the turmoil-第51部分

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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；　were　at　that　moment　in　the　elevator；　ascending。

〃Whisk…broom　up　in　the　office；〃　Sheridan　was　saying。　　〃You　got　to　look　out　on

those　corners　nowadays；　I　tell　you。　　I　don't　know　I　got　any　call　to　blow；

thoughbecause　I　tried　to　cross　after　you　did。　　That's　how　I　happened　to　run

into　you。　　Well；　you　want　remember　to　look　out　after　this。　　We　were　talkin'

about　Murtrie's　askin'　sixty…eight　thousand　flat　for　that　ninety…nine…year

lease。　　It's　his　lookout　if　he'd　rather　take　it　that　way；　and　I　don't　know

but〃



〃No；〃　said　Bibbs；　emphatically；　as　the　elevator　stopped；　〃he　won't　get　it。　Not

from　Us；　he　won't；　and　I'll　show　you　why。　　I　can　convince　you　in　five

minutes。〃　　He　followed　his　father　into　the　office　anteroomand　convinced　him。

Then；　having　been　diligently　brushed　by　a　youth　of　color；　Bibbs　went　into　his

own　room　and　closed　the　door。



He　was　more　shaken　than　he　had　allowed　his　father　to　perceive；　and　his　side

was　sore　where　Sheridan　had　struck　him。　　He　desired　to　be　alone；　he　wanted　to

rub　himself　and；　for　once；　to　do　some　useless　thinking　again。　He　knew　that　his

father　had　not　〃happened〃　to　run　into　him；　he　knew　that　Sheridan　had

instantlyand　instinctivelyproved　that　he　held　his　own　life　of　no　account

whatever　compared　to　that　of　his　son　and　heir。　　Bibbs　had　been　unable　to　speak

of　that；　or　to　seem　to　know　it；　for　Sheridan；　just　as　instinctively；　had　swept

the　matter　asideas　of　no　importance；　since　all　was　wellreverting

immediately　to　business。



Bibbs　began　to　think　intently　of　his　father。　　He　perceived；　as　he　had　never

perceived　before；　the　shadowing　of　something　enormous　and　indomitableand

lawless；　not　to　be　daunted　by　the　will　of　nature's　very　self；　laughing　at　the

lightning　and　at　wounds　and　mutilation；　conquering；　irresistibleand　blindly

noble。　　For　the　first　time　in　his　life　Bibbs　began　to　understand　the　meaning

of　being　truly　this　man's　son。



He　would　be　the　more　truly　his　son　henceforth；　though；　as　Sheridan　said；　Bibbs

had　not　come　down…town　with　him　meanly　or　half…heartedly。　　He　had　given　his

word　because　he　had　wanted　the　money；　simply；　for　Mary　Vertrees　in　her　need。

And　he　shivered　with　horror　of　himself；　thinking　how　he　had　gone　to　her　to

offer　it；　asking　her　to　marry　himwith　his　head　on　his　breast　in　shameful

fear　that　she　would　accept　him！　　He　had　not　known　her；　the　knowing　had　lost

her　to　him；　and　this　had　been　his　real　awakening；　for　he　knew　now　how　deep　had

been　that　slumber　wherein　he　dreamily　celebrated　the　superiority　of

〃friendship〃！　　The　sleep…walker　had　wakened　to　bitter　knowledge　of　love　and

life；　finding　himself　a　failure　in　both。　　He　had　made　a　burnt　offering　of　his

dreams；　and　the　sacrifice　had　been　an　unforgivable　hurt　to　Mary。　　All　that　was

left　for　him　was　the　work　he　had　not　chosen；　but　at　least　he　would　not　fail　in

that；　though　it　was　indeed　no　more　than　〃dust　in　his　mouth。〃　　If　there　had

been　anything　〃to　work　for　〃



He　went　to　the　window；　raised　it；　and　let　in　the　uproar　of　the　streets　below。

He　looked　down　at　the　blurred；　hurrying　swarmsand　he　looked　across；　over　the

roofs　with　their　panting　jets　of　vapor；　into　the　vast；　foggy　heart　of　the

smoke。　　Dizzy　traceries　of　steel　were　rising　dimly　against　it；　chattering　with

steel　on　steel；　and　screeching　in　steam；　while　tiny　figures　of　men　walked　on

threads　in　the　dull　sky。　　Buildings　would　overtop　the　Sheridan。　　Bigness　was

being　served。



But　what　for？　　The　old　question　came　to　Bibbs　with　a　new　despair。　　Here；　where

his　eyes　fell；　had　once　been　green　fields　and　running　brooks；　and　how　had　the

kind　earth　been　despoiled　and　disfigured！　　The　pioneers　had　begun　the　work；

but　in　their　old　age　their　orators　had　said　for　them　that　they　had　toiled　and

risked　and　sacrificed　that　their　posterity　might　live　in　peace　and　wisdom；

enjoying　the　fruits　of　the　earth。　　Well；　their　posterity　was　hereand　there

was　only　turmoil。