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！
to be fascinating and be married。 I did it openly； at least； and with a kind
of decent honesty。 I told your brother I had meant to fascinate him and that
I was not in love with him； but I let him think that perhaps I meant to marry
him。 I think I did mean to mary him。 I had never cared for anybody； and I
thought it might be there really WASN'T anything more than a kind of excited
fondness。 I can't be sure； but I think that though I did mean to marry him I
never should have done it； because that sort of a marriage isit's
sacrilegesomething would have stopped me。 Something did stop me； it was your
sister…in…law； Sibyl。 She meant no harmbut she was horrible； and she put
what I was doing into such horrible wordsand they were the truthoh！ I SAW
myself！ She was proposing a miserable compact with meand I couldn't breathe
the air of the same room with her； though I'd so cheapened myself she had a
right to assume that I WOULD。 But I couldn't！ I left her； and I wrote to
your brotherjust a quick scrawl。 I told him just what I'd done； I asked his
pardon； and I said I would not marry him。 I posted the letter； but he never
got it。 That was the afternoon he was killed。 That's all； Bibbs。 Now you
know what I didand you knowME！〃 She pressed her clenched hands tightly
against her eyes； leaning far forward； her head bowed before him。
Bibbs had forgotten himself long ago； his heart broke for her。 〃Couldn't
youIsn't thereWon't you〃 he stammered。 〃Mary； I'm going with father。
Isn't there some way you could use the money withoutwithout 〃
She gave a choked little laugh。
〃You gave me something to live for；〃 he said。 〃You kept me alive； I think
and I've hurt you like this！〃
〃Not youoh no！〃
〃You could forgive me； Mary？〃
〃Oh； a thousand times！〃 Her right hand went out in a faltering gesture； and
just touched his own for an instant。 〃But there's nothing to forgive。〃
〃And you can'tyou can't〃
〃Can't what； Bibbs？〃
〃You couldn't〃
〃Marry you？〃 she said for him。
〃Yes。〃
〃No； no； no！〃 She sprang up； facing him； and； without knowing what she did；
she set her hands upon his breast； pushing him back from her a little。 〃I
can't； I can't！ Don't you SEE？〃
〃Mary〃
〃No； no！ And you must go now； Bibbs； I can't bear any moreplease〃
〃MARY〃
〃Never； never； never！〃 she cried； in a passion of tears。 〃You mustn't come
any more。 I can't see you； dear！ Never； never； never！〃
Somehow； in helpless； stumbling obedience to her beseeching gesture； he got
himself to the door and out of the house。
Sibyl and Roscoe were upon the point of leaving when Bibbs returned to the New
House。 He went straight to Sibyl and spoke to her quietly； but so that the
others might hear。
〃When you said that if I'd stop to think； I'd realize that no one would be apt
to care enough about me to marry me； you were right；〃 he said。 〃I thought
perhaps you weren't； and so I asked Miss Vertrees to marry me。 It proved what
you said of me； and disproved what you said of her。 She refused。〃
And； having thus spoken； he quitted the room as straightforwardly as he had
entered it。
〃He's SO queer！〃 Mrs。 Sheridan gasped。 〃Who on earth would thought of his
doin' THAT？〃
〃I told you；〃 said her husband； grimly。
〃You didn't tell us he'd go over there and〃
〃I told you she wouldn't have him。 I told you she wouldn't have JIM； didn't
I？〃
Sibyl was altogether taken aback。 〃Do you supose it's true？ Do you suppose
she WOULDN'T？〃
〃He didn't look exactly like a young man that had just got things fixed up
fine with his girl；〃 said Sheridan。 〃Not to me； he didn't！〃
〃But why would〃
〃I told you；〃 he interrupted； angrily； 〃she ain't that kind of a girl！ If you
got to have proof； well； I'll tell you and get it over with； though I'd pretty
near just as soon not have to talk a whole lot about my dead boy's private
affairs。 She wrote to Jim she couldn't take him； and it was a good； straight
letter； too。 It came to Jim's office； he never saw it。 She wrote it the
afternoon he was hurt。〃
〃I remember I saw her put a letter in the mail…box that afternoon；〃 said
Roscoe。 〃Don't you remember； Sibyl？ I told you about itI was waiting for
you while you were in there so long talking to her mother。 It was just before
we saw that something was wrong over here； and Edith came and called me。〃
Sibyl shook her head； but she remembered。 And she was not cast down； for；
although some remnants of perplexity were left in her eyes； they were dimmed
by an increasing glow of triumph； and she departedafter some further
fragmentary discoursevisably elated。 After all； the guilty had not been
exalted； and she perceived vaguely； but none the less surely； that her injury
had been copiously avenged。 She bestowed a contented glance upon the old
house with the cupola； as she and Roscoe crossed the street。
When they had gone； Mrs。 Sheridan indulged in reverie； but after a while she
said； uneasily； 〃Papa； you think it would be any use to tell Bibbs about that
letter？〃
〃I don't know；〃 he answered； walking moodily to the window。 〃I been thinkin'
about it。〃 He came to a decision。 〃I reckon I will。〃 And he went up to
Bibbs's room。
〃Well； you goin' back on what you said？〃 he inquired； brusquely； as he opened
the door。 〃You goin' to take it back and lay down on me again？〃
〃No；〃 said Bibbs。
〃Well； perhaps I didn't have any call to accuse you of that。 I don't know as
you ever did go back on anything you said； exactly； though the Lord knows
you've laid down on me enough。 You certainly have！〃 Sheridan was baffled。
This was not what he wished to say； but his words were unmanageable； he found
himself unable to control them； and his querulous abuse went on in spite of
him。 〃I can't say I expect much of younot from the way you always been； up
to nowunless you turn over a new leaf； and I don't see any encouragement to
think you're goin' to do THAT！ If you go down there and show a spark o' real
GIT…up； I reckon the whole office 'll fall in a faint。 But if you're ever
goin' to show any； you better begin right at the beginning and begin to show
it to…morrow。〃
〃YesI'll try。〃
〃You better； if it's in you！〃 Sheridan was sheerly nonplussed。 He ad always
been able to say whatever he wished to say； but his tongue seemed bewitched。
He had come to tell Bibbs about Mary's letter； and to his own angry
astonishment he found it impossible to do anything except to scold like a
drudge…driver。 〃You better come down there with your mind made up to hustle
harder than the hardest workin'…man that's under you； or you'll not get on
very good with me； I tell you！ The way to get aheadand you better set it
down in your booksthe way to get ahead is to do ten times the work of the
hardest worker that works FOR you。 But you don't know what work is； yet。 All
you've ever done was just stand around and f