按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ailing child and without saying anything to you consoles you for
everything。。。。 I shall never understand it all。 I do not know
how it can all be； but my knees bend in spite of me when I speak
of it 。。。
He stopped and looked at her。
〃You boy！〃 said Mary； not very clearly。
〃Oh yes；〃 he returned。 〃But it's trueespecially my knees！〃
〃You boy！〃 she murmured again； blushing charmingly。 〃You might read another
line over。 The first time I ever saw you； Bibbs； you were looking into a
mirror。 Do it again。 But you needn't read itI can give it to you： 〃A
little Greek slave that came from the heart of Arcady！〃
〃I！ I'm one of the hands at the Pump Worksand going to stay one； unless I
have to decide to study plumbing。〃
〃No。〃 She shook her head。 〃You love and want what's beautiful and delicate
and serene； it's really art that you want in your life； and have always
wanted。 You seemed to me； from the first； the most wistful person I had ever
known； and that's what you were wistful for。〃
Bibbs looked doubtful and more wistful than ever； but after a moment or two
the matter seemed to clarify itself to him。 〃Why； no；〃 he said； 〃I wanted
something else more than that。 I wanted you。〃
〃And here I am！〃 she laughed； completely understanding。 〃I think we're like
those two in The Cloister and the Hearth。 I'm just the rough Burgundian
cross…bow man； Denys； who followed that gentle Gerard and told everybody that
the devil was dead。〃
〃He isn't； though；〃 said Bibbs； as a hoarse little bell in the next room began
a series of snappings which proved to be ten； upon count。 〃He gets into the
clock whenever I'm with you。〃 And； sighing deeply； he rose to go。
〃You're always very prompt about leaving me。〃
〃II try to be；〃 he said。 〃It isn't easy to be careful not to risk
everything by giving myself a little more at a time。 If I ever saw you look
tired〃
〃Have you ever？〃
〃Not yet。 You always lookyou always look〃
〃How？〃
〃Care…free。 That's it。 Except when you feel sorry for me about something；
you always have that splendid look。 It puts courage into people to see it。
If I had a struggle to face I'd keep remembering that lookand I'd never give
up！ It's a brave look； too； as though gaiety might be a kind of gallantry on
your part； and yet I don't quite understand why it should be； either。〃 He
smiled quizzically； looking down upon her。 〃Mary； you haven't a 'secret
sorrow；' have you？〃
For answer she only laughed。
〃No；〃 he said； 〃I can't imagine you with a care in the world。 I think that's
why you were so kind to meyou have nothing but happiness in your own life；
and so you could spare time to make my troubles turn to happiness； too。 But
there's one little time in the twenty…four hours when I'm not happy。 It's
now； when I have to say good night。 I feel dismal every time it comesand
then； when I've left the house； there's a bad little blankness； a black void；
as though I were temporarily dead； and it lasts until I get it established in
my mind that I'm really beginning another day that's to end with YOU again。
Then I cheer up。 But now's the bad timeand I must go through it； and
sogood night。〃 And he added with a pungent vehemence of which he was little
aware； 〃I hate it！〃
〃Do you？〃 she said； rising to go to the door with him。 But he stood
motionless； gazing at her wonderingly。
〃Mary！ Your eyes are so〃 He stopped。
〃Yes？〃 But she looked quickly away。
〃I don't know；〃 he said。 〃I thought just then〃
〃What did you think？〃
〃I don't knowit seemed to me that there was something I ought to
understandand didn't。〃
She laughed and met his wondering gaze again frankly。 〃My eyes are pleased；〃
she said。 〃I'm glad that you miss me a little after you go。〃
〃But to…morrow's coming faster than other days if you'll let it；〃 he said。
She inclined her head。 〃Yes。 I'll'let it'！〃
〃Going to church；〃 said Bibbs。 〃It IS going to church when I go with you！〃
She went to the front door with him； she always went that far。 They had
formed a little code of leave…taking； by habit； neither of them ever speaking
of it； but it was always the same。 She always stood in the doorway until he
reached the sidewalk； and there he always turned and looked back； and she
waved her hand to him。 Then he went on； halfway to the New House； and looked
back again； and Mary was not in the doorway； but the door was open and the
light shone。 It was as if she meant to tell him that she would never shut him
out； he could always see that friendly light of the open doorwayas if it
were open for him to come back； if he would。 He could see it until a wing of
the New House came between； when he went up the path。 The open doorway seemed
to him the beautiful symbol of her friendshipof her thought of him； a symbol
of herself and of her ineffable kindness。
And she kept the door openeven to…night； though the sleet and fine snow
swept in upon her bare throat and arms； and her brown hair was strewn with
tiny white stars。 His heart leaped as he turned and saw that she was there；
waving her hand to him； as if she did not know that the storm touched her。
When he had gone on； Mary did as she always didshe went into an unlit room
across the hall from that in which they had spent the evening； and； looking
from the window； watched him until he was out of sight。 The storm made that
difficult to…night； but she caught a glimpse of him under the street…lamp that
stood between the two houses； and saw that he turned to look back again。
Then； and not before； she looked at the upper windows of Roscoe's house across
the street。 They were dark。 Mary waited； but after a little while she closed
the front door and returned to her window。 A moment later two of the upper
windows of Roscoe's house flashed into light and a hand lowered the shade of
one of them。 Mary felt the cold thenit was the third night she had seen
those windows lighted and the shade lowered； just after Bibbs had gone。
But Bibbs had no glance to spare for Roscoe's windows。 He stopped for his
last look back at the open door； and； with a thin mantle of white already upon
his shoulders； made his way； gasping in the wind； to the lee of the sheltering
wing of the New House。
A stricken George； muttering hoarsely； admitted him； and Bibbs became aware of
a paroxysm within the house。 Terrible sounds came from the library： Sheridan
cursing as never before； his wife sobbing； her voice rising to an agonized
squeal of protest upon each of a series of muffled detonations the
outrageous thumping of a bandaged hand upon wood； then Gurney； sharply
imperious； 〃Keep your hand in that sling！ Keep your hand in that sling； I
say！〃
〃LOOK！〃 George gasped； delighted to play herald for so important a tragedy；
and he renewed upon his face the ghastly expression with which he had first
beheld the ruins his calamitous gesture laid before the eyes of Bibbs。 〃Look
at 'at lamidal statue！〃
Gazing down the hall； Bibbs saw heroic wreckage； seemingly Byzantine painted
colossal fragments of the shattered torso； appallingly human； and gilded and
silvered heaps of magnificence strewn among ruinous palms like the spoil of a
barbarians' battle。 There had been a massacre in the oasis the Moor had
been hurled headlong from his pedestal。
〃He hit 'at ole lamidal statue；〃 said George。 〃POW！〃
〃My father？〃
〃YESshu！ POW！ he hit 'er！ An' you' ma run tell me git doctuh quick 's I kin
telefoamshe sho' you' pa goin' bus' a blood…vessel。 He ain't takin' on
'tall NOW。 He ain't nothin' 'tall to what he was 'while ago。 You done miss'
it； Mist' Bibbs。 Doctuh got him all quiet' down； to what he was。 POW！ he hit
'er！ Yessuh！〃 He took Bibbs's coat and proffered a crumpled telegraph form。
〃Here what come；〃 he said。 〃I pick 'er up when he done stompin' on 'er。 You
read 'er； Mist' Bibbsyou' ma tell me tuhn 'er ovuh to you soon's you come
in。〃
Bibbs read the telegram quickly。 It was from New York and addressed to Mrs。
Sheridan。
Sure you will all approve step have taken as was so wretched my
health would probably suffered severely Robert and I were married
this afternoon thought best have quiet wedding absolutely sure you
will understand wisdom of step when you know Robert better am
happiest woman in world are leaving for Florida will wire address
when settled will remain till spring love to all father will like
him too when knows him like I do he is just ideal。
Edith Lamhorn。
George departed； and Bibbs was left gazing upon chaos and listening to
thunder。 He could not reach the stairway without passing the open doors of
the library； and he was convinced that the mere glimpse of him； just then；
would prove nothing less than insufferable for his father。 For that reason he