the turmoil-第23部分

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Bibbs　smiled　faintly；　noting　that　Edith's　door　was　open；　with　Edith's　　naive

shadow　motionless　across　its　threshold。　　〃Yes；〃　he　said。　　〃He　　doesn't　appear

to　much　of　a　'man's　man。'　　He　ran　at　just　a　glimpse　of　one。〃



Edith's　shadow　moved；　her　voice　came　quavering：　〃You　call　yourself　one？〃



〃No；　no；〃　he　answered。　　〃I　said；　'just　a　glimpse　of　one。'　　I　didn't　claim　　〃

But　her　door　slammed　angrily；　and　he　turned　to　his　mother。



〃There；〃　he　said；　sighing。　　〃That's　almost　the　first　time　in　my　life　I　　ever

tried　to　be　a　man　of　action；　mother；　and　I　succeeded　perfectly　in　　what　I

tried　to　do。　　As　a　consequence　I　feel　like　a　horse…thief！〃



〃You　hurt　her　feelin's；〃　she　groaned。　　〃You　must　'a'　gone　at　it　too　　rough；

Bibbs。〃



He　looked　upon　her　wanly。　　〃That's　my　trouble；　mother；〃　he　murmured。　　　〃I'm　a

plain；　blunt　fellow。　　I　have　rough　ways；　and　I'm　a　rough　man。〃



For　once　she　perceived　some　meaning　in　his　queerness。　　〃Hush　your　　nonsense！〃

she　said；　good…naturedly；　the　astral　of　a　troubled　smile　　appearing。　　〃You　go

to　bed。〃



He　kissed　her　and　obeyed。



Edith　gave　him　a　cold　greeting　the　next　morning　at　the　breakfast…table。



〃You　mustn't　do　that　under　a　misapprehension；〃　he　warned　her；　when　they　　were

alone　in　the　dining…room。



〃Do　what　under　a　what？〃　she　asked。



〃Speak　to　me。　　I　came　into　the　smoking…room　last　night　'on　purpose；'〃　he　　told

her；　gravely。　　〃I　have　a　prejudice　against　that　young　man。〃



She　laughed。　　〃I　guess　you　think　it　means　a　great　deal　who　you　have

prejudices　against！〃　　In　mockery　she　adopted　the　manner　of　one　who　　implores。

〃Bibbs；　for　pity's　sake　PROMISE　me；　DON'T　use　YOUR　influence　　with　papa

against　him！〃　　And　she　laughed　louder。



〃Listen；〃　he　said；　with　peculiar　earnestness。　　〃I'll　tell　you　now；

becausebecause　I've　decided　I'm　one　of　the　family。〃　　And　then；　as　if　　the

earnestness　were　too　heavy　for　him　to　carry　it　further；　he　continued；　　in　his

usual　tone；　〃I'm　drunk　with　power；　Edith。〃



〃What　do　you　want　to　tell　me？〃　she　damanded；　brusquely。



〃Lamhorn　made　love　to　Sibyl；〃　he　said。



Edith　hooted。　〃SHE　did　to　HIM！　　And　because　you　overheard　that　spat　　between

us　the　other　day　when　I　the　same　of　accused　her　of　it；　and　said　　something

like　that　to　you　afterward〃



〃No；〃　he　said；　gravely。　　〃I　KNOW。〃



〃How？〃



〃I　was　there；　one　day　a　week　ago；　with　Roscoe；　and　I　heard　Sibyl　and

Lamhorn〃



Edith　screamed　with　laughter。　　〃You　were　with　ROSCOEand　you　heard　　Lamhorn

making　love　to　Sibyl！〃



〃No。　　I　heard　them　quarreling。〃



〃You're　funnier　than　ever；　Bibbs！〃　she　cried。　　〃You　say　he　made　love　to　　her

because　you　heard　them　quarreling！〃



〃That's　it。　　If　you　want　to　know　what's　'between'　people；　you　canby　　the　way

they　quarrel。〃



〃You'll　kill　me；　Bibbs！　　What　were　they　quarreling　about？〃



〃Nothing。　　That's　how　I　knew。　　People　who　quarrel　over　nothing！it's　　always

certain〃



Edith　stopped　laughing　abruptly；　but　continued　her　mockery。　　〃You　ought　　to

know。　　You've　had　so　much　experience；　yourself！〃



〃I　haven't　any；　Edith；〃　he　said。　　〃My　life　has　been　about　as　exciting　as　　an

incubator　chicken's。　　But　I　look　out　through　the　glass　at　things。〃



〃Well；　then；〃　she　said；　〃if　you　look　out　through　the　glass　you　must　know　　what

effect　such　stuff　would　have　upon　ME！〃　She　rose；　visibly　agitated。　　　〃What　if

it　WAS　true？〃　she　dmanded；　bitterly。　　〃What　if　it　was　true　a　　hundred　times

over？　　You　sit　there　with　your　silly　face　half　ready　to　　giggle　and　half　ready

to　sniffle；　and　tell　me　stories　like　that；　about　　Sibyl　picking　on　Bobby

Lamhorn　and　worrying　him　to　death；　and　you　think　　it　matters　to　ME？　　What　if　I

already　KNEW　all　about　their　'quarreling'？　　　What　if　I　understood　WHY　she〃

She　broke　off　with　a　violent　gesture；　a　　sweep　of　her　arm　extended　at　full

length；　as　if　she　hurled　something　to　　the　ground。　　〃Do　you　think　a　girl　that

really　cared　for　a　man　would　pay　　any　attention　to　THAT？　　Or　to　YOU；　Bibbs

Sheridan！〃



He　looked　at　her　steadily；　and　his　gaze　was　as　keen　as　it　was　steady。　　　She

met　it　with　unwavering　pride。　　Finally　he　nodded　slowly；　as　if　she　　had　spoken

and　he　meant　to　agree　with　what　she　said。



〃Ah；　yes；〃　he　said。　　〃I　won't　come　into　the　smoking…room　again。　　I'm　　sorry；

Edith。　　Nobody　can　make　you　see　anything　now。　　You'll　never　see　　until　you　see

for　yourself。　　The　rest　of　us　will　do　better　to　keep　out　of　　itespecially

me！〃



〃That's　sensible；〃　she　responded；　curtly。　　〃You're　most　surprising　of　all

when　you're　sensible；　Bibbs。〃



〃Yes；〃　he　sighed。　　〃I'm　a　dull　dog。　　Shake　hands　and　forgive　me；　Edith。〃



Thawing　so　far　as　to　smile；　she　underwent　this　brief　ceremony；　and　George

appeared；　summoning　Bibbs　to　the　library；　Dr。　Gurney　was　waiting　there；　　he

announced。　　And　Bibbs　gave　his　sister　a　shy　but　friendly　touch　upon　　the

shoulder　as　a　complement　to　the　handshaking；　and　left　her。



Dr。　Gurney　was　sitting　by　the　log　fire；　alone　in　the　room；　and　he　merely

glanced　over　his　shoulder　when　his　patient　came　in。　　He　was　not　over　　fifty；

in　spite　of　Sheridan's　habitual　〃ole　Doc　Gurney。〃　　He　was　gray；　　however；

almost　as　thin　as　Bibbs；　and　nearly　always　he　looked　drowsy。



〃Your　father　telephoned　me　yesterday　afternoon；　Bibbs；〃　he　said；　not　　rising。

〃Wants　me　to　'look　you　over'　again。　　Come　around　here　in　front　　of　mebetween

me　and　the　fire。　　I　want　to　see　if　I　can　see　through　you。〃



〃You　mean　you're　too　sleepy　to　move；〃　returned　Bibbs；　complying。　　〃I　　think

you'll　notice　that　I'm　getting　worse。〃



〃Taken　on　about　twelve　pounds；〃　said　Gurney。　　〃Thirteen；　maybe。〃



〃Twelve。〃



〃Well；　it　won't　do。〃　　The　doctor　rubbed　his　eyelids。　　〃You're　so　much　　better

I'll　have　to　use　some　machinery　on　you　before　we　can　know　just　　where　you　are。

You　come　down　to　my　place　this　afternoon。　　Walk　down　all　the　way。　　I　suppose

you　know　why　your　father　wants　to　know。〃



Bibbs　nodded。　　〃Machine…shop。〃



〃Still　hate　it？〃



Bibbs　nodded　again。



〃Don't　blame　you！〃　the　doctor　grunted。　　〃Yes；　I　expect　it　'll　make　a　lump　　in

your　gizzard　again。　Well；　what　do　you　say？　　Shall　I　tell　him　you've　　got　the

old　lump　there　yet？　　You　still　want　to　write；　do　you？〃



〃What's　the　use？〃　Bibbs　said；　smiling　ruefully。　　〃My　kind　of　writing！〃



〃Yes；〃　the　doctor　agreed。　　〃I　suppose　it　you　broke　away　and　lived　on　　roots

and　berries　until　you　began　to　'attract　the　favorable　attention　of　　editors'

you　might　be　able　to　hope　for　an　income　of　four　or　five　hundred　　dollars　a

year　by　the　time　you're　fifty。〃



〃That's　about　it；〃　Bibbs　murmured。



〃Of　course　I　know　what　you　want　to　do；〃　said　Gurney；　drowsily。　　〃You　　don't

hate　the　machine…shop　only；　you　hate　the　whole　showthe　noice　　and　jar　and

dirt；　the　scramblethe　whole　bloomin'　craze　to　'get　on。'　　　You'd　like　to　go

somewhere　in　Algiers；　or　to　Taormina；　perhaps；　and　bask　　on　a　balcony；

smelling　flowers　and　writing　sonnets。　　You'd　grow　fat　on　it　　and　have　a

delicate　little　life　all　to　yourself。　　　Well；　what　do　you　　say？　　I　can　lie

like　sixty；　Bibbs！　　Shall　I　tell　your　father　he'll　lose　　another　of　his　boys

if　you　don't　go　to　Sicily？〃



〃I　don't　want　to　go　to　Sicily；〃　said　Bibbs。　　〃I　want　to　stay　right　here。〃



The　doctor's　drowsiness　disappeared　for　a　moment；　and　he　gave　his　patient　　a

sharp　glance。　　〃It's　a　risk；〃　he　said。　　〃I　think　we'll　find　you're　so　　much

better　he'll　send　you　back　to　the　shop　pretty　quick。　　Something's　　got　hold　of

you　lately；　you're　not　quite　so　lackadaisical　as　you　used　to　　be。　　But　I　warn

you：　I　think　the　shop　will　knock　you　just　as　it　did　　before；　and　perhaps　even

harder；　Bibbs。〃



He　rose；　shook　himself；　and　rubbed　his　eyelids。　　〃Well；　when　we　go　over　　you

this　afternoon　what　are　we　going　to　say　about　it？〃



〃Tell　him　I'm　ready；〃　said　Bibbs；　looking　at　the　floor。



〃Oh　no；〃　Gurney　laughed。　　〃Not　quite　yet；　but　you　may　be　almost。　　We'll　　see。

Don't　forget　I　said　to　walk　down。〃



And　when　the　examination　was　concluded；　that　afternoon；　the　doctor　　informed

Bibbs　that　the　result　was　much　too　satisfactory　to　be　pleasing。　　　〃Here's　a

new　'situation'　for　a　one…act　farce；〃　he　said；　gloomily；　to　his　　next　patient

when　Bibbs　had　gone。　　〃Doctor　tells　a　man　he's　well；　and　　that's　his　death

sentence；　likely。　　Dam'　funny　world！〃



Bibbs　decided　to　walk　home；　though　Gurney　had　not　instructed　him　upon　　this

point。　　In　fact；　Gurney　seemed　to　have　no　more　instructions　on　any　　point；　so

discouraging　was　the　young　man's　improvement。　　It　was　a　dingy　　afternoon；　and

the　smoke　was　evident　not　only　to　Bibbs's　sight；　but　to　　his　nostrils；　though

most　of　the　pedestrians　were　so　saturated　with　the　　smell　they　could　no　longer

detect　it。　　Nearly　all　of　them　walked　　hurriedly；　too　intent　upon　their

destinations　to　be　more　than　half　aware　　of　the　wayside；　they　wore　the

expressions　of　people　under　a　vague　yet　　constant　strain。　　They　were　all

lightly　powdered；　inside　and　out；　with　　fine　dust　and　grit　from　the　hard…paved

streets；　and　they　were　unaware　of　　that　also。　　They　did　not　even　notice　that

they　saw　the　smoke；　though　the　　thickened　air　was　like　a　shrouding　mist。　　And

when　Bibbs　passed　the　new　　〃Sheridan　Apartments；〃　now　almost　completed；　he

observed　that　the　marble　　of　the　vestibule　was　already　streaky　with　soot；　like

his　gloves；　which　　were　new。



That　recalled　to　him　the　faint　odor　of　gasolene　in　the　coupe　on　the　way　　from

his　brother's　funeral；　and　this　incited　a　train　of　thought　which　　continued

till　he　reached　the　vicinity　of　his　home。　　His　route　was　by　a　　street　parallel

to　that　on　which　the　New　House　fronted；　and　in　his　　preoccupation　he　walked　a

block　farther　than　he　intended；　so　that；　having　　crossed　to　his　own　street；　he

approached　the　New　House　from　the　north；　　and　as　he　came　to　the　corner　of　Mr。

Vertrees's　lot　Mr。　Vertrees's　　daughter　emerged　from　the　front　door　and　walked

thoughtfully　down　the　　path　to　the　old　picket　gate。　　She　was　unconscious　of

the