cabin fever-第3部分

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Marie's　affairs　must　be　managed　also。　The　other　factor　was　Marie's　craving　to　be　coaxed　back　to　smiles　by　the　man　who　drove　her　to　tears。　Marie　wanted　Bud　to　come　and　say　he　was　sorry；　and　had　been　a　brute　and　so　forth。　She　wanted　to　hear　him　tell　how　empty　the　house　had　seemed　when　he　returned　and　found　her　gone。　She　wanted　him　to　be　good　and　scared　with　that　letter。　She　stayed　awake　until　after　midnight；　listening　for　his　anxious　footsteps；　after　midnight　she　stayed　awake　to　cry　over　the　inhuman　way　he　was　treating　her；　and　to　wish　she　was　dead；　and　so　forth；　also　because　the　baby　woke　and　wanted　his　bottle；　and　she　was　teaching　him　to　sleep　all　night　without　it；　and　because　the　baby　had　a　temper　just　like　his　father。

His　father's　temper　would　have　yielded　a　point　or　two；　the　next　day；　had　it　been　given　the　least　encouragement。　For　instance；　he　might　have　gone　over　to　see　Marie　before　he　moved　the　furniture　out　of　the　house；　had　he　not　discovered　an　express　wagon　standing　in　front　of　the　door　when　he　went　home　about　noon　to　see　if　Marie　had　come　back。　Before　he　had　recovered　to　the　point　of　profane　speech；　the　express　man　appeared；　coming　out　of　the　house；　bent　nearly　double　under　the　weight　of　Marie's　trunk。　Behind　him　in　the　doorway　Bud　got　a　glimpse　of　Marie's　mother。

That　settled　it。　Bud　turned　around　and　hurried　to　the　nearest　drayage　company；　and　ordered　a　domestic　wrecking　crew　to　the　scene；　in　other　words；　a　packer　and　two　draymen　and　a　dray。　He'd　show　'em。　Marie　and　her　mother　couldn't　put　anything　over　on　him　he'd　stand　over　that　furniture　with　a　sheriff　first。

He　went　back　and　found　Marie's　mother　still　there；　packing　dishes　and　doilies　and　the　like。　They　had　a　terrible　row；　and　all　the　nearest　neighbors　inclined　ears　to　doors　ajargetting　an　earful；　as　Bud　contemptuously　put　it。　He　finally　led　Marie's　mother　to　the　front　door　and　set　her　firmly　outside。　Told　her　that　Marie　had　come　to　him　with　no　more　than　the　clothes　she　had；　and　that　his　money　had　bought　every　teaspoon　and　every　towel　and　every　stick　of　furniture　in　the　darned　place；　and　he'd　be　everlastingly　thus…and…so　if　they　were　going　to　strong…arm　the　stuff　off　him　now。　If　Marie　was　too　good　to　live　with　him；　why；　his　stuff　was　too　good　for　her　to　have。

Oh；　yes；　the　neighbors　certainly　got　an　earful；　as　the　town　gossips　proved　when　the　divorce　suit　seeped　into　the　papers。　Bud　refused　to　answer　the　proceedings；　and　was　therefore　ordered　to　pay　twice　as　much　alimony　as　he　could　afford　to　pay；　more；　in　fact；　than　all　his　domestic　expense　had　amounted　to　in　the　fourteen　months　that　he　had　been　married。　Also　Marie　was　awarded　the　custody　of　the　child　and；　because　Marie's　mother　had　represented　Bud　to　be　a　violent　man　who　was　a　menace　to　her　daughter's　safetyand　proved　it　by　the　neighbors　who　had　seen　and　heard　so　muchBud　was　served　with　a　legal　paper　that　wordily　enjoined　him　from　annoying　Marie　with　his　presence。

That　unnecessary　insult　snapped　the　last　thread　of　Bud's　regret　for　what　had　happened。　He　sold　the　furniture　and　the　automobile；　took　the　money　to　the　judge　that　had　tried　the　case；　told　the　judge　a　few　wholesome　truths；　and　laid　the　pile　of　money　on　the　desk。

〃That　cleans　me　out；　Judge；〃　he　said　stolidly。　〃I　wasn't　such　a　bad　husband；　at　that。　I　got　sorebut　I'll　bet　you　get　sore　yourself　and　tell　your　wife　what…for；　now　and　then。　I　didn't　get　a　square　deal；　but　that's　all　right。　I'm　giving　a　better　deal　than　I　got。　Now　you　can　keep　that　money　and　pay　it　out　to　Marie　as　she　needs　it；　for　herself　and　the　kid。　But　for　the　Lord's　sake；　Judge；　don't　let　that　wildcat　of　a　mother　of　hers　get　her　fingers　into　the　pile！　She　framed　this　deal；　thinking　she'd　get　a　haul　outa　me　this　way。　I'm　asking　you　to　block　that　little　game。　I've　held　out　ten　dollars；　to　eat　on　till　I　strike　something。　I'm　clean；　they've　licked　the　platter　and　broke　the　dish。　So　don't　never　ask　me　to　dig　up　any　more；　because　I　won'tnot　for　you　nor　no　other　darn　man。　Get　that。〃

This；　you　must　know；　was　not　in　the　courtroom；　so　Bud　was　not　fined　for　contempt。　The　judge　was　a　married　man　himself；　and　he　may　have　had　a　sympathetic　understanding　of　Bud's　position。　At　any　rate　he　listened　unofficially；　and　helped　Bud　out　with　the　legal　part　of　it；　so　that　Bud　walked　out　of　the　judge's　office　financially　free；　even　though　he　had　a　suspicion　that　his　freedom　would　not　bear　the　test　of　prosperity；　and　that　Marie's　mother　would　let　him　alone　only　so　long　as　he　and　prosperity　were　strangers。



CHAPTER　THREE。　TEN　DOLLARS　AND　A　JOB　FOB　BUD

To　withhold　for　his　own　start　in　life　only　one　ten…dollar　bill　from　fifteen　hundred　dollars　was　spectacular　enough　to　soothe　even　so　bruised　an　ego　as　Bud　Moore　carried　into　the　judge's　office。　There　is　an　anger　which　carries　a　person　to　the　extreme　of　self…sacrifice；　in　the　subconscious　hope　of　exciting　pity　for　one　so　hardly　used。　Bud　was　boiling　with　such　an　anger；　and　it　demanded　that　he　should　all　but　give　Marie　the　shirt　off　his　back；　since　she　had　demanded　so　muchand　for　so　slight　a　cause。

Bud　could　not　see　for　the　life　of　him　why　Marie　should　have　quit　for　that　little　ruction。　It　was　not　their　first　quarrel；　nor　their　worst；　certainly　he　had　not　expected　it　to　be　their　last。　Why；　he　asked　the　high　heavens；　had　she　told　him　to　bring　home　a　roll　of　cotton；　if　she　was　going　to　leave　him？　Why　had　she　turned　her　back　on　that　little　home；　that　had　seemed　to　mean　as　much　to　her　as　it　had　to　him？

Being　kin　to　primitive　man；　Bud　could　only　bellow　rage　when　he　should　have　analyzed　calmly　the　situation。　He　should　have　seen　that　Marie　too　had　cabin　fever；　induced　by　changing　too　suddenly　from　carefree　girlhood　to　the　ills　and　irks　of　wifehood　and　motherhood。　He　should　have　known　that　she　had　been　for　two　months　wholly　dedicated　to　the　small　physical　wants　of　their　baby；　and　that　if　his　nerves　were　fraying　with　watching　that　incessant　servitude；　her　own　must　be　close　to　the　snapping　point；　had　snapped；　when　dusk　did　not　bring　him　home　repentant。

But　he　did　not　know；　and　so　he　blamed　Marie　bitterly　for　the　wreck　of　their　home；　and　he　flung　down　all　his　worldly　goods　before　her；　and　marched　off　feeling　self…consciously　proud　of　his　martyrdom。　It　soothed　him　paradoxically　to　tell　himself　that　he　was　〃cleaned〃；　that　Marie　had　ruined　him　absolutely；　and　that　he　was　just　ten　dollars　and　a　decent　suit　or　two　of　clothes　better　off　than　a　tramp。　He　was　tempted　to　go　back　and　send　the　ten　dollars　after　the　rest　of　the　fifteen　hundred；　but　good　sense　prevailed。　He　would　have　to　borrow　money　for　his　next　meal；　if　he　did　that；　and　Bud　was　touchy　about　such　things。

He　kept　the　ten　dollars　therefore；　and　went　down　to　the　garage　where　he　felt　most　at　home；　and　stood　there　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets　and　the　corners　of　his　mouth　tipped　downwardnormally　they　had　a　way　of　tipping　upward；　as　though　he　was　secretly　amused　at　somethingand　his　eyes　sullen；　though　they　carried　tiny　lines　at　the　corners　to　show　how　they　used　to　twinkle。　He　took　the　ten…dollar　bank　note　from　his　pocket；　straightened　out　the　wrinkles　and　looked　at　it　disdainfully。　As　plainly　as　though　he　spoke；　his　face　told　what　he　was　thinking　about　it：　that　this　was　what　a　woman　had　brought　him　to！　He　crumpled　it　up　and　made　a　gesture　as　though　he　would　throw　it　into　the　street；　and　a　man　behind　him　laughed　abruptly。　Bud　scowled　and　turned　toward　him　a　belligerent　glance；　and　the　man　stopped　laughing　as　suddenly　as　he　had　begun。

〃If　you've　got　money　to　throw　to　the　birds；　brother；　I　guess　I　won't　make　the　proposition　I　was　going　to　make。　Thought　I　could　talk　business　to　you；　maybebut　I　guess　I　better　tie　a　can　to　that　idea。〃

Bud　grunted　and　put　the　ten　dollars　in　his　pocket。

〃What　idea's　that？〃　　　〃Oh；　driving　a　car　I'm　taking　south。　Sprained　my　shoulder；　and　don't　feel　like　tackling　it　myself。　They　tell　me　in　here　that　you　aren't　doing　anything　now〃　He　made　the　pause　that　asks　for　an　answer。

〃They　told　you　right。　I've　done　it。〃

The　man's　eyebrows　lifted；　but　since　Bud　did　not　explain；　he　went　on　with　his　own　explanation。

〃You　don't　remember　me；　but　I　rode　into　Big　Basin　with　you　last　summer。　I　know　you　can　drive；　and　it　doesn't　matter　a　lot　whether　it's　asphalt　or　cow　trail　you　drive　over。〃

Bud　was　in　too　sour　a　mood　to　respond　to　the　flattery。　He　did　not　even　grunt。

〃Could　you　take　a　car　south　for　me？　There'll　be　night　driving；　and　bad　roads；　maybe〃

〃If　you　know　what　you　say　you　know　about　my　driving；　what's　the　ideaasking　me　if　I　can？〃

〃Well；　put　it　another　way。　Will　you？〃

〃You're　on。　Where's　the　car？　Here？〃　Bud　sent　a　seeking　look　into　the　depths　of　the　garage。　He　knew　every　car　in　there。　〃What　is　there　in　it　for　me？〃　he　added　perfunctorily；　because　he　would　have　gone　just　for　sake　of　getting　a　free　ride　rather　than　stay　in　San　Jose　over　night。

〃There's　good　money　in　it；　if　you　can　drive　with　your　mouth　shut。　This　isn't　any　booster　parade。　Fact　islet's　walk　to　the　depot；　while　I　tell　you。〃　He　stepped　out　of　the　doorway；　and　Bud　gloomily　followed　him。　〃Little　trouble　with　my　wife；〃　the　man　explained　apologetically。　〃Having　me　shadowed；　and　all　that　sort　of　thing。　And　I've　got　business　south　and　want　to　be　left　alone　to　do　it。　Darn　these　women！〃　he　exploded　suddenly。

Bud　mentally　said　amen；　but　kept　his　mouth　shut　upon　his　sympathy　with　the　sentiment。

〃Foster's　my　name。　Now　here's　a　key　to　the　garage　at　this　address。〃　He　handed　Bud　a　padlock　key　and　an　address　scribbled　on　a　card。　〃That's　my　place　in　Oakland；　out　by　Lake　Merritt。　You　go　there　to…night；　get　the　car；　and　have　it　down　at　the　Broadway　Wharf　to　meet　the　11：30　boatthe　one　the　theater　crowd　uses。　Have　plenty　of　gas　and　oil；　there　won't　be　any　stops　after　we　start。　Park　out　pretty　well　near　the　shore　end　as　close　as　you　can　get　to　that　ten…foot　gum　sign；　and　be　ready　to　go　when　I　climb　in。　I　may　have　a　friend　with　me。　You　know　Oakland？〃

〃Fair　to　middling。　I　can　get　around　by　myself。〃

〃Well；　that's　all　right。　I've　got　to　go　back　to　the　city　catching　the　next　train。　You　better　take　the　two…fifty　to　Oakland。　Here's　money　for　whatever　expense　there　is。　And　say！　put　these　number　plates　in　your　pocket；　and　take　off　the　ones　on　the　car。　I　bought　these　of　a　fellow　that　had　a　smashthey'll　do　for　the　trip