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！
So she told him briefly。 She was in the commission business。
Successful。 She bought； too； for such hotels as the Blackstone and the
Congress； and for half a dozen big restaurants。 She gave him bare facts；
but he was shrewd enough and sufficiently versed in business to know that
here was a woman of established commercial position。
〃But how does it happen you're keepin' it up； Emma； all this time？
Why； you must be anywayit ain't that you look itbut〃 He
floundered； stopped。
She laughed。 〃That's all right； Ben。 I couldn't fool you on that。
And I'm working because it keeps me happy。 I want to work till I die。
My children keep telling me to stop； but I know better than that。 I'm not
going to rust out。 I want to wear out。〃 Then； at an unspoken question in
his eyes： 〃He's dead。 These twenty years。 It was hard at first； when
the children were small。 But I knew garden stuff if I didn't know
anything else。 It came natural to me。 That's all。〃
So then she got his story from him bit by bit。 He spoke of the farm
79
… Page 80…
ONE BASKET
and of Dike； and there was a great pride in his voice。 He spoke of Bella；
and the son who had been killed； and of Minnie。 And the words came
falteringly。 He was trying to hide something； and he was not made for
deception。 When he had finished：
〃Now； listen； Ben。 You go back to your farm。〃
〃I can't。 SheI can't。〃
She leaned forward； earnestly。 〃You go back to the farm。〃
He turned up his palms with a little gesture of defeat。 〃I can't。〃
〃You can't stay here。 It's killing you。 It's poisoning you。 Did you
ever hear of toxins？ That means poisons； and you're poisoning yourself。
You'll die of it。 You've got another twenty years of work in you。 What's
ailing you？ You go back to your wheat and your apples and your hogs。
There isn't a bigger job in the world than that。〃
For a moment his face took on a glow from the warmth of her own
inspiring personality。 But it died again。 When they rose to go； his
shoulders drooped again； his muscles sagged。 At the doorway he paused
a moment； awkward in farewell。 He blushed a little； stammered。
〃EmmaI always wanted to tell you。 God knows it was luck for you
the way it turned outbut I always wanted to〃
She took his hand again in her firm grip at that； and her kindly； bright
brown eyes were on him。 〃I never held it against you； Ben。 I had to
live a long time to understand it。 But I never held a grudge。 It just
wasn't to be； I suppose。 But listen to me； Ben。 You do as I tell you。
You go back to your wheat and your apples and your hogs。 There isn't a
bigger man…size job in the world。 It's where you belong。〃
Unconsciously his shoulders straightened again。 Again they sagged。
And so they parted； the two。
He must have walked almost all the long way home； through miles and
miles of city streets。 He must have lost his way； too； for when he looked
up at a corner street sign it was an unfamiliar one。
So he floundered about； asked his way； was misdirected。 He took the
right streetcar at last and got off at his own corner at seven o'clock； or later。
He was in for a scolding； he knew。
But when he came to his own doorway he knew that even his tardiness
80
… Page 81…
ONE BASKET
could not justify the bedlam of sound that came from within。 High…
pitched voices。 Bella's above all the rest； of course； but there was
Minnie's too； and Gus's growl； and Pearlie's treble； and the boy Ed's and…
…
At the other voice his hand trembled so that the knob rattled in the
door； and he could not turn it。 But finally he did turn it； and stumbled in；
breathing hard。 And that other voice was Dike's。
He must have just arrived。 The flurry of explanation was still in
progress。 Dike's knapsack was still on his back； and his canteen at his hip；
his helmet slung over his shoulder。 A brown； hard； glowing Dike；
strangely tall and handsome and older； too。 Older。
All this Ben saw in less than one electric second。 Then he had the
boy's two shoulders in his hands； and Dike was saying； 〃Hello； Pop。〃
Of the roomful； Dike and old Ben were the only quiet ones。 The
others were taking up the explanation and going over it again and again；
and marveling； and asking questions。
〃He come in towhat's that place； Dike？Hobokenyesterday only。
An' he sent a dispatch to the farm。 Can't you read our letters； Dike； that
you didn't know we was here now？ And then he's only got an hour more。
They got to go to Camp Grant to be； now； demobilized。 He came out to
Minnie's on a chance。 Ain't he big！〃
But Dike and his father were looking at each other quietly。 Then
Dike spoke。 His speech was not phlegmatic； as of old。 He had a new
clipped way of uttering his words：
〃Say； Pop； you ought to see the way the Frenchies farm！ They got
about an acre each； and； say； they use every inch of it。 If they's a little
dirt blows into the crotch of a tree； they plant a crop in there。 I never
seen nothin' like it。 Say； we waste enough stuff over here to keep that
whole country in food for a hundred years。 Yessir。 And tools！ Outta
the ark； believe me。 If they ever saw our tractor； they'd think it was the
Germans comin' back。 But they're smart at that。 I picked up a lot of
new ideas over there。 And you ought to see the old birdswomenfolks
and men about eighty years old runnin' everything on the farm。 They
had to。 I learned somethin' off them about farmin'。〃
81
… Page 82…
ONE BASKET
〃Forget the farm；〃 said Minnie。
〃Yeh；〃 echoed Gus； 〃forget the farm stuff。 I can get you a job here
out at the works for four…fifty a day； and six when you learn it right。〃
Dike looked from one to the other； alarm and unbelief on his face。
〃What d'you mean； a job？ Who wants a job！ What you all〃
Bella laughed jovially。 〃F'r heaven's sakes； Dike； wake up！ We're
livin' here。 This is our place。 We ain't rubes no more。〃
Dike turned to his father。 A little stunned look crept into his face。 A
stricken； pitiful look。 There was something about it that suddenly made
old Ben think of Pearlie when she had been slapped by her quick…
tempered mother。
〃But I been countin' on the farm；〃 he said miserably。 〃I just been
livin' on the idea of comin' back to it。 Why； I The streets here； they're
all narrow and choked up。 I been countin' on the farm。 I want to go
back and be a farmer。 I want〃
And then Ben Westerveld spoke。 A new Ben Westerveldthe old Ben
Westerveld。 Ben Westerveld； the farmer； the monarch over six hundred
acres of bounteous bottomland。
〃That's all right； Dike；〃 he said。 〃You're going back。 So'm I。 I've
got another twenty years of work in me。 We're going back to the farm。〃
Bella turned on him； a wildcat。 〃We ain't！ Not me！ We ain't！
I'm not agoin' back to the farm。〃
But Ben Westerveld was master again in his own house。 〃You're
goin' back； Bella；〃 he said quietly； 〃an' things are goin' to be different。
You're goin' to run the house the way I say； or I'll know why。 If you can't
do it； I'll get them in that can。 An' me and Dike； we're goin' back to our
wheat and our apples and our hogs。 Ye