winesburg,ohio- 第5部分

And　then　there　was　the　second　expression　of　her　restlessness。　　When　that　came　she　felt　for　a　time　re…　leased　and　happy。　　She　did　not　blame　the　men　who　walked　with　her　and　later　she　did　not　blame　Tom　Willard。　　It　was　always　the　same；　beginning　with　kisses　and　ending；　after　strange　wild　emotions；　with　peace　and　then　sobbing　repentance。　　When　she　sobbed　she　put　her　hand　upon　the　face　of　the　man　and　had　always　the　same　thought。　　Even　though　he　were　large　and　bearded　she　thought　he　had　become　suddenly　a　little　boy。　　She　wondered　why　he　did　not　sob　also。

In　her　room；　tucked　away　in　a　corner　of　the　old　Willard　House；　Elizabeth　Willard　lighted　a　lamp　and　put　it　on　a　dressing　table　that　stood　by　the　door。　　A　thought　had　come　into　her　mind　and　she　went　to　a　closet　and　brought　out　a　small　square　box　and　set　it　on　the　table。　　The　box　contained　material　for　make…　up　and　had　been　left　with　other　things　by　a　theatrical　company　that　had　once　been　stranded　in　Wines…　burg。　　Elizabeth　Willard　had　decided　that　she　would　be　beautiful。　　Her　hair　was　still　black　and　there　was　a　great　mass　of　it　braided　and　coiled　about　her　head。　The　scene　that　was　to　take　place　in　the　office　below　began　to　grow　in　her　mind。　　No　ghostly　worn…out　figure　should　confront　Tom　Willard；　but　something　quite　unexpected　and　startling。　　Tall　and　with　dusky　cheeks　and　hair　that　fell　in　a　mass　from　her　shoul…　ders；　a　figure　should　come　striding　down　the　stair…　way　before　the　startled　loungers　in　the　hotel　office。　The　figure　would　be　silentit　would　be　swift　and　terrible。　　As　a　tigress　whose　cub　had　been　threatened　would　she　appear；　coming　out　of　the　shadows；　steal…　ing　noiselessly　along　and　holding　the　long　wicked　scissors　in　her　hand。

With　a　little　broken　sob　in　her　throat；　Elizabeth　Willard　blew　out　the　light　that　stood　upon　the　table　and　stood　weak　and　trembling　in　the　darkness。　　The　strength　that　had　been　as　a　miracle　in　her　body　left　and　she　half　reeled　across　the　floor；　clutching　at　the　back　of　the　chair　in　which　she　had　spent　so　many　long　days　staring　out　over　the　tin　roofs　into　the　main　street　of　Winesburg。　　In　the　hallway　there　was　the　sound　of　footsteps　and　George　Willard　came　in　at　the　door。　　Sitting　in　a　chair　beside　his　mother　he　began　to　talk。　　〃I'm　going　to　get　out　of　here；〃　he　said。　　〃I　don't　know　where　I　shall　go　or　what　I　shall　do　but　I　am　going　away。〃

The　woman　in　the　chair　waited　and　trembled。　　An　impulse　came　to　her。　　〃I　suppose　you　had　better　wake　up；〃　she　said。　　〃You　think　that？　You　will　go　to　the　city　and　make　money；　eh？　It　will　be　better　for　you；　you　think；　to　be　a　business　man；　to　be　brisk　and　smart　and　alive？〃　She　waited　and　trembled。

The　son　shook　his　head。　　〃I　suppose　I　can't　make　you　understand；　but　oh；　I　wish　I　could；〃　he　said　earnestly。　　〃I　can't　even　talk　to　father　about　it。　　I　don't　try。　　There　isn't　any　use。　　I　don't　know　what　I　shall　do。　I　just　want　to　go　away　and　look　at　people　and　think。〃

Silence　fell　upon　the　room　where　the　boy　and　woman　sat　together。　　Again；　as　on　the　other　eve…　nings；　they　were　embarrassed。　　After　a　time　the　boy　tried　again　to　talk。　　〃I　suppose　it　won't　be　for　a　year　or　two　but　I've　been　thinking　about　it；〃　he　said；　rising　and　going　toward　the　door。　　〃Something　father　said　makes　it　sure　that　I　shall　have　to　go　away。〃　He　fumbled　with　the　doorknob。　　In　the　room　the　silence　became　unbearable　to　the　woman。　　She　wanted　to　cry　out　with　joy　because　of　the　words　that　had　come　from　the　lips　of　her　son；　but　the　expression　of　joy　had　become　impossible　to　her。　　〃I　think　you　had　bet…　ter　go　out　among　the　boys。　　You　are　too　much　in…　doors；〃　she　said。　　〃I　thought　I　would　go　for　a　little　walk；〃　replied　the　son　stepping　awkwardly　out　of　the　room　and　closing　the　door。




THE　PHILOSOPHER

DOCTOR　PARCIVAL　was　a　large　man　with　a　drooping　mouth　covered　by　a　yellow　mustache。　　He　always　wore　a　dirty　white　waistcoat　out　of　the　pockets　of　which　protruded　a　number　of　the　kind　of　black　ci…　gars　known　as　stogies。　　His　teeth　were　black　and　irregular　and　there　was　something　strange　about　his　eyes。　　The　lid　of　the　left　eye　twitched；　it　fell　down　and　snapped　up；　it　was　exactly　as　though　the　lid　of　the　eye　were　a　window　shade　and　someone　stood　inside　the　doctor's　head　playing　with　the　cord。

Doctor　Parcival　had　a　liking　for　the　boy；　George　Willard。　　It　began　when　George　had　been　working　for　a　year　on　the　Winesburg　Eagle　and　the　acquain…　tanceship　was　entirely　a　matter　of　the　doctor's　own　making。

In　the　late　afternoon　Will　Henderson；　owner　and　editor　of　the　Eagle；　went　over　to　Tom　Willy's　saloon。　Along　an　alleyway　he　went　and　slipping　in　at　the　back　door　of　the　saloon　began　drinking　a　drink　made　of　a　combination　of　sloe　gin　and　soda　water。　　Will　Henderson　was　a　sensualist　and　had　reached　the　age　of　forty…five。　　He　imagined　the　gin　renewed　the　youth　in　him。　　Like　most　sensualists　he　enjoyed　talk…　ing　of　women；　and　for　an　hour　he　lingered　about　gossiping　with　Tom　Willy。　　The　saloon　keeper　was　a　short；　broad…shouldered　man　with　peculiarly　marked　hands。　　That　flaming　kind　of　birthmark　that　some…　times　paints　with　red　the　faces　of　men　and　women　had　touched　with　red　Tom　Willy's　fingers　and　the　backs　of　his　hands。　　As　he　stood　by　the　bar　talking　to　Will　Henderson　he　rubbed　the　hands　together。　As　he　grew　more　and　more　excited　the　red　of　his　fingers　deepened。　　It　was　as　though　the　hands　had　been　dipped　in　blood　that　had　dried　and　faded。

As　Will　Henderson　stood　at　the　bar　looking　at　the　red　hands　and　talking　of　women；　his　assistant；　George　Willard；　sat　in　the　office　of　the　Winesburg　Eagle　and　listened　to　the　talk　of　Doctor　Parcival。

Doctor　Parcival　appeared　immediately　after　Will　Henderson　had　disappeared。　　One　might　have　sup…　posed　that　the　doctor　had　been　watching　from　his　office　window　and　had　seen　the　editor　going　along　the　alleyway。　　Coming　in　at　the　front　door　and　find…　ing　himself　a　chair；　he　lighted　one　of　the　stogies　and　crossing　his　legs　began　to　talk。　　He　seemed　intent　upon　convincing　the　boy　of　the　advisability　of　adopt…　ing　a　line　of　conduct　that　he　was　himself　unable　to　define。

〃If　you　have　your　eyes　open　you　will　see　that　although　I　call　myself　a　doctor　I　have　mighty　few　patients；〃　he　began。　　〃There　is　a　reason　for　that。　　It　is　not　an　accident　and　it　is　not　because　I　do　not　know　as　much　of　medicine　as　anyone　here。　　I　do　not　want　patients。　　The　reason；　you　see；　does　not　appear　on　the　surface。　　It　lies　in　fact　in　my　character；　which　has；　if　you　think　about　it；　many　strange　turns。　　Why　I　want　to　talk　to　you　of　the　matter　I　don't　know。　　I　might　keep　still　and　get　more　credit　in　your　eyes。　　I　have　a　desire　to　make　you　admire　me；　that's　a　fact。　I　don't　know　why。　　That's　why　I　talk。　　It's　very　amus…　ing；　eh？〃

Sometimes　the　doctor　launched　into　long　tales　concerning　himself。　　To　the　boy　the　tales　were　very　real　and　full　of　meaning。　　He　began　to　admire　the　fat　unclean…looking　man　and；　in　the　afternoon　when　Will　Henderson　had　gone；　looked　forward　with　keen　interest　to　the　doctor's　coming。

Doctor　Parcival　had　been　in　Winesburg　about　five　years。　　He　came　from　Chicago　and　when　he　arrived　was　drunk　and　got　into　a　fight　with　Albert　Long…　worth；　the　baggageman。　　The　fight　concerned　a　trunk　and　ended　by　the　doctor's　being　escorted　to　the　vil…　lage　lockup。　　When　he　was　released　he　rented　a　room　above　a　shoe…repairing　shop　at　the　lower　end　of　Main　Street　and　put　out　the　sign　that　announced　himself　as　a　doctor。　　Although　he　had　but　few　pa…　tients　and　these　of　the　poorer　sort　who　were　unable　to　pay；　he　seemed　to　have　plenty　of　money　for　his　needs。　　He　slept　in　the　office　that　was　unspeakably　dirty　and　dined　at　Biff　Carter's　lunch　room　in　a　small　frame　building　opposite　the　railroad　station。　　In　the　summer　the　lunch　room　was　filled　with　flies　and　Biff　Carter's　white　apron　was　more　dirty　than　his　floor。　Doctor　Parcival　did　not　mind。　　Into　the　lunch　room　he　stalked　and　deposited　twenty　cents　upon　the　counter。　　〃Feed　me　what　you　wish　for　that；〃　he　said　laughing。　　〃Use　up　food　that　you　wouldn't　otherwise　sell。　　It　makes　no　difference　to　me。　　I　am　a　man　of　distinction；　you　see。　　Why　should　I　concern　myself　with　what　I　eat。〃

The　tales　that　Doctor　Parcival　told　George　Willard　began　nowhere　and　ended　nowhere。　　Sometimes　the　boy　thought　they　must　all　be　inventions；　a　pack　of　lies。　　And　then　again　he　was　convinced　that　they　contained　the　very　essence　of　truth。

〃I　was　a　reporter　like　you　here；〃　Doctor　Parcival　began。　　〃It　was　in　a　town　in　Iowaor　was　it　in　Illi…　nois？　I　don't　remember　and　anyway　it　makes　no　difference。　　Perhaps　I　am　trying　to　conceal　my　iden…　tity　and　don't　want　to　be　very　definite。　　Have　you　ever　thought　it　strange　that　I　have　money　for　my　needs　although　I　do　nothing？　I　may　have　stolen　a　great　sum　of　money　or　been　involved　in　a　murder　before　I　came　here。　　There　is　food　for　thought　in　that；　eh？　If　you　were　a　really　smart　newspaper　reporter　you　would　look　me　up。　　In　Chicago　there　was　a　Doc…　tor　Cronin　who　was　murdered。　　Have　you　heard　of　that？　Some　men　murdered　him　and　put　him　in　a　trunk。　　In　the　early　morning　they　hauled　the　trunk　across　the　city。　　It　sat　on　the　back　of　an　express　wagon　and　they　were　on　the　seat　as　unconcerned　as　anything。　　Along　they　went　through　quiet　streets　where　everyone　was　asleep。　　The　sun　was　just　com…　ing　up　over　the　lake。　　Funny；　ehjust　to　think　of　them　smoking　pipes　and　chattering　as　they　drove　along　as　unconcerned　as　I　am　now。　　Perhaps　I　was　one　of　those　men。　　That　would　be　a　strange　turn　of　things；　now　wouldn't　it；　eh？〃　Again　Doctor　Parcival　began　his　tale：　〃Well；　anyway　there　I　was；　a　reporter　on　a　paper　just　as　you　are　here；　running　about　and　getting　little　items　to　print。　　My　mother　was　poor。　She　took　in　washing。　　Her　dream　was　to　make　me　a　Presbyterian　minister　and　I　was　studying　with　that　end　in　view。

〃My　father　had　been　insane　for　a　number　of　years。　He　was　in　an　asylum　over　at　Dayton；　Ohio。　　There　you　see　I　have　let　it　slip　out！　All　of　this　took　place　in　Ohio；　right　here　in　Ohio。　　There　is　a　clew　if　you　ever　get　the　notion　of　looking　me　up。

〃I　was　going　to　tell　you　of　my　brother。　　That's　the　object　of　all　this。　　That's　what　I'm　getting　at。　　My　brother　was　a　railroad　painter　and　had　a　job　on　the　Big　Four。　　You　know　that　road　runs　through　Ohio　here。　　With　other　men　he　lived　in　a　box　car　and　away