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！
neighbor； he had been close upon dust himself for a long； long time； and even
now he could prophesy no protracted separation between himself and dust。 The
machine…shop had brought him very close； and if he had to go back it would
probably bring him closer still； so closeas Dr。 Gurney predictedthat no
one would be able to tell the difference between dust and himself。 And
Sheridan； if Bibbs read him truly； would be all the more determined to 〃make
a man〃 of him； now that there was a man less in the family。 To Bibbs's
knowledge； no one and nothing had ever prevented his father from carrying
through his plans； once he had determined upon them； and Sheridan was
incapable of believing that any plan of his would not work out according to
his calculations。 His nature unfitted him to accept failure。 He had the
gift of terrible persistence； and with unflecked confidence that his way was
the only way he would hold to that way of 〃making a man〃 of Bibbs； who
understood very well； in his passive and impersonal fashion； that it was a
way which might make； not a man； but dust of him。 But he had no shudder for
the thought。
He had no shudder for that thought or for any other thought。 The truth about
Bibbs was in the poem which Edith had adopted： he had so thoroughly formed
the over…sensitive habit of hiding his feelings that no doubt he had
forgottenby this timewhere he had put some of them； especially those
which concerned himself。 But he had not hidden his feelings about his father
where they could not be found。 He was strange to his father； but his father
was not strange to him。 He knew that Sheridan's plans were conceived in the
stubborn belief that they would bring about a good thing for Bibbs himself；
and whatever the result was to be； the son had no bitterness。 Far otherwise；
for as he looked at the big； woeful figure； shaking and tortured； an almost
unbearable pity laid hands upon Bibbs's throat。 Roscoe stood blinking； his
lip quivering； Edith wept audibly； Mrs。 Sheridan leaned in half collapse
against her husband； but Bibbs knew that his father was the one who cared。
It was over。 Men in overalls stepped forward with their shovels； and Bibbs
nodded quickly to Roscoe； making a slight gesture toward the line of waiting
carriages。 Roscoe understoodBibbs would stay and see the grave filled； the
rest were to go。 The groups began to move away over the turf； wheels creaked
on the graveled drive； and one by one the carriages filled and departed； the
horses setting off at a walk。 Bibbs gazed steadfastly at the workmen； he
knew that his father kept looking back as he went toward the carriage； and
that was a thing he did not want to see。 But after a little while there were
no sounds of wheels or hoofs on the gravel； and Bibbs； glancing up； saw that
every one had gone。 A coupe had been left for him； the driver dozing
patiently。
The workmen placed the flowers and wreaths upon the mound and about it； and
Bibbs altered the position of one or two of these； then stood looking
thoughtfully at the grotesque brilliancy of that festal…seeming hillock
beneath the darkening November sky。 〃It's too bad！〃 he half whispered； his
lips forming the wordsand his meaning was that it was too bad that the
strong brother had been the one to go。 For this was his last thought before
he walked to the coupe and saw Mary Vertrees standing； all alone； on the
other side of the drive。
She had just emerged from a grove of leafless trees that grew on a slope
where the tombs were many； and behind her rose a multitude of the barbaric
and classic shapes we so strangely strew about our graveyards： urn…crowned
columns and stone…draped obelisks； shop…carved angels and shop…carved
children poising on pillars and shafts； all liftingin unthought
pathostheir blind stoniness toward the sky。 Against such a background；
Bibbs was not incongruous； with his figure； in black； so long and slender；
and his face so long and thin and white； nor was the undertaker's coupe out
of keeping； with the shabby driver dozing on the box and the shaggy horses
standing patiently in attitudes without hope and without regret。 But for
Mary Vertrees； here was a grotesque setting she was a vivid； living
creature of a beautiful world。 And a graveyard is not the place for people
to look charming。
She also looked startled and confused； but not more startled and confused
than Bibbs。 In 〃Edith's〃 poem he had declared his intention of hiding his
heart 〃among the stars〃； and in his boyhood one day he had successfully
hidden his body in the coal…pile。 He had been no comrade of other boys or of
girls； and his acquaintances of a recent period were only a few
fellow…invalids and the nurses at the Hood Sanitarium。 All his life Bibbs
had kept himself to himselfhe was but a shy onlooker in the world。
Nevertheless； the startled gaze he bent upon the unexpected lady before him
had causes other than his shyness and her unexpectedness。 For Mary Vertrees
had been a shining figure in the little world of late given to the view of
this humble and elusive outsider； and spectators sometimes find their hearts
beating faster than those of the actors in the spectacle。 Thus with Bibbs
now。 He started and stared； he lifted his hat with incredible awkwardness；
his fingers fumbling at his forehead before they found the brim。
〃Mr。 Sheridan；〃 said Mary； 〃I'm afraid you'll have to take me home with you。
I〃 She stopped； not lacking a momentary awkwardness of her own。
〃Whywhyyes；〃 Bibbs stammered。 〃I'llI'll be deWon't you get in？〃
In that manner and in that place they exchanged their first words。 Then Mary
withour more ado got into the coupe； and Bibbs followed； closing the door。
〃You're very kind；〃 she said； somewhat breathlessly。 〃I should have had to
walk； and it's beginning to get dark。 It's three miles； I think。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Bibbs。 〃Itit is beginning to get dark。 II noticed that。〃
〃I ought to tell youI〃 Mary began； confusedly。 She bit her lip； sat
silent a moment； then spoke with composure。 〃It must seem odd； my〃
〃No； no！〃 Bibbs protested； earnestly。 〃Not in thein the least。〃
〃It does； though；〃 said Mary。 〃I had not intended to come to the cemetery；
Mr。 Sheridan； but one of the men in charge at the house came and whispered to
me that 'the family wished me to'I think your sister sent him。 So I came。
But when we reached here Ioh； I felt that perhaps I〃
Bibbs nodded gravely。 〃Yes； yes；〃 he murmured。
〃I got out on the opposite side of the carriage；〃 she continued。 〃I mean
opposite fromfrom where all of you were。 And I wandered off over in the
other direction； and I didn't realize how little timeit takes。 From where
I was I couldn't see the carriages leavingat least I didn't notice them。
So when I got back； just now； you were the only one here。 I didn't know the
other people in the carr