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people who lived in it save that they were rich。 There are houses that cannot
be detached from their own people without protesting： every inch of mortar
seems to mourn the separation； and such a houseno matter what be done to
itis ever murmurous with regret； whispering the old name sadly to itself
unceasingly。 But the New House was of a kind to change hands without emotion。
In our swelling cities； great places of its type are useful as financial
gauges of the business tides； rich families； one after another； take title and
occupy such houses as fortunes rise and fallthey mark the high tide。 It was
impossible to imagine a child's toy wagon left upon a walk or driveway of the
New House； and yet it wasas Bibbs rightly called it 〃beautiful。〃
What the architect thought of the 〃Golfo di Napoli；〃 which hung in its vast
gold revel of rococo frame against the gray wood of the hall； is to be
conjecturedperhaps he had not seen it。
〃Edith； did you say only eleven feet？〃 Bibbs panted； staring at it； as the
white…jacketed twin of a Pullman porter helped him to get out of his overcoat。
〃Eleven without the frame；〃 she explained。 〃It's splendid； don't you think？
It lightens things up so。 The hall was kind of gloomy before。〃
〃No gloom now！〃 said Bibbs。
〃This statue in the corner is pretty； too；〃 she remarked。 〃Mamma and I bought
that。〃 And Bibbs turned at her direction to behold； amid a grove of tubbed
palms； a 〃life…size；〃 black…bearded Moor； of a plastic compositon painted with
unappeasable gloss and brilliancy。 Upon his chocolate head he wore a gold
turban； in his hand he held a gold…tipped spear； and for the rest； he was red
and yellow and black and silver。
〃Hallelujah！〃 was the sole comment of the returned wanderer； and Edith； saying
she would 〃find mamma；〃 left him blinking at the Moor。 Presently； after she
had disappeared； he turned to the colored man who stood waiting； Bibbs's
traveling…bag in his hand。 〃What do YOU think of it？〃 Bibbs asked； solemnly。
〃Gran'！〃 replied the servitor。 〃She mightly hard to dus'。 Dus' git in all
'em wrinkles。 Yessuh； she mighty hard to dus'。〃
〃I expect she must be；〃 said Bibbs； his glance returning reflectively to the
black bull beard for a moment。 〃Is there a place anywhere I could lie down？〃
〃Yessuh。 We got one nem spare rooms all fix up fo' you； suh。 Right up
staihs； suh。 Nice room。〃
He led the way； and Bibbs followed slowly； stopping at intervals to rest； and
noting a heavy increase in the staff of service since the exodus from the
〃old〃 house。 Maids and scrubwomen were at work under the patently nominal
direction of another Pullman porter； who was profoundly enjoying his own
affectation of being harassed with care。
〃Ev'ything got look spick an' span fo' the big doin's to…night；〃 Bibbs's
guide explained； chuckling。 〃Yessuh； we got big doin's to…night！ Big
doin's！〃
The room to which he conducted his lagging charge was furnished in every
particular like a room in a new hotel； and Bibbs found it pleasant though；
indeed； any room with a good bed would have seemed pleasant to him after his
journey。 He stretched himself flat immediately； and having replied 〃Not now〃
to the attendant's offer to unpack the bag； closed his eyes wearily。
White…jacket； racially sympathetic； lowered the window…shades and made an exit
on tiptoe； encountering the other white…jacketthe harassed overseer in the
hall without。 Said the emerging one： 〃He mighty shaky； Mist' Jackson。 Drop
right down an' shet his eyes。 Eyelids all black。 Rich folks gotta go same as
anybody else。 Anybody ast me if I change 'ith 'at ole boy No； suh！ Le'm
keep 'is money； I keep my black skin an' keep out the ground！〃
Mr。 Jackson expressed the same preference。 〃Yessuh； he look tuh me like
somebody awready laid out；〃 he concluded。 And upon the stairway landing； near
by； two old women； on all…fours at their work； were likewise pessimistic。
〃Hech！〃 said one； lamenting in a whisper。 〃It give me a turn to see him go
bywhite as wax an' bony as a dead fish！ Mrs。 Cronin； tell me： d'it make ye
kind o' sick to look at um？〃
〃Sick？ No more than the face of a blessed angel already in heaven！〃
〃Well；〃 said the other； 〃I'd a b'y o' me own come home t' die once〃 She
fell silent at a rustling of skirts in the corridor above them。
It was Mrs。 Sheridan hurrying to greet her son。
She was one of those fat； pink people who fade and contract with age like
drying fruit； and her outside was a true portrait of her。 Her husband and her
daughter had long ago absorbed her。 What intelligence she had was given
almost wholly to comprehending and serving those two； and except in the
presence of one of them she was nearly always absent…minded。 Edith lived all
day with her mother； as daughters do； and Sheridan so held his wife to her
unity with him that she had long ago become unconscious of her existence as a
thing separate from his。 She invariably perceived his moods； and nursed him
through them when she did not share them； and she gave him a profound sympathy
with the inmost spirit and purpose of his being； even though she did not
comprehend it and partook of it only as a spectator。 They had known but one
actual altercation in their lives； and that was thirty years past； in the
early days of Sheridan's struggle； when； in order to enhance the favorable
impression he believed himself to be making upon some capitalists； he had
thought it necessary to accompany them to a performance of 〃The Black Crook。〃
But she had not once referred to this during the last ten years。
Mrs。 Sheridan's manner was hurried and inconsequent； her clothes rustled more
than other women's clothes； she seemed to wear too many at a time and to be
vaguely troubled by them； and she was patting a skirt down over some unruly
internal dissension at the moment she opened Bibbs's door。
At sight of the recumbent figure she began to close the door softly；
withdrawing； but the young man had heard the turning of the knob and the
rustling of skirts； and he opened his eyes。
〃Don't go； mother；〃 he said。 〃I'm not asleep。〃 He swung his long legs over
the side of the bed to rise； but she set a hand on his shoulder； restraining
him； and he lay flat again。
〃No；〃 she said； bending over to kiss his cheek； 〃I just come for a minute； but
I want to see how you seem。 Edith said〃
〃Poor Edith！〃 he murmured。 〃She couldn't look at me。 She〃
〃Nonsense！〃 Mrs。 Sheridan； having let in the light at a window； came back to
the bedside。 〃You look a great deal better than what you did before you went
to the sanitarium； anyway。 It's done you good； a body can see that right
away。 You need fatting up； of course； and you haven't got much color〃
〃No；〃 he said； 〃I haven't much color。〃
〃But you will have when you get your strength back。〃
〃Oh yes！〃 he responded； cheerfully。 〃THEN I will。〃
〃You look a great deal better