the turmoil-第34部分

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〃Sit　just　as　you　wereboth　of　you！〃　she　said。　　And　then　to　Edith：　〃Did　you

tell　my　husband　I　had　been　telephoning　to　Lamhorn？〃



〃You　march　out　of　here！〃　said　Edith；　fiercely。　　〃March　straight　out　of　here！〃



Sibyl　leveled　a　forefinger　at　Lamhorn。



〃Did　you　tell　her　I'd　been　telphoning　you　I　wanted　you　to　come？〃



〃Oh；　good　God！〃　Lamhorn　said。　　〃Hush！〃



〃You　knew　she'd　tell　my　husband；　DIDN'T　you？〃　she　cried。　　〃You　knew　that！〃



〃HUSH！〃　he　begged；　panic…stricken。



〃That　was　a　MANLY　thing　to　do！　　Oh；　it　was　like　a　gentleman！　　You　wouldn't

comeyou　wouldn't　even　come　for　five　minutes　to　hear　what　I　had　to　say！　You

were　TIRED　of　what　I　had　to　say！　　You'd　heard　it　all　a　thousand　times　before；

and　you　wouldn't　come！　　No！　No！　NO！〃　she　stormed。　　〃You　wouldn't　even　come　for

five　minutes；　but　you　could　tell　that　little　cat！　　And　SHE　told　my　husband！

You're　a　MAN！〃



Edith　saw　in　a　flash　that　the　consequences　of　battle　would　be　ruinous　to

Sibyl；　and　the　furious　girl　needed　no　further　temptation　to　give　way　to　her

feelings。　　〃Get　out　of　this　house！〃　she　shrieked。　　〃This　is　my　father's　house。

Don't　you　dare　speak　to　Robert　like　that！〃



〃No！　No！　　I　mustn't　SPEAK〃



〃Don't　you　DARE！〃



Edith　and　Sibyl　began　to　scream　insults　at　each　other　simultaneously；　fronting

each　other；　their　furious　faces　close。　　Their　voices　shrilled　and　rose　and

crackedthey　screeched。　　They　could　be　heard　over　the　noise　of　the

phonograph；　which　was　playing　a　brass…band　selection。　　They　could　be　heard　all

over　the　house。　　They　were　heard　in　the　kitchen；　they　could　have　been　heard　in

the　cellar。　　Neither　of　them　cared　for　that。



〃You　told　my　husband！〃　screamed　Sibyl；　bringing　her　face　still　closer　to

Edith's。　　〃You　told　my　husband！　　This　man　put　THAT　in　you　hands　to　strike　me

with！　　HE　did！〃



〃I'll　tell　your　husband　again！　　I'll　tell　him　everything　I　know！　　It's　TIME

your　husband〃



They　were　swept　asunder　by　a　bandaged　hand。　　〃Do　you　want　the　neighbors　in？〃

Sheridan　thundered。



There　fell　a　shocking　silence。　　Frenzied　Sibyl　saw　her　husband　and　his　mother

in　the　doorway；　and　she　understood　what　she　had　done。　　She　moved　slowly　toward

the　door；　then　suddenly　she　began　to　run。　　She　ran　into　the　hall；　and　through

it；　and　out　of　the　house。　　Roscoe　followed　her　heavily；　his　eyes　on　the

ground。



〃NOW　THEN！〃　said　Sheridan　to　Lamhorn。



The　words　were　indefinite；　but　the　voice　was　not。　　Neither　was　the　vicious

gesture　of　the　bandaged　hand；　which　concluded　its　orbit　in　the　direction　of

the　door　in　a　manner　sufficient　for　the　swift　dispersal　of　George　and　Jackson

and　several　female　servants　who　hovered　behind　Mrs。　Sheridan。　They　fled

lightly。



〃Papa；　papa！〃　wailed　Mrs。　Sheridan。　　〃Look　at　your　hand！　　You'd　oughtn't　to

been　so　rough　with　Edie；　you　hurt　your　hand　on　her　shoulder。　　Look！〃



There　was；　in　fact；　a　spreading　red　stain　upon　the　bandages　at　the　tips　of　the

fingers；　and　Sheridan　put　his　hand　back　in　the　sling。　　〃Now　then！〃　he

repeated。　　〃You　goin'　to　leave　my　house？〃



〃He　will　NOT！〃　sobbed　Edith。　　〃Don't　you　DARE　order　him　out！〃



〃Don't　you　bother；　dear；〃　said　Lamhorn；　quietly。　　〃He　doesn't　understand。　YOU

mustn't　be　troubled。〃　　Pallor　was　becoming　to　him；　he　looked　very　handsome；

and　as　he　left　the　room　he　seemed　in　the　girl's　distraught　eyes　a　persecuted

noble；　indifferent　to　the　rabble　yawping　insult　at　his　heels　the　rabble

being　enacted　by　her　father。



〃Don't　come　back；　either！〃　said；　Sheridan；　realistic　in　this　impersonation。

〃Keep　off　the　premises！〃　he　called　savagely　into　the　hall。　〃This　family's

through　with　you！〃



〃It　is　NOT！〃　Edith　cried；　breaking　from　her　mother。　　〃You'll　SEE　about　that！

You'll　find　out！　　You'll　find　out　what　'll　happen！　　What's　HE　done？　I　guess　if

I　can　stand　it；　it's　none　of　YOUR　business；　is　it？　　What's　HE　done；　I'd　like

to　know？　　You　don't　know　anything　about　it。　　Don't　you　s'pose　he　told　ME？　　She

was　crazy　about　him　soon　as　he　began　going　there；　and　he　flirted　with　her　a

little。　　That's　everything　he　did；　and　it　was　before　he　met　ME！　　After　that　he

wouldn't；　and　it　wasn't　anything；　anyway　he　never　was　serious　a　minute　about

it。　　SHE　wanted　it　to　be　serious；　and　she　was　bound　she　wouldn't　give　him　up。

He　told　her　long　ago　he　cared　about　me；　but　she　kept　persecuting　him　and〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Sheridan；　sternly；　〃that's　HIS　side　of　it！　　That　'll　do！　　He

doesn't　come　in　this　house　again！〃



〃You　look　out！〃　Edith　cried。



〃Yes；　I'll　look　out！　　I'd　'a'　told　you　to…day　he　wasn't　to　be　allowed　on　the

premises；　but　I　had　other　things　on　my　mind。　　I　had　Abercrombie　look　up　this

young　man　privately；　and　he's　no　'count。　　He's　no　'count　on　earth！　He's　no

good！　　He's　NOTHIN'！　　But　it　wouldn't　matter　if　he　was　George　Washington；

after　what's　happened　and　what　I've　heard　to…night！〃



〃But；　papa；〃　Mrs。　Sheridan　began；　〃if　Edie　says　it　was　all　Sibyl's　fault；

makin'　up　to　him；　and　he　never　encouraged　her　much；　nor〃



〃'S　enough！〃　he　roared。　　〃He　keeps　off　these　premises！　　And　if　any　of　you　so

much　as　ever　speak　his　name　to　me　again〃



But　Edith　screamed；　clapping　her　hands　over　her　ears　to　shut　out　the　sound　of

his　voice；　and　ran　up…stairs；　sobbing　loudly；　followed　by　her　mother。　However；

Mrs。　Sheridan　descended　a　few　minutes　later　and　joined　her　husband　in　the

library。　　Bibbs；　still　sitting　in　his　gold　chair；　saw　her　pass；　roused　himself

from　reverie；　and　strolled　in　after　her。



〃She　locked　her　door；〃　said　Mrs。　Sheridan；　shaking　her　head　woefully。　〃She

wouldn't　even　answer　me。　　They　wasn't　a　sound　from　her　room。〃



〃Well；〃　said　her　husband；　〃she　can　settle　her　mind　to　it。　　She　never　speaks　to

that　fellow　again；　and　if　he　tries　to　telephone　her　to…morrow　Here！　　You

tell　the　help　if　he　calls　up　to　ring　off　and　say　it's　my　orders。　　No；　you

needn't。　　I'll　tell　'em　myself。〃



〃Better　not；〃　said　Bibbs；　gently。



His　father　glared　at　him。



〃It's　no　good；〃　said　Bibbs。　　〃Mother；　when　you　were　in　love　with　father　〃



〃My　goodness！〃　she　cried。　　〃You　ain't　a…goin'　to　compare　your　father　to

that〃



〃Edith　feels　about　him　just　what　you　did　about　father；〃　said　Bibbs。　　〃And　if

YOUR　father　had　told　you〃



〃I　won't　LISTEN　to　such　silly　talk！〃　she　declared；　angrily。



〃So　you're　handin'　out　your　advice；　are　you；　Bibbs？〃　said　Sheridan。　　〃What　is

it？〃



〃Let　her　see　him　all　she　wants。〃



〃You're　a〃　　Sheridan　gave　it　up。　　〃I　don't　know　what　to　call　you！〃



〃Let　her　see　him　all　she　wants；〃　Bibbs　repeated；　thoughtfully。　　〃You're　up

against　something　too　strong　for　you。　　If　Edith　were　a　weakling　you'd　have　a

chance　this　way；　but　she　isn't。　　She's　got　a　lot　of　your　determination；

father；　and　with　what's　going　on　inside　of　her　she'll　beat　you。　　You　can't

keep　her　from　seeing　him；　as　long　as　she　feels　about　him　the　way　she　does　now。

You　can't　make　her　think　less　of　him；　either。　　Nobody　can。　　Your　only　chance

is　that　she'll　do　it　for　herself；　and　if　you　give　her　time　and　go　easy　she

probably　will。　　Marriage　would　do　it　for　her　quickest；　but　that's　just　what

you　don't　want；　and　as　you　DON'T　want　it；　you'd　better　〃



〃I　can't　stand　any　more！〃　Sheridan　burst　out。　　〃If　it's　come　to　BIBBS　advisin'

me　how　to　run　this　house　I　better　resign。　　Mamma；　where's　that　nigger　George？

Maybe　HE'S　got　some　plan　how　I　better　manage　my　family。　Bibbs；　for　God's　sake

go　and　lay　down！　　'Let　her　see　him　all　she　wants'！　Oh；　Lord！　here's　wisdom；

here's〃



〃Bibbs；〃　said　Mrs。　Sheridan；　〃if　you　haven't　got　anything　to　do；　you　might

step　over　and　take　Sibyl's　wraps　homeshe　left　'em　in　the　hall。　　I　don't

think　you　seem　to　quiet　your　poor　father　very　much　just　now。〃



〃All　right。〃　　And　Bibbs　bore　Sibyl's　wraps　across　the　street　and　delivered

them　to　Roscoe；　who　met　him　at　the　door。　　Bibbs　said　only；　〃Forgot　these；〃

and；　〃Good　night；　Roscoe；〃　cordially　and　cheerfully；　and　returned　to　the　New

House。　　His　mother　and　father　were　still　talking　in　the　library；　but　with

discretion　he　passed　rapidly　on　and　upward　to　his　own　room；　and　there　he

proceeded　to　write　in　his　note…book。



　　　　　　　There　seems　to　be　another　curious　thing　about　Love　＇Bibbs　wrote＇。

　　　　　　　Love　is　blind　while　it　lives　and　only　opens　its　eyes　and　becomes

　　　　　　　very　wide　awake　when　it　dies。　　Let　it　alone　until　then。



　　　　　　　You　cannot　reason　with　love　or　with　any　other　passion。　　The　wise

　　　　　　　will　not　wish　for　lovenor　for　ambition。　　These　are　passions

　　　　　　　and　bring　others　in　their　trainhatreds　and　jealousiesall

　　　　　　　blind。　　Friendship　and　a　quiet　heart　for　the　wise。



　　　　　　　What　a　turbulence　is　love！　　It　is　dangerous　for　a　blind　thing　to　be

　　　　　　　turbulent；　there　are　precipices　in　life。　　One　would　not　cross　a

　　　　　　　mountain…pass　with　a　thick　cloth　over　his　eyes。　　Lovers　do。　　Friendship

　　　　　　　walks　gently　and　with　open　eyes。



　　　　　　　To　walk　to　church　with　a　friend！　　To　sit　beside　her　there！　To　rise　when

　　　　　　　she　rises；　and　to　touch　with　one's　thumb　and　fingers　the　other　half　of

　　　　　　　the　hymn…book　that　she　holds！　　What　　lover；　with　his　fierce　ways；

　　　　　　　could　know　this　transcendent　happiness？



　　　　　　　Friendship　brings　everything　that　heaven　could　bring。　　There　is　no

　　　　　　　labor　that　cannot　become　a　living　rapture　if　you　know　that　a

　　　　　　　friend　is　thinking　of　you　as　you　labor。　　So　you　sing　at　your　work。

　　　　　　　For　the　work　is　part　of　the　thoughts　of　your　friend；　so　you　love

　　　　　　　it！



　　　　　　　Love　is　demanding　and　claiming　and　insistent。　　Friendship　is　all

　　　　　　　kindnessit　makes　the　world　glorious　with　kindness。　　What　color

　　　　　　　you　see　when　you　walk　with　a　friend！　　You　see　that　the　gray　sky

　　　　　　　is　brilliant　and　shimmering；　you　see　that　the　smoke　has　warm

　　　　　　　browns　and　is　marvelously　sculpturedthe　air　becomes

　　　　　　　iridescent。　　You　see　the　gold　in　brown　hair。　Light　floods

　　　　　　　everything。



　　　　　　　When　you　walk　to　church　with　a　friend　you　know　that　life　can　give　you