the turmoil-第46章

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on；　determined　now　to　say　it　all。　　He　leaned　forward　and　altered　his　voice　to

one　of　confidential　friendliness；　though　in　it　he　still　maintained　a　tone

which　indicated　that　ole　Doc　Gurney's　opinion　was　only　a　joke　he　shared　with

her。　　〃Yes；　sir；　you　certainly　would　'a'　laughed！　　Why；　that　ole　man　thinks

YOU　got　something　to　do　with　it。　　You'll　have　to　blame　it　on　him；　young　lady；

if　it　makes　you　feel　like　startin'　out　to　whip　somebody！　　He's　actually　got

THIS　theory：　he　says　Bibbs　got　to　gettin'　better　while　he　worked　over　there　at

the　shop　because　you　kept　him　cheered　up　and　feelin'　good。　　And　he　says　if　you

could　manage　to　just　stand　him　hangin'　around　a　little　maybe　not　much；　but

just　SOMEtimesagain；　he　believed　it　'd　do　Bibbs　a　mighty　lot　o'　good。

'Course；　that's　only　what　the　doctor　said。　　Me；　I　don't　know　anything　about

that；　but　I　can　say　this　muchI　never　saw　any　such　a　MENTAL　improvement　in

anybody　in　my　life　as　I　have　lately　in　Bibbs。　I　expect　you'd　find　him　a　good

deal　more　entertaining　than　what　he　used　to　beand　I　know　it's　a　kind　of

embarrassing　thing　to　suggest　after　the　way　he　piled　in　over　here　that　day　to

ask　you　to　stand　up　before　the　preacher　with　him；　but　accordin'　to　ole　Doc

GURNEY；　he's　got　you　on　his　brain　so　bad〃



Mary　jumped。　　〃Mr。　Sheridan！〃　she　exclaimed。



He　sighed　profoundly。　　〃There！　　I　noticed　you　were　gettin'　mad。　　I　didn't　〃



〃No；　no；　no！〃　she　cried。　　〃But　I　don't　understandand　I　think　you　don't。

What　is　it　you　want　me　to　do？〃



He　sighed　again；　but　this　time　with　relief。　　〃Well；　well！〃　he　said。　〃You're

right。　　It　'll　be　easier　to　talk　plain。　　I　ought　to　known　I　could　with　you；

all　the　time。　　I　just　hoped　you'd　let　that　boy　come　and　see　you　sometimes；

once　more。　　Could　you？〃



〃You　don't　understand。〃　　She　clasped　her　hands　together　in　a　sorrowful

gesture。　　〃Yes；　we　must　talk　plain。　　Bibbs　heard　that　I'd　tried　to　make　your

oldest　son　care　for　me　because　I　was　poor；　and　so　Bibbs　came　and　asked　me　to

marry　himbecause　he　was　sorry　for　me。　　And　I　CAN'T　see　him　any　more；〃　she

cried　in　distress。　　〃I　CAN'T！〃



Sheridan　cleared　his　throat　uncomfortably。　　〃You　mean　because　he　thought　that

about　you？〃



〃No；　no！　　What　he　thought　was　TRUE！〃



〃Wellyou　mean　he　was　so　much　inyou　mean　he　thought　so　much　of　you　〃　　The

words　were　inconceivably　awkward　upon　Sheridan's　tongue；　he　seemed　to　be　in

doubt　even　about　pronouncing　them；　but　after　a　ghastly　pause　he　bravely

repeated　them。　　〃You　mean　he　thought　so　much　of　you　that　you　just　couldn't

stand　him　around？〃



〃NO！　　He　was　sorry　for　me。　　He　cared　for　me；　he　was　fond　of　me；　and　he'd

respected　metoo　much！　　In　the　finest　way　he　loved　me；　if　you　like；　and　he'd

have　done　anything　on　earth　for　me；　as　I　would　for　him；　and　as　he　knew　I

would。　　It　was　beautiful；　Mr。　Sheridan；〃　she　said。　　〃But　the　cheap；　bad　things

one　has　done　seem　always　to　come　backthey　wait；　and　pull　you　down　when

you're　happiest。　　Bibbs　found　me　out；　you　see；　and　he　wasn't　'in　love'　with　me

at　all。〃



〃He　wasn't？　　Well；　it　seems　to　me　he　gave　up　everything　he　wanted　to　do　it

was　fool　stuff；　but　he　certainly　wanted　it　mighty　badhe　just　threw　it　away

and　walked　right　up　and　took　the　job　he　swore　he　never　would　just　for　you。

And　it　looks　to　me　as　if　a　man　that'd　do　that　must　think　quite　a　heap　o'　the

girl　he　does　it　for！　　You　say　it　was　only　because　he　was　sorry；　but　let　me

tell　you　there's　only　ONE　girl　he　could　feel　THAT　sorry　for！　　Yes；　sir！〃



〃No；　no；〃　she　said。　　〃Bibbs　isn't　like　other　menhe　would　do　anything　for

anybody。〃



Sheridan　grinned。　　〃Perhaps　not　so　much　as　you　think；　nowadays；〃　he　said。　〃For

instance；　I　got　kind　of　a　suspicion　he　doesn't　believe　in　'sentiment　in

business。'　　But　that's　neither　here　nor　there。　　What　he　wanted　was；　just　plain

and　simple；　for　you　to　marry　him。　　Well；　I　was　afraid　his　thinkin'　so　much　OF

you　had　kind　o'　sickened　you　of　himthe　way　it　does　sometimes。　　But　from　the

way　you　talk；　I　understand　that　ain't　the　trouble。〃　　He　coughed；　and　his　voice

trembled　a　little。　　〃Now　here；　Miss　Vertrees；　I　don't　have　to　tell

youbecause　you　see　things　easyI　know　I　got　no　business　comin'　to　you　like

this；　but　I　had　to　make　Bibbs　go　my　way　instead　of　his　ownI　had　to　do　it　for

the　sake　o'　my　business　and　on　his　own　account；　tooand　I　expect　you　got　some

idea　how　it　hurt　him　to　give　up。　　Well；　he's　made　good。　　He　didn't　come　in

half…hearted　or　mean；　he　came　inall　the　way！　　But　there　isn't　anything　in　it

to　him；　you　can　see　he's　just　shut　his　teeth　on　it　and　goin'　ahead　with　dust

in　his　mouth。　　You　see；　one　way　of　lookin'　at　it；　he's　got　nothin'　to　work

FOR。　　And　it　seems　to　me　like　it　cost　him　your　friendship；　and　I　believe

honestthat's　what　hurt　him　the　worst。　　Now　you　said　we'd　talk　plain。　　Why

can't　you　let　him　come　back？〃



She　covered　her　face　desperately　with　her　hands。　　〃I　can't！〃



He　rose；　defeated；　and　looking　it。



〃Well；　I　mustn't　press　you；〃　he　said；　gently。



At　that　she　cried　out；　and　dropped　her　hands　and　let　him　see　her　face。　〃Ah！

He　was　only　sorry　for　me！〃



He　gazed　at　her　intently。　　Mary　was　proud；　but　she　had　a　fatal　honesty；　and　it

confessed　the　truth　of　her　now；　she　was　helpless。　　It　was　so　clear　that　even

Sheridan；　marveling　and　amazed；　was　able　to　see　it。　　Then　a　change　came　over

him；　gloom　fell　from　him；　and　he　grew　radient。



〃Don't！　　Don't〃　she　cried。　　〃You　mustn't〃



〃I　won't　tell　him；〃　said　Sheridan；　from　the　doorway。　　〃I　won't　tell　anybody

anything！〃





There　was　a　heavy　town…fog　that　afternoon；　a　smoke…mist；　densest　in　the

sanctuary　of　the　temple。　　The　people　went　about　in　it；　busy　and　dirty；

thickening　their　outside　and　inside　linings　of　coal…tar；　asphalt；　sulphurous

acid；　oil　of　vitriol；　and　the　other　familiar　things　the　men　liked　to　breathe

and　to　have　upon　their　skins　and　garments　and　upon　their　wives　and　babies　and

sweethearts。　　The　growth　of　the　city　was　visible　in　the　smoke　and　the　noise

and　the　rush。　　There　was　more　smoke　than　there　had　been　this　day　of　February　a

year　earlier；　there　was　more　noise；　and　the　crowds　were　thickeryet　quicker

in　spite　of　that。　　The　traffic　policeman　had　a　hard　time；　for　the　people　were

independentthey　retained　some　habits　of　the　old　market…town　period；　and

would　cross　the　street　anywhere　and　anyhow；　which　not　only　got　them　killed

more　frequently　than　if　they　clung　to　the　legal　crossings；　but　kept　the

motormen；　the　chauffeurs；　and　the　truck…drivers　in　a　stew　of　profane

nervousness。　　So　the　traffic　policemen　led　harried　lives；　they　themselves　were

killed；　of　course；　with　a　certain　periodicity；　but　their　main　trouble　was　that

they　could　not　make　the　citizens　realize　that　it　was　actually　and　mortally

perilous　to　go　about　their　city。　　It　was　strange；　for　there　were　probably　no

citizens　of　any　length　of　residence　who　had　not　personally　known　either　some

one　who　had　been　killed　or　injured　in　an　accident；　or　some　one　who　had

accidentally　killed　or　injured　others。　　And　yet；　perhaps　it　was　not　strange；

seeing　the　sharp　preoccupation　of　the　facesthe　people　had　something　on　their

minds；　they　could　not　stop　to　bother　about　dirt　and　danger。



Mary　Vertrees　was　not　often　down…town；　she　had　never　seen　an　accident　until

this　afternoon。　　She　had　come　upon　errands　for　her　mother　connected　with　a

timorous　refurbishment；　and　as　she　did　these；　in　and　out　of　the　department

stores；　she　had　an　insistent　consciousness　of　the　Sheridan　Building。　　From　the

street；　anywhere；　it　was　almost　always　in　sight；　like　some　monstrous

geometrical　shadow；　murk…colored　and　rising　limitlessly　into　the　swimming

heights　of　the　smoke…mist。　　It　was　gaunt　and　grimy　and　repellent；　it　had

nothing　but　strength　and　sizebut　in　that　consciousness　of　Mary's　the　great

structure　may　have　partaken　of　beauty。　Sheridan　had　made　some　of　the　things　he

said　emphatic　enought　to　remain　with　her。　　She　went　over　and　over　themand

they　began　to　seem　true：　〃Only　ONE　girl　he　could　feel　THAT　sorry　for！〃

〃Gurney　says　he's　got　you　on　his　brain　so　bad〃　　The　man's　clumsy　talk　began

to　sing　in　her　heart。　The　song　was　begun　there　when　she　saw　the　accident。



She　was　directly　opposite　the　Sheridan　Building　then；　waiting　for　the　traffic

to　thin　before　she　crossed；　though　other　people　were　risking　the　passage；

darting　and　halting　and　dodging　parlously。　　Two　men　came　from　the　crowd　behind

her；　talking　earnestly；　and　started　across。　　Both　wore　black；　one　was　tall　and

broad　and　thick；　and　the　other　was　taller；　but　noticeably　slender。　　And　Mary

caught　her　breath；　for　they　were　Bibbs　and　his　father。　They　did　not　see　her；

and　she　caught　a　phrase　in　Bibbs's　mellow　voice；　which　had　taken　a　crisper

ring：　〃Sixty…eight　thousand　dollars？　　Not　sixty…eight　thousand　buttons！〃　　It

startled　her　queerly；　and　as　there　was　a　glimpse　of　his　profile　she　saw　for

the　first　time　a　resemblance　to　his　father。



She　watched　them。　　In　the　middle　of　the　street　Bibbs　had　to　step　ahead　of　his

father；　and　the　two　were　separated。　　But　the　reckless　passing　of　a　truck；

beyond　the　second　line　of　rails；　frightened　a　group　of　country　women　who　were

in　course　of　passage；　they　were　just　in　front　of　Bibbs；　and　shoved　backward

upon　him　violently。　　To　extricate　himself　from　them　he　stepped　back；　directly

in　front　of　a　moving　trolley…carno　place　for　absent…mindedness；　but　Bibbs

was　still　absorbed　in　thoughts　concerned　with　what　he　had　been　saying　to　his

father。　　There　were　shrieks　and　yells；　Bibbs　looked　the　wrong　wayand　then

Mary　saw　the　heavy　figure　of　Sheridan　plunge　straight　forward　in　front　of　the

car。　　With　absolute　disregard　of　his　own　life；　he　hurled　himself　at　Bibbs　like

a　football…player　shunting　off　an　opponent；　and　to　Mary　it　seemed　that　they

both　went　down　together。　　But　that　was　all　she　could　seeautomobiles；　trucks；

and　wagons　closed　in　between。　　She　made　out　that　the　trolley…car　stopped

jerkily；　and　she　saw　a　policeman　breaking　his　way　through　the　instantly

condensing　crowd；　while　the　traffic　came　to　a　standstill；　and　people　stood　up

in　automobiles　or　climbed　upon　the　hubs　and　tires　of　wheels；　not　to　miss　a

chance　of　seeing　anything　horrible。



Mary　tried　to　get　through；　it　was　impossible。　　Other　policemen　came　to　help

the　first；　and　in　a　minute　or　two　the　traffic　was　in　motion　again。　The　crowd

became　pliant；　dispersingthere　was　no　figure　upon　the　ground；　and　no

ambulance　came。　　But　one　of　the　policemen　was　detained　by　the　clinging　and

beseeching　of　a　gloved　hand。



〃What　IS　the　matter；　lady？〃



〃Where　are　they？〃　Mary　cried。



〃Who？　Ole　man　Sheridan？　　I　reckon　HE　wasn't　much　hurt！〃



〃His　SON〃



〃Was　that　who　the　other　one　was？　　I　seen　him　knock　himoh；　he's　not　bad　off；

I　guess；　lady。　　The　ole　man　got　him　out　of　the　way　all　right。　　The　fender

shoved　the　ole　man　around　some；　but　I　reckon　he　only　got　shook　up。　They　both

went　on　in　the　Sheridan　Building　without　any　help。　　Excuse　me；　lady。〃



Sheridan　and　Bibbs；　in　fact；