winesburg,ohio-第21部分

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he　could　not　quiet　herself。　　All　through　the　night　she　lay　awake　hearing　the　clock　tick　and　telling　herself　that　Seth；　like　his　father；　would　come　to　a　sudden　and　violent　end。　　So　determined　was　she　that　the　boy　should　this　time　feel　the　weight　of　her　wrath　that；　although　she　would　not　allow　the　marshal　to　interfere　with　his　adventure；　she　got　out　a　pencil　and　paper　and　wrote　down　a　series　of　sharp；　sting…　ing　reproofs　she　intended　to　pour　out　upon　him。　The　reproofs　she　committed　to　memory；　going　about　the　garden　and　saying　them　aloud　like　an　actor　memorizing　his　part。

And　when；　at　the　end　of　the　week；　Seth　returned；　a　little　weary　and　with　coal　soot　in　his　ears　and　about　his　eyes；　she　again　found　herself　unable　to　reprove　him。　　Walking　into　the　house　he　hung　his　cap　on　a　nail　by　the　kitchen　door　and　stood　looking　steadily　at　her。　　〃I　wanted　to　turn　back　within　an　hour　after　we　had　started；〃　he　explained。　　〃I　didn't　know　what　to　do。　　I　knew　you　would　be　bothered；　but　I　knew　also　that　if　I　didn't　go　on　I　would　be　ashamed　of　myself。　　I　went　through　with　the　thing　for　my　own　good。　　It　was　uncomfortable；　sleeping　on　wet　straw；　and　two　drunken　Negroes　came　and　slept　with　us。　　When　I　stole　a　lunch　basket　out　of　a　farmer's　wagon　I　couldn't　help　thinking　of　his　chil…　dren　going　all　day　without　food。　　I　was　sick　of　the　whole　affair；　but　I　was　determined　to　stick　it　out　until　the　other　boys　were　ready　to　come　back。〃

〃I'm　glad　you　did　stick　it　out；〃　replied　the　mother；　half　resentfully；　and　kissing　him　upon　the　forehead　pretended　to　busy　herself　with　the　work　about　the　house。

On　a　summer　evening　Seth　Richmond　went　to　the　New　Willard　House　to　visit　his　friend；　George　Willard。　　It　had　rained　during　the　afternoon；　but　as　he　walked　through　Main　Street；　the　sky　had　partially　cleared　and　a　golden　glow　lit　up　the　west。　　Going　around　a　corner；　he　turned　in　at　the　door　of　the　hotel　and　began　to　climb　the　stairway　leading　up　to　his　friend's　room。　　In　the　hotel　office　the　proprietor　and　two　traveling　men　were　engaged　in　a　discussion　of　politics。

On　the　stairway　Seth　stopped　and　listened　to　the　voices　of　the　men　below。　　They　were　excited　and　talked　rapidly。　　Tom　Willard　was　berating　the　travel…　ing　men。　　〃I　am　a　Democrat　but　your　talk　makes　me　sick；〃　he　said。　　〃You　don't　understand　McKinley。　McKinley　and　Mark　Hanna　are　friends。　　It　is　impossi…　ble　perhaps　for　your　mind　to　grasp　that。　　If　anyone　tells　you　that　a　friendship　can　be　deeper　and　bigger　and　more　worth　while　than　dollars　and　cents；　or　even　more　worth　while　than　state　politics；　you　snicker　and　laugh。〃

The　landlord　was　interrupted　by　one　of　the　guests；　a　tall；　grey…mustached　man　who　worked　for　a　wholesale　grocery　house。　　〃Do　you　think　that　I've　lived　in　Cleveland　all　these　years　without　knowing　Mark　Hanna？〃　he　demanded。　　〃Your　talk　is　piffle。　Hanna　is　after　money　and　nothing　else。　　This　McKin…　ley　is　his　tool。　　He　has　McKinley　bluffed　and　don't　you　forget　it。〃

The　young　man　on　the　stairs　did　not　linger　to　hear　the　rest　of　the　discussion；　but　went　on　up　the　stairway　and　into　the　little　dark　hall。　　Something　in　the　voices　of　the　men　talking　in　the　hotel　office　started　a　chain　of　thoughts　in　his　mind。　　He　was　lonely　and　had　begun　to　think　that　loneliness　was　a　part　of　his　character；　something　that　would　always　stay　with　him。　　Stepping　into　a　side　hall　he　stood　by　a　window　that　looked　into　an　alleyway。　　At　the　back　of　his　shop　stood　Abner　Groff；　the　town　baker。　　His　tiny　bloodshot　eyes　looked　up　and　down　the　alley…　way。　　In　his　shop　someone　called　the　baker；　who　pretended　not　to　hear。　　The　baker　had　an　empty　milk　bottle　in　his　hand　and　an　angry　sullen　look　in　his　eyes。

In　Winesburg；　Seth　Richmond　was　called　the　〃deep　one。〃　〃He's　like　his　father；〃　men　said　as　he　went　through　the　streets。　　〃He'll　break　out　some　of　these　days。　　You　wait　and　see。〃

The　talk　of　the　town　and　the　respect　with　which　men　and　boys　instinctively　greeted　him；　as　all　men　greet　silent　people；　had　affected　Seth　Richmond's　outlook　on　life　and　on　himself。　　He；　like　most　boys；　was　deeper　than　boys　are　given　credit　for　being；　but　he　was　not　what　the　men　of　the　town；　and　even　his　mother；　thought　him　to　be。　　No　great　underlying　purpose　lay　back　of　his　habitual　silence；　and　he　had　no　definite　plan　for　his　life。　　When　the　boys　with　whom　he　associated　were　noisy　and　quarrelsome；　he　stood　quietly　at　one　side。　　With　calm　eyes　he　watched　the　gesticulating　lively　figures　of　his　com…　panions。　　He　wasn't　particularly　interested　in　what　was　going　on；　and　sometimes　wondered　if　he　would　ever　be　particularly　interested　in　anything。　　Now；　as　he　stood　in　the　half…darkness　by　the　window　watch…　ing　the　baker；　he　wished　that　he　himself　might　be…　come　thoroughly　stirred　by　something；　even　by　the　fits　of　sullen　anger　for　which　Baker　Groff　was　noted。　〃It　would　be　better　for　me　if　I　could　become　excited　and　wrangle　about　politics　like　windy　old　Tom　Wil…　lard；〃　he　thought；　as　he　left　the　window　and　went　again　along　the　hallway　to　the　room　occupied　by　his　friend；　George　Willard。

George　Willard　was　older　than　Seth　Richmond；　but　in　the　rather　odd　friendship　between　the　two；　it　was　he　who　was　forever　courting　and　the　younger　boy　who　was　being　courted。　　The　paper　on　which　George　worked　had　one　policy。　　It　strove　to　mention　by　name　in　each　issue；　as　many　as　possible　of　the　inhabitants　of　the　village。　　Like　an　excited　dog；　George　Willard　ran　here　and　there；　noting　on　his　pad　of　paper　who　had　gone　on　business　to　the　county　seat　or　had　returned　from　a　visit　to　a　neigh…　boring　village。　　All　day　he　wrote　little　facts　upon　the　pad。　　〃A。　P。　Wringlet　had　received　a　shipment　of　straw　hats。　　Ed　Byerbaum　and　Tom　Marshall　were　in　Cleveland　Friday。　　Uncle　Tom　Sinnings　is　building　a　new　barn　on　his　place　on　the　Valley　Road。〃

The　idea　that　George　Willard　would　some　day　be…　come　a　writer　had　given　him　a　place　of　distinction　in　Winesburg；　and　to　Seth　Richmond　he　talked　con…　tinually　of　the　matter；　〃It's　the　easiest　of　all　lives　to　live；〃　he　declared；　becoming　excited　and　boastful。　〃Here　and　there　you　go　and　there　is　no　one　to　boss　you。　　Though　you　are　in　India　or　in　the　South　Seas　in　a　boat；　you　have　but　to　write　and　there　you　are。　Wait　till　I　get　my　name　up　and　then　see　what　fun　I　shall　have。〃

In　George　Willard's　room；　which　had　a　window　looking　down　into　an　alleyway　and　one　that　looked　across　railroad　tracks　to　Biff　Carter's　Lunch　Room　facing　the　railroad　station；　Seth　Richmond　sat　in　a　chair　and　looked　at　the　floor。　　George　Willard；　who　had　been　sitting　for　an　hour　idly　playing　with　a　lead　pencil；　greeted　him　effusively。　　〃I've　been　trying　to　write　a　love　story；〃　he　explained；　laughing　ner…　vously。　　Lighting　a　pipe　he　began　walking　up　and　down　the　room。　　〃I　know　what　I'm　going　to　do。　　I'm　going　to　fall　in　love。　　I've　been　sitting　here　and　think…　ing　it　over　and　I'm　going　to　do　it。〃

As　though　embarrassed　by　his　declaration；　George　went　to　a　window　and　turning　his　back　to　his　friend　leaned　out。　　〃I　know　who　I'm　going　to　fall　in　love　with；〃　he　said　sharply。　　〃It's　Helen　White。　　She　is　the　only　girl　in　town　with　any　'get…up'　to　her。〃

Struck　with　a　new　idea；　young　Willard　turned　and　walked　toward　his　visitor。　　〃Look　here；〃　he　said。　〃You　know　Helen　White　better　than　I　do。　　I　want　you　to　tell　her　what　I　said。　　You　just　get　to　talking　to　her　and　say　that　I'm　in　love　with　her。　　See　what　she　says　to　that。　　See　how　she　takes　it；　and　then　you　come　and　tell　me。〃

Seth　Richmond　arose　and　went　toward　the　door。　The　words　of　his　comrade　irritated　him　unbearably。　〃Well；　good…bye；〃　he　said　briefly。

George　was　amazed。　　Running　forward　he　stood　in　the　darkness　trying　to　look　into　Seth's　face。　〃What's　the　matter？　What　are　you　going　to　do？　You　stay　here　and　let's　talk；〃　he　urged。

A　wave　of　resentment　directed　against　his　friend；　the　men　of　the　town　who　were；　he　thought；　perpet…　ually　talking　of　nothing；　and　most　of　all；　against　his　own　habit　of　silence；　made　Seth　half　desperate。　〃Aw；　speak　to　her　yourself；〃　he　burst　forth　and　then；　going　quickly　through　the　door；　slammed　it　sharply　in　his　friend's　face。　　〃I'm　going　to　find　Helen　White　and　talk　to　her；　but　not　about　him；〃　he　muttered。

Seth　went　down　the　stairway　and　out　at　the　front　door　of　the　hotel　muttering　with　wrath。　　Crossing　a　little　dusty　street　and　climbing　a　low　iron　railing；　he　went　to　sit　upon　the　grass　in　the　station　yard。　George　Willard　he　thought　a　profound　fool；　and　he　wished　that　he　had　said　so　more　vigorously。　　Al…　though　his　acquaintanceship　with　Helen　White；　the　banker's　daughter；　was　outwardly　but　casual；　she　was　often　the　subject　of　his　thoughts　and　he　felt　that　she　was　something　private　and　personal　to　himself。　〃The　busy　fool　with　his　love　stories；〃　he　muttered；　staring　back　over　his　shoulder　at　George　Willard's　room；　〃why　does　he　never　tire　of　his　eternal　talking。〃

It　was　berry　harvest　time　in　Winesburg　and　upon　the　station　platform　men　and　boys　loaded　the　boxes　of　red；　fragrant　berries　into　two　express　cars　that　stood　upon　the　siding。　　A　June　moon　was　in　the　sky；　although　in　the　west　a　storm　threatened；　and　no　street　lamps　were　lighted。　　In　the　dim　light　the　fig…　ures　of　the　men　standing　upon　the　express　truck　and　pitching　the　boxes　in　at　the　doors　of　the　cars　were　but　dimly　discernibl