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He opened it； and she said：
〃Bibbs； you were coming out of the Vertreeses' house when we met you。 How
did you happen to be there？〃
〃I had only been to the door；〃 he said。 〃Good night； Sibyl。〃
〃Wait；〃 she insisted。 〃We saw you coming out。〃
〃I wasn't；〃 he explained； moving to depart。 〃I'd just brought Miss Vertrees
home。〃
〃What？〃 she cried。
〃Yes；〃 he said； and stepped out upon the porch； 〃that was it。 Good night；
Sibyl。〃
〃Wait！〃 she said； following him across the threshold。 〃How did that happen？
I thought you were going to wait while those men filled the the〃 She
paused； but moved nearer him insistently。
〃I did wait。 Miss Vertrees was there；〃 he said； reluctantly。 〃She had
walked away for a while and didn't notice that the carriages were leaving。
When she came back the coupe waiting for me was the only one left。〃
She regarded him with dilating eyes。 She spoke with a slow breathlessness。
〃And she drove home from Jim's funeralwith you！〃
Without warning she burst into laughter； clapped her hand ineffectually over
her mouth； and ran back uproariously into the house； hurling the door shut
behind her。
Bibbs went home pondering。 He did not understand why Sibyl had laughed。 The
laughter itself had been spontaneous and beyond suspicion； but it seemed to
him that she had only affected to effort to suppress it and that she wished
it to be significant。 Significant of what？ And why had she wished to
impress upon him the fact of her overwhelming amusement？ He found no answer；
but she had succeeded in disturbing him； and he wished that he had not
encountered her。
At home； uncles； aunts； and cousins from out of town were wandering about the
house； several mournfully admiring the 〃Bay of Naples；〃 and others occupied
with the Moor and the plumbing； while they waited for trains。 Edith and her
mother had retired to some upper fastness； but Bibbs interviewed Jackson and
had the various groups of relatives summoned to the dining…room for food。
One great…uncle； old Gideon Sheridan from Boonville； could not be found； and
Bibbs went in search of him。 He ransacked the house； discovering the missing
antique at last by accident。 Passing his father's closed door on tiptoe；
Bibbs heard a murmurous sound； and paused to listen。 The sound proved to be
a quavering and rickety voice； monotonously bleating：
〃The Lo…ord givuth and the Lo…ord takuth away！ We got to remember that； we
got to remember that！ I'm a…gittin' along； James； I'm a…gittin' along； and
I've seen a…many of 'em gotwo daughters and a son the Lord give me； and He
has taken all away。 For the Lo…ord givuth and the Lo…ord takuth away！
Remember the words of Bildad the Shuhite； James。 Bildad the Shuhite says；
'He shall have neither son nor nephew among his people； nor any remaining in
his dwellings。' Bildad the Shuhite〃
Bibbs opened the door softly。 His father was lying upon the bed； in his
underclothes； face downward； and Uncle Gideon sat near by； swinging backward
and forward in a rocking…chair； stroking his long white beard and gazing at
the ceiling as he talked。 Bibbs beckoned him urgently； but Uncle Gideon paid
no attention。
〃Bibdad the Shuhite spake and his says； 'If thy children have sinned against
Him and He have cast them away〃
There was a muffled explosion beneath the floor； and the windows rattled。
The figure lying face downward on the bed did not move； but Uncle Gideon
leaped from his chair。 〃My God！〃 he cried。 〃What's that？〃
There came a second explosion； and Uncle Gideon ran out into the hall。 Bibbs
went to the head of the great staircase； and； looking down； discovered the
source of the distubance。 Gideon's grandson； a boy of fourteen； had brought
his camera to the funeral and was taking 〃flash…lights〃 of the Moor。 Uncle
Gideon； reassured by Bibbs's explanation； would have returned to finish his
quotation from Bildad the Shuhite； but Bibbs detained him； and after a little
argument persuaded him to descend to the dining…room whither Bibbs followed；
after closing the door of his father's room。
He kept his eye on Gideon after dinner； diplomatically preventing several
attempts on the part of that comforter to reascend the stairs； and it was a
relief to Bibbs when George announced that an automobile was waiting to
convey the ancient man and his grandson to their train。 They were the last
to leave； and when they had gone Bibbs went sighing to his own room。
He stretched himself wearily upon the bed； but presently rose； went to the
window； and looked for a long time at the darkened house where Mary Vertrees
lived。 Then he open his trunk； took therefrom a small note…book half filled
with fragmentary scribblings； and began to write：
Laughter after a funeral。 In this reaction people will laugh at
anything and at nothing。 The band plays a dirge on the way to the cemetery；
but when it turns back； and the mourning carriages are out of hearing； it
strikes up； 〃Darktown is Out To…night。〃 That is natural but there are women
whose laughter is like the whirring of whips。 Why is it that certain kinds
of laughter seem to spoil something hidden away from the laughers？ If they
do not know of it； and have never seen it； how can their laughter hurt it？
Yet it does。 Beauty is not out of place among grave…stones。 It is not
out of place anywhere。 But a woman who has been betrothed to a man would not
look beautiful at his funeral。 A woman might look beautiful； though； at the
funeral of a man whom she had known and liked。 And in that case； too； she
would probably not want to talk if she drove home from the cemetery with his
brother： nor would she want the brother to talk。 Silence is usually either
stupid or timid。 But for a man who stammers if he tries to talk fast； and
drawls so slowly； when he doesn't stammer； that nobody has time to listen to
him； silence is advisable。 Nevertheless； too much silence is open to
suspicion。 It may be reticence； or it may be a vacuum。 It may be dignity；
or it may be false teeth。 Sometimes an imperceptible odor will become
perceptible in a small inclosure； such as a closed carriage。 The ghost of
gasoline rising from a lady's glove might be sweeter to the man riding beside
her than all the scents of Arcady in spring。 It depends on the ladybut
there ARE！ Three miles may be three hundred miles； or it may be three
feet。 When it is three feet you have not time to say a great deal before you
reach the end of it。 Still； it may be that one should begin to speak。 No one
could help wishing to stay in a world that holds some of the people that are
in this world。 There are some so wonderful you do not understand how the
dead COULD die。 How could they let themselves？ A falling building does
not care who falls with it。 It does not choose who shall be upon its roof
and who shall not。 S