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！
〃I don't care what Ben says；〃 shouted Jo； goaded into rage。 〃I'm
sick of your everlasting Ben。 Go and get a Ben of your own； why don't
you； if you're so stuck on the way he does things。〃
And Babe did。 She made a last desperate drive； aided by Eva； and
she captured a rather surprised young man in the brokerage way； who had
made up his mind not to marry for years and years。 Eva wanted to give
her her wedding things； but at that Jo broke into sudden rebellion。
〃No； sir！ No Ben is going to buy my sister's wedding clothes；
understand？ I guess I'm not brokeyet。 I'll furnish the money for her
things； and there'll be enough of them； too。〃 Babe had as useless a
trousseau； and as filled with extravagant pink…and… blue and lacy and frilly
things； as any daughter of doting parents。 Jo seemed to find a grim
pleasure in providing them。 But it left him pretty well pinched。 After
Babe's marriage （she insisted that they call her Estelle now） Jo sold the
house on Calumet。 He and Carrie took one of those little flats that were
springing up； seemingly overnight； all through Chicago's South Side。
There was nothing domestic about Carrie。 She had given up teaching
two years before； and had gone into social…service work on the West Side。
She had what is known as a legal mindhard； clear； orderlyand she made
a great success of it。 Her dream was to live at the Settlement House and
give all her time to the work。 Upon the little household she bestowed a
certain amount of grim； capable attention。 It was the same kind of
attention she would have given a piece of machinery whose oiling and
running had been entrusted to her care。 She hated it； and didn't hesitate
to say so。
Jo took to prowling about department…store basements； and household
goods sections。 He was always sending home a bargain in a ham； or a
sack of potatoes； or fifty pounds of sugar； or a window clamp； or a new
kind of paring knife。 He was forever doing odd jobs that the janitor
should have done。 It was the domestic in him claiming its own。
Then； one night； Carrie came home with a dull glow in her leathery
cheeks； and her eyes alight with resolve。 They had what she called a
plain talk。
〃Listen； Jo。 They've offered me the job of first assistant resident
22
… Page 23…
ONE BASKET
worker。 And I'm going to take it。 Take it！ I know fifty other girls who'd
give their ears for it。 I go in next month。〃
They were at dinner。 Jo looked up from his plate； dully。 Then he
glanced around the little dining room； with its ugly tan walls and its heavy；
dark furniture （the Calumet Avenue pieces fitted cumbersomely into the
five…room flat）。
〃Away？ Away from here； you meanto live？〃
Carrie laid down her fork。 〃Well； really； Jo！ After all that
explanation。〃
〃But to go over there to live！ Why； that neighborhood's full of dirt；
and disease； and crime； and the Lord knows what all。 I can't let you do
that； Carrie。〃
Carrie's chin came up。 She laughed a short little laugh。 〃Let me！
That's eighteenth…century talk； Jo。 My life's my own to live。 I'm
going。〃
And she went。
Jo stayed on in the apartment until the lease was up。 Then he sold
what furniture he could； stored or gave away the rest； and took a room on
Michigan Avenue in one of the old stone mansions whose decayed
splendor was being put to such purpose。
Jo Hertz was his own master。 Free to marry。 Free to come and go。
And he found he didn't even think of marrying。 He didn't even want to
come or go； particularly。 A rather frumpy old bachelor； with thinning
hair and a thickening neck。
Every Thursday evening he took dinner at Eva's； and on Sunday noon
at Stell's。 He tucked his napkin under his chin and openly enjoyed the
homemade soup and the well…cooked meats。 After dinner he tried to talk
business with Eva's husband； or Stell's。 His business talks were the old…
fashioned kind； beginning：
〃Well； now； looka here。 Take； f'rinstance； your raw hides and
leathers。〃
But Ben and George didn't want to take； f'rinstance； your raw hides
and leathers。 They wanted； when they took anything at all； to take golf；
or politics； or stocks。 They were the modern type of businessman who
23
… Page 24…
ONE BASKET
prefers to leave his work out of his play。 Business； with them； was a
profession a finely graded and balanced thing； differing from Jo's clumsy；
down… hill style as completely as does the method of a great criminal
detective differ from that of a village constable。 They would listen；
restively； and say； 〃Uh…uh；〃 at intervals； and at the first chance they would
sort of fade out of the room； with a meaning glance at their wives。 Eva
had two children now。 Girls。 They treated Uncle Jo with good…natured
tolerance。 Stell had no children。 Uncle Jo degenerated； by almost
imperceptible degrees； from the position of honored guest； who is served
with white meat； to that of one who is content with a leg and one of those
obscure and bony sections which； after much turning with a bewildered
and investigating knife and fork； leave one baffled and unsatisfied。
Eva and Stell got together and decided that Jo ought to marry。
〃It isn't natural；〃 Eva told him。 〃I never saw a man who took so little
interest in women。〃
〃Me！〃 protested Jo； almost shyly。 〃Women！〃
〃Yes。 Of course。 You act like a frightened schoolboy。〃
So they had in for dinner certain friends and acquaintances of fitting
age。 They spoke of them as 〃splendid girls。〃 Between thirty…six and
forty。 They talked awfully well； in a firm； clear way； about civics； and
classes； and politics； and economics； and boards。 They rather terrified Jo。
He didn't understand much that they talked about； and he felt humbly
inferior； and yet a little resentful； as if something had passed him by。 He
escorted them home； dutifully； though they told him not to bother； and
they evidently meant it。 They seemed capable not only of going home
quite unattended but of delivering a pointed lecture to any highwayman or
brawler who might molest them。
The following Thursday Eva would say； 〃How did you like her； Jo？〃
〃Like who？〃 Joe would spar feebly。
〃Miss Matthews。〃
〃Who's she？〃
〃Now； don't be funny； Jo。 You know very well I mean the girl who was
here for dinner。 The one who talked so well on the emigration question。〃
〃Oh； her！ Why； I liked her all right。 Seems to be a smart woman。〃
24
… Page 25…
ONE BASKET
〃Smart！ She's a perfectly splendid girl。〃
〃Sure；〃 Jo would agree cheerfully。
〃But didn't you like her？〃
〃I can't say I did； Eve。 And I can't say I didn't。 She made me think a
lot of a teacher I had in the fifth reader。 Name of Himes。 As I recall her；
she must have been a fine woman。 But I never thought of Himes as a
woman at all。 She was just Teacher。〃
〃You make me tired；〃 snapped Eva impatiently。 〃A man of your age。
You don't expect to marry a girl； do you？ A child！〃
〃I don't expect to marry anybody；〃 Jo had answered。
And that was the truth； lonely though he often was。
The following spring Eva moved to Winnetka。 Anyone who got the
meaning of the Loop knows the significance of a move to a North Shore
suburb； and a house。 Eva's daughter； Ethel； was growing up； and her
mother had an eye on society。
That did away with Jo's Thursda