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I've called you 'Mary'！〃
〃Yes。〃 She laughed； a little tremuously。 〃Though I wanted you to！〃
〃I said it without thinking。 It must be because you came there to walk home
with me。 That must be it。〃 〃Women like to have things said；〃 Mary
informed him； her tremulous laughter continuing。 〃Were you glad I came for
you？〃
〃Nonot 'glad。' I felt as if I were being carried straight up and up and
upover the clouds。 I feel like that still。 I think I'm that way most of
the time。 I wonder what I was like before I knew you。 The person I was then
seems to have been somebody else； not Bibbs Sheridan at all。 It seems long；
long ago。 I was gloomy and sicklysomebody else somebody I don't
understand now； a coward afraid of shadowsafraid of things that didn't
existafraid of my old zinc…eater！ And now I'm only afraid of what might
change anything。〃
She was silent a moment； and then； 〃You're happy； Bibbs？〃 she asked。
〃Ah； don't you see？〃 he cried。 〃I want it to last for a thousand； thousand
years； just as it is！ You've made me so rich； I'm a miser。 I wouldn't have
one thing differentnothing； nothing！〃
〃Dear Bibbs！〃 she said； and laughed happily。
Bibbs continued to live in the shelter of his dream。 He had told Edith； after
his ineffective effort to be useful in her affairs； that he had decided that
he was 〃a member of the family〃； but he appeared to have relapsed to the
retired list after that one attempt at participancyhe was far enough
detached from membership now。 These were turbulent days in the New House； but
Bibbs had no part whatever in the turbulencehe seemed an absent…minded
stranger； present by accident and not wholly aware that he was present。 He
would sit； faintly smiling over pleasant imaginings and dear reminiscences of
his own； while battle raged between Edith and her father； or while Sheridan
unloosed jeremiads upon the sullen Roscoe； who drank heavily to endure them。
The happy dreamer wandered into storm…areas like a somnambulist； and wandered
out again unawakened。 He was sorry for his father and for Roscoe； and for
Edith and for Sibyl； but their sufferings and outcries seemed far away。
Sibyl was under Gurney's care。 Roscoe had sent for him on Sunday night； not
long after Bibbs returned the abandoned wraps； and during the first days of
Sibyl's illness the doctor found it necessary to be with her frequently； and
to install a muscular nurse。 And whether he would or no； Gurney received from
his hysterical patient a variety of pungent information which would have
staggered anybody but a family physician。 Among other things he was given to
comprehend the change in Bibbs； and why the zinc…eater was not putting a lump
in the operator's gizzard as of yore。
Sibyl was not deliriousshe was a thin little ego writhing and shrieking in
pain。 Life had hurt her； and had driven her into hurting herself； her
condition was only the adult's terrible exaggeration of that of a child after
a bad bruisethere must be screaming and telling mother all about the hurt
and how it happened。 Sibyl babbled herself hoarse when Gurney withheld
morphine。 She went from the beginning to the end in a breath。 No protest
stopped her； nothing stopped her。
〃You ought to let me die！〃 she wailed。 〃It's cruel not to let me die！ What
harm have I ever done to anybody that you want to keep me alive？ Just look at
my life！ I only married Roscoe to get away from home； and look what that got
me into！look where I am now！ He brought me to this town； and what did I
have in my life but his FAMILY？ And they didn't even know the right crowd！
If they had； it might have been SOMETHING！ I had nothingnothingnothing in
the world！ I wanted to have a good time and how could I？ Where's any good
time among these Sheridans？ They never even had wine on the table！ I thought
I was marrying into a rich family where I'd meet attractive people I'd read
about； and travel； and go to dancesand； oh； my Lord！ all I got was these
Sheridans！ I did the best I could； I did； indeed！ Oh； I DID！ I just tried
to live。 Every woman's got a right to live； some time in her life； I guess！
Things were just beginning to look brighterwe'd moved up here； and that
frozen crowd across the street were after Jim for their daughter； and they'd
have started us with the right peopleand then I saw how Edith was getting
him away from me。 She did it； too！ She got him！ A girl with money can do
that to a married womanyes； she can； every time！ And what could I do？ What
can any woman do in my fix？ I couldn't do ANYTHING but try to stand itand I
couldn't stand it！ I went to that iciclethat Vertrees girland she could
have helped me a little； and it wouldn't have hurt her。 It wouldn't have done
her any harm to help me THAT little！ She treated me as if I'd been dirt that
she wouldn't even take the trouble to sweep out of her house！ Let her WAIT！〃
Sibyl's voice； hoarse from babbling； became no more than a husky whisper；
though she strove to make it louder。 She struggled half upright； and the
nurse restrained her。 〃I'd get up out of this bed to show her she can't do
such things ot me！ I was absolutely ladylike； and she walked out and left me
there alone！ She'll SEE！ She started after Bibbs before Jim's casket was
fairly underground； and she thinks she's landed that poor loonbut she'll
see！ She'll see！ If I'm ever able to walk across the street again I'll show
her how to treat a woman in trouble that comes to her for help！ It wouldn't
have hurt her anyit wouldn'tit wouldn't。 And Edith needn't have told what
she told Roscoeit wouldn't have hurt her to let me alone。 And HE told her I
bored himtelephoning him I wanted to see him。 He needn't have done it！ He
needn'tneedn't〃 Her voice grew fainter； for that while； with exhaustion；
though she would go over it all again as soon as her strength returned。 She
lay panting。 Then； seeing her husband standing disheveled in the doorway；
〃Don't come in； Roscoe；〃 she murmured。 〃I don't want to see you。〃 And as he
turned away she added； 〃I'm kind of sorry for you； Roscoe。〃
Her antagonist； Edith； was not more coherent in her own wailings； and she had
the advantage of a mother for listener。 She had also the disadvantage of a
mother for duenna； and Mrs。 Sheridan； under her husband's sharp tutelage；
proved an effective one。 Edith was reduced to telephoning Lamhorn from shops
whenever she could juggle her mother into a momentary distraction over a
counter。
Edith was incomparably more in love than before Lamhorn's expulsion。 Her
whole being was nothing but the determination to hurdle everything that
separated her from him。 She was in a state that could be altered by only the
lightest and most delicate diplomacy of suggestion； but Sheridan； like legions
of other parents； intensified her passion and fed it hourly fuel by opposing
to it an intolerable force。 He swore she should cool； and thus set her on
fire。
Edith pl