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And if you want a monument to Jim； at least you want one that will stand。
Besides； I don't think you can reasonably defend sentiment in this particular
kind of affair。〃
〃Oh； you don't？〃
〃No； but I'm sorry you didn't tell me you felt it。〃
Sheridan was puzzled by his son's tone。 〃Why are you 'sorry'？〃 he asked；
curiously。
〃Because I had the building inspector up there； this noon；〃 said Bibbs； 〃and I
had him condemn both those buildings。〃
〃What？〃
〃He'd been afraid to do it before； until he heard from usafraid you'd see he
lost his job。 But he can't un…condemn themthey've got to come down now。〃
Sheridan gave him a long and piercing stare from beneath lowered brows。
Finally he said； 〃How long did they give you on that option to convince me？〃
〃Until two o'clock to…morrow afternoon。〃
〃All right；〃 said Sheridan； not relaxing。 〃I'm convinced。〃
Bibbs jumped up。 〃I thought you would be。 I'll telephone the Krivitch agent。
He gave me the option until to…morrow； but I told him I'd settle it this
evening。〃
Sheridan gazed after him as he left the room； and then； though his expression
did not alter in the slightest； a sound came from him that startled his wife。
It had been a long time since she had heard anything resembling a chuckle from
him； and this soundalthough it was grim and drybore that resemblance。
She brightened eagerly。 〃Looks like he was startin' right well； don't it；
papa？〃
〃Startin'？ Lord！ He got me on the hip！ Why； HE knew what I wanted that's
why he had the inspector up there； so 't he'd have me beat before we even
started to talk about it。 And did you hear him？ 'Can't reasonably defend
SENTIMENT！' And the way he says 'Us'： 'Took an option for Us'！ 'Stuff piled
up on Us'！〃
There was always an alloy for Mrs。 sheridan。 〃I don't just like the way he
looks； though； papa。〃
〃Oh； there's got to be something！ Only one chick left at home； so you start
to frettin' about IT！〃
〃No。 He's changed。 There's kind of a settish look to his face； and〃
〃I guess that's the common sense comin' out on him； then；〃 said Sheridan。
〃You'll see symptoms like that in a good many business men； I expect。〃
〃Well； and he don't have as good color as he was gettin' before。 And he'd
begun to fill out some； but〃
Sheridan gave forth another dry chuckle； and； going round the table to her；
patted her upon the shoulder with his left hand； his right being still heavily
bandaged； though he no longer wore a sling。 〃That's the way it is with you；
mammagot to take your frettin' out one way if you don't another！〃
〃No。 He don't look well。 It ain't exactly the way he looked when he begun to
get sick that time； but he kind o' seems to be losin'； some way。〃
〃Yes； he may 'a' lost something；〃 said Sheridan。 〃I expect he's lost a whole
lot o' foolishness besides his God…forsaken notions about writin' poetry
and〃
〃No；〃 his wife persisted。 〃I mean he looks right peakid。 And yesterday； when
he was settin' with us； he kept lookin' out the window。 He wasn't readin'。〃
〃Well； why shouldn't he look out the window？〃
〃He was lookin' over there。 He never read a word all afternoon； I don't
believe。〃
〃Look； here！〃 said Sheridan。 〃Bibbs might 'a' kept goin' on over there the
rest of his life； moonin' on and on； but what he heard Sibyl say did one big
thing； anyway。 It woke him up out of his trance。 Well； he had to go and bust
clean out with a bang； and that stopped his goin' over there； and it stopped
his poetry； but I reckon he's begun to get pretty fair pay for what he lost。
I guess a good many young men have had to get over worries like his； they got
to lose SOMETHING if they're goin' to keep ahead o' the procession
nowadaysand it kind o' looks to me； mamma； like Bibbs might keep quite a
considerable long way ahead。 Why； a year from now I'll bet you he won't know
there ever WAS such a thing as poetry！ And ain't he funny？ He wanted to stick
to the shop so's he could 'think'！ What he meant was； think about something
useless。 Well； I guess he's keepin' his ming pretty occupied the other way
these days。 Yes； sir； it took a pretty fair…sized shock to get him out of his
trance； but it certainly did the business。〃 He patted his wife's shoulder
again； and then； without any prefatory symptoms； broke into a boisterous
laugh。
〃Honest； mamma； he works like a gorilla！〃
And so Bibbs sat in the porch of the temple with the money…changers。 But no
One came to scourge him forth； for this was the temple of Bigness； and the
changing of money was holy worship and true religion。 The priests wore that
〃settish〃 look Bibbs's mother had seen beginning to develop about his mouth
and eyesa wary look which she could not define； but it comes with service at
the temple； and it was the more marked upon Bibbs for his sharp awakening to
the necessities of that servicce。
He did as little 〃useless〃 thinking as possible； giving himself no time for
it。 He worked continuously； keeping his thoughts still on his work when he
came home at night； and he talked of nothing whatever except his work。 But he
did not sing at it。 He was often in the streets； and people were not allowed
to sing in the streets。 They might make any manner of hideous uproarthey
could shake buildings； they could out…thunder the thunder； deafen the deaf；
and kill the sick with noise； or they could walk the streets or drive through
them bawling； squawking； or screeching； as they chose； if the noise was
traceably connected with business； though street musicians were not tolerated；
being considered a nuisance and an interference。 A man or woman who went
singing for pleasure through the streetslike a crazy Neopolitanwould have
been stopped； and belike locked up； for Freedom does not mean that a citizen
is allowed to do every outrageous thing that comes into his head。 The streets
were dangerous enough； in all conscience； without any singing！ and the Motor
Federation issued public warnings declaring that the pedestrian's life was in
his own hands； and giving directions how to proceed with the least peril。
However； Bibbs Sheridan had no desire to sing in the streets； or anywhere。 He
had gone to his work with an energy that； for the start； at least； was bitter；
and there was no song left in him。
He began to know his active fellow…citizens。 Here and there among them he
found a leisurely； kind soul； a relic of the old period of neighborliness；
〃pioneer stock；〃 usually； and there were menparticularly among the merchants
and manufacturers〃so honest they leaned backward〃； reputations sometimes
attested by stories of heroic sacrifices to honor； nor were there lacking some
instances of generosity even nobler。 Here and there； too； were book…men； in
their little leisure； and； among the Germans； music…men。 And these； with the
others； worshiped Bigness and the growth； each man serving for his own sake
and for what he could get out of it； but all united in their faith in the
beneficence and glory of their god。
To almost all alike that service stood as the most important thing in life；
except on occasion of some such vital； brief interregnum as the dangerous
illness of a wife or child。 In the way of 〃relaxation〃 some of the servers
took golf； some took fishing； some took 〃shows〃a mixture of infantile and
negroid humor； stockings； and tin music； some took an occasional debauch； some
took trips； some took cards； and some took nothing。 The high priests were
vigilant to watch that no 〃relaxation〃 should affect the service。 When a man
attended to anything outside his business； eyes were upon him； his credit was
in dangerthat is； his life was in danger。 And the old priests were as
ardent as the young ones； the million was as eager to be bigger as the
thousand； seventy was as busy as seventeen。 They stove mightily against one
another； and the old priests were the most wary； the most plausible； and the
most dangerous。 Bibbs learned he must walk charily among thesehe must wear a
thousand eyes and beware of spiders indeed！
And outside the temple itself were the pretenders； the swarming thieves and
sharpers and fleecers； the sly rascals and the open rascals； but these were
feeble folk； not dangerous once he knew them； and he had a good guide to point
them out to him。 They were useful sometimes； he learned； and many of them
served as go…betweens in matters where business must touch politics。 He
learned also how breweries and 〃traction〃 companies and banks and other
institutions fought one another for the political control of the city。 The
newspapers； he discovered； had lost their ancient political influence；
especially with the knowing； who looked upon them with a skeptical humor；
believing the journals either to be retained partisans； like lawyers； or else
striving to forward the personal ambitions of their owners。 The control of
the city l