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experience； and he rode the warmer for it。 Nor did he lack the impression
that he would long remember her as he had just seen her： her veil
tumultuously blowing back； her face glowing in the windand that look of gay
friendliness tossed to him like a fresh rose in carnival。
By and by； upon a rising ground； the driver halted the car； then backed and
tacked； and sent it forward again with its nose to the south and the smoke。
Far before him Bibbs saw the great smudge upon the horizon； that nest of
cloud in which the city strove and panted like an engine shrouded in its own
steam。 But to Bibbs； who had now to go to the very heart of it； for a
commanded interview with his father； the distant cloud was like an implacable
genius issuing thunderously in smoke from his enchanted bottle； and
irresistibly drawing Bibbs nearer and nearer。
They passed from the farm lands； and came； in the amber light of November
late afternoon； to the farthermost outskirts of the city； and here the sky
shimmered upon the verge of change from blue to gray； the smoke did not
visibly permeate the air； but it was there； nevertheless impalpable； thin；
no more than the dust of smoke。 And then； as the car drove on； the chimneys
and stacks of factories came swimming up into view like miles of steamers
advancing abreast； every funnel with its vast plume； savage and black；
sweeping to the horizon； dripping wealth and dirt and suffocation over league
on league already rich and vile with grime。
The sky had become only a dingy thickening of the soiled air； and a roar and
clangor of metals beat deafeningly on Bibbs's ears。 And now the car passed
two great blocks of long brick buildings； hideous in all ways possible to
make them hideous； doorways showing dark one moment and lurid the next with
the leap of some virulent interior flame； revealing blackened giants； half
naked； in passionate action； struggling with formless things in the hot
illumination。 And big as these shops were； they were growing bigger；
spreading over a third block； where two new structures were mushrooming to
completion in some hasty cement process of a stability not over…reassuring。
Bibbs pulled the rug closer about him； and not even the phantom of color was
left upon his cheeks as he passed this place； for he knew it too well。
Across the face of one of the buildings there was an enormous sign： 〃Sheridan
Automatic Pump Co。； Inc。〃
Thence they went through streets of wooden houses； all grimed； and adding
their own grime from many a sooty chimney； flimsey wooden houses of a
thousand flimsy whimsies in the fashioning； built on narrow lots and nudging
one another crossly； shutting out the stingy sunlight from one another； bad
neighbors who would destroy one another root and branch some night when the
right wind blew。 They were only waiting for that wind and a cigarette； and
then they would all be gone togethera pinch of incense burned upon the
tripod of the god。
Along these streets there were skinny shade…trees； and here and there a
forest elm or walnut had been left； but these were dying。 Some people said
it was the scale； some said it was the smoke； and some were sure that asphalt
and 〃improving〃 the streets did it； but Bigness was in too Big a hurry to
bother much about trees。 He had telegraph…poles and telephone…poles and
electric…light…poles and trolley…polls by the thousand to take their places。
So he let the trees die and put up his poles。 They were hideous； but nobody
minded that； and sometimes the wires fell and killed peoplebut not often
enough to matter at all。
Thence onward the car bore Bibbs through the older parts of the town where
the few solid old houses not already demolished were in transition： some；
with their fronts torn away； were being made into segments of
apartment…buildings； others had gone uproariously into trade； brazenly
putting forth 〃show…windows〃 on their first floors； seeming to mean it for a
joke； one or two with unaltered facades peeped humorously over the tops of
temporary office buildings of one story erected in the old front yards。
Altogether； the town here was like a boarding…house hash the Sunday after
Thanksgiving； the old ingredients were discernible。
This was the fringe of Bigness's own sanctuary； and now Bibbs reached the
roaring holy of holies itself。 The car must stop at every crossing while the
dark…garbed crowds； enveloped in maelstroms of dust； hurried before it。
Magnificent new buildings； already dingy； loomed hundreds of feet above him；
newer ones； more magnificent； were rising beside them； rising higher； old
buildings were coming down； middle…aged buildings were coming down； the
streets were laid open to their entrails and men worked underground between
palisades； and overhead in metal cobwebs like spiders in the sky。
Trolley…cars and long interurban cars； built to split the wind like
torpedo…boats； clanged and shrieked their way round swarming corners；
motor…cars of every kind and shape known to man babbled frightful warnings
and frantic demands； hospital ambulances clamored wildly for passage；
steam…whistles signaled the swinging of titanic tentacle and claw； riveters
rattled like machine…guns； the ground shook to the thunder of gigantic
trucks； and the conglomerate sound of it all was the sound of earthquake
playing accompaniments for battle and sudden death。 On one of the new steel
buildings no work was being done that afternoon。 The building had killed a
man in the morningand the steel…workers always stop for the day when that
〃happens。〃
And in the hurrying crowds； swirling and sifting through the brobdingnagian
camp of iron and steel； one saw the camp…followers and the pagan womenthere
would be work to…day and dancing to…night。 For the Puritan's dry voice is
but the crackling of a leaf underfoot in the rush and roar of the coming of
the new Egypt。
Bibbs was on time。 He knew it must be 〃to the minute〃 or his father would
consider it an outrage； and the big chronometer in Sheridan's office marked
four precisely when Bibbs walked in。 Coincidentally with his entrance five
people who had been at work in the office； under Sheridan's direction； walked
out。 They departed upon no visible or audible suggestion； and with a
promptness that seemed ominous to the new…comer。 As the massive door clicked
softly behind the elderly stenographer； the last of the procession； Bibbs had
a feeling that they all understood that he was a failure as a great man's
son； a disappointment； the 〃queer one〃 of the family； and that he had been
summoned to judgmenta well…founded impression； for that was exactly what
they understood。
〃Sit down；〃 said Sheridan。
It is frequently an advantage for deans； school…masters； and worried fathers
to place delinquents in the sitting…posture。 Bibbs sat。
Sheridan； standing； gazed enigmatically upon his son for a period of silence；
then walked slowly to a window and stood looking out of it； his big hands；
loosely hooked together by the thumbs； behind his back。 They were soiled； as
were all other hands down…town； except such as might be still damp from a basin。
〃Well； Bibbs；〃 he said at last； not altering his attitude； 〃do you know what
I'm goin' to do with you？〃
Bibbs； leaning back in his chair； fixed his eyes contemplatively upon the
ceiling。 〃I heard you tell Jim；〃 he began； in his slow way。 〃You said you'd
send him to the machine…shop with me if he didn't propose to Miss Vertrees。
So I suppose that must be your plan for me。 But〃
〃But what？〃 said Sheridan； irritably； as the son paused。
〃Isn't there somebody you'd let ME propose to？〃
That brought his father sharply round to face him。 〃You beat the devil！
Bibbs； what IS the matter with you？ Why can't you be like anybody else？〃
〃Liver； maybe；〃 said Bibbs； gently。
〃Boh！ Even ole Doc Gurney says there's nothin' wrong with you organically。
No。 You're a dreamer； Bibbs； that's what's the matter； and that's ALL the
matter。 Oh； no one o' these BIG dreamers that put through the big deals。！
No； sir！ You're the kind o' dreamer that just sets out on the back fence and
thinks about how much trouble there must be in the world！ That ain't the
kind that builds the bridges； Bibbs； it's the kind that borrows fifteen cents
from his wife's uncle's brother…in…law to get ten cent's worth o' plug
tobacco and a nickel's worth o' quinine！〃
He put the finishing touch on this etching with a snort； and turned again to
the window。
〃Look out there！〃 he bade his son。 〃Look out o' that window！ Look at the
life and evergy down there！ I should think ANY young man's blood would
tingle to get into it and be part of it。 Look at the big things young men
are doin' in this town！〃 He swung about； coming to the mahogany desk in the
middle of the room。 〃Look at what