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！
on； determined now to say it all。 He leaned forward and altered his voice to
one of confidential friendliness； though in it he still maintained a tone
which indicated that ole Doc Gurney's opinion was only a joke he shared with
her。 〃Yes； sir； you certainly would 'a' laughed！ Why； that ole man thinks
YOU got something to do with it。 You'll have to blame it on him； young lady；
if it makes you feel like startin' out to whip somebody！ He's actually got
THIS theory： he says Bibbs got to gettin' better while he worked over there at
the shop because you kept him cheered up and feelin' good。 And he says if you
could manage to just stand him hangin' around a little maybe not much； but
just SOMEtimesagain； he believed it 'd do Bibbs a mighty lot o' good。
'Course； that's only what the doctor said。 Me； I don't know anything about
that； but I can say this muchI never saw any such a MENTAL improvement in
anybody in my life as I have lately in Bibbs。 I expect you'd find him a good
deal more entertaining than what he used to beand I know it's a kind of
embarrassing thing to suggest after the way he piled in over here that day to
ask you to stand up before the preacher with him； but accordin' to ole Doc
GURNEY； he's got you on his brain so bad〃
Mary jumped。 〃Mr。 Sheridan！〃 she exclaimed。
He sighed profoundly。 〃There！ I noticed you were gettin' mad。 I didn't 〃
〃No； no； no！〃 she cried。 〃But I don't understandand I think you don't。
What is it you want me to do？〃
He sighed again； but this time with relief。 〃Well； well！〃 he said。 〃You're
right。 It 'll be easier to talk plain。 I ought to known I could with you；
all the time。 I just hoped you'd let that boy come and see you sometimes；
once more。 Could you？〃
〃You don't understand。〃 She clasped her hands together in a sorrowful
gesture。 〃Yes； we must talk plain。 Bibbs heard that I'd tried to make your
oldest son care for me because I was poor； and so Bibbs came and asked me to
marry himbecause he was sorry for me。 And I CAN'T see him any more；〃 she
cried in distress。 〃I CAN'T！〃
Sheridan cleared his throat uncomfortably。 〃You mean because he thought that
about you？〃
〃No； no！ What he thought was TRUE！〃
〃Wellyou mean he was so much inyou mean he thought so much of you 〃 The
words were inconceivably awkward upon Sheridan's tongue； he seemed to be in
doubt even about pronouncing them； but after a ghastly pause he bravely
repeated them。 〃You mean he thought so much of you that you just couldn't
stand him around？〃
〃NO！ He was sorry for me。 He cared for me； he was fond of me； and he'd
respected metoo much！ In the finest way he loved me； if you like； and he'd
have done anything on earth for me； as I would for him； and as he knew I
would。 It was beautiful； Mr。 Sheridan；〃 she said。 〃But the cheap； bad things
one has done seem always to come backthey wait； and pull you down when
you're happiest。 Bibbs found me out； you see； and he wasn't 'in love' with me
at all。〃
〃He wasn't？ Well； it seems to me he gave up everything he wanted to do it
was fool stuff； but he certainly wanted it mighty badhe just threw it away
and walked right up and took the job he swore he never would just for you。
And it looks to me as if a man that'd do that must think quite a heap o' the
girl he does it for！ You say it was only because he was sorry； but let me
tell you there's only ONE girl he could feel THAT sorry for！ Yes； sir！〃
〃No； no；〃 she said。 〃Bibbs isn't like other menhe would do anything for
anybody。〃
Sheridan grinned。 〃Perhaps not so much as you think； nowadays；〃 he said。 〃For
instance； I got kind of a suspicion he doesn't believe in 'sentiment in
business。' But that's neither here nor there。 What he wanted was； just plain
and simple； for you to marry him。 Well； I was afraid his thinkin' so much OF
you had kind o' sickened you of himthe way it does sometimes。 But from the
way you talk； I understand that ain't the trouble。〃 He coughed； and his voice
trembled a little。 〃Now here； Miss Vertrees； I don't have to tell
youbecause you see things easyI know I got no business comin' to you like
this； but I had to make Bibbs go my way instead of his ownI had to do it for
the sake o' my business and on his own account； tooand I expect you got some
idea how it hurt him to give up。 Well； he's made good。 He didn't come in
half…hearted or mean； he came inall the way！ But there isn't anything in it
to him； you can see he's just shut his teeth on it and goin' ahead with dust
in his mouth。 You see； one way of lookin' at it； he's got nothin' to work
FOR。 And it seems to me like it cost him your friendship； and I believe
honestthat's what hurt him the worst。 Now you said we'd talk plain。 Why
can't you let him come back？〃
She covered her face desperately with her hands。 〃I can't！〃
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 tw