the turmoil-第14部分

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！



moved　to　and　fro　upon　the　rug；　like　a　culprit　called　to　　the　desk　in　school。



〃What　would　you　do？　　Loaf？〃



〃No；　sir。〃　　Bibbs's　voice　was　almost　inaudible；　and　what　little　sound　it　　made

was　unquestionably　a　guilty　sound。　　〃I　suppose　I'dI'd〃



〃Well？〃



〃I　suppose　I'd　try　toto　write。〃



〃Write　what？〃



〃Nothing　importantjust　poems　and　essays；　perhaps。〃



〃That　all？〃



〃Yes；　sir。〃



〃I　see；〃　said　his　father；　breathing　quickly　with　the　restraint　he　was　　putting

upon　himself。　　〃That　is；　you　want　to　write；　but　you　don't　want　to　　write

anything　of　any　account。〃



〃You　think〃



Sheridan　got　up　again。　　〃I　take　my　hat　off　to　the　man　that　can　write　a　　good

ad；〃　he　said；　emphatically。　　〃The　best　writin'　talent　in　this　　country　is

right　spang　in　the　ad　business　to…day。　　You　buy　a　magazine　for　　good

writin'look　on　the　back　of　it！　　Let　me　tell　you　I　pay　money　for　　that　kind

o'　writin'。　　Maybe　you　think　it's　easy。　　Just　try　it！　　I've　　tried　it；　and　I

can't　do　it。　　I　tell　you　an　ad's　got　to　be　written　so　it　　makes　people　do　the

hardest　thing　in　this　world　to　GET　'em　to　do：　it's　　got　to　make　'em　give　up

their　MONEY！　　You　talk　about　'poems　and　essays。'　　　I　tell　you　when　it　comes　to

the　actual　skill　o'　puttin'　words　together　so　　as　to　make　things　HAPPEN；　R。　T。

Bloss；　right　here　in　this　city；　knows　　more　in　a　minute　than　George　Waldo

Emerson　ever　knew　in　his　whole　life！〃



〃Youyou　may　be〃　Bibbs　said；　indistinctly；　the　last　word　smothered　　in　a

cough。



〃Of　COURSE　I'm　right！　　And　if　it　ain't　just　like　you　to　want　to　take　up　　with

the　most　out…o'…date　kind　o'　writin'　there　is！　'Poems　and　essays'！　　　My　Lord；

Bibbs；　that's　WOMEN'S　work！　　You　can't　pick　up　a　newspaper　　without　havin'　to

see　where　Mrs。　Rumskididle　read　a　paper　on　'Jane　Eyre；'　　or　'East　Lynne；'　at

the　God…Knows…What　Club。　　And　'poetry'！　　Why；　look　at　　Edith！　　I　expect　that

poem　o'　hers　would　set　a　pretty　high…water　mark　for　　you；　young　man；　and　it's

the　only　one　she's　ever　managed　to　write　in　her　　whole　LIFE！　　When　I　wanted

her　to　go　on　and　write　some　more　she　said　it　　took　too　much　time。　　Said　it

took　months　and　months。　　And　Edith's　a　smart　　girl；　she's　got　more　energy　in

her　little　finger　than　you　ever　give　me　a　　chance　to　see　in　your　whole　body；

Bibbs。　　Now　look　at　the　facts：　say　she　　could　turn　out　four　or　five　poems　a

year　and　you　could　turn　out　maybe　　two。　　That　medal　she　got　was　worth　about

fifteen　dollars；　so　there's　your　　incomethirty　dollars　a　year！　　That's　a

fine　success　to　make　of　your　　life！　　I'm　not　sayin'　a　word　against　poetry。　　I

wouldn't　take　ten　　thousand　dollars　right　now　for　that　poem　of　Edith's；　and

poetry's　all　　right　enough　in　its　placebut　you　leave　it　to　the　girls。　　A

man's　got　　to　do　a　man's　work　in　this　world！〃



He　seated　himself　in　a　chair　at　his　son's　side　and；　leaning　over；　tapped

Bibbs　confidentially　on　the　knee。　　〃This　city's　got　the　greatest　future　　in

America；　and　if　my　sons　behave　right　by　me　and　by　themselves　they're　　goin'　to

have　a　mighty　fair　share　of　ita　mighty　fair　share。　　I　love　　this　town。　　It's

God's　own　footstool；　and　it's　made　money　for　me　every　　day　right　along；　I

don't　know　how　many　years。　　I　love　it　like　I　do　my　own　　business；　and　I'd

fight　for　it　as　quick　as　I'd　fight　for　my　own　family。　　　It's　a　beautiful　town。

Look　at　our　wholesale　district；　look　at　any　　district　you　want　to；　look　at　the

park　system　we're　puttin'　through；　and　　the　boulevards　and　the　public

statuary。　　And　she　grows。　　God！　how　she　　grows！〃　　He　had　become　intensely

grave；　he　spoke　with　solemnity。　　〃Now；　　Bibbs；　　I　can't　take　any　of　itnor

any　gold　or　silver　nor　buildings　　nor　bondsaway　with　me　in　my　shroud　when　I

have　to　go。　　But　I　want　to　　leave　my　share　　in　it　to　my　boys。　　I've　worked　for

it；　I've　been　a　　builder　and　a　maker；　and　two　blades　of　grass　have　grown　where

one　grew　　before；　whenever　I　laid　my　hand　on　the　ground　and　willed　'em　to

grow。　　　I've　built　big；　and　I　want　the　buildin'　to　go　on。　　And　when　my　last

hour　　comes　I　want　to　know　that　my　boys　are　ready　to　take　charge；　that　they're

fit　to　take　charge　and　go　ON　with　it。　　Bibbs；　when　that　hour　comes　I　　want　to

know　that　my　boys　are　big　men；　ready　and　fit　to　hold　of　big　　things。　　Bibbs；

when　I'm　up　above　I　want　to　know　that　the　big　share　I've　　made　mine；　here

below；　is　growin'　bigger　and　bigger　in　the　charge　of　my　　boys。〃



He　leaned　back；　deeply　moved。　　〃There！〃　he　said；　huskily。　　〃I've　never　　spoken

more　what　was　in　my　heart　in　my　life。　　I　do　it　because　I　want　you　　to

understandand　not　think　me　a　mean　father。　　I　never　had　to　talk　　that　way　to

Jim　and　Roscoe。　　They　understood　without　any　talk；　Bibbs。〃



〃I　see；〃　said　Bibbs。　　〃At　least　I　think　I　do。　　But〃



〃Wait　a　minute！〃　　Sheridan　raised　his　hand。　　〃If　you　see　the　least　bit　in　　the

world；　then　you　understand　how　it　feels　to　me　to　have　my　son　set　here　　and

talk　about　'poems　and　essays'　and　such…like　fooleries。　　And　you　must

understand；　too；　what　it　meant　to　start　one　o'　my　boys　and　have　him　come　　back

on　me　the　way　you　did；　and　have　to　be　sent　to　a　sanitarium　because　　he

couldn't　stand　work。　　Now；　let's　get　right　down　to　it；　Bibbs。　　I've　　had　a

whole　lot　o'　talk　with　ole　Doc　Gurney　about　you；　one　time　another；　　and　I

reckon　I　understand　your　case　just　about　as　well　as　he　does；　　anyway！　　Now

here；　I'll　be　frank　with　you。　　I　started　you　in　harder　than　　what　I　did　the

other　boys；　and　that　was　for　your　own　good；　because　I　saw　　you　needed　to　be

shook　up　more'n　they　did。　　You　were　always　kind　of　moody　　and　mopishand　you

needed　work　that　'd　keep　you　on　the　jump。　　Now；　why　　did　it　make　you　sick

instead　of　brace　you　up　and　make　a　man　of　you　the　　way　it　ought　of　done？　　I

pinned　ole　Gurney　down　to　it。　　I　says；　'Look　　here；　ain't　it　really　because　he

just　plain　hated　it？'　'Yes；'　he　says；　　'that's　it。　　If　he'd　enjoyed　it；　it

wouldn't　'a'　hurt　him。　　He　loathes　it；　　and　that　affects　his　nervous　system

The　more　he　tries　it；　the　more　he　　hates　it；　and　the　more　he　hates　it；　the

more　injury　it　does　him。'　　That　　ain't　quite　his　words；　but　it's　what　he

meant。　　And　that's　about　the　way　　it　is。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Bibbs；　〃that's　about　the　way　it　is。〃



〃Well；　then；　I　reckon　it's　up　to　me　not　only　to　make　you　do　it；　but　to　　make

you　like　it！〃



Bibbs　shivered。　　And　he　turned　upon　his　father　a　look　that　was　almost

ghostly。　　〃I　can't；〃　he　said；　in　a　low　voice。　　〃I　can't。〃



〃Can't　go　back　to　the　shop？〃



〃No。　Can't　like　it。　　I　can't。〃



Sheridan　jumped　up；　his　patience　gone。　　To　his　own　view；　he　had　reasoned

exhaustively；　had　explained　fully　and　had　pleaded　more　than　a　father　　should；

only　to　be　met　in　the　end　with　the　unreasoning　and　mysterious　　stubbornness

which　had　been　Bibbs's　baffling　characteristic　from　　childhood。　　〃By　George；

you　will！〃　he　cried。　　〃You'll　go　back　there　and　　you'll　like　it！　　Gurney　says

it　won't　hurt　you　if　you　like　it；　and　he　　says　it　'll　kill　you　if　you　go　back

and　hate　it；　so　it　looks　as　if　it　was　　about　up　to　you　not　to　hate　it。　　Well；

Gurney's　a　fool！　　Hatin'　work　　doesn't　kill　anybody；　and　this　isn't　goin'　to

kill　you；　whether　you　hate　　it　or　not。　　　I've　never　made　a　mistake　in　a

serious　matter　in　my　life；　　and　it　wasn't　a　mistake　my　sendin'　you　there　in

the　first　place。　　And　I'm　　goin'　to　prove　itI'm　goin'　to　send　you　back　there

and　vindicate　my　　judgment。　　Gurney　says　it's　all　'mental　attitude。'　　Well；

you're　goin'　to　　learn　the　right　one！　　He　says　in　a　couple　more　months　this

fool　thing　　that's　been　the　matter　with　you　'll　be　disappeared　completely　and

you'll　　be　back　in　as　good　or　better　condition　than　you　were　before　you　ever

went　　into　the　shop。　　And　right　then　is　when　you　begin　overright　in　that

same　shop！　　Nobody　can　call　me　a　hard　man　or　a　mean　father。　　I　do　the　　best　I

can　for　my　chuldern；　and　I　take　full　responsibility　for　bringin'　　my　sons　up

to　be　men。　　Now；　so　far；　I've　failed　with　you。　　But　I'm　not　　goin'　to　keep　ON

failin'。　　I　never　tackled　a　job　YET　I　didn't　put　　through；　and　I'm　not　goin'

to　begin　with　my　own　son。　　I'm　goin'　to　make　　a　MAN　of　you。　　By　God！　　I　am！〃



Bibbs　rose　and　went　slowly　to　the　door；　where　he　turned。　　〃You　say　you　　give

me　a　couple　of　months？〃　he　said。



Sheridan　pushed　a　bell…button　on　his　desk。　　〃Gurney　said　two　months　more

would　put　you　back　where　you　were。　　You　go　home　and　begin　to　get　yourself　　in

the　right　'mental　attitude'　before　those　two　months　are　up！　　Good…by！〃



〃Good…by；　sir；〃　said　Bibbs；　meekly。





Bibbs's　room；　that　neat　apartment　for　transients　to　which　the　〃lamidal〃

George　had　shown　him　upon　his　return；　still　bore　the　appearance　of　　temporary

quarters；　possibly　because　Bibbs　had　no　clear　conception　of　　himself　as　a

permanent　incumbent。　　However；　he　had　set　upon　the　　mantelpiece　the　two

photographs　that　he　owned：　one；　a　〃group〃　twenty　　years　oldhis　father　and

mother；　with　Jim　and　Roscoe　as　boysand　　the　other　a　〃cabinet〃　of　Edith　at

sixteen。　　And　upon　a　table　were　the　　books　he　had　taken　from　his　trunk：　Sartor

Resartus；　Virginibus　Puerisque；　　Huckleberry　Finn；　and　Afterwhiles。　　There

were　some　other　books　in　the　　trunka　large　one；　which　remained　unremoved　at

the　foot　of　the　bed；　　adding　to　the　general　impression　of　transiency。　　It

contained　nearly　all　　the　possessions　as　well　as　the　secret　life　of　Bibbs

Sheridan；　and　Bibbs　　sat　beside　it；　the　day　after　his　interview　with　his

father；　raking　over　a　　small　collection　of　manuscripts　in　the　top　tray。　　Some

of　these　he　　glanced　through　dubiously；　finding　little　comfort　in　them；　but

one　made　　him　smile。　　Then　he　shook　his　head　ruefully　indeed；　and　ruefully

began　to　　read　it。　　It　was　written　on　paper　stamped　〃Hood　Sanitarium；〃　and

bore　the　　title；　〃Leisure。〃



　　　　　A　man　may　keep　a　quiet　heart　at　seventy　miles　an　hour；　but　not　if　　he　is

running　the　train。　　Nor　is　the　habit　of　contemplation　a　useful　quality　　in　the

stoker　of　a　foundry　furnace；　it　will　not　be　found　to　recommend　him　to　　the

approbation　o