　be　bigger　as　the

thousand；　seventy　was　as　busy　as　seventeen。　　They　stove　mightily　against　one

another；　and　the　old　priests　were　the　most　wary；　the　most　plausible；　and　the

most　dangerous。　Bibbs　learned　he　must　walk　charily　among　thesehe　must　wear　a

thousand　eyes　and　beware　of　spiders　indeed！



And　outside　the　temple　itself　were　the　pretenders；　the　swarming　thieves　and

sharpers　and　fleecers；　the　sly　rascals　and　the　open　rascals；　but　these　were

feeble　folk；　not　dangerous　once　he　knew　them；　and　he　had　a　good　guide　to　point

them　out　to　him。　　They　were　useful　sometimes；　he　learned；　and　many　of　them

served　as　go…betweens　in　matters　where　business　must　touch　politics。　　He

learned　also　how　breweries　and　〃traction〃　companies　and　banks　and　other

institutions　fought　one　another　for　the　political　control　of　the　city。　　The

newspapers；　he　discovered；　had　lost　their　ancient　political　influence；

especially　with　the　knowing；　who　looked　upon　them　with　a　skeptical　humor；

believing　the　journals　either　to　be　retained　partisans；　like　lawyers；　or　else

striving　to　forward　the　personal　ambitions　of　their　owners。　　The　control　of

the　city　lay　not　with　them；　but　was　usually　obtained　by　giving　the　hordes　of

negroes　gin…money；　and　by　other　largesses。　　The　revenues　of　the　people　were

then　distributed　as　fairly　as　possible　among　a　great　number　of　men　who　had

assisted　the　winning　side。　　Names　and　titles　of　offices　went　with　many　of　the

prizes；　and　most　of　these　title…holders　were　expected　to　present　a　busy

appearance　at　times；　and；　indeed；　some　among　them　did　work　honestly　and

faithfully。



Bibbs　had　been　very　ignorant。　　All　these　simple　things；　so　well　known　and

customary；　astonished　him　at　first；　and　oncein　a　brief　moment　of　forgetting

that　he　was　done　with　writinghe　thought　that　if　he　had　known　them　and

written　of　them；　how　like　a　satire　the　plainest　relation　of　them　must　have

seemed！　　Strangest　of　all　to　him　was　the　vehement　and　sincere　patriotism。　　On

every　side　he　heard　itit　was　a　permeation；　the　newest　school…child　caught

it；　though　just　from　Hungary　and　learning　to　stammer　a　few　words　of　the　local

language。　　Everywhere　the　people　shouted　of　the　power；　the　size；　the　riches；

and　the　growth　of　their　city。　　Not　only　that；　they　said　that　the　people　of

their　city　were　the　greatest；　the　〃finest；〃　the　strongest；　the　Biggest　people

on　earth。　　They　cited　no　authorities；　and　felt　the　need　of　none；　being

themselves　the　people　thus　celebrated。　　And　if　the　thing　was　questioned；　or　if

it　was　hinted　that　there　might　be　one　small　virtue　in　which　they　were　not

perfect　and　supreme；　they　wasted　no　time　examining　themselves　to　see　if　what

the　critic　said　was　true；　but　fell　upon　him　and　hooted　him　and　cursed　him；　for

they　were　sensitive。　　So　Bibbs；　learning　their　ways　and　walking　with　them；

harkened　to　the　voice　of　the　people　and　served　Bigness　with　them。　　For　the

voice　of　the　people　is　the　voice　of　their　god。



Sheridan　had　made　the　room　next　to　his　own　into　an　office　for　Bibbs；　and　the

door　between　the　two　rooms　usually　stood　openthe　father　had　established　that

intimacy。　　One　morning　in　February；　when　Bibbs　was　alone；　Sheridan　came　in；

some　sheets　of　typewritten　memoranda　in　his　hand。



〃Bibbs；〃　he　said；　〃I　don't　like　to　butt　in　very　often　this　way；　and　when　I　do

I　usually　wish　I　hadn'tbut　for　Heaven's　sake　what　have　you　been　buying　that

ole　busted　inter…traction　stock　for？〃



Bibbs　leaned　back　from　his　desk。　　〃For　eleven　hundred　and　fifty…five　dollars。

That's　all　it　cost。〃



〃Well；　it　ain't　worth　eleven　hundred　and　fifty…five　cents。　　You　ought　to　know

that。　　I　don't　get　your　idea。　　That　stuff's　deader　'n　Adam's　cat！〃



〃It　might　be　worth　somethingsome　day。〃



〃How？〃



〃It　mightn't　be　so　deadnot　if　We　went　into　it；〃　said　Bibbs；　coolly。



〃Oh！〃　　Sheridan　considered　this　musingly；　then　he　said；　〃Who'd　you　buy　it

from？〃



〃A　brokerFansmith。〃



〃Well；　he　must　'a'　got　it　from　one　o'　the　crowd　o'　poor　ninnies　that　was

soaked　with　it。　　Don't　you　know　who　owned　it？〃



〃Yes；　I　do。〃



〃Ain't　sayin'；　though？　　That　it？　　What's　the　matter？〃



〃It　belonged　to　Mr。　Vertrees；〃　said　Bibbs；　shortly；　applying　himself　to　his

desk。



〃So！〃　　Sheridan　gazed　down　at　his　son's　thin　face。　　〃Excuse　me；〃　he　said。

〃Your　business。〃　　And　he　went　back　to　his　own　room。　　But　presently　he　looked

in　again。



〃I　reckon　you　won't　mind　lunchin'　alone　to…day〃he　was　shuffling　himself　into

his　overcoat〃because　I　just　thought　I'd　go　up　to　the　house　and　get　THIS　over

with　mamma。〃　　He　glanced　apologetically　toward　his　right　hand　as　it　emerged

from　the　sleeve　of　the　overcoat。　　The　bandages　had　been　removed；　finally；　that

morning；　revealing　but　three　fingers　the　forefinger　and　the　finger　next　to

it　had　been　amputated。　　〃She's　bound　to　make　an　awful　fuss；　and　it　better

spoil　her　lunch　than　her　dinner。　I'll　be　back　about　two。〃



But　he　calculated　the　time　of　his　arrival　at　the　New　House　so　accurately　that

Mrs。　Sheridan's　lunch　was　not　disturbed；　and　she　was　rising　from　the　lonely

table　when　he　came　into　the　dining…room。　　He　had　left　his　overcoat　in　the

hall；　but　he　kept　his　hands　in　his　trousers　pockets。



〃What's　the　matter；　papa？〃　she　asked；　quickly。　　〃Has　anything　gone　wrong？　You

ain't　sick？〃



〃Me！〃　　He　laughed　loudly。　　〃Me　SICK？〃



〃You　had　lunch？〃



〃Didn't　want　any　to…day。　　You　can　give　me　a　cup　o'　coffe；　though。〃



She　rang；　and　told　George　to　have　coffee　made；　and　when　he　had　withdrawn　she

said　querulously；　〃I　just　know　there's　something　wrong。〃



〃Nothin'　in　the　world；〃　he　responed；　heartily；　taking　a　seat　at　the　head　of

the　table。　　〃I　thought　I'd　talk　over　a　notion　o'　mine　with　you；　that's　all。

It's　more　women…folks'　business　than　what　it　is　man's；　anyhow。〃



〃What　about？〃



〃Why；　ole　Doc　Gurney　was　up　at　the　office　this　morning　awhile〃



〃To　look　at　your　hand？　　How's　he　say　it's　doin'？〃



〃Fine！　　Well；　he　went　in　and　sat　around　with　Bibbs　awhile〃



Mrs。　Sheridan　nodded　pessimistically。　　〃I　guess　it's　time　you　had　him；　too。　　I

KNEW　Bibbs〃



〃Now；　mamma；　hold　your　horses！　　I　wanted　him　to　look　Bibbs　over　BEFORE

anything's　the　matter。　　You　don't　suppose　I'm　goin'　to　take　any　chances　with

BIBBS；　do　you？　　Well；　afterwards；　I　shut　the　door；　and　I　an'　ole　Gurney　had　a

talk。　　He's　a　mighty　disagreeable　man；　he　rubbed　it　in　on　me　what　he　said

about　Bibbs　havin'　brains　if　he　ever　woke　up。　　Then　I　thought　he　must　want　to

get　something　out　o'　me；　he　go　so　flatteringfor　a　minute！　　'Bibbs　couldn't

help　havin'　business　brains；'　he　says；　'bein'　YOUR　son。　　Don't　be　surprised；'

he　says'don't　be　surprised　at　his　makin'　a　success；'　he　says。　　'He　couldn't

get　over　his　heredity；　he　couldn't　HELP　bein'　a　business　successonce　you　got

him　into　it。　　It's　in　his　blood。　　Yes；　sir'　he　says；　'it　doesn't　need　MUCH

brains；'　he　says；　'an　only　third…rate　brains；　at　that；'　he　says；　'but　it　does

need　a　special　KIND　o'　brains；'　he　says；　'to　be　a　millionaire。　　I　mean；'　he

says；　'when　a　man's　given　a　start。　　If　nobody　gives　him　a　start；　why；　course

he's　got　to　have　luck　AND　the　right　kind　o'　brains。　　The　only　miracle　about

Bibbs；'　he　says；　'is　where　he　got　the　OTHER　kind　o'　brainsthe　brains　you

made　him　quit　usin'　and　throw　away。'〃



〃But　what'd　he　say　about　his　health？〃　Mrs。　Sheridan　demanded；　impatiently；　as

George　placed　a　cup　of　coffee　before　her　husband。　　Sheridan　helped　himself　to

cream　and　sugar；　and　began　to　sip　the　coffee。



〃I'm　comin'　to　that；〃　he　returned；　placidly。　　〃See　how　easy　I　manage　this　cup

with　my　left　hand；　mamma？〃



〃You　been　doin'　that　all　winter。　　What　did〃



〃It's　wonderful；〃　he　interrupted；　admiringly；　〃what　a　fellow　can　do　with　his

left　hand。　　I　can　sign　my　name　with　mine　now；　well's　I　ever　could　with　my

right。　　It　came　a　little　hard　at　first；　but　now；　honest；　I　believe　I　RATHER

sign　with　my　left。　That's　all　I　ever　have　to　write；　anywayjust　the

signature。　　Rest's　all　dictatin'。〃　　He　blew　across　the　top　of　the　cup

unctuously。　　〃Good　coffee；　mam