the turmoil-第11部分

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〃Bibbs！〃　Edith's　voice　was　angry；　and　her　color　deepened　suddenly　as　she　came

into　the　room；　preceded　by　a　scent　of　violets　much　more　powerful　than　that

warranted　by　the　actual　bunch　of　them　upon　the　lapel　of　her　coat。



Bibbs　did　not　turn　his　head；　but　wagged　it　solemnly；　seeming　depressed　by　the

poem。　　〃Pretty　young；　isn't　it？〃　he　said。　　〃There　must　have　been　something

about　your　looks　that　got　the　prize；　Edith；　I　can't　believe　the　poem　did　it。〃



She　glanced　hurriedly　over　her　shoulder　and　spoke　sharply；　but　in　a　low　voice：

〃I　don't　think　it's　very　nice　of　you　to　bring　it　up　at　all；　Bibbs。　I'd　like　a

chance　to　forget　the　whole　silly　business。　　I　didn't　want　them　to　frame　it；

and　I　wish　to　goodness　papa'd　quit　talking　about　it；　but　here；　that　night；

after　the　dinner；　didn't　he　go　and　read　it　aloud　to　the　whole　crowd　of　'em！

And　then　they　all　wanted　to　know　what　other　poems　I'd　written　and　why　I　didn't

keep　it　up　and　write　some　more；　and　if　I　didn't；　why　didn't　I；　and　why　this

and　why　that；　till　I　thought　I'd　die　of　shame！〃



〃You　could　tell　'em　you　had　writer's　cramp；〃　Bibbs　suggested。



〃I　couldn't　tell　'em　anything！　　I　just　choke　with　mortification　every　time

anybody　speaks　of　the　thing。〃



Bibbs　looked　grieved。　　〃The　poem　isn't　THAT　bad；　Edith。　　You　see；　you　were

only　seventeen　when　you　wrote　it。〃



〃Oh；　hush　up！〃　she　snapped。　　〃I　wish　it　had　burnt　my　fingers　the　first　time　I

touched　it。　　Then　I　might　have　had　sense　enough　to　leave　it　where　it　was。　　I

had　no　business　to　take　it；　and　I've　been　ashamed〃



〃No；　no；〃　he　said；　comfortingly。　　〃It　was　the　very　most　flattering　thing　ever

happen　to　me。　　It　was　almost　my　last　flight　before　I　went　to　the　machine…shop；

and　it's　pleasant　to　think　somebody　liked　it　enough　to〃



〃But　I　DON'T　like　it！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃I　don't　even　understand　itand　papa

made　so　much　fuss　over　its　getting　the　prize；　I　just　hate　it！　　The　truth　is　I

never　dreamed　it　'd　get　the　prize。〃



〃Maybe　they　expected　father　to　endow　the　school；〃　Bibbs　murmered。



〃Well；　I　had　to　have　something　to　turn　in；　and　I　couldn't　write　a　LINE！　　I

hate　poetry；　anyhow；　and　Bobby　Lamhorn's　always　teasing　me　about　how　I　'keep

my　heart　among　the　stars。'　　He　makes　it　seem　such　a　mushy　kind　of　thing；　the

way　he　says　it。　　I　hate　it！〃



〃You'll　have　to　live　it　down；　Edith。　　Perhaps　abroad　and　under　another　name

you　might　find〃



〃Oh；　hush　up！　　I'll　hire　some　one　to　steal　it　and　burn　it　the　first　chance　I

get。〃　　She　turned　away　petulantly；　moving　to　the　door。　　〃I'd　like　to　think　I

could　hope　to　hear　the　last　of　it　before　I　die！〃



〃Edith！〃　he　called；　as　she　went　into　the　hall。



〃What's　the　matter？〃



〃I　want　to　ask　you：　Do　I　really　look　better；　or　have　you　just　got　used　to　me？〃



〃What　on　earth　do　you　mean？〃　she　said；　coming　back　as　far　as　the　threshold。



〃When　I　first　came　you　couldn't　look　at　me；〃　Bibbs　explained；　in　his

impersonal　way。　　〃But　I've　noticed　you　look　at　me　lately。　　I　wondered　if

I'd〃



〃It's　because　you　look　so　much　better；〃　she　told　him；　cheerfully。　　〃This　month

you've　been　here's　done　you　no　end　of　good。　　It's　the　change。〃



〃Yes；　that's　what　they　said　at　the　sanitariumthe　change。〃



〃You　look　worse　than　'most　anybody　I　ever　saw；〃　said　Edith；　with　supreme

candor。　　〃But　I　don't　know　much　about　it。　　I've　never　seen　a　corpse　in　my

life；　and　I've　never　even　seen　anybody　that　was　terribly　sick；　so　you　mustn't

judge　by　me。　　I　only　know　you　do　look　better；　I'm　glad　to　say。　　But　you're

right　about　my　not　being　able　to　look　at　you　at　first。　　You　had　a　kind　of

whiteness　thatWell；　you're　almost　as　thin；　I　suppose；　but　you've　got　more

just　ordinarily　pale；　not　that　ghastly　look。　　Anybody　could　look　at　you　now；

Bibbs；　and　nonot　get〃



〃Sick？〃



〃Wellalmost　that！〃　she　laughed。　　〃And　you're　getting　a　better　color　every

day；　Bibbs；　you　really　are。　　You're　getting　along　splendidly。〃



〃II'm　afraid　so；〃　he　said；　ruefully。



〃'Afraid　so'！　　Well；　if　you　aren't　the　queerest！　　I　suppose　you　mean　father

might　send　you　back　to　the　machine…shop　if　you　get　well　enough。　　I　heard　him

say　something　about　it　the　night　of　the〃　　The　jingle　of　a　distant　bell

interrupted　her；　and　she　glanced　at　her　watch。　　〃Bobby　Lamhorn！　　I'm　going　to

motor　him　out　to　look　at　a　place　in　the　country。　　Afternoon；　Bibbs！〃



When　she　had　gone；　Bibbs　mooned　pessimistically　from　shelf　to　shelf；　his　eye

wandering　among　the　titles　of　the　books。　　The　library　consisted　almost

entirely　of　handsome　〃uniform　editions〃：　Irving；　Poe；　Cooper；　Goldsmith；

Scott；　Byron；　Burns；　Longfellow；　Tennyson；　Hume；　Gibbon；　Prescott；　Thackeray；

Dickens；　De　Musset；　Balzac；　Gautier；　Flaubert；　Goethe；　Schiller；　Dante；　and

Tasso。　　There　were　shelves　and　shelves　of　encyclopedias；　of　anthologies；　of

〃famous　classics；〃　of　〃Oriental　masterpieces；〃　of　〃masterpieces　of　oratory；〃

and　more　shelves　of　〃selected　libraries〃　of　〃literature；〃　of　〃the　drama；〃　and

of　〃modern　science。〃　　They　made　an　effective　decoration　for　the　room；　all

these　big；　expensive　books；　with　a　glossy　binding　here　and　there　twinkling　a

reflection　of　the　flames　that　crackled　in　the　splendid　Gothic　fireplace；　but

Bibbs　had　an　impression　that　the　bookseller　who　selected　them　considered　them

a　relief；　and　that　white…jacket　considered　them　a　burden　of　dust；　and　that

nobody　else　considered　them　at　all。　　Himself；　he　disturbed　not　one。



There　came　a　chime　of　bells　from　a　clock　in　another　part　of　the　house；　and

white…jacket　appeared　beamingly　in　the　doorway；　bearing　furs。　　〃Awready；　Mist'

Bibbs；〃　he　announced。　　〃You'　ma　say　wrap　up　wawm　f'　you'　ride；　an'　she　cain'

go　with　you　to…day；　an'　not　f'git　go　see　you'　pa　at　fo'　'clock。　　Aw　ready；

suh。〃



He　equipped　Bibbs　for　the　daily　drive　Dr。　Gurney　had　commanded；　and　in　the

manner　of　a　master　of　ceremonies　unctuously　led　the　way。　　In　the　hall　they

passed　the　Moor；　and　Bibbs　paused　before　it　while　white…jacket　opened　the　door

with　a　flourish　and　waved　condescendingly　to　the　chauffeur　in　the　car　which

stood　waiting　in　the　driveway。



〃It　seems　to　me　I　asked　you　what　you　thought　about　this　'statue'　when　I　first

came　home；　George；〃　said　Bibbs；　thoughtfully。　　〃What　did　you　tell　me？〃



〃Yessuh！〃　George　chuckled；　perfectly　understanding　that　for　some　unknown

reason　Bibbs　enjoyed　hearing　him　repeat　his　opinion　of　the　Moor。　　〃You　ast　me

when　you　firs'　come　home；　an'　you　ast　me　nex'　day；　an'　mighty　near　ev'y　day

all　time　you　been　here；　an'　las'　Sunday　you　ast　me　twicet。〃　　He　shook　his　head

solemnly。　　〃Look　to　me　mus'　be　somep'm　might　lamiDAL　'bout　'at　statue！〃



〃Mighty　what？〃



〃Mighty　lamiDAL！〃　George；　burst　out　laughing。　　〃What　DO　'at　word　mean；　Mist'

Bibbs？〃



〃It's　new　to　me；　George。　　Where　did　you　hear　it？〃



〃I　nev'　DID　hear　it！〃　said　George。　　〃I　uz　dess　sittin'　thinkum　to　myse'f　an'

she　pop　in　my　head'lamiDAL；'　dess　like　'at！　　An'　she　soun'　so　good；　seem

like　she　GOTTA　mean　somep'm！〃



〃Come　to　think　of　it；　I　believe　she　does　mean　something。　　Why；　yes〃



〃Do　she？〃　cried　George。　　〃WHAT　she　mean？〃



〃It's　exactly　the　word　for　the　statue；〃　said　Bibbs；　with　conviction；　as　he

climbed　into　the　car。　　〃It's　a　lamiDAL　statue。〃



〃Hiyi！〃　George　exulted。　　〃Man！　Man！　Listen！　　Well；　suh；　she　mighty　lamiDAL

statue；　but　lamiDAL　statue　heap　o'　trouble　to　dus'！〃　〃I　expect　she　is！〃　said

Bibbs；　as　the　engine　began　to　churn；　and　a　moment　later　he　was　swept　from

sight。



George　turned　to　Mist'　Jackson；　who　had　been　listening　benevolently　in　the

hallway。　　〃Same　he　aw…ways　say；　Mist'　Jackson'I　expec'　she　is！'　　Ev'y　day　he

try　t'　git　me　talk　'bout　'at　lamiDAL　statue；　an'　aw…ways；　las'　thing　HE　say；

'I　expec'　she　is！'　　You　know；　Mist'　Jackson；　if　he　git　well；　'at　young　man　go'

be　pride　o'　the　family；　Mist'　Jackson。　　Yes…suh；　right　now　I　pick　'im　fo'

firs'　money！〃



〃Look　out　with　all　'at　money；　George！〃　Jackson　warned　the　enthusiast。　　〃White

folks　'n　'is　house　know　'im　heap　longer　'n　you。　　You　the　on'y　man　bettin'　on

'im！〃



〃I　risk　it！〃　cried　George；　merrily。　　〃I　put　her　all　on　nowev'y　cent！　　'At

boy's　go'　be　flower　o'　the　flock！〃



This　singular　prophecy；　founded　somewhat　recklessly　upon　gratitude　for　the

meaning　of　〃lamiDAL；〃　differed　radically　from　another　prediction　concerning

Bibbs；　set　forth　for　the　benefit　of　a　fair　auditor　some　twenty　minutes　later。



Jim　Sheridan；　skirting　the　edges　of　the　town　with　Mary　Vertrees　beside　him；　in

his　own　swift　machine；　encountered　the　invalid　upon　the　highroad。　　The　two

cars　were　going　in　opposite　directions；　and　the　occupants　of　Jim's　had　only　a

swaying　glimpse　of　Bibbs　sitting　alone　on　the　back　seathis　white　face

startlingly　white　against　cap　and　collar　of　black　furbut　he　flashed　into

recognition　as　Mary　bowed　to　him。



Jim　waved　his　left　hand　carelessly。　　〃It's　Bibbs；　taking　his　constitutional；〃

he　explained。



〃Yes；　I　know；〃　said　Mary。　　〃I　bowed　to　him；　too；　though　I've　never　met　him。　In

fact；　I've　only　seen　him　onceno；　twice。　　I　hope　he　won't　think　I'm　very

bold；　bowing　to　him。〃



〃I　doubt　if　he　noticed　it；〃　said　honest　Jim。



〃Oh；　no！〃　she　cried。



〃What's　the　trouble？〃



〃I'm　almost　sure　people　notice　it　when　I　bow　to　them。〃



〃Oh；　I　see！〃　said　Jim。　　〃Of　course　they　would　ordinarily；　but　Bibbs　is　funny。〃



〃Is　he？　　How？〃　she　asked。　　〃He　strikes　me　as　anything　but　funny。〃



〃Well；　I'm　his　brother；〃　Jim　said；　deprecatingly；　〃but　I　don't　know　what　he's

like；　and；　to　tell　the　truth；　I've　never　felt　exactly　like　I　WAS　his　brother；

the　way　I　do　Roscoe。　　Bibbs　never　did　seem　more　than　half　alive　to　me。　　Of

course　Roscoe　and　I　are　older；　and　when　we　were　boys　we　were　too　big　to　play

with　him；　but　he　never　played　anyway；　with　boys　his　own　age。　　He'd　rather　just

sit　in　the　house　and　mope　around　by　himslef。　　Nobody　could　ever　get　him　to　DO

anything；　you　can't　get　him　to　do　anything　now。　　He　never　had　any　LIFE　in　him；

and　honestly；　if　he　is　my　brother；　I　must　say