the turmoil-第38部分

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〃Good…by；〃　said　Roscoe；　listlessly。





Sheridan　waited　until　he　heard　the　sound　of　the　outer　door　closing；　then　he

rose　and　pushed　a　tiny　disk　set　in　the　wall。　　Jackson　appeared。



〃Has　Bibbs　got　home　from　work？〃



〃Mist'　Bibbs？　　No；　suh。〃



〃Tell　him　I　want　to　see　him；　soon　as　he　comes。〃



〃Yessuh。〃



Sheridan　returned　to　his　chair　and　fixed　his　attention　fiercely　upon　the

newspaper。　　He　found　it　difficult　to　pursue　the　items　beyond　their　explanatory

rubricsthere　was　nothing　unusual　or　startling　to　concentrate　his　attention：



　　　　　　　〃Motorman　Puts　Blame　on　Brakes。　　Three　Killed　when　Car　Slides。〃

　　　　　　　〃Burglars　Make　Big　Haul。〃　　〃Board　Works　Approve　Big　Car…line

　　　　　　　Extension。〃　　〃Hold…up　Men　Injure　Two。　　Man　Found　in　Alley；　Skull

　　　　　　　Fractured。〃　　〃Sickening　Story　Told　in　Divorce　Court。〃　　〃Plan　New

　　　　　　　Eighteen…story　Structure。〃　　〃School…girl　Meets　Death　under

　　　　　　　Automobile。〃　　〃Negro　Cuts　Three。　　One　Dead。〃　　〃Life　Crushed　Out。

　　　　　　　Third　Elevator　Accident　in　Same　Building　Causes　Action　by

　　　　　　　Coroner。〃　　〃Declare　Militia　will　be　Menace。　　Polish　Societies

　　　　　　　Protest　to　Governor　in　Church　Rioting　Case。〃　　〃Short　3；500　in

　　　　　　　Accounts；　Trusted　Man　Kills　Self　with　Drug。〃　　〃Found　Frozen。

　　　　　　　Family　Without　Food　or　Fuel。　　Baby　Dead　when　Parents　Return　Home

　　　　　　　from　Seeking　Work。〃　　〃Minister　Returned　from　Trip　Abroad　Lectures

　　　　　　　on　Big　Future　of　Our　City。　　Sees　Big　Improvement　during　Short

　　　　　　　Absence。　　Says　No　European　City　Holds　Candle。〃

（Sheridan　nodded　approvingly　here。）



Bibbs　came　through　the　hall　whistling；　and　entered　the　room　briskly。　〃Well；

father；　did　you　want　me？〃



〃Yes。　　Sit　down。〃　　Sheridan　got　up；　and　Bibbs　took　a　seat　by　the　fire；　holding

out　his　hands　to　the　crackling　blaze；　for　it　was　cold　outdoors。



〃I　came　within　seven　of　the　shop　record　to…day；〃　he　said。　　〃I　handled　more

strips　thand　any　other　workman　has　any　day　this　month。　　The　nearest　to　me　is

sixteen　behind。〃



〃There！〃　exclaimed　his　father；　greatly　pleased。　　〃What'd　I　tell　you？　　I'd　like

to　hear　Gurney　hint　again　that　I　wasn't　right　in　sending　you　there　I　would

just　like　to　hear　him！　　And　youain't　you　ashamed　of　makin'　such　a　fuss　about

it？　　Ain't　you？〃



〃I　didn't　go　at　it　in　the　right　spirit　the　other　time；〃　Bibbs　said；　smiling

brightly；　his　face　ruddy　in　the　cheerful　firelight。　　〃I　didn't　know　the

difference　it　meant　to　like　a　thing。〃



〃Well；　I　guess　I've　pretty　thoroughly　vindicated　my　judgement。　　I　guess　I

HAVE！　　I　said　the　shop　'd　be　good　for　you；　and　it　was。　　I　said　it　wouldn't

hurt　you；　and　it　hasn't。　　It's　been　just　exactly　what　I　said　it　would　be。

Ain't　that　so？〃



〃Looks　like　it！〃　Bibbs　agreed；　gaily。



〃Well；　I'd　like　to　know　any　place　I　been　wrong；　first　and　last！　　Instead　o'

hurting　you；　it's　been　the　makin'　of　youphysically。　　You're　a　good　inch

taller'n　what　I　am；　and　you'd　be　a　bigger　man　than　what　I　am　if　you'd　get　some

flesh　on　your　bones；　and　you　ARE　gettin'　a　little。　　Physically；　it's　started

you　out　to　be　the　huskiest　one　o'　the　whole　family。　　Now；　then；

mentallythat's　different。　　I　don't　say　it　unkindly；　Bibbs；　but　you　got　to　do

something　for　yourself　mentally；　just　like　what's　begun　physically。　　And　I'm

goin'　to　help　you。〃



Sheridan　decided　to　sit　down　again。　　He　brought　his　chair　close　to　his　son's；

and；　leaning　over；　tapped　Bibbs's　knee　confidentially。　　〃I　got　plans　for　you；

Bibbs；〃　he　said。



Bibbs　instantly　looked　thoroughly　alarmed。　　He　drew　back。　　〃II'm　all　right

now；　father。〃



〃Listen。〃　　Sheridan　settled　himself　in　his　chair；　and　spoke　in　the　tone　of　a

reasonable　man　reasoning。　　〃Listen　here；　Bibbs。　　I　had　another　blow　to…day；

and　it　was　a　hard　one　and　right　in　the　face；　though　I　HAVE　been　expectin'　it


some　little　time　back。　　Well；　it's　got　to　be　met。　　Now　I'll　be　frank　with　you。

As　I　said　a　minute　ago；　mentally　I　couldn't　ever　called　you　exactly　strong。

You　been　a　little　weak　both　ways；　most　of　your　life。　　Not　but　what　I　think　you

GOT　a　mentality；　if　you'd　learn　to　use　it。　You　got　will…power；　I'll　say　that

for　you。　　I　never　knew　boy　or　man　that　could　be　stubbornernever　one　in　my

life！　　Now；　then；　you've　showed　you　could　learn　to　run　that　machine　best　of

any　man　in　the　shop；　in　no　time　at　all。　　That　looks　to　me　like　you　could　learn

to　do　other　things。　　I　don't　deny　but　what　it's　an　encouragin'　sign。　　I　don't

deny　that；　at　all。　　Well；　that　helps　me　to　think　the　case　ain't　so　hopeless　as

it　looks。　　You're　all　I　got　to　meet　this　blow　with；　but　maybe　you　ain't　as

poor　material　as　I　thought。　　Your　tellin'　me　about　comin'　within　seven　strips

of　the　shop's　record　to…day　looks　to　me　like　encouragin'　information　brought

in　at　just　about　the　right　time。　　Now；　then；　I'm　goin'　to　give　you　a　raise。　　I

wanted　to　send　you　straight　on　up　through　the　shopsa　year　or　two；　maybe

but　I　can't　do　it。　　I　lost　Jim；　and　now　I've　lost　Roscoe。　　He's　quit。　He's

laid　down　on　me。　　If　he　ever　comes　back　at　all；　he'll　be　a　long　time　pickin'

up　the　strings；　and；　anyway；　he　ain't　the　man　I　thought　he　was。　　I　can't　count

on　him。　　I　got　to　have　SOMEBODY　I　KNOW　I　can　count　on。　　And　I'm　down　to　this：

you're　my　last　chance。　　Bibbs；　I　got　to　learn　you　to　use　what　brains　you　got

and　see　if　we　can't　develop　'em　a　little。　　Who　knows？　And　I'm　goin'　to　put　my

time　in　on　it。　　I'm　goin'　to　take　you　right　down…town　with　ME；　and　I　won't　be

hard　on　you　if　you're　a　little　slow　at　first。　　And　I'm　goin'　to　do　the　big

thing　for　you。　　I'm　goin'　to　make　you　feel　you　got　to　do　the　big　thing　for　me；

in　return。　　I've　vindicated　my　policy　with　you　about　the　shop；　and　now　I'm

goin'　to　turn　right　around　and　swing　you　'way　over　ahead　of　where　the　other

boys　started；　and　I'm　goin'　to　make　an　appeal　to　your　ambition　that　'll　make

you　dizzy！〃　　He　tapped　his　son　on　the　knee　again。　　〃Bibbs；　I'm　goin'　to　start

you　off　this　way：　I'm　goin'　to　make　you　a　director　in　the　Pump　Works　Company；

I'm　goin'　to　make　you　vice…president　of　the　Realty　Company　and　a

vice…president　of　the　Trust　Company！〃



Bibbs　jumped　to　his　feet；　blanched。　　〃Oh　no！〃　he　cried。



Sheridan　took　his　dismay　to　be　the　excitement　of　sudden　joy。　　〃Yes；　sir！　And

there's　some　pretty　fat　little　salaries　goes　with　those　vice…presidencies；　and

a　pinch　o'　stock　in　the　Pump　Company　with　the　directorship。　　You　thought　I　was

pretty　mean　about　the　shopoh；　I　know　you　did！but　you　see　the　old　man　can

play　it　both　ways。　　And　so　right　now；　the　minute　you've　begun　to　make　good　the

way　I　wanted　you　to；　I　deal　from　the　new　deck。　　And　I'll　keep　on　handin'　it

out　bigger　and　bigger　every　time　you　show　me　you're　big　enough　to　play　the

hand　I　deal　you。　　I'm　startin'　you　with　a　pretty　big　one；　my　boy！〃



〃But　I　don'tI　don'tI　don't　want　it！〃　Bibbs　stammered。



〃What　'd　you　say？〃　　Sheridan　thought　he　had　not　heard　aright。



〃I　don't　want　it；　father。　　I　thank　youI　do　thank　you〃



Sheridan　looked　perplexed。　　〃What's　the　matter　with　you？　　Didn't　you

understand　what　I　was　tellin'　you？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃You　sure？　　I　reckon　you　didn't。　　I　offered〃



〃I　know；　I　know！　　But　I　can't　take　it。〃



〃What's　the　matter　with　you？〃　　Sheridan　was　half　amazed；　half　suspicious。

〃Your　head　feel　funny？〃



〃I've　never　been　quite　so　sane　in　my　life；〃　said　Bibbs；　〃as　I　have　lately。　And

I've　got　just　what　I　want。　　I'm　living　exactly　the　right　life。　　I'm　earning　my

daily　bread；　and　I'm　happy　in　doing　it。　　My　wages　are　enough。　I　don't　want　any

more　money；　and　I　don't　deserve　any〃



〃Damnation！〃　　Sheridan　sprang　up。　　〃You've　turned　Socialist！　　You　been

listening　to　those　fellows　down　there；　and　you〃



〃No；　sir。　　I　think　there's　a　great　deal　in　what　they　say；　but　that　isn't　it。〃



Sheridan　tried　to　restrain　his　growing　fury；　and　succeeded　partially。　〃Then

what　is　it？　　What's　the　matter？〃



〃Nothing；〃　he　son　returned；　nervously。　　〃Nothingexcept　that　I'm　content。　　I

don't　want　to　change　anything。〃



〃Why　not？〃



Bibbs　had　the　incredible　folly　to　try　to　explain。　　〃I'll　tell　you；　father；　if

I　can。　　I　know　it　may　be　hard　to　understand〃



〃Yes；　I　think　it　may　be；〃　said　Sheridan；　grimly。　　〃What　you　say　usually　is　a

LITTLE　that　way。　　Go　on！〃



Perturbed　and　distressed；　Bibbs　rose　instinctively；　he　felt　himself　at　every

possible　disadvantage。　　He　was　a　sleeper　clinging　to　a　dreama　rough　hand

stretched　to　shake　him　and　waken　him。　　He　went　to　a　table　and　made　vague

drawings　upon　it　with　a　finger；　and　as　he　spoke　he　kept　his　eyes　lowered。

〃You　weren't　altogether　right　about　the　shopthat　is；　in　one　way　you　weren't；

father。〃　　He　glanced　up　apprehensively。　　Sheridan　stood　facing　him；

expressionless；　and　made　no　attempt　to　interrupt。　〃That's　difficult　to

explain；〃　Bibbs　continued；　lowering　his　eyes　again；　to　follow　the　tracings　of

his　finger。　　〃II　believe　the　shop　might　have　done　for　me　this　time　if　I

hadn'tif　something　hadn't　helped　me　to　oh；　not　only　to　bear　it；　but　to　be

happy　in　it。　　Well；　I　AM　happy　in　it。　I　want　to　go　on　just　as　I　am。　　And　of

all　things　on　earth　that　I　don't　want；　I　don't　want　to　live　a　business　lifeI

don't　want　to　be　drawn　into　it。　I　don't　think　it　IS　livingand　now　I　AM

living。　　I　have　the　healthful　toiland　I　can　think。　　In　business　as　important

as　yours　I　couldn't　think　anything　but　business。　　I　don'tI　don't　think

making　money　is　worth　while。〃



〃Go　on；〃　said　Sheridan；　curtly；　as　Bibbs　paused　timidly。



〃It　hasn't　seemed　to　get　anywhere；　that　I　can　see；〃　said　Bibbs。　　〃You　think

this　city　is　rich　and　powerfulbut　what's　the　use　of　its　being　rich　and

powerful？　　They　don't　teach　the　children　any　more　in　the　schools　because　the

city　is　rich　and　powerful。　　They　teach　them　more　than　they　used　to　because

some　peoplenot　rich　and　powerful　peoplehave　thought　the　thoughts　to　teach

the　children。　　And　yet　when　you've　been　reading　the　paper　I've　heard　you

objecting　to　the　children　being　taught　anything　except　what　would　help　them　to

make　money。　　You